#no but the other team was playing full court defense on every possession I was like omg

[suggsnkisses]

Went to my college’s basketball game and it was actually so fun!!

[flowerflamestars]

Nesta Under the Mountain part 3: acomaf, the later half

So while some extremely painful flirting is happening, so is plot. Azriel periodically disappears to try to infiltrate the Queens palace. Morrigan splits her time between Velaris and trying to keep Keir remotely in line. Amren and Lucien teach Nesta how to use magic, Cassian readies the legions for war.

So Nesta, unlike Feyre, has multiple sources for her most important questions: What the hell is Hybern doing? Trying to build an empire of old. Reaching for glory that isn’t there, because Prythian is wealthy.

Why Amarantha? Why was she so powerful?

It’s Rhysand who answers her, one day when they’re alone. He’s drinking on the roof- Nesta is inclined to make a comment about lordly behavior but doesn’t because she knows, she knows, from the look in his eyes, that he’s going to answer for real.

Amarantha liked to talk in bed. And Rhysand had, eventually, put the pieces together: Amarantha was the invading force alone, because Amarantha needed to earn Hyberns favor.

What did Hybern have? A kingdom crippled without its slaves. A King who’d ruled so long the world forgot his name. No heir, no other ruler. No son, only daughters.

Amarantha sought to earn her place in succession- with her father’s stolen magical secrets and a taste for vengeance.

Nesta accepts this, and has a drink.

There’s an interim of weeks, while Amren relearns a dead language and Azriel tries his last, worst plans. Nesta is so ready to tear out of her skin- Morrigan succeeds in getting Nesta to go out with her.

Morrigan pulls her over cobblestones to Ritas, and Nesta absolutely doesn’t tell her Lucien had found the place on his first city walkabout and been toasting their bitter victories there every one since.

Cassian, as he tends to wherever Nesta is, appears. They haven’t spoken since she came back with the book. Lucien trickles in with glitter in his hair, Azriel silent, offensively handsome drawing the light by his side.

And Morrigan watches. Cassian will spend the night quietly pressing fresh drinks into Nesta’s hand and glaring like absolute murder at any stranger who tries to get near. She sees how Cassian, her friend for five centuries, is contextualizing this: service, gladly rendered.

Understands he will make it small in his head and it means the opposite- the very opposite- that Nesta is letting him do either of those things for her. That she trusts him, to be near at all.

Morrigan and Nesta have a very different talk afterward than her and Feyre would have. Mor thinks it might be a good idea to make it really clear she herself doesn’t ever want Cassian, in case, that too, is standing in the way.

(Nesta also just...so clearly doesn’t have a single negative thought about Lucien doing...whatever Lucien does. They’ll get insouciant and mean and discuss the attractiveness of anyone. Nesta, unlike Feyre, reacts to queerness without even blinking)

So Mor and Nesta might not enjoy each other, exactly, but they respect one another. When Rhysand poses his insane Nesta you were mortal, let’s meet the Queens on mortal land plan, Morrigan, more than anyone, is the one who listens when Nesta explains that the Queens hate faeries.

Hate magic. Hate, even, it seems, the mortals that live along the wall for existing in proximity to Prythian.

It’s like letting go of a dream- for the chance of something real. Five centuries have passed, and that’s not much for Mor, but it’s everything, to mortals. Their bright lives are so quick, so valuable in an eyeblink- and that’s why Nesta’s here at all.

A mortal heart.

Azriel and Nesta team up- she scoffs that infiltration has fails, laughs outright at the idea she should be a diplomat, and proposes something else. They veritable army of spies, why are none of them mortal? Hundreds of humans work in Court of Queens. Voiceless, unrecognized. None of the magical protections would stop them.

So instead of Keir, or the Veritas, or her sisters- we bring back the lady mercenary. We bring in a whole bunch of lady mercenaries. A new network of information, passed from overlooked woman to overlooked woman, carried in shadows, all the way back to the Court of Night.

There’s no meeting. Because Hybern is already there. 

And Nesta thinks its the most insane thing she’s ever heard- they want to live forever?

Morrigan tries to comfort her, Lucien tries to stop Morrigan, because he knows- Nesta doesn’t regret. And she tells them all that, looking over the war map, each grim face and strange shred of sympathy. 

Nesta says, I know I’m a monster and I’m glad of it. I will never belong to just one Court, never go home. I cannot, because that life was taken from me and I am glad, because it will take a monster to protect the humans from other monsters. 

And Rhysand says, oh so very quietly: You can belong. 

But it’s lost, completely, in two things- the way Lucien has stepped around Azriel to let Nesta, not lean- Nesta, sober, leans on absolutely no one- but to be there, close, in her orbit, and Cassian standing up. 

It’s the Queens Meeting promise, dark chocolate version. Cassian wipes away that one tear on her perfect face. Says to her and her alone like no one else is there, that he’d done monstrous things his entire life in the name of what was right. But he’d become something worse, unleash a whole ocean of blood, to protect the innocents who needed it. Die a monster, in defense of those mortals with her.

And Nesta just looks at him. Like she can see all the way through to his aching soul, and nods. 

One commander to another. Absolute, perfect, understanding.

So what happens, if the mcguffin of the book cannot work?

Nesta says, like Cassian isn’t still staring at her, like she isn’t leaning into Lucien’s bodyheat like a refuge- the book is to control the Cauldron, but why can’t we just go after the Cauldron?

Steal it? Break it? Use it ourselves.

No ones answers particularly satisfy her- they can winnow. They can move unseen. There’s more power in this room than whole kingdoms possess, why the hell can’t they just break in, touch the Cauldron, and winnow away?

Cassian says it’s suicide. The castle is a deathtrap. Guards, wards, magic.

And, Rhysand adds, the Cauldron might not play along. It’s too powerful, too old to just treat like an object. The Cauldron itself could resist.

They’re all piling out of the townhouse, after the unsuccessful meeting, when Lucien goes white. Freezes.

And Nesta knows.

Knows that despite every precaution, the words that have never, ever escaped her lips in Prythian. Despite Tamlin dead- someone, somehow, found out that Prythian’s vengeance has two vulnerable, mortal sisters.

Nesta is grabbing onto Lucien to winnow away before anyone can ask what is wrong. Because something is wrong, so, so wrong- at the last second, Cassian snatches her hand, and ends up dragged along.

The Archeron estate is on fire.

There’s no time to ask- no time to talk. Cassian starts killing Hybernian soldiers left and right, no one here that can actually stop him.

Nesta runs straight into the fire, Lucien on her heels, keeping the flames away. Not that he needs to- Nesta is shimmering with power, every Court’s strength right on the surface, teeming to be used. She kills six men before she finds Elain, kicking and screaming in a soldiers arms. 

That soldier loses his head- that man, Lucien turns to ash.

It’s Cassian who finds Feyre, hidden in the kitchen, standing on top of table having just dumped a small ocean on lye on her attackers. Despite making short work of the burnt, pissed off faeries, she’s still throwing shit at him when Nesta, screaming her name, is finally close enough to be heard.

Nesta almost stabs Cassian in the back getting to Feyre. Fey jumps off the table, straight at her sister- there’s no pause for thought, no flinch at her faery face and bloody hands, just an armload full of her taller baby sister, an easy weight to carry now.

When they make it out of the collapsing house, Azriel and Rhys are waiting.

It’s Rhys who says, in that tone of voice that makes Nesta want to beat him to death, the voice that insists, I understand, who says, you have a family?

Nesta doesn’t answer. Nesta doesn’t say a goddamn word to anyone at all except for Feyre and Elain as they take them back to Velaris. As she settles them in the roaring warmth of one of the palatial sitting rooms, wraps them in blankets. Conveys, solely with a head jerk and a glare, that Cassian should make himself useful and provide hot beverages.

Nesta doesn’t say anything until the burns are healed by Lucien, her sisters understand where they are, and what has happened.

It’s Feyre who snaps first and bodily pulls Nesta down on the couch between them. Elain who leans hard, shoulder to shoulder, and wipes the blood off Nesta’s face.

They love each other- they still love her, don’t blame her, and that is what makes Nesta’s choice.

She introduces them to Lucien, her friend. To the others without explanation, the odd bedfellows of war Nesta really is starting to like despite herself. Except Rhys. Rhys can fall in the damned ocean. 

It’s a long, long evening, and they all get settled eventually- Feyre, in particular, with a shy smile and an extra mug of Cassian’s hot chocolate. 

Everyone goes their separate ways, and Lucien, quietly, slips off to find Nesta in the dark.

He knows what she’s going to say. Hybern came for her family- Hybern almost killed her sisters. Nesta doesn’t give a fuck about the book, about Rhysand’s alliances, or hangup on the mortal queens- Nesta wants Hybern to pay.

Lucien sometimes looks at his life now- free, safe as he choses, the dark eyed smile of man who fears no part of him- and thinks it’s all because of Nesta Archeron’s heart. Nesta, who believed in loyalty enough to buy his safety. Nesta, who had every reason to hate Spring and still been the only person to look close enough and see, that Lucien was just as trapped.

No one in his life had ever given him that, so easily. No one had cared. 

Nesta didn’t even think about it- he was in her corner and she was in his, friends. Best friends, only friends they had. Lucien would have still chosen her, every time.

Choses her now- Nesta says, I’m going tonight. I’m going alone. I’m not waiting any longer.

And Lucien squeezes her hand, and tells her, not alone.

They winnow to the castle like bone across the sea. 

Lucien might not know why he can break wards, why foul enchantment can’t touch him, but he knows how to use it. How to fight and kill, and does just that. Lucien stands guard, Lucien gets Nesta to the Cauldron.

No Book, no plan, just this- Nesta’s will do what is right.

Two hands on the Cauldron- and Rhysand was right. It won’t move. It won’t be winnowed away, it pulls her in and speaks. 

The story of the Cauldron is the story of a woman. 

Power, power, power- endless potential, utilized to create. A thousand children, a million voices. But then her children grew- into their own power, their own politics and ways. They forgot her voice, that forget she’d made them- and they trapped her. Broke her. Imprisoned her.

Forgot she was not a cauldron- she was their Mother.

But the Mother was also once the Maiden, the Mother always becomes the Crone.

The Crones watches, as the dark night comes, and all life eventually ends.

She’d been imprisoned all over again.

Nesta Archeron, drowning in power, communicates by sheer force of screaming, raging will. 

I was imprisoned, I stolen, I was remade against my will-

I was broken, and all I asked was that my family be safe- all I wanted- I am the child of every Court you made, I am the daughter of your power and i WILL NOT- I will not allow your sons to kill what is ours-

The Cauldron, seething, stills, if only for a moment.

Nesta thinks she’s won. Nesta realizes, too late, that she can smell blood. Lucien, stabbed and scrabbling, Nesta being dragged away from the Cauldron- the King had waited for her.

And how he crooned with joy- Nesta Archeron, the destroyer. Nesta Archeron, Prythian’s vengeance. Nesta Archeron you will be mine, you, you, you, finally, a worthy woman-

It’s a desperate, stupid ploy. Nesta can’t escape, Nesta can’t save Lucien, knows it from the blood dripping off his lips as he mouthes, a goodbye: love you, Archeron. 

Nesta jumps into the Cauldron.

What comes out is not what went in- young as a fawn, old as the seas- Nesta doesn’t have to steal eternity. She’s already eternal, she’s already powerful in her rage-

But the Cauldron, who’d slept so long. Broken in peices, cold, welcomes her fire like the fierce magic of her first children, and gives her a gift. 

Nesta’s no maiden or mother, but the Cauldron is happy to let the Crone out.

Death comes out of those waters, and mists the King of Hybern.

Scoops up her beloved companion, the fire that lights the way, and leaves the castle of the king unraveling behind her.

Nesta brings the Cauldron home. 

The bloody bundle of Lucien is pulled from her arms on the floor of Rhysand’s townhouse, the Cauldron quiet behind them. It’s to Cassian who is frankly patting her down, searching for injuries, that Nesta says:

She wasn’t the only sister, and then passes out.

[defensefilms]

The Milwaukee Bucks Are 2021 NBA Champions

After 6 games and some absolutely heart-stopping defensive plays, The Milwaukee Bucks are officially the 2021 NBA champions, defeating the Phoenix Suns 

In a game that started nervously for both teams, with the Suns struggling to score in the 1st quarter and then the Bucks struggling in the 2nd quarter. The Suns even came back from an 18 point deficit and kept the lead for most of the 2nd quarter.

In a completely fitting ending and career defining performance, Giannis Attentekounmpo had his playoff high in career points. A staggering 50 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 blocks in game of stops that eventually came down to who had the best player.

The third quarter was a close run affair though the Suns lead by 7 points at the start of the 2nd half that lead would utterly dis-integrate after an emphatic Brook Lopez dunk. 

The Suns would manage just 6-25 from 3-point range and the Bucks weren’t much better on that front either, a paltry 6-27 didn’t matter for the eventual champions.

The score was tied at 77-77 at the start of the 4th quarter. 

The Bucks edged in to a slight lead after a Jrue Holiday pull-up 3 and Bobby Portis turning down a 3 and getting to the basket on the next possession.

And while we’re at it, let’s take a moment to give a standing ovation to Bobby Portis. +16 in +/- for the game, he was 6-10 from the field, shot the ball with cold blooded confidence, mostly off of one the dribble, had 16 points, 3 rebounds and a block and made some absolutely critical shots. He proved to be an x-factor in a game that turned in to two teams that wanted to get to the basket and every look was contested.

That moment where he prevented Chris Paul getting to the ref after the ball went out of bounds on a Bucks fast break lay-up. Absolute. Just exemplified the edge that he brings, understanding how much of the Suns game was gonna be based on pressuring the refs. 

Giannis’ free throws gave the Bucks a slight lead and Bucks led 94-88 with just over 6 minutes to play and you know what time it is when it’s close in the 4th for Milwaukee and once again, Khris Middleton made huge shots, absolutely clutch once again. 

First he made a shot off the dribble over Devin Booker with just over 4 minutes remaining to make the score 96-90 . Then with the game winding down to the final minute, Khris again comes round an off ball screen, gets the ball from Giannis and makes a Kobe-esque midrange pull-up, to ice the game. 

With that the moment had arrived and the Milwaukee Bucks could once again call themselves NBA champions for the first time since 1971. 

So why did the Suns lose this series?

A week and a half ago, the media were predicting that the Suns would sweep the Bucks. So how did we get to this point.

1) Lack of Size and front court depth

Earlies this season, the Denver Nuggets signed, Aaron Gordon and although what resulted for them was 

Deandre Ayton was the biggest casualty of this lack of front court support. The idea that we saw Frank Kaminsky for the first time in game 6 of the series is not a good look at all. When Dario Saric went down, Monty Williams should have leaned on the veteran big a little bit more than he did.

The Suns basically had their normal line-up which is a small ball line-up and then they had a smaller lineup than even that. 

2) 3-point shooting negated and no big contributions from role players

When you look at the individual contributions of each player on either team, it’s clear why the Suns lost. Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder looked like they would be among the reasons the  Suns would go on to win this series.

Instead they were largely neutralized. Smooth ball movement and the open looks that it generates were harder and harder to come by an they did not impact the shooting throughout the rest of the series. Bridges had 27 points in game 2 but was nowhere near that output as the Bucks defense wore the Suns shooters down. Crowder scored in double digits  for a large part of the series and he averaged 41% from 3-point distance. His 2-9 in game 6 hurt the Suns more than any of his his individual games.

As a team the Suns were held to 38.4% from 3 for the series.

