John Giordani began his rookie campaign as OC B League captain with a solid plan. He wanted good guard play and he wanted young players so his team could run, and play aggressive man to man defense. With his first pick, John selected multiple B league All star, point guard Mark Gottas. Gottas is a tenacious and menacing a player found in the B League. Though he only stands 5 foot 9 inches tall, Mark is very strong in the upper body and capable of finishing close to the rim. He also has a unique and necessary personality trait that all great competitors have, which is....he wants to destroy you on the court. Mark is not afraid to mix it up with bigger players or opposing point guards. He will not hesitate to tell you what is on his mind, nor will he hesitate to tell you if he thinks your game stinks. Gottas can talk the talk and walk the walk as well. All of this moxie along with 17 ppg, and close to 5 dimes make his swagger totally understandable.
With his second and third picks, Giordani selected John Murphy and Clark Stephens to run the wings along with Gottas. Murphy is a great mid range jump shooter who knows his range, and sticks to his strengths. He shot less than one 3 pointer a game last year, knowing that closer looks lead to higher percentage shots. John shot just under 50% from the floor last year, and he will be a great option for Gottas filling the lane. Murphy is also a great rebounder, who has all the fundamentals. John will routinely follow his own shot, when he can tell he has missed it, and get his own rebound and then put back. We were all taught to follow our shots back in basketball camps, but rarely do you see anyone at the B League level execute this fundamental basketball play.
Clark Stephens was an excellent pick up for Giordani with the 22nd pick. Stephens and Giordani played together last year, so John knows that Stephens is a very versatile guard. While is not necessarily a reliable outside shooting threat, he is an excellent rebounder, at over 9rpg a game last year. At almost 6 feet, he can also defend all three wing positions, and often uses his quickness to get out into the passing lanes to get steals. If he can improve his outside shot, and make more layups and free throws, Stephens could be seriously be considered for MVP, based on his enormous upside potential (EUP).
Team Giordani will have a plethora of available role players to help the three mentioned above. League new comer Mike Hanna is an excellent back up point guard who would probably start for most teams in the league. He is extremely shifty, and if you play off of him, he will bury the outside jumper in your eye. Lou Capurro and Conner Kelly can mix it up, and Capurro is certainly capable of killing any lazy defender with the mid range jumper. Its best to not leave him any space, because he will not hesitate to shoot it. Kelly is a bit of a banger, though not extremely tall, he is a superior athlete who will outwork you for hustle plays and put backs.
OUTLOOK:
Like Team Sullivan, Team Giordani has a lot of young, athletic players who will be around every week. John may need to play himself a bit less to get all others involved. Will he be able to find a solid rotation. Will Gottas and Murphy be able to take less shots to get others involved. Will some of the other young players on the team accept their roles in order to win? This all remains to be seen. But on paper, I like what John Giordani is trying to do with his team. I see them as a top 4 team in the league.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Bill Gabriel: His Team Explained
Bill Gabriel is an absolute Olympic Club basketball legend. Not necessarily for his recent game on the court, but more for his managerial magic. I don't think anybody missed Bill's picture on the B League predictions made by Phil, Fidel and Commissioner Ray which stated that Captain Gabriel has "over" 20 League titles to his credit, one of which was won last year in the B-Leauge. Bill's greatest trait as a Captain is his ability to draft the "sleeper". C'mon now, Chris Nowak in the 4th round last year? Let's just say that Nowak was this year's third overall pick.
But let's talk about the players on Team Gabriel. Without Brad Van Blois in the draft (he's chasing the dream in A-League), Captain Bill selected last year's scoring champion Mike Halow in the first round. His 25 points, 6 rebounds, nearly 4 assists and 2.5 steals per game are some pretty flashy numbers. As you can see, this clearly paints a picture of someone who can do it all. Gabriel clearly likes the alpha point guard and Mike fits the bill perfectly. Accompanying Mike at the guard position is the ever competitive Ryan Crowley. Crowley is one competitive B-Leaguer and has told me on many occasions that he doesn't take "stuff" from anybody. His solid contribution of 14 points, 7 boards & 2 assists from the guard position will do this squad well.
