2011 Fall, SEASON 6
Week 4
by Nathan Apolonio/ @NDAx92
We are mid way through the season, and with four weeks of the regular season over with, Division 2 has quickly regained its level of relevancy in the IBL, after a slow start to the season. Whether my statement is accurate or not, the players’ perception of the division is that it has and always will be relevant as long as teams like Wonton Soup, Double Dribble, and Wonton Soup are still competing in the division.
In Week 4 a few teams had their weaknesses exposed and fell by a wide margin. They were a few games however, that were nail bitters but the final outcome was never in doubt.
The team I have to pick a bone with this week is the “Secret Agents”. Yes, the same Secret Agents who said they could compete with any team from the Western Conference when the Divisional Conferences were still intact. So far after the merger, they are 2-2 with both of their losses coming at the hands of “western conference” teams, the two victories, were over teams with a combined record of (2-6). I know the Secret Agents got a huge win over the (1-3) Wet Bandits in Week 4 but let’s be serious here, can this team beat a quality opponent?
I thought the Secret Agents were in their words “the team to beat” Why is it that I don’t see ANY of the Secret Agent players on the league page RUNNING THEIR MOUTH? I thought you guys weren’t going to lose one game? I thought “no one could guard you guys” I wonder if the Secret Agents still want a match-up with the and I quote “most overrated team” in the league “Wonton Soup”. If they did, I don’t think that would be the brightest idea. Moving On..
DX vs. #JETS
DIVISION 2
In the first game of the afternoon, the #JETS defeated DX by a score of 47 – 59.
The young man with the sweet lefty stroke Joe Joe led the #JETS in scoring for the third consecutive week with 19 points and 12 rebounds. He’s really making a name for himself in just his 3rd week of IBL play. Matt finished with 12 points, and 7 rebounds. Ricky Figueroa rounded out the scoring trio with 10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Chris Mayoral finished with a team high, he logged in 17 points and 2 rebounds. Gage Hunt assisted Mayoral and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Chris McKeon was the third leading scorer for the team and finished with 4 points and 11 rebounds.
5 Guys 1 Cup vs. X-Men
DIVISION 2
5 Guys 1 Cup lose another close game 73 – 78 to the X-Men.
The X-Men rebound from a week 3 loss to UKnow, Deante Smith led all scorers for the game with 29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. Smith had himself a very great game statistics wise. He also shot 8/15 from the field. Oscar Pacheco finished with 22 points, shooting 6/7 from behind the 3 point line. Darren Smith rounded out the scoring trio with 13 points and 4 rebounds.
5 Guys 1 Cup, had a very balanced offensive attack with Waldo finishing with a team high, he logged in 22 points and 6 rebounds. Alex Hernandez assisted Waldo finishing with 17 points and 3 rebounds. Castro was the third leading scorer with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jhoaun rounded out the scoring quartet for the team and finished with 10 points and 4 rebounds.
Wet Bandits vs. Secret Agents
DIVISION 2
The Secret Agents take care of the Wet Bandits; putting the game away early and defeating them 49 – 73.
For the first time this season a player other than Brandon Parham (9 points, 14 rebounds) led the Wet Bandits in scoring. With his team in a major offensive drought Nigel Leos took the reigns to the team and finished with 22 points and 2 rebounds. assisting Leos was Victor Quitana, Quitana finished with 8 points and 2 rebounds. Brett Miyamoto rounded out the scoring quartet finishing with 5 points and 2 rebounds.
Terrell “T-Time” Thomas led all Secret Agent scorers with 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. The athletic 2-guard Darryial Morris was the teams second leading scorer, filling up many statistical columns. Morris finished 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals.. Rudy finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds. Deandre Baxter rounded out the scoring load with 9 points and 3 rebounds.
Nut Krackers vs. DX
DIVISION 2
Finally the Nut Krackers gave me something to write about, by defeating DX; 75 – 23. Good Job Nut Krackers, the margin of victory is noteworthy is very noteworthy.
Eric Fernandez finished with a team high, he logged in 8 points and 5 rebounds. Gage Hunt and Chris Mayoral assisted Fernandez by finishing with 6 points apiece.
Matt D. finished with a team high, he logged in 24 points and 3 rebounds. Elias Salloum (12.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg) assisted Matt D. with the scoring and finished with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Solin Bit finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. Eric rounded out the scoring load with 9 points and 4 rebounds.
Nut Krackers vs. Happy Hour
DIVISION 2
In the second game of their double-header, the Nut Krackers came away with a 63 – 59 win over Happy Hour sending them home with a 0-4 record and virtually eliminating Happy Hour from playoff contention.
Eric finished with a team high, he logged in 17 points and 6 rebounds. Matt D. assisted Eric with the scoring and finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Elias Salloum finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds, 2 rebounds short of a double-double. Solin Bit rounded out the scoring load with 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Reuben Medina led the way for Happy Hour, Medina finished with 28 points and 5 boards. James Reyes assisted Medina with the scoring load and finished with 13 points and 4 boards.Pierre Recinto rounded out the top 3 scorers, he finished with 9 points and 4 rebounds. Happy Hour was without the services of the teams 4th leading scorer Mike Dorn (8.3 ppg., 5.7 rpg).
