B1 5v5 TUE PRESEASON PREVIEW

by Jason on Jan. 15, 2024

BY JAY SHAH

Welcome back to the Tuesday B1 CAC League! Very excited to get a new season underway with a couple of returning teams and as many newcomers. Several teams have seen their rosters undergo massive changes as they attempt to become more competitive - namely, last season’s Markit Basketball changing the name of their club to reflect emotional totem pole Ian Shang, and replacing basically their entire roster outside of Victor and Peter Chang in the hopes that it will put them squarely in contention for a spot in the postseason. The reigning B1 unification champs, Men’s League, aren’t resting on their laurels either however as they return nearly every significant contributor from their championship season and add a couple players hungry for rings of their own in Matt McDonough and Louis Dale. Every team in the league expects to be in competition for the postseason and the Tuesday B1 title, but by the time the 10-week season has ended 2 of the 6 squads will already have those expectations changed drastically. While Men’s League sits on top for now, every team in the league is coming for their spot. 

Team-by-Team Previews

Treys for Days

After finishing last season 6-3 (just a game behind the top 2 seeds in Skelton’s Boys and Men’s League) and comfortably grabbing the 3rd seed in the playoffs despite an inexplicable -17 point differential, the Treys will return an identical roster from their last season and hope to rely on consistency and a growing, flourishing team chemistry to finish a bit higher in the standings this time around. Overall, though, Treys for Days is coming off a successful season, having pulled out a thrilling 70-67 win in the semifinals against Skelton’s Boys before falling off in a big way against Tuesday and eventual Unification champs Men’s League, getting smoked 48-65, clearly missing team captain Dana Flood despite standout performances from returnees Wes Schroll and George Thissell. The Treys have to view themselves as the primary competition for the champs and have a good chance to knock them down a peg.

Miyagi-Fang

B2 champs Miyagi-Fang are moving up a division, feeling ready to shed the lower competition and dominate a whole new slate of opponents. Excited to get to know the players on this squad, as I’ve only had the opportunity to watch a couple of them in game action thus far in Djordje Vlajkovic and Spencer Schneider, with each sliding in as valuable archetypes for any team. Vlajkovic is an energetic bruiser in the paint, more than willing to put in the dirty work to pull down tough rebounds on either end of the court and possessing a soft enough touch to make opponents pay for playing him soft. Schneider, meanwhile, classes as a do-it-all 3-and-D player, consistently putting up stats in the steals and blocks category while always being willing to make the right pass, but still able to put up points in a hurry where the situation demands it. It will be interesting to see how these two fit into the architecture of the team, and who on the team ends up being most critical to its success. 

Men’s League

The B1 Unification champs return a nearly identical roster in the follow-up to their fantastic fall season, adding only the aforementioned Matt McDonough and Louis Dale to the roster in their quest for back-to-back championships. George Schultz returns to captain the team once again coming off a 7-2 regular season with a healthy +80 point differential, finishing as the #1 seed. Last season only saw the team see a little bit of adversity, as they dominated most of their regular season opponents with ease and even their postseason had only one game with any sort of competition near the end of regulation, with their semifinal game against CCC Studios going down to the wire with Men’s League obviously coming out on top, up 54-52. Men’s League went on to dominate absolutely from there, winning the Tuesday finals 65-48 over the Treys and winning the unification game by a similar margin, defeating Big T by stifling them 52-37 to claim the crown. Men’s League will look to go back-to-back and continue their dominance this season.

Ian Shang

Though this team has the same star players as last season’s 2-8 Markit Basketball squad (-39 point differential) in Peter and Victor Chang, nearly the entirety of the rest of the roster has been changed in the hope of better competing in this league. While Peter and Victor will look to bring back their brand of high energy basketball punctuated by pull-up threes and fastbreak layups set up by high-risk, high-reward steals, respectively, the teammates around them are completely changed. Yinhao (Ian) Shang, the team’s namesake and most fiery player, also returns, but is surrounded by newcomers in Sean Connor, Chris Denham, Dom Paris, Austen Moye, Jake Wallack, and Jacob Abarbanel - only time will tell if the roster changes will bring with them more wins and a more sustainable style of team basketball. 

Jelly not Jam

Jelly not Jam will come into the league facing off against fellow newcomers Ten Cent Finishers, looking to make an immediate statement by getting off to a hot start in their new league. As I haven’t had the opportunity to watch any of these players participate as of yet, I can’t prognosticate too wildly on what this team’s fortune will be - but seeing Nathan Nebiye, Andrew Lamarche, Drew Dodakian, Nyindu Kabangu, Gabriel Gerhske, Sam Boyles, Corey Page, and Danny Wang out on the court will quickly show how well they can stand up to the competition in the B1 Tuesday League.

Ten Cent Finishers

Also in their first season in the Tuesday B1 League, the Ten Cent Finishers bring an excellent squad name and new talent into the mix on Tuesdays at JFK. Ryan O’Neil, Matt O’Neil, Ryan McCarthy, Kyle Mak, Joe Shaughnessy, Elijah Friedman, and Brian Mullen will all look to make an immediate imprint on the league as they face off against Jelly not Jam tomorrow in a matchup that should rapidly elucidate which of these two fresh-faced squads will have a shot at showing they belong in B1. 

Preseason Power Rankings

1. Men’s League
2. Treys for Days
3. Ian Shang
4. Miyagi-Fang
5. Jelly not Jam
6. Ten Cent Finishers

B1 5v5 TUE Week 4 Write-Ups

by Jason on Sep. 27, 2023

By: JAY SHAH

WEEK 4 9/26

CCC Studios (61) v. Treys for Days (49)

Studios ride massive first half to comfortable win over Treys

After an 0-2 start, CCC Studios clearly knew they needed a spark. They got it in the form of Nick Bates and Rodney joining/returning to their lineup, and both teammates immediately showed out to lead the team in scoring. Bates was a master on the inside, grabbing 8 makes in the paint as he maneuvered around the various defenders the Treys sent his way with relative ease, not seeming to break a sweat splitting a double team or backing down a bigger defender on his way to 18 points. The only place he faltered at all was the free throw line, where he made only 40% of his tries, but his ability to get himself there remained plenty valuable. Meanwhile, Rodney had a stellar first half especially, making 3 shots from both the paint and beyond the arc, often pulling up from well past the line - clearly, he was extremely confident in his stroke and it showed as he shot over 40% from three. Chris Voukides was a late arrival but immediately made his impact felt, cashing in twelve points, also primarily from downtown. Mike Salis played the point guard role once again for this team, as he dished 5 assists and grabbed the most boards on the team to clean up the glass and dribble the ball up while setting up the offense for this team. CCC Studios looked somewhat hapless in their open to the season, but with these reinforcements in tow and their team in full gear, they look pretty frightening once again - look for them to get a serious roll going here in the midseason.

