Game 2 | Bing Bong: 67 - Zards: 74

Zards Hold Off Bing Bong Comeback in the Win

When Zards took a 42-35 lead into the half, I fully expected them to blow the game open at the start of the second, as they often do. Longwell had 12 points, 7 boards, and 2 assists, Melillo was four of five from range, and Flood had 11 points and 3 stocks, all in the first 20 minutes. For Bing Bong, Keough had 13 points, Lennon had 3 points and 3 assists, and it seemed like it was a matter of time before they could no longer hang. This couldn’t have been further from the truth, as BB proved to be a force inside and shared the ball for 12 team assists, making this a competitive game for the full 40 minutes. Still, it wasn’t enough, as Zards finished with 11 total steals and an absurd 14 blocks (though I count strips that aren’t turnovers as blocks) and shot eleven of twenty-six (42.3%) from three to secure a 74-67.

Zards had four guys in double figures, with Longwell leading the way once again. He finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, and while he had a poor shooting performance (three of eleven), he was strong on the attack and found some rhythm in the mid-range. He led the game in rebounds and assists and proved why he’s one of the top players in the league. Craig Melillo came out blistering in the first half, and he ended the game with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Melillo shot an impressive five of eight from range, proving he can knock down shots no matter how good of a contest he faces. He’s also a plus defender and generally smart player who complements the star power on this roster. Wes Schroll added 15 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks, as the powerful forward was a force on drives to the rim. His strength got him seven makes at the rim, but his game-high 5 assists were even more impressive, as he’s generally more of a scorer. He also added 5 stocks, a testament to his high motor and the Zards’ cohesive defense. Dana Flood had a crazy statline of 13 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, and 6 blocks, shooting two of four from deep and knocking down all of his free-throw attempts. Aside from his efficiency scoring the ball, 10 stocks is just nuts, and Flood’s ability to block jump shots is a skill that is uniquely his own. Potential DPOY by the time awards come out. Milan Prodanovic added 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, making some impressive shots but largely moving the ball and defending. He’s capable of more, but his team doesn’t necessarily need him in attack mode. Matt LaBove was largely taking it easy this game, but the big man can answer a defense at any time, as he finished with 6 boards, 1 assist, and 2 blocks in relatively limited minutes. While Zards may have been expected to win this game by more, BB played a strong game, and Zards responded well to secure the victory.

BB had three guys in double figures, lead by the shooting of Gavin Keough. Keough went for 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal, shooting five for nine from deep and adding to middies to boot. An excellent scorer, Keough has scored in double figures every game this session on ridiculous efficiency (15/27 or 55.55% from three) and I would love to see him hunt his own shot more. Aaron Jaynes continues to dominate the interior, going for 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals in this one. Zards did well to keep him off the offensive glass, but he still finished seven buckets inside and hit a few free-throws. Jaynes’ athleticism at his size not only gets him good looks at the rim, but also makes him a capable defender and a major threat in transition. Steve Azums has been having a strong season, playing solid in this one with 11 points, 8 rebounds (5 offensive), and 2 assists. Azums is a skilled finisher with either hand and can step out for middies and threes, but his effort on the offensive glass was admirable in this game, getting his team extra possessions and good looks at the rim. Tyler Lennon struggled from deep, finishing with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Aside from the shooting woes, Lennon played a nice game, leading his team in assists and stocks while setting the pace for the offense from the point guard spot. Tim Murray shot a perfect two of two from downtown for 6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 2 steals, while Garrett Dintaman added 6 points and 2 rebounds in the loss. While neither played particularly poorly, they’re both capable shooters whose offense was lacking in this one. Sometimes the game comes down to who can make more shots down the stretch. Dante Duncan added 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, filling in at point guard well and generally playing strong defense on the perimeter. Duncan can’t really shoot, but is a pick and roll maestro, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him running it with Azums or Jaynes and getting some kind of weakside action for Keough or Lennon to open up the offense for this team. Bing Bong fall to 1-5 on the season with plenty of talent and size, but they seem to be half a step behind the other teams in this division.

