BY JAY SHAH

Calypso North Stars (50) v. Run and Gun (45)

North Stars hold on in consistently tight game to secure first win of the season

Tony Caletti led the way for the North Stars, aka the Clever Trevors, scoring from all over the floor to post a game-high 23 points. He especially poured it in from deep, racking up 15 of his points from behind the arc, shooting over 50% while doing so. Second leading scorer Trevor Larsen worked his magic on the interior, pouring in 6 buckets from the paint in addition to sinking a 3 on his way to 15 critical points. John Letteny provided the energy for the team, using his speed to drive inside a couple times in addition to swiping the ball from the Run and Gunners 3 times. Meanwhile, Lucas Rathjens absolutely dominated the boards throughout the contest for the North Stars, pulling down double-digit rebounds and creating second chance opportunity after second chance opportunity on the offensive glass. 

Eduardo Deleon paced Run and Gun, posting a solid 17 points by using his speed to drive by North Stars defenders and using the threat of his speed to fire away from deep, cashing in two 3 balls. His free throw shooting was especially dialed in, as he drew 3 shooting fouls including an and-1, and sunk all 5 of his opportunities at the charity stripe. Deleon rocked double 0s as he flashed across the court, picking up 3 steals along the way as well. Rafael Figuereo came off the bench for Run and Gun but kept them in the game till the buzzer sounded, hitting 3 contested 3s in the second half to keep the game within striking distance, including a couple within the last two minutes as the Gunners were in desperation mode. Stevy Alves looked good out on the court, but couldn’t convert many opportunities into points on the scoreboard - and the referee let him hear about his lack of scoring when Alves complained about a call when he tried to strip a North Star. Alves was active in other phases of the game, however, and used his length and speed to grab 3 steals. 

Next up:

Calypso North Stars (1-0) v. NNHS (1-0) - 9/14 9:00p

Run and Gun (0-1) v. A Team Has No Name (0-1) - 9/14 7:00p

BADDIES (5) v. Lexington Steals (2)

BADDIES start the season out with a gift-wrapped win as Lexington Steals forced to forfeit

Next up: 

BADDIES (1-0) at Furious Rim Ticklers (0-1) - 9/14 8:00p

Lexington Steals (0-1) v. Julius Swerving (1-0) - 9/14 6:00p

Julius Swerving (62) v. Furious Rim Ticklers (51)

Swerving turn halftime deficit into second-half shellacking as Dinuzzo catches fire from deep

Anthony Dinuzzo, Jim Birrell, and Kyle Mochnacz carried the scoring burden for Julius Swerving, cashing in with 19, 15, and 12 points respectively. Dinuzzo got his nearly exclusively from beyond the arc, making 6 3-pointers at an insane 75% clip. He was also extremely active on the boards, securing a couple rebounds on the offensive glass in addition to cleaning up caroms off his own rim on his way to a strong double-double to open the season. Mochnacz and Birrell followed Dinuzzo’s lead in firing away from deep, making a combined 7 threes to together comprise the vast majority of Swerving’s points. Watch out for this team to launch 3-pointers without hesitation throughout the season. Their teammates did well to set them up with open looks despite how often they were shooting, with Will Otto and Dan Popko racking up multiple assists each. Popko also made his presence felt on the defensive end, stealing away possession from the Rim Ticklers 4 times. Mike Baker cashed in a three as well, while Ed Kluender had a massive block to keep the Rim Ticklers at bay.

The Rim Ticklers, in contrast, lived up to their name as they played primarily on the interior. While Michael Rogosa, Jeff Yeakley, and Yancy Brown all made deep balls, it was clear that the Ticklers know their bread is buttered in and around the paint. Brown especially put in work in the midrange, looking like Dirk as he drained fadeaway after fadeaway from 15 feet out. Rogosa and Yeakley rounded out the top trio of scoring, with Rogosa picking up a couple clutch blocks as well. Djordje Vlajkovic dominated on the interior, picking up offensive boards left and right and forcing Julius Swerving to send him to the line instead of giving up gimme layups. Drew DeBari worked down under as well, as the combination of Vlajkovic and DeBari sealed off the paint for much of the game. Despite the team’s strong presence in the interior, the Rim Ticklers simply could not keep up with the barrage of 3-pointers in the second half, and had to watch as a 4-point halftime lead turned into an insurmountable deficit as Swerving’s shots continued to fall. 

Next up:

Julius Swerving (1-0) at Lexington Steals (0-1) - 9/14 6:00p

Furious Rim Ticklers (0-1) v. BADDIES (1-0) - 9/14 8:00p

NNHS (71) v. A Team Has No Name (67)

Both teams pour it on in high-scoring, closely-contested affair marred by final-minute timeout controversy

The final matchup of the opening night of the season was an exciting one, as both NNHS and A Team Has No Name poured the points on, scoring bucket after bucket in a back-and-forth game highlighted by tension between all parties in the final minutes. For A Team Has No Name, both Eric Bradanese and Micah Evans led the way with 18 points apiece, each getting theirs in polar opposite ways. Evans put his head down time and again, driving to the basket to sink 1 of his 7 2-point makes or draw a foul. He did well to leverage his speed in the full court game as well, leaking out behind NNHS’ defense to secure a couple easy lay-ins when he spotted the opportunity. Meanwhile, Bradanese shot and converted only from behind the arc, draining a massive 6 3-pointers while also grabbing a steal and a surprising block. Andy Coppage and Steven McGuire found Bradanese in the corners or at the deep elbow repeatedly, and he rewarded them with the ball through the net before an NNHS defender could get a hand up. McGuire had some good-looking shots from behind the arc as well, with one surefire make from NBA 3-point range being caught by a loose- and low-hanging rope, leading to an understandably frustrated McGuire. Coppage didn’t score too much, but was an effective floor general, bring the ball up the floor and setting up the offense with ease and efficiency. Ben Seyoum was crafty in the high and low post, drawing 3 fouls including an and-1 and confidently making each of his 5 attempts from the free throw line on his way to a lowkey 12 points. Navid Sharifi played a smart, controlled game, shooting when he was open but not forcing up any dumb shots. 

NNHS had an incredibly balanced team performance, with Spencer Schneider leading the way on the scoreboard and the boards, showcasing his versatility by racking up his 18 points via twos, threes (including one so clean this scorekeeper wasn’t quite sure it had through the hoop), and free throws alike while grabbing 13 rebounds, along with using his height on the defensive end to secure a steal and one extremely emphatic block. Matt Wood matched Schneider’s 18 points, also contributing 4 dimes to get his teammates clean looks in space for easy buckets. Philip Barnett was a master on the inside, contorting his body and arms while spinning in the paint to put in 6 high degree-of-difficulty buckets on some carving cuts and drives. Mike Gately played a high energy game, but managed to play smart throughout, only taking excellent shot opportunities and otherwise keeping the rock moving to find the next open look. Gately was especially ferocious in the second half on the boards, multiple times leaping high in the air and ripping away a rebound from A Team Has No Name, then pushing the ball up the floor to press the advantage. Late arrival Charlie Rao was the vocal leader of the team, calling out defensive assignments, time left and so on from the floor and sideline, ensuring his team was well aware of exactly how to play each and every situation. Deven Labovitch played an understated game, grabbing some boards and keeping the ball moving, but mostly sinking his patented two-feet-on-the-ground jumper repeatedly on his way to 13 points to round out the scoring. Jackson Eckenrode, wearing the same number as teammate Schneider, played a high energy game as well, constantly moving around and getting himself open. His NNHS teammates clamored for him to shoot every time he got his hands on the ball and he had a fair number of solid looks from the 3-point line. Look for Eckenrode to start scoring more going forward.

Next up:

NNHS (1-0) at Calypso North Stars (1-0) - 9/14 9:00p

A Team Has No Name (0-1) at Run and Gun (0-1) - 9/14 7:00p

Three Stars: (weekly recap of outstanding performances from around the league)

• Tony Caletti (Calypso North Stars) - 23 points (5/9 3P), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
• Spencer Schneider (NNHS) - 18 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
• Eduardo Deleon (Run and Gun) - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals

Power Rankings:

1. NNHS
2. Julius Swerving
3. A Team Has No Name
4. Calypso North Stars
5. Furious Rim Ticklers
6. Run and Gun
7. (Unrated) BADDIES
8. (Unrated) Lexington Steals

BY DAMIAN RUFF

WEEK 1 LINES

Ok guys as promised here are the lines for week 1. Depending on how many likes I get I may do this every week but no promises either

At 9:15 AM we have Washed and Folded (WAF) vs Ball Mitzvah (BM). With WAF I expect the trio of Gettings, Ball and Wood to all play well. On the opposite side, I expect DTO and DP to play well which means the rookie Ivanic will be key for this game especially since he will most likely be matched up with Rob Wood. Wood had a stellar rookie season himself but once he got injured he wasn’t the same (no fault of his own). My guy Blaikie is in a very similar situation this season as last so I’m sure he will play well. Buttersworth is a great bench guy that will play his role and help his team win. Sully I mean Hameid has no pressure just has to come in and be productive. Depending on how productive he is he could end up being a 4th man. For BM, Lunder had some great games last season however he was on a team that lost every week so I wanna see if those sweatpants and Giannis sneakers keep him playing well. Both Reilly and Stull have familiarity with DP which is good and will help them as the season progresses. For this particular game I like WAF to win 66-56. (edited)

