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Sam Dunkley: We’re here with Byron Helm, Pascal Michel Pemwieser, and Joy Beko after Linndale’s 136 – 95 victory at home over the Muffin Men. Coach Helm, what was the plan of attack for tonight?

Byron Helm: We just wanted to get our work in. The focus this week was on rebounding, and the guys took it to heart and attacked the boards.

SD: You only gave up 2 offensive boards while grabbing 18, and you more than doubled up the Muffin Men on the boards and dominated inside.

BH: They have a talented big over there in Webber, and we heard a lot about him. My guys wanted to let people know we’re talented, too.

Joy Beko: Big Pimpin’ over here (points to Pemwieser) made it easy tonight. He was able to score inside, and then when he drifted outside he just knocked those down. Webber had to go defend, so that took him out of the equation for stopping us from grabbing the offensive boards.

SD: Pascal, you had a nice game shooting the ball, but how do you think you did defensively?

Pascal Michel Pemwieser: You’re not going to just shut down a guy like Webber. My job was to make him work some and draw him outside away from the rebounds.

BH: We held him to one offensive board, so that was a job done.

SD: Webber has been on an absolute tear. Why was the plan geared specifically for him and not anyone else?

JB: All we’ve heard is that he was coming to carve us up. Well, as good as he is, we have some talented guys on our side, too. We just play differently. He’s got to seemingly do it all. We have the guys to be able to share the load.

BH: These guys know when they’re in the game, the have an assignment and they go out and usually accomplish it. They also know when the next man on the bench gets on the floor, any slack will be picked up. Tonight, it was Beko’s night to remind people why we acquired him. 15 points, 20 rebounds, 7 assists, a steal and a block. He was everywhere and incredible, and still wasn’t our best big man on the floor. Stojakevic and Rongjing were arguably better.

SD: Did you sell out on the inside at the expense of outside defense? The Muffin Men did hit 11 of 17 from the arc.

BH: No. We had faith that our guys would hold up on defense and we thought we had a clear edge on offense with our depth. We had 9 guys in double figures, which bears that out. We still have improvements to make on defense, but we didn’t sell out.

PMP: Our coaches came up with a plan and we executed it. We rebounded, we defended, and we took care of the basketball. These are the things we have to do to win, and we did that tonight.

SD: Last game of the season, a home game against conference leaders F.Day. What do you expect to see?

BH: Their best lineup. They’re only up by one game on the Lion Rebels. I can’t imagine they fear Shangdong, and don’t imagine they want to take chances against Coach Stephenson and the crew at San Dominica. At any rate, we’re going out to give them hell and try to win. We’d love to give them their second loss on the season.

SD: Thank you all for your time, and congrats on the win. Happy, there you have it from Coach Helm, Joy Beko, and Pascal Michel Pemwieser after a 136-95 win over the Muffin Men. Back to you in the studio!

Last edited by Speedtraps at 2/14/2024 3:05:06 AM

Day 21 (Tuesday 13 February 2024) : Performances by (https://www.buzzer-manager.com)

Night results
Shandong Golden Lions 70 - Dragmort Dragons Utd 89
Lion Rebels 88 - San Dominica Warriors 73
209’s MostWanted 96 - F.Day Internet Lovers Club 115
Muffin Men 95 - Linndale 136
Balls to the Walls 82 - Super Sonics 147
Fort Wayne Pistons 140 - Mindless Zombies 🧟‍♀️ 153
Jumpstop Jumpers 95 - CB Bethesdorf 100
VileOnes 61 - Tasty Tardsicles 114

Best collective performance of the evening
Points : 153 : Mindless Zombies 🧟‍♀️
Rebounds : 78 : Mindless Zombies 🧟‍♀️
Assists : 39 : Super Sonics
Steals : 19 : Fort Wayne Pistons
Block Shots : 16 : Super Sonics

Personal best performances of the evening
Points : 43 : E. Piana (F.Day Internet Lovers Club)
Rebounds : 21 : A. Venslauskas (Super Sonics)
Assists : 16 : G. Izaza (Fort Wayne Pistons)
Steals : 4 : A. Pakzat (Dragmort Dragons Utd), G. Izaza (Fort Wayne Pistons), U. Jaén (Fort Wayne Pistons)
Block Shots : 6 : A. Venslauskas (Super Sonics)

