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Thanks. I figured you TIEd, which means he Normal'ed because if he CT'ed it would have said "Da Vicks looked like the only team trying out there."

Anyhow, unfortunately I was gone all day (13 hour bus ride back from college = not fun, but Spring Break = fun, so I guess it all works out). As such I didn't set my lineup and accidentally played normal, which was completely unnecessary. Anyhow, there were two big events today around the league:

Naples Napalm purchases Enriko Viks for $1 million. Viks is listed as a PF, but Naples Napalm played him as a SF and this combined with his high transfer price indicates he's extremely well-rounded. As such, even though his weekly salary is $34K he is probably stronger than that salary would suggest. And since he's just entering his prime at age 26, you can expect him to be a dominant force for Naples Napalm for many seasons. This may be the death knell for any title competitor's chances this season, as I'm assuming no other team has the money to buy the players to compete.

Slightly less significant, but still impressive, was Cedrick Pagan's performance in an otherwise meaningless 119-41 blowout win over the Mizzou Tigers:

Cedrick Pagan ties the league record for most assists in a game with 19. The last player to do it in V.35 history was Elliot Kahn, a well-rounded SF who has had a history of being a very good passer. Pagan scored 20 points and blocked 4 shots to go along with his 19 assists and just two turnovers in 48 minutes, but Kahn's original performance was even more stunning as he had zero turnovers and recorded his 19 assists in just 38 minutes. Still, it was a very impressive performance by the second-year player, who has been proving the doubters wrong ever since falling to pick 11 in the season 17 draft. At that time scouts considered him too unpolished to make much of an early impact, especially with his atrocious ball-handling skills, but he has improved by leaps and bounds and it was great to see him get this achievement tonight. There are 9 teams who regret passing on him now (excluding Naples Napalm who took Aaron Meeker instead).

Fun fact: Scottie Duncan formerly of the Boston Boss had stupendous (17) passing and his career high was only 18 assists, although this season he had 20 in a cup game for his new team. Still, that just shows you how difficult it is to get 19 assists in a game, even at the D.V level. A lot of things have to go right, and fortunately they did for Pagan and the Maine Claws tonight.

I just watched my game to see Pagan's performance. Really interesting stuff. First of all, although Pagan had 19 assists on the game, he didn't get his first one until almost 5 1/2 minutes into the game, on a fast-break assist to Michael Eini. He did have jumper to open the game and a nice and-1 though, and he had 7 of his 20 points but still seemed to be a relative non-factor. Also he turned the ball over once, losing the handle and having the ball stripped from him.

In the 2nd quarter Pagan started to really move the ball with six assists in the period, four of them to Belhadj (three in the first two minutes. In chronological order, his assists were: a layup, an inside shot, a jumper, and a dunk) as well as a nice feed to Rutledge on the fast-break for the baseline dunk and a pass to Mallory Montel for a powerful two-handed slam. He also drew a foul and hit both free throws, but otherwise struggled to score as he missed all five shots he took (not counting the one on which he was fouled). Finally, he grabbed his first rebound (a defensive board).

The third quarter was Pagan's best, as he had another seven assists, one to Eini for a baseline jumper, two more to Belhadj for another dunk and a jumper, a pair of assists to Rutledge for two more dunks (one of which brought the crowd to its feet in applause), and another pair to Caruso for a lay-in and a dunk. He also had a nice dunk off an assist from Eini, hit a jumper, drew a foul and hit one of two free throws, grabbed two rebounds (one offensive, one defensive), and blocked three shots (two of them rotating over on help defense). Again, he had the ball stripped from him for his second and final turnover of the game.

In the fourth quarter, Pagan closed out his magnificent night with 5 more assists, one to Montel for a dunk, three to Gilliam for more dunks, and another to Lasonen for yet another dunk. He also hit two jumpers and was fouled on another, hitting both free throws, and added a steal and a block for good measure. He was called for his only foul of the game during this period.

