Corona Virus

I'm very sad to inform you that the rec playoffs have been stopped due to corona-virus issues. The semi-finals, finals and all-star games have all been canceled for the time being. It's possible that it is played at a later date, but as of now, this is the information I have to give you. Practices and open gyms are also off.

Final Week of Rec Practice

Practice for rec this week goes as follows:

Tuesday 3/10 6:00-7:30: Team Jarboe and Team Anzivino

Tuesday 3/10 7:30-9:00: Team teDuits and Team Strauss

@Middle School South

All other rec players can still go to open gym on Thursday 3/12 from 6:00-9:00 for open gym. @Middle School North

Quarter-Finals Results

teDuits vs Cianci

42-33

After watching Cianci vs Donaruma on Friday night, everyone assumed team teDuits would be able to roll over team Cianci. However, team teDuits looked much worse than what we had watched during the regular season and although down for the whole game, it always looked like they had a chance to put a run together and tie the game. Things got shaky for team teDuits when Jay decided that it would be a bright idea to let Dylan Cianci shoot the three and just like that it was a 6 point game. It was evident how bad team teDuits is with Brad off the floor as Colin looked lost when he had to dribble the ball. Dylan Cianci had 23 points and also had team Cianci's only points of the first half. He played a great game for team Cianci and a great season in general, he will be a pest for referees for years to come with that slow euro-step.

Jarboe vs Bonaventura

56-42

Team Jarboe was able to put together a similar performance to the one in the final week of the regular season against team Bono to send them to a semi-final matchup with team teDuits. The game was tight for the first 4 minutes, but once Derek and Ryan Bernard we're taken out of the game, Simon was able to exploit his matchup without Derek guarding him. Jarboe had a lead of about 15 throughout the whole second half and it was Max Jarboe and Brendan who had great 2nd halves both raining in threes including some real deep ones by Brendan. The game finished with Frank Tusia scoring some of his first points of the season.

Anzivino vs Mcnamara

46-37

Will Bordes did Will Bordes things leading team Anzivino to the semi-finals after a repeat result of the final week of the regular season where these teams faced off. Despite Alex Castelano showing up, team Mcnamara didn't have what it takes to stop Will and company and team Azivino was able to comfortably book their place in the semi-finals next Friday.

Strauss vs Kelly

60-28

Team Kelly was able to hang around in a game vs team Strauss for most of the first half, but as the game broke into the 2nd half, Jacob Strauss and Jared Whitby kept shooting free throws and kept stretching the lead farther and farther away from Kelly. The real highlight of the game was Senior Sammy Eggiman's final moments as a rec basketball player. It was filled with deep threes, halfcourt shots and some bad fouls as well. As the clock winded down he let one last shot go and despite it being an airball, he was treated to "Thank you Sammy" chants from the fan section.

New Bracket

Round 1 Results

I'd like to start off by telling everyone that at least the two games tonight and hopefully all of the playoff games will be live-streamed on Youtube and available after thanks to Mr. Bisbee and the link to find them is here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVzEviFw9d4&t=8948s

The game-winner for the first game is @ 56:30 and well worth the watch.

Kelly vs Dzwonek
49-46
A fantastic game from start to finish was a perfect way to open up the 2020 rec playoffs and was capped off with an incredible game-winning, bank three by Nate Bushnell to move team Kelly into the quarterfinals. Team Kelly led for most of the game, but team Dzwonek is never out of a game if Stevie is in the game. Stevie D started getting hot from deep, but with 20 seconds left, he was getting face guarded by Sammy Eggiman, so it was left to Tommy Raymond who let a contested three fly from deep and tied the game with 15 seconds left. Coach Kelly drew something up in the timeout and as sloppy as it was, it worked and Nate Bushnell was able to celebrate a huge game-winner. It was a big game for Big Red (Sammy Eggiman) who despite a terrible regular season, put up 10 points in the first half alone. As for Stevie D, Cole Connerty, and of course Sam Smethurst, this is the end of the road for their rec careers which is a sad moment for all and I'll write something up for all the seniors at the end of the playoffs, but I'll quickly say thank you for some great memories.

Cianci vs Donaruma
36-28
The less said about this game the better. In a very sloppy game, team Donaruma didn't have much scoring and fell victim to the sleeping team Cianci who played a much better brand of basketball compared to the regular season thanks to Cory and Vassell showing up. A much lower scoring game compared the first game of the night was only 13-12 and was one of the less interesting games of the season. Dylan Cianci has consistently been a bright star for team Cianci this season, and he played well again tonight to earn his team a game vs team teDuits in the quarter-finals. Again Sadly this is the end of the road for RD, Willy J and Evan Biegel who have all been huge contributors to this year's league and have helped make it such a success.

Here is the updated bracket

Friday Night Playoff Predicition

Kelly vs Dzwonek
Winner: Kelly
Watching the Dzwonek vs Cianci game made it clear how bad team Dzwonek really is. There is a reason they finished bottom of the league this year. Team Kelly has had some poor performances this season, but we expect coach Kelly will be able to rally his troops for the big game. A deciding factor in this game is the pressure that the young team Kelly has maybe never played under before. Team Dzwonek has older players who have made varsity playoff appearances before (Stevie pinch-hitting in baseball), but team Kelly has a very inexperienced team so when it comes to Friday night lights at the high school, maybe the pressure will get to them. However, I'll back team Kelly to get the job done and move on to the quarterfinals.

Donaruma vs Cianci
Winner: Donaruma
This game is super tough to call because based on the regular season results, I love team Donaruma in this game, but after talking to some of team Cianci who has missed the regular season, they may have the stars that never showed up before. Vassell has verbally committed to showing up and Cory seems like at least a 50-50 so they may be here to play. Donaruma looking much better in their last game of the season so this game could really go either way. If I had to choose however it would likely be a Donaruma win.

The Playoff Schedule

Here is the playoff schedule, good luck to everyone and predictions will be up sometime this week.

Week 11 Scores

Anzivino vs Mcnamara
50-42
Team Anzivino was able to get up early in this game and held a consistent 8 point lead through just about the whole game. Team Mcnamara was able to hang around thanks to a few Curtis 3's, but every time something seemed to go right for them on offense, things would fall apart on defense. The interesting part about this game is that it looked like if team Mcnamara maybe had one more key player they could win, and with a possible 2nd round matchup on the horizon, it should be interesting to see if the result changes with Castro on the floor.

Jarboe vs Bonaventura
57-44
A very encouraging display for team Jarboe who was able to come back from an 8 point half time deficit to beat team Bonaventura who has struggled recently. things were clearly clicking for team Jarboe on both ends of the floor with blocks (on Ryan Bernard) on defense and 3's and easy buckets on offense. This game was another preview for a possible playoffs matchup and we'll see if they play, maybe team Bonaventura can re-write the story.

Donaruma vs Kelly
40-33
All who watched we're amazed by one player in particular in this game. Senior Sammy Eggiman was able to score double digits for the first time in his senior year and finally showed a glimmer of hope on offense than maybe, just maybe, team Kelly can exploit in the playoffs. RD (Ryan Donaruma) played throw a shoulder injury which will be operated on soon if my sources are true and scored 22 points which we're much needed with the absence of star junior Alex Bushnell. Sadly it looks like RD will be out for playoffs so even more pressure will be put on Bush and Jusaume to score.

teDuits vs Strauss
59-46
A battle between the two top dogs in our league didn't quite live up to the hype as a very close first half was blown open by a once again dominant team teDuits. Team Strauss looked good for most of the first half but lost some of its offensive dominance in the 2nd. It seemed like Whitby wasn't as aggressive as we expected and settled for deep 3's rather than getting to the hoop. Many expected this to be a taster for what this year's championship may look like, and if that's so then we could be looking at a team teDuits undefeated season.