At 10:05 AM Old School Ballers (OSB) plays Mamba Forever (MF). With OSB they have no rookies and Lynch arguably the best player in the league to combine with Ghost arguably the best jump shooter in the league. AO has improved his game on the offensive end, EJ has become somewhat of a knockdown three point shooter that will give you everything he has and Mitchell is the ultimate hustle guy. On the opposite side, Emmanuel is the best on the ball defender in the league, Djordje is an excellent shot blocker and rebounder, the Jewish Jordan is a rookie, Higgins is another rookie that apparently will pass first hit threes and is a good perimeter defender, Darby is a pass first slasher per his own description, last but not least Hicks whose definitely played in his fair share of SDL games. I’d say he’s a hustle guy that drives to the basket and will rebound. Half of MF is rookies so I think it’ll take some time for them to adjust. The good thing is every team makes the playoffs so they’ll have time to do that, I like OSB to win this game. Since I’m on OSB, I’m not going to give the exact details as to why but in general I’m picking a team with less rookies to win. OSB wins 73-65.

At 10:55 AM we have Hungover Hoopers (HH) going up against COSTA (is your team name officially Red Storm?). On the HH side, I’m pretty sure their captain Nair will be out due to injury (I’m hoping I’m wrong). They also have the big guy Robel who will rebound and protect the rim, his best friend Musse a PG that can shoot threes, Guliano a guy who does a little bit of everything, Cummins a rookie who describes himself as do it all and Marra a great 6th man that will hit some threes and play some defense. COSTA (Red Storm) has the captain Dylan who does everything well, Kevin Ross a small forward that can shoot from what I’ve heard, Joshua Brown a D3 PG that can shoot and wants to fight Keith, Charles another shooter, Starr a forward that will make threes defend rebound but has no handle, last but not least Waldman the guy who owns the Crime-Stopper. Even though Nair isn’t playing I’m still picking his team Hungover Hoopers to win. While I think the Robel/Musse chemistry will be great, Ross/Brown will probably match it. Dylan will play his role just like Guiliano. So then it comes down to Cummins and Marra versus Starr and Waldman. While I think Waldman has a light edge over Marra, something is telling me that Cummins will have the edge over Starr, because of this a 68-67 HH win will occur.

Last game of the day at 11:45 AM Forgot About Dre (FAD) and Turbo match-up. On the FAD side we have their captain Cam who can do it all, Civale a left handed shooter but will also post-up and has height for defense, Jorge a solid all around guy that essentials does everything too, Lyman a rookie who will most likely serve as their big man, Dre who is the ultimate team player glue guy that does a lot of different things on both sides of the ball, balancing out this team there’s Cam who proved last season that he’s probably the best 6th man of the year doing all the little things to help his team win games. For Turbo they have Rakusin a big guy that can rebound well and finish at the rim, Keith all motor all the time, Breda is actually a mini version of Keith when I think about it, Sheffield a great facilitator and great guy too, Galle who describes himself as Jaylen Brown but only 5’8 and last but not least Neil the guy who loves to know how much time is left in games. Just kidding Neil is a great role player that does a lot of good things out there. I like FAD to win this one. Cam/Civale vs Keith/Joe will essentially cancel each other out. Jorge should have his way in this game. I also think Dre and the other Cam will keep the foot on the pedal resulting in a 77-70 victory.

By CHAS BELLS & CHRIS STULL

Corp VS Top Heavy 

Big Lu got this party started with a nice cutting hoop, Ini added a floater Cop in control up 5-0. Hollins finds his spot and gets a post bucket, and then shows hustle getting an obrd put in 5-4. Ini scoop, Big lu steal and finish , Ini lay up of HOh dime it was 11-4. Rooki Lance Li looked very good as he knocked down a J, but Mazz $ a 3 14-6. Hoh nails a 3, Robel responds with a post hoop,Hollins high off the window, and then adds a scoop his footwork is crazy good in the paint 17-12. Ini has obrd fall in his lap, then Hoh gets another 3. Hollins from very deep, and Robel hits a nice rhythm 3, Then Lancenator nails a J for the lead 20-19. Hollins finds his spot, and gets 2, but Mazz ties things up with a big time 3 22 all. Hollins with a beastly and 1, then Lancenator 3, then Hollins 3 yikes what a run 31-22. Hoh with a gigantic 3, but Robel eats in the post 33-25. Mazz 3 “ youre gonan get hurt if you guard me like that”. Hoh adds to that with sick take, and then again! The half ended with Corp up 34-33. Very physical game. 

Mazz finds Hoh as that connection looks serious, but Robel responds with hook. Lance hits another J, but Mazz gets the elad back with a 3 39-37. Mazz obrd put in, then Ini in transition, then Ini floater. Lead would stay in the 10 pt range for while, but then Hollins turned on the switch again as he goes through 2 guys  making the lead just 51-47. Fatigue set in hard for Top Heavy as Corp starting to get easy bucket after easy bucket, Mazz, Hoh and Ini lead the boys to vicory in week 1. 66-48. 

GRADES

Corp

Mazz- A-Rock solid Mazz game. Hit big 3’s to swing things when he needed too. Loved his rebounding/effort level in this game. 
Ini-A- Unreal all over the court, did just about as good as job as anybody can expect against Hollins. If hes hitting that floater , this team might not get beat. 
Hohrath-A- Guys hes really good, and he and Mazz flow beautifully………..not great. 
Big Lu-B-) Started very strong but kinda faded off. Not a ton of shots. 
Stull-C+- defense was there, shot was not. 
Connor-C+- Ditto Stull, I liked his activity level though. 

Top Heavy 

Robel-B-) Was in beast mode with 6 blocks but def needed a sub. 
Hollins-A-) Man hes good, its going to give us all headaches gameplanning for him. 
Matty-C+- not a ton of hoops, but thought he facilitated nicely 
Lance-B- Rock solid debut from the rookie, he look like a very strong player, in multiple areas.
 

Game 2 Koller VS Mojo 

Leblanc right out of the gate nails a J, but Keith confidently nails a 3 ball 3-2. Kap with a slashing drive, but Mulv finds his spot and nails middy for the 5-4 lead. Kieth obrd put in. he wa slookign very active, as Mazone adds a runner9-4. Euler showing some athleticism gets 2, followed by a Leblanc 3 to tie things at 9. Keith feeling it hits 3, Koller responds wit float action. Game would stay very even both teams going back n forth trading punches Kieth was on fire and had his team up 28-20. Kap would get a bank shot to go, and even though it was lucky it was big as it sparked his team to get back in striking distance, after  Euler line drive buzzer beater it ws 35-32 at the break. 

Kap with a drive to start the half, but Keith was just on one as he canned another trey ball. Rooke UnderHill would get a bank 3 to go, but Keith wont quit as floater goes in. This stayed a very competive game the biggest the lead got was 55-51, but Mazone nails big time 3 to make it 55-54. Then Mazone fiinshes a sexy drive for the lead 56-55. Nice possession from Koller club, as they dont panic find a wide open Leblanc for 3………….$$$$ they go up 2. Keith said you know what , Ia m not done playing, as he hits a crazy leaning post hoop to tie it, and send us to OT!!. 

1st OT went scoreless, and in the 2nd Kollers team produces better shots, and they were able to sneak out of game 1 with a win 69-63. 

GRADES

Team Koller 

Koller-A-) Rock solid big man game, thought he was solid on all levels. 
Leblanc-A-Hugeeeeeeeeee 333333, man is an assassin…..if the game is before 8 pm. 
Kap-B- He was good Kap not great kap, but he will take the W. 5 dimes/3 steals is always a good night
Euler-B-) Being his 1st game I bumped up his grade. Saw some flashes, but also saw someone who wastrying to do way to much out there. 
Under-C+- Played his role well, need get that stanimia up a lil bit. 

Team Mojo

Keith-A- If it was a win it would have been an A+. Unreal 1st game for him, just did flat out everything. 
Mulv-B-) Rebounding was there but they are gonna need atleadt 15 + from him. 
Matty-D- Yeeeeeeeshhhhhh, he will have better days. 
Mazone-B- took him awile to get going, but hit some big shots. Needs to turn on a lil earlier. 
Raskusin-C- Hustled hard, liked his activity 
Tim-D- Hustle was there, just nothing to show for it. 