3) Chris Paul 

There will be much made about CP3′s series but where we should start in analyzing his problems is with Jrue Holiday. 

Once Jrue Holiday was assigned to pressure CP3 full court, it definitely altered what CP wanted to do. 

Chris Paul’s turnover at the end of game 4, was a gut-wrenching moment and it permeated the rest of the series. You wondered if CP3 had another 30 point game in him like he did in game 1.

 The issue is it was followed by average performances in game 4 and 5. Then in game 6 CP manages 26 points and just 5 assists but he had 3 turnovers. He lead his team in scoring in the close out game but does that negate what you saw over the course of a series where he got worse and by the time he found his aggression in game 6.

Devin Booker is not blame-free either. He definitely didn’t help in game 6 when he shoots 8-22 from the field. His 19 points is a big dip from the back to back 40 point games he had in games 4 and 5. 

Ultimately the media will point the finger at the guy they saw or appointed as the leader and that’s Chris Paul. CP didn’t bother shaking hands with his finals opponents before vacating the court, the kind of bad sportsmanship that people tend to excuse from Chris Paul.

For the Finals MVP, and the only player that should have ever even been considered for Finals MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo now joins the rarified air of Hakeem Olajuwon, in being a player of African descent to win an NBA championship.

He is also among the few to win MVP, DPOY and Finals MVP. I believe Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan are the other two. 

For me personally, it’s rewarding to see this guy in this position, he joins Hakeem, Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam, Festuz Ezeli and Nazi Muhammad as African players who also became NBA champions. This is a global event here people, couldn’t be any more proud of Giannis, he was one the big reason I started this blog.

Next year it’s Joel Embiid.

[junker-town]

Josh Giddey is the NBA draft pick who almost slipped through the cracks

How Josh Giddey went from being cut by his Australian state team to a potential NBA draft lottery pick.

Josh Giddey knew he was down to his last chance. As he arrived at a multi-day basketball jamboree known as the East Coast Challenge, Giddey was one of 60 youth players competing from the Australian states of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia hoping to be selected for the prestigious state team.

State basketball is the pathway to a brighter future in the game in Australia, but it had alluded Giddey to this point. Three times he had tried out for state-level basketball, and three times he had received an email at the end of the event telling him he’d been cut. Only 16 years old and already realizing he was at a crossroads in his career, Giddey was determined not to let it happen again.

He had the benefit of a recent growth spurt this time around that taken him up to 6’8 as a point guard. The added height only accentuated the gifts that always made him stand out: his passing and playmaking, and perhaps more importantly his ability to think one step ahead of the next defensive adjustment. After shining at the camp, the anxious hours waiting to hear if he was selected turned into a quiet confidence.

“I kept promising myself I wouldn’t get cut, I wouldn’t get cut, and the last opportunity I had to make the state team I didn’t get cut,” Giddey told SB Nation. “I finally got that one email I was waiting for.”

Giddey’s life has been in overdrive ever since. After shining at a subsequent national event, he was offered a scholarship by the NBA Global Academy at the Australian Institute of Sport. Giddey moved across the country to Canberra, where he would spend the next 18 months developing his game and his body while competing against peer-aged competition around the world. The accolades he earned at the academy eventually led Giddey to become the first Australian player to be tabbed for the Next Stars program in the country’s domestic professional league, the NBL.

After one season with the Adelaide 36ers, Giddey is now on his way to the 2021 NBA Draft. The same player who couldn’t separate himself from his peers in Victoria only two years ago is now projected as a likely lottery pick.

Giddey is at once on a meteoric rise and still just scratching the surface. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft and has a case as one of the most accomplished given his production in a pro league against seasoned adults. He is still growing into his body and refining his jump shot while already possessing the type of mental processing gifts that can’t be taught. It has been a wild ride to bring him to the precipice of his NBA dreams, but Giddey isn’t the type to get overwhelmed by the moment.

“It’s just good to see the work paying off,” he said.

Photo by Kelly Barnes/Getty Images

Marty Clarke remembers the first time he identified Giddey as a future prospect to watch during his days as a college assistant coach at WCC power Saint Mary’s. A fellow Australian, Clarke was a former teammate of Josh’s dad, Warrick, who enjoyed a long professional career with the NBL’s Melbourne Tigers and had his No. 6 retired by the club. He saw the traits that could eventually make the young guard the type of player Saint Mary’s would one day want to target, but he knew it was going to be a while before they could do so. Giddey was only 12 years old.

“When I first went to St. Mary’s in 2013, I said coach (Randy) Bennett, there’s a kid I want to put on the board but it will be like seven years before we can get him,” Clarke recalls. “He can really pass with his weak hand. He can pass full court, off the dribble, or from penetration. He was kind of doing a lot of that stuff as a 12-14 year old. Now he’s a 6’8 person who can do that.”

Clarke would eventually get his chance to help develop Giddey in a way neither could have anticipated. When the NBA partnered with the Australian Institute of Sport and Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence in 2017 to launch the NBA Global Academy, Clarke left Saint Mary’s to take a job as its technical director. Clarke was the perfect candidate as someone who previously had experience as a coach at the Australian Institute of Sport, and now had familiarity with American college basketball.

The same place that had produced almost every Australian player to reach the NBA — Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Luc Longley, Aron Baynes, and Patty Mills among them — was now further investing in its connection to the league. Clarke would oversee all aspects of player development and coaching for the 12 high school-aged players who were offered a scholarship to the academy.

“We have a really good blue print,” Clarke said. “The Australian academy has been here for 40 years. This is what this place has always been doing, producing Olympians and future NBA players.”

The NBA launched academies in India, Senegal, Mexico, China over the last 10 years as a year-round development initiative for elite youth prospects. Australia’s Global Academy takes teenagers from around the world. In its partnership with the AIS, players with the Global Academy live in dorms and attend classes while preparing them for life as a professional athlete. Instead of trying to win as many games as possible and compete for championships like a college team, the main goal of the academy is individual development.

The players at the Global Academy go to school and training six days per week with only Sundays off. In a typical week, players will be put through regular full team practices, as well as smaller group sessions that focus on things like connecting the bigs to the smalls by drilling pick-and-rolls and post entries. There’s shooting and skill training every morning before school, as well as weight lifting three times per week, and mindfulness training. Spliced in with all of that is education on nutrition, physiology, and personal learning like financial literacy and social media courses.

“Our goal here is when they leave here, they have lots of options,” Clarke said. “We make sure they’re eligible for universities. We want to make sure every door is open when they leave.”

The Global Academy also plays games against peer-aged teams, and that’s where Giddey continued to raise his profile. Giddey would lead the academy to the championship at the prestigious Torneo Junior Ciutat de L’Hospitalet tournament in Spain and was named MVP of the event. He followed it up with a strong showing at Basketball Without Borders during All-Star Weekend last year in Chicago.

“His development since he got here has been off the charts,” Clarke said. “Because he missed that state-level development, he skipped up to another level and had a lot to learn. He jumped a stage, really.”

Giddey’s time at the academy had given him multiple avenues to explore on what he should do next. That’s when he faced the next flashpoint decision in his burgeoning young career: Was he better off going to college in America or staying home to play in Australia?

Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Giddey had a long list of American college basketball programs who wanted him. He had standing scholarship offers from Arizona, Colorado, Rutgers, St. John’s, and more. After one college visit in particular, Giddey felt like he was ready to commit.

“I was 99 percent set on college,” Giddey said. “I took a visit to Colorado sometime in 2020, when I left there after my two-day visit, I was ready to commit there. I was about to commit there but my parents said just wait to we get home and we’ll talk about it.

“So I went home and we started talking to some people and they started talking about the NBL Next Star pathway. I met with Jeremy Loeliger, who is the CEO of the NBL, and they really sold it to me. The way they take care of their kids, the opportunity you’ll get to play against grown men at such a young age, I thought that was better for me personally than going to college to play against other kids.”

On April 16, 2020, at just 17 years old, Giddey signed with the Adelaide 36ers of the NBL. He had become the first Australian to take advantage of the league’s ‘Next Stars’ program, which was originally intended to lure top American prospects who didn’t want to play college basketball. Former McDonald’s All-Americans Terrance Ferguson and Brian Bowen were two of the first signees of the program, but it was a decision by LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton to sign in Australia that helped convince Giddey it was the best path for him.

“They surprised everyone with how good they were, especially LaMelo,” said Giddey. “It was good to see because it was something I wanted to do. I wanted to be an NBL player and eventually an NBA player. To see those guys come through gave me the confidence to think I could hopefully do something similar.”

Going from youth tournaments against peer-aged competition to playing against grown men was an enormous adjustment. Giddey struggled with it at first. The ambitious passes that defined his time at the youth level were often becoming turnovers in more meaningful games. He was ice cold as a shooter to start the year, hitting just 2-of-20 shots from three-point range over his first seven games. The biggest issue was playing through contact on both ends of the floor.

“I was struggling with the physicality of the league,” Giddey said of the start to his time in the NBL. “You don’t realize how physical the league is until you actually play against guys that are 35 years old and strong, athletic, and quick. It was just a completely different level to junior basketball. I was playing at a fast pace the whole time. I was rushed, I was nervous.”

He points to his second game as his initial breakthrough, when he finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists against South East Melbourne, and was trusted to take the final shot in regulation. Even though he missed, the 36ers would win in overtime, and Giddey started every game the rest of the season.

Giddey was masterful at times as a facilitator, firing passes to open shooters in the corner with either hand and finding unique angles to get the ball to the big man near the basket. Starting center Daniel Johnson had one of the best seasons of his career at age-33 with Giddey at the controls, and fellow teammate (and former Kentucky big man) Isaac Humphries turned into a dependable scorer, as well. Giddey’s three-point shot also started to come around eventually, hitting 36.7 percent of his shots from deep those first 20 attempts.

“The big thing for me early in the year was I was so down on confidence,” Giddey said. “I was so worried if I missed what people were going to say, what scouts were going to think. There was a point where I spoke to one of my teammates and he told me all of this doesn’t matter. Just shoot every shot like you think you’re going to make it. That was when it switched for me.”

Before season’s end, Giddey had run off three triple-doubles over a four-game stretch and had firmly established himself as a first round NBA draft pick. Given his age and the level of competition, Giddey was remarkably productive: he averaged 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and a league-leading 7.5 assists per game on 51 percent true shooting.

Those numbers stack up reasonably well to what Ball did in the same league a year earlier as 6’8 playmaking guard at 18 years old. Ball scored more, but slightly less efficiently (47.9 true shooting) while their rebound, assist, and steal numbers were similar. It is worth noting that while Ball was often deemed reckless as a lead decision-maker, Giddey’s turnover rate was significantly highly at 23.7 vs. Ball’s 12.4.

Giddey isn’t as flexible and shifty as a ball handler as LaMelo, but the baseline similarities and statistical profiles in the same league, at the same age will be tempting for teams, especially following Ball’s run to Rookie of the Year after being the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

“To see how (Ball’s) game translated to the NBA, it’s made me feel even better about my decision,” Giddey said.

The appeal of Giddey for NBA teams starts with his intersection of size and passing. Giddey is an impressive facilitator off a live dribble who will fire passes with either hand while on the move. Against a set defense, Giddey is able to make quick decisions with the ball, and loves to zip a two-handed, overhead pass to his big man in the paint. His interior passing is particularly impressive thanks in part to his ability to leverage his length to find creative angles in tight spaces. The big question for his offensive game will be if he can make opposing defenses respect him enough as a scoring threat to fully unlock his playmaking gifts.

There will be serious questions about Giddey’s athleticism and strength, particularly if he has enough standstill burst to beat his man and force the opposing defense into rotation. Even if Giddey can’t put enough pressure on the rim to be a primary creator, he should be custom-made as a ‘connecting’ piece who can be a secondary facilitator and floor spacer as his jump shot comes around. In Clarke’s eyes, it’s Giddey’s overarching feel for the game that will help him overcome the challenges he sees at the next level.

“He’ll often have quiet first quarters or first halves, and then he’ll have monster second halves,” Clarke said. “He can figure things out on the run, and that’s a skill a lot of players don’t have. He can fix things in game.

“It’s not just feel for the game, it’s feel for the opposition and what they’re trying to do to you. A lot of people have feel for the game when the game is mundane and vanilla. He has feel for the game when it’s chaos going on. He can figure things really quickly.”

As the NBA moves into the pre-draft process, Giddey is widely projected to be taken in the lottery. We had Giddey going No. 14 overall to the Golden State Warriors in our mock draft, while ESPN has him going No. 10 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Giddey’s entrance into the league is also an achievement for the academies the NBA invested in around the world. He’ll be the first male athlete to be drafted into the league after being a full-time academy student. Clarke sees Giddey as the type of player the Australian Institute always dreamed about developing.

“He’s kind of the guy we thought of 30 years ago when we started the program,” said Clarke. “Imagine if we had a whole team of 6’8 guys who are multi-dimensional and can pass, dribble, and shoot, defend multiple positions. We’ll stick one big guy in the middle with four guys like that. Josh is kind of exactly that.

“Coaches always ponder what the future is going to be. I think Josh is what we thought about when I first came here 25 years ago.”

If Giddey embodies the dream of what the AIS always hoped to produce, he also came dangerously close to slipping through the cracks. In the course of just over two years, he has gone from a player who couldn’t make it out of his home state to a possible top-10 NBA draft pick. For a player on such a rapid rise, the next question is the most exciting: how much room to Giddey have to grow from here?

[starletteex]

USA vs Serbia Full Game | Basketball Men's Gold Medal Match | Olympic Games Rio 2016

Court Dimensions: The basketball court in the video denotes a 28m sideline, which runs the length of the court. The ends of the court running behind the goals otherwise known as the baseline and endline measure 15m. The middle court is used to denote offensive playing during the game, and it is 14m from each end-line. The center circle is used for the opening tip-off and has a diameter of 3.6m. The three point lines that can be seen in the video are arcs that mark the range boundary from each hoop, and they measure 6.75m from the basket. The free throw line is 4.6m away from the backboard and it signifies where the player can stand when shooting free throws. The free throw circle is 3.6m in diameter, just like the center circle. However, in this circle, shooters must stay inside it when they take a free throw; it can also be used for jump balls. Lane lines run from the free throw line to the baseline and measure 4.9m by 5.8m rectangle.

Equipment: The types of equipment found in the video include balls, basketball backboards, hoops, rings and rims, headbands, jerseys, knee pads, shoes, shorts, sleeves, and socks. First is the ball, which is what the players are using to play the game with. The ball in the video is made of rubber and has orange and yellow stripes with black lines. The ball measures 29.5 inches in circumference. The basketball backboard in the video is made out of transparent glass and it measures 6 feet wide and 3.5 feet high. It serves as a support for the rim to provide a stable goal. There are two hoops in the video, these hoops consist of a backboard, a rim, a net, and a metal post to hold them in the air. A basketball court needs to have a hoop, otherwise, they wouldn't be basketball courts. Next are the rings and rims, basket rims have a pressure release which allows them to bend when players dunk and hold onto it. The rim is a metal ring measuring 18 inches in diameter and is attached to a backboard that is 10 feet above the ground.  Next are the headbands, which I noticed that only a few are wearing. Headbands, however, are not just for fashion purposes, they can also stop your sweat from streaming down your entire body and interfering with the game. Next are the jerseys, a jersey is important to every player because it represents their identity when they are on the court. The Serbian jersey is white with blue stripes, letters, and add-on designs, while the US jersey is blue with red stripes, white letters, and other add-on designs. Next are the knee pads, which I observed some players wearing, knee pads can soften the impact from falls and can prevent a lot of injuries to the person wearing them. Next are the shoes, which are essential when playing basketball, a good pair of basketball shoes will give players an edge on the court and at the same time provide safety. They allow lateral movement and it will help them beat defensive players. Next are the shorts, which have the same color as each team's jerseys. Wearing shorts is better than wearing pants when playing indoors, as players start to sweat while playing the game. Next are the shooting sleeves which only a few are wearing, this piece of clothing aids in muscle recovery whether on or off the court. Lastly are the socks, which help prevent friction between both your feet and shoes. A good pair of socks will prevent blisters on your heels and toes.

