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Day 13 (Saturday 25 March 2023) : Performances by (https://www.buzzer-manager.com)
Boom - Cincinnati with the fireworks this weekend!

Night results
209’s MostWanted 57 - The White Walkers 80
Flamin' Flamingos 80 - Cincinnati Slammers 105
Lion Rebels 99 - The Beer Bellys 93
Carolina Rebels 93 - Tasty Tardsicles 90
Philly Dribble 105 - Hustlas 69
San Dominica Warriors 132 - STG on MCU 94
Linndale 91 - Żubr Białystok 90
Fondy Cardinals 106 - Miami Cleo 100

Best collective performance of the evening
Points : 132 : San Dominica Warriors
Rebounds : 62 : San Dominica Warriors, Lion Rebels
Assists : 33 : Philly Dribble
Steals : 12 : Philly Dribble, Cincinnati Slammers
Block Shots : 11 : The White Walkers

Personal best performances of the evening
Points : 45 : K. Knowles (Linndale)
Rebounds : 20 : J. Delaire (Flamin' Flamingos)
Assists : 11 : M. Maurin (Miami Cleo)
Steals : 4 : M. Velasco (Philly Dribble), P. Stevens (Cincinnati Slammers)
Block Shots : 7 : B. Rivas (Cincinnati Slammers)

Top 5 of the evening
Point Guard : K. Knowles (Linndale) (45 Points, 1 Rebounds, 1 Assists, 2 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 34
Shooting Guard : A. Varpukevicius (Miami Cleo) (33 Points, 7 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 28
Small Forward : P. Stevens (Cincinnati Slammers) (36 Points, 9 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 4 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 35
Power Forward : R. Ainsworth (Cincinnati Slammers) (28 Points, 19 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 3 Steals, 2 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 44
Center : B. Pimentel (Philly Dribble) (20 Points, 11 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 30

MVP of the evening
R. Ainsworth (Cincinnati Slammers) (28 Points, 19 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 3 Steals, 2 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 44

The bad performance of the evening
L. Senserrich (Hustlas) (6 Points, 8 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : -4

All kinds of statistics
The player who forgot to remove his mittens : G. Locus (Miami Cleo), Y. Skilas (The Beer Bellys) : 5 Turnovers

Player targeted by the referees : N. Hidasi (Żubr Białystok), Y. Skilas (The Beer Bellys) : 6 Personnal Fouls

The iron-man : C. Wui Kwong (Tasty Tardsicles) : 53 Minutes

The shooter : K. Knowles (Linndale) : 7 Three points

The best performer : V. Papageorgiou (The White Walkers) : Rating : 18.5

The worst performer : T. Lang (Fondy Cardinals) : Rating : 3.5



Last edited by Baine at 3/26/2023 5:38:10 PM

Bobby Sparks sits in his office, lights out, massaging his temples. "This idiot just two players, two bigs. WE need help with a new PG, SG, and SF, with PG being priority. But no, he got two bigs." He sighs. "Maybe I should just fire him now. But he did try. He tried for multiple players, but only got these two, and left some money on the table." He stood and walked over to the light switch, turning on the light in his office. "Yeah, perhaps I'll do it today. Better yet...." He pulls out a silver dollar from his inside suit coat jacket. "Heads I fire him, tails I don't. Actually, heads I fired him and John Walton. Yeah, just be done with it. Tails I don't."

He walked over to his desk then threw the coin into the air. Just then, his door opened and in walked Lukey Kerry, GM, and John Walton, former GM and current coach. The coin hit the desk with a loud thud, then began spinning around. "Looks like it's going to land on heads," though Bobby, knowing he would have to follow his agreement with himself and fire them both. He took his eyes off of the coin and looked up at the men. "Well gentlemen, thank you for coming," he said, propping himself onto the desk while the coin started to slow down. Both men were looking at the coin.

