The league’s top team started out slow in week five before turning the switch. They came away with a relatively easy 107-94 win over Run TMC. The Brotherhood still looks like a good pick to reach the Finals this year, but their hold on the top spot in the league is not quite as firm as it’s been. Still, they remain undefeated in league history and are the highest scoring team in the league so far this season. The lockdown defense of Team Moose is up next.
2
(5-0)
The Brotherhood’s loosening grasp on the top spot in the league is largely in part to No Limit’s stellar play of late. Howie Miller went off for 31 points and made half of his three-point attempts in week 5. No Limit boasts the second-highest scoring offense in the league while recording the most steals, and both were on full display against Stranger Danger on Monday. No Limit is officially on a roll, and we will have to see if Run TMC can give them any problems in week six. Can we fast forward to week eight against The Brotherhood please?
3
(5-0)
The Monstars seemed to have a huge win safely in the bag before the Flint Tropics stormed back to make it a one-point game, but a huge steal by Brett Cody helped avoid a monumental collapse. Instead, they remain one of three remaining teams without a loss, and now have a statement win to their credit. The Monstars look like the most balanced offensive team in the league, as they own the fourth-best team offense while having no individual scorers in the top ten.
4
(3-2)
The Moose were a no-show in week five (literally), so they are stuck with a loss. That’s not enough to bump them from the top five after the performance they put on against the Tropics in week four. Their only loss in a game they were actually present for was against No Limit, which was actually an encouraging loss given how they played. They say defense wins championships, and this team has the best defense in the league led by Connor Daly. They will have to dig even deeper on the defensive end next week against The Brotherhood.
5
(3-2)
It was a thrilling game like we expected, but the Tropics’ comeback bid fell short against The Monstars, and now they stare at their first losing streak of the season. Still, a two week stretch against the third and fourth ranked teams in the league is hardly envious. Mike Bozzuto led the way again on offense, but didn’t receive as much help as he did through the first three weeks of the season. A week six matchup with the Double Dribblers suggests that the Tropics get back on track.
6
(3-2)
Sensual Chocolate is on fire, so it’s no surprise that they make a leap up in the rankings this week. Carmine Santorelli is shooting with a ridiculous sense of efficiency, including his 19-for-25 night in week five en route to 44 points. Santorelli’s hot shooting helped Sensual Chocolate jump out to a 25-9 lead against The Untouchabulls before coasting the rest of the way. This team attacks the defensive glass better than anybody in the league, and their record hardly reflects their caliber.
7
(4-1)
The Throne pulled off the easiest win in week five, doing it without picking up a basketball. Their only loss on the season was a five-point defeat at the hands of The Monstars, so they have shown they can play with the league’s best. Lob 203 would have likely been their toughest opponent since that loss to The Monstars, but now we’ll have to wait until week eight when they meet the Bad Boyz. Flight Club is on deck for week six.
8
(3-2)
As efficient as Redemption was from the floor in week four, they were equally inefficient in week five. The team shot 8-40 from beyond the arc in a loss to Goon Squad. Cold nights happen, and it didn’t help that they had no bench to aid their struggling shooters. It’s hard to imagine Redemption having that poor of a shooting night again next week, so they will look to get back to business as usual against Stranger Danger next week.
9
(3-2)
Sportslook was another team that recorded a win without having to show up. The extra rest could help them as they have two crucial games coming up against Lob 203 and the Monstars. They dodged a bullet by avoiding Team Moose in week five and getting credited with a win, but they have to turn up the offensive efficiency if they are to escape this upcoming stretch with two wins.
10
(2-3)
Run TMC actually kept pace with The Brotherhood for a bit in week five, but they couldn’t get a defensive stop to save their life. That is hardly a knock on them given their opponent, but they may be in more trouble now that Quincy McDay might be gone for the season. He poured in 35 points and pulled down seven rebounds against The Brotherhood. One of the expected contenders before the season is starting to look like a pretender as they still have yet to reach their potential. Their tough schedule doesn’t get any easier next week when they take on No Limit.