Cianci vs Dzwonek
37-36
The highlight for many people's weekends was watching what was known as the "toilet bowl" as well as the "Sammy V Retirement game" which was these two bottom of the league teams squaring off in a bottle for 2nd to the last place. It finished in the exact fashion you'd expect for a game like this. At least 3 turnovers from both teams, multiple missed free throws and even a free throw off the side glass. It didn't fail to live up to its expectations and it was a great send-off for Sammy V who is calling his rec career here as season-ending surgery looms for him as well. 

It's been a great regular season and we look forward to what's to come in the playoffs. I'd like to wish a quick and successful recovery to Sammy V and RD who both will be dearly missed by the rec league. Congrats on a great career to the both of you!

Final Power Rankings

For the final power rankings of the season, I've decided to do a one-sentence game where I'll describe each team's season with only one sentence, pretty self-explanatory.

10. Cianci (-1)
No attendance in the big games.

9. Dzwonek (+1)
Poor shot selection and a lack of team chemistry.

8. Donaruma (-)
A battle with adversity all season long, and adversity won.

7. Jarboe (-2)
Injuries and poor sleep schedules never let them hit stride.

6. Mcnamara (-1)
Surpassed expectations thanks to outstanding heart and dedication (Minus Castro).

5. Kelly (+2)
Outstanding freshman made up for a disappointing first-round pick.

4. Anzivino (-1)
Carried like a backpack thanks to junior stud.

3. Bonaventura (+1)
A mixed bag that panned out into something special.

2. Strauss (-)
A scary good team that way surpassed expectations and it yet to hit their prime.

1. teDuits (-)
The least surprising success story in history.

Future Practice

As we approach rec playoffs, we find ourselves playing our last games of basketball at Lawrence Academy, all games after this Sunday, March 1 will be at the high school. Practices at LA are also done and the new practice schedule is as follows

All Thursday teams and Anzivino will practice on MONDAY from 6:00 – 9:00 as follows:

Monday, March 2, MS North, 6:00-9:00PM – Anzivino, Beigel/Donaruma, Bonaventure

Monday, March 2, MS South, 6:00-9:00PM – Kelly, teDuits

The remaining Tuesday teams will practice TUESDAY from 6:00 – 9:00 as follows:

Tuesday, March 3,  MS North, 6:00-9:00PM – Cianci, Connerty/Dzwonek, Jarboe

Tuesday, March 3, MS South, 6:00-9:00PM  - McNamara, Strauss

These are open to only GD Rec Basketball players

For the all-star game, each team usually sends two players (almost always their seniors and if they have more than 2 seniors they can all come) to the rec all-star game which is on Saturday, March 14th, 6:00 pm at the High School right before the Rec Championship. 

Best of luck in the final week of the regular season.

Baller of the Week 10

Winner: Gingerly, better known as Bradley has once again won baller of the week and has outshined other rec MVP candidate by leading his team to a victory in a big game against team Anzivino. The highly anticipated matchup between these two wasn't as close as many expected with Bradley lighting team Anzivino up for 29 points. This isn't his first time hitting the 29 point mark, but sadly he's yet to reach 30.

Honorable Mentions:
Cole Connerty scored an impressive 24 points which is a career-high for him and could have been enough for Baller of the Week if it was against a more established defender. Team Jarboe didn't have quite as many players as there used to and Harald was dealt the tough task of guarding one of the taller players in the league. Being new to the basketball scene, Cole was able to dominate down low.

Brendan Ferrari also had himself a game scoring 25 points which is also a career day for the first year rec player. As good as Cole was, Brendan was the superior player in the early matchup and if it wasn't for some poorly rested teammates, he would've won the game for his team.

Whitby and Jacob Strauss together put up 47 points. We weren't sure if we were going to see this duo together again after Whitby picked up a killer ankle injury in just his 3rd game for team Strauss, but everyone was happy to see him back on the court this Sunday. The two showed what they can do on their day and are emerging as the duo who can rival team teDuits.

Playoff Scenarios

We now have one week until everyone's favorite time of year, rec playoffs. There are a few guarantees already for instance team teDuits will be the number one seed, but for most of the other teams, there is still plenty that can change in one week. So I figured I'd make a post breaking it all down.

1. teDuits (Locked)

2. Strauss (Locked) 

3. Here's where it gets interesting, if team Anzivino can win next week against team Mcnamara which is very possible, they will be guaranteed the 3rd seed, however, if they lose and team Bonaventura wins, they will drop down to the 4 seed. 

4. Team Bonaventura doesn't have to worry about dropping any spots from the 4 seed, but with the Anzivino vs Mcnamara game happening at 7:30, they will know going into their game at 8:40, if they have a chance at jumping into the 3 seed.

5. Team Mcnamara is in a good position going into the final week of basketball with a roughly 70% chance at finishing as the 5 seed. They can't jump up any spots, but if they lose to team Anzivino and team Jarboe pull out a surprise win versus team Bono, they can be jumped and moved down to the 6 seed due to team Jarboe having the tiebreaker. Even if team Kelly wins, team Mcnamara has the tiebreaker so no need to worry about them.

6. Team Jarboe is in a very weird position and could go up or down depending on how results go next Sunday. As mentioned above, with a win and a team Mcnamara loss, they will jump to the 5 seed. However, if they fail to win and team Kelly beats team Donaruma, they could see themselves finishing at the 7 seed and playing on Friday night.

7. Team Kelly will enter Sunday guaranteed to be either the 7 or 6 seed, but can only move up if team Jarboe loses.  They will play their game versus team Donaruma at the same time as Jarboe vs Bono which will make for an exciting hour of basketball.

8. Team Donaruma is in poll position between themselves and the other bottom 2 teams having beaten both of them giving them the tiebreaker. With team Cianci playing team Dzwonek, they are guaranteed to be playing in the 8 vs 9 games on the first Friday night of playoffs as either the 8 seed if they win this week or the 9 seed if they lose.

9 & 10. Team Dzwonek having beaten Team Cianci earlier this season enters the week as the 9 seed, with Cianci as the 10, but this means nothing because the two teams will square off for the 2nd time this season with the winner getting the better seed. Both teams are locked at the bottom of the league with 2 wins and their 9:50 tip-off should be very entertaining with the winner playing team Donaruma and the loser playing either team Jarboe or team Kelly. 

Week 10 Results

Dzwonek vs Jarboe
50-43
Team Dzwonek took advantage of a shorthanded team Jarboe who was only playing with 4 of their own players to start the game and earned their 2nd win of the season. For team Jarboe, this game could impact their playoff run depending on results next week and if things don't go to plan they could be playing in the first round which they previously thought they'd get a bye through. Team America (Cole Connerty) beat Team Sweeden (Harald Gemmel) down low and that was the deciding factor for the game.

teDuits vs Anzivino
65-43
Many people wondered if this was the game where team teDuits picked up their first loss of the season, but all doubts were cast aside thanks to a convincing performance from the teDuit twins. Junior Will Bordes couldn't get it going and team Anzivino needed another one of his 30+ point games if they were to win. Bradley scored a respectable 29 points and similar to most weeks, team teDuits were in control just about the whole game.

