I Apologize

Hey everyone I'm back. I'm sorry for not posting things for the past week and a half, I was busy at first and then just didn't get around to it. Now I am over it so i hope everyone else can get over it and I don't plan on letting it happen again.

Scores: Week 2

Finally experienced my first game of the season, as I watched Team Stevens defeat Team Stark. Ryan Sheehan made a valiant effort to keep is team afloat, scoring 23 of his team's first 27 points, and keeping them within five points until there were about 12 minutes left in the second half. Sheehan eventually fouled out and Team Stevens would go on to bust it open with their usual balanced scoring attack. If anyone has scores/stats/info for games that are not posted here, please leave them in the comments!


Stevens 62 Stark 35
DDawson 48 Debreceni 32
Hegeman 36 Naughton 29
Mahan 50 Jarboe 49 (OT)
Wright 53 Saraceno 49
KDawson 42 DeLuca 32
Walsh Stewart

Baller of the Week/Power Rankings/Game Picks

Griffin has the stuff done on his computer.  I expect that he will update the site with it tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Get Rec'd Shirts Still Available

If anyone is interested in a "Get Rec'd" shirt, send me an email at pj.r.stevens@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook. I have about 10 left, most of which are large sized. I will be home from school on winter break for a month, so I can meet up with you to give it to you either this weekend or in January. Just $5 per shirt...

Griffin and Matt should have Baller of the Week for Week 1 and Power Rankings for Week 2 up soon!

Scores: Week 1

Very exciting week one is in the books.  Griffin and Matt will have Baller of the Week and Power Rankings up by Monday night.  If anyone has any stats/info for any of the games, please leave a comment below. The standings page has been updated, so be sure to check that out.


Stewart 65 Debreceni 31
Stevens 50 Hegeman 35
DeLuca 33 Walsh 32
Saraceno 53 Mahan 49 (OT)
Jarboe 35 Wright 30
DDawson 57 Stark 38
KDawson 52 Naughton 32

Week 1 Picks by Matt and Griffin

Team Hegeman(2) vs Team Stevens(10)

Matt - Score: Hegemen 55, Stevens 48

Team Hegeman could be on upset alert if Team Stevens can push the tempo of the game, however Austin Hourani, Nick Longo, and Brandon Orlando will be able to dominate on the glass with no one matching their size and athletic ability as big men. For team Stevens to win Patrick Stevens will need a Baller of the Week performance, but they will fall just short.

Griffin - Score: Hegemen 53, Stevens 50

This is going to be a closer game than everybody is thinking. We all know that Rosa and Patrick Stevens' athleticism will be a hard test on its own, but with the solid unknown role players Liam Henry and Nick Freiter this will be a good matchup for Team Hegemen. But i still think that with Longo and Hourani being two of the best forwards in the league this year, they will be able to take this one from Stevens.

Team Debreceni(12) vs. Team Stewart(11)

Matt - Score: Stewart 50, Debreceni 45

This may be one of the best one on one matchups of the week with Kyle Karaska against Alex Dhinois, whoever is best between each other in this battle may hold the key to victory. However I think the depth and play of Willy Stewart and Ryan Bunis will be the deciding factor in a close finish.

Griffin - Score: Stewart 54, Debreceni 42

I think that team Stewart has this week's game locked up. Karaska and Dhino will cancel each other out down low and the quickness and scoring abality of Bunis and Willy Stewart will give them the clear advantage in this one. If Alex Kieleczawa can knock down his shots than this game will be a lot closer.

Team Mahan(5) vs. Team Saraceno(9)

Matt - Score: Mahan 60, Saraceno 45

I think team Mahan should man handle team Saraceno. Team Saraceno has no answer for Ben Icenogle who will draw many double teams and open up the floor for Matt Werner and Griffin Modz. Griffin will hold Doug Smith while Matt Werner and Dan Mcguiness will have a solid game on Matt Ferro. The Triple Towers will have a enormous impact on the game on the glass for Mahans first win.

Griffin - Score: Mahan 55, Saraceno 50

With the rebounding abailities of the Huber twins and Ben Icenogle on team Mahan, and the quick defense of Matt Werner and Dan McGuinness they will be able to control the defensive end. First overall pick Doug Smith will put up a good effort on the boards in his first game since sophomore year, and providing Roper and Ferro can make some of their threes then this will be a very good game.

Team Dawson, Kurt(7) vs. Team Naughton(1)

Matt - Score: Naughton 60, Dawson 52

Hanagan and Team Naughton will face an early season test against Dawson, but Dawson will be missing big man Ryan Dawson which will have a huge impact on the game. Joey Stewart and Matt Hanagan is an interesting matchup but Matt’s athletic ability to play inside and outside will wear down Joey in this matchup. The way Team Dawson can pull off the upset is to get Matt to be facilitator rather than a scorer. The x-factor in this game is the defense of Greg Naughton to shut down Drew Estabrook and Ryan Doody to hold the boards against Rasku.

Griffin - Score: Naughton 54, Dawson 48

This will be a good matchup but i just feel as if Matt Hanagan will be able to dominate this game. The down low pressure of this team will be very lacking with out big bruiser Ryan Dawson, but Rasku and Acaba will have to try to fill that void for the first few weeks. As long as Danny Kessler can hit some shots and Greg Naughton can throw a few steals in, I feel as if this will be an easy but close game for Hegemen.

Team DeLuca(8) vs. Team Walsh(4)

Matt - Score: DeLuca 55, Walsh 50

This is the debut of Josh Walsh against Second year coach Matt Deluca but I think Matt’s experience will help during this game to lead his team to victory. Timmy Grove will dominate the matchup against Ben Walsh with his tough defense and crisp passing, to open the floor for Ian Macpherson. Also Marcello Guadiano will be able to hold Tom Denatale to an average game. The X-Factor could be Robbie Beal and Dan Mead ripping down rebounds in this game.