Out on the wing is Kurt Houtkooper. This 6'2" 230lb B-League star knows how to get the job done. Last year Kurt averaged almost 14 and a half points, 8 Rodmans and shot 80% from the charity stripe. Bill Mason is a Gabriel favorite (maybe because they share the same first name?) and was on the championship team last season chipping in 13.4 points, 6 boards at a great percentage. Bill hit over 50% of his threes and shot 83% from the line in the '06 - '07 season.
Looking at just the guard and wing positions on Team Gabriel shows a scoring average of over 56 points per game from 4 players. Will the big men be able to score? Yes, they will. 2007 NCAA League All-Star Gary Coover stands 6'4" with 195lb of pure low post muscle. Gary put up just 9 points and 6 boards last year but has the potential to be one of the top 'tweener big men in the league. Phil Daws also knows how to manage the block using his size to put in 9 points per game last year.
What Bill Gabriel team would be complete without a few wild cards? John Gay comes back to the B-League after a few years off and is ready to contribute. Bill Elfsten was on Gabriel's over-35 League team and has a solid game. And new comers Brad Walsh and Michael Finn must have some talent in order to be on the Gabriel squad. Something tells me that at least one of these guys will be a serious B-League producer.
OUTLOOK:
It's tough to say anything bad about the defending champs with a team as solid as this. Their guards and wings certainly provide a lot of fire power. But is there enough ball to go around for everyone? The only way these big 4 can be successful is by finding their roles on the team and maybe accepting a few less ppg's in exchange for assist or board numbers. If this team is anything like the Gabriel teams of the past, they will be peaking as the playoffs begin. Can Bill Gabriel win a B-League without Brad Van Blois and/or Mark Gottas? It may be tough, but something tells me that Bill has a trick up his sleeve in order to give it his best shot.
But let's talk about the players on Team Gabriel. Without Brad Van Blois in the draft (he's chasing the dream in A-League), Captain Bill selected last year's scoring champion Mike Halow in the first round. His 25 points, 6 rebounds, nearly 4 assists and 2.5 steals per game are some pretty flashy numbers. As you can see, this clearly paints a picture of someone who can do it all. Gabriel clearly likes the alpha point guard and Mike fits the bill perfectly. Accompanying Mike at the guard position is the ever competitive Ryan Crowley. Crowley is one competitive B-Leaguer and has told me on many occasions that he doesn't take "stuff" from anybody. His solid contribution of 14 points, 7 boards & 2 assists from the guard position will do this squad well.
Out on the wing is Kurt Houtkooper. This 6'2" 230lb B-League star knows how to get the job done. Last year Kurt averaged almost 14 and a half points, 8 Rodmans and shot 80% from the charity stripe. Bill Mason is a Gabriel favorite (maybe because they share the same first name?) and was on the championship team last season chipping in 13.4 points, 6 boards at a great percentage. Bill hit over 50% of his threes and shot 83% from the line in the '06 - '07 season.
Looking at just the guard and wing positions on Team Gabriel shows a scoring average of over 56 points per game from 4 players. Will the big men be able to score? Yes, they will. 2007 NCAA League All-Star Gary Coover stands 6'4" with 195lb of pure low post muscle. Gary put up just 9 points and 6 boards last year but has the potential to be one of the top 'tweener big men in the league. Phil Daws also knows how to manage the block using his size to put in 9 points per game last year.
What Bill Gabriel team would be complete without a few wild cards? John Gay comes back to the B-League after a few years off and is ready to contribute. Bill Elfsten was on Gabriel's over-35 League team and has a solid game. And new comers Brad Walsh and Michael Finn must have some talent in order to be on the Gabriel squad. Something tells me that at least one of these guys will be a serious B-League producer.