Strauss vs Donaruma
70-45
A game that was fairly close in the first half was blown open thanks to a very impressive offensive display by Whitby and Jake Strauss. The two guards combined for 47 of their team 70 points and ran the show for team Strauss. We weren't sure if we were going to see Whitby again this year, but everyone was happy to see him return to the rec league post ankle injury. Bush gave team Strauss a few problems scoring 21 points, but without much help from his teammates, team Cianci didn't have enough in the tank to outlast team Strauss.

Kelly vs Cianci
52-24
The real headline of this game was team Cianci finally got 6 of their own players to show up, sadly they still lost, but the effort is very respectable. Team Kelly minus Sammy took care of business early and really didn't struggle taking care of business. Freshman Nate Spinale led the way for his team scoring 16 points which were almost enough to win the game on his own. This now makes team Kelly tied for wins with Jarboe with a week left.

Bonaventura vs Mcnamara
41-30
Team Mcnamara didn't have their star sophomore Curtis Lacombe and so without much going forward and with a range of players trying to guard Derek, they didn't have enough to get the win. This win now secures a top 4 finish for team Bonaventura and if they can get another win against team Jarboe next week, it will be a rematch with team Mcnamara in round 2.

Week 9 Power Rankings

This is a fun part of the season, we have now seen just about every matchup barring the Cianci vs Jarboe matchup, which means we can evaluate every team as well as possible with 2 week remaining.

10. Dzwonek (-)
Team Dzwonek has finally made it through every team only beating one of them and due to a team Cianci win, are the only team with 1 win on the season. Looking back at the pre season power rankings, oh how wrong I was to think that this team would have success. The what look like solid pick by Stevie and Cole to grab Tommy Raymond has not worked out quite as planned with Tommy struggling shooting and sharing the ball. 

9. Cianci (-1)
Sadly team Cianci was 2nd best in the matchup between two of the bottom dwellers being team Cianci and team Donaruma. As we begin to approach the playoffs, even if some of the stars like Vassel and Cory show up, it could be too little too late. Having only two wins this year it could be an early matchup with a team teDuits which would be a nightmare.

8. Donaruma (+1)
Team Donaruma now has 2 wins, but I'd be too generous to move them up any higher than the 8th seed. They have only had 2 very unconvincing wins and I give credit to them because they often play decent, but the reality of it is that they hardly ever pull out wins.

7. Kelly (-2)
Well we've seen Kelly against everyone in the league yet somehow I still struggle to get a grasp on how good this team really is. They are without doubt one of the least consistent teams in the league having outplayed great teams like team Bonaventura, while also losing to some of the worst teams in the league like team Cianci. As good as they've been in stretches of the season, I can see them being a contender in playoffs.

6. Mcnamara (+1)
Well team Mcnamara continues to win and I continue to be harsh on them because the fact of the matter is I just don't think they're as good as their record says. Every good playoff team needs a closer and all fans will point to Curtis Lacombe, but I think he may just be too young. I hope he proves me wrong and maybe make rec history by taking down team teDuits.

5. Jarboe (+1)
This will likely look like an extremely biased take, but the truth is, team Jarboe has beat everyone (hasn't played Cianci) below them and lost to everyone above them and despite losing, I'll pump them up to 5. They played their socks off against a strong team Strauss and even though they didn't win, they came together as a team and played solid basketball which should bode well for playoffs.

4. Bonaventura (-)
I didn't think we'd see the day when team Bonaventura went on a 3 game losing streak, but here we are and it seems like a crisis for first year coach and former rec all star/rim roller (Bono). One more loss and we could see team Bono slip down with the bottom 6. Seeing team Bonaventura lose like this just makes me wonder, if we could find a way to kick team teDuits out of the league, this championship would be there for the taking.

3. Anzivino (-)
Another very solid performance by team Anzivino led by junior sensation Will Bordes. For me this is one of the two team who could realistically take down our top dogs (team teDuits) for the one reason that if Will is on and Bradley is off, Will could win the game single handily. If team Anzivino can focus and get 2 wins to close out the season, they could be in great shape for a deep playoff run.

2. Strauss (-)
Team Strauss minus Matt Fordham looked pretty good last Sunday against a decent team Jarboe and the relentless defense down the stretch by team Strauss could be what takes them to the next level come playoff time. Not many people saw team Strauss draft strategy panning out, but it has worked very well again this year and once again, team Strauss could make a run at the chip.

1. teDuits (-) 
Team teDuits has made it trough every team without losing and has stayed at the top of the power ranking while doing it. This will likely come as a shock to you, but the worst performance against team teDuits was by Strauss and the best by who??? Team Mcnamara? Yes, the game against team Mcnamara proved to the rec league that this team is very human and in the right scenario can lose. The question is who can stop them from going undefeated and winning the rec championship.

Playoffs and Practice updates

The playoff schedule is up on the schedule tab for anyone who want's to give it a look, but basically the games will be on the nights of Friday & Saturday, March 6 & 7, 13 & 14 at the high school gym. The games are always super competitive and often many kids from the high school come to watch so get as many people as you can to come to those games. I'll likely do a playoff prediction in the upcoming weeks. Also a reminder that although there are practices this Tuesday (2/11) and Thursday (2/13), there is NO game this upcoming Sunday (2/16). There will be no practice the week of break, but games will resume Sunday (2/23).

Baller of the Week 9

Baller of the week: Will Bordes
After the 8:40 games I was convinced Willy J was going to be our baller of the week, but Will Bordes has provided us with a game to remember. He must have set rec basketball records by scoring 25 in one half and team Dzwonek really couldn't stop him to save their lives. Will Bordes has now strung together a few really solid performances in a row and is making a case for MVP. The league needs to watch out because he could be carrying team Anzivino to something special. I said it in the results and I'll say it here, Will's 40 points is the most by any player since the famous Bursa (Will Manzi) 43 point game. 

Honorable Mentions:
Willy J: I almost feel bad not giving Willy J baller of the week because he played his socks off for team Donaruma. He had Klam looking like a clown trying to guard him and was extremely efficient shooting the ball. Whether it was hitting mid ranges which we didn't expect or just dominating in the paint, Willy J did everything right today. 

Jake Strauss: I don't have a total on Jake Strauss's game today, but I do know he played extremely well for team Strauss and with no Whitby or Fordham, he played the game his team needed to win. He started slow but hit some important shots down the stretch to secure the win. His cheeky defensive steals always seem to work and came up big again this week.

Week 9 Results

Mcnamara vs Kelly
48-37
Team Mcnamara continues to shock everyone and picked up their fifth win on the season Sunday morning. Without Josh Booth, team Kelly really struggled to try to cope with the big men of team Mcnamara. Team Kelly really didn't offer much on offense, but on the bright side, Sammy scored a season-high of 6 points and is really showing signs that better things are still to come.

teDuits vs Bonaventura
56-42
Team Bonaventura was the team that for most of the season people looked to, to maybe take down team teDuits. Sadly it was quickly evident that they didn't have much more of a shot that anyone else. Team Bonaventura fell behind early and was down 15 by half. Once again it was a very well rounded game for team teDuits with almost all their players scoring double digits and they showed even when Bradley's not on offensively they can still win.