Griffin - Score: Walsh 53, DeLuca 50

This will be a very good matchup between friends/foes Josh Walsh and Matt DeLuca. As long as Ben Walsh can play a full court offense and not walk the ball up the court, this will be a hard game for DeLuca. It wil be good to see how Ian MacPherson does in his new role at center being the tallest kid on his team. Either way this game will come down to the last possession or two.

Team Stark(14) vs. Team Dawson, Dianna(6)

Matt - Score: Dawson 65, Stark 50

This game shouldn’t be close with Team Stark having no answer for the depth of Team Dawson and Conor Enright, MVP candidate Ryan Sheehan will try to will his team to victory but their lack of depth and inexperience will have them fall short. I am excited to see the debut of Scott Delforte and what type of player he can be in this league.

Griffin - Score: Dawson 62, Stark 45

Team Dawson has the clear strength and size in this one with first year Scott Delforte probably having to cover MVP hopeful Conor Enright. If Mitch Dawson can contain his shots and only take the good ones then this game will be no problem at all for Dianna's hopeful championship run.

Sunday Game: Team Jarboe(3) vs. Team Wright(13)

Matt - Score: Jarboe 48, Wright 35

This shouldn’t be a tough game for Jarboe. Jackson should be able to hold A.J and Pete Ellerkamp will shut down whatever Leibold he covers. The depth of Team Jarboe is way to much with Nick Birmingham, Matt Aumais, Mike Murphy, and Myles Markham. Jarboe will run a incredible fast break and shut down Team Wright on the other end of the floor.

Griffin - Score: Jarboe 50, Wright 36

This will be a very fast paced game led by ex-varsity made basketball star Peter Ellerkamp. Jack and Rick Liebold always play well together but i feel as if the team defense of Jarboe will just be too much for them in this one.

*( ) indicates teams power ranking.

Schedule Announced

The 2011-2012 schedule has been announced!  Each team is scheduled to play eight games, with the first set to be played this coming weekend. The playoffs are currently scheduled to be played the week after February vacation. I have posted a "schedule" tab at the top for your convenience. You can also view it on this post at its full size by clicking on the image below.

Pre-Season Award Predictions

MVP: Matt Hanagan

We think that Matt Hanagan will be like the LeBron James of the Cavaliers. This is a championship caliber team with Matt Hanagan leading the way, but if he under performs even a little bit we feel as if team Naughton will then be average at best.

Underclassmen of the Year: Alex Dhionis

This is like the same case of Matt Hanagan and team Naughton. If Dhino doesn't perform then team Stewart will have no chance this season. Dhionis is the classic big man. He's tall, strong and can dominate the game in the paint.

Defensive Player: Peter Ellerkamp

Peter with his nonchalant attitude and his ridiculous trash tasking ability, he can catch many people off guard and come up with many turnovers. You know how GD won the D2 Championship for soccer? Well, Ellerkamp was their top defender throughout the season.

Sixth Man of the Year: Dan Tomany

In order for Dawson 2 to compare to Dianne's Dawson 1 team, Dan will have to be a huge part of this team coming off of the bench leading their second line.

Coach of the Year: Matt DeLuca

With Matt's passion for the game and his drive to win it all, we feel as if he will be able to coach up his team enough to make a good run at the title.

Power Rankings: Pre-Season

1. Team Naughton

-Because of Hanagan's versatility of being able to shoot the three or play down low, Greg Naughton's quick defense, and Kessler's ball handling it should make for a very successful season.

2. Team Hegeman

-With the duo of Longo and Austin Hourani, they should be able to run a fast paced offense and be able to dish it down low to Orlando or Brian O'Hara.

3. Team Jarboe

-The depth of possibly Matt Aumais, Nick Birmingham, and Mike Murphy coming off the bench teamed up with Ellerkamp's trash talking defense can pose a big threat in this average joe league.

4. Team Walsh

-The shooting ability of the Walsh's and Tom DeNatale can really spread the floor and open it up for their big men like Phen and Jake Wertheimer

5. Team Mahan

-With the top raked player (Ben Icenogle) and a solid backcourt with Werner, myself, and Dan McGuinness it will be easy for them to create the one on one match up desired for B.Ice.

6. Team Dawson 1

-With our number one ranked player in Enwright teamed with long time wing man Mitch Dawson, they will make a good run for the title. But I feel like they may fall short due to their lack of defense and just the bad luck that comes with every Dawson team.

7.Team Dawson 2

-They may not have the star studded talent as some teams but they have a very solid frontcourt and Estabrooke handling could work out well for them this season.

8. Team DeLuca

-With great coaching, and an offense led by Timmy Grove and big man Ian MacPherson along with good role players off of the bench such as Marcelo Guadiana they should be a quality team this year.

9. Team Saraceno

-With number one pick in the draft Doug Smith, hopefully he will be able to recapture some of his sophomore year skill and lead this team to the promise land.

10. Team Stevens

-They are not a very big team but Patrick Stevens and Douglas Rosa leading the charge can create many fast break opportunities and tire out the opposition.

11. Team Stewart

-With the huge losses of Mark Robinson and Noah Burkholtz from last season, hopefully Alex Dhionis and Willy Stewart will be able to pick up where they left off last season.

12. Team Debreceni

-With big boy Karaska and the experience of the Hoffman twins, providing Kyle shows up to the games, they should be able to do well down the stretch.

13. Team Wright

-The big three (Wright and the Liebold's) hopefully will be able to get past some of the tougher teams in the league this year.

14. Team Stark

-With Sheehan and first year man Scott Delforte, they don't have much to work with since there is no clear cut third man or depth to this team.

Power Rankings and more will be up tonight.

GD Rec Basketball Intro Video 2011-2012

Thought a pump up video might be in order to get ready for the 2011-2012 season. Let's go!





Thanks to Paul Fitzgerald, Ryan Henry, Mr. Stewart for the pictures and videos.

Regular Season Practice Schedule

Here are which teams and which nights people are practicing on, and i will put the regular season schedule up as soon as it comes out.