The Treys for Days had a miserable first half defensively, as it seemed like every trip CCC had down the floor against them, the Treys let in a bucket. They were doubled up at half in what was the worst halftime deficit so far this season in the league, heading into the break needing only to double their 22 points to match CCC Studios’ 44. The squad as a whole stepped it up in a big way in the second half, led once again by Dana Flood, who scored 16 points to lead the team as he looked aggressively for his own shot in the latter half. George Thissell was right behind Flood, scoring exclusively on the interior as he leveraged his size against a relatively small CCC team to decent success. It was a solid formula for the two as Thissell and Flood were both magnetic offensive presences in their respective areas (the paint and the perimeter, respectively) to allow their teammates to operate in the space in between. Chief beneficiary was Sam Issenberg, who used that space to drive to the interior time and again and drew foul after foul; Issenberg took an incredible 10 free throw attempts, though he was only able to sink 4 of them. It was a tough game after a solid win against Eastie Hoops the last time out, so they’ll be looking to get over .500 once again against a Wat Rats team coming off their own get-right win.

Next up:
CCC Studios (1-2) at Skelton’s Boys (2-1) - 10/3 6:30p
Treys for Days (2-2) v. Wat Rats (2-1) - 10/3 7:30p

Men’s League (71) v. Skelton’s Boys (59)

Men’s League hold on to early lead, withstanding each Skelton run on way to big win

Men’s League started up 3 to 0 due to Skelton wardrobe issues, and they never ended up relinquishing their lead in securing a wire-to-wire victory. The first half opened extremely well for them, with them building a significant lead to pad their initial buffer. Skelton’s Boys, however, playing with only their 5 starters and no bench, put up a significant fight, with Erik Petit in particular putting the team on his back en route to his team-leading 20 points. At the tail end of the first half, Petit, Henry Bayly and Doug Horan each put in huge buckets for Skelton to cut Men’s League’s lead from 12 at its apex to a much more manageable 5 going into the break. In the second half, Elijah Anderson got his shot going, making 4 of his 8 attempts from three and providing crucial rim protection against the suddenly oversized Men’s League squad. His 2 blocks and 12 points were crucial for Skelton as they tried to prevent Men’s League from running away on the scoreboard. The closest the margin ever got was 4 points after the first bucket of the game was scored midway through the second half, as Skelton’s Boys just couldn’t seem to find the bottom of the net at just the right time. Horan had the look of someone who in the second half could potentially break through with that game-tying basket, but his 16 points could not bring a tie to fruition. 

James Morse and Tyler Seibring led the way for Men’s League, scoring 16 and 15 points respectively. Both players used their size all over the court in fact, securing 5 steals and 2 blocks between them along with 10 boards. Morse dialed back his attempts from deep to some degree, instead leveraging his touch to make tough shots inside as he drove into the paint for his most effective usage of the night; he drew 3 shooting fouls and converted all but one attempt from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, Seibring scored inside as well but had a nice touch from deep, sinking 2 of his 3 attempts from there. Jack Anton and George Schultz held a co-lead in assists for the team, with 3 apiece, each getting theirs in a different manner, with Anton finding opportunistic cutters and Schultz dealing it to open shooters. Will Childs-Klein added 10 points on the inside, being fed with great entry passes and even throwing down a dunk on the fast break. It was a resilient performance from Men’s League, as they weathered each punch Skelton could manage without ever giving in. When they have all their players, this team is scary.

Next up:
Men’s League (3-1) at Eastie Hoops (0-3) - 10/3 8:30p
Skelton’s Boys (2-1) v. CCC Studios (1-2) - 10/3 6:30p

Wat Rats (58) v. Markit Basketball (48)

Back-and-forth first half turns testy down the stretch as Wat Rats pull out huge win

The game started out as well as possible for Markit Basketball, once again the most well-attended team on the slate this Tuesday night after being caught lacking last week. They won the tip and raced out to a pretty significant lead from there, at one point in the first half firing to a 22 to 11 lead and looking like they might have a dominant night with nearly all of their players available. The Wat Rats, however, answered with an incredible run to end the half, outscoring Markit Basketball 17 to 6 down the stretch to tie the game going into the break. The matchup was characterized primarily on both sides by voluminous turnovers - neither team could seem to take care of the ball, including one stretch midway through the first half wherein the teams combined for 5 straight turnovers without a shot attempt, followed by a timeout by the Wat Rats, followed by another turnover. It was a sloppy game, but at least the scorekeeper was generous with the steal numbers, with Markit Basketball and the Wat Rats each totalling 12 steals on the night. 

The second half turned from messy to feisty as frustration started to mount for both teams in a tough game to watch. Ian Shang and Anthony Coppola had a small dust-up, exchanging words as the refs stopped the game to separate them - luckily, Shang and Coppola made up just a few minutes later as the game wore on. The Wat Rats’ other Coppola was amazingly the highest scorer in the league on Tuesday night, grabbing 23 points solely on looks from inside the arc and including 7 points (on a massive 14 attempts) from the free throw line. Any improvement on his touch from the stripe could see M. Coppola consistently being the league’s leading scorer, a title he’s already competing for at this point. A. Coppola and Matt Coffey rounded out the top trio on offense for the Wat Rats, coming away with 14 and 11 points respectively. For the Markiters, Raj Patel found his shooting stroke once again to come away with 11 points to lead the squad, but behind him it was a very egalitarian spread, as Victor Chang had 8, George Phillips had 7, and both Shang and Kevin Dorosh had 6 points. The Wat Rats came away looking like a complete team led by star Marco Coppola who seemingly cannot be stopped, while Markit Basketball will be looking forward to getting itself right (and hopefully getting Cameron Gleichauf back into the fold) during its bye next week.