Donaruma vs Cianci
59-38
Team Donaruma finally gets their 2nd win of the season with a dominant win versus team Cianci. Will Joyner had a career day, dropping 25 on Jon Eisenklam's head. Team Donaruma looked like the best team by far, but once again it has to be said, this team Cianci looks completely different compared to the team we expect to show up in the playoffs. These two teams are tied right now in the standings and it wouldn't be a shock if we see them play again in the playoffs. 

Strauss vs Jarboe
54-50
Team Strauss was able to pull out the win in a very tight and energetic matchup which was neck and neck just about the whole way through. Thanks to Toby Strauss's three ball which caught fire early, Strauss was able to jump out to a 8 point lead for much of the first half. If it wasn't for Richard Silva's three point making, team Jarboe could have been out of the game at half time. Things got real close in the 2nd half and team Jarboe even had leads stretching up to 6 points. In the end it was team Strauss who finished the game stronger thanks to poor free throw making for team Jarboe. 

Anzivino vs Dzwonek
56-45
Will Bordes has officially made his case for MVP this year. A 25 point first half and a league high 40 points total was by far the best solo performance by anyone this year and is quite possibly the best performance since the famous Will Manzi 43 point game. He had 25 of his teams 30 first half points and team Dzwonek simply had no answer. 

Week 8 Power Rankings

10. Dzwonek (-)
It's looking like team Dzwonek has finally announced itself as the league's worst team. They're sat at the bottom of the league and they haven't came remotely close to a win in weeks. Being good friends with a few of the players on this team really pains me because they look like a bunch of clowns running around on the court. I mean would it hurt to keep the game somewhat close?

9. Donaruma (-)
The time for optimism with this team has passed. Although they're in better shape than team Dzwonek having their past game come down to the buzzer, they still can't find that ever illusive win. Similar to the problem team Dzwonek is having with Tommy Raymond taking a ton of shots, team Donaruma has a similar problem with Sri taking a ton of shots. On the bright side, they have one of the easier teams in the league coming up soon with a morning matchup with team Cianci.

8. Cianci (-)
Well, the season long issue of attendance holds true once again and team Cianci picks up a 6th loss on the season due to no attendance. Most of the time team Cianci can find a player or two to step in, but without any other games going on, there were not enough players to play. They still could be a playoff threat if their players schedules can line up.

7. Mcnamara (-)
 I don't want to come across as a jerk, but I'm a firm believer that team Mcnamara is the worst 4-4 team this league has ever seen. They've been able to pull 4 wins out almost like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, no one's really sure how they've done it. Do I think they'll be able to pull wins out in the playoffs the same way they've pulled them out in the regular season? Absolutely not.

6. Jarboe (-2)
This past week we saw something we would have never expected from our past champions, but they had to forfeit due to a lack of players. This loss will balance out the questionable win they got against team Donaruma and help balance out the standings. It has to be said that team Jarboe has had a rather underwhelming season, but as we get closer and closer to playoffs and Brendan gains his health back, expect a deep playoff run.

5. Kelly (+1)
I can't say any of us saw this coming, but team Kelly was able to deliver one of the top dogs (Bonaventura) a shock loss. They constantly surprise the league and are without doubt the most unpredictable team we have in this league. Maybe it was the surprise appearance of Sammy Eggiman that got them the win, but whatever they did last week they should try and replicate from here on out. 

4. Bonaventura (-1)
Team Bonaventura has dropped out of the top 3 to almost everyones surprise due to a shock loss versus team Kelly. Team Bonaventura has looked like a threat towards the championship ever sense the season started, but with back to back losses it looks like their season is starting to get de-railed. Is it fair to partially pin this on Rodrick (Derek) Caruso? I don't see why not, he was no where to be seen for their first loss and probably should've stayed home the way he played in the 2nd. 

3. Anzivino (+2)
It's looking like Will Bordes is really stepping into the leader role for team Anzivino. He's been dropping weekly 20 point games carrying team Anzivino to the 3 seed as of now. The dynamic combo of Groton-Dunstable's most changed winner (Ivan Sturm), Groton Dunstable fastest man (Zach El Masri), and the the victim of Groton Dunstable's poor decision on the Thursday 2 hour delay (Will Bordes) is looking scary good.

2. Strauss (-)
Team Strauss may be turning into the same let down as team Bonaventura picking up an unexpected loss last week. They have the always threatening team Jarboe next on the schedule and Jake Strauss will need all the help he was getting earlier this season if they have any hopes of making a run for the championship. 

1. teDuits (-)
After doing some extensive research, I have stumbled across pictures of the old travel basketball team for GD and what do you know, twin brothers Bradley and Colin we're right there next to many of their former teammates who are now varsity stars. It's become more and more clear that Bradley and Colin have teamed up to try and become the stars they always dreamed of being on the varsity stage. This rec season has been about proving everyone who's called them "terrible" and "un-atheltic"and finally after all these years, getting their names on the basketball map. Sadly it has worked, they are 8-0 and clear top dogs.

Week 8 Baller of the Week

Baller of the Week: Curtis Lacombe may not have scored the most points this week, but his utter dominance in the last 5 minutes for team Mcnamara got them the win. A 20 point performance ended with a crowd silencing and-one layup.  Team Mcnamara is still talked about as one of the worst teams in the league, but somehow they're 4-4 and almost all of the credit has to go Curtis.

Honorable Mentions: Jake Strauss did his best to carry team Strauss to a win, but his 24 points was not enough to take down team Anzivino. Many people have slept on Jake's three ball, but he proved this past week that if you leave him open he'll hit them. I guess it's time for more people to throw some respect on Jake's name because he starting to get up there in points per game with Gingerly (Bradley), Simon and Will.

Once again Bradley does well scoring 24 points and getting team teDuits it's eighth win in a row. To keep it plain and simple, the man is on a tear. He's been scoring 20 points with ease and you have to know how he plays to shut him down. The annoying part about it all is if you shut him down, the odds are that Colin or Alvin will score 20 and they'll still win.

Practice Update

Based on turnout we are canceling practices at MSS and moving everyone to LA on Tuesday nights.  The previously published rotation schedule is no longer in effect and all teams with Tuesday practice will be at LA from 8:00 - 9:30.

Week 8 Results

Jarboe vs Cianci
Never got played
Only four players showed up between the two teams, so sadly this game was never played. It's always tough to wake up for the 7:30 game and hopefully this doesn't happen again. 

teDuits vs Dzwonek
60-40
I think everyone saw this result coming from a mile away. Cole did a pretty solid job guarding Bradley, but sadly due to a chipped tooth, he had to leave the game early for an appointment with the dentist. The question team Dzwonek has to ask themselves is how do they get Tommy Raymond to start shooting less? It's very possible he takes the most shots in this league and he only had 7 points this week. It's hard to pin the blame on him because it's not like anyone on team Dzwonek has shot the ball well (except the warthog who went 1/1), but I think Tommy may be taking a few too many. 

Anzivino vs Strauss
49-39
The whole league is slowly starting to turn on it's head with the better teams starting to lose. Jake Strauss hardly got any help and even with his impressive 24 point day, team Strauss was not able to out last team Anzivino. Once again Will Bordes had an impressive game doing a fair amount of scoring in the final stretch. Without Fordham and Whitby, team Strauss really lacked a second scorer and that's what killed them in the end. I said it at the beginning of the season and I'll say it again now, team Strauss is quite small and without a tough big man they'll continue to struggle against teams with players like Ivan. 

