B2 5v5 THU Week 3 Write-Ups
by Jason on
B2 5v5 THU Week 3 Write-Ups
By: JAY SHAH
WEEK 3 9/21
Lexington Steals (53) v. Furious Rim Ticklers (60)
Yeakley’s three point shooting downs the Steals as Lexington’s post work goes unrewarded
The Lexington Steals squad didn’t manage to come away with the win today, but it did seem like they found their groove scoring, or at least had a strong offensive game plan they can draw from in the future. Specifically, Scott Saveriano and James Long operated primarily down low out of the post, and were consistently able to either back their defenders down with their size and strength or operate around them with crafty spin moves. They led the team in scoring with 15 and 14 points respectively, also using their positioning down low to make passes to the outside when their offensive prowess began to draw double teams and their teammates did a nice job kicking the rock around the perimeter to find open shots. Eli Brick especially did a great job finding teammates, including a near alley-oop to Saveriano for one of his four assists. A few more makes from behind the arc would’ve made a huge difference in this contest; look for the Steals’ shooting luck to improve on open looks and an uptick in points on the board to follow.
Jeff Yeakley, in contrast, couldn’t seem to miss after his first few shots for the Furious Rim Ticklers. Yeakley ended with an incredible seven makes from three point range on fifty percent shooting, even using the threat of his deep ball to draw a foul on an attempt on his way to a team- and night-leading 26 points. Yancy Brown and Drew DeBari saw how hot he was from range and found him over and over again, dishing a combined nine assists in the process. DeBari and Brian Phillips rounded out the top trio of scoring for the Rim Ticklers, as DeBari followed Yeakley’s lead in cashing in from deep (also on fifty percent shooting) while Phillips took advantage of the gaping holes in the paint created by the team’s outside shooting to put buckets in from the paint, though he also fired away from range. Despite the team’s name, the Rim Ticklers seem to live and die on their three ball, and on this Thursday night they couldn’t have done much better.
Next up:
Lexington Steals (0-3) v. NNHS (2-1) - 9/28 9:00p
Furious Rim Ticklers (2-1) at A Team Has No Name (1-2) - 9/28 6:00p
Run and Gun (49) v. NNHS (56)
Run and Gun fall apart late as NNHS pulls even and then ahead in second half
Run and Gun had it going early, as they went into the half with a 7 point lead (up 25 to 18). The deep, well-attended roster was full of contributors, with Eduardo Deleon returning to a featured role with 23 points, including 4 of 9 shooting from deep and 3 of 4 from the charity stripe. The wily guard often took over possessions on his own, whether deciding to pull up off the dribble from behind the arc and finding the bottom of the net in critical game situations or driving along the baseline and twirling up a crafty lay-in. Stevy Alves, the team’s tallest player, was able to operate close to the basket, and the threat of his size caused NNHS to foul him repeatedly, as Alves made 5 separate trips to the line. However, Alves was unable to make them pay for fouling him, and instead bailed them out by shooting only 3 of 9 from there - a crucial 6 points to miss out on, given the final differential of 7. Robinson Tejeda was another crucial piece for the team Thursday night, as his inside scoring and three steals helped keep Run and Gun ahead early, able to match baskets with NNHS despite their prolific second half. Jeremy “Jermz” Gomes and player/coach Rafael Figuereo got themselves going from deep, as they combined for 3 makes from behind the arc on 6 attempts - look for both to shoot more going forward on this roster loaded with disparate talent. Run and Gun did, however, have some trouble with the refs due to their vocal nature, as their callouts from the bench got to the point where Anton Polanco drew a technical, leading to a couple free points for NNHS.