Basic Skills Basketball is known to be one of the simplest sports in the world because its only objective is to get the ball into the hoop more times than the other team. However, it is far more complex than that, players need to master some of the most important basketball skills to reach the highest levels of the sport that most aspire to play at; these basic skills include shooting, dribbling, defense, rebounding, and passing. First is dribbling, which is when the player moves the ball around the court, it can be seen a lot in the video since all of the players had to transfer the ball to the opponent's side. Next is shooting, which involves players to score points for their respective teams. Next is defense, which allows players to prevent the other team from getting good shots and score points. I noticed that every team utilized the defense skill quite often. Next is rebounding, which is the process of controlling missed shots at both offensive and defensive ends. Controlling more missed shots will lead you to more shooting opportunities, thus allowing your team to score more points. Lastly is passing, which is another way to move the ball across the court. In the video, I noticed that the players in both teams had good passing skills, which made them score points for their teams.

Technical and Tactical Skills of Basketball Some of the basic basketball skills are quite similar to the technical skills because these are the fundamentals that give each player the tools needed to fulfill the physical requirements of the game. As a result, proper execution of the basic skills can help players improve their performance. There are three technical skills in basketball such as dribbling, shooting, and rebounding; which are used redundantly by players on both teams. First is dribbling, it is known as a repetitive action in which a player uses only one hand to bounce the basketball continuously on the court. Next is shooting, it's the most important skill in basketball, because if you can't shoot the ball in the basket then you cannot score a point for your team. Lastly is rebounding, otherwise referred to as a board, it is an awarded player who retrieves the ball after a missed field goal or free throw. In the video, the players of both teams had good rebounds since they all managed to gather the ball after it missed the basket. Knowing the fundamental skills of dribbling, shooting, rebounding, even passing and defense is necessary because it allows you to get a higher percentage of shots. There are also three tactics in basketball, such as the give-and-go, backdoor cut, and trapping. The give-and-go tactic is one of the oldest yet prettiest plays in basketball. It's an isolation offense that involves keeping the ball in the hands and control of the two best ball handlers. The backdoor cut tactic is an offensive motion concept in which a player sets the defender up by attempting to get open for a pass and then making a sharp cut to the basket. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of a team that overplays the passing lane and refuses hard to disrupt ball movement. The trap tactic in basketball is a defensive strategy and it is utilized to force a turnover by surrounding the ball-handler at a specific location on the court, thus making it difficult for them to escape. I observed both teams use the trap tactic a lot, and it truly does make it harder for the person trapped to score a shot, so instead of scoring one, they pass it on to another free player.

Rules of the game Knowing the rules and regulations of a sport before playing it is highly essential, as it provides understanding to all of the players involved. With that being said, there are a myriad of rules and regulations that the players must watch out for while playing basketball. 1.)  There should be no more than five players on each team. Substitutions may be made at any point in the game. 2.) The ball can only be moved through dribbling or passing. Once a player puts both of his hands on the ball, they cannot dribble or move with the ball, thus the ball must be passed or shot. 3.) After the ball goes into a team's half and they win back possession, the ball must return to the halfway line within 10 seconds. If it fails to do so then a foul will be called and the ball will be turned over. 4.) Each team has 24 seconds to shoot the basketball to the basket. A shot constitutes either going in the basket or just hitting the rim. If the shot is taken and the ball fails to go in the basket then the shot clock would have to restart for another 24 seconds. 5.) The team trying to score a basket is called the offense, while the team trying to prevent them from scoring is known as the defense. The defense must do everything they can to stop the other team from scoring either by blocking the shot or by preventing a shot from being fired. 6.) After a successful basket, the ball is handed over to the opposition. 7.) Fouls committed throughout the game will be accumulated, and when it reaches a certain number, it will be awarded as a free throw. A free throw involves a player from the offensive team, otherwise known as the player fouled, to take a shot unopposed from the free-throw line. Depending on where the foul was committed, will depend on the number of free throws a player gets. 8.) Basketball violations include traveling, double dribble, goaltending, and back-court violation.

How to Officiate the Sport Basketball officials are responsible for identifying any rule violations, and they also enforce the appropriate penalties in basketball. They are essential to any basketball game, as they help to ensure a level playing field that prevents either team from having an unfair advantage. Basketball officials include the crew chief, the referee, and the umpire. First is the crew chief who is the head of the entire officiating crew. They aim to make a final ruling when other officials come to a disagreement, they also maintain a strong relationship between coaches, scorers, and statisticians. Next is the referee who deals with conduct violations. While they call contact fouls and illegal positioning, they often settle disputes and hand out technical fouls if a player or coach behaves badly and loses control of their emotions. Lastly is the umpire who handles the clock, they ensure that the timer knows when to pause and restart the game, they also handle basic foul calls. In additament, they give a ruling when a defensive player comes into contact with an opposing shooter. I noticed in the video that the referee isn't that good because he kept on calling out unnecessary fouls.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtm0khT1qec&t=927s

[thievcries]

「 avan jogia. cismale. he/him. 」 — is that LYSANDER LUTERA LEV i just saw in thornhollow? word around is that they’re a TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN year old FAE, but i doubt that’s true. they’re pretty WITTY from what i know, but i’ve heard a rumor that they can be SPITEFUL too; must be why they’re a BARTENDER/FREQUENTLY UNEMPLOYED. they kinda remind me of THE SMELL OF RIPE SUN-WARMED FRUIT, BROKEN WATCHES, AND AGGRESSIVE GRINS. ( z. he/him or they them. 21. cst. )

- - - - - - - BASICS.

Name: Lysander Lutera Lev (though the full configuration of his name is one of his most jealously guarded secrets since he is loath to give others; especially mortals any power over him) Pronouns: He, him. Nicknames: Lys, Sander/Xander interchangeably though the latter somehow usually gets used by acquaintances only. Age: Two hundred and sixteen years of age, though he generally appears to be in his late twenties. Birthdate: November 15th Zodiac: Scorpio sun, cancer moon, leo rising Species: Unseelie fae Gender: Cismale. Sexual Orientation: Bisexual.

- - - - - - - BACKGROUND.

Parents: Pritha and Havelock, his mother and father, respectively. His father was an official member of the Unseelie Court, his mother was of a wilder but less dark natured band of the nomadic clanless forest fae. It made sense for their family to settle mostly in Thornhollow even before the portal was cut off. Siblings: An older brother, who is the eldest, and an older sister, who is the middle child. Spouse: n/a. Children: It’s a very good possibility that he has them as he is both vastly irresponsible and lecherous, but if he does he’s very unaware of them. Current Job: bartender, though he’s had a myriad of jobs around thornhollow he’s failed to keep. Schooling: Tutored alongside other minor unseelie nobility as a fae youth. Not that he paid close attention. Income: Forever borrowing human money from his siblings, does not much see the point in a steady income until he needs something.

- - - - - - - PHYSICAL.

Height: 5'10". Weight: 150 lb. Eye Color: Dark brown. Hair Color: Dark brown streaked with inky black that almost glitters iridescent when not made to look more ‘mortal’ with glamours, though he’s no stranger to altering it entirely. Hair Length: Medium/chin-length to past his shoulders, just depending on his mood. Hair Type: Wavy to almost curly, thick.  Body Type: Slender but also soft, very much a body that has never seen a hard day’s labor in his life. Clothing Size: Medium to large, he prefers a looser fit. Shoe Size: Size 10. Complexion: Dark and warm with reddish-golden undertones, and smooth, nearly poreless skin. Absolutely does not look a day over twenty-five as far as how ‘lived in’ his body appears. Without altering himself to appear more human like, his cheekbones and jawline are far, far sharper, pupils larger and brows highly arched, almost exaggeratedly so. Scars: Just a small nick from an iron dagger just below his adam’s apple, only visible up close or under finger tips. Every tattoo he appears to possess are in truth, simply glamours.

- - - - - - - PERSONALITY.

Positive Traits: adventurous, charming, direct, passionate, sociable, competitive, creative, lively. Negative Traits: volatile, extravagant, defensive, envious, juvenile, wasteful, unreliable, vulgar. Emotional Condition: A layer of uncaring aloofness mixed with a hedonistic desire to do whatever he wishes whenever he wishes swirls around on the top of the still waters of his mind. Fae don’t love like mortals do, and Lysander learned that the hard way. It makes it easier for him to hold those he recognizes he could become romantically close to at an emotional arms length. Likes: Glitter and sparkly things, gold, a good time where ever it is to be found, extravagant costume jewelry, good tasting food and drink, dancing into the night and into the next morning and into the next night again, playing ‘matchmaker’ with others to sometimes unintentionally cruel results, sumptuous textures like silk, velvet and faux fur, experimental glamours, especially greasy human food.  Dislikes: any ‘bad’ smell like garbage or dirty diaper or the like makes him instantly nauseated rather than simply grossed out, wanting something in the mortal world and not having the money to purchase it, ‘boring’ music, being bossed around (which in his mind is in reality a mild suggestion or constructive criticism), having to focus on anything for any length of time, being spoken to like a child even though he is a relatively young fae. Strengths: intelligent, affectionate, ambitious, passionate, generous, philosophical. Weaknesses: reckless, impatient, voracious, detached, foolhardy, irresponsible. Fears/phobias: mortality, death, falling in love again, bird eyes, being forced to tell the bald truth. Hobbies: carousing and partying, dancing and finding a good time anywhere he possibly can regardless of propriety. 

History: Lysander lived a fairly typical fae child experience; father a part of the unseelie court though by no means highly ranked, his mother travelling through the court with her nomadic band of clanless fae that pledged loyalty to no court. once they had all three of their children, pritha and havelock settled down in the unseelie court and surfaced to earth semi-regularly through thornhollow; nearly like a vacation or home away from home. Lysander lead an amusing and privileged faerie life...until the portal closed. Life since then has become, in his estimation, unyieldingly and painfully boring. Work for human money to pay for food, clothing and a dwelling? A completely new concept for Lysander that he didn’t care for in the slightest. Perhaps it’s his age and how time works so differently for fae, but even twenty years after the fact he’s still having a hard time adjusting. He’s been hired and fired from just about any entry level task in town, sometimes with him simply taking off his apron and casually leaving out the front door, sometimes with an explosion of anger and dramatics. Usually spotted in one of the social hotspots that offer alcohol in town, he’s quite good at whining and complaining. He’s gotten quite good at flip cup, however, and he’s definitely someone you want on your team. 

[overwatchworks]

McGenji college/highschool au (whatever you prefer) thank you

Jesse jabbed one of his friends in the rib lightly as he made a catcall to Hanzo Shimada as they were walking down the hall to get to their third block of the day.

“Have a little class partner…” He muttered, Joseph scoffing and instead shouting to the older Shimada.

“You look amazing today, as usual Shimada! Wanna go out with me?”

Hanzo continued walking like nothing had happened, eyes trained ahead of him and head moving minutely to some beat.

“Dude, he’s got earbuds in…”

“Goddammit. I’ll just try again next time.” Joseph sighed, then a smirk grew across his features.

“You don’t want me on the bad side of Shimada ‘cause you like the younger one, yeah?”

“You’re never gonna know.” Jesse huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and sticking his nose in the air. His friends all snorted and laughed, not believing it for a second.

“Look at the blush he’s got!” Lance chuckled, Jesse glaring at him with no real heat behind it. 

Everyone in the entire school knew that Jesse McCree and Genji Shimada had an unspoken thing between one another, but it was still all up to speculation since neither had confirmed the suspicions or done anything more than tease some flirting every now and then across the halls to one another.

“There’s no way you two aren’t fucking already. No way.” Harper muttered with a shake of his head, shoving Jesse and smirking.

“He’s not just some object, an’ for your information, I have a more respect for folks than that. So watch your mouth, Harp.” Jesse snapped, Harper raising his hands placidly.

“In denial are we?”

“In your dreams.”

“Shit, there he is with his gang of girlies! Getting everyone hyped for the game tonight, huh?”

“Please, everyone and their cousin’s goldfish are going to be at the game tonight. The final match between us and Talon? Who hasn’t been preparing for this game for a month?”

“You better not let us down Jesse, Akande isn’t that good.”

“Well, when your put up against a hulking, ripped hunk of man meat trained in various martial arts from Nigeria, you come to me an’ we’ll talk then.” Jesse laughed, his friends all joining in. 

He slowed when he passed the girls on the drill team and Genji, eyeing the latter for a moment as an idea sprung into his head.

“Y’all go ahead, I got somethin’ I gotta take care of.” He told his friends, getting snickers out of all of them.

“Gonna finally kiss him?”

“Get on outta here, I’ll tell you later.”

The group complied as Jesse waved them off, running a hand through his hair as he approached Genji. The younger Shimada glanced over at him, eyes lined in gold that matched the blue and silver dance uniforms, the Overwatch school crest and eagle mascot in gold on their arms.

“Well well well, if it isn’t the star of the show? You gonna get us a win tonight Mr. Basketball King?” Genji quipped in a bright tone, eyes narrowing and hands going to his hips. The tight, leathery material of his pants clung to his legs and ass wonderfully, though Jesse didn’t stare for too long.

“I’ll try my damndest. The Talon Panthers are just a piece of work, ‘specially with their new guy on the team.”

“Mhm, Akande Ogundumu. I’ve heard lots about him. I still think we have a very good chance though.” Genji hummed, giving Jesse a very obvious once over to emphasize the implications of his statement.

“Confident enough to bet on it?” Jesse asked, leaning his forearm on the wall next to Genji’s head as he got the man’s full attention.

“A bet hm?”

“Yeah.”

“Well how about this…If you lose, you have to profess your undying love to me in the middle of the hallway on our way to lunch. In poetry form.” Genji offered with a smirk, Jesse making a face.

“Oooh…I hope you know that I’m mighty good at poetry sweetpea.”

“Then I’ll expect a good profession.”

“That sure we’re gonna lose?”

“No, but have you seen Akande? He’s built like a brick shithouse.”

“Eh, I can take ‘im. So…What about if we win?” Jesse inquired, leaning closer as Genji looked up at him with a playfully thoughtful expression.

“Hmmm~ let’s see…You don’t have to shout poetry in the hallway.”

“Yeesh, that ain’t gonna do at all sugar. How ‘bout I get to kiss you if we win?” Jesse gave in counter offer, leaning in close enough to almost brush noses with Genji, voice dropping to a murmur.

“You play a dirty game Mister McCree. But I accept.”

“For you darlin’, I’ll play as dirty as I need to.” Jesse told him with a wink, turning around and throwing some finger guns in Genji’s direction.