Kelly vs Bonaventura
38-30
A surprise win for team Kelly gives team Bonaventura back to back losses for the first time this season. Team Bonaventura has been pretty solid all the way until last week, but suddenly everything is falling apart. Most of this has to fall on Derek's shoulders. There's no easy way to put this, but he's just been bad recently. Ryan Bernard paid tribute to legend Kobe Bryant by writing 8 and 24 on his shoes, but even that wasn't enough to get them a win. Credit to Sammy Eggiman who once again only scored 4 points, but actually played a half decent game on defense. Finally hats off to team Kelly who have easily been the toughest team to judge this year. There the Robin Hood of the league, taking wins from the rich and giving them to the poor.

Mcnamara vs Donaruma
49-48
Sophomore stud Curtis Lacombe stole the show Sunday morning having a fantastic game and finishing it with a game winning layup. This was a classic bottom of the league duel which was tight the whole way through. With a minute left this game was tied and it looked like it could go either way. A Curtis bucket put team Mcnamara up one, but the ever good looking Alex Bushnell fired away a 3 to take the lead back. Somehow Sri snuck on the court and after a missed shot by him, team Mcnamara had the ball and a chance to win. The ball got into Curtis's hands and he hit a driving layup to win it. Team Donaruma falls to 1-7 and a already bad season is only getting worse. 

Week 7 Power Rankings

10. Dzwonek (-)
It’s going from bad to worse for team does Dzwonek as a winnable game against team McNamara slips away from them. Some really poor shot selection is really shooting them in the foot and they are clearly wasting away possessions. However with star guard Stevie D struggling, it’s not clear who should be taking the majority of the shots for this team. The one thing we know is that they are about to play team teDuits and inevitably be 1-7.

9. Donaruna(-1)
Team Donaruma has quite frankly fell off the map recently. They we're looking really strong in the middle of the season despite losing, but sadly the losing has continued and the performances haven't improved. The addition of Nick Jussaume was one which many thought could turn this team into contenders, hasn't done much for them at all. I think it's becoming more an more evident by the day that Evan Biegel was what made this team tick.

8.Cianci (-1)
 Team Cianci came out second-best this past weekend with a loss against the strong team Strauss. It’s obvious this team has been struggling, due to a lack of attendance, but for the most part the players that show up haven’t looked too bad. My gut feeling is when playoffs roll around in the team shows up team Cianci will be a lot better than the regular season self. They are facing a brutal 7:30 tip off the upcoming week so we wouldn't be shocked if they're forced into a forfeit without people showing up to play. 

7. Mcnamara (+2)
Team McNamara now somehow has three wins and is in a lot better position than many would’ve guessed before the season. When you look at their roster they don’t really have a name that sticks out at you.  This team is full of grinders that make you work for every bucket and often this works in rec. In almost all their games this season they’ve been able to stick around and avoid getting blown out, but I believe their luck will run out if they get a tough first round match up in playoffs.

6. Kelly (-2)
Team Kelly was undoubtably one of the more talked about teams earlier in the season due to some unexpected success, but as time has gone on, there seems to be a belief around the league that this team is too young to make a real run. Without Sammy this team struggles to match up against other teams top scorers having recently let Bradley and Simon score 28 and 25 points respectively. Even when Sammy does show up, he is consistently underwhelming and hasn’t been as big of an addition as many thought going into the season.

5. Azivino (+1)
Team Anzovino has come out and surprised everyone by beating the high flying team Bonaventura. This win would catch a lot more eyes if senior Derek Caruso had gotten up in time for his game but instead Will Bordes stole the show. As we get farther and farther into the season and really start to understand how serious each team is, we’ve been able to figure out that team Anzivino is one of those teams where you really have no clue how they'll do. 

4. Jarboe (+1)
After a string of questionable results, team Jarboe was able to get their season back on track with back to back wins.  All confidence in this team was lost after a run of losses earlier this year, but with a 4-3 record and a easier game against team Cianci on the cards for this week they are in a solid position. They've been able to win even without Brendan, so we can only expect good things for team Jarboe once they get their star back.

3. Bonaventura (-)
We can put this past week down as a mulligan. They played by far there worst game of the season and without Derek, their offensive game looked very dry. They've had a great season otherwise and thanks to some other convincing results I won't move them down quite yet, but this is without doubt a wake up call. We haven't heard a whole lot from Ryan Bernard recently, is he returning to the terrible preseason form he was in which everyone knew and loved?

2. Strauss (-)
Team Strauss keeps quietly going about there business. There was little doubt in their performance against team Cianci. It's been a while since they've been tested but a matchup with team Anzivino will be a good test for them this week. One thing they should be recognized for is there incredible attendance record. Most teams in the rec league struggle to get 7 players showing up each week, but team Strauss has always got fresh legs.

1. teDuits (-)
7 weeks in and 7 wins for team teDuits. The look ever more convincing by the week and it's unclear who can stop them. They're far too well rounded and with 5 more wins, they'll have a undefeated regular season. With their sights set on the championship, the question becomes, who can stop them?

Rec Reminder

A reminder from the Rec League:  The LA parking lot is adjacent to residential buildings. Please drive slowly and keep your music and voices down, especially for nighttime practices, and be respectful at all times. Remember, we are guests of LA and can be asked to leave if our League’s presence there causes a problem. 

Week 7 Baller of the Week

Baller of the Week: This week's baller of the week goes to star junior Will Bordes. Will scored a very impressive 26 points which was the most out of anyone this week. The highly anticipated matchup between Derek Caruso and Will sadly never happened and without Derek showing up Will was able to take over. Bordes is certainly in the hunt for MVP and it will likely ride on how far he can take team Azivino.

Honorable Mention: I hate to be this guy, but Simon kinda balled out against team Kelly. They simply had no answer for him. He dropped a 25 bomb and due to a Sammy Eggiman injured wrist he had easier matchups to expose. Recently he's stopped shooting the 3 ball due to an inability to make them, but he started shooting them again on Sunday and boy could he make them. He's a bit like Zion Williamson the way he explodes to the hoop, a true talent.

Honorable Mention: Matt Fordguy isn't really known for his basketball ability and is only talked about as a soccer player. However his incredible put back ability and efficiency driving to the hoop helped him score 15 and lead Strauss to a big win. Team Strauss is really asserting themselves as a threat this year with there big three.  

Week 7 Results

Anzivino vs Bonaventura
47-24
A bit of a shock to start week 7 off with powerhouse team Bonaventura picking up just their 2nd loss of the season. Will Bordes led the way once again outscoring team Bonaventura on his own with 26 points. This isn't the first time he's strapped team Anzivino to his back and carried them to a win. A possible dark horse candidate for MVP. However the big headline of the game was the no show of star Derek Caruso. If he prioritizes his Zoomba classes over basketball again coach Boaventura could get pretty angry with him.

Strauss vs Cianci
52-25
Team Cianci wasn't able to keep the same energy going after last weeks win and fell to team Strauss. Fordham did the majority of the early scoring for team Strauss and the rest of the team was able to keep the train moving. Team Strauss kept a 10-15 lead for Strauss for the majority of the game, but as team Cianci without a sub began to tire, team Strauss started scoring at will. Unlike most of the other teams in this league, everyone scores a decent amount for team Strauss rather than a one man show.

