Doc Drew’s The Swish, Volume 18

Welcome to the first and only issue of volume eighteen of Swish, a periodical with recaps and photos of Santa Monica Family YMCA youth basketball games, and other pertinent info such as announcements and updates from the program.

This was the most challenging season since I have been running this program.  With the delay to the start of the season, participants losing homes and schools, and the mood of what we all went through with the Palisades fires, it was tough, but we made it through and we look forward to the next season, as we live and thrive together, and stay Palisades Strong.

This Winter season, the Santa Monica Family YMCA had 5 divisions of youth basketball, with the Copper, Bronze, and Gold divisions having 6 teams each, and the Silver division with 8 teams, and the Platinum division with 4 teams.

We are a coed league with players that are ages 5 to 15.  Our emphasis is that we are a developmental league, and we want the kids to not only enjoy playing youth sports, but to benefit from the three principles of the YMCA:

Youth Development, Social Responsibility, and Healthy Living.

We are partnered with the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation which provides jerseys, grants, and clinics to help develop our youth.  We are ever grateful for their support of our program.  Many thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation:  Kiesha Nix, Richard Harris, and Jeanie Buss for helping us become the premier youth basketball program on the Westside.  Many thanks to UCLA Health for sponsoring the Junior Lakers jerseys.

For the theme of this season’s team names, all the teams were named after:

Historically Black Colleges and Universities(HBCU)

California community college students who complete certain academic requirements are guaranteed transfer to a participating HBCU.  More information for Santa Monica College students can be found at this link.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were established in the United States early in the 19^th century, to provide undergraduate and graduate level educational opportunities to people of African descent.

SAT and SUN 1/25 and 1/26 Scrimmage weekend

All teams had a scrimmage this weekend, and new players received their Junior Lakers jersey.  Coaches were forced to be referees to not only help their players, but learn to have sympathy for the real referees when it comes to the regular season.

Copper 

Three scrimmages of six teams playing another team, in order to get more familiar with game play.

LeMoyne-Owen Magicians

LeMoyne–Owen College (LOC or “LeMoyne-Owen”) is a private historically black college affiliated with the United Church of Christ and located in Memphis, Tennessee. It resulted from the 1968 merger of historically black colleges and other schools established by northern Protestant missions during and after the American Civil War.LeMoyne Normal and Commercial School was founded in 1862.

Newcomers Rav Karwal and Johnny Hong have brought their daughters Soraya and Sonia respectively, to enjoy the experience of coaching youth sports.

Hampton Pirates

Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen. The campus houses the Hampton University Museum, which is the oldest museum of the African diaspora in the United States and the oldest museum in the commonwealth of Virginia.

New Tom Skapars has brought his daughter Etty and some of her friends to enjoy youth basketball at the Santa Monica Family YMCA

Virginia State Trojans

Virginia State University (VSU or Virginia State) is a public historically Black land-grant university in Ettrick, Virginia. Founded on March 6, 1882, Virginia State developed as the United States’s first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for Black Americans.

New coach Alex Radosevic has come on board to help our kids, especially Jacob Glass as his mother Joscelyn Wippern will help to keep it all organized.

Norfolk State Spartans

Norfolk State University (NSU) is a public historically black university in Norfolk, Virginia. It is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Virginia High-Tech Partnership. The institution was founded on September 18, 1935, as the Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University. In 1969, the college divided from Virginia State College and was named Norfolk State College.

Brayden Stoll returns to coach the Copper division, as he gets help from his dad Brent who has been a longtime coach in our program.

Alcorn State Braves

Alcorn State University (Alcorn State, ASU or Alcorn) is a public historically black land-grant university adjacent to Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871 and was the first black land grant college established in the United States. The university is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Alcorn State University was the first black land grant college in the country.

New coaches Hodge Patterson with his son Hodge, and Doug Bloom with his son Joshua, are coming in to help guide our youth.

Elizabeth City Vikings

Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is a public historically Black university in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It enrolls nearly 2,500 students in 28 undergraduate programs and 4 graduate programs and is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the University of North Carolina system. Elizabeth City State University was established by the North Carolina General Assembly on March 3, 1891, as the State Colored Normal School at Elizabeth City

Coach Ivan Gallegos returns with his son Aiden, and coach Joe Abrahams returns with his son Caleb, to propel their team to success.

Bronze

6 teams squared off in three scrimmages to get familiar with league play.

Morehouse Maroon Tigers

Morehouse College is a private, historically Black, men’s liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. Anchored by its main campus of 61 acres (25 ha) near Downtown Atlanta, the college has a variety of residential dorms and academic buildings east of Ashview Heights. Along with Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and the Morehouse School of Medicine, the college is a member of the Atlanta University Center consortium. Founded by William Jefferson White in 1867 in response to the liberation of enslaved African Americans following the American Civil War

Alicia Marder has returned with her son Riggan, and has brought along new assistant coach, Philippe Shepnick with his son Enzo, to take on the Bronze division.