“See ya at the game, then. Good luck ladies and gentleman! You’re gonna rock it durin’ halftime!” Jesse called, all the girls cheering and waving at him, wishing him luck as well. Genji watched him go with a smug little smirk, Jesse hurrying off to his next class, waving to at least five people he knew as he passed and giving the others a smile.~“Alright boys, you know the drill. Don’t let the Panther’s new guy scare you, he’s just another player, one that can be beat just like the rest of us. Get out there and kick some ass, give them a good game. Fight hard and stay focused, and we’ll have this game over and won in no time. Go Eagles!” Coach Morrison shouted, the basketball team echoing him and cheering. Jesse clapped his teammates on the back, getting handshakes and light punches from them, everyone excited and ready to play.

“Yo, Jess!”

“What’s up Jensen? Gettin’ nervous?”

“I mean, yeah. It’s the biggest game of the year! And the Panthers are unbeaten…”

“Ah, so what? Just get out there, give ‘em a damn good fight, an’ make sure you have a good time while you’re at it. Don’t worry rookie, ya got this.” Jesse teased, rubbing his hand through the freshman’s hair and effectively mussing it. Jensen was the only freshman on the varsity basketball team, so of course he was nervous at having to play against the single hardest high school team there was.

“Yeah…Yeah we’ll win this for sure!”

“That’s it! Come on, game starts in five.”

“McCree!”

“Yeah, coach?”

“Get up here, you’ll lead the team out!”

“Aye aye captain!”

Jesse jogged to the front of the team, everyone looking good in their blue uniforms with gold eagles on the front, shorts and tank tops lined in silver.

“Alright boys. Knock ‘em dead!”

The team cheered again, Jesse leading the way out into the gym at a slow jog. The wave of cheers hit him as soon as the doors opened, the stands overflowing, everyone screaming and waving posters, banners, flags, and streamers. Student’s faces were painted silver and blue, everyone dressed in school spirit making the stands look like rippling water. 

The cheerleaders and drill team were all on their feet just outside the front row where they were set up, the girls all waving their pompoms with ribbons in their hair. Genji of course stood out a mile away with his shock of green hair, Jesse’s eye drawn to him as they passed and giving him a wink. He was smacked with a borrowed pompom in return, a smile growing on his face as they went onto the court. 

Cheers then went up from the opposite side of the gym, the Talon Panthers section of students wearing black and red to support their team as they ran out onto the court next. Jesse still couldn’t believe the size of Akande as the teams lined up to face one another, everyone with stony and focused expressions as the coaches shook hands. Coach Morrison shook Coach Reyes’ hand with more force than strictly necessary, the Panther’s coach smirking and at ease.

“Good luck, Eagles. You’re gonna need it.” Reyes told them, Morrison narrowing his eyes as he responded.

“Right back at you, Panthers.”

The Talon drill team and cheerleaders all jumped up and down, yelling along with their peers, Jesse noticing a particularly pretty one with long black hair and one with a half shaved head, hair dyed purple at the ends. He’d heard Genji complain about the long haired one, the Shimada always pissed off at all the natural grace she had in competitions just because she did ballet too. 

The referees came onto the court, and the teams got into position, everyone cheering as the ball was tossed into the air and the game started. Akande leapt into the air faster than a snake to snatch away the ball before Jesse could reach it, automatically driving left and speeding towards the basket. The Talon fans all screamed in joy, the Eagles’ shouting encouragement. Jesse was right next to him the whole way, jumping up to block his shot and forcing him to pass to another player. 

Now cheers went up from the Overwatch section as the Eagles took possession of the ball, only to have it stolen away again. Jesse ran back and forth, keeping a close eye on Akande and trying to shove him a bit as he was passed the ball. Akande caught the basketball anyways, dribbling it to the Eagle’s side and able to get past Jesse’s defense this time, the net swooshing as the basket was made.

“Hm. You’re not bad…But you’re not good either.” Akande muttered to Jesse with a smirk, Jesse narrowing his eyes and pushing his hair back.

“You keep on tellin’ yourself that, partner. You’re goin’ down.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Jesse glared at him before they went to reset, the ball immediately flying in his direction. Akande snapped his hand out and caught it again before Jesse could, but he didn’t get far. Jesse took it back and cut around him, hearing screams from the fans as he sprinted down the court and made a shot. It went in smoothly, and was a two-pointer too. He turned to Akande at that, raising a brow with a devilish grin and jogging back to his team. 

The first half went by in what felt like seconds to Jesse, but he was panting and sweating by the time the refs called a break. The Panthers were up by three points-courtesy of Akande in the last few seconds of course-but it was nice to see him just as worn as Jesse was. They’d been neck and neck almost the whole time, and it was tense on both sides. 

Jesse jogged to the sidelines to get some water, fist bumping his teammates as he went. The crowd was cheering as usual, everyone waving their banners and streamers flying everywhere. Jesse sat down gratefully, snatching up a water bottle and gulping down its contents as the drill team and cheerleaders went out onto the court for their performance.

Music started up as they all ran into their formations, the drill team taking the spotlight, heads down and backs to the audience. Their hands were behind their heads, hips jutted out to the side and Jesse couldn’t help but watch one of them in particular as they shifted to the beat of the song. The cheerleaders did flips in the background as the drill team spun to face the crowd, all smiles and narrowed eyes as they walked forward as one unit. 

They then threw their arms in the air, spinning and dropping down into a squat, backs arched and rolling their torsos. The cheerleaders then did flips in a diamond around them, the drill team straightening and moving closer to one another, surrounding on particular green haired dancer. Arms went around him, only one little bounce being warning before Genji was thrown into the air, spinning and twirling as the crowd went absolutely nuts. He of course nailed the landing, a huge grin on his face as they walked forward to the beat again in a triangular formation. 

Their feet moved and the girls all dropped down in a wave, a few in the front all the way to the back, hair flipping in an arc as they raised their heads again. They moved like one, cheerleaders joining the drill team as they bent down again, hips moving now in a full body roll. They circled one another, dancing to the beat and being more than a little suggestive in their movements, but of course they were killing it. 

The music started to fade, everyone striking a pose before Genji went out to the front, pushing his hair away from his face and death dropping effortlessly, arms out by his head. Everyone screamed and cheered, Jesse able to pick out Hanzo’s voice in particular over all the others rooting for his little brother. 

He shouted along with the rest of the crowd, whistling and clapping enthusiastically as the drill team and cheerleaders bowed. They went back to their previous spots, breathing heavily but all of then smiling broadly. Half time was on the retreat, people running to grab concessions real quick as the Talon cheer team did a few chants and dances for their audience. 

Jesse eyed Akande on the other side of the court, finding his opponent was doing the exact same thing back to him. So Jesse shot him some finger guns, tongue sticking out slightly through his smirk. Akande seemed to be amused by it, and he shook his head before looking away. The whistle then blew for the second half of the game to commence and Jesse hopped up, grinning to his teammates.

“We got this y’all.”

He went onto the court, this time faster than Akande in taking the basketball first and driving it down to Talon’s basket. Akande blocked his shot, so Jesse passed it to Jensen, the freshman panicking a bit before going for the shot. It bounced off the rim, the crowd screaming as one of the Panther players was able to grab it. He didn’t go far, Tyler able to fight it back and pass it to Jesse again. It was passed to Jensen for another try, and this time, the ball went in. Everyone went nuts, Jesse clapping the freshman on the back as Jensen grinned.

“See? Ya got nothin’ ta worry ‘bout.”

“Yeah!”

They lined up again, the Panthers running down the court with the ball, then trying to pass to Akande. Jesse threw himself in front of the ball, somehow managing to keep his feet beneath him as he dribbled his way past the Panthers. He passed, sprinted, blocked, grimaced when the Panthers scored a basket, cheered with the crowd when the Eagles made their shots, and it was the last minute of the game when the score finally tied up 25-25. 

Both teams played extremely defensively, Jesse more focused on just keeping the ball away from their basket than anything, but the seconds were ticking down. He glanced to the Eagles section of the audience, seeing everyone on the edge of their seats, still screaming encouragements. Genji was bouncing up and down with the cheerleaders, eyes meeting Jesse’s when he looked over. Jesse winked, then figured he may as well make a last ditch effort because dammit all, he wanted to kiss Genji Shimada. He ran in and took the ball from one of the Panthers, sprinting down the court and hearing everyone counting down with the timer.

“Nine! Eight! Seven! Six!”

Jesse dodged two players coming at him, jumping up and letting the ball slip off his fingers, into the air and—

“Three! Two! On—YEAAAAHHHH!!!”

The swoosh of the net was completely and utterly drowned out by the enthusiasm of the crowd, everyone screaming and throwing blue and silver streamers. Jesse threw his arms into the air and cheered as his team completely swarmed him, everyone jumping up and down and slapping one another on the back, yelling with the crowd. They were ushered into a line to shake hands with the other team, Jesse grinning and congratulating them on an amazing game. Akande gave him a smile and shook his hand firmly.

“Good shot. You played well.”

“Hey, you too man. I almost thought we weren’t gonna make it, you’re so good.” Jesse replied with heart, Akande ducking his head in a little bow of acknowledgement. 

When the niceties were over and everyone had been properly congratulated, Jesse went back towards the stands to grab a towel, everyone pushing their way towards him. He was sweaty and gross, but had earned what he was about to go for, if he could find who he was looking for. Green hair showed itself, and Jesse grinned, pushing his way to Genji and taking his arm.

“Heya darlin’.” He practically shouted, Genji grinning and eyes widening as Jesse leaned in and crushed their lips together. 

He thought that the crowd couldn’t have been louder than they had been when he’d shot that last basket, but he was so wrong. There was an explosion of screams and cheers as Genji melted into him, Jesse’s hand going up to rest on Genji’s neck and tilting his head, lips moving languidly against each other. Jesse had never kissed anyone quite like Genji; addictive, sweet, expressive, everything he had ever dreamed of and more. 

When they broke off, Jesse stayed nose to nose with Genji, both staring at one another in mild shock and excitement. Genji then laughed, clear and beautiful, pressing in for another kiss.

“Well done Jesse. You win this one.” Genji whispered against his lips, Jesse grinning and pecking him again. He could definitely get used to this.~~

[leekchess87-blog]

Dr. Drew’s Swish Issue 5, Volume 1

Welcome to the fifth issue of volume one of Swish, a weekly periodical with recaps and photos of Santa Monica YMCA youth basketball games, and other pertinent info such as standings, schedules, announcements, and updates from the program.

This season, we are keeping limited statistics for the games.  Our most important concern is the score, and we do our best to keep track of who scored a field goal(a basket), who has foul shots and made a free throw, and who committed the foul.

Since we are not posting box scores this season, now is your opportunity to give it a try, or at least keep track of your child’s stats.

Here are some statistics for youth basketball that I have kept in the past:

FG-Field Goal:  Essentially a basket or bucket made during the game when the clock is running.  It can be a three-pointer or a two-pointer, but not a free throw.

3S-3 point shots:  When a player attempts a three-point shot, this stat will say 0 if no attempts were made, but if at least one attempt, then the first number is how many 3 point shots made, and the second number is attempts.  For example, if a player made 2 out of 4 three-point shots, then this stat would be 2-4. 

FT-free throws:  If a player gets fouled in the act of shooting, that player will receive two free throws if shooting a 2 pointer, three free throws for being fouled while shooting a 3 pointer.  If the player makes the basket and is fouled when shooting, then the basket counts, and the player receives one free throw, or as known in basketball lingo “And 1”.  This stat will say 0 if no attempts were made, but if at least one attempt, then first number is how many free throws made, and second number is attempts.  For example, if a player made 1 out of 2 free throws, then this stat would be 1-2.

It should be noted that free throws are shot at halftime and at the end of regulation, thus to allow for more live action playing time for the kids, since we use a running clock during the games.

R-rebounds:  every missed shot has a rebound, even if the ball doesn’t hit the rim, or the ball hits the basket and goes out of bounds.  If no defensive player caught or grabbed the rebound, and the ball went out of bounds after the shot, then the defensive player closest to the ball when it went out of bounds, will receive credit for the rebound.  If the shot is short and doesn’t hit the basket, then whoever caught the ball, gets the rebound.  If two opponents both grab the rebound simultaneously and the referee calls a jump ball, then whichever team is awarded the jump ball, then that player gets credit for the rebound.

A-assists:  if a player passes the ball to a teammate, and that teammate catches and shoots the ball, and makes a field goal, then the player who made the pass receives an assist.  Please keep in mind that in youth basketball, a player only gets credit for the assist, if the teammate receiving the pass does not put the ball on the floor before making the shot.  

S or ST-steals:  if a defensive player is able to take the ball away from the offensive player and gain possession, that player gets credit for a steal.  A steal can also be an intercepted pass by the defensive player.  If two opponents both have their hands on the ball, and a jump ball is called and awarded to the defensive team, the defensive player gets credit for a steal.

B-blocks:  if a defensive player is able to put a hand or arm on the ball of an attempted shot, and thus not allowing it to be a made basket, then that player gets credit for a block

PF or F-personal fouls or fouls:  this stat is for when the referee calls a player for a foul.  If a player receives 5 fouls in a game, then he has fouled out or is disqualified, and can not return to live action in the game, but can shoot post-game free throws if awarded during the course of the match.

PTS-points:  this is the total number of points that a player scored when you add the sum of all 3 point field goals, 2 point field goals, and free throws.

Here’s a box score, of my Rookie team from last spring, that was done by former YMCA youth basketball director Pete Arbogast, who is the expert on keeping youth basketball stats:

Best thing to do, if you want to keep track of your child’s stats, is to have a pen and scratch paper, and simply write down the initial as it happens on the scratch paper, then add it all up later.  Use your own system if you wish.  Your child will appreciate it, and probably will correct your interpretation.

Keeping stats is something that you can share with your child, and even try out when watching games on television.  Kids learn valuable lessons in math and analytics by keeping stats.  My oldest son is a graduate in statistics and business from Cal-Berkeley, and works as an analyst for healthcare providers, and where did he get that love of stats from? The answer is from when he played YMCA youth basketball and watched the Lakers in the days of Kobe and Shaq, and kept track of all their stats.  Remember, enjoy the game!

Note to the parents:  please make sure to arrive early to your child’s game.  I was one of the referees for all the Rookie games last Saturday, and some of the teams almost had to forfeit because they didn’t have enough players only minutes before the start of their game.  Don’t give your coach a heart attack, get there early, in order to warm up before the game, and also to allow your coach to set his lineup of players.