Mcnamara vs Dzwonek
34-25
It's amazing, it seems like team Dzwonek gets worse by the week. Gotta put this one on the main man Stevie D who considers himself a star, but only scored 4. He's a spray and prey type player only launching the 3 ball and it just wasn't falling today. Mcnamara somehow is 3-4 and has finally got their first win without Castro. This was a classic bottom of the standings battle, a very low scoring affair and Curtis was the only player to break double digits with 15 points. Many people like to joke that team Mcnamara are the worst in the league, but with each win they are slowly gaining more and more respect.

Jarboe vs Kelly
55-53
One of the scrappiest games of the season gave us one of our closer finishes of the season. Two teams each missing one of their stars with Sammy and Brendan injured. Jarboe began on a 12-0 run with the three's raining early, but Kelly was able to keep it close for most of the first half. Similar to the Strauss-Cianci game, team Jarboe began slowing down with no subs and Kelly started making runs. The final 8 minutes we're incredibly hectic with three's being traded back and forth. Chandler scored a career high 25 points, but it was freshman Wes Garriboto who put the game on ice with a clutch field goal. If it wasn't for Josh Booth this game may have gotten out of hand. He was gobbling up boards and gained team Kelly an extra few possessions in both halves.

teDuits vs Donaruma
54-33
A great team effort by team teDuits who didn't need the twins to ball out. They had 5 players score over 7 points and also played some impressive defense. Team Donaruma now has 6 losses and is now destined to be a bottom seed for playoffs. It seems like the Evan injury has really hurt this team and the word on the street is Alex Bushnell's been going through a shooting slump and really struggling from behind the arc. After a tough week, no one needed this win more than Jared Phelps who was as hot as a cup of coffee. 

Week 6 Power Rankings

10. Dzwonek (-1)
The losses keep coming for team Dzwonek and they find themselves sitting dead last after 6 weeks of basketball. After the draft everyone thought this team had what it takes to make a run for the chip. The leadership in Cole and Steve, the strength in Tommy, the speed in Bobby (Ethan Ebersman), and even the impressively flat chin thanks to Sam. They have it all, but this all hasn't turned into wins for some reason or another. They've noticeably struggled with defense and making the easy shot's. Luckily they have the leagues 2nd worst team this upcoming week and can maybe trade spots if things go to plan.

9. Mcnamara (-2)
I'm still amazed by the confidence that this team holds. Senior leader EMAC has continued to vouch for his team which is clearly struggling and there is little hope for this team with Castelano's poor attendance. This past week team Mcnamara's one positive was the production of the two units in the paint who go by Josh and Warren, but we'd be shocked if it continues with a slightly stronger and taller matchup facing them this upcoming week. 

8. Donaruma (-2)
Sadly team Donaruama keeps losing and they keep moving down the power rankings. They we're able to hold their own against a solid team Bonaventura, but they fall to 1-5 and a long way from the top. It has to be said that this team is really failing to live up to they hype that was surrounding them after the addition of Jussaume. They got to play some of the easier opponents earlier this season and it looks like this stretch of Bonaventura and teDuits is just gonna set them even farther back.

7. Cianci (+3)
Team Cianci was able to pick up their first win in what seems like ages against Anzivino. I'd love to move this team up higher, but a good portion of their scoring came from Klam who has about a one in a hundred chance to replicate that performance. Dillon Cianci despite being one of the smaller players in the league still has a big bag of tricks and is a true point guard for this team and if they can get more players showing up they have a chance to start making some real noise.

6. Anzivino (-2)
Right when everyone gets their hopes up for this team, it all comes crashing down and after a loss to team Cianci team Anzivino falls back to #7. They've got a decent team built around the talented guard Will Bordes, but the combo of Sturmo and Zach who struggle to finish around the rim isn't enough to get consistent wins. They're incredible rebounders, but for this team to win more, there has to be more production on offense from the two.

5. Jarboe (+3)
Finally a good performance from team Jarboe. In a must win matchup against team Mcnamara, team Jarboe was able to put together some solid runs and pull out the win. Just when everything looked like it was going well for the team, star shooter Brendan Ferrari's pesky knee injury came back and has him out for another few weeks. With some very important games coming in the next few weeks, the scoring will be put on the shoulders of star senior combo Jarboe and Chandler. It's very possible that it's Harold's infectious smile that's helping these boys play better.

4. Kelly (+1)
Im not completely sure how this has happened, but after a close loss to team teDuits this past week team Kelly bumps up a spot. They were short their senior Big Red (Sammy Eggiman) and still found a way to keep things close with the power house of the league team teDuits. With reports that Josh Booth has really stepped up his game, everyone in the rec league is starting to believe that team Kelly is the real deal. 

3. Bonaventura (-)
A good season continues to roll for team Bonaventura who have taken the league by surprise since day one. After surprising the league by taking the joke of the league Ryan Bernard, coach Bonaventura has done nothing but impress everyone who's payed attention. They still have the game against team teDuits coming up in a few weeks time, but otherwise it looks like smooth sailing for a while. 

2. Strauss (-)
The first half of team Strauss's week 6 win raised some eyebrows as the Whitby-less lineup failed to impress, but they showed their talent with a strong 2nd performance. Regardless they are on a roll and it doesn't look like anyone can stop them at the moment. Besides a week 2 hiccup to team teDuits, Jake Strauss and company have balled out. No surprise to see them at 5-1 so far.

1. teDuits (-)
Same old story, Brad played well, Colin played mediocre, and the rest of the team played great. Not a whole lot more to say.

Week 6 Baller of the Week

Baller of the Week: This may come as a complete and utter shock to many, but despite his team losing he gave them a chance to pull off the unthinkable. So this weeks baller of the week is Sammy Eggiman. He again didn't show up and this was super important for team Kelly keeping it close with team teDuits. Known around the league for his inability to score, not showing up let talented players get more minutes and I think he made the smart call by staying home this morning. #TeamplayerSammy

Honorable Mentions:
Bradley teDuits: Brad finds himself in the column again for an impressive 28 points which leads the league for this week. He must've had some anger inside of him because he took a zillion shots and thanks to a stoke of luck he hit a few as well. He's making his case for league MVP stronger and stronger by the day and it's only been the elite defenders of the league who have held him to less than 15.

Jon Eisenklam: This will likely be as big of a shock to all of you as it was to me playing along side him. Klam who's known for his lack of talent despite massive stature finally found his stoke Sunday morning. He came out with back to back 3's which caught everyone off guard. When it was all said and done, Klam put up 14 points and only missed one shot. On defense he blocked 2-3 shots and also slapped the backboard a couple times which was really, really, really, cool. 

Simon Chandler: Wow, impressive to say the least. Without his partner in crime (Max Jarboe) down low setting screens. Chandler was still able to put up 19 points and lead team Jarboe to a much needed win. His raw talent is undeniable and despite a clear struggle shooting the three ball, he can still put up a solid point total week after week. 