Next up:
Wat Rats (2-1) at Treys for Days (2-2) - 10/3 7:30p
Markit Basketball (2-2) - BYE

3 Stars:

• James Morse (Men’s League) - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
• Marco Coppola (Wat Rats) - 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, 1 block
• Nick Bates (CCC Studios) - 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block

Power Rankings:

1. Men’s League (+1)
2. Wat Rats (+3)
3. Skelton’s Boys (-2)
4. CCC Studios (+3)
5. Markit Basketball (-2)
6. Treys for Days (-2)
7. Eastie Hoops (-1)

B1 5v5 TUE Week 3 Write-Ups

by Jason on Sep. 20, 2023

WEEK 3 WRITE-UPS

By JAY SHAH

Wat Rats (53) v. Men’s League (72)

Men’s League blowout Wat Rats in second half after tight first half

The Wat Rats started out hot, scoring a solid 35 points in the first half and holding a slim, 2-point lead going into the break. Dylan Stockdale paced the team early, making a couple 3-pointers and dishing 3 total assists. Nicholas Goodman was similarly involved, getting 7 buckets from in close as well as grabbing 3 boards on the offensive glass, along with a couple assists. Marco Coppola once again led the team in scoring, grabbing 25 points, including 5/13 shooting from deep and adding another 3 assists. Joe Martin led the team in boards, grabbing 11 including an incredible 6 on the offensive end, really making Men’s League fight for every rebound even on their own end. In general, the Wat Rats did their best to make every inch of their collective height count, especially against Men’s League’s big man, Will Childs-Klein.

Childs-Klein, however, had a strong game on the boards himself. He grabbed 4 offensive boards and 13 on the defensive end, chipping in 8 points from in close as well. It was a balanced offensive performance from Men’s League’s 5 total players, with every one of them playing the entirety of the game - but every not one of George Schultz, Jack Anton, Childs-Klein, JP Wilkinson, or Tom Smith ever let up, never showing signs of fatigue. Wilkinson led the team in scoring, making 7 buckets in close on cutting drives and 2 threes. Smith and Schultz followed Wilkinson closely on the scoreboard, grabbing 17 and 16 points respectively. The real difference in the second half, however, was how the team locked down defensively - Men’s League grabbed 8 steals and 5 blocks, with Childs-Klein getting 4 on his own. The second half saw Men’s League ratchet up the intensity in all phases, and it showed, with the Wat Rats getting more than doubled up (39-18). Anton in particular really picked it up in the late going, finding his shooting touch on his way to grabbing all of his 10 points in the second. Look for him to shoulder a bigger scoring load for Men’s League going forward.

Next up:
Wat Rats (1-1) v. Markit Basketball (2-1) - 9/26 8:30p
Men’s League (2-1) v. Skelton’s Boys (2-0) - 9/26 7:30p

Markit Basketball (67) v. Skelton’s Boys (75)

Spirited second half runs from Markit Basketball not enough as they fall to Skelton’s Boys

It was a balanced scoring performance from Skelton’s Boys, as they had every player make a bucket. Erik Pettit led Skelton in shooting, getting 19 points, relying minimally on his sweet stroke from deep, where he went 3 of 4. Elijah and Jon Bassett rounded out the scoring, with 19 and 15 points each. The team as a whole had active hands and feet, jumping into passing lanes on their way to 11 steals, with Elijah getting a couple blocks as well to emphasize the defensive presence they had in the game. The final score in general belies the dominance Skelton showed throughout the game, wherein they also showed out on the glass with 12 offensive boards and clean work on their opponents misses as well. 

Meanwhile, relatively short-handed Markit Basketball (missing key pieces Cameron Gleichauf and defensive menace Victor Chang - at least for most of the game) showed heart in the second half, but ultimately did not have the firepower on either end to slow Skelton for long enough. Justin Dorosh and Peter Chang did their best to keep Markit in the game with 18 points apiece, and especially late, but their runs ended up being too little, too late, including an 8-0 run to open the second half. Last-minute arrival Victor Chang showed exactly what the team was missing, immediately imposing his size and shooting touch, grabbing an offensive board and a 3-point make in his few possessions on the court at the very end of regulation. George Phillips had the look of a difference maker throughout the game, leaping high for rebounds, leading the team in assists, and shooting 2 of 3 from deep - Phillips’ usage should tick up throughout the season. Raj Patel started the game out hot, making an early three and generally being active around the court, tying with Phillips for the team lead in boards, but his shots stopped falling over the course of the game, and Markit fell behind 38-24 at the half, in what turned out to be an insurmountable deficit.

Next up:
Markit Basketball (2-1) at Wat Rats (1-1) - 9/26 8:30p
Skelton’s Boys (2-0) at Men’s League (2-1) - 9/26 7:30p

Treys For Days (67) v. Eastie Hoops (56)

Treys make hay inside as Eastie Hoops’ shooting isn’t enough to hold off the Days’ second-half onslaught

It was a back-and-forth first half, with Eastie Hoops barely behind at the break 35 to 36. Ryan WIllis was the leading scorer for Eastie, pulling up without hesitation from beyond the arc and making 6 of 13 deep balls. Willis also showed off his athleticism on the defensive end, grabbing 3 steals and a block (a defensive line matched only by teammate Kyle Coughlin). The team was also extremely adept at getting offensive boards, getting 10, highlighted by Gary Howell-Walton and Christian Garcia, who used positioning and fight more than height or even hops. The aforementioned Coughlin was Eastie’s second-leading scorer, making 2 threes on his way to 14 points. Chisom Nnadi rounded out the top trio despite a late start, but his physical style of play led him to foul trouble as he ended the game with 5 fouls. On the bench, Nnadi bemoaned the team’s jump-shooting style of play, especially when the team’s shooting streak wore off down the stretch. 