Overall, Pagan's assists break down like this:

Jumpers: 3
Inside shots: 2
Layups: 2
Dunks: 12

Belhadj: 6 (2 dunks, 1 layup, 1 inside shot, 2 jumpers)
Rutledge: 3 (3 dunks)
Eini: 2 (one inside shot, one jumper)
Caruso: 2 (one driving layup, one dunk)
Gilliam: 3 (3 dunks)
Montel: 2 (2 dunks)
Lasonen: 1 (1 dunk)

Scoring:

3-pointers: 0 (0-2)
2-point jumpers: 4 (4-12)
Layups: 1 (1-1)
Dunks: 1 (1-1)
Free Throws: 8 (8-9)

Notes: Pagan did have 8 passes by my count that set up teammates with good shots that they missed, four to Belhadj, two to Caruso, one to Gilliam, and one to Eini. So he could have had 26 assists or more potentially if his teammates hit all their shots. Also, the four blocks were very impressive for a player with atrocious shot-blocking!



Most of Pagan's assists came on inside shots, primarily dunks. This is not surprising in a LI offense. It was interesting to see how often Pagan looked to Belhadj, as 6 of his assists were to him, double the total of any other player. And four of his eight passes that set up makable opportunities were to Belhadj as well. Clearly, Belhadj at SG is a mismatch that Pagan likes and is able to exploit, since otherwise you would expect him to look more to Eini or Rutledge who are both better individual scorers. Also, Pagan's passing was not the cause of his turnovers; rather, it was his low handling that caused him to get stripped of the ball. As a passer, he was flawless. As a ball-handler, not so much.

Overall, any player could be proud of this performance and it is to be hoped that the sophomore guard will build on this and become even better moving forward.

And I'm still alive in the cup, thanks to another win tonight. I TIE'd again to save enthusiasm, and the other team CT'ed, but we still won by 9 thanks in large part to a huge free throw disparity--we attempted 45 free throws to their 12. Unfortunately as a team we only made 24 of the 45, or a little under 60%, but still, it's great to see that aggressiveness.

Notes: Pagan and Belhadj both flirted with triple-doubles and Rutlege led the team in scoring with 19 points on 9-12 shooting. For the rookies, John Paul Golong started at SG and scored 12 points to go with 6 assists and 4 rebounds in 37 minutes. He did commit two offensive fouls, which were his only two turnovers of the game and contributed to his fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Neil Clarke replaced him and was equally effective, scoring 12 points, hitting the team's only three-pointer of the game, and equaling the other team's entire production from the charity stripe as he attempted a game-high 12 free throws, making 7 (the other team shot 7-12 from the line as well). Pagan, Belhadj, Golong, and Clarke all received 48+ minutes for training, so hopefully we'll see some nice pops tomorrow.

Another unexpected cup win against a D.IV team, but it looks like the Claws will be bowing out and watching the rest of the Cup games from their living room couches as they face the former NBBA team Slashing Dragons next Thursday. However, the looming end of their cup run did not deter them, and even the loss of starting center Gilbert Rutledge could not stop them as the short-handed Maine squad "Clawed" their way to a 96-95 road victory over Ciudad de Panama Perros. Mallory Montel, starting in place of the injured Rutledge, had two buckets in the final minute including the go-ahead shot with two seconds left in regulation, Youseff Belhadj nearly messed around and got himself a triple double with 21 points 9 rebounds and 9 assists, and Michael Eini had 17 points, nine rebounds, 6 assists, and the game-saving block of Orlando Capriles' layup attempt at the buzzer. Next Tuesday, Maine Claws return home to face the newly created team odd future.

In other league news, Naples Napalm won handily (no surprises here) and Da vicks beat V squad at home, 100-83. For the time being, this puts the Claws in first place in the great 8.

Nice Run Claws!

