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Edition 31.01 - Season 30 Recap
20-2http://www.buzzerbeater.com/league/139/overview.aspx?seas...
1st in Big 8 Conference - 2nd Overall
Won Finals vs. DEVILDOGS (2-1)

REGULAR SEASON
The Unicorns were desperate to promote this season. Manager Cletus wanted bigger salaries, bigger crowds in the arena, bigger challenges in the road ahead.

The Unicorns began the season with the kind of hunger and focus required to attain those very goals. The team mostly breezed through the first inter-conference games, saving up enthusiasm and dispatching easy cup opponents along the way.

The lone challenge was getting past a stacked Toronto--Raptors(24992) before their manager was sacked due to shady business practices. The Raptors boasted a roster four times as expensive as the Unicorns and were heavy 13-point favorites playing at home, but could not pull out a win.

The Unicorns brilliantly went with a Princeton offense for the only team all year, exploiting some poor defense found on some of the Raptors' mono-skilled but expensive players. The balanced skills and deep bench of the Unicorns paid dividends (as it would also later in the year), outscoring the home side 31-23 in the final quarter and taking the game 95-92.(79028339) The game winning shot was hit at the buzzerhttp://www.buzzerbeater.com/match/79028339/reportmatch.as... by then starting point guard Mohd Shahrul bin Saidi(13594947).

Inter-conference play saw the Unicorns swallow their first loss of the season(79028371) versus eventual finalists DEVILDOGS(24840). Two weeks later and another loss, this time to division two Big ballerz(24850) sent them out of the cup in the sixth round. It was evident that the nucleus of the Unicorn team at point in the season was not likely to produce a winning run in the playoffs.

Viktor Khvorostovskiy(10859227) received his walking papers to Poland and the Unicorns finally got Patryk Drelichowski(25345230) back from a three week ankle injury he sustained before coming to the Canadian side. Irving Watts(33517182) had also developed into a solid division three starter by this juncture. In proficient game shape all but four weeks in season 29, Watts failed to hit proficient even once in season 30!

The star players get all the publicity and ass after the game, but there is more to the Unicorn team. The bench made the Unicorns the deepest team in the league, with everyone getting quality minutes at each position all season long.

Gyõzõ Gehér(24252145) led the team in free throw percentage (95.7%), Felix Touchette(33558455) led the team in offensive rebounds (3.2), and future sensation 19-year-old Daniel Spirau(34359692) led the team in blocks per game (1.8).

Although the team finished with a league high of +1236 point differential, a late road loss to TimHortonS(33188) cost the Unicorns home court in the playoff finals. A seed of doubt was planted for promotional plans!

PLAYOFFS
Game shape was an issue heading into the playoffs, despite players getting proper minutes. Just two players at proficient and new center Dionýz Gažúr(12246211) still at respectable after a late season transfer from Finland.

The Unicorns began the playoffs against fourth place Old Bones, who were easily defeated 114-47(82012941). The front court threesome of Klimowickz, Watts, and Drelichowski lead the way with 38 of 58 shooting.

The second game provided retribution for the late season stumble against TimHortonS. A strong start meant a 28 point lead by halftime, and the teams essentially traded baskets in the final 24 minutes for a 122-90 finish(82111698). Gažúr with a monster 27 point, 23 rebound performance on 11 for 12 shooting.

Last edited by U21 CAN Cletus at 5/29/2015 1:26:34 AM

(continued)

That set the table for an entertaining three game final between the Unicorns and Great 8 champ DEVILDOGS. In game 1, a furious rally, including three pointers from Ruofang, Ruofang again, and Fiorentini in the game's final 24 seconds, erased an 8 point deficithttp://www.buzzerbeater.com/match/82260766/reportmatch.as.... However, in overtime it wasn't meant to be and the Dogs pulled away for a 108-100 victory.

Game two returned the action back to the friendly confines of the Lascaux Cave. The Unicorns played some of their best basketball of the season, drubbing their opposition 137-90(82260767) using an up-tempo PTB tactic. Gažúr had a sensational 40 points and 20 boards, and the post players shot 32 for 47. Opposing center Ruben Calao(28992224) fouled out in just 16 minutes in the onslaught.