Hawks vs Swans:  The game started off scoreless in the 1st quarter with tough defense by both sides and ended 2-2 at the half.  The 2nd half, however, went the way of the Hawks.  Overall for the Swans, Jonathan Watson played a very active game with 6 steals, a few rebounds, a basket, and a foul shot for 3 of the teams total 5 points.   Jaxton Moore had a few rebounds, a steal, and a basket.  Brandon Israels had 3 steals, 2 rebounds, and a blocked shot.  Tristan Hayes had a few steals and 7 rebounds.  Oguz Aghaya and Lara Masood both chipped in with Rebounds.   Max Enenstein had a rebound and the assist to Jaxton…Max also was playing great defense often effectively guarding guys much larger than himself. In the end, the Hawks standout Amire Enayati was smothering and ended up being too much for the Swans totaling 9 steals and 8 points for his team.  Kingston Andes was also very active with several rebounds, steals, and chipped in with a basket in the 3rd quarter.   Final score 10-5 for the Hawks win…the Swans hope to get a win next week to turn the tide.  Submitted by Coach Holden Hayes

The Swans Lara Masood dribbles the ball down the court against the Hawks. Photo: Saara Masood

CROWS EDGE TIGERS — October 27th. In what may turn out to be one of the closest regular-season contests of the season, the Crows came out on top by only 1 basket! The final score was 14-12, and the Tigers had several incredible, driven players who impressed everyone watching the game. In the end, the Crows benefited from the creativity of Dylan Kravitz (2 points, 2 steals, 7 rebounds), the coordinated defense of Richard Haro and Benjamin Saunders (1 rebound each), plus Player of the Game, Veronica Machala with 8 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 steals–MVP chants from the Crows’ section continue to ka-kaw louder and louder for their starting center. What a game!  Submitted by Coach Pete Harris

Tigers versus Crows in Rookie action. Photo: Breda Carroll

Cats vs. Bulldogs – Cats fans lined the bench at the Santa Monica YMCA on Saturday where the resilient and gritty 5 team members played the entire game, no subs, against the Bulldogs.  The Bulldogs topped the Cats, 12-7.  Four of the Cats 5 players scored, starting with Elle Guggenheim (#0) who buried a jump shot from an assist from point guard Tara Gohill (#3).  Alden Wong (#2) was fouled while in the key and ultimately sank 2 free-throw shots during half time.  After the half, towards the bottom of the 3rd quarter, Rowan Woodruff (#21) broke away from his defender, landing a 4-footer. To close out the game, Gohill converted 1 of 2 free-throws.  The tremendous defense by Sienna Shickler (#8) helped ensure the end-game spread wasn’t larger.  The Cats team will be out in full-force this Sunday against the Tigers.  We’re looking forward to seeing you there.  Submitted by Brian Wong

Rookie Cats talk with their coach before playing against the Bulldogs.  Photo: Brian Wong

Hawks versus Swans – The Hawks matched up against the Swans for the first time since the opening scrimmage of the Fall Season.  Looking to build upon the lessons learned in last weekend’s games; the Hawks focused on rebounding and defense until the shots started to fall.  Amir Enayati earned Player of the Game honors with 8 points, 9 steals, and 5 rebounds.  Kingston Andes brought another solid performance adding 2 points, 6 steals, and 8 rebounds. Juney Jones brought her defensive talents to the match and picked up another steal to add to her season total.  David Casparian collected 2 rebounds and a steal to help his team.  Diego Gonzalez pitched in as well with 1 rebound. Devon Shao and Regan Shao also played well for the Hawks to help secure the team’s first victory of the season.  Submitted by Coach Charles Ellinwood

Jump ball to start the game between the Swans and Hawks. Photo: Lovell Shao

Our Bulldogs were hoping to end the first part of the season with a perfect 5-0 record, but the Cats were a tough challenge.  Fortunately, we had great balance in our scoring as Bella Kariger hit 2 buckets and Noah Levy, Vitalina Moncher, Brendan Still, and Conor Duncan each hit a bucket to lead us to a 12-7 win.  As usual, we stressed defense and the feisty Bulldogs got plenty of steals and rebounds.  We have been giving up only 2-3 baskets per game and if that continues, we will be tough to beat.  All 10 Bulldogs have been improving weekly on offense and defense, so I feel good about our next 4 games.  Submitted by Coach Rick Moncher

No submissions of game summaries or photos were received.

I think it’s safe to say that the Eagles finally found their wings this weekend facing off against the valiant Falcons.  With solid ball movement, unselfish play and good communication on defense, the Eagles embraced the concept of  “team basketball” and put on quite a show.  The Falcons played hard and fought to the end, but the Eagles’ “pass first” offense and ability to finish at the rim would have been tough for anyone.  Almost every bucket came off of an assist and most possessions saw multiple passes prior to a shot.  Travis Waters and Aayan Lahkani passed the rock exceptionally well, while Darien Jones and Atobek Nasimov were happy to get open and play the role of “catch and shoot”.  Daara Shafipour and Oliver Ghiassi are also developing a nice synergy to consistently producing on offense.  Nice win, Eagles.  Submitted by Coach Michael Jones-Morales

Tip-off between the Falcons and Eagles in Minors action. Photo: Amy Pandya-Jones

The Bills fell to the Giants on Sunday.  The Bills had trouble matching up defensively.  When beaten off the dribble, they weren’t providing help defense or boxing out for rebounds.  On offense, the Bills struggled to pass the ball to open players.  Too many possessions ended with bad shots or turnovers.  Only one player on the Bills had two field goals: Weston Keslow, who finished with 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 assist.  Priya Mevasse had a field goal and played strong defense, with 2 steals, 2 rebounds, and 1 blocked shot.  Eddie Stein also played well, hitting a jumper and grabbing 4 boards.  Hunter Esposito-Doi, Grey Broderick, and Emilia Wachtel each had one basket.  The Bills were fouled 6 times, but shot just 3 of 12 from the line.  The Bills need to put this one behind them and play more as a team next weekend.  Submitted by Coach Jonathan Wray

Sunday, the Vikings put together perhaps their best all-around game thus far, exhibiting improved teamwork on both sides of the ball, en route to a 23-19 loss. They trailed early in both halves, but clawed back both times on the strength of their defensive focus and intensity, and their “share the ball” offensive mentality. The outcome was not decided until the final seconds, when the Vikings eventually had no answer for the Bears’ supreme outside shooting. Vikings player highlights: Kayra Sanar hustled hard on defense, flying against walls and into the stands after the ball. Rowan Booher played strong interior and perimeter defense, fighting for the ball in the paint and contesting the sweet-shooting Bears’ jump shots. Leo Mooney shouldered much of the ball-handling duties, expertly deciding when to go for his own shot and when to distribute. Max Hinton wowed the crowd by hitting all net on a deep jumper.  Submitted by Coach Shannon Booher

With a much greater size and depth than our Packers, we were just hoping to stay somewhat competitive; especially after the Broncos won their previous game by 40 points. They then took the opening tip and hit a 3 a few seconds later to add to our anxiety.  Fortunately, Timosha Moncher immediately answered with a 3 and that is how the first quarter played out – buckets and buckets by both sides leading to a high-octane 16-16 score at the end of the first.  Bruno Picazo, Dom Kajota, and Timosha all hit 3’s in that first to keep us close, as those three combined for our 16 points.  The Broncos have a lot of talent and are well-coached, so we changed our usual nonstop press strategy to avoid getting burned with good passing and we were still able to keep the score close throughout. When we took a lead into the half, our players were fired up and ready for battle.  Although we played well in the third, the Broncos were hot and took a lead into the fourth.  Our top players and their top players played the entire game, but after the third quarter break, we could see their top boys were tiring and looking frustrated that we were hanging with them, so we decided now was the time to full-court press.  Timosha and Dom were relentless in pursuit and Sam Rubin played a fantastic game on both ends of the floor.  We kept the pace fast and furious throughout the fourth, causing forced and unforced turnovers by the Broncos.  Once we got the lead back, our leaders pressed even harder to keep it.  We would outscore them 13-2 in the 4th to win 46-42. Timosha had a game high 17; hitting everything from 3’s to running floaters in the paint over the taller Broncos.  Sam added 12 and played great while having the unenviable task of trying to contain Ben Dreifort.  Dom hit for 8 and was running as hard in the 4th as in the 1st.  Bruno had 9 huge points.  Lukas Greblikas, Ben Farzam, and Joe Farzam played their best games of the year; helping out with key rebounds and steals and setting screens for our shooters.  There was nothing in our first 3 games to lead me to think we would stay within 20 points of this team, so this was certainly the most stunning victory in my many years in the league.  To say we played our best would be an understatement, as the entire team played near flawless basketball for the full 32 minutes.  Submitted by Coach Rick Moncher

Just 24 hours after our stunning win over the Broncos, we would play the Dolphins – who lost by 40 points to those Broncos the week before.  Just which Packer team would show up was the question – the flawless team that upset the Broncos or the team that showed plenty of flaws in previous games.  It ended up somewhere in-between, as we didn’t shoot as well as the day before and we didn’t play anywhere near the quality of defense as the day before, but we did escape with a 53-45 victory. The game was a back-and-forth affair until the 4th.  We knew Evan Daghighian was going to be pumping 3’s for them, but our defenders were too kind in giving him room to shoot. He would hit an incredible five consecutive 3’s over the first three quarters to keep them in the game.  Sam Rubin had a monster game with 23 points and plenty of steals and rebounds.  Dom Kajota and Timosha Moncher had their usual busy stats with points-steals-rebounds, but it was the added offense from Xavier Echiribel (4 points) and Lukas Greblikas (5 points) that made the difference.  Submitted by Coach Rick Moncher

The Rams suffered their first defeat during an intense game last Sunday evening.  After taking an early lead, the halftime score was a 1 or 2 point game at halftime.  The second half was a defensive battle, with the Colts making more shots down the stretch than the Rams.  After free throws, the final was 31-28.  The Rams were lead by Griffin Pine with 17 points.  Do everything Sebastian Ramirez had 2 points, 7 steals, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.  Shawn Sikder made a key shot down the stretch, while Guy Carter’s hustle aided in 5 very important rebounds.  Submitted by Coach Brent Stoll

Each week, Swish has a profile of a coach, player, or someone in the program who inspires all of us involved in Santa Monica YMCA basketball.

This week’s profile is of Santa Monica YMCA player, Timosha Moncher who is not only a great basketball player, but also a championship judo athlete.  I had the opportunity to ask him some questions, and I also requested that his father Rick, who is an accomplished basketball coach with the YMCA, ask him questions as well.

DocDrew: “What do you enjoy most about playing youth basketball in the Santa Monica YMCA league?” Timosha:  “I love playing basketball – anywhere, anytime.  I play a lot of sports, but basketball is my favorite.  It is fun to play with and against my friends at the Y.”

DocDrew:   “What is your most memorable moment throughout your YMCA basketball career?” Timosha:  “We had a huge upset this weekend when we beat the Broncos and everyone on our team was so happy.  That was pretty awesome, but my best moment was when I hit a game-winning 3-point buzzer-beater about 2 years ago. We had a time-out with 5 seconds left and my Dad (coach) made-up a play to get me the ball.  Me and my friends always practice crazy buzzer-beaters at the Y, but you never think it will actually happen.  I caught it, turned to shoot it, and it swished through.  Here is some cell phone video of the shot from a parent of one of my teammates:”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=SQC1f5X-N1Q&feature=youtu.be.

Coach Rick:  “This is your 16th season in the league and you hold numerous records.  Which do you value the most?” Timosha:  “I always liked getting steals.  When I started playing at the Y, I couldn’t shoot or dribble, but I was pretty fast and strong and I would always get steals and rebounds to help my team.  Although I own the records for steals in a career and in one game (19), I would love to get another game-winning buzzer-beater.  I was also the youngest ever in Minors and Majors (8), but playing against much bigger, better, and older players helped me improve faster.”

DocDrew:  “Who is your favorite player and why?” Timosha:  “It used to be Steph Curry because of all the great shots he could make, but now my favorite is the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo.  He can do everything on the court and is a really cool guy off the court.”

Coach Rick:  “You are also known for your accomplishments in judo.  What are some of your biggest victories? Timosha”  “I have won 5 National Championships, 3 State championships, and the gold medal in the Junior Olympics in judo last year, but I still like basketball more.

I can remember Timosha shooting hoops at a young age on the playground of St. Monica’s when his sister Vitalina was a classmate of my son in TK, and as we were waiting for class to start, Timosha would be sinking buckets on the big hoop.  I could tell right away, that he was something special, even at a young age.  Timosha is a great role model for his teammates, and all those that play youth basketball at the YMCA.  He shows that with determination, passion, and drive, you can achieve success and enjoy whatever you are doing.  Thanks Timosha!

Saturday October 27th

Rookies:  

Crows 14, Tigers 12

Cats 7, Bulldogs 12

Hawks 10, Swans 5

Bantams:  

Broncos 9, Rams 20

Jets 12, Buccaneers 11

Minors:  

No games scheduled

Majors:  

Broncos 42, Packers 46

Panthers 43, Colts 57

Raiders 37, Ravens 28

Sunday, October 28th

Rookies:  

No games scheduled

Bantams:  

Steelers 11, Packers 18

Rams 13, Jets 14

Minors:  

Bears 23, Vikings 19

Seahawks 22, Chiefs 28

Giants 38, Bills 18

Falcons 23, Eagles 42

Majors:  

Dolphins 45, Packers 53

Rams 27, Colts 31

Teams are awarded 5 points for a win, 3 points for a tie, 1 point for a loss, 0 points for a forfeit.  Tournament games have a greater point value.  Teams are listed in their place in the standings with W-L-T and team points

Rookies:  

Bulldogs 5-0-0, 25 points

Crows 3-2-0 17 points *Crows beat Tigers head to head

Tigers 3-2-0,  17 points

Cats 2-3-0, 13 points

Hawks 1-4-0, 9 points *Hawks beat Swans head to head

Swans 1-4-0, 9 points

Bantams:  

Titans  4-1-0, 21 points

Packers 3-1-1, 19 points

Broncos 3-1-0, 16 points

Rams 2-2-1, 15 points

Jets 2-4-0, 14 points *Jets beat Bucs head to head

Buccaneers 2-4-0, 14 points

Bengals 2-2-0, 12 points

Steelers 1-4-0, 9 points

Minors:  

Chiefs 4-0-0, 20 points

Eagles 3-1-0, 16 points

Giants 3-1-0, 16 points

Bills 2-2-0, 12 points

Seahawks 2-2-0, 12 points

Bears 1-3-0 8 points *Bears beat Vikings head to head

Vikings 1-3-0, 8 points

Falcons 0-4-0, 4 points

Majors:  

Colts 5-0-0, 25 points

Packers 4-1-0, 21 points

Rams 4-1-0, 21 points

Broncos 3-2-0, 17 points

Raiders 2-3-0, 13 points

Dolphins 1-4-0, 9 points

Ravens 1-4-0, 9 points

Panthers 0-5-0, 5 points

All games are played in the gymnasium of the Santa Monica YMCA

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2018 WINTER LEAGUE REGISTRATION OPENS IN PERSON AND ONLINE AT YMCASM.ORG FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018 BANTAM LEAGUE 10:30 AM JETS VS TITANS 11:40 AM RAMS VS BENGALS

MINOR LEAGUE 12:50 AM BILLS VS SEAHAWKS 2:00 PM CHIEFS VS VIKINGS

MAJOR LEAGUE 3:10 PM DOLPHINS VS RAIDERS 4:20 PM RAVENS VS PANTHERS 5:30 PM COLTS VS BRONCOS 6:40 PM PACKERS VS RAMS

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2018 BANTAM LEAGUE 10:30 AM BENGALS VS BUCS

ROOKIE LEAGUE 11:40 AM HAWKS VS SWANS 12:50 PM TIGERS VS CATS 2:00 PM BULLDOGS VS CROWS

MINOR LEAGUE 3:10 PM BEARS VS SEAHAWKS 4:20 PM GIANTS VS VIKINGS 5:30 PM FALCONS VS CHIEFS 6:40 PM EAGLES VS BILLS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2018 WINTER LEAGUE REGISTRATION OPENS IN PERSON AND ONLINE AT YMCASM.ORG FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Thank you very much,

Dr. Paul Drew, editor and publisher of Swish

Source: https://smmirror.com/2018/10/swish-issue-5-volume-1/

[dailygermancest]

Hello! I would like to ask if you have any well written Germancest fanfictions to suggest. I've already read all the ones by PrinceOfElsinore, Lilienpasse (did I spell that right?) drcalvin and iruhe. Please help? Thanks so much!

This ask has been sitting in my inbox for so long and I’m so sorry that I’m just getting to it. I had to consult with my Germancest Council to amass this list.