Treys For Days brought out the defensive clamps in the second half, allowing only 21 points and cutting Eastie’s 70-point pace to a final score of 56. Dana Flood returned to the Treys to lead them in scoring with a solid 18 points. Luke Davidson made his impact felt on both end of the floor, grabbing 11 points from the paint and the free throw line and stealing the ball 4 times with his aggressive on- and off-ball defense. He also took a big hit from Nnadi to take possession on a charge just before halftime, lighting up the Treys bench and starting a swing in momentum that wouldn’t subside for the remainder of the game. Big man George Thissell was second in scoring with 12 points, banging hard down low to get himself easy looks right at the bucket. Multiple Eastie players tried to draw charges on Thissell as he backed them down with his strength, but the refs didn’t see much untoward as no whistles were heard, despite Eastie’s pleas to the contrary. Richard Kruszkowski was a solid defensive presence throughout the contest with 2 steals and 2 blocks, and even made a surprising three to the delight of his teammates. Treys For Days look like they could be the best team in the league when their key players are present - let's see if they can keep up their pace.

Next up: 
Treys For Days (2-1) at CCC Studios (0-2) - 9/26 6:30p
Eastie Hoops (0-3) - BYE

3 Stars:

• JP Wilkinson (Men’s League) - 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
• Erik Pettit (Skelton’s Boys) - 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
• Marco Coppola (Wat Rats) - 25 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

Power Rankings:

1. Skelton’s Boys (+2)
2. Men’s League (+2)
3. Markit Basketball (-2)
4. Treys For Days (+1)
5. Wat Rats (-3)
6. Eastie Hoops (+1)
7. CCC Studios (-1)

B1 5v5 TUE Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Sep. 13, 2023

B1 5v5 TUE Week 2 Write-Ups

By JAY SHAH

Skelton’s Boys (71) v. Eastie Hoops (57)

Initially shorthanded Eastie Hoops runs out of gas late to fall to Skelton’s Boys

It was an incredible start for Eastie, as the team played the entirety of the first half with only 4 players but managed to come out with a very solid 10-point lead at half, leading 36 to 26. Chisom Nnadi led the way for Eastie in the first half, driving to the basket time and again with ferocity while also contributing on the glass on his way to grabbing 9 boards. He used his ability to penetrate to dish to teammates as well, dishing out 4 assists. Lucas Fortier galvanized the team throughout the contest with his 3-point shooting, once again draining buckets from deep to keep the game competitive. Fortier also contributed defensively, stealing a pass and denying a Skelton shot while tying with Nnadi for the team lead in assists. Kyle Coughlin and Grant Miller were key in securing the lead in the first half, doing all the little things like chasing Skelton players around screens and hounding them throughout the game while taking smart, open shots when the opportunities presented themselves. Late arrival Gary Howell-Walton allowed Eastie to finally field a full 5-man squad, but the second half spelled doom for the squad, as it was clear that the toll of the first half was being paid.

Skelton made shot after shot in the second, scoring an incredible 45 points after managing only 26 while playing 4-on-5 in the first. It was a very egalitarian performance by the squad, as all 5 active players managed to score in double digits. Elijah led the way with 16 points and 11 boards, knocking down a couple 3 to go with his inside game. Doug Horan had a game-high 5 assists and came on strong in the second half, scoring all of his points then. Every player both managed to make at least 1 3-pointer and take at least 1 trip to the charity stripe, and even though they left points on the board from there, their second half onslaught was simply too much for Eastie to bear. Erik Pettit, similar to Horan, really stepped up his game in the second half, asserting himself and looking for his own shot far more than he had in the first. Ryan Fitzpatrick had his shot dialed in from deep, helping keep the game close in the first and opening it up in the second with his 12 points from beyond the arc. Henry Bayly was a strong presence throughout the contest, scoring from 2-point range 5 times and staying active on the defensive end to compile a steal and a block to boot. It was an oddly resilient performance for the team in their first game of the season considering their initial numbers advantage evaporating without a lead and set an excellent tone for the season to come.

Next up:
Skelton’s Boys (1-0) at Markit Basketball (2-0) - 9/19 7:30p
Eastie Hoops (0-2) at Treys for Days (1-1) - 9/19 8:30p

Men’s League (70) v. CCC Studios (65)

Thrilling second half comeback by Men’s League capped by dominant overtime period in disappointing CCC Studios loss

It was a very different type of game this time around for George Schultz, who last time around led Men’s League in scoring in their loss to Treys for Days. In the matchup against CCC Studios, however, Schultz put up no points, and further hardly shot the ball at all, just missing the mark twice from deep. But his team’s result was different this time, and the rest of his team showed up - particularly James Morse, who didn’t play last time out, and Will Childs-Klein, who asserted his size around the basket with much more tenacity than in his season debut. Morse had a tough first half in his own season debut here against CCC, because though his defensive intensity never waned (3 steals), his shot simply would not find the bottom of the net, particularly from deep. In the second half, however, and especially at the tail end of the matchup, Morse’s shots began to fall, including a massive 3-pointer to tie the game at 65 and eventually send the game to overtime. Morse was also perfect from the free throw line, making 100% of his 8 attempts down the stretch. Childs-Klein didn’t settle for pull-up jumpers this game, instead working his way relentlessly toward the basket to get excellent looks, utilizing every inch of his size to press his advantage. His 7 2-point makes, plus a clutch triple no one in the gym but him expected, were absolutely key in Men’s Leagues comeback, as were his countless boards and 3 blocks. Meanwhile, bruiser Matt Goodwin looked strong down low, picking up a couple offensive boards he had no business getting to and setting up some second-chance points. Tom Smith once again looked like a seasoned vet on the floor, calling for his teammates to push at any opportunity, recognizing that CCC’s lack of a bench would eventually catch up to them. JP Wilkinson scored a few key baskets, but his primary impact was certainly felt on the defensive end, as he matched up with Mike Salis to try and prevent him from dictating the game. His physical play clearly riled Salis up, and despite Salis knocking down a 3 in his face while talking directly at Wilkinson, it was Wilkinson’s team that walked away with the win.