"Luke, you got us two players, but both were bigs. We need a PG. Jonata should no longer lead this team in scoring. He has lost the range. Nick Williams can run it, but he'd be better at the two. Denkovic just proved he should no longer be starting, and Sillick just isn't on that level for this league. He is a backup. So, two bigs. And then you struck out another 7 times. You tried, but it just wasn't good enough Luke. And you John, that last game was a massacre. What is going on with your game planning? The guys have no energy to play the games. Senserrich, what's going on with him? Klin, he seems invisible. So, I tell you what," He listened. The coin had stopped moving and settled down. He knew that it would show heads. He would fire them. He looked at both men as he stood up to his full height. Both men were looking at the coin.

"A Silver Dollar?" asked John Walton. "I haven't seen one of those in a long while. And yours is in good shape. Shiny, clean. "What year is that coin?" asked John. "I can't tell," said Luke, paying close attention to the coin. "I don't see a year."

"It should be on there," said Bobby Sparks, not looking at the coin. It was on heads, so they would have no problem seeing the year. Besides, it was time to fire them both for their performances this season in their respective positions. "I called you both in here...." "That Eagle is not as spread out as the Lady Liberty one," blurted out John. "Oh, sorry Bobby."

But Bobby stopped. "Eagle," he said, then turned. The coin showed tails. The Eagle was showing, and yes, it's not as spread out as the newer Lady Liberty Eagle. "Well I'll be...," said Bobby Sparks. "Okay, gentlemen," he said, turning back to the two men," we will keep an eye out on the team. John, get their Game Shape up. Let's make some noise the second half of the season. And Luke, if these men can't compete, you know what will happen at the end of the season. So let's just, try, and get some wins, and gain back a little respectability."

Both men nodded, then left the office. John looked back at Bobby before walking out the door. Bobby was staring at the coin. John knew something was up with that coin. He couldn't understand Bobby's fixation on that coin, but he knew, at that moment, he was happy with that tails showing.

“Pio, we have to find a way to get Floyd more involved.” The GM was anxious; he wanted to show off his prized acquisition, and wanted him to look good and put up big numbers.

“Don’t do that to me. You know damn well that his impact doesn’t have to show up in his numbers. It’s showing up in his teammates performances. Three games, three different leading scorers, three different number 2 scorers, 2 different leading rebounders, twice with two guys in double digits, all 3 wins. The 3 point shooting is up over 50% in those three games on 57 attempts. 45 free throw attempts in 3 games. No one has scored more than 90 points against us. We’re winning on the boards. We’re still learning each other, so there will be ups and downs, but right now we have a young team that is learning to play a rugged brand of basketball, but they’re killing it from the outside, too. Let them learn and stop doing that Air Allnite crap! You’re letting him live rent free in your head. Could we use a point guard and power forward? Sure we could, but I like what we have. Let’s get Reynolds and Reese and Nguyen ready for the postseason. Let’s get Mann ready. Let’s see what Petriukstis and Tovar can do. Are they perfect? No. Do they need to be tested? Yes. I think Miami is going to provide a test. The White Walkers are formidable. Lion Rebels beat us earlier this season; we need to get that one back. Those are our next 3 games. I haven’t mentioned the Carolina Rebels or Philly Dribble or San Dominica. You know Carolina wants to avenge their loss earlier this season. We got to figure a way to beat Philly Dribble and San Dominica. We gotta beat 209’s Most Wanted, and Fondy Cardinals and the Flamin’ Flamingoes can’t be slept on. Let the kids make their playoff push. If something comes up that makes sense, take advantage. We knew this was going to be a development year and yet we find ourselves in a 4 way fight for 2 spots. If the Lion Rebels slip, it becomes a 5 way fight for 3 spots. This was your plan last season. Why would you doubt it now?” Pio was greatly irritated now.

“What if Allnite is right? What if he sees what we don’t?” The GM was in his own head, Pio thought, and we gotta get him out of there.

“We needed a point guard. Why did you bring in Mantas Pertiukstis,” Pio asked.

“He has the defensive skills we were looking for and the ball skills to build on. Combined with the skills Kyle Knowles and Trenton Tovar possess, they make a very formidable unit. He fits us.”