NNHS played a unique style of game in this league, taking only 6 threes and making none of them. Instead, the team combined for a massive 22 makes from inside, relying on driving layups and midrange jumpers to make their hay. Charlie Rao led the team in energy and in scoring, parlaying his steal, 3 blocks, and 4 offensive boards into 14 points almost entirely from within the paint, with a couple more chances just rimming out. Rao continues to come on strong for this team. Matt Wood backed Rao up in scoring, grabbing 13 points for himself as his 3 attempts from three fell short, but his touch from midrange was dialed in. Mike Gately did an excellent job at all the little things in this one once again, crashing the boards hard and skying high for rebounds and finding his teammates for a team-leading 3 assists. Spencer Schneider, the team’s third-leading scorer with 8 points, used his height to great effect on both ends, leaping over defenders as he drove to the hoop while also compiling 2 steals, 3 blocks, and 3 offensive boards. The team was down at half and searching for answers, and it appeared the halftime break provided those for NNHS, as they stormed back quickly to tie the game with 13 minutes left in the second, scoring again right after to force a Run and Gun timeout. They didn’t look back after that, never relinquishing the lead again.
Next up:
Run and Gun (0-3) at Julius Swerving (2-1) - 9/28 8:00p
NNHS (2-1) at Lexington Steals (0-3) - 9/28 9:00p
Calypso North Stars (57) v. A Team Has No Name (54)
Three point shooting carries the day for North Stars once again as Evans’ work inside comes up just short in furious rally by No Name
The Calypso North Stars have been watching lots of Golden State Warriors basketball the last few years, as they made only 8 baskets from within the three point line and combined for a massive 36 attempts from deep, cashing 12 of them (33%) for over half of their 57 points. Tony Caletti once again led the way for the team in scoring with 5 of those makes on his way to 23 points, and Trevor Britton followed closely behind with 4 more to compose the entirety of his 12 points. Britton started quite slowly in terms of shooting, as he spotted up time and again from deep in the first half but was consistently unable to find the bottom of the net. But with the first half winding down and A Team Has No Name looking to take a slim 1-point lead into the break, Britton pulled up and heaved a prayer from half court that splashed in for a 2-point North Stars lead. Jake was a key piece defensively, as he grabbed a steal and the 2 of the team’s 3 blocks, crucial to providing some paint presence against an offense that wanted nothing more than to live under the basket. Also of note was that the North Stars seemed to be thrown by the court change this week, as the first half saw them turn the ball over repeatedly by shooters with their heels out of bounds along the left sideline; they cleaned this tendency up throughout the matchup.
Micah Evans (NOT also known as Michael Chroney) starred again for A Team Has No Name, driving over and over, contorting to find an angle that afforded enough space to put up a solid jumper or layup. He had 7 makes from within the paint and took 6 trips on top of that to the free throw line. He unfortunately wasn’t able to cash in on a regular enough basis for the No Name’s, making only 5 of his incredible 11 attempts, but his activity on the court in general speaks to his level of involvement in the game. Evans ended the contest with 19 points, 3 steals, a block, 3 assists, and 7 boards, including an impressive 3 on the offensive glass that he regularly efficiently finished or from which he found an open shooter. Steven McGuire led the way on the boards, cleaning up the North Stars’ misses with 11 defensive boards, and piling on 3 blocks as well as he effectively stonewalled the paint off from their advances. Eric Bradanese was firing away from deep once again, cashing 15 points including his 3 makes from deep and also grabbing a couple steals and a block. Ben Seyoum and Evans were key in the No Name’s late game push, as the North Stars clung to a relatively slim lead while Evans and Seyoum pushed relentlessly to tie the game up in regulation. The two went back and forth, with Seyoum scoring a final minute bucket to pull the team within 3 - unfortunately, the No Name’s lack of timeouts led to a desperation heave from Evans at the buzzer from midcourt that caromed harmlessly off the backboard.