CCC Studios, meanwhile, started out relatively hot, outscoring Men’s League 35-28 in the first half, led by the downhill and teammate-centric approach of the aforementioned Salis. He and Zac Brown were particularly effective in the paint, each drawing multiple fouls and converting a high percentage of their looks from the free throw line. Salis also fired from deep more than he had in his first game, converting 50% of his looks from downtown on his way to 21 points. Mike Simoni was similarly effective from deep, cashing in an even higher percentage of his looks on his way to 18 points. Unfortunately, he missed both of his shots from the charity stripe, which could have been key points to have in hand for CCC down the stretch. It was a somewhat quiet game for Chris Voukides, who made a big 3 down the stretch, but came up a little short on his other looks. Fill-in Matty followed the Mikes’ lead from beyond the arc, beginning to fire away in the second half to temporarily prolong CCC’s lead with his 3 triples. In the end it was a disappointing loss for CCC, who watched their lead slip away without the possibility of any injection of bench energy. Watch for them to show up with a deeper bench next time out.

Next up: 
Men’s League (1-1) at Wat Rats (1-0) - 9/19 6:30p
CCC Studios (0-2) BYE

Markit Basketball (52) v. Treys for Days (38)

Markit utilizes every ounce of lengthy roster in dominant win over 6-man Treys for Days squad

In by far the lowest-scoring matchup of the night, Markit Basketball made a defensive statement. The Markiters swarmed across the court with little regard for the limits of stamina, with nearly every one of their 9 players recording at least one steal. Victor Chang led the way on that end, nabbing an incredible 6 steals, adding a block for good measure and leading the team in rebounds. George Phillips led the team in scoring with 11 and was the only player to score in the double digits, as he especially forced the Treys to deal with him on the inside, making 3 separate trips to the charity stripe. All 9 Markit Basketball players managed to put the ball through the hoop at least once, with Cameron Gleichauf once again looking stellar, racking up 4 buckets from in close (including an and-1) and dishing out a team-high 4 assists. Jonathan Chang had a intriguing season debut, utilizing a unique shooting form to cash in once from deep and flashing all over the floor to even grab an offensive board. In all, it was an impressively democratic game from Markit Basketball, with every present member contributing in some significant way and no fall-off with the introduction of any given sub. An incredibly deep team and one to watch going forward.

Treys for Days, meanwhile, had some clear drop-off in their production from their first game, missing key members from their win against Men’s League. Wes Schroll returned and was in good form, though unable to cash in from deep as he was previously. He was a huge presence on defense though, helping keep the game manageable for the Treys squad with an unbelievable 6 blocks and 2 steals, plus 8 boards to go with his 8 points. Collin Yip, Kevin McGovern and Devin Santilli had 6, 6, and 5 points respectively to round out the scoring, with McGovern in particular involved in nearly every play or point scored. Yip was a wily presence on the defensive end, grabbing 2 steals from unsuspecting Markit players. The team lead in scoring went to fill-in Ando, who scored a few fastbreak buckets late on his way to 13 points. Look for Treys for Days to rebound in a big way next week with a more complete squad. 

Next up:
Markit Basketball (2-0) v. Skelton’s Boys (1-0) - 9/19 7:30p
Treys for Days (1-1) v. Eastie Hoops (0-2) - 9/19 8:30p

Three Stars:

• Markit Basketball Attendance - 9 players, all played and scored
• Doug Horan (Skelton’s Boys) - 11 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks
• Chisom Nnadi - 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists

Power Rankings:

1. Markit Basketball (0)
2. Wat Rats (0)
3. Skelton’s Boys (+4)
4. Men’s League (+2)
5. Treys for Days (-1)
6. CCC Studios (-3)
7. Eastie Hoops (-2)

B1 5v5 TUE Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on Sep. 06, 2023

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

B1 5v5 TUE Week 3 Write-Ups

by Jason on May. 19, 2023

WEEK 3 BY LAMARR

Game 1: Mens league (69) - Treys 4 Days (58)

Welcome back to week 3 of the season which has been pretty competitive up to this point of he season. This week was really surprising with some results that I didn't see coming. Starting with the first game of the night with Mens League getting an eleven point win over Treys 4 days. The first half of this game was the definition of a back and forth game, with no team gaining a lead over 5 points. Both teams traded buckets from the beginning of the half, with Mens league being led by PG Phil Mcgloin who was a huge factor all night. With his penetration, mid range game and ability to get to the line, he was a handful to deal with. Trey 4 Days was having a really difficult time from the field, missing some really open looks that they usually knock down. Big man and MVP candidate Kevin Lefrancis was his typical rebounding machine, but this game Men's League fouled and forced him to the line. This was probably a big reason for there win, as LaFrancis went 3-11 in the first half from the line. Just happened to be one of the days for the big man. But back up big George Thissel came off the bench and gave T4Ds a huge boost. Especially with his rebounding. But overall as a team, T4Ds mainly just struggled to hit the shots they were hitting in the first two weeks. Mensleague on the other hand was extremely efficient on the offensive end, with every player scoring at least a bucket in the first half. What kept Trey 4 days in the game was the offensive rebounding. 8 in the first half as a team, which allowed them to stick around.. The halftime score was 34-34 after a big 3 by Wes Scholl tied the game. 

Second half couldn't have started better for Men's League, with McGloin scoring 5 quick points and then hitting T. Smith for a nice 3 to bring the lead to 8 two minutes in. They didn't look back from that point forward. Mcgloin controlled the game and basically did whatever he wanted. He ended the game with an amazing 11 for 11 from the free throw stripe. Along with some timely buckets from Smith and forward JP Wilkinson, the game was theirs to lose. Trey 4 Days stayed as close as they could by continuing to get to the line, but the miss just kept coming. They ended the game going 15 for 30 from the free throw line. Which basically killed there chances. The game ended with Mens league taking it 69-58. 