Week 6 Results

Strauss vs Dzwonek
48-36
The early game was exciting for the first half, but as team Strauss started to gain confidence they were able to pull away from team Dzwonek. The two teams were tied at the half and this looked like it could be a close game to the end. Sadly Stevie who's quite a streaky shooter couldn't hit his shots in the 2nd half and Strauss was able to pick up their fourth win in a row. Despite team Dzwonek losing there is certainly hope throughout the league that team Strauss is there for the taking. They didn't look nearly as threatening as they do with Whitby healthy.

Jarboe vs Mcnamara
48-43
Despite only have 6 players for almost all of the game, team Jarboe was able to get their season back on track with a vital win against team Mcnamara. Chandler led the way with 19 points and was able to help team Jarboe keep a 5 to 10 point lead the whole game. Curtis and company started making a run at the end of the game, but it came up short despite Dummont hitting two huge corner threes. Most of Mcnamara's success came from exposing the lack of height on team Jarboe by finding their combination of bigs down low. Make of it what you will but my favorite stat of the season holds true with Mcnamara now being 0-4 without Castro and 2-0 with him. 

teDuits vs Kelly
58-53
The train keeps rolling for team teDuits who are still undefeated improving to 6-0. Team Kelly without Sammy was no match for the stacked team teDuits. Bradley led the way with an impressive 28 point performance, but the news circling after the game was that Colin couldn't get it done without Brad on the floor. We've been aware of the Colin's limited offensive game and it hasn't hurt them too much yet, but it's very possible that it will hurt them when playoffs come around. Despite team teDuits being outstanding so far they are known for being choke artists come playoff time. Team Kelly did well to stay with teDuits and this loss is nothing to be ashamed of. We also heard Josh was causing big issues for team teDuits so maybe that is something they can exploit going forward.

Cianci vs Anzivino
40-38
If you were just watching the start of this game you may think team Cianci would've blown Anzivino out of the water. This however was not the case. Cianci went up 21-8 to start the game, but than failed to score for the rest of the half and let Anzivino back into it. Team Cianci, being quite small couldn't find a way to deal with both Zach and Ivan and with 2 minutes left the Cianci lead was down to 4 points. A big bucket by Ivan brought them within 2 and the ball with only 8 seconds left. After a timeout by Anzivino all eyes went to Will to see what he'd pull out of the bag, but it wasn't Will who got the ball. Ivan took the last shot and it missed by a few inches. Will put up 18 points, but that wasn't enough to beat a surprising team Cianci.

Boanventura vs Donaruma
50-40
Another tight game to start was blown open by the end by the better team. This looked like it could go either way for much of the first half, but the talent of team Bonaventura was too much for Donaruma to handle in the end. Derek once again put up a good display on offense scoring 17 points, but I think more credit should go to the monster himself Ryan Bernard. Coming into the season, I don't think anyone thought Ryan would score even a single bucket, but now he's an important leader for team Bono. 

Week 5 Power Rankings

10. Cianci
Obviously it's tough to say they really lost to team Mcnamara as they only had 3 of their own players show up, but I think it's fair to involve team attendance in the power rankings. This team has found it incredibly hard to string together wins because they hardly ever show up. They got a surprise week 1 win and it's quite frankly all gone downhill from there. I can't vouch for putting team Cianci any higher than 10 because they just lost to our former 10 seed. The scary thing is no matter how bad they look now, with so much talent staying in bed Sunday mornings, when it gets time for playoffs they could surprise people with the talent which was often not on display during the regular season.

9. Dzwonek (-4)
I think I've been letting team Dzwonek off the hook and I'm not really sure why. They've been able to mull about in the top 5 for far too long now and with only one win on the season, they're tied for the worst record in the league. This should be a wake up call for all of team Dzwonek because the level of play from many of their players has been unacceptable. Is this a result of their players not putting the work in during the week? It's very possible. League sources say wannabe star player Sam Smethurst is yet to practice once this year. I think it's the confidence that good things will happen without work that's killing this whole team not just Sam.

8. Jarboe (+1)
I almost wish I could make all 3 of the team's down here at the bottom be ranked #10 because letting team Jarboe be 8 is almost generous. They got absolutely smoked by team teDuits which should partially be credited to the loss of Brendan, but regardless the 5 that did show up were a bit of a let down. Looking forward, team Jarboe has an incredibly important game against team Mcnamara this upcoming week which will could have an effect on where these teams end up in comparison to each other for playoffs.

7. Mcnamara (+3)
Once again Mcnamara scores themselves a win against an opposition without many of their best players. At the end of the day a wins a win and they currently have more of them than three other teams so they must be doing something right. It seems like simple math to me, when Castro shows up, team Mcnamara is 2-0 and when he doesn't, they're 0-3. From being a nomination for last years worst player of the year award to now being a clear impact player, it's incredible to watch the strides such a terrible athlete can make.

6. Donaruma (-3)
I'm sure team Donaruma doesn't have to worry, but they are still 1-4 and despite having the boost of adding Nick, the loss of Evan may be too much for them. Bush has been a big positive for them this season and his ability to score the basketball has been possibly the most consistent in the league. All the talk about how they're actually a solid team goes out the window if they can't win and they, barring a surprise upset against team Bonaventura, they very well may be 1-5. Tough.

5. Kelly (+2)
A very solid and scrappy performance by team Kelly is good enough to bring them to the 5 spot. They did a great job limiting the scoring of star Stevie Dzwonek and once again it's the freshman of team Kelly that shine. I'm still a firm believer that you can't go far without a proven scorer and I don't think you can name anyone in the league who thinks Sammy Eggiman is a threat.

4. Anzivino (+2)
Three wins on the bounce for team Anzivino and they're emerging as one of the hotter teams in the league right now. Will is getting things to click on offense and people are really struggling to stop the closest thing the league has to Zion Williamson (Logan Hillberg). The headline for this team so far has to be the emergence of Ivan Sturm as a rather skilled big man. He could be making a quiet run for most improved this year.

3. Bonaventura (-)
It was a tough loss for team Bonaventura, but in all honesty they really didn't look that bad. Bernard and Caruso got in foul trouble and it's very possible that had they been able to play at the end they could've won. Coming within a clock expiring 3 pointer for Bono really isn't a bad result and maybe if a couple calls went there way they would've been in business. Regardless they only have one loss on the season and shouldn't be too worried.

2. Strauss (-)
An impressive win for team Strauss, but celebrations were shortlived because possible Rec MVP Jared Whitby went down with and injury which will likely have him sidelined for awhile. This is still a very talented team even without Whitby, but this is a huge loss. Some teams may look to take advantage of team Strauss's lack of height which without Whitby is even more evident. I think everyones excited to see if Jake can carry the offensive load on his own.

1. teDuits (-)
Starting to look like team teDuits really are head and shoulders above everyone else. They are ripping teams apart and these games aren't even close. Going into the season the only hope for the rest of the league was that the supporting cast around Brad and Col would be weak and they are the exact opposite. Alex Caruso's led the team in scoring last game and he's not the only one making an impact. This team is stacked plain and simple.

Week 5 Baller of the week

Baller of the week: Never thought I'd see the day where Alvin (A-rod) Caruso wins Baller of the week. Sadly, it has to be said that he exposed team Jarboe and there's really no way around it. He dropped 23 points and was the leading scorer for the day. As expected, Bradley was struggling with such a tough match up so he had to resort to passing (this is rare for him). This let Alvin get plenty of open looks and he simply couldn't miss. Bit of a mystery how he slipped down the draft even though he's better than his brother who was the #1 overall pick.