Monday LA

8:00-9:25 Stevens Debreceni Jarboe Dawson 1D Dawson 2K

Tuesday LA

8:00-9:25 Stark DeLuca Naughton Walsh Hegerman

Thursday MSN

6:00-7:25 Wright Saraceno

7:30-9:00 Mahan Stewart

Swish

This is a video that Mr.Stewart graciously took of Thursday night's practice/eval. enjoy.

P.S. I think it is fair to say by now Matt Ferro that Patchy (Patrick Stevens) is better than you.

Rosters Posted

The draft was held last night and the teams have been announced.  Check out the "Rosters" tab under the "GD Rec Basketball" heading to see all fourteen teams.  Games will start next Saturday and Sunday with the official dates and times still to be announced (I will put up the schedule as soon as I receive it), and practices will begin this week.  Cannot wait for another great season to begin!

More Evals and Draft Updates

I know everyone wants to start playing but this is the last week that we have to wait. We do have some more evaluations this week which will be:

Monday November 28th 8:00 - 9:25 at L.A. for last names (A-F)

Tuesday November 29th 8:00 - 9:25 at L.A. for last names (G-M)

Thursday December 1st 6:00 - 7:25 at Middle School North for last names (N-R)

7:30 - 9:00 at Middle School North for last names (S-Z)

It would be great if everyone could show up on their nights just to make it easier on everyone. Now the draft will either be on Friday night or Saturday morning. It has taken so long for the draft to happen because we have to wait for the High School Varsity teams to be picked, so that no Rec players (myself) will make varsity and then no be able to play rec. So it is finally almost here...the 2011-2012 Groton-Dunstable Rec Basketball Season

Saturday Evals

Here are the evaluation times for this Saturday:

Saturday November 19th
1:15-2:30 A-F
2:30-3:45 G-M
3:45-5:00 N-Z

Preseason Top 25 Player Rankings

Short and sweet this is the top 25 player rankings that i worked on with Matt Aumais. Comment and let me know if anyone should either be higher in the ranks or just on the ranks at all. Hope you all enjoy.

1. Conor Enright('12) - F, C

2. Ryan Sheehan('12) - G

3. Matt Hanagan('12) - F, C

4. Kyle Karaska('12) - F, C

5. Matt Plausse('13) - F

6. Austin Hourani('14) - F

7. Nick Longo('12) - F

8. Mike Allen('13) - F

9. Alex Dhionis('14) - C

10. Mitchell Dawson('12) - F

11. Timmy Grove('12) - G

12. Peter Ellerkamp('12) - G, F

13. Patrick Stevens('13) - G

14. Doug Smith('12) - F

15. Ben Icenogle('12) - C

16. Matt Ferro('12) - G

17. Ben Walsh('12) - G

18. Chaz Hallock('13) - F

19. Willy Stewart('13) - G

20. Nick Freiter('15) - G, F

21. Erik Rasku('12) - F, C

22. or 23. Rick Liebold('12) G, F

22. or 23. Jack Liebold('12) - G, F

24. AJ Wright('12) - C

25.Ian MacPherson('12) - F

More Evaluations

This is just another head's up that we still have a few more evaluations to do since not that many people showed up over the weekend. We only got around 50 kids and we are hoping to get as many people as we can to show up. The days for the extra evaluations will be Monday(tonight), Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday but i won't put up the times for Saturday yet because we are still waiting to hear back from a few coaches. So here are the time's, hope to see everyone there.

Monday 14th AT LA 8:00-9:25 A-F

Tuesday 15th AT LA 8:00-9:25 G-M

Thursday 17th AT MSN 6:00-7;25 N-R
7:30-9:00 S-Z

New Format

I've decided to reformat the website for a more professional look. Instead of having to scroll down on the first page to find rosters and standings, there are now separate tabs at the top (labeled "standings," "rosters," "links," etc.) that will make it easier to navigate. This also allows you to view standings and rosters from the mobile site, which was not possible before.

New Mobile Site Launched

Keeping up with the age of technology, I have taken advantage of the powers of Blogger and launched a mobile site that will make it easy to read. When you log on to the website from your smartphone or ipod, you will automatically be re-directed to the mobile version. You can still do everything that you would normally do on the desktop site, its just formatted a little differently so its easier to navigate. If you'd prefer to use the desktop site from your mobile device, just scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "view web version." Make sure to try it out and leave any feedback in the comments section!

It's That Time of Year Again!

I hope everyone had a great offseason and is ready to get back into what is, without a doubt, the most intense and exciting high school rec basketball league in America! At this point, it looks like there will be 14 teams this year!

There are a few changes for the 2011-2012 season, but I'm confident that new league Commissioner Paul Debreceni will keep things running as smoothly as ever. Besides being the man, Mr. Debs is a great guy who embraces the spirit of rec ball, and I definitely respect him a lot.

In terms of this website, I won't be able to contribute as much as I have in the past, given that UMass is a little to far away to drive home every Saturday morning. Therefore, I'm going to hand the keys to another rec basketball veteran in Griffin Modzelewski. With Griffin leading the way, I hope to get a few others to help contribute as well, so email me at pj.r.stevens@gmail.com if you're interested. I will try to post every once in a while when I can, but Griffin knows his stuff and I trust him to keep the legacy of GDRecBBall alive and well!

All of that being said, evaluations are right around the corner. They will be taking place next Saturday November 12th. It is very important that you attend evals, because this league prides itself in balancing the teams out in order to provide the greatest amount of competition.


PLEASE ARRIVE 15 MINUTES AHEAD OF YOUR DESIGNATED TIME TO GET YOUR HEIGHT MEASURED AND RECEIVE THE CORRECT COLOR AND NUMBER PINNIE.