UKnow vs. Han$um Goonz
DIVISION 2
Another game on my agenda was the UKnow vs. the Han$um Goonz game. Last week I made some provocative statements towards the Han$um Goonz in my notes, so here is what I think they did with the notes. “they printed my article, bought a real nice picture frame off amazon.com. They put the article in the frame, put it on their wall and looked at it hopelessly counting down the days where they could prove my statements to be false.They came close to coming away with a win, but close doesn’t really count.
At the end of the day it was another L in the Loss column for this team. The story of the game was the Goonz defense, excuse me.. lack of defense. Instead of playing the game , a few of their players began to talk that “Ying-Yang” during the game in regards to my article and allowed UKnow’s big man Jordan Block to explode for another 30+ point outburst leading Uknow to a 61 – 54 win.
The Goonz got off to a hot start, but beside Odis Wishum and Avant Foster the team lacks offensive talent. I have a new-found respect for this team when it comes to intensity however, they play balls out for the entire 40 mins and I can respect that.
Odis Wishum (15 points, 4 rebounds), Aaron Bell (11 points, 2 rebounds) Carlos Benjamin (11 points, 5 rebounds) were the top 3 performers for the Goonz. Lavar Jackson rounded out the scoring load with 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Jordan “Mr.Double-Double” Block led all scorers for the game with 36 points and 16 rebounds . Jimmy Nguyen and Byron Woods assisted Block with the scoring load and finished with 7 points apiece, both players hitting clutch 3 point baskets down the stretch. Jonathan Redmond rounded out the scoring trio with 4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Quiksilver vs. The Revenge
DIVISION 2
In Week 4 a few teams had their weaknesses exposed and fell by a wide margin. They were a few games however, that were nailbiters but the final outcome was never in doubt. The match-up between the two undefeated teams (Quiksilver vs. The Revenge) came down to the wire with Quiksilver coming away with a 49 – 44 win.
I think we all knew that Quiksilver was and is the better team, this was the one of the toughest opponents The Revenge has faced this season. I’m very impressed by they’re performance. With that said, I’d to retract last weeks statements about The Revenge, GM Hassan Ahmed has assembled quite a team, and they may surprise a few teams, I see them making it to the playoffs, but anything beyond the second round will be a shocker.
The Revenge was led by Armondo who finished with 10 points, 3 rebounds Derrick Okoth was the teams second leading scorer with 9 points and 1 rebound, Abdul Aziz rounded out the scoring load with 7 points and 5 assists.
Quiksilver had a balanced offensive attack this game,The “Yoo Train” Harry Yoo led all scorers with 12 points and 9 rebounds one rebound shy of his 3rd consecutive double-double. Brandon “B-Random” Kinard and John Dang also had 12 points each. Kinard also pulled in rebounds. Justin rounded out the top 4 scorers with 8 points and 7 rebounds.
Wonton Soup vs. Double Dribble
DIVISION 2
However in the second to last game of the evening, two foes (D.D. and W.S) squared off in what began as a romping with Double Dribble building a lead as large as 17 points, but letting their big lead quickly slip away. Wonton stormed back to take a two point lead but the savvy vets of Double Dribble would not be out done. Gio V. delivered late in the game hitting the game clincher with seconds left. Wonton had a chance to tie the game, however their final shot attempt rattled in-n-out and rolled of the rim. The final result a 76 – 79 Double Dribble win.
Derrick “Slim” Pickett left us with a performance nothing short of amazing, he led all Double Dribble scorers with 21 points,17 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Diahnte “D-Smooth” Pickett assisted his teammate and finished with 19 points, and 2 rebounds. Gio Valentine rounded out the top 3 scorers with 13 points and “ate that wonton soup” when he hit the game winning shot with only seconds remaining.
Wonton Soup was led by Aaron “Rack City” Sanchez, Sanchez finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Jaime “Spanish Chocolate” Villalobos was the second leading scorer with 18 points and 5 rebounds, Jamaal “Ding-Dong Davis” Logan rounded out the top 3 scorers with 12 points and 3 rebounds.
California Raisins vs. Warriors
DIVISION 2
The Raisins take care of the Warriors handedly, defeating them, 59 – 45.
The Raisins were led in scoring by Dominic “Tiger Blood” Cortes he finished with a team high 24 points and 9 rebounds. Korey “Kowop” Davis was the second leading scorer with 10 points and 3 rebounds. Kevin Chow was the third leading scorer with a total of 9 points and 4 rebounds. Kwasi Mensah rounded out the top 4 scorers with 7 points, and led the team in rebounding with 11 boards.
Lester Cole and Kemoy Mathis led the Warriors in the scoring column and finished with 11 points apiece.George Gerardo was the his teams third leading scorer with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Louis Cole finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds to round out the top performers for the Warriors.
Last Week I received a comment saying and I quote “Wow! Hating on all the teams except the stacked ones!!!!! #justsayin” To properly address that comment..I won’t say anything… Wait, yes I will.
My preference on which teams I write about have nothing to do with them being “stacked” the records of these teams speak for themselves.
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+ Game Previews, recaps and write-ups are articles written by Nathan Apolonio.
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