Top 5 of the evening
Point Guard : M. Craig (Super Sonics) (30 Points, 3 Rebounds, 10 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 40
Shooting Guard : E. Piana (F.Day Internet Lovers Club) (43 Points, 5 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 48
Small Forward : R. Gordillo (Dragmort Dragons Utd) (32 Points, 8 Rebounds, 1 Assists, 0 Steals, 3 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 32
Power Forward : T. Armstead (Lion Rebels) (20 Points, 18 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steals, 4 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 40
Center : J. Beko (Linndale) (15 Points, 20 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 1 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 39

MVP of the evening
E. Piana (F.Day Internet Lovers Club) (43 Points, 5 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 48

The bad performance of the evening
D. Schroeder (Muffin Men) (0 Points, 1 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : -7

All kinds of statistics
The player who forgot to remove his mittens : T. Burkay (CB Bethesdorf), G. Cinovskis (VileOnes) : 5 Turnovers

Player targeted by the referees : C. O'Brien (San Dominica Warriors), R. Squires (Fort Wayne Pistons) : 6 Personnal Fouls

The iron-man : R. De Calice (Shandong Golden Lions), A. Suprianto (Shandong Golden Lions), R. Gordillo (Dragmort Dragons Utd), D. Branimirović (F.Day Internet Lovers Club), J. Valentin (Jumpstop Jumpers), J. Bover (VileOnes) : 48 Minutes

The shooter : R. Gordillo (Dragmort Dragons Utd), G. Azheli (209’s MostWanted), E. Piana (F.Day Internet Lovers Club), C. Pla Llorente (Balls to the Walls) : 5 Three points

The best performer : T. Freeman (Mindless Zombies 🧟‍♀️) : Rating : 19.5

The worst performer : F. Chongwen (VileOnes) : Rating : 5.0

Final Week Power Rankings
Well, here we are, one final game away from the postseason and relegation series. My apologies for missing last week's rankings - had to travel for family stuff and didn't get around to it. As promised, this week's ranking will include what each team would be ranked according to their improvement/decline in Opponent Efficiency ratings. This will be an "official" which team is the best and worst ranking based on their EFFG and OPP EFFG rankings, however.

16. Balls to the Walls
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 128
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 152.7
OPP EFFG Diff: -24.7
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 15

Before the start of the season, I wrote about how Scags' latest transaction (bringing on Claus Hofstätter probably wouldn't help much. So, he went ahead and spent $784k on 8 new players with a combined $69k in salary. Claus ended up leading them in scoring (18.5 PPG), but four of those new additions finished the season with an Average Rating of at least 9 raising the baseline of their play. And while it was only good enough to win twice (I'm not saying they don't have a chance Saturday night), they were at least not a Div. IV newbie getting blanked night in and night out. They're currently slated to face Dragmort in a relegation series.

15. VileOnes
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 123
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 140.8
OPP EFFG Diff: -17.8
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 13

Unless they beat Jumpstop this weekend, they're locked in on the first pick, which is a fair feat of a tank job with at least two teams technically worse than them. But that was one of my theories in the preseason. They've still got some cash cached up, so I'm sure they'll be back in Div. III before long.

14. Muffin Men
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 132
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 133
OPP EFFG Diff: -1
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 8

If there's one thing we can say about the Muffs, it's that they've been consistent with their allowed efficiency. Despite a -163 Point Differential, as luck would have it, they have an opportunity to win a spot in a relegation series against CB Bethesdorf (probably) and not just be outright demoted with a matchup against 7-seed 209's. But that would be the difference between the 3rd and 4th pick in the draft. And I have to point out, they exceeded my preseason win total expectation by hitting the over on 2.5 games.

13. 209's MostWanted
[ Week 1 OPP EFFG: 132
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 134.7
OPP EFFG Diff: -2.7
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 10

I think it's safe to wonder whether or not Alex's squad is fighting for the 7th seed or eagerly anticipating the 8th. Coincidentally, I had the MostWanted slated at 8th overall in my preseason rankings and questioned whether that would come back to bite me. Well, it did, but not in the way I thought it might. But that was before they basically entirely retooled by dispatching Tian Rumin and Kalman Nadas after previously shedding super star Ariel Ziolkowski, which was $160k in salary. And while they brought in four new players, they only hit $57k in salary combined. And thus, the story was wrought.