I’ll also be adding this list (and updating it!) to a sidebar link.

Note: Read anything by:

Iruhe

RatFlavored

Prince_of_Elsinore

Lilienpasse

Lynne_monstr

Germanbrothers

Dorkery

drcalvin

---------

A Second Chance by Iruhe

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary: It is the Golden Twenties in Berlin. One fateful day, Gilbert approaches his brother, who he has not seen in the past decade, for help in apprehending his lover’s murderer. However, emotional baggage exists between the brothers. Ludwig has unresolved feelings for Gilbert, who remains conflicted about his relationship with his brother. Will they reconcile as the murderer draws ever nearer, or will it all fall apart? Inspired by Babylon Berlin.

Whatever the fuck she wants to call it by RatFlavored

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary: Ludwig goes on chatroulette and encounters someone unexpected.

A Winter Story by Prince_of_Elsinore

Status: Ongoing

Rating: None

Summary: Their parents’ impending divorce forces Ludwig to spend Christmas alone with his brother Gilbert, who has moved from Brooklyn to rural New England to keep chickens and write. Ludwig doesn’t understand his brother’s choices and feels they’ve drifted apart; but maybe they have more in common than he thought.

Apples to Apples by lynne_monstr

Status: Complete

Rating: T

Summary: The day was going exactly according to schedule until Gilbert started eating that apple.

Berlin by ZaliaChimera

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary: Berlin, a city divided between Babylon and Rome, and the slow descent towards darkness.

Black Hearted Love by TheOtherSarahJane

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: Gilbert gives Ludwig his first blowjob. Shameless PWP.

Blut und Tränen by BillywickStatus: IncompleteRating: MSummary: There's something wrong with his brother, but Ludwig can't put his finger on it. What dark secret won't Gilbert share with him? And why is the world suddenly afraid of Germany again? Is everyone going nuts? (in which for once, there's nothing wrong with Gil but Ludwig is otherwise convinced)

Cigarettes and Silk Stockings by dorkery

Status: Complete

Rating: M

It wasn't that he couldn't see her, it was that he couldn't see her.Part of the fem!Prussia history arc, in which Germany discovers his libido around Prussia post-reunification.

Cheat Code by lynne_monstr

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: When Prussia gets the idea to help Germany de-stress by playing a round of video games, Germany gets an idea of his own and they end up playing an entirely different game.

Count the hours, little flower by dorkery

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: Letting a blossoming young woman who had just discovered her sexuality into his bed was not the smartest thing Prussia could have done.

Das Rote Dreieck by Prince_of_Elsinore

Status: Discontinued

Rating: None

Summary: “You know where you are with triangles. And you know you’re not going anywhere.” One is a political prisoner at Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The other is a camp administrator. One year after they meet, their positions have changed considerably.

Die Kreuze auf dem Kissen by drcalvin

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: Over the course of a year, Germany’s feelings for Prussia goes from brotherly to something more disturbing. But when his brother refuses to be possessed, Germany might have to give up control to get his desires.

Die Träumer by Prince_of_Elsinore

Status: Complete

Rating: D

Summary: “He sometimes wondered how things might have been different, how his relationship with Gilbert might be different, if their parents had stayed together.” Modern day human Germancest AU in Berlin. The city is changing, and so is the relationship of two estranged brothers.

Dynamo by germanbrothers

Status: Complete

Rating: T

Summary: Ludwig is the Captain of the Berlin Badgers, a professional Quidditch team. And as such, he does not have time to coach random strangers who approach him in bars. Unless, of course, those strangers happen to have an extraordinary amount of talent.

Hey Baby, Do You Want to Touch My...Missiles? by dorkery

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary: Mm yeah, that's just how the GDR rolls, baby.Filled for the Hetalia Kink Meme. Original request: "Prussia/Germany - Seduction: Cold War. While at a meeting, East Germany begins seducing West Germany in the hall, telling him to come over to the 'fun side' of the Iron Curtain. West Germany is completely into his former brother's dirty talk until his allies come looking for him.

Hidden Depths by lynne_monstr

Status: Complete

Rating: T

Summary: The background image on Germany’s laptop as been changed.

Inadvertent Misdemeanors by lilien passe (lilienpasse)

Status: Ongoing

Rating: M

Summary: Harried med-student Gilbert is awoken one night by a clumsy burglar. He rushes to the defense of his ancient television, only to find that the intruder is less a burglar and more an incredibly lost drunk. Gil/Lutz and others. Thank tumblr for the breaking and entering AU prompt.

Jitters by lilien passe (lilienpasse)

Status: Complete

Rating: T

Summary: It's the day of his wedding, and Gilbert is a complete mess. Best man Elizaveta has her hands full trying to keep him calm. Gilutz.

My Manipulated Misfortune by CreamPuffBunny

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary: Ludwig is a young doctor at a human testing facility. He meets a patient named Gilbert and is assigned to him. Upon seeing the dark acts that go on behind closed doors, Ludwig will have to make a choice between his career or his humanity.

Obsession by Prince_of_Elsinore

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: Ludwig Beilschmidt is happy to be attending the same university as his lifelong companion, best friend, and older brother, Gilbert. But as college experiences start expanding Ludwig's horizons, his perceptions of himself--and his brother--begin to change in unusual ways. How much can the brothers' bond withstand, though? Just when they seem closer than ever, so much threatens to force them apart…

October Twenty Fourth by lilien passe (lilienpasse)

Status: Complete

Rating: T

Summary: Gilbert is in the hospital. Ludwig visits him every day. As Gilbert slowly succumbs to his illness, he begins to lose his grip on reality, and Ludwig begins to lose all hope. Gil/Lutz.

Oh Happy Apple, This is Thy Sheath by lynne_monstr

Status: Complete

Rating: T

Summary: This certainly wasn’t what he expected from a routine trip to the market.

Re_Born by KivaEmber

Status: Incomplete

Rating: T

Summary: Prussia disappeared with his nation - and woke up in limbo.

Scrapbook by KivaEmber

Status: Incomplete

Rating: T

Summary: Collection of Re_Born universe drabbles.

Tempus Vernum by CreamPuffBunny

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary: A mystical war between fairy kind is soon to erupt. Ludwig, a human monk belonging to the ‘Order of Nature’, is one of the very few who can see actual fairies. After a chance meeting with Gilbert, a Winter Elemental Fairy and mischievous rogue, Ludwig is trapped in the fairy realm acting as a human delegate between the warring courts of Light King Roderich and Dark King Arthur. Instantly attracted to Gilbert, the two form a secret (but dangerous) relationship that is considered a taboo among fairy kind. But Ludwig is not the only being who has their eyes set on Gilbert. With the battle of Light verses Dark coming to a head, will Ludwig be able to bring about peace and save Gilbert? Will he keep Gilbert for himself in the human world or give up that right to become of the fairy folk?

The Last Days of the Beilschmidts: the true account told through original documents by Prince_of_Elsinore

Status: Hiatus

Rating: T

Summary: In 1932, the Beilschmidt residence burned to the ground and its last resident vanished without a trace. Newly uncovered documents reveal the incredible story of the final months of the house of Beilschmidt, and the mysterious stranger who came to stay.

Two Litres of Tesco’s Finest by ZaliaChimera

Status: Complete

Rating: T

Summary: England's sleep is interrupted by the very inconsiderate nations in the room next door and he is forced into a rather illuminating conversation with his oldest acquaintance.

Note: GerPru is the side pairing.

Submission by Prince_of_Elsinore

Status: Ongoing

Rating: E

Summary: Sequel to “Obsession.” AU. Ludwig and Gilbert Beilschmidt are normal brothers. Close, but normal. At least, that’s what they pretend. But they share a secret that could destroy their family, friendships, reputations, and even their relationship with each other. And trying to keep up the façade of normalcy every day takes a toll. How much can their love for each other withstand?

The Black and they Grey by TianShan

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: “Summer 1992. America calls Prussia with an interesting idea for his upcoming visit to America's house with Germany. Prussia comes up with an interesting way to pitch it to Germany. Germany has a headache.

Germany's headache goes away by the end of it.

Basically 25 pages of Germancest. Dom!Prussia, Sub!Germany, leather boots, riding crops, iron crosses, and, hey, the internet is for porn, right? (I tried to make Prussia go to the gulag. Prussia did not want to go to the gulag. Prussia wanted to sexually dominate Germany. Can't blame him.)”

The Inspector's Insects by Prince_of_Elsinore

Status: Complete

Rating: None

Summary: "Something is creeping up the stairs, creeping, crawling, through your hairs, and up your neck and over your chin: close your lips, don't let it in. There's no use in running away when the Inspector comes to play." Your best hope is to act Dead.

The Prince and His King by TheOtherSarahJane

Status: Complete

Rating: G

Summary: During Gilbert’s yearly excursion into the attic, he stumble across some mementos from Ludwig’s childhood.

For the hour-long writing challenge held by germanbrothers on tumblr back in April.

The Way The World Works by dorkery

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary:Filled for the Hetalia Kink Meme. Original request: "Germany gets busier and Prussia does what he can."

This is NOT how we do things around here by dorkery

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: Do you know what Germany likes?Breasts.

Underlying Assets by lynne_monstr

Status: Complete

Rating: E

Summary: Germany had always prided himself on being a responsible leader and nation. Except now all he can think about is the racy lingerie hiding under Prussia’s suit. He was going to kill Prussia. Just as soon as he took care of more important matters.De-anon from the kink meme.

Weight Room Etiquette by lynne_monstr

Status: Ongoing

Rating: M

Summary: Prussia can barely move after a heavy weightlifting session and Germany takes full advantage. But tired or not, Prussia isn't one to make anything easy. (Or: Prussia and Germany at the gym. On the floor. On the mats. On the weightlifting benches.)Now with added car sex.And more!

White Crimson by CreamPuffBunny

Status: Complete

Rating: M

Summary: Guilty of heresy, former knight Gilbert is arrested for leading a rebel army against the king’s new religious order. Ludwig, a retired soldier and nihilist, is the executioner set to carry out the death of the beloved heresiarch. While the trials take a long time to prepare, the two men begin to grow closer to one another and their ideals start to change.

[feelineuphoric]

Philippines vs Thailand Badminton Men's Singles Quarter Finals SEA games 2019, A Review

In this blog, I will be reviewing the court dimensions, equipment, basic skills, technical and tactical skills of each team, rules of the game, and how to officiate the game of Philippines vs Thailand Badminton Men's Singles Quarter Finals SEA games 2019.

Badminton that can be played individually or in doubles, consists of 3 games, being a match to the best of three (who wins the first two games wins). The goal is to reach the 21 points first in the game, having to have a difference of 2 points between them to finish the game. If the game reaches 29 × 29, then whoever scores the 30 point wins first.

The Badminton we know today was developed in the mid-nineteenth century by the British, but the act of playing with a racquet and a pen has been around for hundreds of years, especially in Europe and Asia. The game begins with the referee making the coin to give the choice between field or service to the winner.

COURT DIMENSIONS

Photo Credits from: GMA

The badminton court is 13.4m long and 6.1m wide. For singles the court is marked 5.18m wide. The lines marking out the court are easily distinguishable and colored white or yellow. The lines are 40mm wide. A court may be marked out for singles only. The back boundary lines also become the long service lines and the posts or the strips of material representing them are placed on the side lines. The diagonal full length of the full court is 14.366m.

The posts are 1.55m high from the surface of the court and remain vertical when the net is strained. The posts are placed on the double side lines irrespective of whether singles or doubles is played. The posts or supports must not extend into the court beyond the side lines.

The net is 760mm in depth and a minimum of 6.1m wide. The top of the net from the surface of the court is 1.524m at the center of the court and 1.55m over the side lines for doubles.

EQUIPMENT

Badminton Racket

Shuttlecock

Badminton Clothes/Jersey

Badminton Shoes

BASIC SKILL

Grip

Like any racquet game, having a proper grip in badminton is essential. The correct grip will allow you to have more control and will help you dictate where you place your shot. There are numerous ways of holding a badminton racket depending on whether your shot is forehand or backhand. These are the following:

Forehand Grip is anything on your racquet side (right side if you’re right-handed, left side if you’re left-handed) whether it be overarm or underarm.

Backhand Grip is anything to your non-racket side (left side if you’re right-handed, right side if you’re left-handed) whether it be overarm of underarm.

Universal Grip is a type of backhand grip where your thumb has moved to the edge of the fatter face of your grip. This is used for backhand cross-court net shots, backhand clears, and backhand straight drop shots from the rear court.

Panhandle Grip is where your thumb and the finger pinch the top of the racket in order to tap/net-kill the incoming shuttlecock.

Serve

Service is another necessary skill you need to master for badminton. A good serve is likely to get you points and may give you some advantage during the rally. There are two types of services used in badminton:

High serve is used when you want to force your opponent to run to the back of the court by hitting the shuttlecock toward the rear end of the court (sometimes the corner). A good high serve will usually save you from receiving a smash from your opponent.

Low Serve

It is used to bring the opponent forward by hitting the shuttlecock toward the front of the court. If you managed to send a fabulous low serve, the opponent would have to dash forward and move under the shuttle to return it.

Footwork

Footwork is another vital skill for badminton. You have to continually adjust your speed according to the speed of the shuttlecock. The players have limited space to move around, so good footwork is imperative. Which is why with proper footwork, you will be able to conserve energy and face shots coming toward you from any direction.

Stance

While returning strokes from the opponent, the stance is a crucial skill required in badminton. Proper posture will allow you to return the opponent’s strokes efficiently and enable you to get an advantage in rallies. There are three basic stances in badminton:

Defensive Stance

You can use the defensive stance to defend opponents smashes.

To take the defensive posture, face the net with your body and put the racquet at about your waist height.

You can also use this stance to perform a high clear since you’ll need to make a fast, unconscious decision when returning the shot. Using the defensive stance, you could perform a lift to buy some time.

This time will help you regain your posture and prepare for the opposing player’s reply.

Lifts allow the opponents to send a return smash but this doesn’t make them an ineffective defensive stroke.

By using the lift from a defensive stance, you can look for the perfect opportunity to counter-attack your opponent, such as by playing a net shot.

Attacking Stance

The attacking stance will allow you to return a short or high lift from your opponent.

To utilize the attacking stance, try to get behind the shuttlecock, raise your arm, and then transfer your body weight to your racquet leg, and hit the shuttlecock as a smash.

By utilizing the attacking stance, and depending on the opponent’s stroke, you can also send a drop shot.

Drop shots can be used when receiving the shuttlecock from the front or back part of the court.

Net Stance

The net stance in badminton is used to return the opponent’s stroke after sending a net shot.

Place your racquet foot forward and your other foot backwards.

Place the racquet in front of your body slightly above your waist for the net stance.

One way to get into the net stance is by first using a tumbling net shot. The tumbling net shot makes the shuttlecock tumble and spin right above the net and into your opponent’s court.

After sending a tumbling net shot, your body will naturally put itself in the net stance.

When you are in the net stance, get ready to perform a net kill move to an attacking stance to perform a winning smash.

Stroke

Strokes are fundamental to becoming a good badminton player and executing superior shots. There are two main kinds of strokes:

Forehand Shots

Forehand shots should be played when the shuttlecock is on your racket side.

Your index finger will control the forehand stroke as you swing overarm or underarm.

Swing the wrist along with your index finger as support to play a forehand stroke.

Backhand Stroke

Backhand shots should be played when the shuttlecock is on your non-racket side with your thumb controlling the strokes.