Next up:
Calypso North Stars (3-0) at BADDIES (2-1) - 9/28 7:00p
A Team Has No Name (1-2) v. Furious Rim Ticklers (2-1) - 9/28 6:00p
Julius Swerving (43) v. BADDIES (53)
BADDIES grab first legitimate win of the season facing off against short-handed Swerving in much needed get-right game
It was an extremely egalitarian scoring performance from the BADDIES, as each player saw significant minutes in a tight 6-man rotation and everyone scored at least 5 points. Matt Roberts scored 10 solid points, coming on especially in the second half with some mid range jumpers and crafty, up and under layups that belied his size. In the first half Roberts still operated largely from the low post, but he looked to pass more than score, finding cutters and shooters on the perimeter as he surveyed the floor looking out above his opponents as he dished 4 assists. Michael Weinstein and Alan Gomez tied for the team lead in points with 12 apiece, combining for an additional 8 assists and making 4 three balls. They were an effective backcourt, with Weinstein bringing the ball up and Gomez playing as a prototypical shooting guard. It was a great team game for the team, getting their first actual win of the season over a team that’s had significant success to open the slate this year.
Meanwhile, Julius Swerving was missing each of its top 3 scorers from their win last week over the Lexington Steals, and they felt the deficit, struggling hard to score points on any sort of consistent basis. The BADDIES raced out to a massive first half lead, at one point down 13 to 2 in the opening 10 minutes. Dan Popko got the team going and was largely their only bright spot, especially early as no one else could seem to bank any points at all, as the team went into halftime down 14, with only 18 points themselves. Swerving did manage to turn things around in the second half, even winning the half by 4 points, but by that point, they had been dug into a hole too deep to climb out of. Devon Yablonski and Dave were able to supplement Popko’s 19 points with some shooting from deep of their own, with Dave contributing 10 points. Popko and Yablonski also starred on the defensive end, combining for 6 steals and 2 blocks, while Popko really did it all, coming up with 10 boards as well, including 2 on the offensive glass. Look for Julius Swerving to come back in a big way next week if they get some of their offensive stars back in action.
Next up:
Julius Swerving (2-1) v. Run and Gun (0-3) - 9/28 8:00p
BADDIES (2-1) v. Calypso North Stars (3-0) - 9/28 7:00p
3 Stars:
- Jeff Yeakley (Furious Rim Ticklers): 26 points (7/14 3PM), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
- Dan Popko (Julius Swerving): 19 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block
- Tony Caletti (Calypso North Stars): 23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Power Rankings:
- Calypso North Stars (+3)
- Furious Rim Ticklers (+3)
- NNHS (+1)
- Julius Swerving (-3)
- NNHS (-1)
- BADDIES (+2)
- Lexington Steals (0)
- Run and Gun (-2)
B2 5v5 THU Week 2 Write-Ups
by Jason on
By: JAY SHAH
WEEK 2 9/14
Lexington Steals (49) v. Julius Swerving (63)
Swerving use 3-point barrage to down the Steals in Lexington’s first true competition of the season
In their first game of the season after an unfortunate forfeit in Week 1, the Lexington Steals came out looking solid. Andrew led the way early while the Steals’ attendance was low, especially leading the team in energy throughout the game, drawing a couple fouls as he drove down low. Late arrival Eli Brick dominated the pace of play once he entered the game, grabbing plenty of defensive boards and firing away from deep, with 7 attempts (somewhat living up to his name). Brick transitioned from a shooting role to assisting his teammates, racking up 5 assists. He also did well on the defensive end, nabbing a couple steals. John Moscatel led the team in scoring, hitting a few 3s and 2s alike. James Long contributed a solid 11 points all on the inside, and did extremely well on the boards, getting 3 on the offensive glass alone. None of these components were anywhere near enough in the end however, as once Swerving got going, it was a dominant showing for them.
Will Otto, Anthony Dinuzzo, and Jim Birrell led the way for Julius Swerving in scoring, with 19, 16, and 14 points respectively. Otto came on late for Swerving, scoring the majority of his points in the second half as he began to assert himself in the paint among his 6 makes within the arc, along with 3 offensive rebounds. Dinuzzo, meanwhile, cashed in from beyond the arc with 4/7 shooting from deep. In fact, Swerving in general shot it prolifically from deep, with 25 attempts from deep and 12 of those converted. With more than half of their points from 3-pointers, it is clear what teams seeking to deal them a loss in the future will have to focus on.