12. Jumpstop Jumpers
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 107
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 109
OPP EFFG Diff: -2
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 9

Jumpstop started out 0-5 and then strung together 5 wins to break even and then decided *bleep* it and sold off another $93k in salary after already hitting reset before the season began. They did eventually bring in new blood after a few more weeks, but by then, their fate seemed sealed to battle for one of the relegation spots, and they are positioned for what might be one of the most interesting one with a faceoff against Linndale looms, who was their second to last win for the season.

Final Week Power Rankings - Part Two
11. Linndale
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 99
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 118.8
OPP EFFG Diff: -19.8
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 14

Speaking of the devil...I honestly hate the 6 seed relegation battle...because generally it's two decent teams a piece or two away from competing for near the top of the food chain in each division. But as expected Speedtraps put on a show for us both on the transfer market and on the coaching sidelines. Always a delight!

10. Dragmort Dragons Utd
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 119
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 1106.7
OPP EFFG Diff: 12.3
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 5

I think it's safe to say that Dragmort exceeded expectations this season - I thought they'd be decent but knowing what the top of the Big 8 looked like, I knew it was going to be difficult. But they played up and will finish at least .500 on the season. Bravo!

9. Fort Wayne Pistons
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 94
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 131.6
OPP EFFG Diff: -37.6
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 16

I almost hate to say it, but it's almost always true. Teams like Fort Wayne, while excellent offensively (7th overall in EFFG), their defense betrayed them from being great. That being said, they're the best of the bottom in the great 8 and looking to improve to 10 wins and a chance to knock off Tasty in the playoffs.

8. CB Bethesdorf
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 98.5
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 114
OPP EFFG Diff: -15.5
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 12

I called CB as finishing 6th in the Great 8 before the season began and they're sitting at fifth with a matchup against the #1 team in the conference. With an upset and a better PD than Fort Wayne, they could surprise and force their way into a second matchup against Tasty just three short days later.

7. Shandong Golden Lions
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 102
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 98.2
OPP EFFG Diff: 3.8
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 6

The Golden Lions are the type of Div. II relegator I like to see make their way down to Div. III, unlike southpaw army (who for those of you who are curious, are dominating, enjoying an undefeated season and on route to NBBA). Their Big 3 have kept them competitive and it looks like we'll have back-to-back Lion matchups in the coming days.

6. Mindless Zombies
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 117.5
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 93.8
OPP EFFG Diff: 23.7
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 3

The top three of the Great 8 find themselves at the top of the OPP EFFG rankings list, thanks to the three of them playing each other in the first two games of the season, meaning their early season OPP EFFG were a bit inflated to start. Mindless and Super face off in back to backs as well with home court advantage at stake for the second of those matchups. Super currently enjoys a 27 PD advantage, but a Mindless win at home Saturday night grants them that advantage, while a road win for the Sonics sends them back the Key Arena.

5. SuperSonics
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 131
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 87.7
OPP EFFG Diff: 43.3
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 1

Super didn't believe in themselves very much (which is easy to do in this game), but they've proved themselves hardy. If they lose tomorrow, I'm predicting a second loss directly after. But I've been wrong before.

Final Week Power Rankings - Part Three

4. San Dominica Warriors
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 77.5
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 78.3
OPP EFFG Diff: -0.8
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 7

Seven of the Warriors 11 players make at least $29k, with injured Mario Granja leading the way at $40k. They've consistently done more with less than any other team I've ever seen, proving that quality depth is more important than one or two quality stars.

3. F.Day Internet Lovers Club
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 96.5
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 82.5
OPP EFFG Diff: 14
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 4

A lone loss leaves them at the top of the Big 8, guaranteeing home court advantage for the playoffs, unless Linndale pulls off the miraculous. They've got two legitimate MVP candidates in Tabrizi and Melucci and have successfully sealed their fate with my end of Cup run mistake.

2. Tasty Tardsicles
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 120
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 86.9
OPP EFFG Diff: 33.1
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 2

I wrote before the season that it looked like we might have more parity between the two conferences this season than we'd had recently, and it has definitely improved, but not quite as much as I expected. While I point out that both of Tasty's losses came to Big 8 teams, they also came on the road. A three-game series in the finals is a big difference of opportunity, regardless of HCA.

