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.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
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.
Monday, February 24, 2020
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.
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.
Sunday, February 23, 2020
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.
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.
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.
Friday, February 21, 2020
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.
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.
Monday, February 10, 2020
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).
Sunday, February 9, 2020
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, February 8, 2020
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.
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.
Thursday, February 6, 2020
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
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.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
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.
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.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
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?
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?
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