Over 30

Commentary by Anyone who feels like it...

BOHNAKER BOYZ 78  5 and Dimes 68

Bohnaker Boyz stay perfect!

Over-30 Legends week 5 action at the MLK was much higher scoring than I (tibbs, your MC for the first 3 games) expected. People accuse the Wednesday night division of being glorified pick-up but there were a lot of wide open shots last night. Not that I’m complaining, I like a nice soft cushion (and just got a 100 piece hung on me so can’t really talk about D).

Anyway this game started out with Cheese and Danner putting up 3s for the Bohnaker Boys while the 5+Dimes offense looked lost with Smith on the sidelines lacing them up after arriving a bit after tip.

Bohnaker Boys established an early double digit lead thanks to Cody putting up numbers and Kindle putting the clamps on Ghost, who came in averaging 22.5 a game. Ron being able to erase Ghost for huge chunks of the night was definitely one of the main keys to BB’s success last night.

Smith came off the bench to light a fire under the 5+Dimes offense. He hit a couple 3s right away and the ball movement improved with him in the game. Plus the team FINALLY started to feed Bernstein on the block when he was being guarded by Cheese, which was most of the half. I’m not sure WHY it took so long to focus on that match-up but when they did, good things happened. 5+Dimes pulled with 2 at the break.

They kept the good times rolling in the second half and opened it up with a 14-6 run to take a 6 point lead, but that was as good as it got for 5+Dimes.

Fighting off old and tired legs, helped in no way by a sub, Danner and Cody answered with a couple 3s, then Cody hit another, and one more for good measure during the ensuing 19-5 run that won the game for the Bohnaker Boys. Ron sealed things up at the FT line to keep the team undefeated AND keep 5+Dimes looking for their first win.

It’s tough to get in a shoutout when you squad takes the second fewest attempts from downtown in the league. I assume Kev knew he’d get the bulk of the 3 point attempts while he was drafting both Fraher and Bernstein with his early picks. Neither are high volume shooters. Smith has gotta take more 3s, not that he really needs encouragement if the squad is going to get some Ws as we play out the second half of the season.  This team’s offense CAN look good, but they’ve got to find a way to stop somebody, anybody.

Twitter thread!

18 L3gg3d B3AST 68  COOL TRAIN 77

The Train is back on Track!

For the second time this season I’ve taken in a “COOL TRAIN” or “Train O’3s” game and for the second time this season they struggled mightily with their outside shooting. For a team that hoists them up as prolifically as they do, they do NOT want to see my on the scoreboard. Case in point:

Brett Cooley 3 point shooting

I am the best 3 point defense this league could possibly have on Brett. All it will take for me to appear during your round 1 game is a hefty beer bribe and you’re practically guaranteed a poor shooting night from an MVP frontrunner!

Anyway, yes Brett started out cold and so did Train. They connected on only 1 of their initial 12 tries from deep. The only reason they were in the game was their relentless offensive rebounding in the first half. Their Big 2 and Horne were all following their many missed shots and getting second chance points left and right and dead on under the hoop.

Despite a strong first half shooting the ball from my newest nemesis Ron Howard, the 18 Legged Beast couldn’t establish control over this game. Viking Tibbs had a strong showing as well but the team only led by 2 at the break, probably because they weren’t boxing out.

Cooley hit a 3 at the halftime buzzer to pull COOL TRAIN and its like something clicked. Suddenly the jumper was fixed and the second half was a barrage of 3s for him, hitting 5 of his 11 attempts after a 2-10 start. 

Djernes tried to will his team to victory late. After trailing by double digits he got the offense kick started. When the deficit was down to 6, then 4, I thought for sure that COOL TRAIN was in for another one of their patented last second losses that they seem to be a part of every week.

But no, Train was clutch from the FT line (5-6 down the stretch) and COOL TRAIN picked up their second win of the season. In the most important news of the night, Train retains his lead over Cooley in points per game by the slimmest of margins. Horne would disagree, as he came over to the table post-game just to confirm his assist and rebounding numbers, not check out how many shots he got up, unlike his OTHER teammates.

Looking at you Cheever.

Twitter Thread!

Too Woke To Joke 77  Short-Term Disability 56

EJ FOR THREEEEEE!!!!

This game had all the classic signs of a let down game for your scorekeeper. We just had a pair of high scoring, exciting affairs. We saw multiple players put up many, many points. We had no Frank Malsbenden to taunt. So yea, things were looking down while the teams took a bit to get going, both squads missing some easy bunnies. But the game took a turn when Erik Johnson stepped onto the floor.

EJ was rocking some brand new glasses and I’ve got to tell you, being able to actually SEE the ball and the hoop made a world of difference. EJ put up a straight a way 3 the instant he got into the game, nothing but net. Two trips down the floor another one was good. A few minuets later a third, then a FOUTH before the end of the half as Too Woke to Joke had blown this game open and doubled up STD. You cannot possibly be let down when EJ starts letting it fly.

Too Woke to Joke had a lot of extra accessories as a team. Andrew Ray was rocking some AirPods throughout the game and the entire league wants to know what he was listening too. Most likely options include:

1. Mariah Carey Greatest Hits
2. Sean McVay play calls as he dribbles up the floor
3. His favorite whispered Sherlock Holmes ASMR episode
4. Inspiration Andrew Dice Clay words to use against Refs

THE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW!

Whatever it was worked, as Ray hit 5 of 11 from downtown and dominated the ball whether he was decided to hand out assists or go after errant shots.

Despite being down 22 at the break. STD tried to rally early in the second half. Sure they kept missing lay-ups but while Jon Press took a breather they ripped off a quick 7-0 run to make it seem like the game could get interesting. Dave Dow coming in late seemed to give the offense some spark and I thought, ‘hey now!’ but no. Once Press came back in he slammed the door on any of that. Gotta be tough to get third billing in a game you put up 28 points and 15 rebounds, but those kind of performances are expected from Press at this point.

Twitter Thread

AL Man Up 50  Joe's Cookies 63

Cookies put down Al Man Up

The final matchup for Week 5 #Over30Legends saw 2-2 Joe’s Cookies taking on 3-1 Al Man Up. AL Man Up was two men down, missing Manny Sutton and Dan Wiener, while Joe’s Cookies was missing their leading scorer, Joe Daniels-Mulholland. Manny and JDM are both averaging 22.5ish ppg so the absence should cancel out in theory.

Al Andrews came out the gate with an early 3 and the perimeter game was strong for AMU, with Andrews driving to the rim and Dwight Bowen getting a couple threes to drop early on. Cookie’s upped the defensive intensity after this, and AMU had trouble getting anything going consistently inside. Dave Murdoch was as a great rim protector for Cookies and had one savage block in the first half. AMU were really missing Manny’s ability to get to the rim and create second chances off the offensive glass.

With 10 minutes left Cookies started to take advantage of a great post up mismatch with Chuck Casassa and he finished the first half with 10 points. Julian Ponsetto was all over the floor for Cookies as well, finishing with 6 steals on the night.

In the second half AMU continued to not have an answer defensively inside and Chuck, Julian and Joe Randell all got some easy looks. Al Andrews dropped two bombs from deep to keep AMU within 10 in the second half, but there was never really any doubt from this point on. Both teams went to 3-2 and are looking good for the second half of the season.

Player of the game: Julian Ponsetto. Julian had the midrange game working tonight, finishing with 20 but most importantly was a defensive force for Cookies finishing with six steals and creating transition points off the turnovers.