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Big 8

Things look to be more top heavy than last season as there is a 320k difference in team salaries between the top and bottom salary teams. That difference is more than 13 team's total salary. Who will push to compete with the big boys and who will push to fill the bank account?

1. Missouri City Sounders - Not to be discouraged from last season's playoff defeat, the Sounders have stood firm with their roster and pushed it over 400k, 100k higher than 75% of the league.
2. Hasting Hornets - Salary wise, the only team within spitting distance of the Sounders. If they can figure out the enthusiasm and GS management piece this season, watch out!
3. Dark Matter - An end of season injury knocked them out of the playoffs last season, but they return their core. Do they have the money to upgrade a starter?
4. Slashing Dragons - Also needing an upgrade at the 5th starter, will they be able to find one and will they be willing to spend?
5. Cyborgs - They look to be selling off, but if they choose to reload they definitely could finish the season as a playoff team.
6. Pittsburgh Redskins - The largest roster in the league. With some pairing down, they could bank money to improve their starters by season end.
7. Knights of Autumn - only 2 seasons removed from the NBBA, they seem content to hide their time as the youngn's continue to train and grow.
8. Historians - With only 1 full season under their belt, they seem content to maximize their remaining time without the salary floor as they continue to build for the future.

Great 8

I could have just copied my synopsis from last season here as it still seems to be Rashmonsters and then everyone else. Other teams could compete, but it will be a tough hill to climb.

1. Rashmonsters - Still the team to beat. If not for injuries, they would already be in D II.
2. Evergreen Xenos - Next season has arrived and the Xenos definitely look like they have arrived with a unique roster that is hard to plan around. They seem the best situated to take down Rashmonsters.
3. Drunken Sconnies - At the end of last season they took a step back and so far have not done anything to take that step back. With more depth though, that could change in a hurry.
4. Bananahorns - Still look to be coasting as the next wave is close to being ready. Just waiting for their moment to compete for the division title
5. Cardinals - What looks to be a solid team, they could surprise and be a playoff team at the end of the season.
6. Trash Talkers - They exceeded my expectations last season as I had them in last. With some better top end talent they could see themselves in playoff contention.
7. Miami Reapers - They have already started spending that promo money, but still have work to do.
8. Lover Boys - Alot of opportunity to grow, will they do that or instead just continue to grow their bank.

Day 1 (Saturday 21 September 2024) : Performances by (https://www.buzzer-manager.com)

Night results
Knights of Autumn 66 - Hasting Hornets 108
Dark Matter 92 - Slashing Dragons 107
Pittsburgh Redskins 124 - Cyborgs 87
Missouri City Sounders 136 - Historians 123
Rashmonsters 99 - Bananahorns 104
Trash Talkers 103 - Cardinals 128
Lover Boys 98 - Drunken Sconnies 117
Miami Reapers 89 - Evergreen Xenos 119

Best collective performance of the evening
Points : 136 : Missouri City Sounders
Rebounds : 61 : Dark Matter
Assists : 45 : Evergreen Xenos
Steals : 13 : Hasting Hornets, Pittsburgh Redskins
Block Shots : 11 : Dark Matter

Personal best performances of the evening
Points : 34 : R. Oconnor (Hasting Hornets)
Rebounds : 22 : F. Garbauskas (Pittsburgh Redskins)
Assists : 12 : N. Golan (Historians), S. Moser (Missouri City Sounders)
Steals : 6 : R. Oconnor (Hasting Hornets)
Block Shots : 5 : J. Bryan (Dark Matter)

Top 5 of the evening
Point Guard : W. Newton (Bananahorns) (29 Points, 8 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steals, 1 Block Shots), D. Castureddu (Cardinals) (24 Points, 4 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 27
Shooting Guard : D. Tarka (Cardinals) (32 Points, 5 Rebounds, 1 Assists, 3 Steals, 0 Block Shots), A. Parks (Evergreen Xenos) (24 Points, 5 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 2 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 33
Small Forward : P. Test (Pittsburgh Redskins) (27 Points, 4 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 1 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 37
Power Forward : A. Lattanzi (Cardinals) (18 Points, 15 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 1 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 31
Center : F. Garbauskas (Pittsburgh Redskins) (10 Points, 22 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 1 Steals, 2 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 29

MVP of the evening
P. Test (Pittsburgh Redskins) (27 Points, 4 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 1 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 37

The bad performance of the evening
D. Avery (Evergreen Xenos) (0 Points, 2 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : -6

