Fall 2010: A 5v5 League Champs: Ray’s Band

Rays Band Claims Fall 2010 A-League Championship
Ray's Band 78 TNS 59

They were a late entry to the season and started off slow but like the Patriots they peaked at the right time. The former Bates point guard from Bangor, Maine Zak Ray is a proven winner as Ray’s Band upset fourth-seeded TNS in the A-League Finals, 78-59.

Ray’s Band began the Fall season with back-to-back losses to fall 0-2 but they dug themselves out of the hole and climbed back to .500 with two straight wins in the following weeks. It was a grinding season for Ray and Company but they eventually made the playoffs as a sixth seed with a 4-5 record.

Taking words from the genius, mastermind, himself, Bill Belichick: “once you make the post-season everyone has the same record and is back at 0-0.” Whatever happens during the regular season does not mean anything come playoff time.

After upsetting the third seed and offensive power-house, known as the Middlesex Magic in double overtime they set their eyes on Millrats in semifinals. Ray’s Band atoned for their week two loss, edging out the Millrats by one to move a step closer to the championship circle.  

Standing in the way of Zak Ray’s second championship in four months, was TNS – a team which defeated Ray’s Band, by a palindrome score of 97-79 in week seven; but they entered the Finals 2-0 when facing teams for a second time. Very Patriots-esque.

It was 45 minutes before tip-off, Craig Griffin was already standing in the front lobby of the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club chatting it up with Charlestown’s Derek Gallagher. Up in the gym Tomas Balcetis and Malik Smith were warming up for TNS in preparation for the big game. Shortly thereafter, Damian Ruff strolled into the gym and took out his championship sneakers: a bright yellow. From here on out DRuff will be known as “Shoes.”

(Before I move on to the actual game I want to set the record straight, that I did correctly predict the outcome of this game from the very start.)

When the game commenced, Nick Richardson put Ray’s Band on the board early with a lay-up for the first points of the game but TNS came ready to play too.  “Shoes” put TNS on top knocking down a long-range trey from the top of the key as they went on an 8-0 run.

TNS was just deadly from downtown early on. They were hitting everything. Ray’s Band did not go away as began to chip away at the deficit but every time they got it down to four or even two, early in the half, TNS responded and pushed the lead back to six.

Ray’s Band finally evened up the contest with 7:29 left to play in the half when Griffin netted a put-back lay-up to tie up the score at 23 as the game became a real barnburner. Late in the half, after TNS’s Ken Fass knotted the score up at 27, Phil Jackson knocked down both of his free throws to give Ray’s Band the two-point lead. Ray’s Band took a three-point, 30-27, into the break after Randy Brooks netted one of his two free throws with under a minute to play.

When the teams returned in the second, it was expected to be another close half but Ray’s Band had other plans as they outscored TNS, 48-32, in the second alone. Momentum from beyond the arc appeared to have changed addresses at halftime as Ray found his groove from long distance mid-way through period two.

Ray’s Band opened up the half with a 5-0 run before “Shoes” drained his second three of the ballgame to close the gap. Shortly after Ray launched his first three of the half to push the lead back then drained another following a lay-up by Griffin that forced TNS to call their first time-out of the half at 18:21.

The two teams exchanged baskets for much of the second period as TNS tried valiantly to scratch and claw their way but throwing up three-point jumpers when Ray’s Band is sizzling hot, is not the way to go.

If it was not Ray knocking down treys it was either Richardson or Jackson working the post or Brooks driving the lane. They were getting production from up and down their roster as well as spreading the ball around nicely. Ben Thayer was force on defense, ripping down eight boards while dishing out three assists on offense in addition to his two points.

Richardson led all scorers with a game-high 24 points in the victory while Griffin followed up, recording a double-double, with 17 points and 11 rebounds on the evening. Jackson and Ray rounded out the victors with 14 – all four field goals for Ray were from beyond the arc.

Despite the loss, Peter Uzoma was the go-to-man for TNS, keeping them in the ball-game with championship caliber defense. In addition to tallying a team-high 19 points, Uzoma was force to be reckoned with in the post, pulling down 11 boards while rejecting a lay-up attempt from Ray’s Band along with teammate Malik Smith. 2006 York graduate, Ken Fass also recorded a double-double in the loss, registering 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Scores, Box Scores & Write-Ups

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