Boys HS Recreational Basketball Evaluations Saturday, November 12th  
Lawrence Academy  8:00-12:00PM

A-D  8:00 AM - 8:55 AM  (arrive at 7:45 for Check in and Height  
measurement)

E-J  9:00 AM - 9:55 AM  (arrive at 8:45 for Check in and Height  
measurement)

K-P 10:00 AM - 10:55 AM    (arrive at 9:45 for Check in and Height  
measurement)

R-Y 11:00 AM - 11:55 AM  (arrive at 10:45 for Check in and Height  
measurement)

Get Rec'd T-Shirts

I still have about 10 or 12 "Get Rec'd" shirts to sell, if anyone is interested. They are $5 each. I have one XL and the rest are either Medium or Large. Contact me on Facebook, or at school if you would like to buy one. A HUGE thank you goes out to Mr. Paul Debreceni for helping with the design, and Greco Graphics for printing the shirts.

Twitter and Facebook!

Follow your favorite rec basketball website on Twitter @GDRecBBall! Also, be sure to "Like" our Facebook page, "GDRecBBall.Blogspot.com."

Championship Game

This is it, the last rec ball game of my life.We're gonna be without Doug Rosa and Pete Ellerkamp, which is sure to hurt us quite a bit. But Team Werner won't have Plausse or Werner for the first half, so we have a chance. Get ready for Patrick Stevens to make it rain like Jimmer Fredette, and maybe I'll chip in with a four-point play. We've made it this far against all odds, so I'm going to be a homer and say that we find a way to win. I hope everyone comes out to watch both the championship game and the all-star game, it should be a fun time. These games mean a lot to the seniors, so come out and support them. The game will be recorded and televised on the Groton Channel sometime next week. "Get Rec'd" t-shirts will be on sale for $5, so get pumped for that. No matter what happens to Team Stevens, it should be a great day to enjoy rec ball one last time.

Scores: Final Four

Werner 50 Dawson 38
Stevens 56 Debreceni 49

Scores: Round 2

The dream is alive!

Stevens 50 Stewart 39
Debreceni 58 Calderan 55
Werner 41 O'Malley 36
Dawson 46 DeLuca 39  

Game Picks: Playoffs Round 2

Werner vs. O'Malley-- Wednesday, 6:45pm @ MSN
These two teams matchup perfectly with one another. Just over two weeks ago, they faced each other in a Week 10 battle, where Team O'Malley squeaked out a 44-42 victory. I expect it to be just as close this time. Matt Hanagan's wrist (injured when he fell on it near the end of Saturday's game) is a big question mark that could ultimately be the difference in the game. The matchup at the point guard slot, between Devin Goudey and Shane O'Malley is sure to be a great battle. In a game that is essentially a coin flip, I think Matt Plausse's ability to get to the rim and also rip some boards will be the difference.
Werner 51 O'Malley 48 (OT)

DeLuca vs. Dawson-- Wednesday, 6:45pm @ MSS 
Team DeLuca asserted itself as a force to be reckoned with after knocking off a seven-win Team Hill last week. They have been streaky all year, and could be catching fire once again at the right time. On the other side is the always consistent Team Dawson, who struggled last week against lonely Team Mahan. Team DeLuca's aggressive mentality could potentially catch Team Dawson's sometimes lackadaisical effort off guard, but in the end the Team Dawson's size is simply too much to overcome.
Dawson 47 DeLuca 42

Debreceni vs. Calderan-- Wednesday, 8:00pm @ MSN
Team Debreceni is one of the hottest in the league, thanks to the efforts of Dustin McEvoy and Mike Allen. They have won four in a row, and five out of six-- however, that one loss came at the hands of Team Calderan. The problem for Team Debs is that they only have a big two, while Team Calderan has more of a big three, which could leave a mismatch in Kevin Thompson's favor. I wouldn't count out Team Debreceni, but I think Mark Lavallee will rally the troops and pull out a closer-than-expected win to propel his team to the semis.
Calderan 54 Debreceni 50

Stevens vs. Stewart-- Wednesday, 8:00pm @ MSS 
Team Stevens has been nearly unstoppable at its home court this year, going 4-1. They are also in the midst of a four game winning streak, and will gain the assistance of second round pick Doug Rosa at the guard slot. Meanwhile, Team Stewart pulled out a win with just five players last week, and will be without Noah Burkholz once again. The rebounding edge clearly favors Team Stewart, who beat Team Stevens by three during the regular season. I anticipate this to be a defensive minded game, but it could just as easily be high scoring, with Team Stevens dropping at least 60 points each of the last three games. I think we can control the tempo and make some threes, and ultimately outlast the mighty Team Stewart. Let's go!
Stevens 41 Stewart 40

Schedule for This Week

Playoffs Round 2
Werner vs. O'Malley-- Wednesday, 6:45pm @ MSN
DeLuca vs. Dawson-- Wednesday, 6:45pm @ MSS
Debreceni vs. Calderan-- Wednesday, 8:00pm @ MSN
Stewart vs. Stevens-- Wednesday, 8:00pm @ MSS

Consolation Games
Icenogle vs. MacLeod-- Thursday, 6:45pm @ MSN
Hill vs. Mahan-- Thursday, 6:45pm @ MSS
Jarboe vs. Fotino-- Thursday, 8:00pm @ MSN
Wright vs. Hegeman- Thursday, 8:00pm @ MSS

Scores: Round 1

DeLuca 50 Hill 35
Stevens 58 Hegeman 49
Stewart 49 Wright 40
Calderan 55 Fotino 44
Dawson Mahan
O'Malley MacLeod

Werner 59 Icenogle 44

Debreceni 53 Jarboe 51

My Bracket

2011 Postseason Preview: This is What It's All About

With the playoffs starting later today, here a few questions regarding this year's tournament.

Who's the favorite?
There isn't one. The field is wide open this year, with the likes of Team Dawson, Hill, and Calderan all near the top, but I think they could be beaten on any given night. Team Stewart would easily fit this void if Noah Burkholz was in the lineup, but without him they are severely vulnerable. Mark Robinson's teams are always competitive, so I don't think it's out of the question that they could make a run to the championship, but I just don't see it personally.