Game 3 FWTBT knocks out Point Shaffers

FWTBT took issue with my 10-point line and made me eat my words. Point Shaffers looked like they were still at the beach on vacation and if they don’t get it together quickly Barkley will have them gon fishing in Cabo before thanksgiving. Both teams started off a bit slow as they were feeling each other out but FWTBT quickly got the offense firing on all cylinders. Lerner was getting to the basket at will and playing lock down defense showing that DP’s CAC archive studying paid off on his big rookie acquisition. DP knocked down a three and was getting out on transition at will. Chas then started bombing from deep and I loved that he had no hesitation on his shots and pulled with confidence. Craig also came out with a chip and his shoulder and was playing bully ball down low getting deep in the paint and pushing Shaffer’s big’s around. Jmul was everywhere cutting and moving the ball hitting threes and also driving to the rack. EJ was making the extra pass and had some wide open looks and was able to knock one down. This was truly a clinic of team basketball with ball movement, finding the open man, making smart plays and I thought captain DP did a great job and keeping his guys fresh by subbing and keeping the energy level up. On the other side Joel and team could not get a shot to go down. Cawley was battling and had a couple go in and out. I think they need to give him some space to operate. DJ was hustle on the boards but could quite squeeze the ball a couple times and I thought Craig and Jmul did a great job getting a body on him. Joel probably should’ve shot the long ball some more but it seemed like he was trying to get the other guys involved more but it did not lead to buckets. Demetri was left open a couple times and made FWTBT pay a couple times but they quickly called a TO and rectified that. Reilley was hustling but had a couple TO’s that were ill advised. ​

I think team stats tell the story here FWTBT shot nearly 50% from three as a team with only 2 TO’s. Joel’s team was not shooting well and had 14 TO’s. All the missed shots and turnovers allowed FWTBT to play to their strength and get out on the break. I completely did not see this coming and was in shock and will now pay the proper respect to this squad. Grades: FWTBT: A+ ​Notables: Chas 5-6 from three. Shoot the rock with confidence man! ​​ Lerner – 21 points, 9 boards played both ends of the floor well ​​Craig 10 points, 9 Rebounds, 2blks – Close to a double/double owned the point ​​Jmul – 12 points, 4 boards, 2 blocks – hustled, moved the ball well very active ​Point Shaffers: F ​Cawley – leading scorer with 15 pts, had a bunch of shots go in and out ​Demitri – made the open ones – look for shots moving forward. Shaffer – 10 points will need to be more aggressive moving forward and get this team back on track

Game 4 SH VS Harry

The late game, and we had a good one here. Oully wide open gets layup to start things, Frongi follows that with a scoop. Harding working hard on the O glass gets 2. Rosi $ middy, Jaksobson wide open lay up, where is the defence from Harry club? 11-2 after Rosi 3. This thing was looking ugly as Harry team could not get stops the lead built to 28-13. Vladi finally started to connect and got cooking , and that gave space for harding to start to do his thing when the dusts settled it was SH up 36-31 on the half. 

Vladi staying hit nails 3 right away, but Wise who had a great rookie debut nailed a J to keep pace. Vladi would go right abck at them with tough drive, then Harding from deep made it 40-39. Vladi red hot gets another 3 and they have the lead 42-41. Rosi would get 2 off a broken play to get the lead back. Liam with a middy, but Skates jimmy gets the lead back. Harding relentluss on the O glass gets 2. Frongi responds with lay in, so many lead changes!!!!!Oully hits 3 to give the 4pt edge. Harding just woud not quit, his O brd hustled was fuckign awesome to watch as he gets another 2 off that, landon hit J to tie things, followed by Vladi splash 3 ball. Vladi and Harding really turned it on from here, and kinda left SH in the dust. SH goes down week 1 80-73. 

GRADES

SH

Rosi-A-)3 rebounds away from a trip dub, but he would rather the W any day. Needed to take more 3’s. 
Oullete-B-) very quiet in the 2nd half, they need him firing away for 40 min. 
Frongi-C- Very quiet, had some garbage time points to save his day.
Wise-A- definite brights spot, thought he looked very much the part. 
Jaksobson-C-) $ in the 1st half, then couldnt find any open looks
Skates-C+- Saw some flashes, he will be just fine. 

DBS

Harry-C- Reboundign was good but thats it. 
Harding-A+- Loved the fight/heart he showed in this one. Usually always fills up the stat sheet, but this effort level was epic. 
Vladi-A-) couldnt hit the side of a barn, but trusted his shot,a nd kept firing away. Incredibel 2nd half from him. 
Liam-A- great defensive effort, and to add 15 pts off that, is a silly good night. 
landon-C+- Finding his footing, he will contribute more as the weeks come.  

STULL'S UPDATED POWER RANKINGS
 

#8 Joel – Getting blown out by 37 after I picked them as a 10 point favorite puts them at the bottom of this list. Bigger upset than Deon beating TCU week 1.

#7 MOJO Dojo – Loved the Tie die shirts and the fight but they let their game get away from them late despite a monster Keith performance and what I thought was also a great Tyler game. Need to close out close ones to be in the top half of the league.

#6 – Top Heavy – Robel was blocking shots left and right and Hollis is the real deal. He was getting recruited after the game to join other leagues. Sir Lance a lot joining the league as a rookie also looked good. I expect better games from Matty O’donell and when they have STAT this team will be a problem for squads moving forward.

#5 Basket Cases – Koeller and squad showed grit and won a close one against Keith’s squad in OT. Leblanc hit a bunch of clutch shots and they will need more of this moving forward.

#4 FWTBT – I have to move these guys up into the top half after blowing out Joel’s team. Was this the case of a perfect game vs a disaster or are they actually able to beat some of the top teams in the league?

#3 Super Hoopers – I missed the second half but they were looking good before I left and sounds like things got away from them a bit. I expect them to bounce back well and they have the championship pedigree.

#2 Don’t be Stupid – I had debated putting them at 2 but gave Eric and team the edge based on past performance. Harding and squad came out and got the W to show they are not messing around this year.

#1 Corp – Battled tough against rookie Hollis and had good chemistry for the first time playing together. Ini got the most open layups he’s ever had and Horath matched up well with the Hollis hype. Mazz did Mazz things and the corp passed their first audit to keep them at #1.

By IAN CUNDALL

B DRAFT PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS

8. Paul

Why they can win: Miller is the best player in the league and I think has another level on offense that he can reach if necessary. With this team construction that likely will be necessary. The Julien’s and Paul will get out of his way and let him cook and step up when needed to add some additional scoring and defense. Paul has shown solid scoring ability and with Miller drawing so much attention could be freed even more. Isaac also showed at the end of last season nice touch around the rim and solid rebounding ability and with as good a passer as Miller is, he should get plenty of easy looks. David, Danner & Taha are all solid role players and can step up if needed giving this team solid depth,

Why they can’t: Lack of secondary scoring. If Miller is off, this team is in big trouble. They don’t really have any ball handlers and they also lack perimeter shooting. Teams will be able to focus on Miller and dare the rest of the team to beat them, which I”m not sure they can do.

7. Nate

Why they can win: Nate finds a Time Machine and brings it back to five years ago with him, Ghost and Joel. In all seriousness, that trio has a ton of B Draft experience and you can envision a scenario where Joel is back to his 20 ppg self, Ghost is knocking down every mid range jumper, Nate is making threes and Troy is dominating the glass. Maalouf gives them a rookie with upside and if he’s good that gives them another option on offense and grabbing Silva at 34 was great value given his shooting ability. Are the odds high all these things happen, no, but theres a chance!

Why they won’t: Attendance & lack of a true point guard. Joel is due for a Mexico vacation at some point this year and will miss his fair share of games. Troy is missing the playoffs and without him they have a real lack of size. Also, Ghost is best playing with a true point guard and I don’t see one on the roster so he might be running the baseline to get to his spot to no avail if nobody is looking for him.

6. Civale

Why they can win: Kwiatkowski is the wildcard, but if he is anywhere close to what Miller was, with a similar bio last year, he’ll be good value at seven. Him, Remy and Civale has the potential to score a lot of points and provide nice balance with complimenting inside out games. Clarke, Glynn and the Great One are all solid role players and all bring different skill sets to the table, making this a very balanced team.

Why they won’t: Rookie problems and only one ball. It’s a little interesting that Cam brought one of his friends who played in college into the league and then didn’t draft him. He obviously knows more than we do and the fact that he traded up rather than take his friend has me wondering why. Civale and Remy are both best with the ball in their hand and the rookie might be also. We haven’t seen Remy in a few seasons in this league and I’m not sure what his play style will be like so there could be some chemistry issues when it comes to divvying up the shots.

5. Harry

Why they can win: If healthy, Nair would have been in discussion for the first pick and that he went before AJ even though he’s out a month, shows how good he can be. Last season, he single-handedly won multiple games for his team and is a threat to drop 40+ in any game. Karim compliment Nair well and could lead the league in offensive rebounds with how much attention Nair is going to draw. Puskas put out an electric workout video and seems like the shooter this team badly needs and Eloi, Harry and Guns are all solid role players. Assuming Nair is healthy they will likely be in every game and most of the time have the best player on the court.

Why they won’t: Attendance and lack of depth. Nair and Guns are out for an unforeseen amount of time so they will be playing with no subs for the foreseeable future. Karim and Harry tend to tire as games go on and Eloi and Puskas aren’t exactly spring chickens either. Harry also constructed a team with two top 10 picks and then the rest of the team came from 30 onwards. Other top teams have far more depth and matchups in some of those games could get tricky.