Fayetteville Broncos

Fayetteville State University (FSU) is a public historically black university in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the University of North Carolina System and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The second oldest state-supported school in North Carolina had humble beginnings. Immediately following the Civil War in 1865.

Sean Broihier and Chris Lapierre have made their annual winter season return to coach with their daughters Kiera and Vivienne respectively.

North Carolina A&T Aggies

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (also known as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina A&T, N.C. A&T, or simply A&T) is a public, historically black, land-grant research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System. Founded by the North Carolina General Assembly on March 9, 1891, as the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Colored Race, it was the second college established under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890, as well as the first for people of color in the State of North Carolina.

Longtime coaches to the program, Alex Wang and Bing Sheng, are looking to dominate the bronze division.  Alex will have his son Owen and his daughter Oliva, Bing will have his son Lincoln.

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

Bethune–Cookman University (B–CU or Bethune–Cookman) is a private historically black university in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bethune–Cookman University is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Mary McLeod Bethune founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in 1904. In 1923, it merged with the Cookman Institute of Jacksonville, Florida, founded in 1872, and became a co-ed high school. Bethune-Cookman College is a result of the merger in 1923 of the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Girls.

The new dynamic duo of coaches, Ben Hsiang and Art Lyons, have come on board to take on the Bronze division.  Ben will have his son Max, and Art will have his son Ray.

Winston-Salem Rams

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is a historically black public university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. Winston-Salem State University was founded as Slater Industrial Academy on September 28, 1892.

New coach Eric Fleet with his son Theo look to guide the kids forward.  I’m sure WSSU alum Stephen A. Smith would most likely say “Quite frankly, who is going to do a better job!, he’s the man!”

Virginia University-Lynchburg Dragons

Virginia University of Lynchburg (VUL) is a private historically black Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia. The university is accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools and offers instruction and degrees, primarily in religious studies, including a Doctorate of Ministry program. The campus is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The school was founded in 1886.

Coach David Sharafi with his son David Jr. have returned to help advance the kids in their skills and teamwork.

Silver

Four scrimmages featured the eight teams in the division.

Morgan State Bears

Morgan State University (Morgan State or MSU) is a public historically black research university in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the largest of Maryland’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Morgan State University (MSU) is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1867 as the Centenary Biblical Institute, a Methodist Episcopal seminary, to train young men in the ministry.

Fresh off a Bronze division championship, coach Phil Volken has gone up to the Silver division with his son Phoenix, and he is being helped by coach Justin Amos and his son Decker.

Kentucky State Thorobreds

Kentucky State University (KSU, and KYSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Frankfort, Kentucky. Founded in 1886 as the State Normal School for Colored Persons, and becoming a land-grant college in 1890, KSU is the second-oldest state-supported institution of higher learning in Kentucky.

Long time favorite coach Tom Casarella is back with sons Billy and Hugo, but this time, he has brought in the help of new coach Danny Bitar with his son William.

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks

University of Maryland Eastern Shore(UMES) is a public historically blackland-grant research university in Princess Anne, Maryland. It is part of the University System of Maryland. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has been known by a series of names reflective of its location, evolving role, and mission over a period spanning three centuries. It opened September 13, 1886, under the auspices of the Delaware Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Coaches Jodi and Justin Strock, with their son Corbin, have returned and moved up to the next division as they continue to get all their players to enjoy youth basketball.

Texas College Steers

Texas College is a private, historically black Christian Methodist Episcopalcollege in Tyler, Texas. It is affiliated with the United Negro College Fund. It was founded in 1894 by a group of ministers affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church, a predominantly black denomination which was at the time known as the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America.

With all that has happened with the recent tragic fires in the Palisades, we need to create an additional team for the Silver division.  Thank God for Nicholas Walker who agreed to step right in and coach this team.  He is the perfect coach to get the kids feeling good about themselves and enjoy basketball.

Howard Bison

Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Established in 1867, Howard is a nonsectarian institution located in the Shaw neighborhood. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in more than 120 programs.Howard University played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement on a number of occasions.

Alex Tilahun has returned to the Silver division, and he and his son Lucas look to lead their team to the top.

Fisk Bulldogs

Fisk University is a private historically black liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its 40-acre (16 ha) campus is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1930, Fisk became the first historically black institution to gain accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Fisk is the oldest institution for higher education in Nashville.

Two of our top coaches have decided to combine forces to coach this team.  Ali Safavi with his son Saum, and Bing Sheng with his son Elliot will lead the way.

Cheyney Wolves

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public historically black university in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1837 as the Institute for Colored Youth,it is the oldest of all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. It is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Coach Kelly Roberts with his daughter Alice, and Coach Eugene Travnikoff with his daughter Cetine, have returned to coach again in the Silver division.