All kinds of statistics
The player who forgot to remove his mittens : L. Chun Ngan (Knights of Autumn), G. Russell (Cyborgs) : 5 Turnovers

Player targeted by the referees : P. Baglin (Knights of Autumn) : 6 Personnal Fouls

The iron-man : W. Newton (Bananahorns) : 53 Minutes

The shooter : J. Marchante (Cyborgs) : 7 Three points

The best performer : C. Esmonde-Cleary (Missouri City Sounders), C. Cunrong (Drunken Sconnies), C. Cano (Drunken Sconnies) : Rating : 14.0

The worst performer : O. Mor (Cyborgs) : Rating : -0.5

Thanks Slash! I love the preseason analysis and post-game wrap info. Thanks for taking the time to work it up and share it.
DM

I did a full skill reveal of everyone and found several players I was excited about, but then I ended up with my 8th preference, so was frustrated. I managed a 19yo 60 TSP 9 POT with my second pick as pure luck at least.

But there was a 19yo 71 TSP 10 POT that ended up with The Goats. I unfortunately the 18yo 53 TSP 10 POT and a 19yo 68 TSP 8 POT both ended up with the 2 bots

Seemed to me it was a weak draft. I had high hopes of getting my first pick which was a 5 star, 5 ball, 19 yo prospect with an incredible box score. Not sure who got him or if he turned out to be as good as he looked. But the rest of the players weren’t nearly as good and my drafted reflected that. I like the draft aspect of the game but I wish it wasn’t so expensive since it’s such a crapshoot.
DM

I didn’t see Slash’s post mentioning the 5-5 player who went to the Goats. He’s a good pick.

Day 2 (Tuesday 24 September 2024) : Performances by (https://www.buzzer-manager.com)

Night results
Hasting Hornets 89 - Dark Matter 103
Slashing Dragons 121 - Pittsburgh Redskins 111
Cyborgs 52 - Missouri City Sounders 148
Historians 99 - Knights of Autumn 112
Bananahorns 115 - Trash Talkers 117
Cardinals 103 - Lover Boys 99
Drunken Sconnies 124 - Miami Reapers 107
Evergreen Xenos 92 - Rashmonsters 96

Best collective performance of the evening
Points : 148 : Missouri City Sounders
Rebounds : 72 : Missouri City Sounders
Assists : 42 : Missouri City Sounders
Steals : 10 : Missouri City Sounders
Block Shots : 16 : Missouri City Sounders

Personal best performances of the evening
Points : 52 : F. Ziyun (Trash Talkers)
Rebounds : 27 : V. Quarles (Missouri City Sounders)
Assists : 11 : H. Frazier (Slashing Dragons), S. Miles (Bananahorns)
Steals : 4 : Y. Lochaitis (Dark Matter), B. Baldwin (Drunken Sconnies)
Block Shots : 4 : V. Quarles (Missouri City Sounders), S. Wilson (Missouri City Sounders)

Top 5 of the evening
Point Guard : C. Cunrong (Drunken Sconnies) (28 Points, 3 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 35
Shooting Guard : B. Baldwin (Drunken Sconnies) (34 Points, 4 Rebounds, 8 Assists, 4 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 35
Small Forward : F. Ziyun (Trash Talkers) (52 Points, 5 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 53
Power Forward : M. Carulli (Slashing Dragons) (32 Points, 15 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 43
Center : V. Quarles (Missouri City Sounders) (17 Points, 27 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 1 Steals, 4 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 41

MVP of the evening
F. Ziyun (Trash Talkers) (52 Points, 5 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 53

The bad performance of the evening
A. Vargas (Cyborgs) (3 Points, 3 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : -8

All kinds of statistics
The player who forgot to remove his mittens : J. Beal (Historians) : 7 Turnovers

Player targeted by the referees : E. Milenkoski (Hasting Hornets) : 6 Personnal Fouls

The iron-man : H. Frazier (Slashing Dragons), M. Sepúlveda (Cyborgs), L. Pulliam (Knights of Autumn), G. Hedrick (Bananahorns) : 48 Minutes

The shooter : F. Ziyun (Trash Talkers) : 8 Three points

The best performer : Y. Cisong (Missouri City Sounders) : Rating : 16.0

The worst performer : K. MacDonald (Cyborgs) : Rating : 0.5

That's a rough one. Maybe they will beat the #2 team in the US next week and then you won't feel as bad