By William McAdoo
With another expected loss from the Air Ballers, Goon Squad let the Ballers shoot from behind the three point line, making 12 three’s and keeping it interesting until the fourth quarter. Goon Squad stepped their defense up and pounded the Air Ballers alley-oop after alley-ooo, as Matt DelMonte and Goon Squad flew past the Air Ballers, 79-48.
The Air Ballers made a valiant effort to stay in the game as long as they could. The Air Ballers Jonathan Cabrera, who averaged less than a point per game through five games, came out of nowhere and scored 19 points, going 5-of-13 from behind the arc. It was just an 11-point game in the beginning of the third quarter.
“We need to get some stops and get back honestly,” Cabrera said. “If we can get some stops and go play transition basketball, then we’ll be good.”
Jaylon Smalls was the only other noteworthy player for the Air Ballers who dropped a quiet double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, as the rest of the team just provided less room for Goon Squad to dribble around.
During halftime in week six, frustrated Matt Marconi stated most games the Squad comes out too slow in the first half, and that is exactly what they did against the Air Ballers. Although playing the Ballers, Goon Squad need to get their act together as they go into the second round attempting to avenge themselves after a devastating loss 72-66 to the Temptations in week nine.
“We switched up the defense after halftime to man-to-man after playing zone there, and everyone was getting real lazy,” Goon Squad’s coach said. “We’ve been playing together since the first game honestly, but our chemistry is great.”
Marconi and Matt DelMonte finally clicked together and dominated both sides of the court as time winded down. With the unfortunate loss of DelMonte for round two, Marconi and the rest of Goon Squad need to step up in order to grind past the skilled Temptations.
