Franchise Draft League Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on May. 05, 2023

BY KAPVP & CHAS BELLS

Game 1: Super VS STAT

BY CHAS BELLS

There was some real excitement and curiosity what D.Quin would bring to this game, and he got cooking right away with a flash like drive to the cup 2-0. Kap coming out swinging as well as he $ floater 2-2. Kap followed that up with a 3, and D.Quin responded with and up n under 5-4. Eric get an easy 2 of cut, then Kap another 3 Kap was gassed “ I need a sub!!” 10-4 16 min mark. D.Quiin was the teams only offense as he drove in for the hoop, and then did it again 10-8. Rosi calmed things with a trey ball, Mulville copied that with a 3 of his own 16-8. King would get on the stat sheet as he got a 3 to go, and then $ another 3 on the next possession 16-14. This was Kpas half though as he had the long range working , hitting another 3, but Civale snipers a 3 19-17. Rosi hesi gets to the rim, then connects on middy, Oulley 3 ball, Rosi 3 ball A’O……Frongi drive it was 31-20.King trying to keep them in it with strong take, but Oully breaking there heart with a 4pt play 35-24 2min in the half. Jakobson middy, but King heating up gets another drive 40-28. Jakonson runner. Than Rosi hits long buzzer beating 3, everything going Supers way 45-26. 

D.Quin pull up 3 to start half, but Mulville gets easy 2 off p n roll, D. Quin get a drive, but this game just got worse, and worse, and WORSE the score would ballon all the way to 40………..40………….. Rosi hitting 3’s dishing dimes, Oulley nailing 3’s, Frongi bi 2nd half and this one was over and ugly 98-52. 

Super Hoopers

Rosi-A- Lead all scoreres, never took his foot off the gas. 

Oulley-A- Reunited with his squad, and it must feel so fucking good. Looking like the assasin we all know. 

Kap-B+- Slowed down the scoring in the 2nd hlaf, but 8 dimes , 8 rebounds doing all the solid kap stuff out there. 

Frongi-A-) Erupted in the 2nd half, as he smelled blood, and started running the floor getting easy hoops. 

Mulv-A-Scoring was good, but his defense was even better 3 blocks, showing that he will be the paint presence that this team needs

Jakobson-B- Rock solid, hustle was awesome to watch, along with that pretty mid range. 

Team STAT 

Stat-D-) Almost an F but his 5 dimes save his night slightly. He just looked out of it tonight, made no adjustments, it was rough. 

D.Quin-B-) Scored the rock well in the 1st half, but with Super pouring it on the game got away from him a little bit. This team needs the bal in his hands every possession. 

Civale-C-) Where are my rebounds???/Struggled to get back on D. 3 looked good though. 

Robel-D- Rough night, thought he settled way wayyyyyyyyy to much for deep 3’s. Struggled to get back on D. 

Gus-C- Showed some flashes, thought he shot too many 3’s. Like to see him drive and create a bit more for his teammates. 

Bonvie-B- Thought he as a bright spot. Passed/rebounded well, even added a block. They will need more 3’s from him. Got to create and find him open because he will drain that shit. 

Game 2: Mulholland Drive vs. All Length, No Girth

ReKAP:

Game 2 featured Chas versus Joel and this game lost a lot of its luster with no Lucio in the building. All Length, No Girth (ALNG) ran with four for the evening as they were without Hayden as well. Mulholland Drive (MD) on the other hand was fully staffed, but boy did they look AWFUL out of the gates. JDM looked rusty, coming off injury, as he struggled all night to find the range. The rough start allowed ALNG to get off to a nice 8-2 start, behind a Joel three (his only make of the game) and some terrific facilitating by rookie John Reilly. The real story in the early going though was the activity of Djordje. He really abused JMul in this one, collecting 8 offensive rebounds which directly resulted in JMul only collecting 3 for the game (how is that possible?!). Djordje was a beast in the first half, grabbing EVERY rebound on both ends and making several tough finishes around the basket, which we all know he usually misses. Chas would call a timeout though and rally the troops. MD started to get the shots to fall and close the gap. LeBlanc would knock down a 3 to stop the hemorrhaging and JDM would get a couple to go down. What was once an 18-8 lead for ALNG eventually turned into just a 1-point lead at half for ALNG.

The second half opened with a beautiful and smooth move for a layup by another rookie, Demetri Bakolas. More on him later. After that though, MD really flipped the switch. Craig started to get going (never thought I’d say that), banking a 3 and making a tough layup inside. Houston, we did not have a problem, inexplicably called his own number converting a wild three. Just like that MD had a 6-point lead and it just felt like ALNG was running out of steam. The Jerk Store connection of JMul and LeBlanc would lead to a 3 for each of them, kapping off a 13-2 MD run. They would never look back. The offense went cold for ALNG and despite a very valiant effort without their prized rookie, ALNG would come up short in what was really an ugly ass game by both teams. MD wins 54-46.

Grades:

JDM (C) – Cutting him a little slack coming off injury here, but he did not play well. Did a nice job on the glass and on defense but we can put this one in the rearview for JDM.
LeBlanc (B-): Not a great game for LeBlanc, but he made some clutch plays when it mattered most. Surprisingly poor shooting, but it’s week 1 so everyone gets a little reprieve from me, even LeScrub.
JMul (C-): The blocks were nice, but this was not a good JMul game. Yes, he hit a clutch 3, but he allowed Djordje to go bonkers on the glass. Three rebounds?! Bruh.
Houston (B-): I think this guy has potential to be a nice piece for MD, but his decision making is poor. Tunnel vision city. He ended up with a nice line but this grade could have been way wore if some of those tough shots didn’t fall. That said, buckets are buckets!
Craig (A-): See Houston. Decision making was poor but it worked out. Overall I would say this was a very good Craig game. His team needed all 12 of his points. If Craig is going 2/4 from deep you are taking that every single time.
Chas (D): Bad game from Chas. No need to dissect this one, just chalk it up as the week 1 blues.

Joel (B): Shot was off, but I thought this was an overall solid game for Joel. He got his rookies involved, rebounded well, and had 3 swats. He will see better days offensively.
Demetri (B+): I liked what I saw from this kid. He has a smoothness to his game. He made some moves the basket that really impressed me, which is tough to do. I would like to see him contribute in other ways but it’s just one game so we will see.
Reilly (B+): Another rookie who impressed. This guy won’t get you a lot of points, but he’s a terrific passer and very active defender. He should be a solid piece for this team.
Djordje (A): This would have been an A+ if we saw less long two-point attempts. Wow, what a game from Djordje. I felt like he got every single rebound no matter where the ball was ending up. This guy covered so much ground it’s crazy. What a game, too bad it came in a loss.

Game 3: Poor House vs. The Corporation

ReKAP

Game 3 was expected to be a laugher, and the situation got worse when we found out Ini was not going to play. As a result, we had a fully staffed defending champ Corp versus a seriously undermanned Keith team. No Super Bowl hangover for the Corp here. They went bananas right from the tip, jumping out to an 18-4 lead. I think this game started 13-0 Corp? It was ugly. Mazz hit his first 3, Cawley with a middy, Syd and Lou manning the paint…everything was working for Corp. Timeout Poor House (PH). PH played hard, but the first half was tough sledding for them. Masone and Johnson could not find the range from deep (combined 5/23 in the game) going 0fer from deep in the first half. Keith provided a mixed bag, doing a nice job on the glass and in the hustle department, but his outside shot was just completely lost. Offense was very tough to come by for PH which resulted in a 40-20 deficit. The second half really seemed like a formality for the Corp, but not for PH. They played HARD. Johnson finally found the stroke, hitting back-to-back bombs to make this thing respectable. With 13 minutes left the lead for Corp was only 12. It was clear that the Corp took their foot off the gas, which is to be expected in a game like this, but they were able to maintain a decent lead by making enough plays. Big Lou in particular, who apparently does not take compliments well, did a nice job owning the paint and collecting a number of tough rebounds. Walker as well deserves a shout out for making a number of tough buckets off of Mazz missed threes. It was an off-shooting night for Mazz, but he did have 2 blocks which was a rare sight.

The Corp would build the lead back to 18 with 6 mins to go, but amazingly PH did not go away. Things got EXTREMELY sloppy with Mazz and Cawley turning the ball over at a impressive rate. The TOs allowed PH to chip away and actually make this thing kind of interesting. The chaos really favored them. Keith was a menace down the stretch, completely stuffing the stat sheet, but the deficit was too much. The Corp would survive winning by 3 after a wild ending.

Grades:

Masone (C+): Very mixed bag here. Three ball was way off, no assists, but had 5 steals and had to cover Mazz all game. He did have some impressive steals off Mazz but his team really needed his long ball in this one.
Keith (A-): Such a tough grade here because there was a ton of good and bad. Ultimately, given the circumstances, I will give Keith the benefit of the doubt. A triple double is a triple double, but he has to clean up the TOs and the jump shot.
Ghost (B): Ghost didn’t make the reKap above, but he had a solid game. Made a bunch of jump shots and was admirable on the glass when Keith wasn’t grabbing the rebound. Ghost should be a solid piece for this team especially when Ini returns.
Johnson (B-): The tale of two halves. Couldn’t hit the ocean in the first, but in the second he almost sparked the comeback of the century. Johnson also moved the ball well and stuffed the stat sheet nicely.
Stull (C-): Tough game for Stull. I thought he forced some ill-advised deep threes but other than that he was fine. Stull will need to make some key shots this season for PH to be successful.

Mazz (C): Expectations are high for Mazz on any given night so you could argue this C is generous. I think this was a poor Mazz game. Not great from 3 and too many TOs. The steals and blocks were there though which was a nice touch.
Cawley (C+): Not a great game for Cawley. An absolutely putrid assist-turnover ratio but made up for it with 18 points and steals and blocks. Also didn’t get to the line which was surprising.
Syd (B): Syd’s grade goes way up because he actually behaved really well in terms of not getting ejected haha. As for his on the court play, nothing special. Missed all his threes, but did a nice job on the glass. One game in the books and no techs…win!
Walker (A-): Perfect Walker game for this team. He fit in really nicely and did his thing. Grabbed a bunch of ORebs and made some putbacks. He is going to be a critical piece for the Corp this season.
Big Lou (A): Very strong game for Lou. I don’t care that you only scored 9 points big fella! There is more to the game than points and you proved that. 16 rebounds, 4 dimes, 0 TOs. Well done.
EJ (A): EJ joins Djordje in the prestigious “A” club. Excellent all-around game for EJ off the bench. He was 3/5 from deep and played his role perfectly out there. If EJ is going 3/5 from deep the Corp is winning that game.

Game 4: Kawhi Me A River vs. FTR

ReKAP:

The late game had the looks of a really good one…until we found out no Harding. Kawhi Me A River (KMAR) took on FTR and without Harding I knew this would be a tough one for FTR to win. KMAR was fully staffed, so let’s get right to it.

Offenses were cooking in the first half for both teams, but it was KMAR who really impressed me. I have a feeling my preseason assessment was a little off with this team. The Ben-Ben combo looked really good and old man Tommy looked like young buck. Shocking I know. Tommy opened the show right away with an early three and he looked ready to cook. Koller and Ben Mac came out cooking as well. I think Koller missed one single shot in the first half, absolutely roasting Harry to the fine tune of 18 points. The other Ben, Ben Mac, was also playing lights out, running point extremely well and converting several tough finishes at the rim.

FTR played horrid defense, but their offense sort of kept the in the game. DP looked really solid in his return, knocking down an early 3 and going to work around the rim. Kid looked SPRY tonight. Liam and Vladi also were hot from deep, but they still trailed by 10 at the break. FTR surrendered 48 first half points. 48! C’mon.

KMAR maintained their lead for pretty much the entire second half. Koller would really slow down the scoring, only tallying 4 second half points, but his friends were there to pick up the slack. KMAR’s bench really came to play in the second half. LaPorte and JJ were awesome. Their activity and decision making in this game was impressive to be honest. These two had a combined stat line of 21 points, 13 rebounds (6 offensive) and 5 dimes. That’s a damn good showing from your bench guys.

Credit to Vladi and company for hanging around for most of the game without any subs. Vladi made some really tough threes in the second half but FTR ran out of steam. KMAR would end up pulling away and wining this one easily, 86-68.

Grades:

KMAR

Koller (A) – Kinda disappeared in the second half, but the entire body of work speaks for itself. Huge game from the MVP candidate. 22 points and 18 rebounds? Not bad. Also 2/3 from deep. Love that.

Ben Mac (A) – Excellent game for Ben Mac. Ran the show beautifully and made a ton of winning plays. Missed all of his threes, but he was good everywhere I am not docking his grade. MVP cancdidtae? Fuck no.

Cavano (C+) – Awful night from 3 for Cavano, but he saved his grade by doing other stuff. Did his typical thing on the glass and payed solid D. Should have better days offensively.

Tommy (B+) – He’s back! And he looked good. Tommy’s shot was falling and despite a horrible assist-turnover ratio this was an excellent debut from the veteran.

LaPorte (A) – Really can’t ask for much more from your bench guys. 9 points on 2/3 from deep with other stats. LaPorte looked very comfortable in his role on this team and should be a legit asset for them all season.

JJ (A) – See LaPorte. Same shit, different bench guy! Really nice game for JJ. Played his role perfectly and did all the little things.

FTR

Vladi (A) – Very good game from Vladi. Made 7/15 threes on his way to a game high 27 points. His defense was kinda sus but he still balled out despite being an overall scrub in life.

Liam (A-) – Solid game for Liam. Shot well from deep (3/7) and contributed 4 dimes. Would have loved to have seen those threes in the playoffs last season!

DP (A) – Nice return to action for DP. 26 points and 13 rebounds. Knocked down a couple treys and should have had a third. Defense may have been bad, I forget…but as I am writing this and giving everyone on this team an “A” despite giving up 86 points I am thinking something ain’t right.

Harry (C) – Pretty much a typical Harry game. A couple buckets, some rebounds, getting cooked by Koller…you know, the usual. Figure out the defense buddy!

CORPORATE 5v5 WEEK 1 WRITE-UPS

by Jason on May. 05, 2023

BY WADA KING

Game 1:  Fast pp(45) vs Big Ballers(48)

Well this was a great way to start the spring corporate league of 2023, an good game that came down to the wire. Fast pp started off on a hot start in the first half, playing good defense and being aggressive on the offensive end of the ball to help them have 33-22 point lead in the first half. On the other hand Big Baller had pat who was a big reason why they are only down by 11 points in the first half. He led both teams in points with 14 points in the first half. In the second half the game got a little more competetive, Big ballers got more contribution from guys like Mertcon and Gio. The game came down to the wire and they Gio, after stepping up big in the second half, hit one of the craziest game winning threes to give them a 48-45 win over Fast pp.

Game 2: Saus(83) vs The Jack Daniels Martins(49)

As the score shows this game was not close at all, Saus was just the better team this night. The game was a team effort on both sides of the ball and most of the players contributed to the game in different ways. In the first half they were already up by 21 points with a 43-22 led. By the end of the game 5 of their guys had double digit points showing how balanced their scoring was. A standout player was Toth, who not only tied for the game high in points with 17 points but he also had 6 steals and 7 assist. Overall the team played very well in this dominant win, shooting 50% from the three and distributing the ball very well. Giving them a 34 point victory.

Game 3: The market Baskets(47) vs We Know dis(37)

The third game of the night and it was a good game, it was not a one sided onslaught like the game before this one. It was a tough shooting night for both teams, especially at the three point line. But both teams was playing good defense, almost everybody that stepped on the court had a steal. But the market Baskets started doing a little more on the defensive and offensive end to pull away with the 10 point lead.

Game 4: Hakream OLajuwan(59) Vs Vericel(46)

Pretty competitive game in the first half, both teams have good chemistry offensively and defensively. Not a great shooting night from either team from the three point with Hakream shooting 38% and Vericel shooting 28%. The biggest difference was Hakream played good defense to slow down Vericel.  Leading the charge for them was Talcott who had 9 steals and a block leading to many of their fast breaks. Another big contributor for their victory was Devin who led the team in points and was a good play maker with 4 assist. Helping get a 59-46 victory.

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)

B2 5v5 TUE Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on May. 03, 2023

By WADA KING

WEEK 1

Game 1: Centre Realty Group(52) vs Plenty OF Lotion(64)

Week 1 of the B2 5v5 spring23 for Tuesday night started off great with a bang with this game. To tough teams that play great defense as well as score on all three levels. This was a tough back and forth game, but as the game came down the wire Plenty Of Lotion hit more shots and created more stops. But plenty of lotion did not win this without a fight, Centre had players like Ian who played great physical defense and was a monster on both the offensive and defensive rebound. Another notable player was ricky who as played good defense getting a couple and also attacking the basket. But unfortunately those two player were not enough for the balanced offense of plenty of lotion. With three guys in Jeff, Guy, and Yancy with double digit points and the whole team started playing off of each other and playmaking for each other. Down the stretch plenty of lotion played great enough to go up 1-0 for the season.
 

Game 2: Julius Swerving(63) vs Calypso North Stars(53)

Unlike game 1, game 2 was honestly a shootout. Both teams have good shooters and guys who are not afraid to shoot the ball. For Julius swerving they put up 29 threes and Calypso shot 26 threes respectively. But the biggest difference is that swerving shot a good 48% at 14/29 from the three and Calypso shot 35% for 9/26 as a team. Leading the charge for Swerving was Mazz who was looking like curry in the first half by hitting 5 threes in the first half opening up the floor for the rest of his teammates to also thrive. On the other side Calypso is a very good thing and they have players who play well on both sides of the court. They had three players in double digits with Tony, Ben and Trevor playing well off of each other. But unfortunately for them they ran into the hotter team. 
 

Game 3: Tough Buffers(39) vs Miyagi Fang(84)

There was nothing else to say but just this was just a blowout from start to end. The only time that Tough Buffers had the lead was the first minute of the game, after that it was all Miyagi Fang. By half time they was up by 22 points with the score of 40-18. 6 of their 7 guys had double digit points to at the end of the game. Everyone from Miyagi was in rhythm and had a great game, from Greg coming in and play making and accumulating 11 assists with some crazy passes. Then you have Djordje and Joe playing great defense with their blocks and steals as well as scoring. And then you have greg who was very impactful on the boards with joe and calvin to help their team create extra possessions or keep the defense to one shot. Overall Miyagi seemed too big and too much for tough buffers and it showed.

5v5 Draft Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on May. 03, 2023

By JAMIL BALL

WEEK 1 (Preview)     

5/2/2023    6:30 PM    1 # The Cambridge Rats    VS.   4 # KERAMARIS MLK Jr School    

Marquis Victor is the only reason I ranked The Cambridge Rats number 1 in the Way Too Early Power Rankings. Biskelonis's team has a lot of size (Wise 6”5, Rakusin 6”2, and Schwartz 6”2) and shooting (Biskelonis, Horton, Connell, Schluns, and Victor). 

On the other hand, Team KERAMARIS has no shortage of firepower with Held, Mazz, Figuereo, and my personal favorite Eric Li. There are a lot of personalities on this team and I am very interested in seeing how they mesh.

Needless to say, I am going to give The Cambridge Rats the edge in this matchup, because they have straight-up dawgs on defense!  Marquis is absolutely going to feast offensively because there is not a single player on Team KERAMARIS that can guard him. I said, what I said! 

Wise, Schwartz, and Rakusin will dominate and control the paint. The Cambridge Rats over KERAMARIS + 6.

The Cambridge Rats - Project Starters

1. Alex B
2. Marquis Victor
3. Brian Horton 
4. Dan Schwartz 
5. Shawn Wise

KERAMARIS - Project Starters

1. Li 
2. Skates 
3. Mazz
4. Nick K 
5. Jacob Held

Week 1 - Write Up 1 # The Cambridge Rats    VS.   4 # KERAMARIS

By JAMIL BALL

I had The Cambridge Rats listed as the favorites in this matchup against Can’t Miss Keramaris, but Jacob Held (24 points, 17 rebounds, and 2 steals) was prepared to win this game himself. Jacob and company got off to a scorching start and led by as many as 10 very early on in the matchup. 

Eric Li (9 points and 6 assists) did a fantastic job defending Marquis Victor, distributing the ball, and finding teammates for easy baskets. The chemistry between Held and Keramris was the true bright spot for this squad. These two were absolutely dominant combing for 29 rebounds! 

It looked like Can’t Miss Keramaris was going to run away with this game until Jacob went down with a nasty-looking injury with a little under 7 minutes left in the second half. While finishing off the fast break, Jacob appeared to sprain his ankle pretty badly. I hope you’re ok big fellas!

Once Jacob went down, Mazz (17 points, 2 steals, and 4 assists) stepped up and filled the void offensively, but The Cambridge Rats started to mount a comeback over the phone. 

Marquis Victor struggled mightly in the first half but went nuclear when the game mattered the most. Finishing with 33 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 assists. His rebounding was just as impressive as his shooting. Eric Li did a fantastic job defensively, but the Cambridge Rats did an amazing job initiating the pick-roll offense.