Next up:
Lexington Steals (0-2) v. Furious Rim Ticklers (1-1) - 9/21 6:00p
Julius Swerving (2-0) v. BADDIES (1-1) - 9/21 9:00p
Run and Gun (56) v. A Team Has No Name (69)
Run and Gun have too little, too late, as A Team Has No Name dominates from start to finish
A Team Has No Name was dialed in on the defensive end after their heartbreak last week, racking up as a team 6 steals and 5 blocks, along with 8 offensive boards to show exactly how big they are as a team. The rock was moving well for the team as well, with 15 assists for the team. Michael Chroney led the team in scoring with 17 points, getting each of his buckets from inside as he consistently pushed the ball up the floor. He baited Eduardo Deleon time and again, getting him to gamble for a steal before snatching the chance away with the ball and putting his head down on his way to blowing past Deleon on the way to the basket for a relatively easy layup. Eric Bradanese backed up Chroney with 16 points, though he once again got his primarily from beyond the arc, shooting 4/7 from that range. Steven McGuire was a dominant presence down low, having height that Run and Gun often simply could not match. Andy Coppage served as the teams point guard, setting the table beautifully for Bradanese and Chroney to get clean looks at the hoop as he played with a bemused smile on his face. Navid Sharifi played an excellent game as well, but ended up the target of late game fouls in an attempt by Run and Gun to extend the contest. Sharifi instead iced the game, making all but one of his attempts from the charity stripe. This is a team of players that know their roles and how to play them.
Run and Gun played with a deep lineup, having 8 players all see significant time on the floor. Daniel Depina got the scoring started early, drawing 2 fouls (including a 3-point attempt) and sank all his attempts. These 5 quick points allowed Depina to lead the team in scoring with 13 points. Stevy Alves and Eduardo Deleon were close behind with 11 and 10 points respectively, with Deleon once again sneaking between opposing players for shocking offensive boards. In all, it simply was not a strong enough team performance for the Gunners. Alves and Robinson Tejeda looked to pass relatively often, but the 5 team assists weren’t enough to compete with the chemistry displayed by the No Namers. Run and Gun had a heated team meeting after the loss; look for the Gunners to bounce back in a big way next week and perhaps break through for their first win of the season.
Next up:
Run and Gun (0-2) v. NNHS (1-1) - 9/21 7:00p
A Team Has No Name (1-1) at Calypso North Stars (2-0) - 9/21 8:00p
Furious Rim Ticklers (55) v. BADDIES (38)
Rim Ticklers run away with the win as BADDIES unable to score with any pace to make a run
The BADDIES were eager to get the season started, as the win they had landed in Week 1 was handed to them via forfeit. Late arrival Alan Gomez sank a couple deep balls to lead the team in scoring with 10 points, with Michael Weinstein and his own 3-pointer close behind with 9 points. The lack of scoring from beyond the arc - those 3 were their only treys of the contest - was a death knell for the BADDIES chances at winning the game, as they only cashed 25% of their looks. Jake Goldstein in particular will be looking for his shot to fall more going forward, going 0/4 from deep. Big man Matt Roberts filled his role well down low, leading his team in rebounds and also setting the table for his teammates a few times. The team will also be looking to do better from the free throw line in the future, as the points left behind on their 7/12 performance at the line will certainly sting when looking at the final score.