That set up a winner take all game 3 the very next day, and the action did not disappoint. Baskets were much harder to come by, and the Unicorns had to deal with some poor shooting in the back and forth affair. The DEVILDOGS once again held a comfortable lead, up 12 with 8:09 left in the fourth, but the Unicorns never say die. Five minutes later the lead had disappeared as Calao fouled out for the second straight game.

The Unicorns hit their free throws down the stretch and despite a heroic effort by SG Tasoulis Kipouros(27560851), the visitors took down a 93-90 win(82260768). Game honors to Fiorentini for his 25 points and 14 rebounds in the season ender.

TEAM LEADERS
Minutes - Irving Watts - 43.8/game
Field Goals - Viktor Khvorostovskiy - 64-102 (62.7%)
3 Pointers - Aniello Fiorentini - 12-25 (48.0%)
Free Throws - Gyõzõ Gehér - 22-23 (95.7%)
Rebounds - Aniello Fiorentini - 12.8/game
Assists - Irving Watts - 5.6/game
Steals - Irving Watts - 2.6/game
Blocks - Daniel Spirau - 1.8/game
Points - Irving Watts - 18.8/game
Rating - Aniello Fiorentini - 12.9

GDP GUESSES
Unicorns vs Opponents - 43/47 (91.5%)
Opponents vs Unicorns - 0/5 (0.0%)

Last edited by U21 CAN Cletus at 5/29/2015 1:28:06 AM

Edition 31.02 - Season 31 Preview
Surviving II.2http://www.buzzerbeater.com/league/130/overview.aspx?seas... and avoiding relegation is the ultimate goal here. After rewarding the Unicorn faithful with a thrilling 3-game playoff series win, the last thing the team wants to do is fall back down to a lackluster third division.

That being said, not too many teams know adversity like the Unicorns, who had to grind out the end of the regular season and the playoffs without their starting center after a gruesome injury. The Big 8 will be a gauntlet and the team will have to dig deep to win some key games against teams likely to be close in the standings. Lumps are sure to be taken against Auto-Pilot Inc., managed by the legendary Rip, as well as salary leaders North York H_L3V3L.

OFF-SEASON MOVES
Key Additions - None
Key Losses - Óscar Antonio Bejega(14692965)
Key Draftees - Tim Mughal(36038916)

With the primary focus on adding to the arena to maximize revenue in the first half of the season, manager Cletus did not go out of his way to add to the roster. Going forward, the priority will be to upgrade the PG and SG positions first. The late year addition of Dionýz Gažúr(12246211) helped solidify the bigs along with the consistent and multi-talented Aniello Fiorentini(22691707) and Patryk Drelichowski(25345230).

The club has proudly locked up Irving Watts(33517182) for the long term, signing him to a three-year $14 million extension despite missing out on the Canada U21 team. Although disappointed by not being called up, Watts made significant improvements throughout the year and continues towards being a dominant cornerstone team member. Don't be surprised if Watts never ends up playing for another team.

Contracts expiring this year include Christopher Cachet(11959339), Benedykt Forys(8218052), Juan Felix Touchette(33558455), and Gyõzõ Gehér(24252145). For those four, days wearing the Unicorns colors could be numbered.

Bejaga leaves after a strong season playing C for the Unicorns. Always a double-double threat, his age, late-season hip injury, and diminishing skills left management with no choice to let him go. The Unicorns wish him the best of luck with his new club, Peo Team(45885) in the Italian second division.

The Unicorns came away from draft night with one solid selection, Tim Mughal. The 19-year-old enters Buzzerbeater after a solid high school career at St. Mike's in Toronto. Mughal's strengths lie in his commitment to defense, drawing comparisons to the Raptors' Tyler Hansbrough. Sadly, the Unicorns do not have a roster spot available for Mughal and have placed him on the free agent market.

PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
PG - Cachet / Saidi
SG - Ruofang / Spirau / Desmond
SF - Watts / Klimowickz / Forys
PF - Drelichowski / Gehér / Touchette
C - Gažúr/ Fiorentini

X-FACTOR - Threat of demotion
The longer and lower the Unicorns linger in the standings, the more likely Cletus will have to reach into the pocketbook and bring in new signings in order to stay competitive.

Age will also play a role, as Cachet and Gažúr are pushing 40. Time is of the essence to squeeze out all the good play they have left. On the other hand, with the development of the team's youth at the SF position, the Unicorns want to stay in division two in order to stay away from financial strains that would accompany the team if they happened to relegate.