While playing badminton, your light grip will mean you’ll be able to switch between the forehand and backhand grip at ease.

To play a backhand shot, hold the racquet with the back of your hand in front and swing your wrist forward while using your thumb as support.

TECHNICAL AND TACTICAL SKILLS OF EACH TEAM

Both players did great more so with the player from Thailand because their gap is very obvious. However, I could see the potential with the Filipino player but he lacked some support and a little bit more training. The score gap was also wide and hard for the Filipino player to catch up with ending the first set with 21-11, favoring Vietnam and with the second set with another 21-11.

The Thai badminton player was so great in playing. His stance whether it be a defensive or attacking stance, it was great. He possessed great skills in playing badminton which the Filipino player lacked in some areas. He is great with smashing the shuttlecock on court without getting it out of the lines, where if the Filipino badminton player attempts to do he mostly gets it out the lines.

However every match, there will always be a winner and a loser, however, I believe that if the Filipino player will furthermore hone his skills, we might win the next time especially if there will be more supporters for the badminton players from Philippines.

RULES OF THE GAME

Rule 1: Toss

Before commencing play, the opposing sides shall toss a coin and the side winning the toss shall have the option of:

serving first,

not serving first, or

choosing ends

The side losing the toss shall then have the choice of any alternative remaining. Ends are changed after games one and two. If a third game is necessary, ends are changed during the game after one side has scored 11 points.

Rule 2: Scoring System

A match consists of best-of-three games to 21 points.

At 20 all, the side which gains a two-point lead first wins the game.

At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point wins that game.

The side winning a game serves first in the next game.

Every time there is a serve, there will be a point scored, unless that point is replayed.

A two-minute break between each game is allowed.

When the leading score reaches 11 points, players may take a 60-second break if needed.

Rule 6:Singles Play

At the beginning of the game (0-0) and when the server’s score is even, the server serves from the right service court. When the server’s score is odd, the server serves from the left service court.

If the server wins a rally, the server scores a point and then serves again from the alternate service court.

If the receiver wins a rally, the receiver scores a point and becomes the new server. They serve from the appropriate service court – left if their score is odd, and right if it is even.

Rule 7: Faults

If in serving, the shuttlecock is struck above the server’s waist.

If at the serve, the shuttlecock falls into the wrong receiving court.

If the server’s and receiver’s feet are not within the boundaries of their serving court and receiving court, respectively.

If the partner of the receiver takes the serve.

If a player touches the net with his/her racquet, person, or clothes.

If the shuttlecock is struck in return before it has crossed the net to his/her side. (The follow-through may break the plane of the net.)

Rule 8: General Rules

You should not serve until the opponent is ready, but if he/she attempts to return the serve, he/she is considered ready and play continues.

If in serving, you miss the shuttlecock, you may serve again providing your racquet did not make any contact during the attempt.

Birdies that hit the net as they cross during play are good and should be played.

If, in serving, the shuttle touches the net, it is a “let” provided the service is otherwise good and the birdie is served again.

Birdies that fall on the line are considered good.

HOW TO OFFICIATE THE GAME

Badminton officials play a very important role in the badminton matches especially in officiating the game. However, they are not as crucial as they can be in other sports such as football or basketball due to the lack of physical contact between players, they still are required in order to ensure a smooth and fair match. The badminton officials are divided into different roles or positions: Referee, Umpire, Service judge, and Line judge.

Referee

The referee is the most important official of the whole tournament. He or she is in charge of the competition and needs to ensure that the tournament is conducted following the Laws of Badminton (including court, rackets and shuttlecock measurements), the regulations of the Badminton World Federation and/or any other regulations that might be relevant in that specific competition. In addition to that, the referee has the last word if there is an argument between the umpire (in charge of the matches) and a player or team.

Moreover, the referee makes sure that the facilities and the conditions to play are up to the standards required for that specific tournament. For example, he has to check that the badminton mats are mounted correctly so they can enhance gameplay. Finally, the referee is also in charge of the approval of the schedule of matches and practice (if applicable).

Umpire

The umpire is the maximum authority in a particular match and it is in charge of the court. The duty of the umpire is to make sure that the specific match is conducted following the Laws of Badminton, the regulations of the Badminton World Federation and/or any other regulations that might be relevant in that specific competition.

It is the umpire responsibility to judge service faults and other player faults. The umpire keeps a record of any misbehavior or incident and reports it to the referee. He/she is also responsible for keeping the match score, which will be announced after each point of the match.

The umpire has control over the specific match but also needs to report any serious acts to the referee, who is, at the end, the maximum authority of the tournament.

Outside of the major tournaments, the referee will also take the role of an umpire in order to help with the process.

Service Judge

The service judge is responsible for making a ‘service fault’ call and to provide shuttles to the players. Due to the way badminton is played, the serve is one of the most important and perfected shots of the player and, especially when playing doubles, players will bring the serve to the limit of the legality in order to gain as much advantage as possible.

In addition to checking the service, the service judge usually takes care of the shuttles, providing the players with new shuttles whenever required.

In smaller championships, when there is no service judge, the umpire takes the role of the service judge.

Line Judge

The line judges are responsible for indicating whether a shuttlecock landed “in” or “out” if the shuttle lands near the lines he/she is assigned to control. Due to the fast speed of the game and the skill of the players, this is a very challenging job and, as a result, the line judges are the officials that usually get more pressure from the players.

In recent years, an Instant Review System has been implemented, that helps ensure that the right decision is taken, but which also adds pressure to the line judges as it clearly shows when a mistake has taken place. Each player has two incorrect calls per game of the match.

Depending on the level of the tournament, there may be as many as 10 line judges assigned to a court for a particular match. This is the number recommended by the BWF.

When 10 line judges are available, they are positioned as follows:

2 line judges for the short service line (one on each side of the court)

2 line judges for the center line (one on each end of the court)

4 line judges for the side lines (two on each side of the court). Please note that the exact location will depend on whether a singles match is being played (and they would follow the singles side lines) or a doubles match is being played (and they would follow the doubles side lines

2 line judges for the back boundary lines (one each end of the court). Please note that, in the case of the doubles match, these line judges check both the back boundary line and the long service line.

___________________________________________

BIBLIOGRAPHY

All About Badminton. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2021, from SportRegras: https://sportsregras.com/en/badminton-rules-history/

Badminton. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2021, from Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries: https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/sport-and-recreation/sports-dimensions-guide/badminton#:~:text=The%20badminton%20court%20is%2013.4,and%20coloured%20white%20or%20yellow.

Badminton Rules. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2021, from IOWA Recreational Services: https://recserv.uiowa.edu/programs/intramural-sports/badminton/badminton-rules

Badminton Officials – Umpires, Referees, Service & Line Judges. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2021, from The Badminton Guide: https://www.thebadmintonguide.com/badminton-officials/

Tarique, Muhammad Arsalan. (2020, November 28). Retrieved February 25, 2021, from Healthy Principles: https://www.healthyprinciples.co.uk/basic-badminton-skills/

The Laws of Badminton. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2021, from Badminton BC: https://www.badmintonbc.com/page/2888/The-Laws-of-Badminton

[reynaacero]

 Rules of the Game,

TEAM SKILLS BASKETBALL RULES

·         Rules

1.       The Event Director shall determine how many games should be played. Two five-member teams are positioned on opposite ends of the playing court. Only one team shall conduct a round at a time.

2.       The game is made up of two halves consisting of five rounds each. Players will be given one opportunity at each of the five positions during the half.

3.       Each player on the first five-member team attempts to catch the ball and then throw it accurately to the player stationed at the next position.

4.       The official shall hand the ball to the player in position #1 to begin each round.

5.       The player in position #1 throws the ball to the player at position #2. The player at position

6.       #2 throws the ball to the player at position #3. This sequential throwing rotation continues until the ball reaches the player at position #5.

7.       Athletes may pass the ball in any manner, but each player must pass in numerical sequence. A bounce pass is allowed provided that there is only one bounce.

8.       If the ball is thrown past an athlete, the athlete or official may retrieve the ball. However, the

9.       athlete must return to his/her position before throwing the ball to the next player. A correct pass is defined as a ball that is thrown within reach of the receiving player.

10.   When the ball reaches the player in position #5, he/she then attempts a field goal.

11.   Slam dunks are not permitted. The athlete shall not receive any points if a slam dunk is taken.

12.   Athletes stationed in position #5 shall only be given one attempt at scoring.

13.   After the field goal attempt by the player in position #5, the round ends.

14.   Following the completion of the round by the first team, the second team will conduct their initial round.

15.   Players shall rotate in numerical sequence to the next position after each round.

16.   Play alternates between each team following the completion of each round. Once each team has completed five rounds, the first half ends.

17.   A five-minute halftime intermission follows.

18.   Teams shall exchange ends of the court following the first half and then complete a set of five rounds at the other goal for the second half.

19.   Substitutes are allowed into the game only after a round has been completed.

20.   Coaches shall remain on the sideline which is at least 4 meters (13 ft 11/2 in) to the side of

21.   position #2 and #4. Coaches may give verbal or signed instructions to players. Deaf athletes may receive assistance in positioning.

·         Scoring

1.       Team receives one point for each correct pass.

2.       Team receives one point for each successful catch.

3.       Team receives two points for each successful field goal.

4.       A bonus of one point is awarded for each complete successful round of passing, catching and made field goal.

5.       The maximum number of points that can be accumulated by a single team during one half is 55.

6.       The final team score is determined by adding the scores from each of the 10 rounds.

7.       The team with the highest score is the winner.

8.       If the teams are tied at the end of regulation play, additional rounds are conducted. The first team to score more points in a round than its opponent is the winner.

SPEED DRIBBLE RULES

·         Rules

1.       Athlete may use only one hand to dribble.

2.       Athlete must either be standing or be sitting in a wheelchair or another type of chair with similar dimensions while competing.

3.       Athlete starts and stops dribbling at the sound of the whistle.

4.       There is a 60-second time limit imposed. The objective is to dribble the ball as many times as possible during this period.

5.       Athlete must stay in the designated circle while dribbling.

6.       If the basketball rolls out of the circle, it may be handed back to the athlete, who continues to dribble.

·         Scoring

1.       Athlete receives one point per legal dribble within the 60 seconds.

2.       Counting stops and the event ends when the basketball rolls out of the circle for the third time.

Another Rules for the Olympic:

There's (almost) no goaltending

You can't touch a shot that's on the way down before it hits the rim, just like in the NBA. That's cheating in any league. Once a ball does bounce off the iron, though, all bets are off — and with Team USA's superior athleticism, that's a clear advantage.

 

There's no defensive 3-second violation

The NBA allows teams to play something like a zone defense, but there's one catch. A big guy can't just camp out in the paint for an entire possession; like his offensive counterpart, the defender has to move out of the lane every three seconds. In international play, however, a full-on zone is completely legal. If a player wants to set up shop in the post all day, that's his inalienable right. The games are shorter there's not much to say on this one. The NBA has four 12-minute quarters; Olympic play has four 10-minute quarters. Overtime is five minutes in both.

 

Fouls are a bigger deal

With a shorter game comes a reduced foul limit for both players and teams. A player is disqualified after his fifth foul in international play, rather than six in the NBA — and technical fouls count against that limit. Furthermore, teams enter the foul penalty after the fourth team foul (meaning teams get two free throws starting with the fifth foul, instead of the sixth in the NBA). Player technicals also count against that team penalty, as do offensive fouls (which are not team fouls in the NBA).

 

Traveling rules are harsher

This one will frustrate Team USA to no end, if the officials are vigilant. As friend of the program Coach Nick helpfully points out, a player cannot take two steps immediately after catching the ball in international play, as one can in the NBA. FIBA rules state that the first foot to hit the floor in such a situation is a player's pivot foot, whereas NBA rules declare that the back foot is the pivot when a player lands with a staggered step, as in that clip.

 

Timeouts are precious (and belong to the coach)

The NBA's timeout structure is muddied by television breaks and the distinction between full and 20-second timeouts, but you more or less get six of them. They can be called by a player or a coach when a team has possession, and you can call them between free throws. In international play, none of that is true! A team has two first-half timeouts and three second-half timeouts; they all last one minute. You can't call time out once a series of free throws has started, and by "you," I mean "coach," since that's the only person on the floor who can call time out. If you end up in overtime, good luck. The NBA gives a team three timeouts in OT; international play grants just one.

 

Tip-off is the only jump ball

After the opening tip, any held ball situation results in alternating possession. Yes, Olympic basketball uses the possession arrow. May the basketball gods have mercy on us for our transgressions

[gizmotron]

Willetton FC 2020 Season Preview

Last Wednesday, training started - at last! It was great to see most of the boys down at training, and some new faces appeared as well. We have a new manager, Mogan Jenyns. Mogan took the top job from Keilan Marshall, who had coached us since the beginning and guided us to a grand final appearance last year. 

Both Mogan and the Willetton Football Club recognize and acknowledge the mighty effort from Keilan Marshall as the inaugural coach and building this team for the last 3 years. The club also acknowledges the respect that Keilan is held in with the group and their support network and that many are sad to see Keilan leave the position. The club is more than confident that Mogan will bring a positive attitude and build on the great work that Keilan has started. It's taken us a while to find the right individual for this unique position, in Mogan so we look forward to the entire Willetton Football Club getting behind her from Wednesday.

What’s changed?

A lot has changed. Outgoing manager Keilan Marshall has left his position to focus on getting another call-up to the seniors team at Burrendah Oval, while the popular team co-ordinator Georgie Steacy, while still an active figure at the club, is no longer in an active role in the Integrated team, being completely replaced by a new face towards the end of last season.

Our new manager,  Mogan, joins Willetton with an impressive footy background having played football herself at the womens WAFL level where she was twice Best & Fairest for the Peel Thunderbirds before moving over to the Perth Angels. Unfortunately, she injured her ACL which brought her playing career to a halt.

The only player that left the club was Aaron Richardson. After joining Willetton in the summer of 2019 with Trent “The Enforcer” Fleming from CBC Green, “Richo” played 11 games for us in what was an enjoyable season for the club. However, the presence of Richo in the clubrooms became a little too much for some of the players, and it was determined that his position was untenable, being forced out by the playing group. It remains unclear if he will retire from integrated football and continue with his cricket career, which is currently going very well, or if he will try to join a third club to keep his footballing career on life support.

For a while, it was believed that The Enforcer would be leaving us as well, after only one season at the club. The differences between Trent & Richo had reached boiling points the week leading up to the preliminary final, with both players receiving 1-week suspensions. During the grand final against Coolbinia, Trent was forced off with a suspected broken back after acting as the stepladder for Coolbinia’s number 1 and, in the weeks after the grand final, was courted by as many as 4 possible clubs. These included reigning champs Coolbinia, his former club CBC, and Kingsway & High Wycombe. He was due to sign on the dotted line for Coolbinia on February 1st, however, he showed up to training last week when a number of the players at Willetton made it clear that he was still welcome at the club. The transfer deadline day is the end of February - while there is still a possibility that Trent will still try to force through a move, it’s looking promising for the team in the navy blue.

The incoming players are yet to be confirmed, due to the current league rules concerning player trades & swap deals, however it is likely that there will be at least 3 new players that will make Willetton their first footballing home. Pat Amato, who plays soccer (football) for the Western Australian Paralympics team (Pat has a mild form of Cerebral Palsy), has agreed to come down to training sometime in February. We will continue to keep this blog updated with transfer news until the window closes.

New teams?