Alex B (9 points and 8 rebounds) and Dan Schwartz (9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 10 rebounds) had monster games and played really well on both ends of the court. Dan's play defensively in the second half was a huge catalyst for The Cambridge Rats' comeback victory.

WEEK 1 (Preview)     

By Jamil Ball

5/2/2023    7:30 PM    6 # GILLOOLY    VS.    2 # All the Smoke MLK Jr School    

Despite original reports of a multi-week absence, Ron Cabeza will only miss one week before making his 5v5 Draft debut. Team GILLOOLY has no shortage of talent with reigning MVP Rich DiSola, Aidan Enright, and team captain Kevin Gillooly, but they are lacking a true/traditional post player with Aidan and DiSola being the tallest players on the team. 

Jonathan Allen’s play will be a huge factor in the outcome of the game. No pressure at all buddy! 

I am really excited about my team! The Tyrone Mullings and Kashawn Harrison combination is going to surprise quite a few folks. Ty was an MVP candidate last session and arguably the best guard in this league. Kashawn is an absolute lights-out shooter that will give DiSola some competition on both ends of the court. Brian Horan's profile is a pic of him throwing down a dunk with two hands, so hopefully, that translates into some on-court success. Dainis Klavins at the ripe age of 42 might be the biggest surprise, if my sources are correct. 

While the guards will dictate the pace of play, I expect Brad Myatt, Kola Olugbade, and Brian Horan to take advantage of the size advantages, as we (All the Smoke) move to 1 - 0 on the season.

All the Smoke Over GILLOOLY + 8 

GILLOOLY - Project Starters

1. Kevin G
2. Aidan E
3. Jonathan Allen
4. Rich DiSola
5. Chris Blakeley

All the Smoke - Projected Starters

1. Tyrone Mullings 
2. Jamil Ball
3. Kashawn Harrison
4. Brian Horan 
5. Kola Olugbade

WEEK 1 (Preview)     

By Jamil Ball

5/2/2023    8:30 PM   3 # Primetime 5.0    VS.    # 5 The Motha Effect

Motha draft strategy hit a glitch when Kevin drafted Ronnie at 7, but despite not knowing many of the players in the league he still managed to recover well. I think Jack Chen and Hamza are going to absolutely thrive playing alongside Motha and Guzzi. Nika when in attendance will be a solid contributor too! 

Primetime 5.0 will be by far one of the best defensive teams in the league. Led by Muccio, Valcourt, Danzig, Jenco and Miller my 6-place rating is looking pretty foolish at the moment. Stull, Corey, and Scotty Glynn give them three legitimate three-point threats coming off the bench, which is huge against bigger teams.

Admittedly, it’s hard to bet against Guzzi, Motha, and company but I think the defending champs pull off a close victory and prove my Way Too Early Rankings are absolutely garbage. 

Primetime 5.0  Over The Motha Effect +3.5

The Motha Effect - Projected Starters

1. Eric Li 
2. Jack Chen
3. Nate Guzzi
4. Hamza
5. Jeff Motha

Primetime 5.0 - Projected Starters

1. Jacob Miller
2. Muccio 
3. Chris Jenco 
4. Ben Danzig 
5. Evan Valcourt 

Week 1 - Write Up 3 # Primetime 5.0    VS.    # 5 The Motha Effect

By Jamil Ball

The defending champs Primetime 5.0 were the favorites in this matchup against The Motha Effect. This was a super physical matchup, so I imagine some folks are waking up today sore and bruised as bodies were literally flying (Jacob).

Getting to the gameplay, Primetime 5.0 jumped out to the early lead. Similar to the last session, their ball movement was impeccable and their scoring was distributed in a very balanced manner (Jacob (17), Danzig (16), Jenco (13), Muccio (11), and Valcourt (8) ) displaying their overall depth. 

The Motha Effect was slow out of the gate but got it really going in the second half. Nate Guzzi (24 points and 10 rebounds) )and Hamza Abdul (17 points and 6 rebounds) are going to be a fantastic duo as they get more comfortable playing with one another. Both are very long athletic guards that can really create transition.

Jeff Motha did a fantastic job grabbing boards (11) and facilitating the offense (4 assists) but struggled offensively with 6 points total.

Jacob Miller (17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) was huge down the stretch hitting back-to-back threes. To force OT! I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to piss him off, but they sure as hell lit a fire because was playing pretty passive up to that point. 

This game would go into overtime and come down to the final possession. Muccio won the game with an absolute circus shot that only Muccio would hit. Muccio was doubled-teamed and pivoted his way to a three-point heave from the left three-point wing as time expired to win by 1.

All the Smoke 73 – Victorious Secret 65

This was a back forth game from start to finish. Neither team was able to gain any separation for the first 40 minutes of play. Led by Rich’s 20-point first half, Victorious Secret would take a 3-point lead at the break. That lead would quickly be cut to 1 in the first 5 seconds of the second half with Victorious Secret defending the wrong basket. Rich kept his team close and finished the game with 36 points and 12 rebounds. Jonathan Allen would struggle to find his stroke starting the game 1-5 from 3 and finishing 2-7. Rich will score a ton of points each night but will need others to step and make baskets.

All the Smoke’s dynamic backcourt of Jamil and Tyrone led the way to an 8 point victory. Each of them would score in the 20’s and have 5 assists. After the first week, they look like the best back-court in the league. Kola would get into some foul trouble but his presence was felt while he was on the court, finishing with 10 rebounds in limited minutes.

Over-30 Legends Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on May. 02, 2023

By CHAS BELLS & CHRIS HANKS

Week 1 Game 1: CHAS vs RANDALL

By HANKS

Goyle Dojo begins title defense with strong showing 

The Spring ’23 session of kicked off Monday – bad backs, creaky knees and all, with Chas’ Hot Goyle Dojo looking to defend their second straight title against Joe Randall’s Drop Step Murphys. On draft night, the table was set for Chas to go for the threepeat. The rest of league, myself included, chose not to interfere with Chas’ very obvious draft plan and allowed him to take his guys, Weinstein and Kodra after he traded down. Chas’ was able to replace Bohnaker with Roberts, who is a perfect fit for this team, and still scoop up Jake Gold late. Randall also had a great draft, taking Danny O’Donnell at 5 and Civale at 12. Danny is one of the premier guards in the league and will fill some of the void caused by the departure of cousin Nicky Arria and some bad info on the draft board of a potential Civale injury allowed him to slip to 12. Joe was then also able to grab Ian Murphy at a ridiculous value at 21 to round out the starters. Chas and Randall is always a battle as both captians bring a lot of fire to their squads but Goyle had to be the favorite coming off the championship.

Coming out of the gate, Weinstein and Chas both cashed three balls and Chas had a steal to transition layup and Drop Steps were in an 8-0 hole. Weinstein would attempt 6 threes in this game and him adding that to his already deadly midrange game could be a potential boost for Goyle. Danny got a midrange to land but Weinstein would answer and Roberts would bully on the offensive glass for 2. Goyle was out to a 14-5 lead after 5. Randall’s team was moving the ball well, but couldn’t get their shots to land. Civale would get to the line and TC got a nice bucket but Jake Gold kept pace for Goyle and the lead was still 25-15. Civale hit a 3 and Murphy got a couple of buckets, including a big and-1 move to cut the lead to 5 with 1:30 left in the half, but some late buckets from Weinstein and Chas brought the lead back up to 12 heading into the half, Goyle 35, Murphys 23.

Danny and Chas would trade a series of baskets to open the 2nd half and Randall and Weinstein would exchange 3’s and Goyle continued to perform well, moving the ball around and getting easy looks. Randall’s team was having a difficult time rotating on defense and at times Goyle had wide open looks. Ian Marlier did a good job in the 2nd half cutting to the rim and getting two buckets. Roberts would make his only three point attempt of the game as well. The debate will surely still rage on whether he can shoot

Week 1 Game 2: Hanks Vs Slick

By CHAS

Frano got his night started with a high jump lay in, Hanks sticks J after hustle and i wa 4-0. Ghost midrange $, then Cavano takes lead with a 3 5-4 17 min. Hanks window work gives his team the edge, but Cavano feeling it from 3 8-6 Ej up. Ghost runs the floor and gets an Obrd put in. Hanks responds with put in of his own, but Ghost J, Hanks not backing down as he cannes a 3, then gets to the line 1-2 we are tied at 14. Tied nomore Hanks $ 3, Peteet in on the cat with a nice drive, then Hanks goes 1-2 from the stripe 20-14 hanks up 6 min. Stull big 3 to spark momentum, then Cavano 3 to tie things up at 20. Frano Breaks the tie with a J, then Hanks converts nice p n roll with rookie Hull 24-21. Ghost gets a quick bucket , but Frano nails jumper before half ends 26-23 at the break. 

Big Lu would get going as he converts in the post. Frano right back at him, but Big Lu right back at team Hanks, followed by a Cavano 3 for the lead 30-28. Peteet filthy and 1 off the window, but Big lu gets to the line 2-2 32-31 16 min to go. Big lu another bucket, then a dime to Cavano for 3 37-31, trying to pull away, but Peteet hits deep 3. Ej helping his team pull away with a 3, Ghost nails J, and by the time  I looked up team EJ was running away 53-36 as the scoring just completely stopped for team Hanks. Team EJ 1-0 61-45. 

Team Hanks
Hanks-B+- on fire and dominating in the 1st half,, faded down the stretch getting his legs back. 
Frano-B- He was good but this team needs him to be great 
Hull-C+- Effort and pasion def there, and you can see flashes. Excited to watch him grow
Peteet-B-) Was all over the court, 5 dimes, really played his role well
Paul-D- He will have better days couldn't get his 3 ball on line. 

Team EJ
Cavano-A-Great opening night from the star player. He plays like this tey will be tough
Fraher-B- Rock solid as ever. 
Dias-C+- Hustle was there, you can see talent, just going to take a couple weeks to get adjusted. 
Big Lu-B+- Took over in the 2nd half, I loved it!
Stull-B+- Feisty and active out there, I really liked his spark tonight. 
EJ-C- He was just ok, but hes put together quite the team. 

Game 3: Amir Mortals VS Brothers 

BY CHAS

After good ball movement J.Mul $ 3 to start us off 3-0. Frongi went 1-2 too extend the lead, then Cody drains middy 6-1 start for the Brothers. Mchpherson swishes a deep 3, but Frongi slices in for 2 8-4. PLAY OF THE NIGHT Amir catches pass mid air throws it up to Pizza for the sick ally dime 8-6. Tomar hits open 3 as Brotehrs were rolling 13-6, S.Mul gets a bouncing rim 3 ball to go 16-6. Pizza tries to calm things with a J, but a Tomar cutting hoop kept the pressure on 18-8 8 min. Amir hits much needed 3, but J.Mul right back at him with trey. Cody would get a 3 to go 24-11 things were grim, but Bohnaker the champion go 2 in the post, but S.Mul had the answer as the Brothers did all night 26-13. Ian post, but Cody cashes 3 29-15. Bohnaker gets his famous 3 ball to go, but Cody was a waling fire ball another 3 32-18. Ian getting post buckeys nicely then Mchpherson obrd finish. Frongi gets drie but the half ends with a deep 3 by Mchpherson 34-28 at the break. 

J.Mul starts half with a nice drive 36-28. Ian gets a 3 to go, Frongi took exception to some Ian physicality and we had yelling, Mchpherson would end the yelling with a 3 ball 36-34. Frongo scoop shot, then 3 he was fired up! Cody feels the ehat and hits 3 44-34 11 min. The lead would never dip below 10 48-38 as the Brothers were getting qauty looks and finished this game strong 55-45. 

Amir Mortals 
Mchpherson-B-) For any normal player it would be an A- but this guy def looks the part. I think he is going to be a real problem for most team to stop. 
Bohnaker-B-) Hustled his balls off 5 orbs but could get his 3 ball to go consistently. 
Ian-C+- Not his best game kinda got cooked up on D. 
Harry-C-) The 5 dimes save his day btu zero points is not acceptable in this league. 
Amir-C- Had the sexalicious pass, but not much other highlights 
Pizza-C+- Good bench minutes , take more 3’sssssss

Brothers
S.Mul-A- His defesne was fucking amazing , had his window and bouncing 3 ball going. 
J.Mul-A-) Huste and passion was awesome, loved the way he played in rhythm. Looked like he was having fun out there !
Frongi-B-) He was good, 3 ball a little shaky but helped spark the run to put Harry away. 
Cody-B- The 3 balls really hurt harrys team, if he can shoot more efficently , watch out!
Butter-D- he will have better nights, ball did bounce his way not once. 
tomar-A-Played great, nailed open shots, cut well. 

Game 4: Asterisk Champs VS Overhated 

BY CHAS

Rookie Lane got us going with a cutting hoop. The pace of this game was insane like pin ball Joels would get two bcuketsa nd ad a ft by the time I caught up it was 7-5 team Joel up. Jeffries took the rumors of him not being a shooter to heart as he splashed 2 3’s in a row 13-5. Skelley trying ti will hs boys 15-7, butt here goes that man jeffreis as he $ midrange. Skelley gets cutting 17-9 15 min. Joel doing mans work as he converts another post bucket 19-9. Kielley getting himself going with a 3, then got another 3 to go 19-15, but Jeffries the monster drains another 3, but Worth keeps them within distance as he nails a straight away 3 22-18. Jeffries 2-2 from the line, but Skelley responds in post 24-20. Skelley working 1-2 from teh line, but Rich SEX Carey splashes 3 27-21. Kielley converts nice cut 27-23. Feinstein gets a 3 to go 30-23. Worth hits big 3 to keep them in it, then he nailed a midrange, then kielley running we were tied at 30 all. The pace of this game was banana’s and hard to keep up with by the time the smoke cleared it was 41-38 # Champ up at the break. 

Skelley post to start 2nd half, followed by a Lane steal and finish 42-41 for the lead! Joel snatches the lead back with post move, the Jefferies converts a nasty filthy drive 45-42. Lane hits a middy, then Skelley dominating in post 45-44. Joel showing heart gets another scoop to go, followed by yet another Jeffries 3 ball man hes good 50-46. Worth not backing down hits middy, but Carey hits a soul crushing 3 53-48. Skelley cut, and finish, then Lindsey finished a sexy cut, then kielley 1-2 to tie things at 53 all, what a game in the late slot! Jefferies clutch 3, but Lane hits runner, Joel filthy drive to try to ad win it 60-55. Skelley gets crazy tip in to go, Worth finishes nasty fade away, then skelley post for the lead 61-60!! Team Skelley would create turnovers, and get Obords and complete a great win for themelsves 69-63. 

* Champs 
Jefferies-A-Holy moly we got a baller here. Dude looked great and super confident shooting. Mix him with ray/Joel we got issues 
Joel-B+- Scored the rock well but got eaten up by skelley down the stretch
Danner-D- yeeeps, my man could get that 3 ball to go. 
Feinstein-B- Looked active and showed bball IQ. Ii think he will get better every week.
Carey-A- Nailed 2 big time 3’s, doing his job. 

Overrhated 
Kielley-A- 1st game as a number 1 was a A grade. Proving the doubters wrong! 
Lane-B- Hustle and heart were there, showed soem shot makign abilty as well. 
Worth-B- Rock solid, hit the big clutch fade shit. Looked comftable/confident 
Lindsey-A- Hustled his ass off, those obrd tips all elad to big buckets for his team. Loved what he did out there  
Skelley-A+++- Beast mode!! Loved his captaining as well, very calm, kept telling his boys “ we got this’. That tip in was so nasty !!!

Over-30 Legends Week 3 Write-Ups

by Jason on Feb. 07, 2023

Week 3!!!!!!!!!!!

 Game 2:Hanks Vs Brothers

by CHAS BELLS

Bonvie trey to get us kicked off 3-0. Hanks nails middy, then Kap deep 3 18 min. Bonvie connects on another 3, J.Mul 1-2, but Kap hot early connects from deep again 8-7. Paul nice take to the hoop, then gets another 2 off cut12-7 12min. S.Mul and 1, Bonvie trey cut the lead 14-12. Big Lu post work, then Frano powers in, followed by Hanks J, Kap adds a 3 23-13. Clarke gets 2 off dime from Kielley, Kielley and 1, J.mul 3, Bonvie 3 suddenly it was 24-24. Frano J gave Hank’s squad the 26-24 edge at half. 

S.Mul post work to start , but Paul responds with trey 29-26. Kielley stopped into a 3, and then S.Mul and 1. Paul 3 ball, but Bonvie splashed another 35-32 16 min. Kap/Frano p n roll magic to keep pace. Kap 3 , Bonvie $ 39-39. Clarke brakes tie with floater , and then got 2 in the post, followed by an S.Mul drive45-39 7 min to go. Clarke getting buckets , and Frano swoops in to keep pae 47-43.Bonvie hits yet another 3, then J.Mul 1-2. Frano makes big shot 51-48 Brothers up all they have to do is hit ft’s. They could not S.Mul misses, Paul drives in, J.Mul misses 1 n 1 and then kap found Frano for the game winning bucket 56-51, very good game here. 

Hanks Team

Kap-A-) The calming presence this team needed. Just knows how to get his guys in the right spot. That P N roll with Frano could be deadly. 

Frano-B-Really quiet rebounding numbers, but hit the big shot to lift his team to a W. 

Paul-B-Very solid in his role, had  clutch drive, and as usual made nice passes

HanksB-) Struggled shooting but thought played well in most areas. 

Tomar-C+-Refused to be posted in the 2nd half, i loved it!

Lu-C-) he will lay better, love his hustle and energy 

Brothers 

S.Mul-A-) His effort is 2nd to none, just does so much out there. Work on those ft;s buddy 

j.Mul-D-Just hasnt gotten going yet, and they need him too

Kielley-C- Usually more impactful, he will have better nights 

Bonvie-A-)fuckign 7 3’s, this dude is a sniper 

Clarke-B-) gave thm a nice lift in the 2nd half, little more rebounds would be nice. 

Game 3 Los Sex Vs Randal 

By CHAS BELLS

Murphy 1-2 to get us kicked off. Harry cashes middy, he liked that so much he did it again 4-1. Butter was butter from 3 4-4. Matty O bank 3 ball, followed by Cawley hook 9-4. Murphy keeping them in it with obrd work, but Jump Shot Harry was here 11-6. Murphy respnds with J 11-8 14 min. Cawley cut, Murphy gets 2 froma cut o his own 13-12. Arria got in on the act with a lay in, but Cawley fouled hits both. Ian obrd put in, but a Randal 3 kept his boys in it 17-15 10 min. Murphy ties things with middy 17 all. Zeng showd some magic as he slashed in, then Arria gets 2 running well. Cawley got 2 off the window to calm things, but Randal finished obrd

23-19, Arria nice cut for 2, and thot another 2 off a steal 27-21. Matty gets friendly role, but Arria hot 29-24. Cawley cutting basket, but Zeng obrd put in. Cawley and 1, but Murphy J finished his strong half 34-29. 

Harry/Murphy trade J’s, and then Matty O 3 ball, then Harry 1-2 tied up at 36. Cawley drive, then Ian trey 45-36 after some ft’s. Murphy got 2 off broken play, then Randal 1-2, but Cawley drive trying to sneak away 48-42. WE HAVE A BUTTER ALERT, he cashes 2 straights 3’s , but then we had a CAREYYY ALERT 3 ball 51-45.  That would spark off a big run for Los sex as they cruised to victory, 67-62. 

Los Sex

Harry-B+-Started red hot, cooled but played a very solid game. 

cawley-A-)Rebounding wast there but 28, and 7 is right where he needs to be

Matty-B- he was good, but I feel like he can be even better with this team. 

Ian-B+-Very nice vet game, Smart plays all day 

Carey-B- Hit a big momentum 3

Randal 

Randal-B-) didnt shoot it well , but did everythign else. Dude is a ball magnet 

Arria-B-) Had some nice spurts but the 3 pt shoointg was off , and kept him from going off

Murphy-A-Very complete game, thought he was very good

Butterworth-B-Nailed 3 3’s gave his team life 

Zeng-C+- Thought he did some good things, hustles well, and is fast as shit. 

Game 4 Skelley Vs EJ

by CHAS BELLS

Fill in Lu cashed J to get us started, then Gold 2-2 4-0 17:20. Civale hook, Danner scoop up and under, Civale floater, then a 3 he was hot 9-4! Casey drive, Big Lu hits J, then he added a post 11-8. B.Rob gets 2 off nice cut. Lu 1-2, but Casey with smooth J15-9. Lu was balling as he got another 2, followed by Gold deep 3, he liked that so he did it again for the lead 17-15. Casey ties things with slip though drive, but Lu hit j again 19-17, Gold added a middy, but EJ nailed a captain 3 to keep pace 21-20. Lu gets 2 in the post, and Gold added a drive 25-20. Casey got a 3 to go, and he was feelin it so he canned another 26-25. Skelley makes nice fade, but 2 civale 3’s closed the half EJ up 32-27 but Skelley hanging around. 

