B2 5v5 TUE Week 1 Write-ups
by Jason on
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.