OUTLOOK:
It's tough to say anything bad about the defending champs with a team as solid as this. Their guards and wings certainly provide a lot of fire power. But is there enough ball to go around for everyone? The only way these big 4 can be successful is by finding their roles on the team and maybe accepting a few less ppg's in exchange for assist or board numbers. If this team is anything like the Gabriel teams of the past, they will be peaking as the playoffs begin. Can Bill Gabriel win a B-League without Brad Van Blois and/or Mark Gottas? It may be tough, but something tells me that Bill has a trick up his sleeve in order to give it his best shot.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Team Sullivan....The Wildcats
Jonny Sullivan enters year two of his OC captaincy with a distinct plan. He drafted young, and he drafted fellow Saint Ignatius high school alum from graduation years of 1997-2000. 9 of his 12 players graduated from SI, including Jonny himself. "The Wildcats" are young, and athletic. I think this will prove advantageous late in the second half of games. One benefit but also possible downside of having so many young players is that I can anticipate his team having 10 guys on the squad, week in and week out. This should provide ample depth, and fresh legs, but also, could this lead to trouble finding a solid rotation?
One problem Jonny Sull won't have is getting rebounding and high percentage shots from his center. With his first pick, Sully grabbled former Olympic Sivler Medalist Ted Murphy with the 5 pick. It was surprising to many, including this blogger that Murphy fell this far down in the draft. In the OCBLeague's blog mock draft, we had Murphy as the top pick on account of his consistent double double of points and rebounds. Murphy also shot an astounding 62% from the field last year, making his teammates look intelligent for having the patience to dump the ball down to him on the low block.
Rounding out the starting 5 will probably be point guard Dave McMonigle, Captain Sully at shooting guard, (San Mateo's Finest)officer Brent Sullivan at the 3, and the crafty Mike Pelligrini at the 4.
McMonigle is an excellent pass first point guard who can rebound and also score when he needs to. If this blog has any beef with his game, its that he doesn't insert himself into the offense enough for our liking. Dave has all the skills to take over games for short periods of time, but too often for our liking, we see him passing up open looks or mis-match opportunities to get others involved.
Officer Sullivan on the other hand provides mismatches all over the board. Bigger, stronger and faster than most in the B League, the younger Sullivan can post you up, cross your over or just shoot the 3 right over you. Not only that, he is extremely capable of banging and defending players taller than him due to his strong base.
The rest of the roster is rounded out by solid role players from high scoring wing Frank Lucier to all around role players Blake Simon (21 points as the game MVP of the NCAA championship game this past summer), Brian Heifferon (over 50% from the field in the B league last year)and Gavin Shiels (a voracious and tenacious rebounder for his size)
OUTLOOK:
Team Sullivan looks to have the most depth of any team in the B League this year. Questions will arise and their rebounding numbers could be compromised if the two new additions to the Murphy family cause Ted to miss more than a couple of games. But like all teams in the league this year, the 18 game season should balance out, and I strongly feel that team Sullivan is a top 4 team, with a good chance to finish in the top 2. If Jonny and Brent Sullivan can keep it going offensively this year, the rest of the players should be able to contribute night in and night out to provide the difference on most nights.
One problem Jonny Sull won't have is getting rebounding and high percentage shots from his center. With his first pick, Sully grabbled former Olympic Sivler Medalist Ted Murphy with the 5 pick. It was surprising to many, including this blogger that Murphy fell this far down in the draft. In the OCBLeague's blog mock draft, we had Murphy as the top pick on account of his consistent double double of points and rebounds. Murphy also shot an astounding 62% from the field last year, making his teammates look intelligent for having the patience to dump the ball down to him on the low block.
Rounding out the starting 5 will probably be point guard Dave McMonigle, Captain Sully at shooting guard, (San Mateo's Finest)officer Brent Sullivan at the 3, and the crafty Mike Pelligrini at the 4.
McMonigle is an excellent pass first point guard who can rebound and also score when he needs to. If this blog has any beef with his game, its that he doesn't insert himself into the offense enough for our liking. Dave has all the skills to take over games for short periods of time, but too often for our liking, we see him passing up open looks or mis-match opportunities to get others involved.
Officer Sullivan on the other hand provides mismatches all over the board. Bigger, stronger and faster than most in the B League, the younger Sullivan can post you up, cross your over or just shoot the 3 right over you. Not only that, he is extremely capable of banging and defending players taller than him due to his strong base.