Gold deep 3, then Lindsey splash job for the lead 33-32. B.Rob converts scoop, Civale drive, Gold calms things going 2-2, then he adds a midrange for the lead, Lindsey would add a j, and then another 3 42-36 Skelley trying to pull off the upset!. EJ gets cutting 2, then Casey hang shot, Skelley/Casey trade hoops, but gold finsihes filthy drive 46-42. Casey reponds with tough drive of his own, then Civale got easy2  off cut, Casey drive and then eJ;s squad really ran away with this thing , the score would get below 10 as Casey started scorign evryimte, and nailing 3’s. They win 71-59. 

Skelleys Team 

Gold-A-Dude is so fun to watch. Love how he impacts bothe ends, and sets up his teammates even with all the scoring. 

Skelley-C-Good D, but just coulnt get going on O

Lindsey-B-Played his role well, hit some big shots 

Lu-A-Balled the F out 13 pts/11 rbs/ 4 steals/ 2 blacks

EJ’s team 

Casey-A+-MVP level stuff, just unstoppable hen he decides its time 

Civale-B-When he started cutting he got whatever he wanted. Good finish to this game 

Danner-C+- He was ok, he needs to get some 3’s up

EJ-B-)Not much action but when his team needed a play he made it

B.Rob-B-5 dimes ,4 blocks doing i fucking love this guy. 

A 5v5 Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Feb. 02, 2023

WEEK 2 Write-Ups
By DEVIN QUINLIN

Game 1: West Coast Elite: 97 - Bormes’ Disciples: 78

West Coast Elite Cruise On Elite Shooting

West Coast Elite continue their stellar start to the season, this time with some unbelievable shooting splits against a much stronger opponent. As a team, WCE shot twenty-five for forty-three (58.14%) from deep and totalled twenty-six assists in an offensive masterclass against Bormes’ Disciples. After jumping out to a huge early lead, WCE led only 45-37 at the half, but exploded late to pull away with a comfortable 97-78 win.

Eric D’Aguanno started off hot, hitting his first three threes early in the game to finish six of nine with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. His off-ball movement allows him to benefit from WCE’s excellent movement and passing. Derek Retos is another beneficiary of his team’s offense, showing off his elite catch-and-shoot game in the second half, finishing an absurd ten of sixteen (62.5%) from downtown, including an and-1 three (which he converted). His final statline was 31 points, 3 assists, and 1 steal. The rest of the group all played well, largely in supporting roles to get D’Aguanno and Retos their shots. Collin Sawyer made his season debut with 14 points, 4 boards, and 4 steals, getting to the rim well and knocking down two of his four three-point attempts. Andrew Mayleben and Devin Jense had 12 points each, with Mayleben adding 6 rebounds and 3 assists and Jensen putting up 10 boards and 7 assists on four of eight from three. Jack Fay scored only 5, but added 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and a game-high 8 assists to get everyone involved. Tucker Landy chipped in 2 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Not a single player on WCE shot under 50% from three, truly an absurd shooting display from them against a solid opponent. They will be tested even more next week against a strong Shooters Shoot team.

Bormes’ Disciples played a decent game, but simply couldn’t contain WCE’s shooting well enough to stay in the game. Sam Holtze led the scoring with 18 points, shooting three of four from the line and three of five from three. He also added 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals for a solid all-around performance. Jack Beck finished with 17 points, 3 boards, 5 assists, and 1 steal, converting all of his free-throws and hitting three threes. He did well to facilitate once he hit a few shots and garnered more defensive attention. Charlie Mather was missing his jumpers early on, but got going as the game went on to finish three of eight from three with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal, hitting some tough shots and generally playing solid. Garrett Ganley came up with 11 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block, adding some much needed size inside on defense and showing off some nice moves on the offensive end as well. Mac Bohuny chipped in 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals, and I think he should look for his shot more often. Mike Cerulli showed up late, but played pretty well with minimal warmup, adding 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Bormes’ Disciples will really be tested next week against a Zards team that’s been dominant in their first two games.

Game 2: Skelton’s Boys: 79 - Spida Men: 83

Spida Men Outlast Skelton’s Boys

The Spida Men haven’t exactly looked like the defending champs so far this session, but they escape a close game against Skelton’s Boys despite having no subs. Down 35-36 at the half, Jamal Brown and Billy Battaglia stepped up down the stretch to pull away at the end to secure an 83-79 win.

Cedric White led the scoring for Spida Men this week, stepping up down low in the absence of Gallivan and Martin Jr. He finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block, operating well in the low post and showing off his ambidextrous hook shot. Billy Battaglia was off in the first half, but hit three threes in the second to finish with 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. He’s proven that he’s much more than a shooter, getting into the lane consistently with a nice pull-up jumper and the ability to hit shooters and bigs on some nice passes. Jamal Brown added 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, and while he’s looked a bit sluggish to start the season, I fully expect him to pick up. Soon enough he’ll be a triple-double threat, and no one wants to see his bully ball in the playoffs. Alan Williamson added 13 points on some nice mid-range shots while adding some nice physicality with 11 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. He’s a good pick-up for them. Hallvard Lundevall still hasn’t quite found his three since dropping 41 on his own team last session, but he impacts the game in every other way. He finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists (game-high), and 2 steals, and his athleticism on both ends makes him a constant threat and a defensive menace. A bit of a sloppy game from the Spida Men, but they pull out the win and look to keep it going against Not A Dime Back Next week.

Skelton’s Boys looked a bit lost last week against Zards, generally a step or two behind, but they quickly adjusted to the A League pace and looked much better this week. Erik Pettit continues to impress, finishing with 23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. He shot three of eight from deep, but got to the rim well, too. His rebounding and defense are underrated parts of his game as well. Doug Horan took the biggest jump on his team this week, returning to form as his team’s lead guard. He put up 17 points, 4 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, showcasing his signature floater/runner in the lane on the break and converting three of his seven attempts from downtown. Jon Bassett has also been playing pretty well, hitting four threes to finish with 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. His quick trigger keeps opposing defenses honest and opens up lanes for others. Brendan McNamara has also been playing really well as his team’s only real big, putting up 16 points of his own, plus 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. He converted four of his five FT attempts, and his relentless effort on both sides drives his team’s energy all the way up. Elijah Anderson chipped in 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block, but needs to get up more shot attempts to make his team competitive. Fill-in Nate Howard added some serious interior size, finishing with 4 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks while altering plenty of attempts at the rim as well. Skelton’s Boys will continue to improve, but will have to bring their best against a strong Cobras team next week.

Game 3: Not A Dime Back: 80 - So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance?: 58

NADB Easily Handle SYTMTAC

No stats for this game unfortunately, as we had three people rotating on the table and I ended up doing most of it, so we didn’t even keep track. Apologies to NADB, as they will be missing stats from a game that would probably have boosted all their averages across the board. Still, a dominant performance from them that was never really in doubt. SYTMTAC hung around for a good bit during the first half, but NADB exploded to take a 41-21 lead into the half. From there, the game was essentially over, as NADB ran away with this one to win 80-58.

Everyone on NADB played well, as they have a balanced roster and no trouble sharing the ball. Jon Luster led the way at the PG spot, hitting several threes, a few layups, and generally controlling the pace of the game. Chris Connor was hitting his shots as well. He’s a versatile wing/stretch big who can hit threes and operate in the mid/high-post. Dre Kontopidis was in attack mode early on, hitting several mid-range shots (four in a row at one point) and bodying his way inside for some strong finishes. Marcus Giese uses his length well on both ends, grabbing offensive and defensive boards and patrolling the paint on defense (forced me into two turnovers on the baseline) while finishing well inside. Jeff Coulter is a fantastic off-ball cutter and he finishes well through contact, and he hit a three or two this game as well. Mike Synott is always reliable, finishing a few buckets inside, but he should look to shoot more threes, as the defensive attention on the others will get him open shots. They will be tested next week against the Spida Men, who are the defending champs but have been struggling early on.

SYTMTAC has some talent, but we have minimal chemistry. Terrel Newton is as good as anyone, but our lack of offensive planning often hangs him out to dry. Garrett Stanowicz has been a bright spot for us this season, constantly going hard on both ends and finishing well inside despite being smaller than a lot of opposing bigs. His motor and competitive spirit are one of the few things we have going for us. Matt Connelly has been formidable on defense, blocking shots and interrupting passing lanes, and his court vision on offense will be a huge plus once guys get on the same page. Moses Lynn has been a bit sluggish to start, but as one of our most talented players he will only improve as the season progresses. Keith and I need to shoot more threes to keep pace with the other teams in the league, and the return of Jordan Carter next week will add some much needed hustle and shooting. Still, things are not looking great for us, as we match up with the other bottom tier team in Take The Under next week.

Game 4: Cobras: 67 - Shooters Shoot: 57

Cobras Upset Shooters Shoot With Tough Defensive Effort

Last week I put Cobras 7th in the power rankings, questioning their seven point win against a weak opponent and the effort of some of their better players. They clearly took that personally, upsetting Shooters Shoot in a close but convincing win. They led 30-21 at the half, and kept up the defensive pressure to win 67-57.

Never afraid to take over offensively, Warfa Abdillahi led the way for the Cobras with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He hit three threes and had some smooth finishes inside, while controlling the offense late in the second half and finding his guys for open shots to lead the team in assists. His defensive discipline is questionable, but he always manages to get at least a few steals to garner easy buckets and momentum for his team. Chris Cardoso added 14 points of his own, plus 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. He shot two of nine from three, but his nice form and confident shot make me think that he will find his rhythm and start to explode as a scorer for Cobras. Yusuf Liban made his season debut with a bang off the bench, hitting three threes at a 50% clip to put up 11 points, 2 boards, and 1 assist. Every good team in this league has one guy who is a solid role player but ends up being essential to their team’s success because of their shooting ability. Look for Liban to get hot and routinely put up 7+ threes a game, converting at a solid rate, too. Jamal Fiin continues to use his strength on both ends, finishing with 9 points this game in addition to his 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. He’s physical on defense and doesn’t back down from any challenge underneath, and he hit some tough shots in this game as well. Gabe Granberry is really the Cobras’ only big man, and he did a nice job underneath with 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. He finished some big shots inside down the stretch and was suffocating on defense as well. Carter Burress chipped in 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, but his strength and athleticism on both ends always make him a threat. I expect him to start hitting threes, too, and add in Mike Gillespie and this is a strong roster who can compete with the top teams. Worth noting that Cobras finished with 26 team assists, doing a nice job sharing the ball and converting open looks.

To be fair to Shooters Shoot, they did not shoot the ball very well, missing a lot of open looks even with the Cobras playing good defense. Andrew Jaworski returned this week with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, shooting three of eight from three. Not his best performance, but he’s still one of the best players in the league and will produce as the season goes on. Stephen Tam added 14 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal, hitting two of his four threes. He scored the ball well, but his assist numbers weren’t quite there, as guys were missing shots and the ball wasn’t moving as cleanly as usual. David Reynolds added 14 of his own, but he shot four of thirteen from deep. He was the main guy missing open looks, and after his 35 point explosive in week 1, I fully expect him to bounce back. Even on an off shooting night, Reynolds still added 6 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks for a solid all-around contribution. Hugh O’Neil chipped in 7 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block, and they will need more from him going forward, especially against smaller teams like Cobras. Pat Racy added 4 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block, while Matt Pattyson added 3 points, 3 boards, 1 assist, and 2 steals. The absence of Adam Lindhorst was noted, as he’s a great defender, hits open shots, and moves the ball really well from the wings. Shooters Shoot will be tested again by West Coast Elite next week.

Game 5: Zards: 82 - Take The Under: 54

Zards Dominate Take The Under in Final Game

Zards haven’t had much competition yet this season, but they have taken care of business in both games. This game was never really close either, as they led 42-29 at half and exploded to start the second (as they always do) to pull away with a clean 82-54 win.

Sam Longwell continues to assert himself as the best player in the A League, putting up 36 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, shooting four of seven from deep. Longwell’s game isn’t forced at all, getting all of his looks within the offense or by simply running well in transition. Both he or Dan Wohl can go off at any time, and it’s because the whole team plays intelligent ball and simply look for the best attacking option. Still, Longwell has no weaknesses in his game and continues to light it up. Dan Wohl added 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, and his game is as smooth as anyone’s. Look for him to compete with Longwell for the league scoring title. Craig Melillo continues to impress as well, putting up 13 points on three threes and some nice pull-up jumpers in the lane, plus 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Everyone knows about his shooting, but his defensive pressure is underrated. Dan Aronowitz returned with his usual double-double, 12 points and 11 rebounds, plus 1 assist and a made three. These guys almost never have a big man, but DA’s rebounding ability and strength on defense more than make up for it. Dana Flood added 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks, including two back to back blocks in one possession. He fits perfectly with this Zards group and will knock down shots, move the ball, and play defense at a high level all season. Mike Kearney finished with 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, but his excellent defense, unselfish passing, and high IQ play make him an indispensable piece for Zards. Zards face a similarly undersized but smart, skilled team in Bormes’ Disciples next week.

Take The Under were simply outclassed this game, and along with my team, they look to be towards the bottom of the league. Still, they have solid players and could easily turn it around. Stephen Valacer finished with 12 points,10 rebounds, 6 assists, and a game-high 5 steals. As their best player, Steve definitely needs to look for his shot more, especially early on when the game is within reach. Still, his passing and defensive IQ are impressive, and he played a solid game in spite of the blow-out. Matt Turkington made his session debut this week with 10 points, 3 boards, 1 assist, and 1 block, hitting one of his two three-point attempts and bringing some much needed size and physicality to his team. Matt Krol shot two of five from three to finish with 10 points and 1 rebound, and he will need to increase his volume to keep his team in games. Nick Pellegrini isn’t the tallest, but his strength and touch around the basket make him a very good interior offensive threat. He added 9 points and 1 rebound, but will need to do more for his team to be competitive. Sam Wamakima added 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 steals for a decent performance, while Corey Huerfano’s 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal were solid as well. Kordell Harris added a rebound and shot zero for six from deep, but he’s got a quick trigger and isn’t afraid to let it fly. I expect him to get hot in the coming weeks and provide a much needed three-point threat to his team’s offense, as they shot four of twenty-five this game (16%). Take The Under will face off against So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance in a must-win game for both teams, who look to avoid the dreaded last spot in the rankings.

B2 5v5 SUN Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 31, 2023

WEEK 2 Write-ups

By AJ MURRAY

Them Can’t Be Stopped

Them really came to play today after a tough loss last week. They would be led my Dan Kimmit who had 23 pts to go along with 4 rebs and a steal. He was efficient all game long with a good mix of drives and spot up threes. Tyler Billings also had a nice game finishing with 19 pts 4 ast and 2 reb. He came out the gates firing hitting his first three threes to open the game up and slicing through the defense at will. Ryan Donovan was also a factor in this one, running the offense for stretches and playing great defense finishing with 9 pts 5 reb 3 ast. Every time it looked like the Cheese Boys were threatening a run Donovan would come up with a clutch bucket or defensive stop. Really impressive win from these guys hopefully they can take this momentum into next week. 

For the Cheese Boys a tough loss after a nail biter win last week. This week they were led by Sinatro who would go on to finish with a nice game of 16 pts 2 reb 2 ast and was effective in stretches from the 3 point arc. He really put a lot of pressure on Them to guard him from way downtown. Also Ben Hayes had an efficient shooting night finishing with 9 pts on 3-6 shooting from downtown. His jump shot has looked great in the early going after hitting two big threes in last weeks game. Brendan Connors also was active in this one finishing with a game high 11 rebs. The Cheese Boys have the pieces but definitely were overmatched this week by Them’s offensive attack.

Commando Takes Down Thank You University 

Commando had a balanced offensive attack in this one led by Jake Haggerstead with a game high 22 pts to go with 6 reb and a steal. He was aggressive getting to the rack whenever he wanted to. Close behind him was A.Nair who also had a nice showing with 19 pts 4 reb and was efficient throughout this one. Every time they needed a big bucket he could be counted on. Also a nice game from Max Henrich who would finish with 7 pts 4 reb 4 ast and ran the offense effectively through much of the game. This team seems like they can have a successful season with the ball movement looking crisp.

On the other side for Thank You University K. Toomey really kept them in the game with a nice performance of 15 pts 8 reb and 3 ast. His post work was good as nobody could really contain him down there. G. Palazz also chipped in with a solid 8 pts to go with 6 reb and 2 ast and hit some nice threes from the top of the key. B. Grossman also was able to hit a couple of threes and finish with 7 pts and 5 reb. For Thank You University the big thing was running with Commando and boxing out on the boards. They had their moments but overall Commandos size and speed caused a lot of problems for them.

Splash Bros Start Splashing

The Splash Bros came out firing this week as they got a big win against the Wyld Stalyns. They were led by S. Kulman who would go on to finish with 31 pts 10 reb and 4 stl. There was really no answer for him whether from the three or down low. J. Perry also played an efficient game in this one finishing with 18 pts a game high 7 stl and 5 ast. He was super quick to the rack all game long and was a pest on defense getting in passing lanes. M. Petros also had a nice game getting some cuts and fast break buckets and finishing with 14 pts and 3 reb. Overall a nice showing from these guys after a tough loss last week. 

For Wyld Stalyns a nice effort here even though they couldn’t come away with the victory. Kevin would finish with 20 pts and 5 reb on 4-10 shooting from deep. He stayed efficient throughout the game hitting shots and being aggressive. Nick also played a solid game finishing with 11 pts 4 reb and 2 stl. He maintained his hustle throughout the game getting some fast break buckets and some mid range. Anthony S. Also had some really good moments being the lead ball handler finishing with 6 pts 5 reb 5 ast and 4 stl. This team definitely has some potential but definitely has to define the roles on the squad.

Terminator 2 Terminates 

Similar to last week Terminator 2 dominated from the jump. With a couple new additions they really turned the pressure on early led by Sam Jensen who would finish with 28 pts 6 reb and 4 ast on 6-11 shooting from deep. He pretty much scored at will through long stretches of this game. Zach Taylor also was a scoring machine from everywhere finishing with an efficient 15 pts and 8 reb. He did a great job of controlling the paint throughout most of this game. Julian Manika also had a nice game running the offense flirting with a triple double at 9 pts 9 ast and 7 reb. This team has dominated so far hopefully someone can test them next week. 

The unreliables took a tough loss this week after dominating last week. They were missing a couple guys but were really outmatched by Terminator 2s scoring flexibility. Mike still managed to have a nice game as a force on the glass all night long finishing with 14 pts 14 Rebs and 4 stl. He hustled throughout and definitely could have used some help in the scoring department. Eric would also finish with 14 pts and 5 reb staying aggressive till the end and getting some tough buckets. A couple three pointers would’ve been nice for this squad as they only hit one all game. Credit to  Nate as well for some nice hustle finishing with 6 reb and 3 ast. This team played great last week so definitely hope they can bounce back.

B2 5v5 THU Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 31, 2023

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.  

Saturday Draft League Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 31, 2023

WEEK 2 Write-Ups

56 To the Rak   FINAL 88 Rip Hamilton

Subject: # 1 Rip Hamilton Blows out To the Rak in Second Half
By SHAWN WISE

Once again Rip Hamilton, had to start their game without leading MVP candidate, Jamal. To the Rak would try their best to pull away early but were only jump out to an 8 point lead before Jamal’s arrival. During that 8 minutes, Emmanuel was a menace to Rip Hamilton on defense racking up an impressive 4 steals over the first 8 minutes. 

To the Rak was able to keep the game close at half time but Jamal was quickly stacking up points towards the end of the half and exploded in the second half to finish the game with 43 points and 20 rebounds. When Jamal wasn’t having his way with the defense, Jamil was able to carry the offense as a secondary option by adding 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. 

Missing their first-round pick, Kevin, definitely hurt To the Rak this week. I was excited to see the matchup of Kevin and Jamal but we’ll have to wait until the rematch between these two teams to see that matchup. Without Kevin To the Rak looked their best with the offense running through Emmanuel and Rob. Rob would finish with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.
 

Player(s) of the Game:
 

• Jamal Brown - 43 points and 20 rebounds in 32 minutes automatically gets you player of the game 
• Emmanuel Okharedia - Emmanuel was a menace on the defensive and led his team in both steals and assists. 

64 LEBOV   FINAL 52 Ghost Rider

Subject: # 3 LEBOV make light work of # 5 Ghost Rider to achieve their first victory of the young season.
By JAMIL BALL

In this 9 AM matchup, team Ghost Rider got off to a horrid start as LEBOV was playing with a purpose. After 5 minutes of play, LEBOV was leading 12 - 6. Ghost (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal) who finished with a game-high 22 accounted for all 6 of Ghost Rider’s points. 

For LEBOV SDL rookie Lucas Guliano (18 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists) got it going early and really set the tone for LEBOV on both ends of the court. Adam Ellabidy (16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal and block) arrived a little after the tip, but it didn’t take long for him to make his impact on the game.

With 3 minutes left in the first half, the lead ballooned to 13 in favor of team Lebov (33-20). Lebov, Guliano, Ellabidy, and DV all were playing inspired team basketball. One of the huge advantages for team LEBOV was rebounding. They would combine for 16 offensive rebounds, while only allowing 3 to their opponents.