“So, you grabbed a shooting guard knowing we needed a point guard, because he had the skills and the right fit we needed?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it working out as you expected?”

“Yeah.”

“Is Tovar thriving in the 3rd guard role?”

“I told you he would!” Pio saw he had him with that, and closed in for the kill.

“Then why would you let an old talking head get inside your head like that? Go see if you find more fits. I’ll keep working on coaching the guys up. We’re gonna be just fine. Let the kids grow.”

“Happy Ourer here with you after a successful All Star break for your favorite basketball team. We saw Kyle Knowles lead the voting for the All Star game, we saw Daniil Kamp join him the starting lineup, and we saw Ramon Sanz Garcaa get selected as a reserve. We saw Kyle in the three point shootout and he just fell short of the finals by one point. Lastly, we saw all three members of the Linndale delegation contribute in a 136-134 victory. Marshall, it was a grand time!”

“Glad to have you back, Happy. I have heard rumors over the break about the team trying to upgrade a couple of positions, specifically point guard and power forward. I can confirm the team was in early in trying to obtain point guards Cedric Saillard and Martial Reibel, power forward Stefano Rocchi, and center Mattias Nilsson. Let’s go to Air Allnite who’s court side for more.”

“Thanks Marshall! I’ve got sources indicating that the team was never a serious player for any of those 4 players Marshall, and the prices they went for bear that out. But here’s a scoop for you: Nick Guevara and Rolland Reynolds could be on the move. I’m hearing that Ramon Sanz Garcaa is safe fr now, but that could change also. I’m alsp hearing that the team is still looking to upgrade point guard and power forward, but only at the right price and the right fit. So don’t expect a super duper stud who’s ready to roll, instead expect a young developing kid who comes cheap. I imagine the players in the locker room can’t like that. Back to you, Marshall.”

“Thanks, Air. Happy will interview Ramon Sanz Garcaa when return from commercial break. You’re watching the Linndale Basketball Pre Game Show on the Linndale Basketball Network!”

Day 14 (Saturday 1 April 2023) : Performances by (https://www.buzzer-manager.com)

Night results
Cincinnati Slammers 49 - 209’s MostWanted 106
The Beer Bellys 102 - Flamin' Flamingos 112
Tasty Tardsicles 87 - Lion Rebels 117
Hustlas 71 - Carolina Rebels 99
STG on MCU 89 - Philly Dribble 121
Żubr Białystok 85 - San Dominica Warriors 97
Miami Cleo 71 - Linndale 84
The White Walkers 116 - Fondy Cardinals 73

Best collective performance of the evening
Points : 121 : Philly Dribble
Rebounds : 57 : San Dominica Warriors
Assists : 36 : Carolina Rebels
Steals : 10 : 209’s MostWanted
Block Shots : 11 : San Dominica Warriors

Personal best performances of the evening
Points : 41 : K. Brown (Lion Rebels)
Rebounds : 23 : J. Bégin (San Dominica Warriors)
Assists : 9 : T. Plummer (Carolina Rebels), D. Allen (Carolina Rebels), G. Navarro (The White Walkers)
Steals : 3 : T. Plummer (Carolina Rebels), Z. Shunyi (209’s MostWanted), R. Sanz Garcáa (Linndale), S. Hatch (Żubr Białystok), D. Rivas (Flamin' Flamingos)
Block Shots : 6 : F. Hearn (Linndale)

Top 5 of the evening
Point Guard : K. Brown (Lion Rebels) (41 Points, 1 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 39
Shooting Guard : M. Stott (Lion Rebels) (22 Points, 2 Rebounds, 8 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 24
Small Forward : D. Rivas (Flamin' Flamingos) (28 Points, 7 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 3 Steals, 2 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 33
Power Forward : S. Aldino (Flamin' Flamingos) (26 Points, 12 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 32
Center : C. Riggins (Żubr Białystok) (18 Points, 22 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 36

MVP of the evening
K. Brown (Lion Rebels) (41 Points, 1 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 39

