Just a quick note: The season started in September and I staggered the opening dates to accommodate the number of teams that we have. The new teams started on September 4th. Most of the returning teams started on September 11th and those teams that were in the Summer League championship games started on September 18. This allowed us to cut down on byes. Most of the teams that started that first week have completed their regular season, so this week isn't a bye; it's just a week between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs.
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, the regular season flew by, thanks to the fact that there was no club volleyball activity at the venue and we were able to get in as many as 36 games per day. This Sunday, November 13th, will mark the end of the regular season. The schedule, with its staggered starts, worked out pretty well. We had more teams, but fewer overall byes. The playoffs will start next Sunday and will culminate on December 18th. Because of the large number of teams this season, the playoffs will also be staggered. The only real problem we will have is that the venue is closed on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. So, the teams that play next week will have a couple weeks off before advancing to the semis in December. That's the only solution that I could come up with.
In last week's games, we had some amazing things happen. The Basketball Junkies (the defending A-League champions) beat the Blue Coconuts, 119-97!! Zach Jones of the Coconuts had 44 points and nine boards, but his team lost when Chaz Mack and Jason Timpf combined for 77(!) points and 15 boards. The Junkies had 68 points at halftime.
In other games:
--Cesar Fierro, Damu Musgrove, and George Leeth each had 10 rebounds in the KP Ballerz's 79-72 loss to Injured Reserves. The Reserves were led by Owen Sanchez, who had a double-double with 36 points and 10 rebounds.
We're working on posting the League leaders in each category (scoring, rebounding, three-point shooting, and free-throw percentage) on a weekly basis. It used to be one of our regular features, but it got away from us when Darlene got married and stopped doing the stats. It will be a regular feature starting with next season. However, as this season comes to a close, Damu Musgrove is the leading scorer in the League (but three-time scoring champion Chaz Mack is right on his heels). Cesar Fierro is the leading three-point shooter, but ageless Harold Stevenson of Frosty Hesson trails him by only two shots.
--Ramon Barragon had 40 points (including 10 of 12 from the line) to lead Frosty Hesson to a wild 79-72 victory over Bricklayers. The 79 points may be the most points ever scored by a Hesson team, a squad that has been playing in the league (with an evolving lineup) since the mid-1990s! They were with us back in the old days at the Steve Daru Boys & Girls Club.
--Chris Garcia had a double-double (23 and 10) for Scout Team, but his squad fell to Shoot Your Shot, 54-43. Shoot, a team of golf-crazy guys, was led by Brandon Stoutmeyer's 25 points and 12 boards.
--Khalid Whitaker took 16 free throws (he made 10) in Slime Time's 56-44 win over The Show. Most players in this league won't take 16 free throws in a season.
--Cody Wilson hit 10 three-pointers (five in each half) but it wasn't quite enough as Average Bros lost a heartbreaking 85-83 game to the Rattlers. Marcos Lopez had 29 points on seven threes for the winners.
--The Tucson Tigers handed Southside Elite (or just Elite) their first loss of the season, 65-60. Cesar Solis led the Tigers with 25 points, including a couple clutch threes down the stretch.
--Mambas beat Relentless, 85-62 behind a pair of double-double performances. Zimri Clark had 24 and 10, while teammate Erick Stewart had 26 and 10. Rovelto Conde had 33 and 10 for Relentless.