At the half, LEBOV would lead 36 - 27. Ghost (14) and Lucas (11) would be the leading scorers for their respective teams. 

In the second half, Cam Daniels (16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists) would really pick up the pace. The fantastic chemistry between Cam & Sheff was on full display. Sheff finished 1 point shy of a triple-dub with 9 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.

He was dealing ball, like Pedro Martinez in his prime. Despite a furious comeback attempt. Team LEBOV had no interest in letting up in this matchup, DV (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks) would lead all scorers in the second half with 9 points and really help put this game away. 
 

Player(s) of the Game:
 

• Lucas Guliano - All around great effort for Lucas. Validating my promoting of him as a first round selection. 
• Djordje Vlajkovic - DV fell short of his own 20/20 expectation, but still played a heck of a game. 
• Adam Ellabidy - Continues to by my favorite for rookie of the year and steal of the draft. 

63 Saturday Morning Hypothermia   FINAL 65 Slick When Wet

Subject: # 2 Slick When Wet hold off # 4 Saturday Morning Hypothermia to stay undefeated 
By JAMIL BALL

A fully staffed Slick When Wet looked to stay undefeated with reigning MVP Adwaith Nair making his season debut. In comparison, the Saturday Morning Hypothermia-led Damian Ruff squad is looking for their first win of the season.

After looking unstoppable in week 1, Slick When Wet looked out of sync at the start of the game. Missed shots, turnovers, and terrible defense led to an early deficit. On the other hand, led by DTO (22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists) Saturday Morning Hypothermia got off to a scorching start!

David was a one-man fastbreak and would go on to score 17 of his 22 points in the first half. Adwaith and Ruff, both arrived shortly after the tip (Divas). Once they checked into the game, this matchup got much more interesting. 

Adwaith had a monster game with 23 points, 3 steals, and 13 rebounds. His ability to score in bunches created easy baskets for Alan (10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Shawn (12 points and 10 rebounds). 

Slick When Wet would go into half-time with a 6-point lead (38 - 32). Ruff hit some huge threes as Saturday Morning Hypothermia mounted a furious comeback, but they would ultimately fall short in the closing seconds.

Other notable highlights: 

• Slick “EJ” - Had a very effective game on both ends of the court grabbing 8 rebounds to go along with 8 points. 
• Patrick B - Patrick hit some daggers down the stretch that allowed his team to win a game that could’ve gone either way. 
• Shawn Wise - The big man is a walking double-double. He didn’t get 20 rebounds this game but was just as effective on both ends of the court. 
• Damian Rudd - This dude has found the fountain of youth and his jump shot. Despite being 0 - 2, I’m sure he’s oozing with confidence, knowing his team is capable of beating any team in this league.
• Jorge Morel - Scored 14 points to go along with 16 rebounds. He will determine how successful Saturday Morning Hypothermia will be in this season. 

Player of the Game:

Adwaith Nair - Adwaith had a monster game with 23 points, 3 steals, and 13 rebounds. Despite his struggles from beyond the arc, he did everything else to fuel his team to victory.

B1 5v5 Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 31, 2023

WEEK 2 Write-ups

By DEVIN QUINLIN

Game 1: Mainely Love: 78 - Men’s League: 56

Mainely Love Dominate Their Way to the Top of the Standings

Mainely Love had three players in the gym at 6:20 when the game was finally ready to start, as James Morse and Harrison Taggart walked in a minute later. With almost no warmup and starting the game down 2-0 on two technical free-throws, it didn’t even matter. Mainely Love were unstoppable on offense, and after going into the half up 46-32, they only expanded their lead on the way to an easy win.

Morse was unstoppable from the jump. He was jacking threes without hesitation, finishing the game seven of ten from deep and eight of eight from the line. His final statline of 33 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals on this type of efficiency is the most impressive performance in the league thus far. Harrison Taggart was also impressive, especially early on. He put up 22 and 6, plus 1 assist and 1 steal on three of five from three. He has a smooth all-around game, effortlessly getting to the rim and always in control. Tom Palleschi played a strong game down low, adding 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. His footwork and finishing are extremely polished and he holds down the paint on defense. Matt McDonough chipped in 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal, but his team-high 4 assists were beneficial to his team’s ball movement and offensive rhythm, while CJ Jordan added 1 point, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. He doesn’t look for his shot much, but his rebounding, tough defense, and general scrappy play clear the way for guys like Morse and Taggart to go off on offense. Mainely Love are looking like the team to beat in this division.

Men’s League struggled in this game. Charlie Bagin looked like the only player who came ready to go, finishing with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and a game-high 5 steals. He has some nifty finishes inside, but also shot three of six from downtown and generally went hard on both ends. Impressive game from him, but his team let him down. George Shultz hit the two technical free-throws prior to the game, but struggled to find his shot in this game. He put up 15 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 3 steals, shooting three of nine from three, but with a few garbage time buckets. He’s a great shooter and I expect him to bounce back, but his off-ball catch and shoot threat will be extremely important for his team’s success this session. Big man Will Childs-Klein made his debut this week with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. He showed some nice touch inside and out, and his team could benefit from him being more involved on offense. Other than these three, Matt Goodwin chipped in 6 points and 4 rebounds and Josh Salter 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist, which is simply not enough to overcome most of the teams in this league. Tyler Seibring will have to have an enormous impact in every game he’s available for Men’s League to compete.

Game 2: Intramural Heroes: 77 - Hartbreakers: 72

Intramural Heroes Hold Off Heartbreakers to Secure Week 2 Win

Intramural Heroes went into the half up 41-25 on a hot shooting start, even without big man Tim Gallivan. The Hartbreakers got rolling as the second half progressed, but couldn’t overcome the early deficit. Credit to the Heroes for their solid defense down the stretch.

Cedric White had another stellar game with 20 points, 7 boards, 4 assists, and 2 steals. He struggled from the free-throw line, shooting four of eight, but did everything else. Great footwork inside, reliable mid-range jumper, and solid paint protection make him one of the best bigs in the league. Brendan Farley also had a great game, shooting four of nine from three and drawing tons of defensive attention early on, and then controlling the offense from there. He ended with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and a game-high 8 assists, finding open guys and using the threat of his shot effectively. Nick Weber has been one of the best defenders this session, continuing that this week with 5 steals and 1 block, plus 7 rebounds and 1 assist. He’s not the most prolific scorer, but he put up 14 points this week, hitting some mid-range jumpers and finishing super well inside off of offensive boards and smart cutting. Shane Farley added 7 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 steal with a solid overall performance, while fill- in Chris Almodar (wrong spelling sorry) put up 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. Steve Lazarro also filled-in nicely with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, always playing intelligent ball on both sides and showing off some incredibly crafty finishes. 

The Hartbreakers continue their string of cryptic regular season performances despite some impressive outings from individuals. Tucker Landy put up a 25 point, 11 rebound double-double, plus 1 assist and 1 steal. Always a dominant B1 player, Tuck rarely makes mistakes and can fill it up in a hurry. Devin Jensen is perhaps the most talented player in any CAC division, finishing with a near triple-double of 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, plus 2 steals and 1 block. He shot four of ten from three, imposing his will offensively at the end of the game, but it was too little too late. Oliver Hart went off in his shooting role, going a perfect five for five to finish with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block, including a clutch fadeaway with under 30 seconds left to keep his team in it. Impressive shooting display from him. Joe Kamataris chipped in 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block, showing his improved shooting and always stellar defense. Aidan Kanell and Sean Dempsey didn’t score, but combined for 7 assists and 5 rebounds. Sam Dowden’s absence played a role in this loss, and Phil has yet to return, so we’ll see what the Hartbreakers can come up with as the season progresses. Credit to Intramural Heroes for an impressive win without some of their best players, though.

Game 3: FCHWPO: 56 - Mid-Range Magicians: 45

FCHWPO’s Stifling Defense Put Them Over the Top

FCHWPO has some high level talent between the Sellew brothers and Johnny McCarthy, with others filling in different roles nicely, but their offensive attack has been lacking so far. Still, they pull out the win in week 2, leading 27-25 at the half and pulling away to win 56-45 with some excellent defense.

Xander Kirshen led the way on offense with 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block. With a lot of defensive attention on McCarthy and Chris Sellew after they knocked down some early 3s, Kirshen stepped up by canning three of his six attempts from deep and finishing a few buckets inside. Clutch performance from the lefty. Eric Sellew continues to dominate every aspect of the game except scoring, putting up 12 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block. He hit five of his six free throws and knocked down his only three, using his size to control the entire game on the defensive end. I still think he could put up 25-30 points every game if he were more aggressive, but he’s also much better than me so I won’t tell him how to play. Johnny McCarthy added 11 points of his own, plus 11 boards, 2 assists, and 1 steal while shooting three of six from deep. He’s always calm and never forces shots, moving the ball well after the defense keyed in on him as a shooter. Chris Sellew struggled with his shot, but still played well with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists (game-high), and 1 block. He’s got a smooth shot, so I expect his one for seven game to improve. Aidan Cyr added 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and converted both of his free-throws. He took a tough shot early in the game, so hopefully his shoulder is ok and he’s good to go next week. Meech Ramirez hit a three and added some excellent defense to finish with 3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, including 4 offensive rebounds to get his team extra opportunities on both ends.

The Mid-Range Magicians fall to 0-2 after another subpar offensive outing. They simply bring too many guys to each game and can’t find a rhythm or build any chemistry. Bogut King continues to play pretty well, getting an 11 point, 11 rebound double-double with 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block. He’s a great post presence on defense, but he’s not the guy you want leading your team in scoring if you’re going to win games. Someone else needs to step up and add more than 11 points. Zack Zahner has shown some nice shooting, putting up 11 points of his own, plus 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals. He hit his only three attempt and some nice middies as well, and with Clifford Bouchereau out, he needs to be their main offensive threat. Jack Albanese has been an impressive defender so far, getting 1 steal and 2 blocks, but also adding 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist and converting both of his free-throws. James Smith hit two threes on eight attempts to finish with 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist, but I expect him to continue to get shots up and make more in the coming weeks. Giannis Valoumas and Andrew Dodds each hit one three, Valoumas finishing with 5 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal. The points are too spread out among the whole roster, and the Magic will need a go-to-guy if they’re going to bring their offensive game up to par.

Game 4: Treys For Days: 69 - Bears: 63

Treys For Days Outlast Bears in Close Battle

Treys For Days secure their first win of the session in a tough game against the Bears. The return of Dana Flood and Wes Schroll boost Treys For Days toward the top of the league, as both guys have dominated A League in previous sessions. They led 45-39 at the half, maintaining their 6 point lead to end the game with a 69-63 win.

Dana Flood made his presence known in his B1 debut, finishing with 23 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. He was effortlessly getting inside and finishing over and around defenders, he hit three of his five threes, and as always, came up with a monster block. Smart all-around player who makes this Treys for Days team dangerous. Wes Schroll added 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, which is a good statline, but I expect better from him. Once he picks it up, he will be a force inside and on the break. Still, his 3 blocks was a game-high and he led both teams in rebounding as well. George Thissell chipped in 10 points of his own, plus 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. He’s another talented player whom I expect more from. He only shot two threes, which needs to go up, but his finishing inside and defense were on point as usual. Luke Davidson showed off his crazy athleticism, throwing down a dunk on the baseline and finishing with 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. He’s fantastic getting past his man into the lane to get a nice floater off or dumping it inside to a big. Devin Santilli put up 8 points, 5 boards, 1 assist, and 2 steals, while Kevin McGovern added 5 points, with 2 boards, 2 assists, and 2 steals. He hit his only three-point attempt and played his smart game per usual. Rich Kruszkowski added 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist with some solid interior defense, and John Scola came up with 1 points, 4 boards, and 1 steal. Solid outing from Treys For Days, who will need to build on this momentum in the coming weeks.

The Bears fall to 0-2 on the season, but have faced two strong teams and kept it competitive with both. Danny Shapiro continues to impress, putting up 18 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. He hits tough shots, moves the ball well, and has been their leader in shot creation this session. Sam Blomberg also had another strong performance with 15 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and a game-high 5 steals. He shot two of five from three, three of four from the FT line, and continually made tough shots in the lane. His quickness on defense makes him a pest, and despite his size, his 5 steals show his defensive impact. Will Ross continued his hot shooting, going three of four to finish with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. He’s knockdown, and moves well off-ball while Shapiro and Blomberg probe in the lane from the guard spot. Jake Tomkinson (please add him to the roster) found his shot this game, going a perfect three for three from deep to finish with 11 points and 2 assists. He makes some excellent passes, and would have more assists if his teammates finished shots. Tyler Blake also makes excellent passes, finishing this game with 5 assists and 7 rebounds, grabbing offensive boards and patrolling the middle on defense. I like the way the Bears play, and I expect them to rebound from their 0-2 start and finish in the top half of the league. Regardless, they will always come to compete and make things difficult for the other team.

Over-30 Legends Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 31, 2023

Week 2 WRITE-UPS

Game 1 Los Sex VS Hanks

BY CHAS BELLS

Cawley got this game started with an Obrd put in, then added a middy 4-0. Frano got his team on the board with a tough take 4-2 17 min. Matty gets 2 off Ian dime, but Frano gets another hoop 6-4. Matty runner, then sick spin shot 104. There goes that man Frano gets another 2 10-6 12:30 min. Ian trey, Matty steal and finish 14-6. Hanks gets in the box score with a hoop, followed by a Paul and 1, and Frano J 16-15. Cawley obrd put in , but Frano floater, and then scoop shot , they had the edge. Paul obrd put in 21-18 3:30 min. Ian sick and 1 ties it at 21 all. Cawley gets easy 2, and Ian gets a 3 to go down, Cawley filthy take , and then buzzer beating middy nice push at the half 30-21 Los sex up. 

River 3 ball 33-21. Hanks J 33-23. Matty cutting hoop.Big Lu lay up, Hanks 3, Frano obrd put in, Hanks running hard suddenly it was 37-32. Matty middy, but a big Tomar shot to keep pace 39-34. Cawley blocks Frano  but he still gets it to go, then Big Lu screaming dont shoot the 3 and Frano ignores drills 3 for the tie 39-39. Big Lu nice take, but Cawley drive to tie it, and then another, and then Ian in transition 46-41. Big Lu ncie 2nd gald continued with a post hoop, followed by Hanks trey  46-46 all! Matty big 3 , but Hanks 2-2, then adds J, and Frano gets obrd put in. Los sex just couldnt get a good look at the end of this game, Hanks nailign ft’s, Ian would hit a late 3 but to little to late 55-52 big win for Hanks wihtout Kap. 

Los Sex

Harry-B-) No points but 8 brds/4 dimes kid cant buy a win right now. 

Cawley-B-Hustled his tail off, but he needs to be the aggressor on this team, more looks for him. 

Matty-B-He was good, this team needs him to be on the great level. 

Ian-B-Started well, disappeared a lil bit

River-D- Momma said their be days like this 

Hanksey

Hanks-A-What a 2nd half he had. Willed his boys, captain shit right there

Frano-A-What a start to the session, kid is a bucket 

Paul-A-) Did a bit of everything , solid contributions across the board 

Big Lu-B+-His best game yet, looks like hes getting better every week 

Tomar-B-) Hustled his tail off, got a nice bucket 

Game 2
By CHRIS HANKS

Chas’ new Gold shines in debut

Hot Goyle Winter 84 - Slick Squad 74

In the second slot of week 2 we had two of the powerhouses of the league, Slick’s Squad (once again no team name, so I will be referring to them as Slick Squad) matching up with Chas’ Hot Goyle Winter. Chas himself would be out with a calf injury and missing Kodra and Eloi so they would have Paul Calderan filling in. Slick Squad had everyone sans Danner. Chas was excited to get his fourth round pick Jake Gold out on the floor after he missed week 1 with an injury. I was expecting this game to not be competitive at all as the shorthanded Goyles would have major problems keeping up with Casey’s offensive onslaught. I would, however, be proven majorly wrong. 

Out of the gate Casey drilled a 3 and found B-Rob inside for an easy two and Slick Squad was off to the races. Bohnaker sank his first 3 and set the tone for the night, as he would be super-efficient from deep. Gold got a layup and Casey picked off an errant Goyle pass for an easy 2. Gold hit a 3 and Weinstein hit his patented off the dribble midrange. Gold and Bohnaker would score again and Goyle was out to a 10-point lead. Weinstein continued to do work for Goyle and Casey answered by following a missed three for an offensive rebound and nailing a tough running 3 of his own.  Another Casey steal to transition layup and B-Rob getting to the free throw line cut Goyle’s lead to five. Weinstein hit a rare 3 and Jake got a couple more layups to pad the lead. Civale and EJ would hit a 3 each but Goyle held on to a 10 point lead going into the half.

Player of the half – Weinstein 15 points

Coming out of the half B-Rob got the rim and Jake answered with a jumper. Bohnaker hit another 3 and despite being shorthanded Goyle continued to put pressure on Slick Squad on the offensive end. Amir and Casey each hit 3’s and Civale got fouled on a 3 and made all the free throws, but the consistent attack of Weinstein, Bohnaker and Jake kept the lead in hand for Goyle. Civale started to get going from deep in the second half and between him and Casey attacking and crashing the boards the Goyle lead gradually was cut to as little as 4. With less than 2 minutes left in the half, Bohnaker nailed a clutch 3 and brought Goyle back up by 7. Civale hit one more 3 but after a Jake bucket the lead was still 6. Goyle would hang on to survive the Slick Squad comeback attempt and net an impressive shorthanded win to improve to 2-0.

Goyle –

Weinstein A – went at Casey on the offensive end and shot the ball very efficiently
Jake A+ - brought intensity on both ends and did a great job getting to the rim. Another draft steal for Chas
Bohnaker A+ - Hit several big 3’s and was a monster on the glass
Paul B+ - Did a good job as a fill-in, took care of the ball and set up Goyle’s offense

Slick Squad –

Robinson B- – solid on both ends of floor, they could have used a few more looks from him

Civale B – wasn’t connecting in the first half, but had a great 2nd half

EJ C+ - hit a couple 3’s but was exploited on defense

Amir B – made the most of his opportunities

Casey A- -played explosively on both ends, usually this type of performance equals a win

Game 3 Skelley VS Strotcha 

BY CHAS BELLS

Joel/Duton both get post buckets to get this things started fast 2-2. Cavano J, Dany 1-2, Frongi 3 8-2. Dunton hustle hoop, but Frongi gets easy . Dunton middy, but Cavano kpet pace with cut basket. Gold in on the at splashes 3 12-9 13 min. Cavanao middy but Gold deep 3 ball, followed by Skelley nice finish 14 all. Gold gives them the edge with a J. Both team would trade blows for a bit a Gold 3 gave them their biggest elad 32-27, but a Joel and 1 32-30. Dunton balling gets another 2, but Stull big balls swanging nails 3 34-33. Dunton/Lindsey both got nice hoops, then a Gold 3 what a run 41-33 at the break. 

Cavano middy to start, Joel lay in 18 min, Cavano runner, and Dany tied things with a floater. Frongi breaks tie with scoop 43-41. The assault contiued from Joels team as staiger gets a 3 to go 47-42. Gold would get an and 1 to calm things but misses FT, Cavano 3, Joel obrd they looking like its getting away 54-44. The lead would get cut to 8 but Joels team drowded them with transition bucket after transition bucket hey win 69-53. 

Team skelley 

Skelley-B-)Was killing it, then became invisible 

Pizza-C-good rebounding needs more hoops

Gold-B- 6 2nd half points is not going to get W’s on this team 

Dunton-A-) Was everywhere, doing everything, gota get that jumper going !

Lindsey-B-Played his rolew ell, that that 3 flyyyyyyy though

Team Joel 

Joel-C+-Little quiet today, but the energy was there

Frongi-B-) he was just ok, he can have more impact

Cavano-A- Mvp back, and had an MVP type game 

Dany-B+-Thought he was rock solid on both ends

Staiger-B-)He was good played his role well 

Stull-B-Snagged boards, had 2 big steals, and cashed a trey 

Game 4 Randal Vs Brothers

By CHAS BELLS

Slow start but J.Mul finally got us started wit a post bucket 2-0, Randal gets lay up 2-2 17 min. J.Mul brother assist to s.Mul, Bonvie canned a 3 7-2. Zeng showing some speed gets 2 off cut 7-4. J.Mul kids midrange to go 9-4. Lagno splashes a 3 to bring them closer , and Arria nasty take to tie it at 9 12 min. Cody J, but Arria nails 3 for the lead 12-11. Randal hts 3, Lagno gets a 3 sheeeessshhh 21-11. Cody hits a 3 to calm things 21-14,and gtes another after some action it was 22-17. Arria cutting hoop , then splashes 3, Lagno adds a drive, Arria mindrange what a run 31-17. Bonvie gets a big 3 to stop the bleeding, then j.Mul 3 31-23 at the beak. 