MVP: Phil Mcgloin (27 points, 6 rbs, 6 ast)

 

Game 2: Big Phil from the hill and team (72) - Terminator 2 (60)

I can't lie, I thought that this was going to be a good match up for Terminator but boy was I wrong. Big Phils squad came out on a mission this week to get that first W of the season, Beating T2 with a convincing 12 point win. Big Phil came out and looked like an entire new team with the ball movement, they really shared the ball from the beginning of the ame that helped them get out to an early 18-10 lead. PG Hernon Perdomo was really running the show for BIg Phil and the team, his passes led to forward Jonathan Freund (who scored 8 quick buckets) and others. That really got the team going and feeling confident. Scott Jensen and Thomas Bissel were there typical selves, crashing the boards and getting some easy looks. But as a team from three, this team really really struggled. They were 4-15 from the 3 point line in the first half, something we aren't accustomed to seeing. If they made even a few of those threes the game would be much different. But instead T2 went into the half down 36-20, Big Phils squad also picked up 5 team steals in the first half that led to some easy transition buckets. But never count on the Terminator. 

Second half was a completely different team for T2, they came out much more aggressive and started to push the pace, outrunning the bigger Big Phil squad. This helped to some easy baskets but still missing threes and Nick Roseetii grabbing two offensive rebounds and put backs kept for Big Phil kept the lead at 12 with 17:00 to go in the game. Two quick 3s by Freund and Concannon and I thought that would be the game, but a 14-5 run by T2 got them right into the game. Led by combo guard Carl Bunge, who had a steal and block on back 2 back possessions along with some big shots, gave his team the confidence they needed. They also started to knock down the 3 ball. Bissell knocked down three 3s under the 7:00 mark and BIg Phils squad finally got cold from the field, next thing you know the score was only 62-58, T2 down by 4. At this point I was thinking “Yeah Terminator 2 gonna make this incredible comeback” but that wasn't the case. Again T2 couldn't find their touch from 3, and with Nick Rosseti and Concanon knocking down everything they put up in the half the game was officially over. BIg Phil from the Hill and team wound up with the win, 72-60. Terminator 2 shot a horrendous 8-38 from the three point line, but dont expect that to be the case for the rest of the season.

Game MVP: NIck Rosseti (18 pts, 10 rbs, 2 ast)

 

Game 3: Mid Range Magic (63) 0 FCHWPO (45)

This was another big win that I didn't see coming into the week. Not because MId Range does not have the talent, but the size of FCHWPO would be a lot of Mid range to handle. Boy was I wrong. Mid Range took advantage of FCHWPO not having there 3 best players, and easily destroyed there opponent 63-45. Even if FCHW had its full roster, the way Mid range played im not sure it would have even mattered. First half was a pretty close game with no team really gaining any big lead. Mid range was their typical attacking selves, getting to the line and attacking the rim. The Zahner brothers were especially aggressive with both grabbing multiple offensive rebounds and knocking down mid range jumpers. With no rim protector from FCHW, mid range use this game plan over and over. FCHWPO stayed right there with MId range tho, with 2 big threes by guard Meech Ramirez and strong drives by AIden Cyr, FCHW was in position to take the lead. But two big offensive rebounds and putbacks by big Man Clifford Bouchereau kept the lead at a reasonable distance going into the half, with MId Range up 30-24 at the half.

Second Half started off similar to the first half, mid range being aggressive and FCHW making timely baskets to stay in striking distance. BIg Man Bouchereau was having none of that thought. He really turned it up in the second half, FCHW couldn't score in the paint as long as big cliff was roaming around. Plus the 3 ball not falling for them, and things got pretty ugly pretty quick for FCHWPO. Mid Range stayed on the gas, hit 6 second half 3s to their opponents 1, and only gave up a total of 15 points the entire second half of the game. Stifling defense led by Cam Kelley and Bouchereau. But let's not forget about the big second half for 6 man Sean Mahoney, who hit 2 big threes and added 6 rebounds in the second half of the game.. Real great team performance by Mid Range, and ended up getting the blowout win with a score of 63-45. MId Range had 5 different players score in double figures.

GAME MVP: Clifford Bouchereau (18 pts, 10 rbs, 1 ast)

B1 5v5 TUE WEEK 2 WRITE-UPS

by Jason on May. 15, 2023

WEEK 2: 

BY LAMARR BENNETT

Game 1: Terminator 2 (65) VS FCHWPO (69)

Welcome back to B1 5x5 Week 2! WE start this week with probably the best game of the week with FCHWPO topping Terminator 2 in a back and forth, overtime deciding victory. Both teams were only running 5 players so no bench help this week, and we started the game off only running 4s. FCH got off to a quick start, starting the game on a quick 10-2 run led by some good ball movement to get some easy baskets. T. Bissell finally made it to the game and he was definitely needed for T2. he immediately called a timeout to get in the game and made his presence immediately. T2 went on their own 10-2 run, pressuring and forcing a few turnovers to lead to fast break points. Low scoring game to this point but FCH had the lead with 9:00 to go in the first half 12-11. J. Maniyaki and CJ got hot for T2, both knocking down multiple 3s to keep the team close but FCH would answer every bucket with their own. Aidan Cyr was a menace on defense and on the boards despite being one the shortest players on the court. McCarthy, the superhero from last week, cooled off some but still had himself a strong half, scoring 16 of his 23 points in the first half. T2 went into halftime down only by 4 with a score of 32-28. They had a well rounded scoring attack in the first half, with 3 players scoring at least 8 points.

FCHWPO came out of the half on fire. Chris Sellew, who had a rough first half shooting the three, came out and hit 2 back to back and had a nice spin move lay up to give his team a quick 12 point lead. But Sam Jenson and Bissell both had hit a three and Jensen with a nice euro step layup to bring it back to 7 at 47-40. T2 started getting really hot at this point, with Maniyaki finally getting it going, and boy he got it going. He hit a 3 and had a nice assist to Jensen who knocked down another three, 52-48 FCH with 7:00 minutes remaining. Few buckets from FCH brought it back up to ten quickly. T2 goes on a 10 - 0 from the 6:00 minute mark to the 4:00, led by two back to back 3s by T. Bissell and 1 more by Maniyika. With under 2:00 to go, Maniyika hit a thre that was answered by a Mccarthy 3, that was again answered by another Maniyaki 3. True definition of  a back and forth game. McCarthy got fouled with 45 seconds to go and had a chance to go up two at the line, he hit the first but missed the second of a 1 and 1. Maniyika took advantage of the miss and hit a midrange faraday jumper to tie the game at 64 a piece. OVERTIME!

