Hello everybody and Happy Easter! I hope you guys took the time off to enjoy your families and rest your bodies. I initially was waiting for the stats to get posted completely and by the time they did, was out of town with family, so I apologize for the delay!
Alright, Week 3. Mad Cherries look really good again (and then make 2 BIG trades), Dible torches the Nightmare (who made zero adjustments the entire game?), Pack NARROWLY stay undefeated against the Swift, and last but not…well maybe least yes… the Mages somehow move to 3-0 (insert crying laughing emoji).
Mad Cherries v Force
Not a bad Game 1 to kickstart the week. Mad Cherries continue to improve each week led by Michael Bennett who has been flat out dominant so far. He recorded the Pro Rec’s first triple-double with 22 PTS, 14 REB, 10 AST, and 3 STL. This guy is a flat out PROBLEM when he gets to his spots and the Force just had no answer. Cole Williams has been looking more and more comfortable every week and Cam Hemphill looks determined to prove he shouldn’t have been a last round pick. PRE-trades, I was really high on this team.
POST-trades, I am even higher. I’m so high right now. On the Mad Cherries that is. So mash up those cherries, stuff ’em in your pipe and let Michael Bennett’s secret sauce lift you to basketball heaven.
Somehow, Bennett managed to get the #1 overall pick Gage Beaber, 2nd round pick AJ Wagner, and Claude Monday for Jacob Faykosh, Jordan Smith, and Jarid Schwiefert! As long as the chemistry is there, this team will be tough to beat.
Nightmare v Ducks
Ducks win in a high-scoring affair with the Nightmare. Jevon Dible simply got whatever he wanted. The Nightmare looked pretty disappointing on defense, letting Dible roam freely and refusing to rebound the basketball. They also just got worse after trading away Beaber. The Nightmare are in for a nightmare of a season.
Ducks GM Matthew Ayers certainly looked better as he apparently was getting doubts that he is a “top tier” player. Overall, the Ducks definitely didn’t look bad. But still, giving up 88 points against a team as bad as the Nightmare is less than desirable. They’ll consistently struggle against the top teams just like we saw against the Pack.
Swift v Pack
An interesting matchup here. A well coached Swift team led by GM Jake Schmeltz against the dominant Pack who were without 1st round pick Mike Flipse and Brayden Moon.
It was an intense game all the way up until the Swift threw in the towel at the end of the game (perhaps a little prematurely). The Pack benefitted from a combined 39 points from Erich Wolfrum and Albert Alli. Khari Riley and Antoine Jackson contributed their usual 20-something points and Josh Williams contributed his usual 7 points (LOL).
The Swift saw good play from Schmeltz, VanDeBussche, and Szabo. Thurman Lawniczak though did shoot an abysmal 3/14 from 3P. If you’re the Swift however, you should feel good about this game. You took the dominant Pack right down to the end, just needed to finish it out. Take note that you CANNOT leave Erich Wolfrum wide open for three, and you can probably count on Albert Alli not having the greatest first half of his life again.
To the rest of the league, this should show you that the Pack are beatable. As their logo says “Strength in the Pack”, this game also showed that there is in fact “Weakness in the Pack”.
Mages v Swarm
Boy, oh boy. A real barn-burner here. Even the commentators struggled to focus on this one.
Swarm, I worry for the rest of your season. I thought you guys had potential at first. But trading away AJ Wagner for Jordan Smith seemed like an impulse decision.
Mages, good job on a very ugly win. I don’t know how you guys are doing it.
Oh wait, I do know. You haven’t had any real competition. Make a trade and I’ll take you seriously. Your roster stinks.
Enjoy the break. I’m excited to see what Week 4 brings!
Neely out.