Arria J 33-23. Cody hits 3, then 1-2 33-27. Lagno kepping his boys in front with a trey, then another awesome Arria finish 38-27 15 min to go. Cody hits jumper, and then gets a layup comes up limping, Bonvie adds a 3 4pts gme 38-34. Randal hots a captain 3 to keep his boys up, but a J.Mul J, then another Bonvie 3 41-39. Arria great hustle gets steal and hoop 43-39 10 min to go. S.Mul obrd put in, Clarke 1-2, J.Mul nice cut for the lead, s.Mul again whata  run, an Arria drive makes it just a 46-45 game with 5:30 to go. Randal dimes zeng for the lead 47-46. Cody nails a bigtime 3, S.Mul owed the paint for 2 buckets, and they ran away with this one as Cody goes 8-8 from the line to put it away 63-56. 

Team Randal

Randal-B-stuffed the stat sheet ,wanted the W i bet though

Arria-B+-Didnt shoot from 3 well, but hustled hard and almost willed his team with sick drives

Lagno-B+-splashing treys, doing his thang 

Murphy-B-scoring was lacking but man 19 rebounds!!!

Zeng-B-I think he will be very effective when he gets comfortable 

Butter-D- Momma said there be nights like this 

Team Brothers

Cody-A-) cold to start but made all the winning plays in the clutch 

S.Mul-A-)Owned the post in big moments, hustled bustled his way to a W

J.Mul-B+-Solid outing gota love the 7 dimes 

Clarke-C-Not his best, he will have better night s

Bonvie-B- Hitign those 3s is so big for this team. 

5v5 Draft Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 27, 2023

WEEK 2 WRITE-UPS

HOOPTOPIA 69 vs SHOOTERS OVER BIGS 29

By JAMIL BALL

Subject: Hooptopia destroys short staffed Shooters Over Bigs squad 

This was the first of two lopsided matches on the night.

Hooptopia would get off to a ridiculous start led by Dan Schwartz. Dan started the game on fire! Scoring 8 consecutive points as Hooptopia jumped out to the early lead, this included back-to-back threes and they made quick work of the understaffed Shooters Over Bigs squad. 

Hooptopia looked like they’re building some team chemistry after a disastrous season opener. 

On the other hand, Ryan Glynn led Shooters Over Bigs is battling despite being significantly understaffed. They were able to assemble 4 of their regulars, but it wasn’t going to be enough of this match-up as Hooptopia was taking no prisoners. 

With three minutes left in the first half, Hooptopia led 31 - 13, as their lead continues to balloon. Focusing on the positives, Ben Levin (6 points, 2 blocks, and 3 rebounds ) has been absolutely balling in his season debut. Give that man the rock! 

At the half, Hooptopia dominated their competition leading by 27 (40-13). Ryan (10 points and 5 rebounds) and Dan (15 and 10 rebounds). Overall it’s been a total team effort, especially on defense. 

Van Wert (2 steals), Christian (2 steals) Andre (2blocks), and Ben (2 blocks) have created havoc defensively. Their team defense has led to easy baskets in transition which has blown the gates of this game, to say the least.

Players of the game:

• Dan Schwartz - Dan had a monster game. He was a problem for Shooters Over Bigs all night! 
• Ryan Nett - Ryan had a fantastic all-around game and will only get better as his squad builds more chemistry. 

PRIMETIME 4.0 64 VS ROBEL 43

BY JAMIL BALL

Subject: Primetime 4.0 destroys ROBEL in a late-night matchup 

Both teams came into this matchup undefeated, Primetime 4.0 would have the last laugh in what was a pretty uneventful matchup. Led by suffocating defense Primetime 4.0 would jump out to a very early lead. 

The Primetime 4.0 roster is DEEP and tonight would be the Admin Liu (19 points, 2 steals, and 7 rebounds) show. Admittedly, this game was a bit more physical than I am accustomed to, but you have to adjust to the officiating and Adan Liu did just that. 

For Team Robel, Tyrone Mullings continued to be the only consistent offense for them. His 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists led the way for them. Aside from Ty, their other primary scorers X (Xavier Abreu) and Musse Kassa really struggled to find any offensive consistency. 

Robel was able to score 9 points to go along with 3 trays, 4 blocks, and 8 rebounds. He continues to draw double and triple teams, but with his team struggling from beyond the arc it didn’t really translate into easy offense on his kick outs. 

Primetime 4.0 would take a 29 - 21 lead into the half and never looked back. Jacob Miller (13 points, 4 steals, and 10 rebounds) struggled mightily in the first half, but got it going in the second half. This dude can really hoop whether he has the shot going or not! 

My favorite interaction of the night was the battle between David Thompson and Cameron Daniel. These are literally two of the nicest guys in the world and they we’re in a heated physical battle. It’s nice to see these guys bring out the best in each other! 

This game would end in a blow victory for Primetime 4.0 as they continue to prove the doubters wrong with their second consecutive blowout win.

Players of the game:

• Manny Sutton - I don’t think Manny actually had to try in this game, but still ended up with 12 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal. The depth of this team is ridiculous. 
• Adam Liu - Adam's defense set the tone for his team's victory. Along with Mooch, David Thompson, and Jacob Miller, they combined for 9 steals. 
• Jacob Miller - Despite the tough shooting night, Jacob’s commitment to defense and finding open teammates made a huge difference!

BOSTON THREE PARTY 52 VS DANZIG WITH THE STARS 50

BY JAMIL BALL

Subject: The Boston Three Party continues to tempt fate in a win

The Boston Three Party was totally out of sync at to start of the game. Between the missed layups, turnovers, and airballs they didn’t resemble the team that won impressively in week 1. 

For Danzig With the Stars, Jacob Held (14 points, 4 steals, 27 rebounds) and Mike Garofalo (21 points, 3 steals, and 8 rebounds) duo continues to impress. They were literally unstoppable on both ends of the court. 

Danzig With the Stars led 28 - 20 going into the half, but the Boston Three Party proved no lead is safe after as they mounted a furious comeback for the second consecutive week. 

Led by Rich DiSola (17 points, 3 steals, and 10 rebounds) The Boston Three Party got it going in the second half. In addition to Rich, Jonathan Abreu (10 points and 11 rebounds), Eric Li (7 points and 5 rebounds), and Richard Beato ( 7 points, 2 steals, and 6 rebounds) hit clutch shot after clutch shot.

In the closing minutes of the game, both teams would trade baskets as the score remained close. Carlos Cruz’s (8 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists)  free throws on a very questionable foul would tie the game with seconds left in regulation.

For the second week in a row, The Boston Three Party led by Rich DiSola called the game with little to no time left on the shot clock. Rich scored the game-winning basket after collecting an offensive rebound on his own missed shot. 

Matty J may have struggled from three, but he did a heck of a job coaching and guiding his team to victory. 

Players of the game:

• Jonathan Abreu - Jonathan is not a center, but did a heck of a job guarding Jacob Held which isn’t an easy task for anyone. He struggled early on but found his rhythm when they needed him the most. 
• Rich DiSola - There’s no question that the Splash King has the clutch DNA. His player rating would be through the roof if this was 2K. Just give that man the ball and let him cook dammit!  

Mazz leads the way.

by ANDRE JONES

Player of the game: Nick Mazzeo

COTE:

Nick came out firing in the beginning of this game, but then Monclova started playing pestering defense midway through the game. Mazz managed to hit big shots throughout the game that seemed to always put a dagger in the hearts of Gear PF despite all of their efforts. Mazz lead all scorers with 23 points and was clutch from long distance shooting 50% 5/10.

Mazz partner in crime Liam Corrigan showed up as usual with 11 points and 2 steals.

Aidan Enright came up big time this game with 12 points and was nailing his shots from 3 going 2/4.

Evan Valcourt was a force on the boards again with 12. He needs to take his time and make himself more of a presence when he sees a smaller defender on him.

Jamil was a force defensively with 3 steals and 9 defensive rebounds.

Gear PF:

What can I say they fought and played hard in the paint. Their constant acting of the offensive glass is what made them stay in this game. A team total of (17) WoW! Impressive. David, Brad and Deron just kept on fighting and giving this team second chances offensively.

Todd Dowrey was hitting the mid-range shot. He scored 14 points 2/5 for three point land.

Miguel Monclava stepped up big time defensively using his height and size to cause Mazz fits and impeded his progress to some degree. If it weren’t for him switching defensively this game would’ve been a whole lot different. Mazz probably would’ve scored 30 something. Miguel scored 10 points and had 5 rebounds.

Both David Dias and Deron Hines combined for 12 points 16 rebounds. They were both aggressive attacking the offensive glass.

Hamza Abdul was completely off, and I do mean off. 0/9 from 3-point range. He was a force on the boards though 13 rebounds and made himself a presence defensively with 4 steals.

Henry Morales scored 4 points, 6 rebounds and 1 steal.

Franchise League Week 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 26, 2023

Week 2

Game 2 Get That D 67 vs West End Johnnies 70

 by CHAS BELLS

Talbot got things going with a drive, and Kerk doing his best Grant impression splashed a 3 5-0. Liam stopped the momentum with a 3. Talbot 3 ball, then he connected on a middy, Kerk with another sexy 3. Joel would cash a jumper, and then dime Harry 15-11. West Ends pssing was so good as Kerk/walker Give nd go magic. Get that D was hanging around though Harry 1-2, followed by a Joel J 17-14. Divine got cooking wth a cut, and then 2 of a steal, and then a nifty drive it was 29-20. Liam would connect on a 3 to keep pace, but Talbot was a man on mission as he slashed in for 2. West end would get the lead up to 13 after another Divine bucket but a nice push from Get that D at the end of the half Civale trey , and then Post Harry 38-30 at the break. 

Joel 3 out of the gate , then Civale trey ball, West end would punch back with a big run, and after a Talbot J it was 46-37 with 16 min to go.Talbot went down clutching his knee, and it doesnt look good WTF!! Joel stays with it and got 2, Civale hot from 3, Joel J but West end had an answer all night as Walker post, Kerk splash 3 made it 51-44. Liam wasnt done doing work as he drove in, and then hot another 3 it was just a 53-50 game with 9 to go. Paul got a midrange to go, followed by a big Divine 3 58-50. Joel J/Ini drive /Joel J, but Kerk was the killer tonight as he nailed a bigtime 3 64-56. Civale would not go quietly into the night as he got 2 straight 3’s to go 64-62. Divine converts nice scoop over 2 guys and it was FT time, but West End struggled to put this one way. Joel gets fouled shooitng a 3 he hits all of them 67-67, this one looked like OT. Divine the hero hits crazy floater , and then Get That D had a bad turnover to end it 70-67 thriller!!!!!!

Get that D

Harry-A-) I gota say Harry balled out, passing was good/D was good/ and POST HARRY was here

Joel-B+-He was solid, got lost on D a bit though 

Liam-B-) Quiet for stretches then would go on burst, but needs to be more spread out

Ini-C-0-4 ft’s and only 6 pts wont get it done

Civale-B-was toasty from 3 , but where are my rebounds ?

West End

Talbot-A- GET BETTER SOON MY MAN!!!!

Walker-B-) Was quiet but rebounded well 

Kerk-A+- Hero mode, played one of the best games ive seen him play

Divine-A-Game winner was crazy, but he finished over double teams a bunch 

Paul-B-Rebounded well, and splashed a J

Game 3 1$ for All All for $1 61 VS Luka 64

By CHAS BELLS

Oully came out storming hiting 3 and middy 5-0. Titties finishes obrd, but Keith J kept lead at 5 7-2 17 min. Tits and Oully trade hoops. Koller J, Tities 3 and we were knotted up at9 15 min. Young would give 1$ the edge as he got a 3 to go 16-15, but B.Mac was a bulldozer and ripped off a run byhimself and it was 24-16, as Titties connected. William would hit a ft, and J ball, but Tities jumper kept the edge 26-19. Keith $ a 3,but Koller ord leads to B.Mac trey 29-22. Gold finally in on the act finishes an obrd, but Koller with the 3 gave them fits. 1$ would go on a nice push to end the half Keith 3/Oully transition 2/ Young 3 it was 36-32 at the break. 

Tities continued his great night with a J, and then Koller post 40-32. William/B.Mac trade hoops. Williams hits 3 42-37, 42-39 after tough bucket from Keith. Koller middy/ B.Mac drive 48-39 trying to sneak away, but Keith 3 ball keeps them in it 48-42. B.Mac/Koller just kept getting buckets 55-42, but a big Dave 3 gave his team life, and Oully would hit a 3 of his own, and the got a layup 55-50 6 min to go. B.Mac crazy floater but Keith’s 3, made it just a 57-53 game. It would turn into FT time, but Luka could not put this one away, as another Keith 3 made it just 63-61. 1$ would have their chances but some bad possession down the stretch caused the game to end 64-61. 

1$

Keith-A-)Shooting was very good, gota call timeouts and get better plays at the end there. 

Gold-C+-6 dimes is good, but he was hesitant today, he will get better every week 

Oully-B-he was good, this teams needs hm to be great. Take more shots 

Young-B-)Much better outing , getting more comfortable 

Dave-C-) My main man been very quiet so far 

William-B-played ok, but I love his energy , that stuff goes a long way. 

Luka

B.Mac-A-) Bullozing and stuffing stas sheets, thats what he does 

Koller-A+- My MVP of the session so far

Tities-A-All over the fuckign place, looking like steal of draft 

Willy-C-)Mama said their be days like this 

Game 4 Super Hoopers 77 vs STAT 69

By CHAS BELLS

Mulv got things going witha  trey ball, Harding responds with smooth J. B.Mac /Nair got cutting baskets 7-2 17 min. Frongi trying to get his team going hits 3 8-5. Mulv obrd work, but Rosi splashes 3, and Harding ties it with drive 10-10. Nair j, Harding steal and finish. Rosi would break the tie with 2 straight walk up 3’s 20-14 Super up. Stat bucket but Rosi 3 , you might want to cover that 23-19. Mulv sick pass to Nair, Djorde hook shot to keep pace 25-21 10 min. Harding nice finish, but Mulv hits floater, Stat put in, and another Mulv bucket lead to this game being tied ar 32 all. Djorde /STAT trade post hoops, but a Landon 3 gave Stats team the 37-34 lead at the break. 

Harding J , and then another hoop off broken play 38-37 Super back up. Rosi 2-2, but Nair with some razzle dazzle hits middy, Mulv 1-2 to tie things 40-40. Harding 3 ball, but Landon hits a 3 of hs own. Nair liked that so much he hit 2 straight 3’s and then added a J it was a shocking 51-43. Rosi big time 3, why are they letting him shoot? Nair 2-2, Harding drive/Stat 1-2, but then another Nair 57-48. Rosi always turns on in these moments , and he gets a 3 to go, and a runner, after a harding  3 it was 60-56 Stat up. Nair 3 ball up it was good his 5th of the half 63-56. Jakobson nice J, then Rosi tough drive brought them closer. 1 min to go Stas team misses easy shot openign the door for a rosi walk 3 it was up and gooooooooooood we go to OT. 

Harding trey, but Nair 3 to tie it. Super would run away after that as Stats team just could connect 77-69 great game, greta win for super. 

Stats team

Nair-A-Kids a starrrrrrrr

Landon-B-Nice shooting, he got cooked on the perimiter a lil biy

Mulv-A-) One of the best games Ive seen from him

Stat-B-Good numbers but gota call timeouts and change the D when Rosi is cooking

Super

Rosi-A- Big giant balls 3 ballllllllllllllllllll

Harding-A-Was the smooth assassin killer

Frongi-C+-started well , kinda disappeared 

Jakobson-C-) they need a little more from him. 

Djorde-B+-He plays like this he will always give youre team a chance to win

B2 5v5 TUE WEEK 2 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 26, 2023

Week 2

By WADA KING

NNHS(65) vs Plenty Of Lotion(55) 

NNHS with a dominant win 

First game of week two was a dominant win for NNHS from start to finish. Which is not surprising because of their dominant win last week against Jack Daniels. The only surprise was how bad plenty of lotion played after losing big last week, and the expectation coming into this game was they would play much better. As for the game NNHS was very good and they seemed to be a step ahead of plenty of lotion on both ends on the court. They was playing beautiful basketball, from moving the ball on the half court setting to making the perfect pass during a fast break. Leading the charge for the great passing was philip and mike accumulating a total of 9 assists combined. Their great ball movement and defense led them to a 37-21 lead at the half.  But credit to plenty of lotion, they made a big push led by last week's superstar Guy to give NNHS a little sweat. But even though they went on a run unfortunately for plenty of lotion it was not enough to get them over a very good team like NNHS.

Terminator(43) vs Hess Express(67)

Rebound is key

Coming into this game with an 0-1 record Hess Express made sure that they get a W this week. They completely punished the Terminator on the bounds and it led to so many second or even third chance buckets at the rim. They also played well defensively against a team in the terminator who had an impressive win last week. Hess in the first half had well balanced scoring from top to bottom and that led them to having a 15 point lead going into the second. At the end of the game there was 4 players in double digits for Hess.

Eastie Hoops(80) vs Jack Daniels(61) 

Eastie looking dominant again

Coming into this game eastie hoops was a very heavy favorite after last week's dominant win against Plenty of Lotion. And unfortunately for Jack Daniels they have faced what seems to be the best two teams so far in NNHS last week and Eastie Hoops this week. But going into the game Eastie hoops picked up right where they left from last week. They are a very good and smart basketball team on both ways of the court. As always everyone did their job, Joseph was a rebounding machine with 12 rebounds, the two point guards Kyle and Lucas dropping dimes to their teammates with them getting 6 and 4 assists respectively. They both also shot a crazy 66% from the three as well. Overall it was a team effort that led to this dominant win for Eastie Hoops.

Miyagi Fang(60) vs Players Make Plays(47)

Miyagi-Fang first W

After a tough close loss last week to the Terminators, Miyagi Fang came to play in this game. This was a tough physical game and there was a lot of fouling going on from both teams. But Miyagi-Fang capitalized from all the physicality from shooting well from the free throw line. They also had a player like vladi who was 5 for 5 from the 3 point line. Players make plays tried to comeback but it was not enough because they could not stop Miyagi. 

B2 5v5 THU Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 24, 2023

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.

Over-30 Legends Write-Ups Week 1

by Jason on Jan. 24, 2023

Week 1 Write-Ups

Game 1 Hot Goyle Winter Vs The Gold Show

Hot Goyle Summer 65 Skelley 58

by HANKS

Game 1 featured Chas running back his championship squad Hot Goyle Summer into its winter incarnation taking on Skelley’s team. Derek traded up to snag the number 1 pick specifically to take Gold and looked to fill out his draft with the rest of his crew. Hot Goyle Winter was the favorite coming into this game due to their championship pedigree but Gold can be a one man scoring machine so it looked to be a great matchup. 

Chas started things off with a 3, showing Team Skelley they can’t leave him open from deep and Gold responded by getting to the rim for a layup. Derek added a putback. Gold would pour in his team's next 8 points but Goyle continued to play tough, with Weinstein getting to the line and Chas banking in a tough And-1. Chas dimed up Kodra for a 3 and had another layup and it was 16-12 Goyle with 12 left to play. Gold continued to make his case for being the number 1 pick, finishing the half with 19 points. Goyle stayed in it by moving the ball well and getting great looks and would take the lead on a Weinstein midrange jumper, going into the half up 31-28. 

Gold, Kodra and Skelley all scored to start the second half and Goyle held on to a 3 point lead. Kodra got a tough and-1 layup but Gold would answer with a 3 and it was still Goyle by 3 with 14 left to play. Weinstein would score 6 straight and keep getting to the line and Chas hit another 3 and Goyle held on to their lead. Gold would then hit 3 straight 3’s from halfcourt and within a minute, Goyle’s lead was down to 4. Everytime Team Skelley made a run however, Goyle had answers. This time it was Kodra for 3 and a layup. Gold connected on a big 4 point play late, but with time winding down, they would be forced to send Goyle to the line, where Chas, Kodra and Weinstein hit just enough to keep the lead safe. Goyle would escape the Josh Gold barrage with a 7 point win. It’s safe to say Gold needed some help from his teammates on the offensive end, adding Dunton should help. Goyle looks to be the same well-oiled machine they were last season, and will be one of the top tier teams once again. 

Hot Goyle

Bohnaker C- couldn't get the shots to fall, but played solid defense and rebounded

Chas A made some great assists and got buckets, even with an injured hamstring

Weinstein A consistent offensive production, 8/9 from the free throw line

Kodra A hit a few big 3s and was aggressive getting to the rim

Skelley

Gold A+ 43 points, several highlight plays, was a menace

Skelley B+ executed some nice pick and rolls with Josh, but was exploited on defense

Worth C he needs to be more aggressive on offense, he can hit shots, needs to take more

Piasta  C- rough night coming off injury, he will be more impactful as the season progresses

Lindsey C had a bucket

Game 2 Hanks Vs Randal

By CHAS

Frano got his busy day started with a nice hook shot. Arria running the floor got 2, then Lagno added a 3 ball. Frano kep tpace with a post bucket, and then cashed a J, then added an Obrd put in he was balling 8-5 Hanks up. Lagno 3, but Paul also hits 3 11-8. Randal/Murphy got buckets followed by an Arria 3, Murphy and 1, then Randal finish they were rolling 19-10. Frano stopped the bleeding with an and 1 but a Lagno 3 contiinued the assault, Arria strong drive, Lagno finish, things really went off the rails from here Arria kept running, kept getting layups it was 40-22 at the break. 