1. Lion Rebels
Week 1 OPP EFFG: 65
Week 11 OPP EFFG: 69.1
OPP EFFG Diff: -4.1
OPP EFFG Change Rank: 11

It doesn't matter if you finish the best in something, because if you start out at the top, there's not much room for improvement, so you end up near the bottom of the Most Improved lists. I haven't said much about this, but my loss to Muffins, while it stung, was almost redeemed by the fact that I only lost by 4 to one of the better Div. II teams in the Cup that week. But a mistake is a mistake, and I might've blown up my plan to tank in Div. II next season thanks to that lone loss.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is our final rankings of the regular season. I am planning on posting an MVP prediction, and I'm quite excited about it this season because I've figured out a way to try and calculate/guess votes. So, after the games tomorrow night, I'll update my rankings and have a post out on Sunday, I hope.

Best of luck to everyone tomorrow night, especially Linndale.

Best of luck to everyone tomorrow night, especially Linndale.

We're going to find out how much the defense has improved, aren't we? (The answer is not enough, but if they go deep in their rotation we might have a shot.)

We're not kidding anyone; we don't have a shot.

I'd upvote this but then I won't be able to rate your postgame so this will have to do

Last edited by Coach Stephenson at 2/17/2024 8:30:19 PM

Charles:
We are here at the SMG for the final game of the regular season. Warriors go to take on Dragmort Dragons in what most of us would agree is a meaningless game. And I say this for both teams since even if the Dragons get the win tonight and the Golden Lions lose. The point differential is so in Shandong’s favor.

Hunt:
Yeah, interesting to see what both teams do regarding this game. Warriors you think would be looking to go into the playoffs with a win after a loss to the d**n Rebels last Tuesday. I told you all the only way the Warriors were gonna win that game was food poisoning. But nawh

Bret: (losing his mind laughing)
You … you seriously … had wanted us to give them a bad pizza and hope the team got food poisoning. You were serious.

Hunt:
Oh I wasn’t going to be the one who did it. One of you guys were supposed to do.

Bret:
Doug! Man where’s that lawyer you was talking bout the other day (loses his mind laughing)

Douglas:
I don’t know any of you people. I knew I should have went with Pete man. Charles man you better get us back to the right side of the law.

Charles:
The Warriors are probably happy that this is a meaningless game because they’re still without lead scorer Mario Granja. Now there’s been some good developments on that front. At first there was real concern that Ranger Granger would be out for the first round of the playoffs, turning an already difficult task into a herculean one. But we had a report from Dr. Kourmpanas that Granja will be available for the playoff game. He’s still out tonight but they feel that starting Sunday he can go full out on the court.

Bret:
Coach has to be feeling good about that news. Because awesome as Coach Stephenson is and as the Blaine Report noted, there are few coaches who have managed to do with what little he has. But against either of those two, the Lions or Agency, not having a scorer like Granja makes it really really difficult

Charles:
The Dragons will once again have their muscle hamster, Asil Anil “Packrat” Pakzat and “Quzi” Zi. Last game the Warriors managed to wear down the muscle hamsters. Will it be the same this time?

Bret:
For the Warriors’ sake I hope so. The first game was basically a tale of two team’s silverbacks. The first half it was all about Packrat and Qoozi giving the Dragons second chances at scoring. The second half it was the three headed monster of Begin, O’Brien and Big Turk. Warriors got to have that three headed monster again if they want to end the regular season with a win.

Douglas:
I agree, the Warriors got to win in the paint if they want to win this game.

Hunt starts to talk

Bret:
Nah! Not another word out of you man! (laughing) we probably getting reported to the feds as we speak (laughs more)

Charles:
We get ready for the tipoff when we return.

AYFKM????

If you told me I'd only be down 5 at the half in this game, I'd try to sell you a bridge.

Anyone want a bridge? I got a special going on the Brooklyn Bridge!!!

Joshua Doe: I’m here with Pio Reina, where Linndale has just finished a tough loss in the season finale. Coach, what went wrong?

Pio Reina: We just couldn’t make shots. Chalk it up to their defense. They are who they say they are. We rebounded, we took care of the ball, we defended, we just couldn’t make a shot tonight.

JD: Coach it looked like the plan was to relentlessly go inside, attacking the rim, and come what may. Was that the plan?