The bad performance of the evening
D. Christopher (Cincinnati Slammers) (7 Points, 3 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots)U. Barbarossa (Cincinnati Slammers) (5 Points, 3 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : -6

All kinds of statistics
The player who forgot to remove his mittens : K. Knowles (Linndale), M. Jimenez (Tasty Tardsicles), B. Rivas (Cincinnati Slammers) : 5 Turnovers

Player targeted by the referees : Y. Skilas (The Beer Bellys) : 6 Personnal Fouls

The iron-man : H. Quindós (Żubr Białystok) : 53 Minutes

The shooter : Y. Skilas (The Beer Bellys) : 8 Three points

The best performer : M. Velasco (Philly Dribble), V. Papageorgiou (The White Walkers) : Rating : 17.5

The worst performer : T. Lang (Fondy Cardinals) : Rating : 2.5

Day 15 (Tuesday 4 April 2023) : Performances by (https://www.buzzer-manager.com)

Night results
209’s MostWanted 123 - The Beer Bellys 110
Flamin' Flamingos 86 - Tasty Tardsicles 100
Lion Rebels 115 - Hustlas 98
Carolina Rebels 94 - STG on MCU 88
Philly Dribble 88 - Żubr Białystok 100
San Dominica Warriors 88 - Miami Cleo 69
Linndale 49 - The White Walkers 72
Fondy Cardinals 128 - Cincinnati Slammers 65

Best collective performance of the evening
Points : 128 : Fondy Cardinals
Rebounds : 63 : Żubr Białystok
Assists : 34 : Fondy Cardinals
Steals : 15 : Fondy Cardinals
Block Shots : 13 : Miami Cleo

Personal best performances of the evening
Points : 34 : N. Williams (Hustlas), Y. Georgoulis (The Beer Bellys)
Rebounds : 18 : N. Kackis (209’s MostWanted), S. Klin (Hustlas)
Assists : 9 : T. Rumin (209’s MostWanted), C. Wui Kwong (Tasty Tardsicles), R. Singh (Lion Rebels), J. Muñoz (Fondy Cardinals)
Steals : 5 : J. Muñoz (Fondy Cardinals)
Block Shots : 3 : A. Gallucci (Miami Cleo), P. Cheatle (Miami Cleo), W. Graf (Miami Cleo), H. Espinosa (Carolina Rebels), A. San Miguel (STG on MCU)

Top 5 of the evening
Point Guard : J. Muñoz (Fondy Cardinals) (19 Points, 1 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 5 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 29
Shooting Guard : J. Makeba (Tasty Tardsicles) (18 Points, 13 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 29
Small Forward : S. Aldino (Flamin' Flamingos) (30 Points, 5 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steals, 2 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 33
Power Forward : L. Stevens (Fondy Cardinals) (32 Points, 10 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 39
Center : D. Allen (Carolina Rebels) (16 Points, 11 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steals, 2 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 28

MVP of the evening
L. Stevens (Fondy Cardinals) (32 Points, 10 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block Shots) : Efficiency : 39

The bad performance of the evening
O. Engler (Carolina Rebels) (0 Points, 3 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots)K. Knowles (Linndale) (8 Points, 3 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 1 Steals, 1 Block Shots)M. Petriukštis (Linndale) (0 Points, 2 Rebounds, 1 Assists, 1 Steals, 0 Block Shots)A. Gorman (Tasty Tardsicles) (0 Points, 0 Rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots)Z. Carr (Cincinnati Slammers) (3 Points, 9 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Block Shots) : Efficiency : -2

All kinds of statistics
The player who forgot to remove his mittens : Z. Carr (Cincinnati Slammers) : 8 Turnovers

Player targeted by the referees : Z. Carr (Cincinnati Slammers) : 6 Personnal Fouls

The iron-man : A. Gallucci (Miami Cleo), L. Arevalo (Carolina Rebels), S. Hollins (Lion Rebels), M. Grimm (Żubr Białystok), R. Ainsworth (Cincinnati Slammers), D. Christopher (Cincinnati Slammers), U. Barbarossa (Cincinnati Slammers), B. Rivas (Cincinnati Slammers) : 48 Minutes