Who has a chance to surprise everyone?
Team Debreceni. If they take care of business today, I think they could squeak by Team Calderan in the second round, and carry their momentum on to the finals. Mike Allen has really stepped up and provided a great alternative scorer to Dustin McEvoy, averaging 24 points over the last two games. I'm not saying it's likely that Team Debs can pull this off, but if they can ride the hot hands of D-Mac and Biggie, they could open some people's eyes.

Best first round matchup?
I think DeLuca versus Hill (Saturday, 2:00pm @ MSS) will be intense and exciting. The Hill's know how to win and the Kyle DeLuca and crew certainly want to win. This game should provide a glimpse of rec basketball at its finest, so I would encourage everyone to be there (plus you could root for Team Stevens in the game after...).

Will the Dawson and Calderan curses hold true once again?
Each and every year, Team Dawson and Team Calderan have great regular seasons, but have trouble translating this into success in the playoffs. With (9-1) and (7-3) records respectively, they have certainly help up the first end of the bargain. But I think this year, one of these teams' luck is going to change. I'm picking Calderan versus Dawson in the finals.

Which team wins it all?
In a finals of Team Calderan versus Team Dawson, I think Dawson finally ascends the ladder of rec ball greatness, to win the championship. I picked them at the beginning of the year so I'm going to stick with them to take the crown.

Baller of the Week: Week 10

The final regular season Baller of the Week Award goes to Jon Wolfe. He put up 21 points for Team Jarboe, including four threes, in a 52-49 loss to Team Hegeman. Congratulations Weezy!

Game Picks: Week 10 (part 2)

Stevens vs. Icenogle-- Thursday, 6:45pm @ MSN
Team Stevens is riding the momentum of a two game winning streak into tonight's clash with Team Icenogle, while their opponents are in the midst of a three game losing streak. With rumors swirling that varsity captain Will Peregoy could be making an appearance for Team Icenogle, this has the potential to be quite a game. In the end, I think Team Stevens keeps on riding the wave and finishes off the season with a respectable .500 record.

Stevens 61 Icenogle 54

Hill vs. Stewart-- Thursday, 6:45pm @ MSS
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the regular season was Noah Burkholz' near perfect attendance. All good things must come to an end. While he is out for two weeks, his team will face one of its toughest challenges of the season in Team Hill, who is coming off just its second loss of the season. These teams have polar opposite styles of play, with the Hill's always looking to get out and run, versus Team Stewart consistently looking to slow down the pace and pack it inside. Ultimately, I think the loss of Noah is too great to overcome, and Team Hill comes out with a victory.

Hill 56 Stewart 49

DeLuca vs. Fotino-- Thursday, 8:00pm @ MSN
With Brian Murphy set to fill the void left by the injured Mike Deveranne, Team Fotino shouldn't lose a step. Although he presents a size advantage over a small Team DeLuca, I don't think Murphy will necessarily exploit them inside-- it's not his game. But he should spread out the offense and allow John Denomme and Zach Hurst to create lanes to the basket. I expect Kyle DeLuca and Ben Walsh to come up big for Team DeLuca. But in the end, B-Murph propels Team Fo to victory in overtime.

Fotino 66 DeLuca 64 (OT)

Wright vs. Mahan-- Thursday, 8:00pm @ MSS
Team Wright has been in free-fall mode, losing each of its last five games after a hot 4-0 start. Team Mahan hasn't played so well lately either, so something has to give. Mike Shea could be resting his ankle for Team Mahan, in anticipation of a potential upset of Team Dawson on Saturday, which would severely injure Team Mahan's chances tonight. Ryan Sheehan against Timmy Grove should be a good battle one on one, but overall Team Wright will be too much.

Wright 47 Mahan 40

Scores: Week 10

Debreceni 68 MacLeod 58
O'Malley 44 Werner 42
Hegeman 52 Jarboe 49
Dawson (+12) Calderan  
Stevens 63 Icenogle 49
Stewart Hill
DeLuca 66 Fotino 47 
Wright (+2) Mahan 

Game Picks: Week 10 (part 1)

Werner vs. O'Malley-- Wednesday, 6:45pm @ MSN
No Curran Huff or Matt Plausse for Team Werner really puts them in a hole to start. Devin Goudey has a good matchup, but without his supporting cast he will likely have trouble, being the sole focus of the offense. With Team O'Malley at full strength, I expect them to take care of business.
O'Malley 54 Werner 43

Debreceni vs. MacLeod-- Wednesday, 6:45pm @ MSS
Both of these teams rely on their top player to carry the load each and every game, so the matchup between Dustin McEvoy and Tynan MacLeod should be interesting to watch. With a lingering wrist injury, I think Tynan is at a bit of a disadvantage. Mike Allen has come up big recently, with two consecutive twenty-plus point efforts. If he can keep it up, I think Team Debreceni wins their third straight.
Debreceni 57 MacLeod 50

Calderan vs. Dawson-- Wednesday, 8:00pm @ MSN
At full strength, this would be a great matchup, but Team Dawson is missing Jared Dawson. Team Calderan should be able to get out and run, with Team Dawson missing their only point guard. I could see a press working well for Team Calderan, and I expect Mark Lavallee to have a big game thanks to Jared's absence.
Calderan 59 Dawson 53

Hegeman vs. Jarboe-- Wednesday, 8:00pm @ MSS
This matchup is highlighted by the trash talking that has been escalated recently between Griffin Modzelewski and Cam Finnell. This should be an interesting matchup to watch, as Cam as been criticized for not being able to shoot, and Griffin for not being able to drive and score inside. Ultimately, Team Jarboe has no answer for Anthony Cotoni, and I think Team Hegeman gets it done, winning their third straight.
Hegeman 48 Jarboe 45

Baller of the Week: Week 9

After leading our team to a 66-42 victory over Team Jarboe with 20 points, and having consistently been our leading scorer over the course of the year (as a fourth round pick), I would like to recognize my brother, Patrick Stevens, as Baller of the Week. Ever since I bought him that shooting sleeve for Christmas he has been deadly beyond the arc. Congratulations Patrick! (and you're welcome...)