PR: In a nutshell, yes. We wanted to try and get their bigs in foul trouble, just attack the rim, and keep working off that. We’re not a good outside shooting team. We knew that coming in. That was not going to be a weapon for us tonight. So, we just wanted to attack inside as much as possible and make life difficult for them. We did a nice job of that, but it wasn’t good enough. We tip our cap to them, but they can’t say we didn’t bring it.

JD: This game was a microcosm of the season in many ways, was it not?

Pio Reina: No. This game was a measure of our growth. We improved because we had to. I said after the Jumpstop game we had to upgrade our defense. We did. I asked our front office to get us a scorer. They did. Then I told him you gotta play defense to get on the court here. We upgraded every position during the season. The guys bought in to what I wanted. They got better on defense, they rebounded, and they got better taking care of the basketball. We were relentless out there. These guys gave it their all, and I am extremely proud of them. We outrebounded them by 11 and killed them on the offensive boards. We took care of the ball. We had 4 guys in double figures rebounding, the problem was we only had 4 guys in double figures scoring. We've got work to do, but I think the league is on notice.

JD: Next up, relegation series against Jumpstop.

PR: We felt we should have won our game earlier this season, but they shredded our defense. We upgraded because of that. We relish the challenge. They’re talented, don’t get me wrong. We wanted this and need this chance to redeem ourselves in our eyes.

JD: Coach, thank you for your time, and I know it was a tough season, but you guys fought and made everyone proud.

PR: Thanks Joshua.

JD: Tough loss tonight, Happy, but Pio and the boys are still full of fight and it seems like their looking for one with Jumpstop.

Happy Ourer: That series is gonna be one to watch. That was Joshua Doe with Pio Reina after a hard fought 92-87 loss to the league leading F.Day Internet Lovers Club. Back with more after the break!

Last edited by Speedtraps at 2/17/2024 10:08:39 PM

Charles:
Welcome back to the studio. Warriors win it 102 to 73. A game that the Dubs led from start to finish. It did not take long for any hope the Dragons had of getting the win to go out the window. But you know where they were having hope. Here

Interior of Daylis Arena

Charles:
Yeah, even when the Lion Rebels are not taking the floor, the fans still pack the house.

Hunt: (whispers)
D**n Rebels

Douglas:
You let him back in?!

Bret (shakes his head)

Charles:
Lions Rebels having a watch party at Daylis, hoping they can watch their team maybe celebrate a conference title and channeling whatever energy they can to the Speedway and hopefully a Linndale upset to make that hope a reality

And hope was alive. Early on, the Lovers strike first, a three pointer from Melucci off a sweet dime from Tabrizi. Lover's Club up 3-0 and it would stay that way for a while. Early quarter was a tale of this game for Linndale. Opportunities were presented and somehow Linndale couldn’t take advantage of them. Defensively Linndale doing everything right so far to stay in this.

Back at Shandong Provincial Stadium, Golden Lions strike first. But then. Dirty Brown to Afrikka. Lion Rebels lead 4-3. Little under the 8:00 minute mark Lions up 8-3. Back in Speedway, total points at that same interval: 8. Lovers up 5-3.

Bret:
It was a nasty gritty game. But that was what Linndale needed it to be to have a chance.

Charles:
Midway into second quarter, Lion Rebels in complete control. They were up by double digits. The fans in Daylis are enjoying it. Unfortunately in the Speedway, Lover’s Club up by 12. But then Linndale starts to make a comeback. Leao, 3 pointer from the corner. Linndale now down 41-35. 45 seconds left in the 2nd quarter. Beko finds Boilboks. Top of the Arc. Drains it. Linndale now down 5. Halftime score 45-40 and the Daylis folk are feeling hopeful.

Early in the 2nd half Linndale could close within a single score on a Frias alley oop to Passman and they would get no closer as the Agency would keep Linndale at arms’ length. Disappointment in Daylis as the Lover’s Club would win it 92 to 87 to clinch the Big 8 conference title and with it the top seed and homecourt throughout the playoffs.

Bret:
Tough loss for Linndale but they have to feel good. Most of us had this being a massacre and yet Linndale made a fight of it all the way through. Pio Reina has to be feeling good. On the other hand Shandong. Tough night. Losing your second leading scorer and best 3pt shooter on the eve of the playoffs. Just feel for Jia Zhizhuo

Charles:
Yeah tough loss for the Golden Lions. When we return we’ll talk about the Warriors win over the Dragmort Dragons. This is the Warrior’s Den on the Warrior’s Sports Network.