The rest of the roster is rounded out by solid role players from high scoring wing Frank Lucier to all around role players Blake Simon (21 points as the game MVP of the NCAA championship game this past summer), Brian Heifferon (over 50% from the field in the B league last year)and Gavin Shiels (a voracious and tenacious rebounder for his size)
OUTLOOK:
Team Sullivan looks to have the most depth of any team in the B League this year. Questions will arise and their rebounding numbers could be compromised if the two new additions to the Murphy family cause Ted to miss more than a couple of games. But like all teams in the league this year, the 18 game season should balance out, and I strongly feel that team Sullivan is a top 4 team, with a good chance to finish in the top 2. If Jonny and Brent Sullivan can keep it going offensively this year, the rest of the players should be able to contribute night in and night out to provide the difference on most nights.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Forecast for Team Seaman
Veteran Captain Brad Seaman has to come into this season with something to prove. His team last year was the favorite to win it all as they coasted into the playoffs with a top seed. Things were going to plan until his squad laid an egg and lost in the first round. You know this is still on Brad's mind as he enters into this year with a giant chip on his shoulder and a total knee replacement to boot.
Captain Seaman grabbed the ever solid Chris Ridley with his first round pick. This 6'3" 220 lb big man has some of the most solid post moves in the league. I was honestly surprised that he wasn't the #1 overall pick. His basketball smarts combined with his strong frame lead to many easy scores from all over the paint. But it wasn't just post moves that led to Ridley's 19 points per game average last year. Chris isn't past putting up the three ball over four times per game making just about a third of his attempts. Did I mention that he nearly grabbed 10 Rodman's a game? Captain Brad likes his teams big and the addition of the 6'8" 275 Jeff Moeller fits his style. Accompanying Rid's on the block will be Scott "Mr. Fundamental" Brown. This 6'4" 215 lb post continues to contribute year after year. He looks long a wiry but is stronger than nearly anyone in the league not named Chris Nowak or Ted Murphy. Scott must have studied tapes of Kevin McHale as a kid because his post game is tough to stop and his 14 points and 6 boards will be huge for this huge team. And then there's the 6'3" 200 lb Marc Ialegio and the 6'3" 240 lb Andy Rogers a.k.a. "Mr. Rebound" to add even more size? I mean WOW.
Yes, this team does have a few guards. Captain Brad seems to have gone back in a time machine after his bodily repairs and can probably be expected to knock down a few more threes this year. But the real guard leaders on this team are Scott Jordan and John Taylor. Scott, who was on Team Seaman last season, is a wily veteran at the PG position and knows how to run a team. His 2.5 Nash's and over 2 swipes per contest will hold this back court down. But is there anyone in the league not named Mark Gottas who is quicker than John Taylor? This kid's mind works at 110% and his lightning fast play is fun to watch. JT drops close to 5 dimes per game (top three last year) with at least two of them being highlight real worthy. But his aggressive passing does lead to a few turnovers. Although he does try to make up for it with 2 steals per game that usually lead to all alone fast break layups.
Tom Piro will be called on to play that 'tweener role that he knows so well by being the buffer between the guards and big post men. Tom put up a solid 8 points and 6 boards last year. Jeff Perry and Alex Pfeifer are newbies to the B-League and Captain Brad is high on their potential to be contributors and possible sleepers through this long, grueling 18 game season.
OUTLOOK:
Team Seaman will do some damage. I mean, they may actually hurt a lot of people. Physically. We're talking blood, bruises and a lot of crying to the refs done by the other team. They're big, they love to rebound, and have a really nice mix of guards and big men to outclass a lot of teams in this league. But do these guys have enough wing men to be balanced enough? Do they have a consistent three point shooter who can be relied upon to hit those backbreakers? Will Scott and JT run too much and actually tire out their bigs in the Sky Gym who would probably prefer to play a half court game? I'm not sure how this team will mesh as the season begins, but it will be interesting to see. I like their look on paper, for sure, but can't put them higher than peaking as a top 3 or 4 squad until they get out on the hardwood and show what they can do.