4. Cundall

Why we can win: Koller and Roberts compliment each other really well and should be one of the more dynamic scoring duos in the league. Koller is at his best with a guard that can get him the ball and play a two man game with and I think Roberts can do that. He can shoot from the perimeter and pass which should open things up for Koller. Padavick is a wild card, but he does triathlons, so he must be able to get up and down the court. Everyone on my team can run and we have a point guard to initiate the offense. In a league with not many teams who want to play fast, that contrasting style could be a real advantage.

Why we won’t: Lack of size and reliance on B Draft rookies. Other than Koller we don’t have a lot of size and that will lead to some issues against the bigger teams in the league. Roberts is also on the small side so Packard and Padavick will likely have to step up against the bigger guards in the league. Roberts has never played in B Draft before and Padavick is a true rookie and I have no idea how good he is so that pick might have been a reach.

3. Noah

Why they can win: Pollock and Robel is a really solid pairing and compliment each other well. Sam excels coming off picks and Robel screens are among the most difficult to get through in the league. Noah and Angry Ian both have the ability to spread the floor so I can envision a very efficient half court offense with this team. Kenny was great value at 27 as well and will have his go off games where he drops 20+, giving them a wide array of scoring options. Defensively, they will also be annoying to play against with Robel guarding the paint and Sam capable of taking the top guard on the other team.

Why they won’t: Contrasting styles and team chemistry. Sam wants to run and has his best seasons in up tempo teams that like to get out in transition. Unfortunately, this team is not built like that so it’s going to be an adjustment for Sam to get used walking the ball up the court and missing out on those easy buckets. I also have questions about team chemistry here after Noah and Robel’s dust up in the playoffs that ended with Robel throwing a ball at Noah. Maybe those two have worked things out, but if things aren’t going well we could get some fireworks.

2. Cam

Why they can win: Cam is more or less running back the same team as last season, but without the MVP and number one overall pick. That’s a bold strategy, but with the talent level down across the league that could work. On defense, this team will be a pain to play against as Lynch has shown he can anchor a defense and DTO and Cam are pests. I like their depth also as Bauman showed the ability to score inside and out and fColin and Gillooly both can shoot and have heat check games where they drop 15+. If these guys are knocking down shots this will open things up for Lynch on the interior. Both Cam and DTO will have to keep up their scoring from last season as well and if they can this is a very balanced team on both ends of the floor.

Why they won’t: Lack of leadership and lack of size. Cam built what was probably the best team he ever will last season and still lost in the championship. He still has to show he can lead a team to the championship and and this team isn’t as good as that one. I also am slightly concerned about the lack of size beyond Nick and Cam. Several teams have multiple bigs and having to put DTO or Bauman on them isn’t ideal and if either of the two bigs miss games the defensive matchups get really tough.

1. Etheridge

Why they can win: Etheridge built a heck of a team in his return to B Draft, lucking into a top 4 pick in the lottery and then making a couple of shrewd trades to build a strong team around AJ. AJ is the best point guard in the league and he’s going to have a field day in a lot of these games with how big the rest of the team is. Etheridge, Angelo and Hanks all require big defenders and as a result, most teams won’t be able to put their best defender on AJ unless they have multiple bigs. If Angelo translates his B2 stats to B Draft like we’ve seen past players do then this team could have two of the top five scorers in the league. One of the problems with Etheridge’s last few teams has been a lack of shooting around him, but with AJ and Hanks spreading the floor that really should open the paint up.

Why they won’t win: Attendance and lack of depth. These two go hand in hand, but a hallmark of Etheridge teams is attendance issues. His last team forfeited what felt like half the games that season because of injuries and absences. Because of his trades, this team is very top heavy with a bench consisting of two of the bottom five picks, so any absences by the starting four could create some issues.

BY JAY SHAH

WEEK 1 9/5

Treys for Days (51) v. Men’s League (42)

Strong first half for Treys for Days allows them to hold on in the second half and come out on top against Men’s League

Treys for Days had a balanced team performance, with all 6 active players playing heavy minutes. Wes Schroll led the way, scoring a massive 23 points to allow his team to come out on top with 10 buckets, including 3 huge triples. He also showed his prowess on the defensive end, securing a few blocks and steals each, helping his team get critical stops when it mattered most. Meanwhile, Dana Flood set the table for Schroll repeatedly while converting some opportunities of his own, including a clutch triple to help seal the lead. He also created multiple opportunities around the basket, leading to a game- and day-high 6 free throw attempts. The Kevins - McGovern and “LaFranchise” LaFrancis - supplemented the Treys’ solid scoring, while also putting in work on the glass to ensure the late-arriving height of Men’s League didn’t create too many second-chance buckets. Issenberg rounded out an excellent effort on the boards. Meanwhile, Sam Longwell hit a huge three while also serving as the Treys’ enforcer, picking up 4 hard fouls to force Men’s League to prove it at the line.

George Schultz led the way for Men’s League, scoring a critical 14 points to keep his team in the game, showing off his shooting touch to match Schroll’s 3 triples while shooting over 40% from behind the arc. Schultz set the table for teammates time and time again, dishing 6 assists. A bespectacled Tom Smith helped lead a late charge for Men’s League, scoring a few buckets in the second half to keep the Treys’ in striking distance, including an unexpected swish from deep. Look for him to be more heavily featured going forward. Max Staiger was all over the floor on the defensive end in addition to being the 3rd-leading scorer, swiping the ball from the Treys’ 3 times and stuffing it as well. Josh Salter led the team in energy plays, appearing all over and on the floor, diving for the ball and hustling back on defense. He drew multiple calls and sunk a couple free throws. In addition, Charlie Bagin was all over the boards, and made his few shot attempts count. Sub Hernan sunk a key three as well. Finally, late arrival Will Childs-Klein immediately made his defensive presence felt when he entered the game, significantly slowing the scoring for the Treys while dominating the boards en route to double digit boards, including an offensive rebound he took back up for a thunderous putback dunk. 

Next up:

Treys for Days (1-0) at Markit Basketball (1-0) - 9/12 8:30p

Men’s League (0-1) vs. CCC Studios (0-1) - 9/12 7:30p

Eastie Hoops (63) vs. Markit Basketball (82)

Tight first half turns into dominant win for high-flying Markit Basketball as Eastie Hoops runs out of gas

At the outset, Eastie Hoops looked excellent. Shots were falling, the rock was moving with speed, and the team’s creativity and versatility were on display. In the second half, though, everything changed: once able to keep the game close, Eastie fell behind double digits and could never string together enough scores and stops to keep the game competitive. Ryan Willis was the leading scorer and the primary reason Eastie was able to stay in the game as long as they did, scoring 21 points, all on 7 made 3-pointers. Willis didn’t stop there, attacking the boards with ferocity, putting up a league-high 15 boards, including 14 on the defensive glass. He pushed the ball relentlessly from the backcourt, often stopping and popping from behind the arc, or dishing to a teammate to rack up one of his 5 assists. Kyle Coughlin and Christian Garcia helped buoy the team as well, with the former attacking the basket from all around the court, including 2/6 shooting from deep among Coughlin’s 12 points. Garcia worked primarily down low, bruising with Markit and pushing through to score 5 huge buckets for his team en route to 10 points and 8 boards, including 2 on the offensive glass leading to second chance opportunities of which Eastie could not take full advantage. Joseph Shapiro was able to leverage his size under the basket to a large degree as well, securing 5 offensive boards on his way to another 12 points. Continuing Eastie’s trend of reliance on shooting, Lucas Fortier contributed 8 points, with 6 coming from 2 deep balls (50% shooting). 

Meanwhile, Markit Basketball put together an incredibly balanced team performance. Scoring was spread out through the team, with 4 different Markiters putting up double-digit points, including Peter Chang and Cameron Gleichauf with 17 points apiece. P. Chang showed off his speed throughout the contest, blowing by Eastie defenders with ease on his way to the basket, while also using that threat to create space to get off some looks from beyond the arc, where he cashed in 3 3-pointers on over 40% shooting. Gleichauf was a lightning rod off the bench, finding his way right to the basket time and time again. The Dorosh brothers were the next leading scorers, with Justin scoring 15 and Kevin right behind at 14, and combining for a massive 6 steals. Victor Chang rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 of his own, converting second chance buckets and operating effectively down low. Jacob Kirsch emulated Pat Beverley as he hounded the Easties defensively, and was generally a thorn in their side especially down the stretch. Finally, southpaw Raj Patel chipped in 6 points as he proved to be a defensive presence with Julius Randle’s shooting form. 