Thanks! Well all good things must come to an end, and facing former NBBA team Slashing Dragons in the cup, the Claws coaching staff decided that building up enthusiasm and getting training for some backups was more important than going down in a blaze of glory. Hence only three players dressed, and Slashing Dragons blew Maine out 127-25.

Now on to all-star week. First a look at the Big 8 starters:

PG: Antonio Ruiz Díaz (10606457), Naples Napalm:
Diaz is the highest paid player in the league and earned every penny with his performance so far this season, as he started every game for the league leading Naples Napalm and averaged 18.7 ppg on 47.5% shooting from the field (34.6% from 3-point range) and also added 7.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. However, he was even more of a force on the defensive end, averaging 2.2 steals per game and holding opponents to 22.8% shooting (42-184) from the field and 14% (7-50) from beyond the arc. He definitely deserves to be an all-star starter.

SG: Corrado Trombini (6392015), Da Vicks:
At 31 years old, Trombini is just one of three all-stars over the age of 30. However, this season he showed he hasn't lost a step as he played in every game and averaged a team-high 24.8 ppg, good for third in the league. He shot 45.5% from the field and had his best season from the 3-point line since season 10, shooting 42.5% from deep (he shot 42.9% in season 10). Trombini also elevated his game against other top league teams, scoring 39 points to lead Da Vicks in a win over the Maine Claws, 104-86.

SF: Orlando Capriles (18429450),Ciudad de Panamá Perros:

Capriles played in every game for his team without a break, even playing in a third cup game or scrimmage every week. He averaged 17.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and a team-high 4.5 apg in 38.1 minutes per game. Perhaps one of the best things about Capriles is his efficiency with the ball, as he shot 49.7% from the field, 45.5% from three, and 71.1% from the free-throw line.

PF: Nicolas Diaz (13375417), Naples Napalm:

Diaz shares a similar last name with his teammate and fellow all-star Antonio Ruiz Díaz, and the two are the same height at 6'5", but there the resemblance between the blond Argentinian and the red-headed Frenchman ends. Diaz played in all thirteen games and started at both the power forward and center spots, averaging a team-high 20.7 ppg to go with his team-high 16.7 rebounds, good for second in the league. He also was an excellent passer out of the post with 4.5 assists per game. Shooting 60% from the field and 85.4% from the stripe, he was virtually unstoppable on offense. If not for the talent of his teammates, Diaz could very well have led the league in scoring.

C: Olímpio Paraíso (738035), Da Vicks:

Paraíso is one of the oldest players in the league at 36, but still managed to play at a very high level. He only averaged 9.7 ppg, which is surprising in an all-star, but his efficiency and contributions to a very good team likely earned him the nod over more talented players like Naples Napalms' Enriko Viks, a mid-season addition who was likely also overshadowed to a certain extent by his teammates. Still, this selection is probably disputable.

And now the Big 8 backups:

PG: John Krueger (20675453), Double Dubz:
If not for Díaz, Krueger would easily have been the starter. He averaged 22.0 ppg on 49.8% shooting and 41.1% from distance, to go with 5.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He also was very careful with the ball, averaging a mere 0.8 turnovers per game (an astonishingly low number for a point guard). On the defensive end, he also averaged 2.4 steals per game, but appeared to gamble a lot as opposing guards still managed to score fairly effectively or get by him to attack the basket (Note: I say this because in one game, the opposing point guard attempted 13 free throws and appeared to draw most of his fouls on the Double Dubz center, who fouled out while Krueger only had one foul. This would seem to indicate that Krueger allowed his man to beat him inside, forcing the center to foul him to prevent an easy basket.

SG: Noe McBride (20675463), Double Dubz:
McBride averaged 25.8 ppg, good for second in the league, but he ends up backing up Trombini here because of his lower shooting percentage and worse defensive play.