The shooter : F. Czuryszkiewicz (STG on MCU), R. Sillick (Hustlas), L. See Yan (Flamin' Flamingos) : 4 Three points

The best performer : V. Papageorgiou (The White Walkers) : Rating : 17.5

The worst performer : Z. Carr (Cincinnati Slammers) : Rating : 2.5

*We join Air Allnite with the Linndale GM in a rare one on one interview, in progress*

GM: ”In our last game against the White Walkers, we were pleased with the rebounding, particularly on the offensive end. We knew we were going to have to win the turnover battle, and that it would be tough to do. We just simply could not make any shots. To address the ongoing turnover problem and add some shot making ability, we’ve acquired Rod Guyton. He’s a scorer, an exceptional defender, great ballhandler and a good passer. Now you have to ask yourself how you can cover both Rod and Kyle. That’s not going to be easy at all.”

AA: “That addresses what I’ve been saying about your back court situation nicely.”

GM: “Don’t take credit for things you had nothing to do with. We have a history of adding veterans we think can help us. We’re confident that Guyton is going to an important part of this team for the fooseeable future. It allows us to get Petriukstis and Tovar on the court together more often while resting Kyle and Rod. We just got a big boost on offense and defense because of Rod’s presence.

AA: “Tell me about the Guevara move and Datler’s move.”

GM: “We’re sorry to see Nick Guevara and Balthasar Gebhardt Datler go. With Hearn’s arrival, it got harder and harder to find time for Datler, who needs more playing time to develop. With Nick, it was a chance to profit off our developmental work and open up a path for younger talent. Serkan Sokmen is a younger talent we liked, and we pounced at the opportunity to bring him into the fold.”

AA: “So what I’m getting here is that my calls on Guevara and Datler were correct.”

GM: “Not like you think. The Guevara move made sense because we were confident in bringing in someone with a higher ceiling, and ultimately did with Sokmen. We see Sokmen playing some small and power forward at times. Offensively, he’s ahead of Reese and Reynolds. It actually deepens the defensive rotations available, as Reese is a plus defender. The Datler move was just as simple. We made a small profit, he’s able to get playing time elsewhere, and there was no need to have him if he couldn’t find time behind Sanz Garcaa and Hearn. You really have to stop taking credit for things you have nothing to do with.”

AA: “I disagree. The Guyton move effectively removes Nguyen from the backcourt until he develops. I said he shouldn’t be anywhere near a playoff team. I said Guevara wasn’t good, and Datler was simply a sale piece. Sokmen removes Reese from the rotation, while keeping him available if you need defense. All of these points are points I made, so it seems you’ve addressed almost everything I find wrong with this team. Unfortunately, you still have Reina as coach, and those moves aren’t enough to get you into the playoffs.”

GM: “Our fans know what kind of coach Pio is, and they’re quite glad he’s here!”

AA: “Your fans don’t know anything; they’re stupid!”

GM: “Why are you so hateful? Why do complain about everyone and everything? It’s one thing to go on about the team and players, and even the organization. I get it; that’s your job. I draw the line when you start attacking our fans. You are a sad, caustic, unlikeable human being. Thanks for having me, but this interview is over now.”

Watching on television in Pio's office, Coach just simply raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised", he began, "that he lasted as long as he did before he walked out."

Pio answered. "Still think I need to lighten up and give that guy a chance? He's a miserable piece of ---""

"Don't finish that," Coach interrupted. "You're letting him in your head and you'll say something you'll regret. Save you hotheadedness for the referees. That guy will just use it for fuel. Don't give it to him."

*We now join the Linndale Basketball Post Game Show in progress*

HO: “Pio, the team felt different with Hearn on the court, but tonight with Guyton and Sokmen in addition to Hearn, there was a more intense vibe. How have thins changed since their arrival?”

PR: “We went from trying to get the offense to fit around Hearn to making the defense around him better and figuring out the offense after that. As you know Happy, we’ve always had pride in our defense; that’s an organizational thing from back when I played. We looked and said we’ve got some pretty good players here, so let’s just let them ball how they ball.”