The Rim Ticklers, meanwhile, had to have been galvanized by such a strong showing after a loss to league-leading Julius Swerving last time out. Point guard Drew DeBari led the backcourt, setting up his teammates with 4 assists and also controlling the defensive glass with a solid 10 total boards. Michael Rogosa had the team lead in scoring, with 14 points purely on 7 made baskets inside. Rogosa had a well-rounded game despite his lack of deep scoring, nabbing 3 steals, a block, 5 boards and dishing to his teammates for 4 assists. Djordje Vlajkovic put in an incredible performance on the boards once again, jumping relentlessly on his way to 6 offensive boards. Brian Phillips (13 points) and Jeff Yeakley (9 points) fired away with abandon from deep, combining for an astonishing 19 attempts, themselves eclipsing the entirety of the attempts by the BADDIES. The Ticklers’ 14 team assists were the other major difference in their performance from their opponents, the clean looks generated crucial in the Rim Ticklers securing their win.
Next up:
Furious Rim Ticklers (1-1) at Lexington Steals (0-2) - 9/21 6:00p
BADDIES (1-1) at Julius Swerving (2-0) - 9/21 9:00p
Calypso North Stars (60) v. NNHS (49)
Caletti carries scoring load as furious second-half rally by NNHS falls short
Tony Caletti was the story of the game for the North Stars, scoring a massive 30 of the Stars’ 60 points to deliver the win over NNHS. Caletti scored in every phase of the game, making 75% of his shots from the free throw line, 6 shots from 2-point range, 5 of 13 from 3-point range, 3 steals, and four assists. He eclipsed each half of NNHS’ production on his own. Trevor Britton was the second-leading scorer for the North Stars, making 3 treys on his way to 9 points to go with his 2 assists and relentless activity on the boards. Lucas Rathjens and Brian Vogt chipped in 5 points apiece, with Rathjens making some free throws to make NNHS pay for hacking him in the paint. Chris’ 9 points rounded out the scoring with John Letteney’s 2 points, with Letteney grabbing a couple of late, crucial steals to seal the win.
Deven Labovitch was the top scorer for NNHS, scoring inside and out on his way to 15 points. When Calypso started fast, opening up an 8 to 0 lead, Labovitch struck back practically on his own, going on a personal 7 to 0 run to prevent the game from getting out of hand too quickly. Mike Gately followed close behind with 13 points, showing up all over the court to collect an offensive board, a block, and two steals as well. Gately tied for the team lead in assists as well, with Philip Barnett, who struggled to score but was similarly active around the court, grabbing a couple steals to boot. Matt Wood and Charlie Rao rounded out the scoring with 9 points apiece. NNHS put on the heat late, trying to mount a strong comeback in the closing minutes but came up short, simply running out of time in the end.
Next up:
Calypso North Stars (2-0) v. A Team Has No Name (1-1) - 9/21 8:00p
NNHS (1-1) at Run and Gun (0-2) - 9/21 7:00p
3 Stars:
- Tony Caletti (Calypso North Stars) - 30 points (5/13 3PM), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
- Will Otto (Julius Swerving) - 19 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks
- Michael Chroney (A Team Has No Name) - 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Power Rankings:
- Julius Swerving (+1)
- Calypso North Stars (+2)
- A Team Has No Name (0)
- NNHS (-3)
- Furious Rim Ticklers (0)
- Run and Gun (0)
- Lexington Steals (+1)
- BADDIES (-1)
B2 5v5 THU Week 1 Write-ups
by Jason on
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:
- NNHS
- Julius Swerving
- A Team Has No Name
- Calypso North Stars
- Furious Rim Ticklers
- Run and Gun
- (Unrated) BADDIES
- (Unrated) Lexington Steals
B2 5v5 THU Week 3 Write-Ups
by Jason on
WEEK 3 Write-ups by ALEXA S.