Captain Seaman grabbed the ever solid Chris Ridley with his first round pick. This 6'3" 220 lb big man has some of the most solid post moves in the league. I was honestly surprised that he wasn't the #1 overall pick. His basketball smarts combined with his strong frame lead to many easy scores from all over the paint. But it wasn't just post moves that led to Ridley's 19 points per game average last year. Chris isn't past putting up the three ball over four times per game making just about a third of his attempts. Did I mention that he nearly grabbed 10 Rodman's a game? Captain Brad likes his teams big and the addition of the 6'8" 275 Jeff Moeller fits his style. Accompanying Rid's on the block will be Scott "Mr. Fundamental" Brown. This 6'4" 215 lb post continues to contribute year after year. He looks long a wiry but is stronger than nearly anyone in the league not named Chris Nowak or Ted Murphy. Scott must have studied tapes of Kevin McHale as a kid because his post game is tough to stop and his 14 points and 6 boards will be huge for this huge team. And then there's the 6'3" 200 lb Marc Ialegio and the 6'3" 240 lb Andy Rogers a.k.a. "Mr. Rebound" to add even more size? I mean WOW.
Yes, this team does have a few guards. Captain Brad seems to have gone back in a time machine after his bodily repairs and can probably be expected to knock down a few more threes this year. But the real guard leaders on this team are Scott Jordan and John Taylor. Scott, who was on Team Seaman last season, is a wily veteran at the PG position and knows how to run a team. His 2.5 Nash's and over 2 swipes per contest will hold this back court down. But is there anyone in the league not named Mark Gottas who is quicker than John Taylor? This kid's mind works at 110% and his lightning fast play is fun to watch. JT drops close to 5 dimes per game (top three last year) with at least two of them being highlight real worthy. But his aggressive passing does lead to a few turnovers. Although he does try to make up for it with 2 steals per game that usually lead to all alone fast break layups.
Tom Piro will be called on to play that 'tweener role that he knows so well by being the buffer between the guards and big post men. Tom put up a solid 8 points and 6 boards last year. Jeff Perry and Alex Pfeifer are newbies to the B-League and Captain Brad is high on their potential to be contributors and possible sleepers through this long, grueling 18 game season.
OUTLOOK:
Team Seaman will do some damage. I mean, they may actually hurt a lot of people. Physically. We're talking blood, bruises and a lot of crying to the refs done by the other team. They're big, they love to rebound, and have a really nice mix of guards and big men to outclass a lot of teams in this league. But do these guys have enough wing men to be balanced enough? Do they have a consistent three point shooter who can be relied upon to hit those backbreakers? Will Scott and JT run too much and actually tire out their bigs in the Sky Gym who would probably prefer to play a half court game? I'm not sure how this team will mesh as the season begins, but it will be interesting to see. I like their look on paper, for sure, but can't put them higher than peaking as a top 3 or 4 squad until they get out on the hardwood and show what they can do.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Team Denbo Season Preview
If there is anything that Captain Todd Denbo has proven over the years of his B League captaincy, is that he wants to play ball with his friends. His 2007-08 squad is no different as Denbo regulars Dan Giraudo, Brian Proses, Alec Krumins and brother Drew "enegizer bunny" Denbo are back for another campaign. They are surrounded by a former NCAA scoring champion, Morgan Doyle, two time NCAA all-star Ryan Tiret and the second overall pick from last week's draft Cameron Hyland. Hyland is a clear B League commodity. His average of 22 points per game last year make him on of the B League's most lethal scorers. Hyland can score from anywhere. He can shoot the three with consistency, but at almost 6'4, he can take you down to the low block and use an array of "vintage" Olympic Club moves to score the basketball. He constantly frustrates those who try to guard him because he is neither the strongest nor the fastest player in the league, but he uses his considerable basketball IQ to outsmart his opponents and then scores while they are out of position. His 41 points against Team Marcon last year were a league high and at 9 rebounds a game last year, he is also no slouch on the boards.
The elder statesmen of the team is Smooth John Doherty. At 6'3, his shooting stroke is as smooth as his golf swing.... probably because that piece of Bubalicious bubble gum he pops in his mouth before every game relaxs him to a tranquil state of zen. Like Hyland, Doherty can stroke it from anywhere on the floor. Leave him too much space, and a high arching 3ball with perfect rotation will swish through the net. Guard him too close and he'll swoop into the lane ala James Worthy and finish with the nifty finger roll, or soft layup high off the glass.