Next up:

Eastie Hoops (0-1) at Skelton’s Boys (0-0) - 9/12 6:30p

Markit Basketball (1-0) vs. Treys for Days (1-0) - 9/12 8:30p

CCC Studios (75) vs. Wat Rats (80)

Wat Rats fight back to force overtime on incredible buzzer beater before putting the hammer down in OT

The first buzzer beater of the season took place in the final game of the night Tuesday, as Joe Martin banked in a layup off a beautiful series of passes right as the horn sounded to tie the game at 72 and send the game into a 2-minute overtime. Ref KD, per sources, said that the shot may even have left Martin’s fingertips after the buzzer went off, but with the instant replay system down, the tie went to the Wat Rats, and the bucket counted. In the extra 3rd period, Anthony Coppola and Matt Coffey continued their second half hot shooting and almost instantly put the nail in the coffin of CCC Studios, nailing a triple each to put Studios on their backs. Studios fought hard to the end to keep the possibility of a second overtime alive, but the quick extra period bought them precious little time to score their way back into it. The overtime 3-point makes by Coppola and Coffey continued their star performances from regulation and especially the second half, as A. Coppola drained 6 of 8 threes on his way to a team-leading 24 points and Coffey hit 4 of 7 to make up the majority of his critical 18 points to go with 3 steals. Marco Coppola was everywhere on the floor, leading the way with his speed to score 16 points mostly on drives to the basket and tough makes - he was the heartbeat of the team without question, playing nearly every possible minute and diving for loose balls until the end. Joe Martin was a massive presence near the basket throughout the game, and his positioning to be ready for the game-tying layup was incredibly prescient. Dylan Stockdale used his size effectively as a defensive presence, and converted a couple key baskets near the end of regulation on his way to 9 points. Arthur Kostikian meanwhile played far larger than his stature, racking up multiple huge swats that he was happy to watch careen out of bounds. 

Zac Brown led the way for CCC Studios, picking up his 21 points and 7 boards by operating right around the basket for the majority of the night. Eric Prue opened up the game by firing away from deep, hitting 3s to immediately put the Wat Rats on their heels. He hit 5 in total to finish with 15 points. Mike Salis racked up 17 points and a couple offensive boards, but his most notable contribution was his 8 assists as he whipped the ball around the court, constantly looking for a teammate to feed it to with an easy cut to the basket. Mike Simoni had some huge offensive baskets as the teams went back and forth at the end of regulation, and he hit all 5 of his attempts at the charity stripe as well. 

Next up:

Wat Rats (1-0) BYE

CCC Studios (0-1) at Men’s League (0-1) - 9/12 7:30p

Three Stars: (weekly recap of outstanding performances from around the league)

• Ryan Willis (Eastie Hoops) - 21 points (7/13 3pt), 15 rebounds, 5 assists
• Cameron Gleichauf (Markit Basketball) - 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
• Anthony Coppola (Wat Rats) - 24 points (6/8 3pt), 5 rebounds, 2 assists

Power Rankings:

1. Markit Basketball
2. Wat Rats
3. CCC Studios
4. Treys for Days
5. Eastie Hoops
6. Men’s League
7. (Not Rated) Skelton’s Boys

Game 1 | The Substitutes: 2 - The Pirates: 5

Pirates Win in Forfeit

Forfeiting the first game of the season is wild, immediately plummeting the Substitutes to the bottom of my Way-Too-Early B2 Tuesday Power Rankings. They also have no roster updates online, so I have no idea what to expect from them. The Pirates did have some guys show up to run pick-up, and they look to be a solid, competitive team. Frankly I’m not sure if they can compete with the clear top teams in this division, but you can never really tell until you see a team play a full game with a ref and an opposing team. Too early to tell how either of these teams will stack up this session.

Game 2 | Bears: 36 - Miyagi-Fang: 49

Miyagi-Fang Grind Out Win in Tough Offensive Outing

Miyagi-Fang is one of two teams in this division that I’m even vaguely familiar with, and unless Splash City prove otherwise, this team is the clear favorite to win this division. Still, they struggled on offense in this one, shooting a measly three of fifteen (20%) from deep and only ten of eighteen (55%) from the free-throw line, but their defensive effort and cohesion put them over the top. They held a 25-13 lead at the half, and helped off some runs from Bears to pull out the 49-36 win.

John Harding is an early MVP frontrunner, and even though I thought he played a mediocre game (by his standards), he was still the best player in this game. He put up 19 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, relentlessly attacking the basket and handling most of the ball handling duties. He shot only two of eight from three and seven of ten from the line, both categories I expect him to improve in as the season progresses. Spencer Schneider added 8 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists (game-high), 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Perhaps the league's best defender, Schneider is also a capable offensive player. He airballed two threes and then stopped shooting, but he has the skills, size, and athleticism to dominate this division. Still, his defense was on point and he led the game with 5 assists, and I expect him to regain his confidence quickly. Beyond that, Miyagi-Fang got solid contributions from the rest of their lineup. Dan Lerner finished with 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal, but I think he could look for his shot more. Djordje Vlajkovic played a strong game down low with 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists out of the low post, while Greg Eusden added 5 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks and James Mulvehill chipped in 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal (another guy who should take more shots from deep). Harry Demakes is the mastermind behind the whole operation, adding 6 rebounds and 2 assists while managing subs and coaching up his squad. This team also has Jack Fay on the roster, who will immediately be the best player in this division for the games he shows up. Altogether, these guys have the talent, size, and chemistry to win the whole thing, so we’ll have to see if another squad can step up to the challenge.

The Bears got off to a brutally slow start, scoring only 13 points at the half, but these guys are a resilient bunch who will always compete. While they are undersized, there is definitely some talent in this group, and I expect them to get better as the season wears on. Danny Shapiro led the way with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal, going three of five from deep from the point guard spot. Undersized or not, I’ve seen this guy light up former D1 players at the B1 level, and I expect him to finish among the league leaders in scoring. Will Estes finished two of six from downtown to finish with 10 points, 6 boards, and 2 steals, going hard on both ends and showcasing some strong finishing around the rim. John Bowllan finished with only 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals, but he was much more impactful than his stats may indicate. He missed a lot of open looks, and having seen him play before, I know he can get going offensively and will add some shooting and slashing threats, plus his usual steady defensive play. Baris Durgun finished with 5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals, while Ted Blake was a beast inside with 2 points, 9 rebounds (5 offensive), 1 assist, and 2 blocks, giving his team tons of second chance opportunities and holding down the paint well. Jason Behrens and Paul Cooley couldn’t get their three-point attempts to fall, but combined for four rebounds and will play a big role on this team as shooters. It’s also worth noting that the Bears were without Will Ross, who is arguably their best overall player. I personally have faith that the Bears can finish top 3 in this division, but they will have to prove themselves.

Game 3 | Team Ahern: 50 - Plenty of Lotion: 59

Plenty of Lotion Hold Off Team Ahern to Win Week 1

Plenty of Lotion (🤨) came out firing in this one, going into halftime with a 41-29 lead and looking like the far superior team. Team Ahern quickly got it together, though, raging a furious comeback to get the game to 55-50 with under 5 minutes left, in large part thanks to their ridiculous 18 offensive rebounds and some key stops down the stretch (7 steals, 8 blocks). POL held on, though, preventing Team Ahern from scoring another point and tacking on 4 points at the end to secure a 59-50 win.

For POL, Guy Pistone was a menace on both ends from the jump, as he either scored or assisted on their first 13 points. He finished the game with 19 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists (game-high), 2 steals, and 1 block. He was simply too quick and too shifty, and was able to break down the defense at will, either getting all the way to the cup for some tough finishes or creating for teammates. He could have had way more than 6 assists if his team had converted a few more wide open looks that he generated. I’m not sure if he’s better than Harding, only time will tell, but he is most definitely at the top of the MVP ladder after a stellar Week 1 performance. Jeff Yeakley added 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block in a strong effort. He immediately started the game going three of four from deep, all on passes from Pistone, and hit another three in the second half, as well as two clutch free-throws to ice the game for POL. Definitely a great outing from a known knockdown shooter, who will undoubtedly continue to light it up from deep as the season progresses. Yancy Brown showed up late but immediately made a big impact with 9 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block, finishing well inside and in the mid-range and providing some excellent defense down the stretch. He shot one of six from the free-throw line, but other than that played a great game. Captain Drew DeBari added 7 points, 2 boards, 1 assist, and 1 steal, converting some tough takes at the rim. I expect him to shoot better than one of five from beyond the arc going forward, making this team that much more dangerous. Sam Seiwert looked good down low, finishing with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block, while Garrett Vinett also held down the paint with 1 point, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block, combining for a fearsome low post defensive duo. Anthony McDaniels hit a three and grabbed 8 boards, while Dan Ollquist added 2 points and 8 boards of his own, plus 1 assist and 1 steal. Overall a solid showing from POL, who look to be the clear #2 seed at this point in the season.