PREDICTED STANDINGS
7th - Big 8 Conference

Last edited by U21 CAN Cletus at 5/6/2015 3:11:10 AM

Cool idea. Makes reading forum more interesting

Edition 31.03 - Player Profile - Irving Watts
(http://i.imgur.com/vKDb4sd.jpg)
Ask Irving Watts and he'll tell you he strives to become the greatest small forward in Canadian basketball history.

His unique combination of energy, power, mental toughness, and the desire to win at all costs conceivably has him on that very path.

After spotting the standout Watts at a youth basketball camp run in his name, the great Essa Abu-Kaleel commented, "Someone special grows before us."

He burst onto the scene scoring 29 points, distributing 9 assists, and acquiring 6 steals in his Division III debut. In his sophomore year he scored a career high 61 points versus Molson Export. The following season he turned heads making a triple double during the first televised game for the Unicorns. And in the latest campaign, he became an all-star, starting at power forward for the Big 8.

His hard nosed playing style captured many new fans for the Unicorns and help drive merchandising and season ticket holder numbers each season.

Born in Brantford, Ontario (also the home of Wayne Gretzky) meant putting in many years on the hockey rink, only to make the switch to hoops during junior high school.

He was a natural on the hardwood, and by high school was the main scoring option. He lead North Park Collegiate team to an OFSAA semi-finals appearance, followed by an OFSAA title in consecutive years.

His unmistakable upside lead to his decision to enter the pros and forego a trip to college. The timing was magic as Dead Unicorns franchise was created, and Watts was placed on the roster through the expansion draft. Now the sky is the limit for Watts, and he wants to take the Unicorns all the way to a Naismith title.

LIKES
thunderstorms
cereal
playstation
massages
ikea

DISLIKES
crocs
bars of soap
pineapple
morning
the other team

FAVORITES
movie - Sin City
book - The Girl Who Played With Fire
tv show - The Walking Dead
color - green
food - steak
car - Ferrari
music - 90s hiphop
drink - tequila
animal - shark
place - Australia

Last edited by U21 CAN Cletus at 5/29/2015 1:43:02 AM

Edition 31.04 - Manager Interview
With the Unicorns far outperforming expectations and holding a playoff spot in the Big 8, Unicorn manager Cletus Robinson is extremely pleased with the team's progress this season.

"Almost everything has gone smoothly this year. A couple wins really got us rolling and I praise the players and coaches for their level of preparedness before games and effort during games."

Robinson remains grounded and expects some bumpy moments before the season comes to an end.

"We've come thru conference play healthy and drawn well in the cup. There are some tough games against the Great 8 coming up and I imagine a couple clubs we defeated will be back for vengeance before the playoffs arrive."

Robinson has kept the roster intact despite the jump in competition.

"The boys have really banded together and played well as a unit. Changes are inevitable, but right now there's little for me to do but sit back and watch them win some more games."

Two players that Robinson believes exemplify leadership are Patryk Drelichowski and Dionýz Gažúr.

"Both have put maximum effort out there, and aren't afraid to take the hard shots come crunch time. They have that superstar ability but also put the team first. They know we win as a team and lose as a team."

Not to be left out, Robinson points out that the team's staff are all part of the Unicorn's success as well.

"Trainer Patrik Wilkman really puts our trainees through hell in the gym and on the practice floor. Doctor Roger Mannubens keeps the players healthy with his legendary Spanish preventative health technique as well as treating all the smaller bumps and bruises each week.

The last staff member, Nasser Touahria, has the easiest job of all!

"Yes, Nas is doing a great job on the PR side of things. Making sure there are lots of contests and giveaways at games to keep the people coming out. Which is not difficult because we have the best fans in Canada rooting us on."

Robinson seems to have a magic touch with the Unicorns. They sit comfortably in 3rd place while employing the roster with the league's lowest salary.

"We will continue to play to our strength but also spend a lot of time looking at our opponents to exploit their weaknesses as well. We think we have identified games we think are key to winning using more effort or a creative strategy versus knowing our limits and taking a loss against a league powerhouse."

In regards to the rest of the season, Robinson said, "I’m really looking forward to seeing how the guys match the new bar of success we've attained through the first eight games. It's an exciting time to be involved with or a fan of the Unicorns and the future looks bright for the franchise."