MR: “Pio, you point out defense being a pride thing for Linndale, and I can attest that also as a former player. However, you have some capable offensive threats in Guyton, Knowles, Tovar and Kamp. What changes can we expect to see on offense?”

PR: “Marshall, that’s going to change based on how we perceive our opponents strength and what we think will be effective. Having said that, we have to stay true to our strength. Right now, that strength is unfamiliarity. We have a group learning each other, and if we don’t know what to expect, our opponents can’t either. It could be Tovar going for 30, or Kamp, or Knowles for 45, or Guyton.”

AA: “Reina, you got a win back tonight, but may have lost your best player. What’s the update on Hearn, and why was he on the court at that point of the game?”

PR: “Floyd is fine. He took a shot, and we got him out the game. He was coming out anyway at the next opportunity, but he was out there because he was out there defending our opponent’s best player. Where was Armstead at the end of the game? Wasn’t he on the court playing? Why wouldn’t I want my best player on the court defending him when possible?”

HO: “Philly dealt 209 a blow with a win, Carolina survived the Fondy Cardinals, and San Dominica held on despite a surprisingly tough game from the Flamin’Flamingos. What hope does that give you and the team regarding a playoff run?”

PR: “We’re not thinking playoffs; we’re thinking about winning the next game. We expect to be in the playoffs. That’s the expectation. To get there, we have to keep wining. What Fondy Cardinals and the Flamin’ Flamingos showed you is how incredibly difficult that task is going to be. We can’t afford to look past anyone, and I assure you we won’t. We’re going to try and take care of our business. We’ll think about the playoffs when we get there.”

AA: “What makes you think you’re even getting in to the playoffs? Every team ahead of or tied with you record wise is left. Granted you just beat Lion Rebels, but they have to fall apart fantastically to not make it. You practically have to win out, and you also have the two spirited opponents left in Fondy and the Flamingos. Why do you think you are getting in the playoffs?”

PR: “As I’ve stated, the playoffs are the expectation. I’ve said in public, I’ve said it in private, I’ve told the team repeatedly, and I’ve said it here tonight on air. Now, you don’t have to believe me, and it’s clear you don’t. That’s fine, but it doesn’t change our expectation. The goal is to get in. Once we’re in, we’ll take our chances against anyone. We’re not backing down. We know we have to win to get in. So, you could say that every game is a playoff game for us. We won. We have to win some more. We don’t have the luxury of a loss not hurting us. It’s literally win or go home for us. I live here near Linndale; I’m not going anywhere. I expect my team isn’t ready to go anywhere yet, either. You’ll have to ask them yourself.”

Last edited by Speedtraps at 4/8/2023 10:28:03 PM

Hunt Mosley:
I'm Hunt Mosley and he's the one and only Mr. Double Double himself, Bret Rodriguez and you're listening/watching the Warriors Post Game Report. Okay pretty much the sum up of this game is this, Warriors down by 10 at the end of the 3rd Quarter. Looks like the start of the final seven game stretch is going to start with an L and then, middle of the 4th, the Warriors start doing that hoodoo that we've seen them do before

Late in the 4th, Blanchet pass to Bermudez, who slams it in and we're tied at 90. But this had been a back and worth game and the Flamingos were not going away. The Pink Flames would go on a run. Now Flamingos up 10, 109 to 99, 4:17 left. Marquez, finds Valladares for the put in. Then Tercero. Warriors going with the Point Forward approach and it paid off. LAB going to work. 3 pointer 109-104. Warriors making stops, Granja making Rivas miss. Marquez again feeding Tercero, 109-106. Warriors get another stop and more of the Big Man Dime Sweepstakes only this time its Tercero feeding Marquez. A nine point run to put it within one.

Just under 3 minutes, LAB from Granja. Count it! 110 to 109 and from there the Warriors would keep rising while the Flamingos kept fading. The Pinks would score just once more and the Warriors would hit from the Charity Line to win 118 to 111

Bret, we talked to Coach earlier this week and he said the goal was to go 4-3 down the final stretch. Just go 4-3 and everything will be fine.