Dan Giraudo will need to get his stroke going from downtown this year if Team Denbo is going to succeed without a true center and without a true point guard. DG is easy to locate on the floor with his trademark Oakley specs look, however he is much harder to contain when running around the various Denbo screens that his friends like to set.
Team Denbo is loaded with scoring guards, including captain Todd, Morgan Doyle, Brian Proses and Chris Brennan (one of the youngest players in the league at 20 years old). However all of these guards are better known for their scoring than they are for distributing the basketball. It remains to been seen if they will be able to find Hyland, Doherty and Giraudo consistently enough to put points on the board. Their lack of true size might also hurt them on the boards.
OUTLOOK:
The wild card of Team Denbo will be Ryan Tiret and James Lathrop. Both are longer wing players, and Tiret is capable of scoring in bunches. But scoring at NCAA level is a bit different than in the B League. Can he continue to contribute solid numbers? If so, Denbo will have guys who can score all over the floor? How will their relative lack of bulk hurt them at key moments of games. Will they be able to secure the important misses that lead to winning ball games? Only time will tell. Also, with so many guards with the scoring mentality will their be enough of the basketball to go around?
The elder statesmen of the team is Smooth John Doherty. At 6'3, his shooting stroke is as smooth as his golf swing.... probably because that piece of Bubalicious bubble gum he pops in his mouth before every game relaxs him to a tranquil state of zen. Like Hyland, Doherty can stroke it from anywhere on the floor. Leave him too much space, and a high arching 3ball with perfect rotation will swish through the net. Guard him too close and he'll swoop into the lane ala James Worthy and finish with the nifty finger roll, or soft layup high off the glass.
Dan Giraudo will need to get his stroke going from downtown this year if Team Denbo is going to succeed without a true center and without a true point guard. DG is easy to locate on the floor with his trademark Oakley specs look, however he is much harder to contain when running around the various Denbo screens that his friends like to set.
Team Denbo is loaded with scoring guards, including captain Todd, Morgan Doyle, Brian Proses and Chris Brennan (one of the youngest players in the league at 20 years old). However all of these guards are better known for their scoring than they are for distributing the basketball. It remains to been seen if they will be able to find Hyland, Doherty and Giraudo consistently enough to put points on the board. Their lack of true size might also hurt them on the boards.
OUTLOOK:
The wild card of Team Denbo will be Ryan Tiret and James Lathrop. Both are longer wing players, and Tiret is capable of scoring in bunches. But scoring at NCAA level is a bit different than in the B League. Can he continue to contribute solid numbers? If so, Denbo will have guys who can score all over the floor? How will their relative lack of bulk hurt them at key moments of games. Will they be able to secure the important misses that lead to winning ball games? Only time will tell. Also, with so many guards with the scoring mentality will their be enough of the basketball to go around?
Team D'Acquisto Season Preview
Mark D'Acquisto comes out of a year long captain hiatus to make yet another mark on the B-League. One would think that Point Guard Captain D'Acquisto would have been out of touch with the happenings of last year's league since he did not have a team or participate. But that wasn't the case as he takes last year's semi-sleeper big man Chris Nowak with his first round pick. Could that be because he has former captain Pat Belding on his squad feeding him insider information? Either way, Nowak will be an excellent anchor to the D'Acquisto front line as his 6'4" 225lb frame should take up good space down low just as it did as a key member to the Team Gabriel Championship team last season. New comer Mike Folk at 6'7" should be able to clog up the middle even more for this bigger than average squad.
Playing all over the floor will be Graham "The Matrix" Coover. This 6'3" wing-post-guard can do it all averaging 10 points, 7 boards, 3.4 assists and 2 steals last season. Another do-it-all type player, veteran Brian Early, will be able to give Captain Mark excellent play wherever he's needed. This versatile lefty can hit from the perimeter or take you on the block. Chip in Andres Franklin's hustle plays and this team has a lethal combination of point forwards that will give D'Acquisto plenty of options.
Gabe Rosenberg will provide some solid scoring from the Shooting Guard position as one of the most accurate 3 point shooting B-Leaguers at 53%. If only he put up more than 3 attempts per game he would have ran away with this category winning a sweatshirt at the season ending banquet. Gabe's quickness gets him to a lot of loose ball rebounds as his tenacity will complement Captain Mark's leadership well.