First overtime game of the season and it didn't disappoint. McCarthy comes out with a ig thre to start OT, then Cyr had geat steal and lay up to go up by a quick 5. Very next possession, Cyr came up with a big block on the other end and tha sealed the game for FCHWPO. They ended up winning with a score of 69-65. 

PLAYER OF THE GAME: J. McCarthy (23 pts, 17 rbs, 2 ast)

GAME 2: Mid Range Magic (43) - Mens league (74)

Game 2 between midrange magic going up against Men's league was , surprisingly, a blow out from the opening tip. Going off what I saw last week, I gave mid range magic a real good chance of winning. But Mens league had full team this week unless last, and there are a force to be reckoned with. The men's league came out on a mission, playing team ball and making all the right plays on both ends of the floor. Tom Smith and Josh Slater set the tone early, both crashing the glass hard and scoring early. Before you knew it the score was 17-5. Mid Range Magic was getting good looks, just couldn't knock anything down, especially from 3. But even though they were not hitting at a high clip, 5 of there first 6 shots were 3 pointers  so that should tell you how the half was going. They did cut the lead down to 4 but after a 4 minute scoring drought, Mens ague got the lead back up to double figures and never looked back. They outscored there opponents to end the half 23-6 to leave the score at 41-22 going into the half. Let's not forget Mens league Captain Geaorge Shultz coming into the game droppin dimes and hitting two big trees. His impact was definitely felt. Mid Range Magic also didn't appreciate a Time Out called with 3 seconds left in the half and let there opponents hear about it. Forward Cliff Bouchereau did all he could in the first half, racking up a handful of rebounds and scoring 8 first half points, but he desperately needed help.

The second half was more of the same if not better than the first half for Mens League. Big man Tyler Seibring just straight took over the game, and I think Midrange magic getting upset at the half fuelled him some. He scored  17 of his game high 23 points all in the second half, capped off with 3 threes and dominating the mid range.His height seemed to be just too much to handle and Mid Range Knew it. Big man Jack Anton, college teammates of Seibring, was dropping dimes left and right and had the first double digit assist game of the season. MId Range fought hard to the end, With Eric Maynard and Cam Kelly getting it going in the second half. Each scoring a couple of buckets and trying to keep a float. Free throws have been a problem for Mid range so far this season, and again it was a problem tonight. A lot of bickering and words to the refs, so they called the game early with about 4:00 minutes left in the game. The men's league ended up with the blowout win, Knocking off mid Range magic by 31 points 43-74.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tyler Seibring (23 pts, 9 rbs, 2 ast)

Game 3: Big Phil From the Hill and team (52) vs Treys for Days (66)

The final game of week two was a pretty good match up between Big Phils Squad and Treys for days. T4Ds came out with a solid 66-52 win. T4Ds came out hot with Devin Santilli all over the place, picking up two quick steals and hitting a quick lay up and 3 to get things going. Things pretty much kept going back and forth for the half, trading buckets. But a seventh foul by Trey for days 5:00 minutes to go left in the half gave Big Phils squad a chance to get back in the game. Henry Lafrancis was his typical dominant force in the paint, scoring at will, drawing fouls and seemingly grabbing every rebound on the offensive glass. Henry Louis was extremely aggressive, attacking the paint and getting to the line (6 free throw shots after the 7th foul). A three from Sean Concannon tied the game up at 21 a piece with 3 minutes to go. Dana Flood helped keep T4D in the game late in the half, scoring 5 big points with 1:30 to go. Both teams traded baskets until the half, where the score was 28-27 with T4Ds up. Lafrancis and Flood combined for 22 of the teams 28 first half points.

Second half is where T4Ds separated themselves and really got it going. a 12-3 run led by a three by both Santilii and Flood and Lafranicis cleaning up the glass. T4Ds were really attacking and killing the offensive glass and it started to pay off. LaFrancis Was a absolute monster in the second half, scoring 19 points and grabbing another handful of rebounds. His second straight week with a dominant performance. Henry Louis kept his team in the game getting to the line at will (12 attempts for the game),  if he had a little more help the score might have been different. Two more big 3s by Dana Food and Santilli and the game was out of reach. The game ended with T4D winning by 14 with a score 66 -52.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Kevin “Larry” Lafrancis (29 pts, 13 rbs, 1 ast)

B1 5v5 TUE Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on May. 04, 2023

BY LAMARR BENNETT

Game 1: Terminator 2 (78) - Mens League (38)

Welcome back team! This year's B1 5x5 league looks to be a good one. We started off week 1 off with Terminator 2 absolutely destroying there opponents, The Men's League. Terminator 2 got off to a very fast start, starting the game on a 14 - 2 run, led by leading scorer (21 pts) Julian Manyika. Granted, Men's League started off the game with only 4 players, but that didn't stop T2 from keeping there foot on the gas. The first half was a transition game for T2, as soon as the team got the rebound they were off and running. Guards Thomas Bissell and Samuel Jenson were the engine for T2. Both men were pushing the pace and finding open teammates at ease. By the 12:00 minute mark the score was 7-19 T2 up. Another 11-2 run by T2 put them up 9 - 31 with just under 7 minutes left in the half. But Will Childs-Klein was doing everything in his power to keep the Men's League in striking distance. Childs-Klein had 7 of his team's first 9 points, along with the majority of the rebounds. But that was about it for the Men's League in the first half. Missing all 9 of the 3 pointers the team took in the first half. On the other hand T2 knocked down 7 first half threes, led by Manyika. Now it was Brendt Stephens time to get into the action. After the 7:00 minute mark in the first half, Stephens went off for 7 straight points for T2, grabbing rebounds and playing really solid defense during the stretch. With such a great team effort T2 went into halftime with a nice 38-21 lead. The men's league was outscored from the 3 pointers 7 to 0 which was a big indication of how the game was going. 