Game 1 - Clever Trevors (57) vs Rock Lobsters (29)
Clever Trevors showed up with a whole team effort with everyone getting involved in the win. CT never trailed in this game and put away the Rock Lobsters from the jump. Early in the 1st half, CT hit 3 consecutive three pointers to pad a comfortable lead into halftime 27-7. Trevor B. had 3 triples in the game finishing with 12 points along with 4 rebounds and 3 dimes. Tony C. contributed 14, 4, 4 assists and 2 steals. Besides dominating as a team from outside the arc, CT also had a clear size advantage in the post. Luke R. and Danny H. made their presence known in the paint and cleaned up the boards. Luke R. had 11 rebounds, including 5 offensive and Danny H. grabbed 9 boards and 9 points to match. Rock Lobsters got it going offensively in the second but it wasn’t enough to overcome their slow start. Camen P. had a double-double going for 13 and 11 with 3 steals.
Game 2- Seal Team 69 (72) vs Furious Rim Ticklers (42)
The second game of the night proved to be another blow out with the Seal Team sealing the win early on. They would take a commanding 20-1 lead which was fueled by scoring 15 unanswered points. Two players on the Seal Team were especially dominant all game long, with Jack S. having a team leading 25 points with 11 rebounds and Caleb G. adding 19, 17 and 6 assists. As a team, they shot well from deep making 10 3’s and converting sloppy plays by the other team into easy transition points. The Furious Rim Ticklers really struggled to make shots with their first field goal only being made after 14 minutes of play. Jeff Y. was jacking up lots of three’s early on but they started dropping in the second making 5/15 (33%). He finished with 19 points and was the only double digit scorer for the Furious Rim Ticklers as they ended losing by 30.
Game 3 – World Ball (71) vs Terminator (72)
This was by far the most entertaining and heated match up of the night that came down to the wire. Remy B. got off to a great start for World Ball by knocking down shots early and helping this team maintain the lead for the entire first half. Remy would go on to score a game leading 25 points. Dylan C. was also active throughout the game converting his free throws and ended up only missing one, shooting 90% (10/11) on FT and tallying 20 points total. The game remained close through the end of the 1st with Fozan S. on Terminators keeping defenders on their toes with his speed and shiftiness as well as knocking down jumpers. Carl B. also helped keep the game close for the Terminators with 18 points and 4 steals. The Terminators were able to keep themselves close, only being down 44-37 at the half.
Coming right out of halftime, Fozan S. hit a 3 point shot to get them only down 4, but World Ball would continue to apply the pressure and hit shots going up by as much as 12. Terminators would slowly chip away and showed lots of grit and tenacity to stay in the game. With less than 2 minutes to go, they were only down one point after clutch plays by Carl B. with a steal for a wide open layup and a clutch 3 following that. After a pair of made three throws by Dylan C. on World Ball, the Terminators were down by 2 with 30 seconds left. In search of a bucket, they went to Fozan S. who drove hard to the hoop and was hacked. He only managed to convert one FT, but somehow the Terminators secured the offensive rebound and Fozan was the hero of the night for this team hitting the game winner with a last second pull up jumper to go up 72-71! His big night ended with 23 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals.
Game 4 – A Team Has No Name (70) vs. Lexington Steals (56)
This game was neck in neck until the 2nd half where the Lexington Steals could simply not keep up with the other teams shooting and great ball movement. Thomas F. on Lexington Steals scored the team’s first 7 points and James L. took advantage of his matchups in the post getting great looks. They both had 16 points in the contest. Their efforts kept the Steals in the game going into halftime as they were down by a mere 5 points. A Team Has No Name didn’t take long to put away their opponent, with Navid S. catching fire from deep with 5 treys to end up 17 points, 7 boards and 2 assists. Micah E. also had a solid game with finishing well around the rim with 14, 4 and 5 assists. Mike C. chipped in 12, 6 boards and 3 dimes. A Team Has No Name would go on to win the game handedly by a 14 point marg
B2 5v5 THU Week 2 Write-Ups
by Jason on
BY ALEXA S.