Newcomers Joe Gettelman and Ken Kearns put up solid stats in the NCAA league this summer. And like any fantasy sports player knows, the sleepers are what can win you your league. Team D'Acquisto will be a squad to be reckoned with.
OUTLOOK:
At first glance, Captain D'Acquisto has drafted a contender for the title. This squad will no doubt make the playoffs and doesn't need to rely on just one or two players to make an impact. And with the 18 game season, this team looks to be built for the long haul. But does Mark have enough point guards to run the show? Is his team actually too big? Is the rumor about Nowak having some sort of nagging injury actually true? Will Graham Coover ditch his co-ed volleyball team to make every game this year? Needless to say, Team D'Acquisto does have some questions surrounding it. But c'mon now, doesn't every team?
Playing all over the floor will be Graham "The Matrix" Coover. This 6'3" wing-post-guard can do it all averaging 10 points, 7 boards, 3.4 assists and 2 steals last season. Another do-it-all type player, veteran Brian Early, will be able to give Captain Mark excellent play wherever he's needed. This versatile lefty can hit from the perimeter or take you on the block. Chip in Andres Franklin's hustle plays and this team has a lethal combination of point forwards that will give D'Acquisto plenty of options.
Gabe Rosenberg will provide some solid scoring from the Shooting Guard position as one of the most accurate 3 point shooting B-Leaguers at 53%. If only he put up more than 3 attempts per game he would have ran away with this category winning a sweatshirt at the season ending banquet. Gabe's quickness gets him to a lot of loose ball rebounds as his tenacity will complement Captain Mark's leadership well.
Newcomers Joe Gettelman and Ken Kearns put up solid stats in the NCAA league this summer. And like any fantasy sports player knows, the sleepers are what can win you your league. Team D'Acquisto will be a squad to be reckoned with.
OUTLOOK:
At first glance, Captain D'Acquisto has drafted a contender for the title. This squad will no doubt make the playoffs and doesn't need to rely on just one or two players to make an impact. And with the 18 game season, this team looks to be built for the long haul. But does Mark have enough point guards to run the show? Is his team actually too big? Is the rumor about Nowak having some sort of nagging injury actually true? Will Graham Coover ditch his co-ed volleyball team to make every game this year? Needless to say, Team D'Acquisto does have some questions surrounding it. But c'mon now, doesn't every team?
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Team Clark Season Preview
As the start of league play is only one week away, I thought we should take a look at the participants in this years league. Today, we will highlight Andy Clark's team. Andy or Team 1 on the schedule, had the first pick in the draft. He chose former B league scoring champion and Olympic Club Legend James Maloney. He filled out the rest of his roster with proven B league contributors
Rich Bollini
Claude Calegari
Bill Breck
Greg Ley
Jim Sweeney
Chris McDonough
Jason Lynch
It remains to be seen if Team Clark will be able to find consistent scoring on a nightly basis. While Maloney is certainly capable of pumping in 20 a night as he did during the 05-05 campaign, he is best when his teammates are looking to get him in positions where he can score the basketball. Maloney is best coming off a screen at the elbow, or in transition, where he can either pull up for the 18 footer, or "sneak" ahead of the defense for a layup. He is certainly capable of hitting the 3, though it is not a consistent weapon in his arsenal. Maloney at times can fall victim to the "is it really gameday" syndrome, and it also remains to be seen whether his recent marriage will affect him mentally. We all saw how Tiger Woods played in the year after his marriage.
Rich Bollini will probably take on the role as the secondary scorer. He is as crafty a vetern playing in the B League currently, and being left handed, he often has the advantage on the attack. A good free throw shooter who can dribble with either hand, he is shifty and comfortable pulling up for the jumper or putting the ball on the deck and going to the tin. Team Clark will probably come to rely on his consistency if Maloney is having an off night.
Calegari, Sweeney, Ley, Lynch and McDonough are all classic Clark type players. Calegari is an excellent team player and very capable of contributing as the third scorer. He is also an excellent on the ball defender with long arms capable of defending multiple positions and very good at getting into the passing lanes. On offense he tends to prefer to dribble right, but can also spin left for a nifty fall away off the glass. Regardless, Clark is lucky to have him as Claude is a great guy and also a great team player.