Honorable Mentions:
Jem Booth may have not scored the most this week, or many points at all, but when you haven't scored all game and your teams down 3 points with 7 seconds left in the game, it takes a world of confidence to take the final shot. That's exactly what he did and it looked pure the instant it left his hand. A bank three by Jem sent them into overtime and the crowd absolutely loved it. Congrats Jem.

Jake Strauss was getting his calls on his way to the hoop and got a good portion of his points from the charity stripe. He was a vital part of the team Strauss win which propels them into 2nd place in the standings. His aggressive defense made it hard for Derek to get things going and also his ability to draw fouls contributed to both Derek and Ryan Bernard fouling out.

Week 5 Results

teDuits vs Jarboe
71-36
Just a terrible morning for all involved on the team Jarboe side. With only 5 players and being short some of their shooters in the likes of Richard and Brendan team Jarboe couldn't get anything going. They were able to hang with team teDuits for maybe the first 5 minutes but it was hard to find an answer for Colin and Brad playing together. I think everyone was happy to see this end as it wasn't much of a contest. The better Caruso brother was the only Caruso to win today and he was on fire this whole game. He was impossible to guard and team's need to start taking note of him or they'll be getting the same harsh awakening he delivered to team Jarboe this week. Time will tell if Alex's 23 bomb is enough to get him baller of the week.

Kelly vs Dzwonek
41-36
I think everyone not just me is struggling to figure out if team Kelly is the real deal, but the way they played today would tell me they are. Team Dzwonek continues to have problems offensively and Sammy scoring a career high (6 points) was enough to help get the job done for team Kelly. This loss has to fall on senior leader Steve Dzwonek's shoulders. Known for being an amazing 3 point shooter, he was non existent on offense for his team and it showed. Overall this was a pretty fun game to watch and it stayed in the balance for most of the game until team Kelly was able to pull away at the end. The freshman for team Kelly look like future rec all stars as does the energy ball named Bobby (Ethan Ebersman) for team Dzwonek.

Anzivino vs Donaruma
63-62
GAME OF THE SEASON! A crazy double overtime game was the talk of the morning as what was looking like a simple win was taken into overtime by the heroics of the youngest Booth brother Jem. Two really well matched teams we're still locked together going into the final stretch, where even without Zach, team Anzivino were up by 3 with 10 seconds left. A great pass up the floor to Jem who checked his feet and pulled up for a clock expiring 3 was enough to send the game into overtime. The teams still couldn't be separated through one quarter of overtime and team Donaruma we're inches away from a win thanks to a desperation 3 from Bush. It fell short and in the end it was the big man Logan Hillberg who got it done from the free throw line to bring the win home for team Anzivino.

Mcnamara vs Cianci
42-40 
Another thrilling matchup with lots of personal battles. Team Cianci was once again short a few players and with help from Cunningham, Chandler, and Hillberg they we're able to take a stab at team Mcnamara who with Castelano showed some creativity. The battle between Sammy V and Warren down low was great fun to watch and it has to be said the battle between Klam and the out of bounds line was also interesting. Team Mcnamara was riding a 12 point lead for most of the game, but things got interesting down the stretch and team Cianci began to heat up. Chandler hit a corner three with 20 seconds left to pull Cianci within 2 and after forcing a turnover team Cianci had the chance to get the win, but a weak clock winding down 3 pointer was blocked by CMAC or maybe it was just a miss on Chandlers part, but regardless it was a good fight by team Cianci to try and make a comeback against team Mcnamara.

Strauss vs Bonaventura
42-38
This was a exhilarating matchup to say the least. The stage was set, team Strauss had to live up to the expectations and take down the undefeated team Bonaventura. It was all going well to start and with a 12+ point lead it looked like they had it locked up. However team Strauss star Jared Whitby got injured and slowly but surely team Bonaventura started to creep into this matchup energized by loud mouth Ryan Bernard and his explosive brother Finn Bernard with a possible block of the season. In the end team Bonaventura fell short despite the clear passion and effort being poured in by the players. Jacob Strauss led the way with a James Harden type of performance scoring 23 points and taking 14 free throws.

Week 4 Power Rankings

I apologize for not being able to write a ton for the rankings this week, but I'll give it a shot in the little time I have.

10. Mcnamara (-) 1-3
Sadly the one game the teDuits are off their game they play Mcnamara. Against maybe any other team we would have seen team teDuits first loss, but sadly a bad team teDuits is still better than a full team Mcnamara. This team really isn't the real deal, but I received a text from Castro asking for the game schedule so everyone cross your fingers that he'll turn up to get team Mcnamara on the map.

9. Jarboe (-3) 2-2
A really tough week for team Jarboe ends with a devastating injury to Brendan Ferrari who is likely out for some period of time with a knee injury from hockey. Team Jarboe picked up their 2nd (kinda 3rd) loss of the season this past week and it was Brendans breakout game, but now team Jarboe will have to take on the rest of the season minus star Brendan. No surprise their first game without Brendan will be against league leaders team teDuits.

8. Cianci (-) 1-3
This team continues to struggle falling to 1-3 and their aren't many bright spots for them to look to. Dylan Cianci continue to be the bright spot for this old team and after a good week of practice maybe Vassel will have an impressive week 5 game to get team Cianci going again. Rumors are circling they may struggle to have 5 players show up this Sunday.

7. Kelly (-) 1-3
Team Kelly was dealt the tough task of beating a on fire team Strauss and it went as we expected it to go. They put up as good of a fight as they could, but the sad reality is this team will only go as far as Sammy can take them and sadly that means not very far. In case people can't tell I think Sammy has a very limited skill set. 

6. Anzivino (+3) 2-2
A good statement win by team Anzivino against team Jarboe where the bigs of team Anzivino really showed their worth. I'm now a firm believer that although Zach may not be an amazing scorer on offense, he's the best rebounder in the league. Week 5 could be a big indicator to the rest of the league if they are the real deal.

5. Dzwonek (-1) 1-3
Team Dzwonek kind of got screwed over by Colin getting to play for team Donaruma, but those are the rules and we got to live with them. They we're dominated by team Donaruma and are struggling to get a statement win and get the fear back in their opponents eyes like they though they would impose during the preseason. Could be good if Cole Connerty is able to replicate his point total from last week.

4. Donaruma (+1) 1-3
This team just got a real pleasant surprise in the form of talented guard Nick Jussaume who is a late sign up. Due to the Evan injury Nick will take his spot and be a key component for them winning. The junior combo of him and Bush is exciting and team Donaruma has quietly gone from the bottom to rising to the top. An exciting team to say the least.

3. Bonaventura (-) 4-0
The top 3 teams are likely up here to stay. After a few weeks we start to break the contendors away from the pretendors and these 3 teams look like the real deal. Team Bonaventura look like they were playing with complete confidence Sunday morning and they're just playing the waiting game for team teDuits or Strauss to lose and let them into the top 2.

2. Strauss (-) 3-1
No surprise, team Strauss looked completely in control and outplayed team Kelly. They outscored them by 20 points and deserve to be where they are. I'm starting to believe they are the leagues best team and their 4 stars are good enough to take down any opposition. 

1. teDuits (-) 4-0
I'm really tired of writing about this team so I'm going to keep this short. This team's good and they're about to play team Jarboe without Brendan. After playing team Mcnamara they face another team with lots of problems at the moment.