There have been 3 teams that have joined the league in the last 2 years - North Beach, Willetton & Mandurah. While there was a suggestion that Coolbinia should split into 2 teams due to their large team like CBC did (after losing the first grand final to CBC, Coolbinia forced CBC to split into 2 teams due to their large team. Coolbinia currrently have a total of 5 more players than CBC did before splitting), Coolbinia have successfully rocked the investigative boat and will start the season as one club.

No other clubs will be joining the league as far as we know.

Finals Smokeys?

Last season, no-one expected us to be able to make the finals, let alone come within a whisker of winning the flag. While in hindsight, we’d had the best off-season after the 2018 season with our recruiting and development of our current players, even amongst the club the goal was not very high - just to do better than in 2018 (where we won 4 out of 12 games). In our first match of the 2019 season, which was against the Kingsway Kangaroos, we swamped them with our speedy run-and-carry style of play that has since become our trademark. Every team that we played last season struggled to combat our fast and slick ball movement (we were the first team to beat every other team in the league in a single season), however, the stronger teams will be ready for us this season.

Every so often, a new style of play comes into the league from one team that changes everything. In the mid-2000s in the AFL, Sydney was the team that mastered “flooding”, or putting almost every player into the defensive 50 to clog it up. There were some teams in 2019 in the WAAIFL that had some interesting play styles, including Warnbro, who combined their strength with a series of short kicking chains, to keep possession. Warnbro were probably the “best of the rest” in 2019, and they were rewarded with their best season to date with a slot in the new Top 5 finals format; they were eliminated by High Wycombe in the elimination final.

CBC Green was also a team that threatened our finals spot for a number of weeks. Until the final round (which was against North Beach for us), we assumed that the format of the finals would be the same as it had always been - a top 4 system, where 1st played 4th, 2nd played 3rd, and whoever won those 2 games would play off in the grand final. The league’s governing body changed that to the top-5 system that was in place in the VFL in the 1980s. We hadn’t secured our top 4 spot until round 11, when we played Kingsway again (while we lost, CBC & Warnbro also lost. This meant that there was no way that they would be able to bridge the points gap between us. The match was also a shocker for us. Due to injuries and the state series occurring (we were missing our top 5 players, Kingsway had no state players so were at full strength), we lost by 5 goals. If we had of won that match we would have finished 1st, not 3rd).

I personally think that Warnbro are the team with the best chance to do what we did last season, and break into the top set of clubs. Coolbinia, who haven’t lost many players, are highly likely to remain one of the top teams throughout the season. CBC Green dominated us because they had a good, dedicated ruckman, who was able to cost us time and avoid us getting the clearances. It’s funny to say that a team that you beat by over 100 points dominated you in any area, but as they had a ruckman who was dedicated - meaning he would participate in every ruck contest - and we didn’t, we lost a lot of time after stoppages. Due to the incoming faces for Willetton, it is unlikely that we will face this issue again.

Ladder Predictions

It’s always bad to do these predictions when you’re a player, but due to popular request from my teammates (who will definitely give me a lot of flack for this), I’m going to do it anyway.

Here’s the ladder from 2019:

1. Coolbinia (Premiers)

2. Kingsway (Semi-finalists)

3. Willetton (Grand Finalists)

4. High Wycombe (Preliminary Finalists)

5. Warnbro (Finalists)

6. CBC Green

7. CBC Gold

8. Wembley

9. North Beach

10. Mandurah Mustangs

With that out of the way, here’s my predicted table for 2020

1. Coolbinia

2. Willetton

3. Kingsway

4. High Wycombe

5. Warnbro

6. CBC Green

7. Wembley

8. Mandurah Mustangs

9. CBC Gold

10. North Beach

As you can see, the ladder is mostly unchanged. Out of the 10 teams, 4 remain in their spots from 2019, and every team that made the finals in 2019 will (according to me) make the finals in 2020. I think that Coolbinia will have too much in the locker for when we come to play them (and I really hope that we don’t play them 4 times like we did in 2019!), but if the fixture congestion after the state games is fixed we won’t face the same sort of problems that we did in the loss to Kingsway last season. High Wycombe will struggle this year if Graemme Guvan leaves, which is predicted to happen.

Mandurah last year, while winless, were probably one of the most promising teams in the league. 2019 was their first league campaign, and their greatest losing margin was 35 points. They actually almost beat Coolbinia (Mandurah had 14 players against Coolbinia’s 40+ to choose from), and even after their captain broke his leg in Round 12 they still persevered and almost beat CBC Green in the final round. On the other hand, North Beach, who won 2 and lost 11, had an average losing margin of 67 and lost to us twice, both times failing to score more than 3 goals. I have had a bad history against North Beach - in my 3 times playing them, I’ve only scored 4 goals...and 11 behinds (in my first match against them in 2018, I scored 1.7. But in my defense, it was hailing at the time). North Beach was a happy hunting ground for us as a team, though, as we are undefeated against the yellows.

I hope that these predictions come true...and most of all that we win a flag...finally!

[billreeseblog]

Anime I am currently enjoying - Winter 2020

There is a ton of great anime this season. From esper powered students to scientists in love. This anime season has it all. Here are a few anime that I am enjoying.

A Certain Scientific Railgun T

You have heard me talk about a Certain Scientific Railgun before. In fact it is one of my top 10 favorite anime series. The series follows Mikoto Misaka, Kuroko Shirai,  Kazari Uiharu, and Ruiko Saten in their daily school lives in Academy City. Academy city is a city full of teachers and students that focuses on esper development. Lots of children with powers, and scientists who seek the powers of the gods. Needless to say, there is trouble around every corner. Here is a brief summary of the series from Wikipedia:

In the futuristic Academy City, which is made up of 80% students, many of whom are espers possessing unique psychic powers, Mikoto Misaka is an electromaster who is the third strongest of a mere seven espers who have been given the rank of Level 5. The series focuses on the exploits of Mikoto and her friends; Kuroko Shirai, Kazari Uiharu, and Ruiko Saten, prior to and during the events of A Certain Magical Index. -- Wikipedia -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Certain_Scientific_Railgun

Haikyu!!: to the top (season 4)

Volleyball players are usually tall able to spike and block at the net. Hinata who is short, after seeing the Japan National Volleyball team's "little giant" (who is also short), play volleyball, he decides that he wanted to play volleyball as a spiker. Kagiyama is an ace setter, and perfectionist who is looking to prove his skills. This is the story of Hinata, Kagiyama, and the Karasuno volleyball team, and their climb to the championships. Here is a bit about Haikyu!! from Wikipedia:

Junior high school student Shōyō Hinata gains a sudden love of volleyball after seeing a national championship match on TV. Although short in height, he becomes determined to follow in the footsteps of a star player, nicknamed the "Little Giant", after seeing his plays. However, his dreams are destroyed in his first official match, where his team suffers a crushing defeat against the junior championship favourite team, which includes the so-called "King of the Court" Tobio Kageyama. Hinata vows to follow in the footsteps of the "Little Giant" and enter Karasuno High School to defeat Kageyama, only for the two to wind up as unlikely teammates. By combining the genius-like qualities of Kageyama with Hinata's sheer athleticism, the duo create a brand-new volleyball tactic. Their new combo allows them to get over their differences and creates a strange alliance between the two filled with fun and laughter for them and their teammates. Thus begins the Karasuno boys' volleyball team's journey to the top. -- Wikipedia -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haikyu!!

Chihayafuru season 3

Chihayafuru follows Chihaya Ayase in her journey to become the best kaurata player in Japan. Here is a bit about Chihayafuru from Wikipedia:

Chihaya Ayase is a girl who has spent most of her life simply supporting her sister in her model career. That changes when she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, a talented karuta player. After becoming friends, he believes that Chihaya has potential to become a great player. As Chihaya takes on a new dream of becoming Japan’s best karuta player, she is soon separated from her karuta playing friends as they grow up. Now in high school, Chihaya is reunited with her childhood friend, Taichi Mashima. Together, they form the Mizusawa Karuta Club. With her teammates and friends supporting her, Chihaya strives to become the best karuta player in the world and to one day be with Arata again. – Wikipedia -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chihayafuru

BOFURI: I don't want to get hurt, so I'll max out my defense

Maple is new to VRMMO games. She does not want to get hurt so she puts all earned skill points into defense and becomes hard to defeat. Here is a bit about the series from Wikipedia:

The story is set in the world of VRMMO called "NewWorld Online." The protagonist Maple, who knows little about games, allocates all of her status points to defense power. She becomes very slow, can't use magic, and is punched around even by a rabbit. However, she finds out she feels no pain and receives zero damages. As a result of the intensive use of her points, she gets the skill of "Absolute Defense" and deadly counter skills. As "Mobile Fortress-type Rookie," now she can disable all kinds of attacks and overcome any barriers with her "Lethal Poison" skill. -- Wikipedia -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BOFURI%3A_I_Don't_Want_to_Get_Hurt%2C_so_I'll_Max_Out_My_Defense.

Science fell in love, so I tried to prove it

Shinya Yukimura and Ayame Himuro are two young and brilliant researchers who are in love. So they decide to use technology and science to prove it. This series came out of left field. I didn't expect that it was going to be so clever and funny. Here is a bit about it from Wikipedia:

Shinya Yukimura and Ayame Himuro are young but extremely brilliant researchers of the Saitama University, and both of them strongly believe in math as the most powerful instrument at Mankind's disposal to understand all things.

So, when Ayame suddenly confesses her feelings to Shinya, he decides to start an ambitious experiment with his whole team to answer a question: is it possible to explain something complicated like love using a mathematical approach? -- Wikipedia -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Fell_in_Love,_So_I_Tried_to_Prove_It

These are a few of the series I am watching this season, they are all great anime. There are more series I would like to write about this season. I will write about other series in the coming weeks.

Author Note: All covers from Wikipedia, and conform to their fair use policy.

[auburnfamilynews]

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

It was ugly, but luckily for us, it was uglier for the Billikens

What kind of wonderful, beautiful world do we live in where Auburn basketball is 9-0 and one of only four undefeateds left in the country? It hasn’t always been pretty, with close wins against USA, Furman, and now St. Louis, but this team has been able to win in just about every possible fashion so far in the young season.

Saturday against St. Louis, the Tigers had to find a way when absolutely nothing was falling inside the arc, including free throws. Let’s take a deeper dive into how the win over the mythical good-luck gremlins played out.

AUBURN 67, St. Louis 61

FOUR FACTORS

The immediate takeaway from this game, before I even entered the stats, was that Auburn couldn’t hit a two-point bucket to save their lives. 33% from inside the arc is just terrible, especially considering that was an are the Tigers considered themselves elite at so far this year. Even after this abhorrent performance, the Tigers rank 9th in the country shooting 56.7% from 2. As Son of Crow pointed out to me, a lot of that had to do with 6’7” 250 lbs Hasaan French and 6’10” 270 Jimmy Bell playing the role of enforcer in the paint, forcing Austin Wiley to go 2-11 from 2. Not good, folks. Not good.

Luckily, as much as Auburn struggled near the basket, St. Louis was even worse from 3. St. Louis had been an above average team from 3, shooting around 36% until a posting a nightmarish 16.7% in the BJCC. This resulted in Auburn gaining the slight edge in eFG%, although neither team could claim to have had a good shooting night.

eFG% Advantage - Auburn

Just like above, the shooting woes carried over to the charity stripe. The only player to shoot better than 50% from the line was Samir Doughty, who sunk 5 of 6. Auburn has done a decent job, though, of at least getting to the line this season, largely in part to the hack-a-Shaq defense on Wiley. It carried over in this game, with Auburn attempting a 0.45 free throw for every shot attempted from the field. This was actually slightly better than Auburn’s season average of 0.39 FTA/FGA, although the 46% free throw shooting curbed that benefit.

Meanwhile, St. Louis only attempted 0.29 free throws per shot attempted from the field. Combine that with shooting around 40%, and the Billikens got effectively no benefit from shooting free throws Saturday night. This also brought the St. Louis’s season average down to 52.5%, good for... dead last in the country. Yikes.

FTA/FGA Advantage - Auburn

Here’s where the advantage for Auburn starts to show itself. Despite having a bad shooting night, Auburn played really solid possession basketball, racking up 10 assists to just 7 turnovers. I was worried about this team turning the ball over too much early in the year, and it can still happen when they start trying to force it into the paint to Wiley, but they’ve done a good job cleaning up passing in transition and not gifting the other team possessions with unforced errors. J’Von McCormick has settled in nicely to the facilitator-first point guard role, although nights like Saturday showed he can still break out a 20 point scoring performance from time to time.

The Auburn defense, though, has been excellent at forcing non-steal turnover with Bruce’s full court press. Despite Auburn only getting credit for 5 steals, St. Louis turned the ball over 12 times, roughly 18% of their possessions. It’s tough to show this with box score numbers, but this is where guys like Issac Okoro really shine. Big steals numbers are often associated with taking risks and getting beat or called for a foul. Forcing the opponent to make bad passes, though, doesn’t carry those same risks.

TO% Advantage - Auburn

Strangely enough, Auburn had one of its better offensive rebounding nights, grabbing 36% of the available offensive boards. Four different players had at least 3 offensive rebounds, led by Wiley with 5. This result shouldn’t be too surprising, though, as missing a bunch of two point shots will provide this kind of result. Missed three point shots are notoriously more likely to be rebounded by the defense, and Auburn actually made more of its 3’s than 2’s.

The biggest reason St. Louis stayed in this game, though, was thanks to Auburn’s poor defensive rebounding. The boards on St. Louis’s end were split nearly 50/50, compared to Auburn’s opponent’s season average being 28%. I don’t have this level of detail in the box score, but Auburn didn’t box out on several back-ends of free throws which we know the Billikens missed plenty of. Those second chance points allowed St. Louis to crawl back into the game every time Auburn tried to stretch the lead.

OR% Advantage - St. Louis

Individual Numbers

I’m not going to go super in depth here, but here’s my quick observations that I didn’t cover elsewhere.

The game MVP was undoubtedly McCormick. His final line was 20 pts/7 reb/6 ast, but as mentioned before, he was critical in keeping Auburn’s turnover number down. He won’t go off like this every night, but it’s nice to see he can do this on occasion. His rebound numbers are legit, too, as he’s now averaging 4.8 per game.

The heart of this team continues to run through the 5. In 41 combined minutes (Mac played a little 4), Austin Wiley and Anfernee McLemore posted 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. And this was a bad night for Wiley, maybe his worst of the season. These two may not be the offensive stars most nights, but they’re putting up consistently good numbers this season that keep this team afloat when others are struggling.

Devan Cambridge had limited minutes, but this was another good night for him. He hit both of his 2 point shots, including a monster putback jam in the second half, and added stats in every column except fouls and steals. If he can provide that kind of energy for 10-15 minutes every night, that would be huge for the Auburn bench.

He hasn’t earned it, especially with his effort on Saturday, but I desperately want Stretch to earn more minutes. His one minute against St. Louis resulted in him fouling and then not boxing out a free throw. If he could get to even just 5-8 minutes per night, that would give Mac and Wiley more of a chance to play on the floor together more, which I think might be the best lineup right now.

Danjel Purifoy kind of disappeared in this game. He only played 19 minutes, sharing the mostly with Cambridge and Allen Flanigan, and in those 19 minutes he took just two shots. He did add 5 defensive rebounds that Auburn really needed, but he was a non-factor on offense. I don’t really have an answer here, but it might be worth keeping an eye on.

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/12/16/21024230/advanced-stats-breakdown-auburn-67-st-louis-61