Things did not get better in the 2nd half Arria continued to be a bucket, the closest the score would get would be 46-32, but it was an Ugly night without Kap , for Hanksey’s squad. 77-52.

Team Randal

Randal-B+-Contiuing his versailtle play from last session. Setting up his boys on O, snatching steals 

Arria-A-Nearly a flawless game, dude just jept beatign them down the court over and over again. 

Lagno-A-)Was toasty from 3 , snatching boards looked really really good 

Murphy-B-Rock solid big man night, layed controlled and poised. 

Team Hanks

Paul-B-) Good numbers but they were not the most impactful. 5 dimes is always nice. 

Hanks-D- We all have games like this sometimes, he will bounce back

Luigi-B-) Dude hustles hard I love it, just gota play a little more controlled 

Frano-A- 30 pts/14 rbs and still get beta by over 20, not a good trend 

Tomar-B-)Hustled hard coudlnt get one of those 3 balls to go. 

Game 3 Joels Vs EJ

By CHAS

EJ was wet to start the ball game 3-0. Frongi started his big day off with a trey ball of his own 3-3. Stotcha/B.Robb both traded 3’s no feildgoals here 6-6. Dany/Joel converted floaters, B.Robb powered in for 2 but Dany splashed a 3 ball, followed by a Staiger 3 16-8. Civale in on the cat gets two in the post 16-10 15 min. Joel/Civale both score in the post, and then Staiger added a J 20-12. Casey wets a 3, then adds an Obrd put in better box him out, Civale post work made it a 1 pt game 20-19. Dany changes the momentum with a 3, but Casey was heating up as he connected on long 23-22 12 min. Civale would hit another 3 after a frongi j and we were tied at 25 all. Casey hits 3 , Dany dimes up Joel 29-29. Frongi 3 ball, then Dany/Civale trade 2’s 34-31. Frongi floater , then Dany 3 trying to pull away 40-31. Civale post , B.Robb 3 put an end to that41-39. Frongi continued his assault with another floater , and then a layup in transition it was 47-41 at the break, what a half!

Joel post got 2, but Civale was hot from 3, Dany would convert a drive to try and cool things 51-44. Nope another Civale 3, B.robb/Casey would both finish O boards and we were tied at 51 with 17 min to go. Dany floater, but B.Robb J, Staiger would geta  3 to go for the edge56-53. Civale post, Casey 3 they ahd the lead 58-56. Frongi in blackout mode cashes a 3 for the lead, but Casey wasnt having it as he hit another trey, EJ with the razzle dazzle post move, then Casey steal and finish they were rolling, Danner dimed up B.Robb 67-59. Frongi would not go quietly into the night as he cashed a middy then $ a 3 67-64 they have life! Nope Casey 3 u and good , Civale 3, Casey drive, and this one looked over. Joels boys would not quit, Frongi filthy floater, Joel hots a captain 3 it was 78-74, but Casey smelled blood, and convrted 2 straight easy bucktes for the win 83-76. 

EJ’s Team

Casey-A+-Man on a mission, league may be in trouble 

B.Robb-A-Was solid all ove the court, he plays like this they are an easy contender 

Danner-C+-His defense was good again, like to see some buckets

EJ-B-)Managed the game well, had the razzle dazzle post move

Amir-D-Momma said there be days like this 

Civale-A-Perfect game for him n this team. Arrow up. 

Joels Team

Joel-B+-Thought he was very good, maybe needed to shoot even more. 

Dany-B+-solid for most but faded down the stretch

Frongi-A-What an outing !! got beat up int he post a bit, but mad he was a fucking scoring machine. 

Staiger-B-) he will ne a good piece for them, liek to see one more of those 3’s go in. 

Stull-D-Ditto Amir, there will be better nights. 

Game 4 Harry Vs S.Mul 

By CHAS

Cawley went 2-2 to start this one off 2-0. Brother to Brother J.Mul finds S.Mul 2-2 17:40 to go. Ian J, Matty 3, and then obrd put in 9-3. Cody would get a floater to go 9-5 15 min mark. Ian trey was good, and Matty added a drive 14-5. Kielley would come on the scene with a trey, and he liked it so he did it again 14-11 13 min. Cawley 2 after a nice cut, Clarke would go 1-2, and Keilley with a slashing drive, Clarke would tie things with an off window floater 16 all. Matty/s.Mul trade buckets, but Clarke working finishes obrd20-18 9 min. S.Mul orbd work of his own, but Cawley calms things going 2-2. There goes that man Baller Bonvie for trey swishhhhhh 25-20, Clarke gets 2 after Bonvie hustle 27-20. Cawley post put in then shake shimmy J 27-24. S.Mul /Cawley would trade buckets to end the half 29-26. 

Baller Bonvie lined up a deep 3 to start the half 32-26. Matty drive to keep pace 32-28. Kielley would get 2 straight buckets, followed by a Bonvie trey thisone was getting away from Harrys sqaud , Kielley canned a 3 to make things worse 42-29. Kielley would add 2 ft’s, but then Matty middy, and then River 3 ball to cut the lead to 10 44-34 13 min to go. Clarke /Matty trade 2’s, but then a J.Mul trey 49-38 10 to go. S.Mul’s team would go ona  6 -0 run after that , and that was all she wrote. Harry did not look pleased on the sidelines as they fell 66-57. 

Harrys Team

Harry-C+) he boarded well. I wanted more coaching , more yelling !

Cawley-B-) Just decent, and this teams need him to be spectacular 

Matty-B-Filled up the stat sheet, but didnt seem to make a huge impact on the game 

Ian-C+-They need more from him. 

River-C-) The hustle didnt translate like it usually does. 

Carey-D- Not much action out there

S.Muls Team

S.Mul-B-good not great , but did what they needed. 

J.Mul-C-) very very quiet 1-5 ft lie no bueno 

Cody-B-) shot was way off, but I see potential 

Kielley-A-Very impactful, high energy, slashing and hitting 

Bonvie-A-) Hustled hit 3 ‘s and dimed what more could you ask for. 

Clarke-B+- Was finsihign the best ive see him. Hustled hard too. 

B2 5v5 SUN Write-Ups Week 1

by Jason on Jan. 23, 2023

By BRENDAN MURRAY

WEEK 1 

Game 1: Unreliables 60 Wyld Stallyns 40

Unreliables looking Reliable

This game was close out the gates but quickly the Unreliables took a commanding lead with some great ball movement and some nice individual performances. Eric Fleming would lead the way with a game high 18 pts to go with 5 reb and 2 ast. He had a good mix of mid range buckets and attacking the rim all game. Felix Trede also had a great game running the offense effectively and flirting with a triple double finishing with 13 pts 13 reb and 6 ast. There really wasn't much the Wyld Stallyns could do with these two especially on the fast break. Darryl Auguste would also pitch in with 11 pts and 5 reb and Michael Lamb finished with a game high 6 steals. A real team win for these guys hopefully this is the start of a successful season.

For the Wyld Stallyns though it was a loss they had some guys who came to play and kept them close for the early portion of this game. Anthony Scanzo- Masiero would lead the team with 17 pts on some really nice shooting from deep finishing 5-9 from the 3 pt line to go with 6 reb and 4 ast. This was definitely a good game for him and I hope to see more of the same next week. Kevin O’brien also would finish with 16 pts and was a menace on the fast break for stretches of this game. Ethan Collins also was a force on defense finishing with 9 reb 3 stl 2 blk 3 ast. Hopefully these guys can flip the script next week. 

 

Game 2: Cheese Boys 45 Thank You University 41

Thank you University can’t thank the Cheeseboys

Thank you University came away with a tough loss in week one with a narrow defeat from the Cheeseboys of just 4 points. Kevin Toomey was strong on the boards finishing with 10 pts, 9 rebs and 4 asts. He was a force in the paint all night long.  Greg Palazzo showed great hustle on loose balls finishing with 3 stls on top of his 6 pts and 6 rebs. The team was really led by the shooting from Andrew Pratt as he knocked down 4 3’s and ended with 17 pts, 9 rebs and 2 blks but unfortunately it wasn’t enough for The Cheeseboys. Hopefully Thank You University can come away with a win after a tough loss in week 1.

The Cheeseboys came away with a thrilling win in their first game. Early in the game it looked sloppy for The Cheeseboys as Ben Hayes and the rest of the team were launching from 3 and couldn’t get one to fall. Ryan Mumford was also a threat to the team by taking 4 personal fouls in the first half with only 5 players but was able to hold it together in the 2nd half. He would finish with 8 pts 7 reb 3 ast and was a force on the interior all night long. Late in the game Jack Woods rallied the team as he led the way for The Cheeseboys with 17 points 7 reb and 4 ast as they started to connect in the 2nd half and therefore snuck out with a 4 point win. Shoutout to Ben Hayes who started out cold but knocked down two of the biggest threes in the game down the stretch. 
 

Game 3: Terminator 2 73 Splash Brows 34

Terminator 2 terminates the splash bros

 Unfortunately The Splash Bros could not come away with a win in week 1. Mark Petros and Dave Bibb started in foul trouble early in the game as Terminator 2 took advantage and rolled to an easy victory. The Splash Bros were led by Waseem Givens with 10 pts and 10 rebounds. Although the game wasn't very close Givens kept his team locked in and showed some great hustle. Yvon Hartt also had a nice game finishing with 9 pts and 6 rebs getting some nice layups on the fast break. He definitely showed some potential for a good season. Petros, though in early foul trouble also would finish with 8 pts a blk and an ast. Unfortunately they weren’t in the game very long but definitely showed some signs of potential. Hopefully they can look to get some rest and come back very strong next sunday.

Terminator 2 could not be stopped as 3 players led the way with double figures. Carl Bunge had 17 along with 10 rebs and 2 asts. He was dominant on the fast break and Splash Bros really did not have an answer for him. Zach Taylor had 22 pts 10 rebs 4 ast and was a force from three finishing 3-6 from long range. Tom Bissell would finish with a game high 29 pts to go with 11 rebs and 2 ast. He managed to have a nice mix of points in the paint and from the three point line. They also could not be stopped at the glass as each of those 3 players also recorded 10 plus rebounds along with their points. The Hustle from this team was out matched from the tip. Terminator 2 rolls into week 2 looking like one of the strongest teams we’ve seen so far, hopefully they can keep this up throughout the season.

 

Game 4: Commando 53 THEM 35

Commando Takes Down THEM

This game was definitely closer than the final score might indicate as Commando would come away with a definitive win but THEM kept this game in respectable range for the most part. For Commando Max Heinrich would lead the way with 21 pts 17 reb and 4 ast and looked like the best player on the court for long stretches of this game. He would have plenty of help as Jake also had a very efficient game finishing with 17 pts 5 reb 2 ast. These two were a problem for THEM all game long constantly hitting tough shots in big moments. Troy was also a huge factor in this game crashing the boards all game and finishing with 8 pts 14 reb and 4 ast. For Commando they come in looking like an early favorite and will be interesting to see how they fair this season. 

For THEM they definitely showed a ton of potential and some great hustle. Once they figure out how to mesh their pieces together they could have a very successful season. They were led by Adam Sweet who would finish this game with 13 pts 3 reb and a stl. He was great at cutting to the basket throughout this game. Dan Kimmett also added some nice plays finishing with 9 pts and 9 rebs and hustled throughout the game. Also Zach Doyle would go on to finish with a game high 5 steals which gave THEM some great opportunities in transition. Hopefully for THEM they can get rebound from a tough loss this week and get their first win. 

B2 5v5 TUE Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 23, 2023

B2 5v5 TUE Week 1 Write-Ups 

by WADA KING

Miyagi- Fang 72 Vs Terminators 74

Basketball is  the game of runs.

This game was a great opening act for Tuesday's  B2 5v5 Winter 23 season. Both teams had hot shootings during certain parts of the game. In the beginning the Terminators came out looking to terminate, they were very hot from the three in the first half shooting around 60%. They were  moving the ball well and keeping Miyagi-Fang on their heels. Leading the charge was both Chris young and Zach Taylor with Young scoring 9 points and Taylor scoring 15 points in the first half. Taylor was super aggressive in attacking the rim and being a bulldog and young was the long range sniper. Both Young and Taylor played a big part in the Terminator having an 11 point lead. But the game has two halves and Miyang-Fang came out to play in the second half. The defense kick up a little bit and they did a good job of diffusing the three point shooting of the terminators that was killing them in the first. Leading the charge for Miyagi-Fang offensively was John Harding who was on fire. Harding scored a game high  26 points and shot 83% from the three, him and his teammates was amazing down the stretch but they could not top the Terminators in a close game.

Jack Daniels 59 vs NNHS 80

NNHS with the Win

This game was a good game in the beginning, both teams played well on both sides of the ball. Jack Daniels was shooting well from the three and it was mainly contributed by Dave Ricker and Christopher Cassel in the first half. Cassel was out there like a sniper and Ricker was sniping as well as being a bull near the rim. But despite all that they were still down going into the second half. Going into the second half NNHS turned it up and started playing much better than they played in the first. They managed to contain Jack Daniels through physical defense and they accumulated a whooping 13 steals from that as a team. Offensively the team had well balanced scoring with 4 players in double digits and that led to them blowing out Jack Daniels with a pretty convincing victory. 

Plenty Of Lotion 63 vs Eastie Hoops 86

Eastie Hooping right now

This was a very good and competitive game, both teams have good individual players that work well together. But unfortunately for plenty of lotion Eastie Hoops was on one this game. The team played an all around game both offensively and defensively. Leading the charge for Eastie was Ryan Willis who had a very great three level scoring night with 29 points, he attacked the rim, efficient from the midrange and good at the three point line. Although Plenty of Lotion had a very elite and efficient scorer, who dropped 24 points, in Guy Pistone it still was not enough for the barrage of team scoring and team defense that Eastie Hoops came with.

Players Make Plays 71 vs Hess Express 65

Overtime thriller for week 1

There’s no better way to end the first day of the season than a overtime thriller, and that is what the last game gave us. Both teams were going at it and were evenly matched. There was a lot of tough shot making by individuals between both teams. Players make plays started off hot and played a good game and it showed with 4 of their players scoring in double digits. Hess Express on the other hand had a comeback and hit a big shot to put the game to overtime. The team was spearheaded Tucker, who got on fire in the second half, with a game high of 26 points. But unfortunately it was not enough fo Hess to take the Dub.

Saturday Draft League Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 22, 2023

WEEK 1 WRITE-UPS

71 Rip Hamilton   FINAL 62 Saturday Morning Hypothermia

Subject: Rip Hamilton gets a run for their money in 71-62 victory.

BY SHAWN WISE

In the first game of the season, Rip Hamilton literally didn’t show up ready to play. Number 1 overall pick, Jamal, didn’t show up until 3 minutes after tipoff. Immediately after subbing himself into the game, Jamal would miss his first two 3-point attempts. Also contributing to the slow start for Rip Hamilton, Jamil would go 0-4 from 3 in the first half, ending the half with just 1 point.

During the second half Jamal and Jamil would find their offensive rhythm. Jamal would have 22 of his eventual 37 points and Jamil would score 13. Ian provides a secondary downlow presence teams will have to account for, chipping in 11 rebounds and drawing 3 shooting fouls on post moves.

On the other side, Saturday Morning Hypothermia (SMH) started the game with great chemistry and was able to jump out to an early lead. SMH had great ball movement and would end up with 5 players in double figure points. Jorge was a defensive force in the first half with 3 blocks and 1 steal at the intermission. Jorge would finish with a team high 22 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Ruff began to find his shot at the end of last season and was able to carry that shooting over to start this session, making 3-4 from deep. DTO and Dylan would contribute 11 and 10 points. SMH

Rip Hamilton sits on top of the power rankings and deserves to stay there until someone knocks them off.

Players of the game:

·         Jorge Morel: Jorge was the by far the best player for his team and was the only person on the court that stood a chance of trying to keep Jamal off the offensive boards.

·         Jamal Brown: Jamal had an “ugly” 37, 18, and 4 stat line by his standards. The rest of the league better be careful when he has a “good” game.

53 Ghost Rider   FINAL 51 To The Rak

Subject: Ghost Rider overcomes early deficit to beat The Rak in OT. 
By JAMIL BALL

Ghost Rider vs The Rak was by far the most entertaining matchup on the docket this morning. I didn’t write any pre-game lines this week, but I would’ve had the Rak as heavy favorites. Both teams looked a bit rusty earlier on, which resulted in lots of turnovers and a couple of missed layups, but there was clearly no shortage of confidence and enthusiasm as they continued to chuck. 

The 4th overall pick Cam Daniels made his CAC debut and didn’t disappoint with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. He even took on the challenge of guarding Kevin Devine, which some may argue had some undesired results, but never the less he played well.

Mike “Ghost” Fraher (22 points and 7 rebounds) anchored their offense. When they needed a basket Ghost stepped up consistently and they literally rode him to victory, no pun intended. 

Both teams would go into the half tied 27 - 27, to the dismay of the spectators it was pretty clear this game was going down to the wire. The star of the game was Kevin Devine (30 points, 20 rebounds, and 2 steals). Ghost Riders had no answer for this dude and despite Cam Daniels's efforts, he didn’t stand a chance in the post. 

The Rob Wood (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Kevin Devine combination kept The Rak within reach, but they would inevitably run out of gas as the game went on. 

In the closing minutes with the game tied at 47, Kevin had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation. He got a good look in the paint, despite being surrounded by 3 defenders. This game would go into OT, but you could clearly tell the momentum was with the Ghost Riders. 

Musse would go on to hit a dagger, which put them in control of the game and allowed them to pull off a very close victory. 

Players of the game: 

• Kevin Devine - Was by far the best player on the court at all times in this matchup. I’m used to seeing him distribute the ball, so it’s nice to see him take a more aggressive approach offensively because his team needed it. 
• Mike “Ghost” Fraher - Ghost is just a bucket and was a huge reason his team was able to pull out the victory. The aren’t many guys who can score with the efficiency and consistency that he does. 

44 LEBOV   FINAL 52 Slick When Wet

Subject: No Adwaith, no problem as Slick When Wet pull of the upset 

By JAMIL BALL

Slick When Wet pulled off the biggest upset of the day. With Adwaith not in attendance, I didn’t think they stood a chance, but boy was I wrong! Slick When Wet led this one from start to finish and this matchup was never in doubt. 

Getting to the action, Led by their experienced captain EJ AKA Slick SWW had the best chemistry of any team that played today. Whatever deficit existed from a talent level, they were quickly able to overcome through fantastic ball movement, enthusiastic defense, and most importantly fantastic shooting from deep. 

SWW was significantly undermanned with only 4 starters in attendance, but it was an extremely balanced offensive output as all players were able to reach double digits (EJ (13 points and 8 Rebounds), Shawn (12 points and 22 rebounds), Alan (15 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists), and Patrick (12 points and 8 rebounds). 

I’ve covered this league for a couple of seasons now and I can’t say I’ve seen Patrick, EJ, or Shawn play as well as they did today on both ends of the court. Despite not being named play of the game, Patrick had a fantastic all-around game and hit multiple big shots! He was also very impressive on the defensive end, forcing turnovers and creating havoc. 

Despite LEBOV’s struggles on both ends of the court, you can tell they’ll improve as the season continues. Much of their struggles can be attributed to a lack of chemistry and rust. Djordje Vlajkovic didn’t struggle, his matchup with Shawn was extremely entertaining. 

Like Shawn, DV (22 points and 21 rebounds) would have a monster game in a losing effort. He did everything he could possibly do on both ends of the court. Adam Ellabidy (15 points and 7 rebounds) is on my “Rookie of The Session” radar, played extremely well and I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he’s capable of. 

Despite the loss, Lebov has the talent to be a contender in this league. I expect them to bounce back next week and I have no doubt Harry will play a lot better than he did today. 

Players of the game: 

• Djordje Vlajkovic - DV had a monster 20/20 game as he looks to make good on his plan to average ridiculous numbers throughout this season. 
• Shawn Wise - Shawn played more assertively than I’ve ever seen him play. Anytime someone grabs 22 rebounds and rejects 2 shots in a winning effort, they have to be in consideration for Player of the game! 

B Draft Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 20, 2023

WEEK 1 WRITE-UPS

By Ian Cundall

Robel gets the last laugh in OT win over Harry

Kicking off the Winter 2023 B Draft season we had a matchup between Harry and Robel’s teams. As you’d expect, Harry had his team at the top of his preseason power rankings, while he had Robel’s near the bottom. With tip off seconds away Robel had not arrived so my hope for a competitive game was waning quickly. The start of the game did nothing to change my opinion as while both teams struggled, Harry’s team was struggling less mainly because of Ghost. He was on fire to start the game knocking down short jumpers and hook shots with ease as Robel’s team had no one to guard him (as predicted by me in the preview). Vladi was facilitating things well, aka getting the ball to Ghost and even though Tucker was struggling, he still commanded a lot of attention which gave Ghost that 1v1 matchup. It was 17-7 after another Ghost jump shot, but MacDonald finally got things going with a pair of drives to the rim. He was really the only offense for Robel’s team as he still hadn’t arrived and Joel, Costa and the Great One were off.

