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San Nicolas' balanced attack overwhelm BBM foe

BuzzerBeater Madness
Neutral Arena

It had all the makings of a down-the-wire matchup, but the San Nicolas Sharks found an extra gear that their BBM counterparts UncleDrew Team could not match leading to a 101-77 drubbing at the hands of the Cavite five on neutral ground.

It was a close matchup throughout the first half with UncleDrew keeping in step with the Sharks. The first 24 minutes ended with just a five-point lead for San Nicolas, 45-40.

But a furious 3rd quarter storm allowed the Sharks to fully take control of the game for good. Powered by the triumvirate of Koki Dzotsenidze, Pablo López and Yousef Bin-Yaseen, the Bacoor ballclub kept their scoring pace while they clamped down on the defensive end, allowing just 11 points in the period. Any ensuing attempts at a comeback lacked the necessary fire to even be considered a threat from that point onwards.

The aforementioned frontcourt trio combined for 53 points, with Dzotsenidze and Bin-Yaseen notching impressive double-doubles hauling 15 boards each. Three other Sharks players scored in double figures to further underline the balanced approach to the game.

"This was a good test for us." said team manager Ceruver, "Especially in terms of how we are able to adjust our approach to the game by the 2nd half" he further added.

"Our start to the game wasn't bad at all. It was just a matter of them keeping in step with what we were doing offensively." said Markos Papatrichas, who scored 14 points in the contest. "So we needed to mix things up to try and throw them off."

With result gives the Sharks their 2nd BBM win. They will have a short turnaround however when they face Tm____^^^^LKZ in the National Tournament later today at 5:30pm.

Sharks cruise past Cup opponents

Pilipinas National Tournament
SN Forum

Another dominant showing for the San Nicolas Sharks as they battered Tm____^^^^LKZ, 124-48 at their home SN Forum to advance to the 3rd round of the National Tournament.

Led by Pablo López and his 34 markers, the Sharks overwhelmed their opponents from the get-go, using their starter to pummel the visitors. Five other Sharks scored in double-digits and every member of the roster contributed at least three points in the winning effort.

"These early rounds are used to weed out those teams that are not built for the long haul in these types of competitions." said team manager Ceruver, "So it was crucial for us to get the job done and not play around in these rounds because that can be an easy vice to fall under."

"We were given strict instructions not to take this game lightly." said Yousef Bin-Yaseen, who scored 13pts and grabbed 11 boards. "We understand that these games can be taken for granted and we did not want that to happen."

The Sharks will be facing Crossbones next round this upcoming week. But before that, they will return to action in the League as they face RATSVILLE Razors later today at 5:30pm.

López, Papatrichas lead the way as Sharks win five straight

League III.10 Elimination Round
SN Forum

The San Nicolas Sharks cap off their week with another drubbing as they defeat RATSVILLE Razors, 133-52 at the newly-renovated SN Forum.

Led by the duo of Pablo López and Markos Papatrichas, the Sharks dominated the opening canto exploding for 42 points. This was a sign of things to come as they kept the pressure on the visitors all night until the final buzzer.

López ended up with 32 points to pace the Sharks, followed by Papatrichas with 24 points of his own. Five other Sharks players scored in double figures and all members of the roster scored at least one field goal to further accentuate the dominance.

"This win is crucial for us to keep us above the rest of the Conference for now." said team manager Ceruver. "But it's still a long way to go. Five win in the league won't bring you the championship."

"All this means is that we need to be better, sharper and hungrier every game." said Markos Papatrichas, who also dished out eight assists and grabbed five boards in the game. "We need to perform at this level each and every night if we want to improve over what we achieved the last two seasons."

The win keeps them atop the Big 8 conference. Their next assignment is Golden Titi as they near the end of ther inter-conference forays. The game is next Tuesday at 5:30pm.

Sixth win for Sharks as they outduel rival Golden Titi

League III.10 Elimination Round
Teething Pain Arena

The San Nicolas Sharks begin their game week on a positive note, defeating archrivals Golden Titi, 87-60 on their home floor at Teething Pain Arena.

A balanced attack led by Markos Papatrichas and Koki Dzotsenidze early on overwhelmed the hosts, leading to a 23-12 spread at the end of the first period. Pablo López would join the fray later on in the 2nd and 3rd quarters before Paco Barrueso finished of the game with his scoring in the final period.