11
(2-3)
The Bad Boyz steamrolled Sometimes Y, which is exactly what they needed to do. It was also what they needed to erase the memory of that painful overtime loss to Redemption in week four. Now, the Bad Boyz find themselves with a manageable two weeks before their meeting with The Throne. What’s impressive about the Bad Boyz is their top-ten ranking in team offense despite being in the bottom five in attempted field goals. Their shot selection is spectacular, which is usually the case when you have Destin Simmons on your team.
12
(2-3)
The slide continues for Stranger Danger, who are now in Danger of losing any cohesiveness they have left. The shouting matches on their own bench have become soap opera-esque, and makes it awfully hard to come together on the court. They fall below .500 as the season seems to be slipping away unless they can turn it around in a hurry. An upcoming matchup with Redemption is the perfect opportunity to get a win against a quality opponent before facing Sensual Chocolate in week seven.
13
(3-2)
STP was actually the underdog against the Double Dribblers in week five, but they quickly showed why that was a foolish line. Even with Bernard Brantley getting his usual 25+ points for the Double Dribblers, he was held to 9-of-25 shooting as STP used a big second quarter to keep their distance. Mike Zazuri and Joe Capodaggle combined for 45 points on 18-of-24 shooting. If Mike Slattery and Joe Salvator can get going at the same time as Zazuri and Capodaggle, that would be scary. That will be a possibility against Fry Time next week.
14
(2-3)
Lob was a no-show in week five, which is a shame because a matchup with The Throne would have definitely been compelling. It is also a shame because we didn’t get to see any posterizing dunks from Eric Singleton. If Singleton can get some offensive help, Lob could be a team to look out for to pull a potential upset come playoff time. They are a good defensive team that is also among the best in the league when it comes to ball security. They have an opportunity to climb higher in the rankings and get back to .500 when they play Sportslook next week.
15
(2-3)
Two weeks without a bench is hardly ideal, but the added experience helped Goon Squad get back in the win column. Matt Marconi continues to light it up, currently standing fifth in the league in scoring. The shots were falling for everyone on Goon Squad in their win against Redemption, after being unable to buy a bucket in week four. They’ll need plenty of buckets next week against a scalding hot Sensual Chocolate team.
16
(2-3)
Despite being vastly outsized, Flight Club took it to Fry Time and came out with a win. Their raucous crowd was thinner than usual due to the holiday week, but that didn’t stop Jacob Miller from dropping 21 points. Three other teammates also finished in double figures. It was a nice win for Flight Club, but they will need to be even better next week against The Throne.
17
(1-4)
It has been a brutal two-week stretch for the Untouchabulls, running into Sensual Chocolate in week five after dealing with the Monstars in week four. They put up a better fight this week in the second half, but weren’t able to come back against a Sensual Chocolate team that ran them over in the first quarter. Chris Rosario bounced back for 35 points on 16-of-23 shooting. They get another quality opponent in the Bad Boyz next week.
18
(0-5)
Many pegged week five as the week the Double Dribblers find the win column, but here we are approaching week six with the team still searching for that elusive first win. Bernard Brantley has certainly given the team a boost, but even he had a hard time finding his shot against STP on Monday night. A daunting matchup with the Flint Tropics awaits in week six.
19
(0-5)
Sometimes Y was another team that put together a disappointing performance in week five. Like the Double Dribblers, they were shorthanded but hardly put up a fight against the Bad Boyz as they lost their fifth-consecutive game by at least 30 points. They entered the fourth quarter down 12 before being blown out 48-18 in the fourth. Unfortunately, their tough schedule only gets worse next week as the Monstars are up next.
20
(0-5)
Someone on Fry Time needs to bring a measuring stick next week and show the team how tall they are. Despite a clear size advantage, they were outrebounded by Flight Club in an ugly loss. If Fry Time can’t maximize their only assets, it will be hard to find the win column at all this season. Next week is a perfect time to get hungry on the boards as they meet a gritty STP team.
(2-3)