The rest of Team Clark will need to step up when the occasion presents itself if they are going to win a majority of their games.
A few sleepers who could have solid years are
Chris McDonough and Mike Donnelly.
OUTLOOK:
Having the first pick in the OC B league draft is always a tough proposition. This year, with so many of the obvious picks from years past not participating, Andy's decision was even more difficult. While James Maloney is certainly a scorer, I'm not sure that he is going to be able to consistently score night in and night out and for that reason, I anticipate Team Clark struggling to score the basketball.
However, this is a veteran team that is has savvy and guile. But as the league has moved towards younger members in recent years, I wonder if Team Clark will struggle their stamina down the stretch in games.
Rich Bollini
Claude Calegari
Bill Breck
Greg Ley
Jim Sweeney
Chris McDonough
Jason Lynch
It remains to be seen if Team Clark will be able to find consistent scoring on a nightly basis. While Maloney is certainly capable of pumping in 20 a night as he did during the 05-05 campaign, he is best when his teammates are looking to get him in positions where he can score the basketball. Maloney is best coming off a screen at the elbow, or in transition, where he can either pull up for the 18 footer, or "sneak" ahead of the defense for a layup. He is certainly capable of hitting the 3, though it is not a consistent weapon in his arsenal. Maloney at times can fall victim to the "is it really gameday" syndrome, and it also remains to be seen whether his recent marriage will affect him mentally. We all saw how Tiger Woods played in the year after his marriage.
Rich Bollini will probably take on the role as the secondary scorer. He is as crafty a vetern playing in the B League currently, and being left handed, he often has the advantage on the attack. A good free throw shooter who can dribble with either hand, he is shifty and comfortable pulling up for the jumper or putting the ball on the deck and going to the tin. Team Clark will probably come to rely on his consistency if Maloney is having an off night.
Calegari, Sweeney, Ley, Lynch and McDonough are all classic Clark type players. Calegari is an excellent team player and very capable of contributing as the third scorer. He is also an excellent on the ball defender with long arms capable of defending multiple positions and very good at getting into the passing lanes. On offense he tends to prefer to dribble right, but can also spin left for a nifty fall away off the glass. Regardless, Clark is lucky to have him as Claude is a great guy and also a great team player.
The rest of Team Clark will need to step up when the occasion presents itself if they are going to win a majority of their games.
A few sleepers who could have solid years are
Chris McDonough and Mike Donnelly.
OUTLOOK:
Having the first pick in the OC B league draft is always a tough proposition. This year, with so many of the obvious picks from years past not participating, Andy's decision was even more difficult. While James Maloney is certainly a scorer, I'm not sure that he is going to be able to consistently score night in and night out and for that reason, I anticipate Team Clark struggling to score the basketball.
However, this is a veteran team that is has savvy and guile. But as the league has moved towards younger members in recent years, I wonder if Team Clark will struggle their stamina down the stretch in games.
One Week Away....
Welcome the official blog of the OC B league. In the coming months, we will break down the famed "middle" league of the Olympic Club's popular basketball program, with game recaps, player interviews, and overall league analysis.
This year's league looks to be one of the most highly contested leagues in recent memory. Many of the top players from last season have chosen to not participate in the league this year, and an influx of younger and newer players could prove to make the league wildly unpredictable.
The draft was conducted last week and players were notified of their teams just this past Friday. Noon ball at the OC has picked up as players are coming in trying to hone their game before league play begins on the 16th. So welcome to the blog, I hope you enjoy it, and if we rip you for a 2-15 performance on the Sky Gym hardwood....please just know that you deserve it.
-DD
This year's league looks to be one of the most highly contested leagues in recent memory. Many of the top players from last season have chosen to not participate in the league this year, and an influx of younger and newer players could prove to make the league wildly unpredictable.
The draft was conducted last week and players were notified of their teams just this past Friday. Noon ball at the OC has picked up as players are coming in trying to hone their game before league play begins on the 16th. So welcome to the blog, I hope you enjoy it, and if we rip you for a 2-15 performance on the Sky Gym hardwood....please just know that you deserve it.
-DD
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)