SF: Eugenio Albericci (19462785), Naples Napalm:
Albericci is a mystery. His low salary indicates lower skills, although as a SF his salary probably underrates him. However, he put up decent stats, averaging 13.2 ppg on 49.7% shooting from the field. He likely benefited a lot from having a great point guard to find him when he was open, and a great PF who demanded attention from the defense, resulting in more of those open looks. So while he has a decent stat line, a player like Da Vicks' Manuel Barella might be more deserving based on individual talent.

PF: Enriko Viks (12133110), Naples Napalm:
A very strong case can be made that Viks should be the all-star starter at PF and Diaz the starter at C. However the fans didn't see it that way, but Viks' obvious talent was too great to pass up, and he ends up backing up his teammate here in the all-star game and starting alongside him every other week.

C: Ed Manley (21069311), Ciudad de Panamá Perros:
Manley is very good on the boards and an above-average defender, but horrible offensively as he only average 5.3 ppg in 31 minutes and shot a miserable 32.5% from the field. For a player whose shots come close to the basket, this is absolutely unacceptable, but a lack of quality center play and his aforementioned defense convinced enough fans to vote him into the all-star game.

Moving on to the Great 8 starters (my conference!):

PG: Cedrick Pagan (22090038), Maine Claws:
When he was drafted with the 11th pick in the Season 17 draft, Claws reporters and draftniks viewed him mostly as "the consolation prize in the Aaron Meeker sweepstakes". One expert said, "He's better than Gary McDowell, but he's no Aaron Meeker and even players like Calvin Bunn, Richard Duvall, and Maurice Wilbanks are more ready to contribute than he is." Another wrote, "He's an excellent athlete who could be something special if he ever lived up to his potential, but is that ever going to happen? He's a solid on-ball defender and a decent passer with a nice touch on his jumpshot, but he doesn't have true three-point range, he lacks the ability to finish at the rim, and watching him bring the ball up the court is quite frankly an eyesore. In short, he doesn't have the size or skills to play small forward, which is where his offensive game might fit best, he lacks the shooting stroke to be a 2-guard, and if he can't handle the ball will he ever amount to much at point guard?" While all these criticisms had merit, Pagan made it his mission to prove the doubters wrong, as he won the starting job straight out of training camp as a rookie. He suffered some ups and downs as a rookie, but in his second season he has really come into his own. For training reasons, he has split time with John Paul Golong and has only played in half the games, but when he has played he has been magnificent. This season, he is averaging 16.1 ppg and 10.6 assists per game, along with 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals. Although he still lacks that three-point touch (18.2% (2-11) on the season), he is making 44.3% of his shots from the field and is making his free throws at a 90.5% clip. This season, he tied a league record with 19 assists in a game, and he's still only 19 and getting better every week.

SG: Youseff Belhadj (22263996), Maine Claws:
Belhadj is one of the most versatile players in the league. He can play or defend any position on the court, and his remarkable chemistry with Cedrick Pagan has led to some spectacular plays. This season, he is averaging 16.1 ppg on 46.8% from the field and 50.0% from three, 10.1 rpg,and 6.0 apg for the Claws. He also plays for his country's junior national team (Al Jazair). There have been rumors that he may be on the trading block to make way for Neil Clarke and John Paul Golong to train with Pagan, but his on-court performance has nothing to do with this speculation. There is a reason why he received the most all-star votes of any player this season.

SF: Michael Eini (6853027), Maine Claws:
Eini has been a little overshadowed by the more compelling storylines of his younger teammates, but he remains a solid presence for the Claws. He is still the go-to player for big baskets, as the team's best shooter and with the best ability to create his own shot. He is averaging 16.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, and 4.4 apg.

PF: Ömer Faruk Turaç (11550171), V Squad:
Turac averaged 13.4 ppg and 10.6 rebounds per game. However, these stats do not tell the whole story as Turac showed surprising ability on both the offensive and defensive end. Offensively, he shot 46.4% from the field, but showed a nice outside touch for a big, making 42.3% of his perimeter shots. And he was surprisingly solid from the line, making 78.8% of his free throws. Defensively, he averaged 2.4 blocks per game as part of one of the best defensive frontcourts in the league.