Team Ahern looked a bit out of sorts in the first half, but I thought they pulled it together nicely as the game went on and I expect them to be competitive against every team in this division. Ethan Collins led the way with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 3 blocks, using his athleticism to attack the rim and wreak havoc on defense. He also shot three of seven from deep, adding to his skillset since the last session I watched him play. As one of the best athletes in this division, I expect him to dominate for his team this session. Eric Bauman finished with 7 points and 3 rebounds, going one of two from deep, and I think he could look for more catch and shoot opportunities. Nick Martin and Cam Letalien both scored only 5 points, but both were highly impactful for their team. Martin added 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, showing some great defensive instincts. He missed all five of his three-point attempts, but he’s got good form and hit some tough middies, so I expect him to find his scoring groove going forward. Letalien is an excellent passer, and he added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks while knocking down a nice pull-up three on the slow break. I think these two players in particular can find their rhythm as the season progresses and bolster their squad’s offense. Doug Watford added 5 points and 2 rebounds, while Charlie Mitchell and Zach Gordon each added 2 points. Mitchell also came up with 2 steals, and 9 rebounds (4 offensive), while Gordon chipped in 2 assists and 7 rebounds (5 offensive). Dave Bonaiuto added 1 steal in limited minutes, as he showed up late and didn’t have a chance to warm up. Anthony Scanzo-Masiero was filling in this game, but played well with 9 points on three of eight from deep, plus a team-high 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal. 

BY DEVIN QUINLIN

9/2/23

CAC A League (Thur.)

F23 Season Preview

Thursday A League returns to ACEC for yet another season with a lot of familiar faces running it back. This season looks to be one of the most balanced yet, as I would argue any of the top 6 teams have a shot at taking home the title by the time the playoffs roll around. With five teams returning from last session, plus two more from previous sessions and another transitioning from the Monday A League, all these teams know each other. Established dynamics and no surprises will make for some interesting matchups, and I’m curious to see how teams adjust to gain an advantage. Onto the previews!

8.) We The Ones! → I am once again putting my own team at the bottom of the league. Lots of progress has been made over the last few sessions, but with our two best players in Anthony Gurley and Sayvonn Houston both pulling out right before the start of the season, it will be difficult to make up that production. Still, captain Keith Baranowski will undoubtedly pull something out of his ass, as he always does. Garrett Stanowicz has been a proven scorer at this level, and Jordan Carter has always stepped up when called upon, while Keith himself provides very solid all around play on both ends. Other than that, I’ll be out until like week 7 or 8, and Keith keeps listing names of random guys who are “week to week” in the group chat. Pretty funny that I know more about every team in the league than my own. Still, this group is a mess, so unless we add someone with some serious firepower who can show up consistently, we are once again a bottom tier team.

7.) Team Takeover → Team Takeover returns to Thursday A League after taking a session off and then transferring to the Monday A League last session. They never have a shortage of talent, but frequently fail to close out games and allow other teams to go on huge second half runs. Still, captain Michel Toney is an extremely reliable floor general who can shoot and distribute at a high level, while Trevor Parker is arguably the most talented player in this league, though he needs to prove he can be consistent week to week. Jared Johnson is another very strong player, who has proven he can do much more than catch and shoot, while Joel Nkounkou is an athletic freak inside who can hold down the paint defensively. Other than that, though, guys will need to step up on both ends, and this team needs to prove that they can play together (especially on defense) before they move up in the rankings.

6.) The Spida Men → The Spida Men are difficult to gauge because they won the league only a few sessions ago and they have no shortage of talent and chemistry, but in recent sessions they’ve gotten rolled on multiple occasions and they’re getting up there in age. Jamal Brown has battled injuries recently, but when healthy is a perennial MVP candidate. Danny Martin Jr. is always steady down low, but simply had too many games last sessions in which he wasn’t aggressive enough. He’ll need to take (and make) more shots, while guys like Tim Gallivan and Nick Mazzeo will simply need to attend more games. Lucio Dahlstedt-Brown steadily improved during last session, and Cedric White is always ready when his number is called, but they also lost Hallvard Lundevall and Billy Battaglia, replacing them with John Lithio. Lithio can dominate the lower leagues and I expect him to have a solid session at this level, but I don’t think that makes up for Battaglia’s shooting prowess nor H’s athleticism and motor. The Spida Men have proved me wrong before, we’ll see if they do it again.

From here, it’s really a toss up, and any of the top 5 teams have a strong case as the best team in this division.

5.)  Ronin Blood Warriors → Putting RBW here is kind of wild on my end, but frankly I’m just less familiar with them than the others. They’re coming off a Monday A League title last session, losing a competitive game to NADB in the Unification Championship game, but they could honestly be the best team in this division (I truly don’t know). Deven Palmer is the type of guy who can just walk the ball up the court and pull a deep three and it’s a good shot, while Jacquil and Maurice Taylor both have a Division 1 background. Alonzo Cooper is very solid at the 1, playing strong defense and providing good pace on offense. Kerry Weldon abandons his Suffolk squad to bring his strength to RBW, and Guy Pistone has been dominating B2 and B1 leagues for a while now. Frankly I don’t know the other players, and I can’t say I even know much about the players I already listed, but RBW have been a force in every session they’ve played and I fully expect them to compete with the other top teams in this league.

4.) Zards → Again, Zards at 4 is wild, but they haven’t updated their roster so I don’t even know who’s on their team, and they fall short in the playoffs in every session because they only have 3 players who show up to every game and then find random fill-ins. Still, Dan Wohl is perhaps the most polished scorer in this league, and he’s shown time and time again that he will torch any and all defensive gameplans, you just have to hope he misses. Again, no roster updated at the time of writing, but I’ll assume they have Mike Kearney, who’s a solid point guard and high IQ defensive player, Craig Mellilo, who is one of the most reliable shooters in the league and a high energy defensive guard, and Dan Aronowitz, who will likely find himself towards the top of the league in rebounds while adding a strong offensive arsenal. Other than that, I don’t know who these guys will bring. Maybe Nick Pagliuca, who can shoot, or Chris Egi, who’s a strong big, but the Zards history of questionable attendance has them fourth in the power rankings. Still, this is not a team you wanna see in the first round of the playoffs.

3.) West Coast Shooters → WCE has rebranded themselves appropriately, as Derek Retos and Eric D’Aguanno are two of the best shooters I’ve ever seen in person, and their offense caters to their skill sets perfectly. In previous seasons, WCS have generally decided to play minimal defense and just run and gun, relying on their high powered offense to simply outlast other teams. This season, though, it seems they’ve merged with Shooters Shoot, adding Stephen Tam, David Reynolds, Matt Pattyson, and Jordan Rote, all of whom will thrive in this offense, but who will also play defense. Add in Jack Fay at the point, Tom Palleschi down low, and newcomer Jack Simonds, and this team may have the most talent top to bottom out of any group in the league. My only question is chemistry and dynamics, as every player on the roster is capable of scoring in double digits. Retos and D’Aguanno often shoot 10+ threes/game each, but guys like David Reynolds and Jordan Rote can get going at any time, as can Jack Simonds. With Tam, Fay, and especially Pattyson, I’m not really concerned about their defensive effort anymore, but they may have too much of a good thing on offense. Still, this is a good problem to have, and I am excited to see a WCE(S) squad that tries on defense.

2.) Suffolk → Suffolk were impressive last season, and while their loss in the finals against NADB was a disappointing end to their season, they still made it to the finals and finished with the top seed. Bolden Brace is a triple double threat every game, though he needs to be more aggressive to put his team over the top. Still, he’s the highest level player in the league, and when he’s locked in I don’t see many teams beating Suffolk. George Grillakis also had a stellar session, finishing top 3 in scoring by going right every single time. Sam Holtze is a menace on both ends, and I expect him to once again be among the league leaders in steals and assists, while providing reliable scoring as well. Mid-Range Mike McEneney and Logan O’Donnell provide interior size on defense as well as reliable scoring on offense, even though both of them have said that they only care about their own stats at the end of each game. Bret Edwards and Yusuf Liban are both knockdown shooters off the bench, and Nick Budesheim has college experience, so I fully expect this roster to finish as a top seed and make a deep playoff run.

1.) Not A Dime Back → NADB are the reigning champs (of Unification, too), losing only one game last session to Cobras in which they didn’t have three of their best players. Total domination all season, with clinical ball movement, connectivity on defense, and high level shot making. These guys have 99 overall chemistry, which is insanely annoying to play against in a men’s league, but they also have top level talent to back it up. Jon Luster and Dom Black are a devastating backcourt, with Luster being one of the best off the dribble shooters I’ve ever seen as well as a league assist leader, and Black relentlessly attacking the rim and getting to any spot he wants while being a hound on the defensive end. Dre Kontopidis is a monster inside on both ends with a reliable midrange jumper and great court vision out of the high post, while Chris Conner continues to elevate his game, shooting over 50% from deep on 7.4 attempts per game (wtf???) while adding some size inside on defense. Jeff Coulter returns with his swiss-army-knife game, doing everything on both ends and cementing himself as the best cutter in the history of men’s league basketball, and Marcus Giese is a solid big man who can finish inside, hit jumpers, and defend the best bigs in the league. Chris Cusano and Mike Synott are the ultimate glue guys, moving the ball quickly, knocking down open shots, and playing strong defense to help make the NADB engine run as smoothly as it does. Until proven otherwise, these guys are the favorites to repeat.