 Second half started off the same as the first half basically. T2 continued pushing the pace, crashing the boards and firing away from the 3 point line. Mens League did start the half better, with Tom Smith getting it going down in the paint and making his presence felt. He made a nice pull up jumper and a few quick lay ups to start the half, giving Mens league some hope. But Manyika and T2 had to shut that down quickly. Another three by Manyika and a couple quick hustle points by Carl Bunge brought the score to 54 - 32 T2 up with 13:00 to go in the half. From that point on, Mens League could only muster up 6 total points for the remainder of the game, which says a lot about the defense T2 was playing. T2 outscored Mens league 40 to 18 in the second half, led by great scoring from Manyika and a great team effort by the rest of the team. T2 outscored mens league from the 3-point line 16 to 1.

Player of the game: Julian Manyika (21 pts, 5 rbs, 3 ast)

 

GAME 2: Treys 4 Days (62) vs Mid Range Magic (52)

Ok time for the game of the night! Trey 4 days and Mid Range Magic battled it out in a great game where T4Ds ended up getting the win 62 to 52. MRM got off to a hot start with 2 3s to start the game from guard James Smith. A quick 7-0 start was quickly erased by T4D, big man Kevin “Larry” Lefrancis made sure his presence was felt early in the game. Coring 4 quick paint points and grabbing 3 straight offensive rebounds. At that point I think MRM knew they might have their hands full in the paint. But they definitely were not intimidated. Big men Clifford Bouchereau E. Maynard started to really protect the paint and not give up anything easy. A quick transition 3  Dana flood brought the lead to 17 - 14 for T4D with 15:00 to go in the half. This is where T4D made there first little run of the game. Big man Lafrancis continued to dominate the paint and the glass, but got some nice help from fellow big man Wes Schroll who was huge on the glass. The two combined for 16 first half rebounds. As it looked like T4D was about to take control of the game, the Zahner brothers finally got going. Zack, who is more of a point guard of the two, found his Cam brother twice. Once for an open three and the other a nice mid range pull up. This seems to get Cam going as he knocked down another 3 pointer from the wing which brought the game to 30-32. Layups from Lafrancis and forward Luke Davidosn gave T4D a 8 point lead, but a 3 from Zack Zahner cut the lead to 5 and the score was 38 - 33 halftime with T4D up. Lafrancis had 11 rebounds in the first half alone. James Smith led mid range magic with ten first half points.

Second half continued on the same as the first half with both teams trading baskets, going back and forth with nobody taking a sizable lead. Mid range really started to make things difficult in the paint with Bouchereau taking on the challenge of big man Lafrancis. He really held his own on both ends, forcing tough shots and making some key baskets. But thats when an unexpected player started to take over the game and that was S. Issenberg. This man was an absolute beast on the offensive boards and in the paint in the second half. Yes he did miss a lot of free throws, but racking up fouls left and right, taking rebounds against all the big. His energy was infectious for his team. Davidson and Flood were also all over the place, deflecting pases left and right, rebounding and just  making the smart winning plays. With 15:00 minutes to go T4D was leading 49 - 42 but knew the game wasn't close to being over. MRM just kept at it slowly but surely keeping the game close with timely 3s and great ball movement led by Zahner (game high 5 assist). Forward Cam Kelly was also huge during the stretch hitting two nice layups and an impressive and-one.  A 3 pointer by James Smith cut the lead to 2 with 5:00 to go causing a time out from T4D. With the score close with T4D leading 52-54, guard Devin Santilli might have made the play of the game, coming up with a huge steal and knocking down a big 3 to give T4D a 5 point lead with 1:30 seconds to go. Then comes up with another steal on the next possession that really helped seal the game. Lafrancis finished off the game with two more layups and T4D ended up winning by ten with a score of 62-52 but the game was probably a lot closer than the score shows.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Kevin “Larry” LeFrancis (15 pts, 17 rbs, 4 ast)

Game 3: FCHWPO (75) vs BIg Phil from the hill and team (50)

THe final game of the evening didn't turn out to be the most competitive game with FCHWPO coming out with a very dominant and impressive win Over Big Phil and the squad. FCHW got out to a blazing start, hitting 3 threes and 3 quick lay ups to start the game on a 15 - 2 run. Big man brothers Eric and Chris Sellew were dominant from the jump. Eric, the younger of the two, used his quick speed to get to the rim at ease and Chris with his smooth jumpshot couldn't seem to miss. A quick time out for the Big Phils squad was exactly what they needed to try to get going. Peter Noland and Henry Louis started to get going after the timeout going on a mini 7-0 run, but that didn't last too long because this is when the Man himself began one of the greatest shooting clinics ive ever seen in person. It all started with a smooth jab step three from the corner, which brought the lead to 26-11 FCHWPO. Two more threes from 3s from McCarthy and C. Sellew and we thought the game was over. Not if Big Phils squad had anything to do with it. C. Sellew at one point was outsourcing the other team 13-12 by himself. Quick 3s from Noland and Jonathan Fruend helped cut the lead down some. This is when big man Eric Sellew popped his shoulder out of pocket. Horrible news from a player who was having a great game. After taking a couple minutes the action started back up. The end of the half was a little off because of the injury, as both teams traded baskets until the half. Score of 25 - 42 with FCHWPO up. Eric did not end up continuing to play but the good news is his shoulder seems to be fine ( with the help of his opponent Henry Louis).

Second half continued as both teams decided to continue the game 4 on 4, great sportsmanship from Big Phils Squad who agreed but could have continued the game with 5. Second half was all about John McCarthy. Hitting three 3s in the first half, his man hit SEVEN more in the second half alone. He was absolutely unconscious, hitting step back threes, side steps, 5 feet behind the lie. He was having target practice out there. Even his own teammates seemed to be shocked at the performance. It was definitely something to remember. But Big Phil, led by guard Henry Louis definitely had a better second half than first. Getting to the basket and finding open teammates at ease. He had himself a great second half. Sean Conannon and Hernan Perdomo were also better in the second half  making this difficult on the defensive end. It was just a little too late because of the deficit in the first half and McCarthy watching basket for basket with the other team. The threes did start falling for big phil and hopefully it carries to next week because i think this team can do some real damage when the shots are falling. They shot 4 for 17 from three for the game and that's not gonna get the job done. The score ended up 75 - 50 with FCHWPO getting the big win. But let's hope this team can stay healthy if they can. I think they have a chance to win the whole thing.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Johnny McCarthy (38 pts, 8 rbs, 4 ast)