Game 1 - A Team Has No Name (61) vs Clever Trevors (68)
This was a tightly contested game throughout with both teams trading baskets for most of the first half. Clever Trevors were able to find some separation but A Team Has No Name would not let up with Ben S. knocking down key shots. He shot very efficiently going 5/6 (83%) from three point range and finished with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Mike C. also contributed 17 of his own along with 8 boards and 4 assists. A Team With No Name went up 49-48 mid-way through the second but that didn’t last long as the Clever Trevors got production from the entire team and took back the lead. Andrew C. on CT’s hit a dagger from outside the arc that would seal the game. #1 lead the way with 15 points and 5 boards, while Trevor L. and Pat. H had 13 and 12 points respectively.
Game 2 - Seal Team 69 (84) vs Terminator (75)
Jack S. on Seal Team got going from the jump with 3 threes and gave Seal Team 69 the lead early on. The Terminators were able to offset this hot start, with Fozan being aggressive and setting the tone for his squad in the early going. Seal Team held on to the lead for most of the first half. However, the Terminators were able to stay within the same with big shots from Sam J. who ended up with 31 points, on 7/10 3PT%. Fozan also chipped in 30 points with 5 treys of his own. Terminators were up going into halftime but the second half was all about the Seal Team
who took back the lead and never looked back, ending their night with a 9 point victory. Caleb G. had a solid game going for Seal Team going for 18 points, 7 boards, 7 dimes and Jack S. stayed hot all game finishing with 30, hitting 6 threes overall and a team leading 8 assists.
Game 3 - Rock Lobsters (33) vs Lexington Steals (41)
The pace of the game was slow at the start with only one shot made after 4 minutes of play. The bench encouraged their teams to pick up the energy and the intensity from the players started to improve from there. Lexington Steals kept the lead by forcing lots of turnovers and good post play by James L. who lead the team with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal and a block. Rock Lobsters struggled to get going offensively but managed to stay in it, down only 3 at the half. Orry S. on the Rock Lobsters held it down with 10 points and was the only player scoring in double digits for his team. Balanced scoring from the Lexington Steals proved to be too much in the end and they took home the W.
Game 4 - World Ball (52) vs Furious Rim Ticklers (60)
The final score makes it seem that the game was closer than it actually was for the majority of the game. The Furious Rim Ticklers managed to keep a double digit lead for much of the game, going up by as much as 19 at the start of the second half. Remy B. helped to keep World Ball in the game with timely 3’s and finished with 14 points. Kevin P. gave a good effort putting up 16 points and adding 7 rebounds for World Ball as well. Their production helped their squad chip away at the large deficit, getting as close as 52-48 with 4:00 minutes to go. Tensions rose towards the end of the game, with one player being subbed off by the ref to cool off. The Rim Ticklers pulled away after that and secured the win. Brad M. was a major factor for the Rim Ticklers with 18 points and the duo of Brian P. and Jeff Y. came in clutch each dropping 15.
B2 5v5 THU Week 2 Write-Ups
by Jason on
Week 2 Write-Ups
By Wada King
Furious Rim Ticklers(73) vs Gino Time(67):
Furious Rim Ticklers with the W
This game was very interesting because of how it all started. This game started as a 4v5 With Furious Rim Tickler with 4 players and Gino time with 5 players. Surprisingly Furious Tim tickler was winning this game while at a disadvantage, it was even a surprise wot their fifth player Djordje. But the real star of the first half as well as the whole game was Jeff Yeakley who was lookin like Wardell curry out there. He was a big offensive push that helped them have a 31- 27 lead going in the second. Scoring a team high of 18 points. Going into the second half jeff went even more nuclear from the three point line and that played a part into Gino Time being undisciplined and fouling him at the three point line. Overall he scored a day high of 45 points shooting 50%(8/16) from the 3. Despite the offensive explosion from Jeff the game was still a close game and it came down to the wire. Gino time had players like Greg(26 points) who had a good game that helped them be competitive but it was not enough to get over the barrage of three’s coming from Furious Rim Ticklers.