With 10 minutes left in the first half, it was 20-15 Harry’s team, but suddenly, the lights dimmed and ominous music started playing. Smoke started pouring in the doors and some cheap pyrotechnics went off. Out of the smoke a large figure emerged, Robel had arrived. You could see the fear come over Harry at this moment and I knew we were in for a game. Robel entered and immediately made an impact on defense grabbing a steal and blocking a shot which led to a Joel and-one to make it a two-point game. After another miss from Vladi, Ben got to the rim to tie it at 20-20, making it a 9-0 run for Robel’s team. Tucker finally stopped the bleeding with his first points of the game and Ghost knocked down a couple more shots giving Harry’s team some life. Robel would score four points in the last few of the half, so we went into halftime with Harry’s team holding a slim lead at 30-26. Ghost led the way for Harry’s team with 16 and Vladi had five points and seven assists.  Meanwhile, for Robel’s team, Ben had 12 and every other player had 2-5 points.

Both teams came out sluggish, but after a Joel three, Robel’s team grabbed their first lead since the early stages of the game. The offensive lull continued for the next few minutes as though both teams were getting good looks, nothing was falling. Eventually, after seven or so minutes of the second half had gone by, the lid over the basket came off and Vladi and the Great One exchanged threes. That really opened things up and both teams started to get going and went back and forth within a one basket window. A steal and basket by Ben gave Robel the lead at 41-40, but Gilles answered with a huge three to give Harry the lead back at 43-41. Costa answered with a nice drive to the basket, but then Tucker knocked down his only three to make it 46-43. Some good defense from Post Harry stymied Robel, but he was unable to stop Ben in transition, committing a Harry foul, as Ben threw up a ridiculous floater from the foul line that somehow went in. Ben missed the free throw, but that circus shot made it 48-47. Harry made up for his foul with a clutch jumper to make it 50-47, but a MacDonald layup and Joel steal and layup grabbed them the lead back at 51-50. There were only four minutes left at this point and it seemed clear this one was headed down to the wire.

With two minutes left, Costa knocked down a mid-range jumper to give Robel a three-point lead, but Vladi, who had struggled throughout from deep, knocked down a three to tie it up. Ben carried the ball up the court on the next possession and tried to get to the hoop, but was blocked off and kicked it out to the Great One who knocked down a three to give Robel the lead back. Harry decided not to call a timeout and let things play out and Vladi got a good look to tie it with just over 30 seconds left, but he missed. The rebound somehow made its way out to Ghost who found himself far enough behind the three-point that there was no doubt it was a three when it hit nothing but the net to tie things up at 58. With just over 20 seconds left, Robel decided to hold for the last shot, but the play was not going well and the best they could do was a contested baseline fade away from Joel which rimmed out, sending us to overtime at 58-58!

Overtime started with Harry missing two shots with a Costa miss in between. It was at this moment Joel took over. First, he hit a jumper to give his team a two-point lead. He then stole a bad pass to push the lead to four and made one of two free throws after another miss from Harry’s team, to make it a five-point game at 63-58. Harry’s team had fully fallen apart at this point, and after another Vladi miss, Joel would make one of two free throws again. As Harry’s team pushed looking for any sort of bucket to get them back in the game, Ben got a steal and passed it to Joel who was fouled and made one of two again. Things continued like this for the rest of the game with Harry’s team missing and Joel making one free throw before the game was called. Final 65-58 Robel.

Robel’s team

Joel A-: Quiet first half, but came alive in the second half and overtime, including scoring all seven points in the extra frame.

MacDonald A: Really impressive game with 25/18/6 and played excellent defense as well.

Robel B: Quiet game on offense, but his rim protection and activity on the defensive end really bothered Harry’s teams.

Great One B: Only knocked down two threes, but both came at key points and chipped in with nine rebounds.

Costa C+: Quiet debut, but had a couple nice moves to the hoop and a huge bucket late in regulation. 

Harry’s team

Ghost A: Only consistent scorer throughout, knocked down the game tying three at the end of regulation and did a nice job on the boards.

Vladi B-: Did a good job setting up the offense, but struggled with his shot.

Tucker D-: Have to get more than nine points from the first overall pick even on an off-night. Just didn’t seem to be looking for the ball and struggled to find his role around Vladi and Ghost.

Harry C-: Solid defense, but was off with his shot and had some strange decisions which cost his team.

Kenny C+: Typical trick or treat game with some good moments and some bad ones.

Gilles B: Knocked down a huge three in the second half and added solid defense.

By HARRY DEMAKES

Noah Peeks in week 1

I thought this had all the makings of a great week 1 game. Two veteran teams mixing in two rookies to their lineups. Etheridge’s team started their season off differently, by having everyone show up. Ian’s team has everyone too. TO THE ACTION! The biggest storyline coming into this game was the Pollock vs. Weinstein rivalry. Similar to the hammer and nail rivalry, this one was quite one sided throughout the years. This game was no different in the first half as Weinstein struggled to get anything going and Pollock did his thing. Couple this with Lagno being cold and everyone else on Etheridges squad being bad at shooting, led Ian’s team to pick up a decent sized lead. Pollock and Koller were doing most of the heavy lifting combining for 17 of Ian’s 32 points in the first half. Rookie Lucas wasn’t shy in his debut, scoring 7 of his own in the first half. He did lead the team with 4 attempts from deep in the first half. That’s something to keep an eye on as is Noah coming off the bench and shooting it every time he touches it. Ian’s team went into the half up 32-23. This game looked to be heading one way and it was, but the route wasn’t expected. BACK TO THE ACTION! Ian’s team really started to open up the game thanks to….Noah’s hot shooting, as all the shots he was taking finally started to go in. He hit 6 second half treys to break the spirit of his opponents in this half. Couple this with everyone else chipping in here and there, Etheridges team just didn’t have the firepower to stay close. Weinstein and Lagno did finally get things going in this half, but it was a lot of garbage time makes. Not to mention the lack of help else where and the poor defensive effort as a team. I think these guys will be good, but they need some time to jell or a Time Machine for Baxter. 73-54 Final for Ian

Grades: Pollock C+: Pretty pedestrian game for Samuel after starting strong.

Koller B: Solid game outplaying the ghost of Baxter.

Ian B+: Leading this team in assists with all the glory hounds is impressive.

Noah A+: Great game from 3, the best game he’ll have all year and possibly ever again.

Clarke B+: I like Clarkes effort and hustle out there.

Lucas B-: Not a bad debut. I see room for improvement.

Etheridges team:

Lagno C+: Show up in the first half before the game is over.

Weinstein C: Ditto and times 2 here.

Baxter C-: Did he play in the second half? Need more than nothing in a half.

Etheridge B-: Solid game from Mike.

Grinnell C+: Not bad, but I think he can do better.

Glynn C-: I KNOW he can do better.

Civale’s darkest days

Coming into this game I knew exactly what to expect, but Civales team demanded respect. They came into this game with full attendance, while Stairway to Deven was missing Marlier. TO THE ACTION! Stairway to Deven started off a bit slowly in this game, with everyone on their team wanting to touch the ball every chance they got. Everyone on this team outside of maybe Johnson thinks they’re Lebron out there with playmaking and only one of them might be right. AJ, new to this league, started slowly going 2 for 10 from 3. They weren’t really bad looks, but Masone was doing a decent job defensively. The captain Johnson, would pick up the slack though going 3 for 6 from deep in the first half. Everyone else contributed with multiple buckets inside. It was a good balanced effort for Stairway to Deven in the first half. On the other side of the ball, Masone and Cavano did their part as duel first round picks. They combined to score 22 of their teams 34 points. Good thing too, because Civale continued to assault the rim with brick after brick from deep. I’d say something clever about Civale’s talent here, but I need him on Wednesday. Break this slump! Stairway to Deven felt like they were in good control here, but they only went into the half up 36-34. Cavano, led all scorers with 13. BACK TO THE ACTION!

The second half continued the brick fest from deep for Civale’s team. Hanks went 0-4 from deep, 0-7 for the game, which should never happen. Civale and Masone combined to go 0-5. Cavano, didn’t even attempt one out of pure shame. Tommy BIG GUNS hit 2 of 3 to match everyone else’s total in the second half. BIG GUNS also led the team in second half scoring total. These guys offense went to die in the second half and as you could guess this didn’t lead to success. Meanwhile, young AJ found his groove in the latter frame going 3-5 from deep and scoring 19 points. Calvin added 14 of his own. They combined to outscore Civales team in the second half. Obviously, the led to a huge lead and we went into pickup mode for the rest of the evening. Johnson’s team is off and running, while Civale’s team is searching for answers.

Grades:

Civale F-: 0 offensive rebounds?ZERO?!?! This might have been Civale’s worse game ever.

Masone C+: Not his best game, had a tough assignment, but you got picked in the first round too.

Cavano C: 0 offensive rebounds?!?! Attempted only 3 treys? What is this?

Jeffries C: I hope he can give more than this. For his teams sake.

Hanks D: Once you miss the first 3 threes, you stop.

BIG GUNS A: Did all he could out there.

Stairway to Deven:

Calvin B+: Good game here, didn’t dribble across the court looking for drives.

Motha B: Not a bad day. Johnson claims he loves Motha 3s, something I’ll keep an eye on. J

ohnson A-: A Johnson double-double? I like it.

AJ A-: Three ball was off, but otherwise did what was expected.

Deven A: Can’t hate on anything here, very good game 1.

Cam flashes win with his lady in attendance The two newest captains took center stage in the prime time game of the week, with Cam taking on Silva. James was out for Silva’s team, even though he had the balls to show up the night before. Cams team had everyone.

TO THE ACTION!

CACs newest sharpshooter STAT, finally hit a 3 against someone other than me in the first half of this game. He also added 15 more points to tie Casey for the leading first half scorer. In other news, STAT will be drug tested before next weeks games. As I mentioned above, Casey would equal STATs hot start with 18 of his own. The ghost of Nestler, wasn’t doing much to slow him down. The leagues other Ian, was the next leading scorer in the game at 6 points. Nice production from him off the bench, The score was 18–18 Casey and STAT at the half. Everyone else combined for 20 points.

WOOF.

BACK TO THE ACTION!

The slogfest continued in the second half as both teams continued to drive into the big bodies in the post. Manny, finally joined the party, scoring 11 second half points, while Cam added 8. Casey, went invisible in this half, going an ugly 1-5 from the line. The greatest trick Casey ever pulled was fooling you into thinking he was a good free throw shooter. The electric one had a spark in the second half. Taha would score 6 points and had an assist. The ghost of Nestler even added 9. STAT continued is good play though 11 more, including another 3. Admittedly I missed the stretch run to hunt down my food, but it appears Cam iced this game from the line with his girl watching. Therefore he shall be known as Cam Big Dick Letalien. 60-52 Final.

Grades:

Casey C: Did he play in the second half? Someone teach him how to make a free throw too.

Manny C: Reverse Casey’s line, didn’t have a good first half, but my assistant loved his second half.

Cam A: Big Dick iced this one like a good first time captain.

X D+: These guys outdid all my hard work in one game. What happened?

Other Ian B: Did good off the bench. I liked what I saw.

Tom C: Use to be electric, then he betrayed me. Now look at him.

Silva’s team:

Nestler C-; Pretty pedestrian effort in this one. Didn’t even attempt a 3 in the first half.

STAT A: Another good STAT game. Is he back to an elite level?

Silva D: Not the way to start one’s captaincy.

Grey C: Had a couple buckets, but couldn’t convert the good looks

Tahaha C+: Came on strong late, but couldn’t hit a 3.

5v5 Draft Week 1 Write-Ups

by Jason on Jan. 20, 2023

WEEK 1 WRITE-UPS

Robel vs Hooptopia 

By Jamil Ball

Subject: Team Robel uses a furious comeback to defeat Hooptopia 

After what seemed like an eternity, the 5v5 Draft Winter session opening night is finally here and it wouldn’t disappoint. Team Robel vs Hooptopia set the tone for a super competitive week 1. 

To start the season, I had Team Robel # 1 in my way-too-early rankings, and despite getting off to a slow start, they rounded into shape when Tyrone Mullings (12 points, 3 steals, and 4 rebounds) showed up at halftime. 

Hooptopia led by Ryan Nett got out to a hot start on both ends of the floor, jumping out to an 8 - 0 lead. Ryan (13 points, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 8 rebounds) led the way for Hooptopia offensively. Despite the hot start, they struggled mightily to convert on the offensive end. 

Defensively, they had no answer for Robel (4 blocks and 12 rebounds). The stats do not reflect the overall impact he had on the game. His ability to draw double teams led to easy wide-open baskets for his teammates and they made them pay in the second half. 

Kevin, Cameron, and Musse were the primary benefactors and hit some huge shots, as they recovered from a slow start to pull away in the closing minutes. Last but not least, there’s Xavier (X) who struggled from beyond the arc, but was the team's second-leading scorer with 10 points.

As X and Tyrone build chemistry and get into basketball shape, their potential is going to be unlimited in a guard-dominated league. I am super excited to see this team progress as we get later into the season.

Despite suffering the loss, Andre Jones (7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) had a block that would’ve been featured on ESPN’s top 10 plays of the night. He blocked a shot by literally snatching it out of the air with one hand. I have been covering league games for a long time and admittedly, I have never seen a block that impressive! Shoutout to Dre! 

Players of the game:

• Robel Ghebremichael - His defense propelled this team to victory. 
• Ryan Nett - The # 2 Draft Pick, showed off a fantastic jump and played extremely well. I expect him to be more dominant as the season continues. 

COTE 52 vs DANZING With the Stars 45

by Andre Jones

Player of the game: Nick Mazzeo

COTE: 

Nick Mazzeo was on point as usual with 19 points shooting 40% from 3. His late 3 point shot in Overtime pretty much sealed the deal.

Jackson Cote started off hot and was causing Jacob Held fits on the defensive end but eventually got into foul trouble and fouled out. Scored 9 points and had 10 rebounds.

Liam Corrigan struggled for a bit but still managed to come away with 10 points.

Despite Jamil’s off night from 3 0/6. He still showed great leadership and defensive poise. He got fouled several times from his opponent Matt but no calls, a lot of hand checking. Scored 4 points with 6 assists.

Evan Valcourt was an absolute monster on the boards with 14.

DANZING With the Stars:

No Danzing really hurt this team but Jacob Held kept them close and helped put this team in contention to win. His scoring is what made this game go into Overtime. Jacob came away with 23 points and 22 rebounds and 4 blocks. He was a monster once he got Jackson Cote into foul trouble. Would’ve clearly been awarded player of the game if it weren't for his team losing.

Mike Garafolo scored 10 points and helped a lot with his physical play style. Shot the ball a lot and I do mean a lot.

Matthew Lewis showed up big with 2 clutch 3 point shots that shorten the lead going into the stretch of the 4 quarter helping his team go into Overtime. His overly physical play on Jamil is what kept the game close in my opinion. 

Once Ben gets back I believe DANZING With the Stars will be good to go.

Gear PF VS The Boston Three Party

By Jamil Ball

Subject: Boston Three Party upset Gear PF in double OT 

Game 2 was by far the most exciting game of the night. This matchup would future Gear PF and BostonThree Party, the top 2 teams in my Week 2 Power Rankings. Coming into the matchup, I was anxious to see the draft mystery man Hamza Abdul (27 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals) and he did not disappoint. 

Hamza would go on to lead all scores with 27 points. He shot 6 of 14 from beyond the arc, which was an impressive 42%, and hit big shot after big shot to keep his team within reach. His play was complemented by Corey Fein who connected on 4 threes of his own. Did I mention Corey shot 57% from three? I know it’s too early for a splash brothers comparison, but they were electric during the first week of the season. 

The Boston Three Party was equally impressive. This team is DEEP! Led by Rich DiSola’s team-high 22 points, 20 rebounds, and 2 blocks. They had 3 other players score double-digits (Beato, J. Abreu, and Matty J). 

Matty, Jonathan, and Beato shot the ball extremely well from deep combing for 11 made three-pointers on 16 attempts which equates to 69%. If they shot so well, why was this game so close? Because both of these teams are fucking good. 

The Hamza and DiSola matchup grew more entertaining as the game went out. The banter and commentary left all in attendance entertained. After going into double OT DiSola would get the last laugh, but I have no doubt Hamza is looking forward to their next matchup. 

Needless to say, with so many rookies on both sides I had no idea what to expect, but they all played extremely well and they’ll only get better as the season progresses. For Boston Three Party Nika, Matthew, and Eric look like complete studs. They all outplayed their draft slots and performed well when called upon. 

Gear PF featured 4 rookies, Deron, David, Henry, and Hamza played extremely well together. Their unselfishness and defensive intensity will be the reason, this team is one of the top teams in the league when it’s all said and done.

Players of the game:

• Rich DiSola - Rich continues to get better every time I see him play. Despite being down in the closing minutes, his confidence never wavered as he lead his team to victory. If I had to choose an MVP today, he’d be my choice. Very impressive game my guy! 
• Hamza Abdul - He played an outstanding game and is on my shortlist for MVP. 

Primetime 4.0 vs Shooters Over Bigs

By Jamil Ball

Subject: Primetime finally looks like a contender, as they destroy Shooters Over Bigs

Despite a fantastic night for Jonah Feldman (18 points, 1 steal, 2 blocks, and 8 rebounds) there weren’t many highlights on the night for Shooters Over Bigs. They were completely outclassed by a very motivated and focused Primetime 4.0.

Jacob “Luka” Miller’s 26 points and 5 rebounds on 60% shooting from beyond the arc set the tone for this game early on. Despite being without the 5th overall pick Manny Sutton, Primetime 4.0 jumped out to an early double-digit lead fueled by their defense. 

Rookies Adam Liu (9 points) and Eric Tung (10 points) created havoc by playing suffocating defense and forcing multiple turnovers that led to easy offensive baskets. Veterans Nick Keramaris, John Muccio, and Scott Glynn contributed significantly on the defensive end. 

This team has skyrocketed to # 3 in my week 2 power rankings and the best is yet to come. Next week’s matchup against Team Robel will be an opportunity for them to put the league on notice. 

I know the night didn’t go as expected Shooters Over Bigs, but on the bright side, rookies Alex Yuen (9 points and 9 rebounds) and Alejandro Osorio (9 points and 9 rebounds) looked extremely impressive on both ends of the court.

I have to say, I am extremely impressed with every rookie this season. The quality of the player, skill level, and character are a welcomed addition to this league. 

Players of the game:

• Jacob Miller - Jacob “Luka” Miller was impressive on both ends of the court. He’s certainly entered the MVP conversation with his fantastic play. 
• Adam Liu - Adam’s number doesn’t jump out at you, but he played so well on both ends of the court. I have a feeling, by the season's end, he will be one of my favorite players in this league. That kind of energy and effort is contagious. 

A 5v5 Week 1 Write-ups

by Jason on Jan. 20, 2023

WEEK 1 

Game 1: Not A Dime Back: 69 - Shooters Shoot: 89

by Devin Quinlin

Shooters Shoot Dominate Second Half to Pull Away

It was a tale of two halves, as NADB led by 1 going into the break, 45-44. I watched these guys roll through B1 last session, and they are without a doubt an A League level team. Unfortunately, they were missing big man Dre Kontopidis and they were out of shape coming into this game against the well-oiled machine that is Shooters Shoot. Shooters Shoot looked sharp in the first half, but stepped on the gas early in the second to go up 12 with 15 minutes left in the game. They didn’t slow down, outscoring NADB 45 to 24 in the second half to win the game 89-69.

Shooters Shoot is my favorite team to watch in A because of their unselfish play and well-balanced team. Last session, David Reynolds was a fill-in off the bench, and while he proved he was a great player at this level, I did not expect him to start this game off going five of five from three. But, that’s exactly what he did, putting up 35 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in the season opener. He shot seven of twelve from deep, hit both of his free-throws, and generally got whatever he wanted on offense. Hugh O’Neil came up with 26 points of his own, plus 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block. O’Neil has dominated inside for several sessions now, but he shot six of nine from three this game. He’s hit a few threes at a decent rate in the past, but if he can add a consistent three-point threat to this team’s offense, he immediately becomes an MVP candidate. Adam Lindhorst added 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, always a steady and reliable player who does everything right. In the same vein, Stephen Tam picked up right where he left off with 6 points and 3 rebounds, plus a team-high 5 assists and a game-high 3 steals. Look for him to be among the league leaders in both of those categories. Shooters Shoot has also added three players for this session, two of whom played well in this game. I watched Eric Savage lead B1 in scoring last session on a god awful team that won 0 games on the season. He was clearly an A level player, and his scoring adds an immediate threat to this team. He finished with 8 points and 9 rebounds, but I was impressed with his 4 assists. In B1, he was looking exclusively for his shot (as he should have, his team was terrible), but he fit seamlessly with this team. Matt Pattyson is another great pickup for these guys after playing with the Mambas last session. He put up 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks this game, bringing reliable outside shooting and smart offensive play. His main impact will be on the defensive end, where he’s an absolute menace. He puts up nice stats (2 blocks this game), but his general positioning and strength force opponents into tough shots and make it difficult to find rhythm. Two fantastic pickups for Shooters Shoot, and the fact that they dominated this game without their leading scorer Andrew Jaworski (2nd in MVP race last session) shows just how deep they are. We’ll see if they can overcome their playoff woes this session.