Game 2 | Bing Bong: 62 - Ronin Blood Warriors: 75

Shorthanded RBWs Cruise Over Bing Bong

As the time creeped past 7:08, RBWs had only four players available, so Dan asked James Welch to fill-in from the previous game. Bing Bong approved this sub, which they may have regretted in hindsight, as Welch ended up leading the game in scoring, assists, and made threes. With a commanding 44-29 lead at the half, RBWs ended the game shooting seven of fifteen (46.7%) from three, a perfect six of six from the line, and dishing out 14 assists as a unit to cruise to a 75-62 win. RBWs move to 5-0 on the session, standing firmly at the top of the standings with WCS, as BB fall to 1-4.

Welch may have been filling in, but was anything but shy in this one, as he completely dominated the first half to set the tone for the rest of the game. Welch finished with 24 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, shooting a red-hot four of six from behind the arc and knocking down both of his free-throw attempts. His passing was on point, as he had several should-have-been assists that fell through on smoked platypus from teammates. Either way, he was getting to the rim and to the mid-range at will, picking apart BB’s defense at any opportunity. Welch was aided by Allen Williamson, who hit two threes of his own for 23 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in the win. Williamson’s defensive play and rebounding have been excellent, but after a few single digit outings, he’s picked up his scoring in a major way, especially with 23 points in this game. He also remains the leader of the team, taking charge of the huddle and battling on both ends. Lampros Tsontzos played in his first game of the session and brought out the Jokic build to this game. With some nice interior finishes and savvy passing, Tsontzos finished with 10 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. His 5 stocks led the game, as did his 4 assists, as he consistently seemed a step ahead of BB on both ends. A smart and selfless player, I imagine he won’t be back this session as he wasn’t added to the roster until after the game, but I liked his game and imagine he could be a solid pickup for another team. Dan Torisawa had a huge game, as he was forced into action when Nunez didn’t show up. BB was daring him to shoot early on, using his defender as a roamer down low, but Torisawa made them pay as he put up 9 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. He made a key and-one late in the second half, knocked down a jumper, and was altogether solid as he played every minute. Even with some early foul trouble, Torisawa remained composed and contributed in a big way in the win. Mike Gutierrez finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist in the win, making some solid plays and knocking down a three in the process. Unconventional win for RBWs, as Williamson and Guttierrez were their only consistent rostered players in this game, but a win is a win as RBWs stay perfect on the session.

Bing Bong got some nice contributions from a few players, but ultimately couldn’t stop Welch and Williamson on defense. Steve Azums continues to impress, as the big man put up 20 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal while shooting two of three from deep. With another double-digit performance, Azums is cementing himself as a real scoring threat for BB, as he can hit jumpers and has no issue being physical inside. He added 7 rebounds as well, plus 1 steal and 1 assist, as he has emerged as the top scoring threat for this team. Tyler Lennon hit three threes, putting up 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals, making tons of plays on both ends and getting some tough buckets over the course of the game. While the assists were not there in this game, Lennon still effectively controlled the pace of the offense, letting Azums operate in half-court sets. I like his aggressive approach in this game, as he put up seven threes and added a few nice finishes at the rim. Aaron Jaynes was tough inside with 13 points, 11 rebounds (4 offensive), 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. Jaynes is a monster athlete who can finish over and through just about anyone in the league and he’s been a force running the lanes in transition this session. These three are all averaging over 12.5ppg along with Gavin Keough, while the other plays fill out their roles nicely. At the same time, none of them are over 14.5ppg, and with no clear guy to take over a game at a given time, BB often struggles to close games and keep pace with some of the better teams in the division. Garrett Dintaman hit two threes for 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, doing a bit of everything at a solid level, while Tim Murray hit a few buckets for 4 points, 2 boards, and 1 assist. Dante Duncan finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, making some nice plays defensively but also facilitating well when he ran the point. There are a lot of positives on this roster, but someone needs to break out offensively to get them back on track.