Summer 2021: 5v5 Draft East League Champs: The Rooks

Rooks complete the perfect season
The Rooks 55 Still Winded 37

GAME THREAD: https://twitter.com/CACBasketball/status/1432511195534274564?s=20

LIVE STREAM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBxnEDg8KAs&feature=youtu.be

Regular Season Awards: https://twitter.com/CACBasketball/status/1427664020623007748?s=20

Stay Tuned for the highlight video from Keith sometime this week, probably over the weekend! 

What a way to end the season! The Rooks came in as heavy betting favorites (-17.5 points) but Still Winded jumped out HARD in this one. Their D was swarming, the offense was humming and they lead 8-4, then 16-7 then 25-14!! 

Guy Robinson (18 points, 4-8 3s) had another first half to remember. He put the team on his back over and over this season and last night was no different. A couple circus shots, a couple deep 3s and Still Winded was riding HIGH on confidence. After a rocky rookie season Guy was determined to change his narative this season and he did that! He'll be a returning captain in the Fall I can't wait to see what team he puts together. With Henry Morris (10 points, 2-6 3s) also bombing away, this game was much, much more competitve then their two previous meetings this season.

That's right, Still Winded finished the season 8-0 vs every other team NOT namex the Rooks. However, in those 2 regular season match-ups the Rooks won by over 30 points both times. That's why we had something incredibly rare this season. A team with a very good winning record had a point differential of just +1. You don't EVER see a 7-2 team with a PD that low. But when your two losses are crater sized blowouts, it all evens out.

But it was like those games never happened last night. Tanner Nordell (6 points, 17 boards, 3 blocks) continued to go hard, despite not getting the same kind of press that George Penniman (12 points, 11 boards, 3 blocks) does on a weekly basis, but these two battled hard last night. It was great to see both big guys shoving each other off the block and beign able to step out and hit shots. Just a great battle. 

That 18-7 hole for the Rooks was REAL! At one point the captain got as agitated as I've seen him get all season. Jamil (12 points, 6 boards) called a timeout an berated his team for playing hero ball.

This game swung when Garrett Tousey (8 points, 6 boards) checked in. G$ has been coming in off the bench all season long and been a huge reason why the Rooks have been able to blow so many teams out. He goes so hard every second there's no drop off between starters and bench. He usually works the O glass better than anyone else (3rd in the league this season!) but in this one, he checked in an immediately hit a 3 to get the offense going. Well, not really going but started! The Rooks survived at the free throw line (7-13 in the first half, 13-22 in the game) so Still Winded couldn't run away with the game.

The Rooks clawed to within 18-14, but Guy pumped the lead back to 23-15 before the Rooks well and truly took over. Craig Rodenstein (23 points, 14 boards, 3 assists) relentlessly got buckets as he always does. He was unstoppable all season long and the Finals were no different. His 14 first half points lead all scorers and the Rooks took their very first lead 27-25 right before halftime. 

From there? it was all Rooks, all the time. Jamil got going, George hit tough buckets in the paintand the MVP did his thing. Their team D put the clamps on Still Winded. When Guy fouled out with 7:30 left and the team down 8 the writing was on the wall. Don't be fooled by the 18 point spread (even though I called it) this was a hardfought championship win! 

THE CHAMPS! 

Scores, Box Scores & Write-Ups

Playoff: week 11

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