DRAFT RECAP

ROUND 1

1. Ian takes Mazz- Great pick , boring pick.
2. Harry takes Cawley - great pick, boring pick.
3. Chas takes Weinstein- Keep doubting us. Going for 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Randal Takes Kerr- Joey fights off the mental Demons and gets the best player availble
5. Ej takes kap- He needed a floor general, and gets one of the best in Kap.
6. Roberts Takes Mcfear- Finally a little surprising, Roberts looking for that size advantage
7. Jet Takes S.Mul- Jet figures to get a top guard back to pair with S.Mul gets a defensive game changer here.
8. Skelley Takes -Kielley boring

ROUND 2

9. Skelley Takes -Worth , banking on his every game improvement
10. Jet takes JMul Reunited !!!!Brothers live on !! No guard here.
11. Roberts Takes Dany- 3pt fire power on this squad.
12. Slick takes Frano- Love this pick, thought he fell IMO
13. Randal Takes Matty O- He loves them versatile O”s, he can stay away.
14. Harry takes - liam to slight frongi
15. Harry takes -Frongi going small ball baby.
16.Ian goes dennis- Gates the hustling big man

ROUND 3

17, Ian Takes B.Robb- Ditto Dennis, they will be tough screening for mazz
18. Chas takes jake- Give me my boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Had him rated high but I knew peoples feeling, traded back,and changed 40 to 31.
19. Skelley takes Dutton- Best friends for life
20. Randal Takes murphy- he gets his true big man, nice pick here.
21. Cody falls to Ej- EJ gets the fireball!!! Raining OPOY
22. Matty takes Joel- He takes the polorizing slashing dashing joel .
23. Jet takes eth- East Bostons finest !!!
24. Chas takes Jeffries- steal of the draft

ROUND 4

25. Chas takes Big Lu-Give me my giant, strongest player in the league !!
26. Jet takes AO- SDL brothers unite !!
27. Matty breaks my heart and takes Clarke- Im sad.
28. EJ takes butter- way way to early here.
29. Randal takes Hanks- I would have taken him 10 spots higher if coverage wasnt involved .
30. Ian trades for stevenson- Gets a solid guard late in the draft.
31. Chas takes Hull- Love getting
32. Skelley takes Lane- Buddy ball

ROUND 5

33. Skelley takes Delbridge- No idea atleast he 6 ft ?
34. Harry takes Danner- Steal IMO.
35. Ian takes Bonvie- He gets the 3pt assassin Bonvie the BOMBER !!!
36. Randal takes Zeng- Very underrated , nice pick.
37. Ej takes amir- My guy your guy, everyones fave
38. Roberts takes ian- Everyone knows my thoughts on this stud.
39. Jet takes stull- So much sex at the end of this draft. Hes a proven playoff proformer
40. Harry takes Carey- SEX OVERLOADDDDDDDDDDDDDD

POWER RANKINGS

8. EJ - The kap/Frano expirment didnt go well last time, but I believe Kap can right any ship. I didnt love the Butter pick, I think it really hurt them. Going to be a tough ride here.If cody can get to mid season form that they will move up.

7. Skelley - league got deaper, and he ran back the same squad. I like this team, but I dont love them. They have shown they will be competitive but I dont see a ship here.

6. Jet -  Plenty of defense on this team, but I just dont see enough scoring, only one true 3pts shooting threat. Jet wil have my ass for this ranking, and use it a bulltin board material. This league is so deep, and the margine is razor thin, this is just where I have them. I feel like team will be able to fade off, and pack the paint.

5. Harry - Is betting alot of his sesion on him contending with these other bigs, I gota say i dont love it. This team will be solid, but again to many holes for a ship to me. That trio is awesome though.

4. Randall - Love what he did, going to be alot of mismatches and easy post buckets on this team. Kerr needs to be Kerr though, so that remains to be seen with the time off.

3. Wein - I will go modest here, but I think I maximized every single draft spot. We will be versatile,and can matchup with any type of team.Jeffries about to make you all regret not taking him.

2. Roberts - Thought he did a brilliant job, he hit on every pick, and made a team thats going to be damn hard to matchup with. My only question perimeter D.

1. Ian - The man with 7 B draft titles shows his drafting skills. Mazz with two bangers you cant go wrong. Love the Bonve pick late, he is someone you have worry about.

BY HARRY DEMAKES

8. Nate’s team

For some reason unclear to everyone, but Nate. Nate wanted to trade out of his second pick, which was odd, because this draft had 7 surefire first rounders. The rest of the players are going to be miscasted as either 2s or 3s this season. Nonetheless, Nate going to do his dishes! Joel at 8 was the correct choice probably, unless Joel is taking his usual vacation time away from us. When he’s there, you know the story, it’s been told by me for centuries. Joel, isn’t a number 1, because in his heart he’s a secondary third piece. Ghost isn’t a bad pick either, but who’s going to pass him the ball? Troy was disappointing and I don’t see this team helping him. Apparently he’s missing games too. Don’t know Maloof, other than his bio smells like chucker. Silva is a good last pick, but I see him getting lost on this team. My forecast for this team isn’t great. Joel is going to have to score AND guard the other teams best guy. He’s not capable of doing both. I also see no one who id describe as a point guard or passer here, which hurts because these guys need someone like that to succeed. These guys feel like bottom fodder.

7. Calderan

Miller was a good start, then this train went off the rails. I thought Paul could have did a lot better than the Julien brothers at 16-17, especially since they’re the same player. Like the homeless man’s version of the Mulholland brothers. Not the guys I’d want with Miller, who’s going to be facing a lot of clogged paints. Taha and Danner are good picks at the end, but Miller is going to have to do A LOT of heavy lifting. I just don’t know how this team succeeds if their opponent has someone who can keep up with Miller.

6. Civale

Civale goes back where he belongs, down in the rankings. It’s mostly, because I don’t know what his rookie will bring. I also don’t know if Remy is still good. It’s been a while and his stats didn’t look great from other leagues. I like Clarke, Great One and Glynn. They all play their role well. I just don’t know who’s running point on this team. Remy? The rookie? If their rookie is a guy who can get everyone going, they’ll be in the hunt.

5. Me

I’ll stick my team here, because we’ll probably be in for some absences and won’t look pretty at times. I thought Nair was the best player in the draft, yes better than Miller. Dunks only count for 2 points people! I traded up because I counted about 9 guys I wanted as a second that could guard top scorers. That was Karim, who played great last season. Eloi may be old, but he plays hard physical defense and I love that. I finished with the aging sharp shooter, who apparently works with Karim. Then of course, BIG GUNS! It’ll take us a minute to get going, but watch out!

4. Cam

I thought Cam made the best trades in the draft and ended up with a very mediocre, vanilla team. Cam traded up and got Lynch, which I thought was a terrible pick. Unless Lynch and DTO channel their SDL versions, how will this team score? Lynch had a lot of dud scoring games and DTO will most likely draw the best perimeter defender. Obviously, Bauman was a great pick and I like Gray being freed from Ian’s clutches. I don’t know KG though. I do know this team probably be one of the better defensive squads. I just don’t know where the scoring will come from.

3. Ian

Ian didn’t get enough of the Koller experience, so he passed on Pollock for him. Odd choice, but the good thing is he had pretty much had this team last season, so they got the chemistry here. I got a scouting report on Roberts and it’s that he can score, but he’s a traffic cone on D. I don’t know Padavick. Packard was a little reach, but he tries and Ian likes him. Of course, gotta love OTTOMATIC. There are two pretty big unknowns here, with Padavick and Packard. It’s also kind of funny Koller complained that only he rebounded last season and Ian got presumably no one who could do that again. Still, I think their experience and reliability on Koller to show up, gives them a slight edge on the field.

2. Noah

Another reliable person is Pollock, who somehow fell to Noah at 6. Pollock is always consistent, game in and game out. He’ll help Robel and Noah get shots. I like Angry Ian and obviously trick or treat Kenny, who was underrated again this draft. Dias wasn’t too bad last I saw him either. This is a very solid team. The only question is who can handle the ball outside of Pollock. This also doesn’t profile as a Pollock type team. Pollock likes to run and this isn’t a running team. Still, they’re championship contenders.

1. Etheridge

I’m sticking Etheridge at number 1 here. AJ, is also quite reliable. I love his defensive fire and kid gets buckets. Angelo, is a kind of a mystery. I’ve played against him twice and well, I passed on him at 9. He played on a bad 5v5 team that played no serious games. How does that translate here? I have no clue. Hanks is a great pick, he may be hurt, but the playoffs aren’t for months. So, who cares? The bench isn’t deep, but then again, I haven’t seen these guys. Maybe they’re fucking awesome? I think this team ultimately comes down to what Angelo and Etheridge bring. If Etheridge is 80% his former self and Angelo is a competent big, they’ll be in business. They feel like title contenders.

We've got Chris Stull stepping in for Matt Kaplan this Fall 23 season and while the shoes aren't literally too big for him to full, figuretiely, they may be! He's got a preseason power rankigns to get us started on the Discord, and so does Chas, so head over there to talk trash with the rest of the league! 