As mentioned, Not A Dime Back destroyed B1 in the fall, and I expect them to be able to compete with any team in A this session. They actually led at the half, but they ran out of gas in the second. Their lack of size also hurt them, but they were missing a big and I fully expect them to adjust quickly. Chris Connor led the way with 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. He shot five of ten from three and converted four of his five free-throws, but exceeded his role as a scorer with his game-high 6 assists. NADB is similar to Shooters Shoot in that they have several guys who can go off in any game because of how well they share the ball. Jeff Coulter was the main beneficiary of his team’s passing in this game. Jeff is a fantastic off-ball cutter and finishes well inside, finishing this game with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. He probably won’t lead them in scoring too often, but he’s always reliable on both ends and will be a consistently great player in this league. Big man Marcus Giese looked sharp offensively against O’Neil with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. With the size disadvantage for once, he turned to his mid-range game to maintain his impact. As their only true big man this game, he struggled a bit to guard O’Neil and Reynolds while protecting the paint from drives, but the addition of Kontopidis will take pressure off of him against big teams in this league. Jon Luster put up a double-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, but he struggled this game by his own standards, going two of seven from three. I’m not looking forward to matching up with him next week, because I know he will bounce back immediately and establish himself as one of the top guards in the league and an MVP candidate going forward. Chris Cusano played well in his role with 7 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks. He’s not the biggest guy, but his timing and positioning on defense has always been stellar, and his jumper is reliable, too. Mike Synott chipped in 1 rebound and 1 assist, and he’ll have to hunt his shot in this league. He’s an unselfish player who helps their offensive flow by moving the ball, but he’s also a three-point sniper and will need to let it fly to put his team over the top against other top teams.

Game 2: Skelton’s Boys: 53 - Zards: 83

by Devin Quinlin

Zards Back With a Vengeance, Blow Out Skelton’s Boys

Skelton’s Boys is another team who have been cruising through B1 for a while, and just like NADB, they kept this game close, down 30-31 at halftime. I warned them that NADB lost the game in the first 5 minutes of the second half, but the Dan Wohl - Sam Longwell duo was unstoppable and Zards did the exact same thing as Shooters Shoot, and soon enough this game was out of reach.

Zards had an early exit last session, but I would argue their spotty attendance was their biggest detractor after entering the season as the early favorites. Without Longwell and Dan Aronowitz in the semis, they struggled against a much bigger Spida Men team. But, with a full roster, these guys are the favorites to me. Longwell won MVP last session pretty easily, and he picked up right where he left off with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal. He shot four of eight from three, and his skill makes you forget about how strong he is on drives to the hoop. His 9 assists was the highest across all games in the opening week. Dan Wohl came into the last session way off, starting off the first few games shooting like 28% from three. Still, he finished third in the MVP race as he found his rhythm, and he was locked in last night. Perhaps the best pure scorer in the league, he finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Five of ten from three, five of six from the line, solid finishing inside, good vision on the break, he can do it all. He’s definitely a league standout and will be looking for that MVP and the championship by the end of the year. Craig Melillo is not an MVP candidate, but he is a damn good player. He applies full-court pressure on defense and an absolute flamethrower on offense. He finished with 16 points on four of five from three, plus 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. With guys like Longwell, Wohl, and Aronowitz getting a lot of defensive attention, Melillo will get a lot of open looks, and he will make them. Great piece for Zards. Mike Kearney led the league in assists last session, and he runs the point perfectly for these guys. He added 6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, knocking down two of three three-point attempts. He and Melillo are an aggressive defensive backcourt with good instincts, and they’ll get in passing lanes and get their team on the break quickly. Dana Flood filled-in for Zards tonight, and he will be joining them full time. He fits perfectly with their team, finishing with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. He’s athletic to the rim and always manages to come up with a monster block every game. He’s a reliable shooter and his high IQ play will get him a lot of steals and easy assists. Zards are back, and they’re ready to go. We’ll see who can top them.

Skelton’s Boys hung around in the first, but they were not ready for the Zards to turn it all the way up in the second half. They definitely have A League level players, but they will need to adjust to the quicker pace in this league, where decisions have to be quicker and you can’t just take guys off the dribble because you’re simply better than they are. It might take them a few games, and going up against Zards is a tough first matchup, but I’m confident they will adjust and stay competitive with most (if not all) teams in this league. Erik Pettit put up 12 points and 8 rebounds on four threes, plus 1 steal. He’s a fantastic shooter, and once he gets his timing he’ll get back to being a three-level scorer instead of shooting deep threes to get his shot off. JP Barrett’s attendance has been questionable at lower level, but he looked the most A League ready this game. He was physical inside and had no problem battling down low, finishing with 11 points and 2 rebounds while hitting one three. They will need his physicality and fearlessness inside going forward. Brendan McNamara also looked ready to go, finishing with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. As their only true big, he will be their most important player in terms of keeping them competitive against the size in this league. Like Barrett, he was physical and finished strong inside, adding a team-high 4 assists as well. Elijah Anderson put up 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block, and his slow-paced Luka offensive style will adjust to this league quickly. Once he figures out how to get his shot off cleanly, he’ll emerge as their primary offensive threat. Similarly, guards Doug Horan and Travis Sinatro will adjust, Horan taking it strong inside for acrobatic finishes and Sinatro knocking down threes. Horan put up 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists while Sinatro chipped in 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

Game 3: Bormes’ Disciples: 66 - Spida Men: 55

by Devin Quinlin

Bormes’ Disciples Pull Off Gutsy Upset Against Defending Champs

I didn’t know anyone on the Bormes’ Disciples roster except for Sam Holtze, who had a stellar season with Deuces last session. He finished second in DPOY while facilitating well on a loaded roster. On this team, he is the guy, and he stepped into that role effortlessly. His defensive effort was the same, picking up 2 steals and generally being able to stay in front of anyone, but with more shot attempts, he dominated this game. He put up 26 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist, converting five of his six free-throws and a blistering five of seven from deep, including a deadly three to end the half, giving his team a 33-27 lead that they never surrendered. I’m excited to see what he does week to week as his team’s number 1 option. Jack Beck added 16 points and 3 rebounds. He’s got a quick trigger, going three of nine from deep (which I expect to improve) and three of four from the line, hitting some clutch free-throws to put the game out of reach. Mac Bohuny played well, too, chipping in 8 points, 5 boards, 2 assists, and 1 steal, showing off his athleticism with a strong baseline dunk, while Mike Conlin was a monster inside with 8 points of his own, plus 11 rebounds, and 1 steal. Mike Cerulli only had 4 points, but at his size I haven’t seen many players that athletic. He contributed 12 rebounds (6 each way), a game high 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. He’s like 5’8 and was soaring over Spida Men’s bigs to grab offensive rebounds, and he limited Jamal Brown to just 13 points. He and Holtze will be a brutal defensive backcourt to face. Will Jackowitz was a solid defensive presence inside, finishing with 3 blocks and altering plenty of shots as well. He hit one three and grabbed two rebounds as well. Charlie Mather chipped in 2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals. Bohuny, Conlin, Jackowitz, and Mather shot a combined one of ten from three, but also have solid form and I expect them to hit a few more shots as they get into a rhythm as a team. Bormes’ Disciples are definitely an undersized group, but their effort, shooting, and savvy play will make them a contender against every team in this league.

Last season, the Spida Men finished as the 6 seed with a 4-5 record, but upset their way into a championship win. Their talent and chemistry is unquestionable, though they often underperform in the regular season. Still, as the defending champs, you have to give them the benefit of the doubt even with a lackluster performance in week 1. Jamal Brown put up 13 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He was definitely not expecting the excellent defense of an undersized team, but you have to give Bormes’ Disciples credit here. Still, Jamal is one of the best players in the league, and I expect him to go on a tear in the coming weeks. Tim Gallivan added 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks, though he only shot one of four from deep. Gallivan is a versatile stretch big who is a force in the paint defensively and can do it all on offense, and he pairs well with Danny Martin Jr. He actually arrived on time for this game, but an early start had him walking in the gym after the tip-off, which is definitely a disadvantage in terms of warming up and getting pre-game shots up. Going forward, game times may be changing slightly to adjust to the five game schedule, but the refs and I will make sure games start at the scheduled time from here on out, though we encourage everyone to arrive as early as possible to be ready to go for tip-off. Martin Jr. only had 5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks, but he’s still one of the best players in this league even at his age. I fully expect him to bounce back next game and have another elite session. Hallvard Lundevall is an explosive player with the skill to match, finishing with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 steal. He can outjump almost anyone, but shot one of four from three and one of three from the line, but he’ll pick it up. Billy Battaglia and Nick Mazzeo are both excellent shooters and capable playmakers as well, with Mazz putting up 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, hitting a three and converting an and-1, while Billy chipped in 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. He shot one of six from three, which will undoubtedly improve over the session. Tough game for Spida Men, but I’m confident they will be ready to bounce back. Credit to Bormes’ Disciples, who have put the league on notice.

Game 4: West Coast Elite: 96 - SYTMTAC: 78

Game 5: Take the Under: 57 - Cobras: 64

by Devin Quinlin

Cobras Pull Out Sloppy Win Against Take the Under

Cobras are back with some returning players and some new additions as well, and they pulled out a win in our final game of week 1. They led 31-28 at the half, and controlled the second half to secure the victory.

Warfa Abdillahi led the way for the Cobras. Always a scoring threat, Warf put up 17 points, 7 boards, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He shot three of eight from deep and will be hunting his shot all session, taking on any and all defenders. Chris Cardoso played a strong game with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, leading both teams in assists and using his long frame to disrupt on defense and maneuver his way to easy finishes on offense. He missed all four of his threes, but I expect him to be a huge piece for them. Mike Gillespie added 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist, and he’s another guy who will be huge for them. He’s an explosive scorer who can hit the three, get to the rim, and consistently make his free-throws (four for four this game). Gabe Granberry was a force inside late in the second half, finishing the game with 8 points, 4 boards, 1 steal, and 1 block while shutting down any interior threat in the last 3-4 minutes. Jamal Fiin chipped in 7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks, bringing his usual defensive intensity and pushing his team out in transition. Kevin Querusio and Carter Burruss put up 6 points each, with Querusio hitting two threes and grabbing 3 rebounds, while Burruss added 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block and threw down two thunderous dunks in transition. It’s one thing to dunk, it’s another thing to get your whole hand above the rim and have the ball bounce out to halfcourt after it goes through the hoop. I will not be jumping with him, but I’m sure someone will. Good luck with that.

Take the Under is another new team this session, and they kept the game close until the final minutes. Captain Nick Pellegrini was operating down low, finishing with 16 points on layups and hook shots, plus 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. He’s strong and showed great touch. Stephen Valacer is another guy who moved up from B1 last session, and he’s another guy who belongs in A. He put up 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals while hitting two of his three shots from downtown. He’s a reliable player who almost never makes mistakes and is a great slasher. He had some strong finishes, but his passing is the best part of his game and he’ll be their primary playmaker this season. Matt Kroll added 12 points and 2 rebounds, hitting four of his eight threes and looking like their primary outside threat. Their other outside threat is Kordell Harris, whose lightning quick release led him to 9 points on three of eight shooting, plus 2 assists and 2 steals. Mike Wing hit a three to finish with 5 points and 4 rebounds, Joe Drost added 2 points, 6 boards, and 1 assist, while Sam Wamakima chipped in 4 rebounds. Corey Huerfano was a beast inside with 12 rebounds (7 offensive) and 2 assists. I’m honestly not sure what to expect from Take the Under this session, but they have some good players and look promising defensively. I’m excited to see where they end up.

B1 5v5 Week 1 Write-ups

by Jason on Jan. 19, 2023

By Devin Quinlin

Game 1: Treys For Days: 50 - Intramural Heroes: 68

Intramural Heroes Come Out Firing in Week 1 Win

Intramural Heroes make a Week 1 statement with a convincing 18 points win against Treys for Days. The big man combo of Cedric White and Tim Gallivan led the way on both ends, with other guys playing their roles well for a well-rounded team effort. White finished with a game high 25 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal on five of ten shooting from three. His jumper from deep and the midrange was automatic all game, including a devastating four bucket run late in the first half that essentially sealed the game. Gallivan put up 22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, converting both of his free-throw attempts and hitting two of five from deep. His length underneath makes him a menace on both sides of the ball, but his reliable three-pointer makes him one of the most versatile players in this league. Expect plenty of double-doubles from him this season. Ian MacLean added 14 points, 4 boards, 4 assists, and 3 steals as the third scoring option. He showed a nice outside shot (three of six from three), but was quick to the basket as well. He used that same quickness on defense, cutting guys off on the drive and picking up 3 steals. James Levine added 4 steals of his own, and while he couldn’t find his shot, he did everything else to finish with 7 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists (game high), and 4 steals. His unselfish play got his team plenty of open looks and kept everyone involved. Nick Weber didn’t score, but also made a strong impact with 5 rebounds (3 offensive), 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 big blocks. His defensive effort was impressive.

Treys for Days were without their two best players in Wes Schroll and Dana Flood, and while they fought hard, they couldn’t keep up offensively. Kevin LaFrancis played well, putting up a team high 15 points and 7 rebounds, hitting five of seven free-throw attempts. Luke Davidson showcased his athleticism and strength to finish with 12 points, all on drives to the hoop. He added 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block. Captain Kevin McGovern chipped in 7 points, 5 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. He always plays well, but never takes enough shots for a shooter of his caliber. George Thissell and Mike Thorsen added 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal each, with Thissell scoring inside and Thorsen hitting two threes, the only guy other than McGovern to hit a three for them. Thorsen added 2 assists as well, but Treys for Days will need to step up their three-point shooting to keep up with the scoring prowess of some of the other teams in this league.

Game 2: Mid-Range Magicians: 55 - Mainely Love: 65

Mainely Love Pull Away in Second Half to Secure Win

Heading into halftime down 35-39, Mainely Love stepped up to control the second half, hitting some clutch shots and bringing the defensive intensity to ultimately come out with the win. Harrison Taggart came into the game with minimal warmup and was a bit shaky at first, but quickly established himself as the best player on the court. He put up 24 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, shooting four of seven from three and four of six from the line. He’s an effective three level scorer and made some good reads out of the pick and roll as well. James Morse also played well, finishing with 17 points on two threes and five of five from the FT line, while adding 2 rebounds, a game high 4 assists, and 1 steal. He did well to control his team’s offensive attack and found his guys for some nice buckets throughout the game. Big man Tom Palleschi contributed well, too. He added 14 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, and 2 blocks, dominating the block while also showing some versatility by hitting a three and taking guys off the dribble. Matt McDonough added 5 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block, but he’s a strong, explosive player who will bounce back offensively. Gabe Balzano-Brookes hit a three, grabbed 5 boards, and added 1 assist and 2 steals for a solid contribution, while CJ Jordan was all over the court, putting up 2 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals and making his presence felt underneath on both ends.

The Mid-Range Magicians were up at the half and generally played pretty well, but couldn’t hold on at the end. Clifford Bouchereau was the guy on offense, finishing with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block on a blistering four of five from three. His jumper is smooth and he’s strong inside. James Smith added 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal on an efficient three of five from deep. Look for him to be a three-point threat all season. Zack Zahner put up 7 points and 2 rebounds, and while he missed some shots, his quick mid-range pull up is hard to stop, and I see him bouncing back in the coming weeks. Captain Giannis Valoumas put up 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal, all three of his buckets on shifty moves to get to the hoop or hit a mid-range jumper. He played the point steadily, but could be more aggressive with his shot. Andrew Bogut King battled hard inside with 6 points, 7 boards, and 1 steal, while Max McKee chipped in 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. 

Game 3: Men’s League: 58 - FCHWPO: 57

Men’s League Pull Out the W on Game Winner at the Buzzer

In a close battle all game, Men’s League was down 29-30 at the half and kept the game close until the end. A Johnny McCarthy three ball put FCHWPO up 57-56 with about 10 seconds left, but Men’s League quickly got the ball up court and called a timeout at half court to advance the ball with about 8 seconds left. Men’s League got the ball to their leading scorer on the left wing, and Tyler Seibring hit a contested stepback in the midrange as the buzzer sounded to secure the win for his team. Seibring finished with a 17 point, 10 rebound double-double, plus 2 assists and 1 steal. He hit two of his four threes and three of his four FTs, finishing well inside and showcasing a smooth jumper all game. Charlie Bagin also played well, putting up 15 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 4 steals, shooting three of six from downtown. He scored the ball well, but his smart, steady play led his team’s offensive pacing and kept them in the game when FCHWPO made a second half run. Captain George Schultz put up 14 points on four threes, plus 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. His quick jumper makes him a weapon from anywhere inside of halfcourt. Matt Goodwin added 6 points, 5 boards, and 1 steal, and Josh Salter chipped in 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist.

FCHWPO played well, but struggled from three and missed too many free-throws to secure the win. Johnny McCarthy missed a few shots early, but quickly got it going to finish with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. He shot three of five from three (really four of six but the court is small so foot on the line in the corner), but only one of three from the FT line. Still, his clutch shot at the end and his general play stood out this game. Eric Sellew also stood out, putting up 14 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks. Talent-wise, Sellew is as good as anyone in the league. His size and length are unstoppable on the defensive end, but he needs to be more assertive on offense. I don’t see anyone stopping him if he bullies his way inside. Xander Kirshen added 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks, while John Mulligan and Aidan Cyr added 6 points each. Mulligan added a steal, but missed all of his three point attempts, while Cyr added 5 boards, 2 assists, and 1 steal, but shot four of eight from the FT line. Meech Ramirez added 1 point and 3 rebounds in the loss. As a team, FCHWPO shot three of eleven from deep (all three by McCarthy) and ten of twenty-three from the free-throw line. I expect these guys to be one of the better teams in the league, and see them bouncing back offensively next week.

Game 4: Bears: 74 - Hartbreakers: 83

Hartbreakers Overcome Gritty Bears Team

The Hartbreakers are back looking to return to B1 glory and secure another championship, and are off to a good start with their Week 1 win over the Bears. They were up 40-33 at the half, and held off a strong Bears run to win 83-74 at the end. Devin Jensen is, without a doubt, the best player in this league, and he showed why from the start. Jensen put up 30 with 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. He shot six of nine from three (nice) and four of five from the line (his ‘miss’ was a lane violation on a teammate), and generally got whatever he wanted on offense. He even hit his signature bank shot three from the right wing, the ultimate form of basketball disrespect. There are other impressive players in this league, and I’m excited to see those matchups as the season progresses, but for now Jensen is the runaway MVP. It helps having other guys on your team who can play, and the Hartbreakers have no shortage. Tucker Landy put up 14 and 8, plus 3 assists and 1 steal with his usual efficient, well-rounded play. He’ll be a top player all season, as will teammate Sam Dowden. Dowden put up 13 points, 9 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, and while he missed all his threes, that will likely change in future games. Tim DeMatteo put up 10 points and 5 rebounds, always reliable on defense and strong down low and in the midrange. Sean Dempsey and Oliver Hart each had two threes to finish with 8 points, with Dempsey adding 2 rebounds and 2 assists and Hart chipping in 4 boards and 3 assists. Given that Phil wasn’t even here, this team looks dangerous, but as always, the biggest issue for them is attendance.

Bears were outsized here, no other way to put it. I expected them to get blown out, but these guys came to play. They can shoot, move the ball well, and get after it on defense. Danny Shapiro only got better as the game progressed, leading his team with 22 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. He hit a few threes, but his midrange jumper in transition was perfect. By the time the Hartbreakers started to focus on him, it was too late. Will Ross was hot as well, hitting four of his first five threes in the first half. He finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist, and played most of the game going hard on both sides of the ball. Look for him to be a sniper all year. John Bolland also had a well-rounded game with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. He was strong inside, but showed some finesse on his jump shot as well. His 4 assists tied for a team high, along with Sam Blomberg and Jake Thompkins. Blomberg was impressive at the point guard spot, adding 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, and he also drew a charge in the second half, a category in which he now leads the league. Thompkins couldn’t find his shot this game, but put up 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals in addition to the 4 assists. I expect him to bounce back and be a shooting threat as well. The Bears might be undersized, but they were missing a few big guys, and they also have the best (and only) coach in the league in Jason Behrens, who, despite not playing finished with 2 fouls (no one will foul out in the regular season, but once playoffs start we will not be assigning fouls randomly to keep guys in the game). Behrens called a killer second half time-out and was active with the substitutions in the first half, but his energy was down in the second half. Hopefully he’ll bounce back for his guys next week.