Bret Rodriguez
Yeah, they're 14-2 now and if they go 3-3 the rest of the way they're end up 17-5. Philly won the top seed in the conference last season with that same record and it would put the Warrior two wins better than last season's 15-7. So not a bad goal.

Hunt Mosley
Now some would say why have a goal of 4-3. Why not strive to win them all and I would say look, Everyone. Everyone who knows anything about this league knows the Warrior's biggest strength is the depth of their bench. It's the reason why they can play at such a high pace! We saw it in effect tonight. Marquez and Tercero were a big part of that final run that put the Warriors over late in the fourth. Obviously Coach wants that bench as intact as possible. We saw it against Philly, we saw it against the Tardisicles and we saw it tonight. Warriors basically coming back from the dead and every time that bench has been involved.

Bret Rodriguez
I'm one hundred percent with you on that. Coach is seeing the big picture. if 4-3 assures that that unit of Ali Baba, East, Tercero and Marquez can come off intact in the playoffs Coach is gonna go 4-3. Right now they have the luxury of being able to go 4-3. Again right now 14-2, Lindale did us a huge favor in beating the Lion Rebels, that gives us a little bit more room. Though I'm sure Coach Pio is gonna not give a rats about the fact that it helps us. He wants his team in the playoffs.

Hunt Mosley
Coach has just made his way to the podium and we're take you back to the SMG.




Last edited by Coach Stephenson at 4/9/2023 2:40:50 AM

1st Reporter
Coach, what was the mindset, down by 10 in the fourth?

Coach Stephenson
Nothing special really. Hmm. Start of the fourth quarter we were like look. First time we played these guys we were not sure of who this team was. Now. Right now, we know who this team. If you're in this uniform, right here right now. You know your place, you know your role on this team. And this is our house! That's was it.

2nd reporter
The bench came up big. Especially Tercero down in the final 5 minutes. Was there a strategy for putting him in the point forward position tonight.

Coach Stephenson
We had looked at a lot of things. Prepping for this game. Hmm the weird thing about the Flamingos is that in many ways they're almost a reflection of our squad. So its interesting coming up with defensive plans. But no hmm we just wanted to have a wingspan advantage when our bench came on. Plus Miguel had/has been showing some real improvement on the defensive and offensive end backcourt wise so we decided to utilize it.

3rd Reporter
You guys are in the last stretch of the season. Is there a more incentive to win out or are you guys more concern about being healthy?

Coach Stephenson
You want to win them all of course, but number 1 goal is make the playoffs. Number 2 thing be as healthy as possible when making the playoffs. Right now we in a good position. 14-2. Hmm did the Lions win?

1st reporter
They lost

Coach Stephenson
So 14-2, and with a little bit more breathing room for the time being thanks to that loss. (chuckles) I may have to send Coach Pio some flowers though he'll probably just send them right back.

4th Reporter
No love lost between you two?

Coach Stephenson
Oh no i got mad respect for Pio. It's just Pio has never been the most sentimental guy in the league (laughs). Have you talked with Pio Reina?

4th reporter
Never have

Coach Stephenson
Probably for the best. He's not a big media guy. Hmm. Straight to the point. No jokes. No banter. Just Joe Friday just the facts kind of guy. But I'm side tracking. No we want to win them all but in this league with these opponents you gonna have a bad day or two. Thing is to be in a position where a bad day can be shrugged off and not be a "OMG what do we do now" moment. Tonight we got the win. 1-0. Six left to go. Glad we don't have to worry about facing the Flamingos again.

2nd reporter
No grudge? These guys did beat you earlier in the season.

Coach Stephenson
You always wanna win. Now granted you don't want to go 0-2 in a series if you don't have to, but the Flamingos are more than their record. Like I said roster wise they match up initial five wise to us very very well. Scarily well. Now bench wise right now I think the basketball gods would weigh in our favor. Now 209. Oooh boy. If the Flamingos are a reflection of us lineup, the 209 are a reflection of our offensive strategy. They only have one word and that's go. So that's going to be a challenge despite the fact we beat them earlier in the year because now they're just Mongo mad now.