C: José Firmino Lins (9241249), V Squad:
They say "You can't teach height", and at 7'1", Lins is not lacking in that department. He leads the league in rebounds with a staggering 19.4 per game, and although he only averages 10.5 ppg he does so fairly effectively, and his contributions on the defensive end and especially on the glass definitely make up for any offensive limitations.

Great 8 backups:

PG: John Paul Golong(23476013), Maine Claws:
Golong is a rookie, but his agent will definitely be seeking a pay raise for him next season. Although his upside is somewhat limited and he can't defend well or rebound at all, he has put up remarkable stats for a player of his position. He came out of a weak draft class, so expectations were low, but even so the Claws front office again confounded the experts by taking Golong with 'better' players like Johnny Crockett still on the board. Especially with a young point guard like Pagan on the roster and a definite need at backup SF, the selection of Golong had fans and experts alike scratching their heads in bewilderment. However, the rookie performed very well in his opportunities this season, splitting time with Pagan at PG and averaging 15.9 ppg on 50.5% shooting (35.7% from three) and 8.1 assists (which would be good for second in the league behind only Pagan). The team hopes he can use this all-star selection as a confidence-builder to improve and become a solid contributor to this franchise for a long time to come.

SG: Theo Briscoe (21603292), V Squad:
Briscoe averaged 20.4 ppg, earning him the selection here. However, he took a lot of shots, and his other stats were otherwise unremarkable, which is why the fans overwhelmingly voted Belhadj the starter.

SF: Mario Alberto Melonar (19368435), V Squad:
Melonar had very pedestrian stats, but makes it onto the roster because the Hustling Hawks traded superstar Anaximandros Lekkas away before the all-star voting. Lekkas was averaging 32.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 4.2 apg before he was traded. His absence opens up a spot for Melonar.

PF: Wade Campbell (25541174), Grey Huskies:
Somewhere every other power forward in the Great 8 is cursing the ignorant fans/sobbing their hearts out/drinking themselves into a stupor over this astonishing selection. Campbell is objectively one of the worst players in the league, plays for a horrible team, has only played 7 games, and put up mediocre numbers (12.1 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 5.6 apg). Those numbers are decent, but not great, and furthermore they are inflated by being on such a bad team.

C: Mallory Montel (19512002), Maine Claws:
Oh how quickly the fans forget. Montel was the Claws' backup center for most of the season, a role in which he averaged 9.5 ppg and 9.3 rpg in 25 mpg. Gilbert Rutledge, the starting center, was averaging 13.4 ppg on 60.6% from the field and was playing exceptionally well offensively. Before he got injured, he was showing the ability to get open down low in the half-court offense and run the floor in transition for several nice feeds from Pagan for powerful dunks, and was well on his way to an all-star berth. Then he got hurt, missed 4 games, and in the first game after he goes down Montel replaces him and scores 19 points on 9-12 shooting, including the go-ahead basket with two seconds left in a thrilling 96-95 victory. Since then, the fans' loyalty switched, and Montel was voted into the all-star game instead of the probably more deserving Rutledge. Oh well that's how the story goes.

Last edited by Trueborn at 3/26/2012 4:36:08 PM

And the Claws would like to say goodbye to Neil Clarke, an 18yo rookie SG who was chosen with the 43rd pick of the draft. Clarke showed very nice skills and potential and was a bargain salary-wise, but he was improving relatively slowly and the team decided to focus in a different direction with first-round pick John Paul Golong and established young talents in Cedrick Pagan and Youseff Belhadj. So he was shipped off to a D.IV Hong Kong team. The Maine Claws wish nothing but the best to Neil as he pursues his career overseas, with the goal of returning to play in the United States again someday.

(Hopefully the Hong Kong manager will actually train him and not just keep listing him on the TL for 3 or 4 times the price he paid for him, which Chinese/Hong Kong managers often do).