BY CHRIS STULL

Way too early overreactions Pre-Season Rankings Chasito is taking me under his wing and I’m trying my hand at this whole scribe thing,…

#8 STAT A lot of questions on Hollis for $82M (who you think you got Chelsea Clinton?!?!?!) will need to score at least 41 points a game to earn that contract. Can Hollis play well with Robel for twin tower championship vibes?! Time will tell. Love the O’Donnell trade (when will we get brother Danny to join?!) could use him now on this team as a shooting PG (start the recruiting process now).

#7 DP Love my SDL guy DP but the smaller court stops him from getting out on the break as much. Franchise is also a more physical league which makes for a grind of a season. Also have to bring fellow scribe Chas down a notch as I know he always has his squad’s back on the discord. Lerner/DP will get buckets. EJ will hit threes (pending no bachelor party injuries) but does this team have the size and physicality to make a run?! Will need ball movement by Chas to get Craig and Jmul involved. Let’s find out but will be rooting for these all-time nice guys.

#6 JOEL I’ll take Joel’s squad at 6. They impressed me with the fight in the playoffs last year but needed scorching shooting to do it. Let’s see if Joel can start this season how he finished last. DJ will bring the hustle and rebounding but will have a lot of size to contend with across the league. Cawley was a huge pickup for them but will need him to return to form from what I thought was a down session from him compared to two seasons ago. Reily is a hustler and can’t wait to play with him in SDL and they will need Demetri and Filip to show up. If they have some of the same attendance issues as last session, then I put them dead last.

#5 KOELLER It’s the end of the BMAC era to break up the team of two Ben’s so how the chemistry bounces back will be huge after an early exit last session. Koeller will do his thing and my guy KAPVP will bring the team together. I think there was a comment by Harry about KAP moving to his older glory PG days but I do not buy that. KAP comes from the playoff MAZZ school and is always ready to turn up which I saw first hand when he roasted me in the playoffs last year. JJ will hustle but will need to step up his offense. I feel like Leblanc has been underrated though so far in the discord and I think he will pick up the slack on offense with B-Mac’s departure. Give me this squad to be a dark horse to make a playoff run.

#4 Keith Keith is a triple double machine but will have to make sure the third double digit stat isn’t TO’s. He knows the right play to make but sometimes takes too many chances. He will need to cut those down and stay focused for this squad which as noted made great strides at last session which I got to be a part of. Tyler will also need to continue build off a great session and continue to force the action on the drive and look for kickouts. Let’s see if he worked on his three point shot during the offseason as I know he can also shoot and that will make a deadly combo. We saw a couple Matty J dazzler games but then he disappeared at other times. He will need more consistency at both ends of the court. Perhaps cousin Timmy can help keep him focused and make sure he stays aggressive. James is a great pickup and will have plenty of shots for this team (can’t leave him). My guy Steve is joining franchise and I saw him light it up in 5v5 draft for a game so let’s see if he can bring that energy over to CHISE. Will he clash with Keith as he also likes to be a vocal leader?! They also get to ball in SDL so that chemistry will either grow or crumble quickly……

#3 HARDING (or Harry) HARRY (or Harding) Who’s the captain? Who will handle subs? I assume Harry is the proxy here and will ensure all guys get involved and handle matchups. Harding can score from anywhere at anytime on anyone and proxy Harry will let him focus on that. Liam impressed me with his shooting last session and will need to keep that up to pull other squad’s bigs out of the lane. Vladi will be able to shoot open three all days which is his game but will he settle for those too much? Walker will hustle his ass off and clean up any misses while also getting his own at times if he can get the ball. Everything all goes through Harding though and I think he handles the pressure and takes the squad on his back.[17:33]

#2 ERIC The Super Hoopers always seem to be there at the end and Eric has ice in his veins. He’s got his guys Frongi and Jakobsons by his side and Ouelette will make shots and play Robin to Eric’s Batman. I feel like this team has good chemistry and Skates and Wise should fill in nicely. Wise will need to bring the physicality and turn back the clock to hang with some of the big guys down low but I think he can do it.

#1 MAZZ To be the best you have to beat the best and that has been MAZZ and the corp. MAZZ has his pick and role guy Hohrath who already brings great chemistry. INI joins the squad with me (if you cant beat them join them) and always bring the hustle and athleticism. I hope he get’s some damn respect from the ref this year cuz he get’s hacked every time. With the lane clogged up Luigi will need that mid-range to be consistent this year but I got him to knock that down consistently when the paint is clogged. I’ll be scouting what MAZZ’s favorite color Gatorade is to move sure he stays hydrated as we know when all else fails give MAZZ the ball and let’s face it that usually works. Assuming I get some PT I’ll be able to come in and make an open shot otherwise I expect not to see the court again. Give me the Corp though to win it all and my first CAC title after 4 second place finishes. In CEO MAZZ we trust. Let’s get it.

That’s a wrap can’t wait to hoop with y’all!

BY CHAS BELLS

Impossible Power Rankings

#8 Team STAT: Yes, he has a player with a highlight reel, did going for D3 players work last session for him? I will tell you what didnt work, that piss poor defensive effort, and unless that changes with some of the guys on this squad then its going to be tough sledding. I can say if they do it right they may be able to get some good mismatahces with their size, might force some teams to go zone on them. What changes the story, is if Hollins is everything STAT Paid for, and is dropping 60 a night. They are here for now.

#7 Team Red Barron- Did Keith do enough with the money he had? I am not sure, and he had a bunch of $ and did not come away with his top target in INI, in fact I think he got out of the race way to early. There is defitneyly potential for this team to take the next step as the rookie Tim Johnson could be the person to elevate this team, but hard to say without seeing him play. This team will be tough on the O, and defensive boards which will keep thiem in most games. If Mulv can build off last session and knock down 3-4 3’s a game, then this team will be moving up this list.

#6 Team Joel- I like this team, I cant say I LOVE this team. Right away I can see a weakness in 3pt shoooting, feel like team will pack the paint and dare them to hit jumpers/3’s. How many games will Demitri miss, because he missed like 6 last session, that is no beuno with this roster construction. What I like about his team is defense, Cawley/Joel together is no fuckign joke, and I cant wait to watch them shutdown/harraass peoples lives. This team will be in most games, but I see them coming up short in the long run. P.S Why would you give Mazz the best defender in the league??? !!!!!!!! 

#5 Team Koller- A top big with two great facilitators in Kap/Leblanc you have to be excited about that. Did he do enough after that though? Underhills bio was UNDERwhelming , JJ is an awesome hustle guy, but people can double team, and force him to take midrages, making it hard on the other guys. Euler can be a huge wild card, but again the unknown is the unknown. This team could have size issues at times, where they will have to make adjustments with certain line ups. I see a uphill climb here, especially with Leblanc reporting that he will miss atleast 3 -4 games.

#4 Team DP! When DP contacted me and told me he wanted to take over the team I was elated. DP was a MVP caddiate last session , and was doing it in all areas of the game. DP loves to fly so he added the super explosive high scoring Lerner to the mix, those two will be a handful. Our roleplayers will determine everything though I need to not play like a BITCH, and get back to my Chasmanian ways, Craig will have to continue his steady improvement, J.Mul will have to be the versatile x factor that we all know he can be, and EJ needs to hit his open 3’s, and I think we really got something here. I think with any team that I am on, we will be a little small sometimes, but we will figre out the proper rotations.

#3 Team Super Hoopers- They still have that championship duo in Olly /Rosi so that why they are so high on this list, but did they do enough? Getting Frongi back was huge because now they have a solid trio, but with the rumors of Wise being like legend Pat Mcgir I question how they will deal with the athletic bigs in this league, and coud find themselves getting posted up alot, or just getting beatup. They will need Skates/Jakobson to elevate their play, but I can say Rosi/Oully have shown to make everyone betetr around them, so they are here for now.

#2 Team Harry- I really like what he did, had a ton of money and went to work with the hardhat, he really robbed the bank with Walker.A lot of these guys have played together multiple times so the chemistry is already solidified. Harding can outscore just about anyone, and if he is cooking that means he draws the attention, and Valdi nails the open 3. Losing out on INI was not a good thing at all for this team, as they went from a heavy favorite to win it all, to they are just like the rest of us, which is beatable. Landon was a nice nab at the end, as I feel like he is one of the most underrated players in the whole league, he could give them the edge they need.

#1 Team Corp- Mazz did a truly masterful job here. He stole Hohrath as teams with alot of money were trying to save bread for the Hollins sweepstakes, I bet if captains could go back they Make mazz go to atleast 60$ for his big man friend. Then he makes 2 savy trades...... why did the capatains agree???? The trades landed the best defensive playerin the league , and that is not debatable. The only thing that could derail this team is stamina , I could see this team running out of gas agaisnt the deeper teams. Overall when I take a step back it Mazz combined with could be the best scoring big in Hohrath, and defensive big in INI, and that sounds like a winning combination to me.