The Unicorns are back on the court this evening, facing minnows BADBOY50 in the fourth round of the Kumiko Cup.

---

Player highlights:

Drelichowski - 100 ft% (t-1st), 61.7 fg% (4th)
Gažúr - 100 ft% (t-1st)
Fiorentini - 53.3 3p% (5th)

Team highlights:

stl - 8.3 (1st)
opp turn - 13.9 (1st)
fouls - 13.3 (1st)
opp fouls - 18.6 (2nd)
opp reb - 42.9 (3rd)
opp off reb - 10.3 (3rd)
opp ppg - 82.0 (4th)
opp fg% - 38.6 (5th)
opp blk - 3.4 (5th)

Edition 31.05 - Season 32 Recap
15-7 http://www.buzzerbeater.com/league/130/overview.aspx
4th in Big 8 Conference - 5th Overall
Lost 1st round vs Auto-Pilot Inc.

REGULAR SEASON
The Unicorns had a successful but unassuming season on the court. The regular season went about as planned, and a good cup run into the 8th round added to the bank account. The main goals of training the SFs and building the arena were reached. The Lascaux Cave bleachers and lower tiers now stand at 83% completed, with the goal of 100% completion next season.

The high point of the season would have to be the two games in one week against Webfoots. A close 75-73 win at home (87466986) in the cup was followed by a convincing 106-82 win on the road (85604984) in league play.

As the season drew close to an end it became apparent Auto-Pilot Inc. was stacking up the roster to push for promotion. The management of Dead Unicorns decided to stick to the status quo, not make any big moves, and not stand in the way of the league leaders. Best to have them promote and not have to contend with them next year.

The season concluded with a 115-98 loss (87592254) at the API Training Facility, leaving just a few scrimmages for the squad before golf vacations start.

Again the team played team ball, with no real standouts, "go to" scorers, or huge salary monsters.

LEAGUE LEADERS (Top 10 included)
FT Shooting - Patryk Drelichowski - 42-44 (95.5%) - 4th
FT Shooting - Dionyz Gazur - 68-74 (91.9%) - 9th
AST/G - Bijunas Stanskis - 5.9 - 7th
STL/G - Juan Gilberto Klimowickz - 1.7 - 7th

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS (Top 5 included)
Opp PPG - 77.2 (2nd)
Opp FG% - 33.7 (2nd)
Opp 3PT% - 24.8 (3rd)
FT% - 77.0 (3rd)
AST/G - 23.8 (2nd)
Opp AST/G - 15.0 (4th)
OREB/G - 13.5 (3rd)
REB/G - 53.6 (2nd)
Opp REB/G - 43.9 (4th)
BLK/G - 7.5 (3rd)
Opp STL/G - 4.6 (4th)
TURN - 8.8 (4th)
Opp PF/G - 16.6 (2nd)

Salary - $230,306 (8th)

TEAM LEADERS
Minutes/g - Juan Gilberto Klimowickz - 36.1
Field Goals - Patryk Drelichowski - 130-257 (50.6%)
3 Pointers - Irving Watts - 13-36 (36.1%)
Free Throws - Patryk Drelichowski - 42-44 (95.5%)
Rebounds/g - Patryk Drelichowski - 9.5
Assists/g - Bijunas Stanskis - 5.9
Steals/g - Juan Gilberto Klimowickz - 1.7
Blocks/g - Daniel Spirau - 1.4
Points - Juan Gilberto Klimowickz - 16.0
Rating - Bijunas Stanskis - 13.3

GDP GUESSES
Unicorns vs Opponents - 27/27 (100%)
Opponents vs Unicorns - 0/2 (0.0%)

Things were quiet this year until a very unassuming game on the schedule became a battle for the ages.

The final minute of regular time AND the final minute of OT are insane.

link to final minute of 4th: http://www.buzzerbeater.com/match/87796511/reportmatch.as...
link to final minute of OT: http://www.buzzerbeater.com/match/87796511/reportmatch.as...

Last edited by U21 CAN Cletus at 12/16/2015 2:19:23 AM

Legend is a bit much but thanks :)

I will apologize in advance, the Cup is my focus this season so you will see my starters. Plus an addition of the market does not get the best of a player I am looking at.