All-Star Game

All-Star Game voting is now open. Each player and coach can fill out one ballot.

2011 GD Rec BBall All Star Ballot

Steps to Vote:
1.) Click the above link to access this year's all star ballot.
2.) Print it.
3.) Write your name on it.
4.) Vote for 8 players and 2 coaches.
5.) Bring the ballot to your coach OR Mr. Calderan OR send an email with your votes to pj.r.stevens@gmail.com, I will forward it to Mr. Calderan.

The All-Star Game will be held on Saturday, March 26 at 12:00pm @ MSN, after the completion of the championship game. I hope to have both the championship and All-Star Game televised on the Groton Channel, but I will need some help in organizing this. If anyone wants to help out, send me an email or leave a comment.

Halftime of the All-Star Game will feature:
     --Free Throw Contest
     --Three Point Shootout
     --Slam Dunk Contest

Scores: Week 9

Hegeman ? Hill ?

Debreceni 57 Fotino 49

Stevens 66 Jarboe 42

MacLeod 51 Mahan 41
O'Malley ? Icenogle ?
Dawson (by 3) Wright 
Calderan 48 DeLuca 34 
Werner ? Stewart ?

Game Picks: Week 9

Dawson 57 Wright 52 -- 8:00am @PTYC
Hill 64 Hegeman 47 -- 8:00am @ MSS
DeLuca 50 Calderan 49 -- 8:00am @ MSN
O'Malley 46 vs. Icenogle 39 -- 9:20am @ PTYC
Debreceni 45 Fotino 44 -- 9:20am @ MSS
Stewart 48 Werner 46 -- 9:20am @ MSN
Jarboe 43 Stevens 40 -- 10:40am @ MSS
MacLeod 44 Mahan 38 -- 12:00pm @ MSS

2011 Playoff Bracket

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Schedule for Weeks 9 & 10 Announced

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New Rules

I can handle people insulting me on the comments section, but it has now reached the point of attacking other people and I am not going to allow this to potentially happen any more. As a result, I have made a change to the comment section. From now on, Blogger will send me all comments that people leave, and I will have to approve them before they appear on the site. I'm sorry that it takes a few jerks to have to do this for everyone, but I've warned everyone about this before and now I need to take action. If you leave a comment and it's clean, as most of them usually are, I will post it right away. Thanks for understanding.

Baller of the Week: Week 8

Congratulations to Jared Dawson for winning Baller of the Week! In team's game against Team Hegeman, Jared made eight three pointers, and had 30 points overall, to lead Team Dawson to a 62-38 win. His eight three pointers are a GD Rec Basketball record. Nice job Jared!

Scores: Week 8

Some low scoring games this week, which means the defensive effort has surely been increased by most teams; with playoffs right around the corner this is a good way to increase anyone's chances of winning. Stat of the week: Team Stewart shot 24 free throws while Team DeLuca shot only 4. Pretty crazy. Also, be sure to check the updated standings on the sidebar to the right!

Calderan 44 Mahan 32
This was a 3 point game with about 8 minutes left, then Team Calderan pulled away for good. 

Debreceni 62 Icenogle 42
Dustin McEvoy had 20, and Mike Allen had 18. Every player scored for Team Debreceni. Team Icenogle was short handed with no Tom DeNatale.


Jarboe 35 MacLeod 33
Team MacLeod had a layup at the buzzer that didn't fall, as Team Jarboe escaped without Griffin Modzelewski.
 
Stewart 50 DeLuca 41
Eric Rahnasto had four fouls in the first half which limited his aggressiveness in the second half while covering Mark Robinson, who had 20 points. 
 
Dawson 62 Hegeman 38
Team Dawson cashed in on eleven three pointers, including a GD Rec Basketball record eight from point guard Jared Dawson, who had 30 points in the win.
 
Hill 43 Wright 26
Team Wright struggled mightily on offense, scoring the least amount of points for a team in rec ball this season. 
 
Stevens 47 Werner 40 
A hot shooting performance in the first half led to a 15 point lead for Team Stevens, even with Matt Plausse and Curran Huff in the house for Team Werner. Devin Goudey led his team with 20, while Team Stevens had a balanced day on offense, with no players scoring in double digits. 


Fotino Jarboe 

Game Picks: Week 8

Stewart (7-0) vs. DeLuca (5-2)
Based on the way these two teams have played this year, this one looks like it could be quite a battle. They have contrasting styles of play, so whoever can control the tempo will likely win the game. Ultimately, I think it comes down to the glaring mismatch in Mark Robinson's favor: Team DeLuca really has no one to cover him. Never count out Team DeLuca, but I don't know how they can pull it off if they have no answer for M-Robs.
Stewart 54 DeLuca 53

Dawson (6-1) vs. Hegeman (1-6)
Team Dawson has so many scoring options, while Team Hegeman's offense runs almost exclusively through Anthony Cotoni. Conor Enright has the size to slow down Cotoni and allow Mitchell and Jared Dawson to have solid efforts offensively in an easy win.
Dawson 61 Hegeman 44

Icenogle (3-4) vs. Debreceni (1-6)
Battle of the giraffes. Dustin McEvoy vs. Ben Icenogle. These teams are about equal as far as I'm concerned, so I'd say it's pretty much a coin flip. Dustin has the edge over Ben, but Team Icenogle might have a better supporting cast. That being said, Dustin has averaged 28 points per game in his last two outings, so I'll go with Team Debs in a tight one.
Debreceni 45 Icenogle 42