Barrueso would lead the Sharks in scoring with 16 points with Papatrichas not far behind with 15. Dzotsenidze and López both score 13 apiece. All other Sharks players entered the floor and scored at least one field goal.

"It's crucial for us to win this game against our rival." said team manager Ceruver. "Our fanbase needs to know if our game translates well in these types of situations where usually tactics and stats are thrown out of the window." he further added.

"At this point, it's easy to underestimate games and take games for granted." said Dzotsenidze, who grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked five shots for the night. "But we just need to keep on challenging ourselves knowing that there's still a lot of this season left and we can't let any game slip away to reach our goal." he continued.

With how the rest of the League went down this game day, the Sharks are the only unbeaten team remaining. But before they take to the court for their next League assignment, they will have to face Turkish side Alapli Devils in their next BBM match today at 5:30pm then they take on Crossbones in the next round of the National Tournament tomorrow same time of 5:30pm.

Alaplı Devils overwhelmed by Sharks in BBM tie

BuzzerBeater Madness
Neutral Grounds

The San Nicolas Sharks notch their third win of the your BBM season by defeating Alaplı Devils, 100-74 on neutral grounds yesterday evening.

Anchored by their three-pronged attack of Pablo López, Paco Barrueso and Markos Papatrichas, the Sharks imposed their will early with the first 12 minutes ending 30-9. This proved to be the difference as the quarters that followed were as competitive as two teams can be.

"Tranquilo" López scored 24 points to lead all players followed by "Vulcan" with 16 and Papatrichas's 15 points. Koki Dzotsenidze and Arlie Villarin both notched 12 markers as well in the winning effort.

"This game was like those boxing matches where a spectacular knockout was there early and yet the match ended on points." said team manager Ceruver. "But a win is a win though and the boys did enough to win this game" he further added.

"They were finding their groove as the game went on." said Markos Papatrichas. "But once they got it, we have established our defense good enough that we can withstand their scoring outbursts and match them point for point."

With the win, the Sharks carry a lot of momentum entering their next assignment, a National Tournament game against Crossbones later today at 5:30pm.

Crossbones eliminate Sharks from National Tournament

Pilipinas National Tournament
Boneyard

The San Nicolas Sharks have been booted out of the National Tournament after losing to Crossbones, 98-80 at Boneyard earlier today.

A 59-point explosion from forward Mark Montemayor proved to be more than enough to eliminate the Cavite-based squad from the tourney despite the fact that there were no other player from the home side that made it to double figures.

Crossbones went to Montemayor on almost every possession all game long. This proved to the the catalyst for the home side as his hands remained hot throughout the game. Shooting for 51% from the field including five three point shots.

"He was unstoppable this game. We threw everything but the sink and it still not worked." said team manager Ceruver. "His ability to find his spot was crucial and when he got his rhythm, he cannot be stopped." he further added.

The Sharks were led by Markos Papatrichas with 28 points while Koki Dzotsenidze had a double-double of 21 points and 10 boards for the game. Pablo López contributed 14 points in the losing effort.

"This was a tough lesson learned. We gave it our best shot and it's easy to see that we still have a long way to go." said Papatrichas, who also had four rebounds, five assists and two steals in the game. "We should keep ready at all times and we should make it a point to be focused in each game from this point forward."

The Sharks will have two days to recuperate before they take the floor against BC Celestial Wrath as they continue their League campaign on the 24th of July at 5:30pm.

Sharks demolish BC Celestial Wrath for seventh League win

League III.10 Elimination Round
Heavens Gate

Vengeful after being tossed unceremoniously from the National Tournament last Thursday, the San Nicolas Sharks vent their frustrations on a hapless BC Celestial Wrath, 146-68 at Heavens Gate.

Overwhelming their hosts from the get-go, San Nicolas went on a scoring tear in the first quarter, tallying 47 points while locking down their counterparts to just 16. The middle quarters were all about the Sharks imposing their will in the interior with multiple successful incursions from Markos Papatrichas and Pablo López. Yousef Bin Yaseen himself had a field day at the offensive glass.

Paco Barrueso would finish off the game as it went to extended garbage time, providing the scoring punch to stave off any attempt of the home team of a comeback or making the spread respectable.

Papatrichas led all scorers with 26 points, 10 assists, two steals and three blocks in an all-around showing for the Cavite ballclub. Yousef Bin-Yaseen notched a double-double of 24 points and 16 boards along with four blocks of his own. Four other Sharks players scored in double digits in yet another dominant effort.

