Corporate A 5v5 Stats

Commentary by WEITZER...

Steamboats 46  Air Ballers 28

Smooth Sailing for the Steamboats

Welp, lesson learned by the Air Ballers -- if you don’t want to begin the game trailing your opponents on the scoreboard, show up on time. At 6:30, the refs started the clock, and for every minute the Air Ballers didn’t have 5 players, the Steamboats received a point. This led to a 6-0 deficit for the Air Ballers by the time the ref finally tossed up the opening tip, proving to be a devastating move for the tardy team.

The first half was a tight one. Neither team shot the ball particularly well, and in the shortened period, that meant the 6 additional points for the Steamboats proved even more valuable. Leng Tang showed his basketball savvy early on, picking up two steals in the early going that led to run outs and easy baskets on the other end. Michael Brady picked up a couple hoops inside for the Air Ballers, but the Steamboats always had an answer, proving without a doubt that they were the more well-rounded team. The Steamboats dominated the glass in the first half, putting on a clinic in gang-rebounding and eliminating second chances for the Air Ballers. When they did allow an offensive board, the Steamboats did a phenomenal job of forcing tough shots out of the Air Ballers. Evan Knooihuizen’s banked-in three-ball proved that his 1-on-1 sessions with Tim Duncan this offseason actually paid off, saving the Air Ballers from scoring a measly 4 points in the first half. When the halftime horn sounded, the scoreboard read 16-7 thanks to the 6-point penalty the Air Ballers received, but of the points actually scored, it was just 10-7. A 9-point deficit as opposed to a 3-point one is a big difference, and once Jamey Guess took over in the second half, the Air Ballers had no chance at this one.

While everyone shot the ball significantly better after the break, Guess was the real show. He poured in three after three after three, each one deflating the Air Ballers’ chances of winning. The most impressive part was that Guess was hitting threes from all around the arc. Left side, right side, corner, top of the key -- you name the spot, he hit one from there. He ended up hitting 5 treys on 10 attempts, finishing the game with 19 points. On the other side, Michael Brady was really the only one who could get anything going. Despite his tall, lanky figure, Brady handles the rock very well, and he showed that he could get to the hoop with relative ease in the second half. Brady ended the game with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and while he tried time and again to carry the Air Ballers back into the game, each time they went on a run, the Steamboats hit a three-pointer, dashing all hopes of a comeback.

I’d be remiss to neglect the impact that Jordon Swenton had on the defensive end for the Steamboats, as he was constantly turning away would be scorers at the rim. Swenton ended with 4 blocked shots, and even when he didn’t actually get a hand on the ball, he impacted what felt like every shot in the paint. Leng Tang, Mike Jones, Jamey Guess, and Martin Yuan were constant pests for the opposing guards, forcing a plethora of turnovers throughout the game. As a team, the Steamboats ended the game with 12 steals.

Overall, the Air Ballers just didn’t have it tonight. They were one-dimensional offensively, relying far too heavily on Brady to put the team on his back a-la-Greg Jennings. The Steamboats had the advantage even before the 6-point cushion they received to start the game, and once the opening whistle blew, they never looked back. The Steamboats played like a well-oiled machine throughout the game, while the Air Ballers went through extreme hills and valleys. I will admit that at times, the Air Ballers looked just as good as the Steamboats. For much of the game, however, they looked like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off, a credit to the defensive pressure the Steamboats forced upon them. With the season just getting started, the Air Ballers will have plenty of opportunities to rally together and come back from this loss, but it will take a full team effort for all 44 minutes if they want to beat the Steamboats.

Gronk's Kittens 2  RSM US LLP 3

The Savage Shankers 59  H1 And 1 45

Shankers are proven winners over H1 and 1

From the tip off The Shankers would be all over the glass putting plenty of pressure on the H1 & 1 squad. Chris C. (16 pts.) of Shankers would show his dominance on the Offense end hitting 3 after 3 with no one putting a hand in his face. Sam (14 pts) also did a great job sticking with his shot and haven't the biggest heart on the floor mixing it up with the big boys down low. Julian (8 pts) and Carl (16 pts)  of H1 & 1 did what they could to keep their team in the game but not much offense.  Landon added 11 pts and did a good job as well but as stated it just wasn't enough to get the win.    

SAUS 37  Jammers 48

Jammers Jam up SAUS and Take Win

Great match up here with two teams not wanting to lose but it was the Jammers that made the plays in the end to seal the win. Burke (19 pts) of SAUS was again leading his team on the offensive side of things and they lean on him for his scoring. This was critical tonight as Kuo (8 pts) couldn't get his outside shot going but this was not due to not trying Lol. With both team not shooting great the game would go back an fourth with SAUS actually having the lead at half 26 to 18. All was looking good for them if you put aside all of the travel calls they committed. It was when "The Big Man" Waldoch (6 pts) fouled out with 4:50 left that everything changed for SAUS. No more controling the boards meant that it was one shot and out and that wasn't going to get the job done.