Not a Dime Back only has four players and will need to use their time outs wisely. They will need to step up their defense on Shane as they are watching him drill three after three and nobody putting a hand in his face at all. Connor made a three after missing his first four and it’s cause for celebration. Arinze is having a tough night shooting after killing everyone who tried to guard him last week. Dan is taking the game over for We The One’s scoring on consecutive baskets. Mahoney gets called for a three second violation that could have honestly been an offensive foul but argues the call anyway. Once down by double digits, We The One’s get the deficit down to five points with less than three minutes left to play. Luster calmly puts the game to bed from the line hitting his last four.

What started out as a great match up turned into a rout in the first half for Ronin Blood as they could not do anything with Arinze tonight as he was on fire tonight and Allen of Ronin said he has never seen him hit this many shots in a game. Carter hit a couple of walkup three’s proven that the team is deep with shooters that make buckets. Rayshawn is doing what he can to help keep Ronin in the game but is getting very frustrated with the lack of defense played by his team. Allen is a bucket too but even his skill is not going to be enough to over come this ass whipping. Looking at the box score you could tell the three-point attempts is what hurt Ronin the most as they couldn’t buy a bucket from downtown in the second half. Twenty-two-point lead for We the ones and it looks to be growing as the half ends.  All Ronin can do now in the timeout is say they want to finish strong and maybe not let the score a hundred should be their goal now?? No coming back in this for Ronin as they suffer one of their worst losses of the season.

Game 3 | We The Ones!: 63 - Not A Dime Back: 78

NADB Push Past WTOs in Second Half Onslaught

With Obiora out of the game, WTOs had Shayne filling in again, but NADB came with their full roster, and I fully expected a lopsided game. WTOs had other plans, though, as they took a 46-42 lead into the half, jumping out against an NADB squad who routinely win games in the first half with their chemistry and shooting prowess. The second half was a much different story, however. NADB outscored WTOs 36-17, locking down defensively and getting out in transition for tons of easy buckets. WTOs kept things respectable for the duration of the game, but NADB ultimately pulled away, winning by a final of 78-63.

NADB had four guys in double figures, with Dom Black leading the way once again. Black put up 21 points, 14 rebounds (4 offensive), 5 assists, and 1 block in the win. His three ball was off, but he consistently got to the rim for finishes, led his team in assists, and led the game in rebounds. He’s simply too fast for bigger, stronger wings, and far too strong for other guards, as he continues to pour in buckets in the lane and facilitate at a high level. Chris Connor was as efficient as ever with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. Connor shot three of seven from deep and was cutting effectively for some easy shots at the rim, as Connor is averaging 19ppg on the season while providing strong interior defense and elite shooting. For whatever reason, teams seem to leave him open a few times per game, and he always makes them pay. Dre Kontopidis added 15 points, 7 rebounds (4 offensive), 1 assist, and 2 steals in the win, using his size to bully his way inside where he has soft touch with either hand. Kontopidis has been more keen to attack this session, not settling for jumpers nearly as much and attacking the offensive glass as well. He’s another guy who has plenty more to offer, but fits nicely with his team and steps up when needed. Jeff Coulter added 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks, hitting a three and guarding WTOs best players throughout the game. Coulter is an elite defender, leading this game in steals and providing versatility with his size and quickness. Marcus Giese added 7 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block, converting three of his five free-throw attempts and a few nice buckets inside. Giese anchors this defense week after week and consistently battles any opposing bigs effectively. The stats don’t always reflect his impact, but his reliable mid-range jumper and excellent defensive instincts make him a key cog in the NADB machine. Mike Synott knocked down two threes for 6 points and 1 rebound in an efficient outing, while Jon Luster added 6 boards and 2 assists in the win. NADB have lost two games this year in extremely close fashion while dominating in their 3 wins, including an impressive game last week against Zards. Their 3-2 record may be deceptive come playoff time.

WTOs had only two players in double-figures, as fill-in Shayne was cooking early. Shayne finished with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. The lefty is strong and can finish with either hand, as he had some tough finishes in this game. He also hit three threes, as he’s a knockdown shooter who dominated the first half. His scoring output dropped in the second half as he got more attention, and WTOs did not have enough guys step up to fill that void. Dan Barbour did his best though, shooting a scorching five of nine (55%) from deep for 17 points, 3 boards, and 1 assist. Barbour is a bucket when given the chance to do what he does, and with a more consistent role on this team, I feel like he could be top ten in threes made and attempted. He proved it in this game, and it’s worth noting that his defense has been stellar as well, as he frequently guards bigger players. Other than these two, there wasn’t much production from the rest of the roster. Keith Baranowski hit two threes for 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 steal, while Garrett Stanowicz went for 6 and 4, plus 1 assist in the loss. Baranowski was solid, but didn’t bring his usual defensive prowess, while Stanowicz needs more touches, though he missed a few bunnies in this game. Guy Pistone scored only 4 points, but he led the game with 8 assists, plus 5 rebounds. Pistone’s facilitating has been elite, as he leads the league in assists and can get into the lane consistently to make plays, but he needs to score in double figures for this team to get some more wins. Jordan Carter finished with 3 points, 7 boards, 1 assist, and 1 steal, and while he shot a poor one of seven (14.3%) from three, he took good shots and his team needs him to get more up on a consistent basis. This just wasn't his game. Tough loss for WTOs, who fall to 2-3 on the season but look infinitely better than previous sessions.