“This was a good way to bounce back for us.” Said team manager Ceruver. “We needed a jolt in our system after being eliminated from the Cup for the boys to hang their hats on” he further added.

“This is a good way to try and build momentum for our remaining games.” Said Markos Papatrichas. “While the pressure for us to win each game we walk in is gone, we still need to have the objective of trying to grab as much wins as possible to better our chances in the knockout stages.”

The win puts the Sharks atop the League with seven wins against no losses so far midway into the first round of eliminations. They will go up against _SHARPSHOOTERS_ on the 27th of July.

Sharks upend The Nobodies to complete first round sweep

League III.10 Elimination Round
SN Forum

It took some withstanding of a game-long threat from the visiting squad, but the San Nicolas Sharks came up big in the final canto to win against Great 8 contender The Nobodies, 94-82 to a jampacked crowd at the SN Forum.

Coming off a rollercoaster of a week, where the Cavite five saw a League win against lowly J Court followed by a second straight heartbreaking loss in BBM competition at the hands of Ethereal Rabbits, the home side were looking to finish the week off on a positive note. But the visitors had other plans.

Powered by Laureano Queixeiro early on, The Nobodies took the fight to the Sharks. But the tandem of Koki Dzotsenidze and Pablo López connived to take the lead at the end of the first, 24-23.

The second quarter would see Turkish spitfire guard Fehim Samur take more shots at the basket, which was more than enough to take the driver seat from the Bacoor-based franchise at the end of the first half, 44-40.

Samur would deal further damage when play resumed in the second half, with the visitors leading by as much as eight points, until a 7-0 run led by Yousef Bin-Yaseen and Markos Papatrichas would keep the Sharks within one point, 52-51, about halfway through the quarter.

The ensuing six minutes would see the two squads exchange baskets like prized fighters exchanging blows, until a Victor Boteros jumper finally saw the Sharks take the lead at 59-58 with about a minute left in the 3rd quarter. This would prove to be the scoreline after three periods, with all the makings of a cardiac finish at play.

But a quick 7-1 run in the opening minutes of the 4th engineered by Bin-Yaseen, Dzotsenidze and "Tranquilo" López caught The Nobodies flat-footed. The Sharks would continue to call Dzotsenidze's number underneath as he proved to be unstoppable in the paint. The lead went as high as 13 points at one stretch.

The "Georgian Tower" would end up with a monster effort of 28 points and 17 rebounds, with López following with 25. Bin-Yaseen had a decent outing of his own with 14 points and 14 boards. Papatrichas rounded up the double-digits scorers for the Sharks with just 10 points, but he came up big in other departments grabbing seven caroms and dishing out five assists.

"This was a character game for us." said team manager Ceruver. "We had a rough patch this week and we were having a tough game early on. It was key for us to find that next gear that will prove to be the difference in these types of games" he further added.

"It's good to win these types of games." said Markos Papatrichas. "Especially when the usual flow of the game doesn't really come your way and you have to look to other parts of your team system to try and make work for the game. This time, it was Koki that shined." he further added.

The win keeps them atop the League with an unblemished 11-0 record. They will put that streak on the line against Great 8 #3 seed and former DII squad dakdakers on the 10th of August.

Sharks shutout Big 8 All-Star team starters selection

League III.10
All-Star Roster Selection

Powered by a dominant season thus far carrying a 12-1 record, the San Nicolas Sharks are rewarded for their efforts as six members of their roster will join the mid-season exhibition game.

The backcourt duo of Paco Barrueso and Markos Papatrichas will be showcasing their wares in the big stage. Pablo López will be the 3-man while Yousef Bin-Yaseen and Koki Dzotsenidze will be manning the frontcourt for the Big 8 Conference All-Star Team.

Not to be left out either, they will also be joined by AD Cas as backup point guard for the game. The rest of the roster is composed of Pere Cardona and Avraham Egozi of Gilas Jazz, and Banin Suances and Cesar Freixo of markandmay.

Their counterparts in the Great 8 are no pushovers. new era ph's Clark Jones and Le Dibin will be the starting point guard and pivot man, respectively, with dakdakers' Brin Sequitin and Jerome Upchurch as the starting forwards. They are joined by Fehim Samur of The Nobodies at starting off-guard.

The rest of the Great 8 Team are dakdakers' Tomás Troya Lopez-Sor and Airlie MacCasland, and new era ph's Maxime Marrec, Aurélien Espagnet and Juan Ernesto Barco.