4th Reporter
Mongo mad?

Coach Stephenson
(baffled) Yeah Mongo. (pause) Blazing Saddles. Big guy who punches horses. (pause) Don't shoot him you'll just make him angry. (longer pause before a long chuckle) Okay that. That is probably the perfect point to end this on. (shakes his head). Thank you guys.

Coach Stephenson shakes his head as he leaves the podium.

Last edited by Coach Stephenson at 4/9/2023 4:23:31 AM

Happy Ourer: “Welcome to a special Sunday afternoon edition of the Pio Reina Show on WINO Radio. I’m Happy Ourer, your host, along with the man himself, Linndale basketball coach Pio Reina! Coach Reina, how are you feeling after last night’s win?”

Pio Reina: “I’m feeling pretty good. We feel good about the direction we’re heading in, the team feels good about their play, defensively we feel like we are as close to locked in as we’ve been all season. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re close and we get a little closer each week.”

HO: “How about on the offensive end? Where do things stand there?”

PR: “On the offensive end, guys just need time to get used to playing together. I know our GM is always on the lookout for someone who fits with what we do, so there is always the chance that we add another player to the mix. Having said that, we like who we have and where we are right now.”

HO: “Last night saw the debut of Rod Guyton and Serkan Sokmen. What should fans know about the two newest members of the team?”

PR: “Rod is a special talent. He is a shooter the likes of which we haven’t seen very often around these parts. How good is he? Kyle Knowles became arguably the second best shooter on the team. I think Kyle’s jumper is a bit better, but Rod has more range. Throw in Shooter to that conversation, and I expect that shooting contests after practice just got more interesting.”

HO: “Tell us about Serkan Sokmen.”

PR: “He can shoot and defend both the perimeter and the paint. He loves to attack in transition, he’s effective on the glass. As with any young player, and remember he’s 23, he’s got a few things to tighten up and we’ll get that done.”

HO: “San Dominica’s Coach Stephenson had some kind words for you after San Dominica’s victory over the Flaming Flamingos.”

PR: “Coach Stephenson has done an incredible job there. I appreciate what he said and I have much respect for him. I wish Coach Stephenson and his team well. I’m not just saying that because they are in position to aid our playoff hunt. We’ll see him April 25th. I expect they’ll want to beat us just as they have nearly every other opponent they’ve faced.”

HO: “Tell us about your next opponents, the Flamin’ Flamingos.”

PR: “That’s an underrated team. They brought the fight to San Dominica, but they couldn’t finish them off. At the same time, the mark of a good team is finding a way to win. San Dominica turned the defensive intensity up in the fourth quarter and got it done.”

HO: “What do you have to do to win?”

PR: “We can’t let Li See Yan and Darnell Rivas run wild. We have to control the boards. We have to take care of the basketball, and most importantly, we have to score more than they do.”

HO: “With 5 games left in the season, some fans are wondering if we’ll see one of the infamous Linndale ‘backwards game’ that’s become an annual tradition. It seems that the fans enjoy it and the players enjoy it as well. Can you explain the thought behind those games and let the fans know if we will see that this season?”

PR: “I don’t know if we’ll see it this season. If there’s a backwards game this season, it means we’ve secured a playoff spot or we’ve been officially knocked out of the chase. Now the thought behind the game is actually quite simple. To do it right, you need to have bigs capable of guarding the perimeter. Your guards take on the defensive assignment of the bigs. You go full bore, run and gun/full court press. The idea is that your guards will force turnovers when the ball gets down low, and on offense those bigs have to cover the guards on the perimeter. A classic example was the September 10, 2022 game against Hustlas in season 58. On paper, Hustlas should have squashed us. Go check the box score and see the turnovers. 22 of the 30 they had that night was in the front court. 15 of our 25 steals were by frontcourt players. That made up for the advantage they got on the boards."