MacLeod (1-6) vs. Jarboe (3-4)
Team MacLeod has struggled mightily without Tynan MacLeod, hopefully this will be the last week they'll have to play without him. On the other side, Team Jarboe will be without Griffin Modzelewski, but Jon Wolfe has a great opportunity to put up a season high scoring output with the mismatch he will have in his favor. Although this game might get a little ugly at times on the offensive end, I think Dan Roper fills the void left by Modzelewski beyond the arc, and Matt Aumais puts up solid numbers to help Wolfe lead the way to victory.
Jarboe 43 MacLeod 39
 

Mahan (1-6) vs. Calderan (5-2)
Team Mahan had their fun last week.
Calderan 64 Mahan 42 

Wright (4-3) vs. Hill (7-1)
This game presents a solid matchup in terms of size. AJ Wright versus Ben Hack should be an interesting battle between lanky big guys, while the rest of each team does not have much height-- meaning it will come down to guard play. Team Hill is not a great jump-shooting team, but they attack the basket as well as anyone. Team Wright should be able to keep it close with some threes, but ultimately it won't be enough.
Hill 56 Wright 50


Werner (3-4) vs. Stevens (2-5)
At full strength, this matchup would certainly favor Team Werner, who has a huge height advantage over Team Stevens. However, Team Werner will be without big guys Curran Huff and Matt Plausse, their two of their top three scorers. I think Team Stevens can capitalize on a disadvantaged Team Werner and pull out it's third win of the season.
Stevens 48 Werner 43 

O'Malley (5-2) vs. Fotino (3-4)
As has been evident by their performance thus far, Team Fotino can beat anyone or lose to anyone on any given day. So needless to say, picking the outcome of any game involving Team Fotino is a shot in the dark. On the other side, Team O'Malley has won both its' games without first round pick Shane O'Malley. I'm going to go with the law of averages and say that Team Fotino bounces back after last week, and Team O'Malley finally feels the effects of not having Shane. 
Fotino 54 O'Malley 49  

Baller of the Week: Week 7

Team Mahan got its first win of the season over a very talented Team Fotino. For their effort, I am rewarding the entire Team Mahan with the Baller of the Week Award for week seven. Congratulations!

Scores: Week 7

Mahan Fotino
Stewart Icenogle
Dawson MacLeod
Werner Hegeman
Stevens Hill
DeLuca Wright
Calderan Debreceni
O'Malley Jarboe      

Senior Project Idea

For my senior project, I was thinking of making T-Shirts that had something to do with rec ball. I would need to design the shirt (I would consider any ideas from you guys), and eventually sell them for maybe like $8. I wouldn't try to make a profit on them, so I'm just curious if people would be interested. I was thinking I could run a March Madness type bracket for rec basketball playoffs. For $10 you get a bracket and a t-shirt, and whoever fills out the best bracket wins the profits. Leave a comment if you like the idea, or have any others, because I have to submit the idea and proposal by Wednesday.

Game Picks: Week 7

***NOTE THAT THE TIMES OF SATURDAY'S GAMES AT LA HAVE BEEN MOVED UP A FEW MINUTES EACH, DUE TO AN LA VARSITY GAME THAT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR NOON. PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY AND BE READY TO PLAY.***

Dawson (5-1) vs. MacLeod (1-5)-- Saturday, 8:00am @ LA 
All you have to do is look at each team's record for this game. Team MacLeod has struggled mightily without their leader, Tynan MacLeod. Last week, Evan Pfenninger stepped up and scored 15 points-- he'll need to do that again to keep this one close. As long as Team Dawson's players know what time their game is at (unlike last week), then they should have no trouble handling Team MacLeod. Look for Conor Enright to use his size and have a big game.
Dawson 53 MacLeod 36

Jarboe (3-3) vs. O'Malley (4-2)-- Saturday, 9:10am @ LA
Playing without Shane O'Malley, Will Lamy and Steve Leonardo stepped up for Team O'Malley and led them to an exciting overtime victory last week over Team Wright. This week, they will have to duplicate their efforts against a confident Team Jarboe. I anticipate that this will be a tight game, which is something that plays to Team O'Malley's advantage, as Team Jarboe hasn't been in many close games. I think Jon Wolfe has a solid game, but Matt Hanagan plays even better, and leads his team to a win.
O'Malley 46 Jarboe 44

Werner (2-4) vs. Hegeman (1-5)-- Saturday, 10:20am @ LA
Although their records are quite similar, I think there is a significant difference in the talent level of each team. Team Werner has the potential to beat anyone when they're on their game, while Team Hegeman is sure to have a solid effort from Anthony Cotoni every week, but the potential is lacking. Team Hegeman may have the advantage in the matchup of star players, but Curran Huff and Matt Plausse provide size and scoring ability that Team Hegeman cannot match. I see Matty "Ice" Werner burying a few threes in his team's victory.
Werner 58 Hegeman 49

Stewart (6-0) vs. Icenogle (3-3)-- Saturday, 1:20pm @ MSN
With Team Stewart coming off a big win last week versus Team Calderan, I think they might sleep a little on Team Icenogle, so it could be a closer than people expect. If Tom DeNatale and Matt Ferro can hit some threes, to balance the inside scoring of Team Stewart, Team Icenogle could hang around. However, I anticipate that the size advantage of Team Stewart will be too much in the end.
Stewart 54 Icenogle 47

Fotino (3-3) vs. Mahan (0-6)-- Saturday, 2:40pm @ MSN 
There is really no need to explain this one. Sorry Mike Shea....
Fotino 61 Mahan 40

Wright (4-2) vs. DeLuca (4-2)-- Sunday, 9:00am @ MSN
Team DeLuca has been scorching hot, as they come into this game on a four game winning streak. They've been distributing the ball nicely amongst themselves, and have had key contributions from several players. I haven't seen a lot of Team Wright this year, but I think they match up well with Team DeLuca, based on size. Neither team has a dominant big man to present a scoring threat down low, and each has a solid tandem of guards. I anticipate that this will be a tight game, but I will give the edge to Team DeLuca, based on the unselfish play and solid defense that they've shown recently.
DeLuca 48 Wright 47
 