"I really can't say anything about the announcement. It's staggering." said team manager Ceruver. "Usually, when a team does well in a season it's because of one or two, maybe three players at most." he further added.

"But for our squad, we can truly say that it has been a collaborative effort all season, and this recognition just proves that point. They deserve all the praise at this point."

"We are grateful for the recognition, but we're there to represent our conference and most of all, have as much fun as possible." said Markos Papatrichas. "We've been on a tough grind this season and it's a nice way to pause and take a short break and entertain the fans.

The traditional mid-season classic shall be played at 18 August, with League action returning on the 21st of August.

Ohisashiburi

Fuji Rising Sun looks to rebuild

Shizuoka, Japan -- In a few hours, superstar Dexter Paul Tupas will move to his new team. It was a tough decision but ultimately decided for the franchise to rebuild.

"The past year, we have been runner-up twice," owner Yo Chi said. "last season, we didn't make the Finals." According to the owner, "we have failed our fans in not acquiring players as we relied on internal improvement and chemistry."

Tupas was brought three seasons ago to push the team and make it back to the PPL - which they failed twice. They consider the recent season as a "setback which is entirely our fault" since they didn't acquire any players and let their core age.

Insider told us that they will be relying on Art Rosalio, their very own first overall pick. "We never had a 1st overall pick," GM Maro said. "I could remember several 2nd's but never a 1st."

They hope to unleash Rosalio as Tupas may held him back in being the "franchise player" of the team. Hopes and expectations are high of him.

This may be a rocky several seasons unless management find the "itch" to sign players via free agency which is always an option with this deep-pocket team. "If they find a player they like, they wouldn't hesitate to spend," a reporter said. "they're always on the losing end of deals but they love their players and that's their identity."

Another observer said, "talent is abundant on this team but they have a lot of veterans which they couldn't let go. Thus, it stunts the growth of the youngsters."

Players to watch includes John Lloyd "Cruz" Francisco who was underutilized last year. As such, rookie Morty Encomio.

With an aging roster, they are also looking for a new home for Casareno, Corazo and Castrelo; Tuarez is also available. It seems this is the season wherein they will embrace and enjoy playing the youngsters!

The Bitter Pill of a Rebuild

League III.10
San Nicolas Sharks HQ

What a difference a few months make.

After finally breaking through with their maiden Finals appearance last season, the San Nicolas Sharks cannot seal the deal, getting swept in the title round by eventual champion new era ph.

"We were at the peak of our performance all season long, so for it to end that way was truly heartbreaking." said team manager Ceruver when asked about last season's squad. "Game 2 was pretty much indicative of where we were as a squad. We threw everything at them, gave them the best game we could ever muster and it was still not enough to win." he further added.

Since then, pretty much the lifeblood of the squad was sent on transfers in one fell swoop. Koki Dzotsenidze, Yousef Bin Yaseen and Pablo Lòpez were all sent packing in the offseason.

"We took a gamble by fielding the best lineup we could put together. It was showing signs of brilliance during the season, but we could not cap it off with the title." Ceruver remarked.

"It's not the best feeling when you've put yourself in a position to win it all and yet you can't." said top gun Markos Papatrichas. "The sense of finality is not as satisfying because it wasn't you that lifted the trophy in the end." he further added.

"I will not deny that while I have full trust in management that they will make sure that the team remains competitive in the long term, the departure of those guys sting hard and makes it seem like a void remains unfilled in our team facilities."

As of this writing, the Sharks have yet to replenish the lost depth at the frontcourt spots, with youngsters Victor Boteros, Marc Cerezo and rookie Pedro Morales manning the paint for the Cavite five.

"As for now, we are focusing on improvements to our revenue-generating infrastructure to try and improve our bottom line." said Ceruver. When pressed for further comment on when the Sharks will dive into the transfer market again, the Bacoor-based gaffer neither confirmed nor denied.

"We will always look into the market for prospects. We understand the frustrations of the fanbase as we too want to be as competitive as possible. But these are necessary measures in order to build a more competitive lineup in the days ahead."

"But for now, we implore patience with the Bacoor community and the rest of the Sharks fanbase." Ceruver concluded.

The Sharks are now three games below .500 and have already incurred as many losses as they endured the last two seasons. They will, however, have an opportunity to get back on the win column when they face Turd World Skanks tomorrow evening.