Word Ball(49) vs DM-Pire(52):
The battle of the number 55’s
Both teams are coming off of a loss, so coming into this game the expectation was that it would be very competitive. And indeed it was very competitive on both sides of the ball. But weirdly the two players that stand out on their respective team both wore the number 55. Number 55 for Dm-Pire, John Lithio, scored 38 points, shot 57% from 3 and had 2 steals and 2 blocks. On the other end number 55 for World Ball scored 24 points a steal. This game was so competitive it went to overtime and the number 55 for DM-Pire hit some clutch shots to help them get back in the game and then hit the game winner.
A Team Has No Name(68) vs Clevor Trevor (70):
Clever Trevors with the W
Coming off of what happened last week, A Team Has No Name was a heavy favorite for this game after their impressive performance against Gino Time. But basketball games are won in between the lines and despite their disappointing close loss last week, Clevor Trevors came to play and win in between the lines. It was an overall bad shooting night for A Team Has No Name, especially from their best player. That was due to the defense that Clevor Trevors played and that helped them to come out with a hot start. The star of the first half was Trevor Larson who led the team with 13 points, helping them take a 32-24 lead going into the second half. Going into the second A Team Has No Name started picking up steam on both sides of the ball.
They started playing much better as a team and shooting better as well. But unfortunately for them Kamari of Clevor Trevors picked up steam by dropping 16 points in the second half and Trevor Larson who scored 11 points to help seal the victory for Clevor Trevors.
Julius Swerving(75) vs The Lab(25):
Complete Domination
Coming into this game with the thought of what happened last week, you would think that these two teams are even and the game would be close. But that was not what happened in this game, it was a complete domination by Julius Swerving and a complete slump by the Lab. Just to put it into perspective not one player had double digit points for The Lab in the whole game. Also they were down the score was 42-11 with Julius having a 31 point lead going into the second. Another surprising thing that happened in the first half was that Kyle Mochnacz, who was on fire by the way, had more points than The Lab with 17 points. But it was not just a dominance on the offensive side of the ball but Julius Swerving played great defense as well. They made it tough for a good team that has good individual players to score easy baskets. They were also sharing the ball as well and making each other better with those passes.
B2 5v5 THU Week 1 Write-Ups
by Jason on
B2 5v5 Thursday Nights W23
By WADA KING
Clevor Trevors 67 vs Furious Rim Ticklers 68
Down to the wire
Good game overall between both teams from start to overtime. On both sides of the ball Furious Rim Tickler came out strong in the first half. Leading the pack for Furious Rim Tickler was Brian who was on fire the whole game. He played a big part into the Rim Tickler having a lead going into the second half. In the second half Clevor trevor played better than they played in the first and their defensive intensity led by Lucas who was destroying the rebounds as well as getting 3 steals and 4 assist. Offensively Clevor had 4 players with double digit points helping them to take this game to overtime. But unfortunately for them it was not enough for them to get over the Rim Ticklers.
Gino Time 49 vs A Team Has No Name 71
This was a Josh Brandanese game
Gino time is a hell of a team and they have solid players who also played well in this game. But unfortunately for Gino Time A Team Has No Name is also a good team and they have Josh Brandanese. Josh was lights out this game and honestly made it look easy. His stat line was 33 points, 6 for 9 from the 3 (66%), 2 steals, as well as 4 assists. His presence also made it easier for his teammates who didn’t mind feeding him the ball at all. But outside of josh everybody else did their job and helped the team win in a blowout game.
The Lab 62 vs Dm-Pire 41
The Lab with a convincing win
Dm-Pire played good in the first half of this game and they were led by Ethan who was very aggressive the whole game. But the Lab seemed to be the better team on this day. The Lab took the game over in the second and just had too much offensive power for DM. Notable players like Travis had the game high 21 points, Colin with a dominant 13 pts 12 rebs and 5 assist. They had other players who chipped in as well for this dominant win.