Stevens (2-4) vs. Hill (5-1)-- Sunday, 10:15am @ MSN
Team Stevens and Team Hill match up very well. Each team has incorporated the three pointer as a large part of its offense-- thanks to Alex Marken for Team Hill, and Patrick Stevens for Team Stevens. Team Hill's advantage comes with their inside scoring ability, thanks to the Hill Bros. taking it hard to the hoop. I really think Team Stevens has a solid chance to pull the upset, but with Pete Ellerkamp questionable due to a big skiing weekend, I suppose I would have to go with Team Hill if I was a betting man. 
Hill 52 Stevens 48

Calderan (4-2) vs. Debreceni (1-5)-- Sunday, 10:15am @ MSS 
Reigning Baller of the Week Award winner Dustin McEvoy will need another outstanding performance, and some help from his supporting cast to give his team a shot. The difference in this game should be Team Calderan's aggressiveness, which will lead to turnovers and fast break opportunities. Playing at a small gym like Middle School South should help out Team Debreceni a little, because Team Calderan won't be able to run them quite as much, but I think Kevin Thompson has a big game to lead his team to victory.
Calderan 61 Debreceni 45

Baller of the Week: Week 6

Dustin McEvoy led Team Debreceni to it's first victory of the season, 55-52 in overtime, over the previously undefeated Team Hill. He converted an and-one opportunity with nine seconds left to give his team the lead, and several blocks on defense were key. He finished the game with 33 points, 60% of his team's total. Congratulations Dustin!

Scores: Week 6

Icenogle Dawson

DeLuca Werner

Jarboe Mahan

Debreceni Hill (OT)

Stewart Calderan

Fotino Hegeman

O'Malley Wright (OT)

Stevens MacLeod

Game Picks: Week 6

It's crunch time, as this week marks the official start of the second half of the season! Good luck to everyone!

Dawson (5-0) vs. Icenogle (2-3)-- Saturday, 8:00am @ LA
Team Icenogle has surprised a lot of people with their record, including myself, but a win against the mighty Team Dawson would be truly shocking. Ben Icenogle should have some success thanks to his agility and size advantage, but in the end Conor Enright causes a huge matchup problem because of his versatility. I expect the Enright Bros. to put up some solid numbers to lead Team Dawson to victory.
Dawson 55 Icenogle 42

DeLuca (3-2) vs. Werner (2-3)-- Saturday, 9:20am @ LA
This one should be a great game. Team Werner is coming off a blowout win last week, while Team DeLuca is riding the confidence of a three game winning streak. In terms of matchups, somehow Kyle DeLuca, Tommy Beal, and Eric Rahnasto will have to matchup with Devin Goudey, Matt Plausse, and Curran Huff-- big size advantage goes to Team Werner. If Team DeLuca normally played uptempo I might say they could outrun Team Werner, but both teams seem content to playing in the half court which I think favors Team Werner.
Werner 59 DeLuca 58

Jarboe (2-3) vs. Mahan (0-5)-- Saturday, 10:40am @ LA
Team Mahan hung around in the first half last week against DeLuca with some solid defense, so I wouldn't be surprised if they do it again this week. Tyler "Derd" Sandoe is an animal on defense thanks to his unbelievable soccer and jujitsu background. Team Jarboe has been struggling and doesn't matchup too well with Team Mahan. Mike Shea versus Jon Wolfe should be a good battle, the same goes for Tim Grove against Griffin Modzelewski. In the end, I think Team Jarboe has a little more talent on its bench, and I think they squeak out a win thanks to a few threes from Dan Roper and co.
Jarboe 43 Mahan 37

Debreceni (0-5) vs. Hill (5-0)-- Saturday, 1:20pm @ MSN
Dustin McEvoy should be able to exploit Ben Hack and put up some good numbers, but really all you need to look at is each team's record. If by some miracle the Hill Bros. don't show then I'd say Team Debreceni gets their first win, otherwise it's Team Hill in a blowout.  
Hill 56 Debreceni 44 

Stewart (5-0) vs. Calderan (4-1)-- Saturday, 2:40pm @ MSN
This game has potential to be one of the best games of the year. As usual, Team Stewart has the size advantage, but Team Calderan will want to get out and run. Whichever team can control the tempo of the game will come out on top. I think Team Calderan is aggressive enough to get some hustle rebounds, and in turn, start some fast breaks and dictate the pace of the game. I'll say they get it done in overtime. 
Calderan 61 Stewart 59 (OT) 

Hegeman (1-4) vs. Fotino (2-3)-- Sunday, 9:00am @ MSN
Team Fotino is feeling good, coming off back to back wins, while Team Hegeman is going in the other direction thanks to a four game losing skid. Anthony Cotoni is a tough matchup for anyone on Team Fotino, but with good help defense I think they can contain him. Cam Finnell and Greg Naughton could have a solid game beyond the arc, but I anticipate that Mike Devarenne and Zach Hurst will be too much for Team Hegeman.
Fotino 47 Hegeman 40

O'Malley (3-2) vs. Wright (4-1)-- Sunday, 10:15am @ MSN
Team Wright is looking to rebound from a tough loss last week, and with Shane O'Malley out of the lineup for his team, I think they get the job done. Matt Hanagan and Will Lamy will have to carry the offense of Team O'Malley in Shane's absence, but the balanced attack of Team Wright could be too much. I look for AJ Wright to have a solid game defensively down low, and Ryan Sheehan to drain some more threes, as Team Wright gets back to it's winning ways.
Wright 54 O'Malley 46

MacLeod (1-4) vs. Stevens (1-4)-- Sunday, 10:15am @ MSS
No Tynan MacLeod, Peter Georges, or Nick Birmingham for Team MacLeod means very little offensive production. Chaz Hallock will have to step up and provide some offense, while also feeding Hunter Lambert down low. Team Stevens' uptempo attack should tire out Team MacLeod's shorthanded bench, and ultimately lead to victory.
Stevens 50 MacLeod 37