North Carolina Central Eagles

North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds from both Northern and Southern philanthropists. It was made part of the state system in 1923 

Coach Noah Verleun with his son Soren, are back again to continue to help the players enjoy the league and improve their skills.

Gold 

6 teams had a scrimmage against one of their division rivals.

Albany State Golden Rams

Albany State University is a public historically black university in Albany, Georgia. Joseph Winthrop Holley, born in 1874 to former slaves in Winnsboro, South Carolina, founded the institution in 1903 as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute. The college played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s.

New coach Johnny Hong with his son Judah, and veteran coach Eugene Travnikoff with his son Auden will look to conquer the Gold division.

Xavier Gold Rush

Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) is a private historically black Catholic university in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the only Catholic HBCU. Upon the canonization of Katharine Drexel in 2000 it became the first Catholic university founded by a saint.  The high school opened on 27 September 1915 as Southern University of New Orleans, later re-named after Francis Xavier (the namesake of Katharine’s father).

Justin Nelson with his sons Spencer and Ross, and Armando Gonzalez with his son Diego, will lead this group of talented young players.

Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls

Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) is a private historically black university in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Johnson C. Smith University was established on April 7, 1867, as the Biddle Memorial Institute at a meeting of the Catawba Presbytery in the old Charlotte Presbyterian Church. Mary D. Biddle donated $1,400 to the school. The school was then named after her late husband, Henry Jonathan Biddle, who had died after the Battle of Glendale in 1862.

Coach Jennifer Lynn has returned to the Gold division with her son Oliver, as they look to take off running.

West Virginia State Yellow Jackets

West Virginia State University (WVSU) is a public historically black, land-grant university in Institute, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 1891 as the West Virginia Colored Institute. It is one of the original 19 land-grant colleges and universities established by the second Morrill Act of 1890, which evolved as a diverse and inclusive campus. 

New coach to our program, Jason Silverstein, has brought some talented players in for this additional team created from the tragedy of the fire in the Palisades.  Furthermore, he will be helped by his son Jaxon who is a veteran all-star in our league.

Tuskegee Golden Tigers

Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU; formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute) is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. The school was founded on July 4, 1881, as the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers.  The university has been home to a number of important African American figures, including founder and first principal/president Booker T. Washington, scientist George Washington Carver and World War II‘s Tuskegee Airmen.

Coaches DJ Jacobs and Keith Muenze have returned with their sons Buck and Leon respectively, as they look to fly to the top of the division.

Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is a public historically black university in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Founded in 1873, it is the second oldest public college or university in Arkansas.  The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is the oldest and largest HBCU in Arkansas.

Coach Noah Verleun will be coaching his second team in the league, this team will have his son Linus.  Also coaching will be George Edelman with his son Theo.

Platinum

4 teams each played a scrimmage against another team.

Florida A&M Rattlers

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), commonly known as Florida A&M, is a public historically black land-grant university in Tallahassee, Florida. Founded in 1887, It is the third largest historically black university in the United States by enrollment and the only public historically black university in Florida.

Coach Armando Gonzalez with his son Diego are back again in the Platinum division after winning the title last season.  An early delay in Armando starting saw Nicholas Walker graciously fill in until his return.

Delaware State Hornets

Delaware State University (DSU or Del State) is a privately governed, state-assisted historically black land-grant research university in Dover, Delaware.  The Delaware College for Colored Students was established on May 15, 1891, by the Delaware General Assembly. The name was changed to the State College for Colored Students by state legislative action in 1893.  On July 1, 1993, the institution changed its name yet again, this time to Delaware State University. Delaware State University is one of the first historically black colleges and universities to have a no-smoking policy.

Returning and veteran coach Bill Kravitz with his son Dylan will look to create a buzz in the Platinum division.

Prairie View A&M Panthers

Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU or PV) is a public historically black land-grant university in Prairie View, Texas. Founded in 1876, it is one of Texas’s two land-grant universities and the second oldest public institution of higher learning in the state.

Our most talented young coach, Brayden Stoll, will be leading these young players to attain new heights in their game.  He will be assisted by longtime coach and his father, Brent Stoll.

Spelman Jaguars

Spelman College is a private, historically Black, women’s liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a founding member of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman awarded its first college degrees in 1901 and is the oldest private historically Black liberal arts institution for women.Going into the 1960s, the Spelman College students became involved in civil rights actions in Atlanta.

One of our all-time most popular coaches, Joe Tilley, is back in the Platinum division to help guide the players on and off the court.

SAT 2/1/25  WEEKEND #1

Copper

Magicians vs Spartans

The Spartans won the battle of the first quarter as Simon G made a nice ten footer, and Merritt C converted a free throw;  however the Magicians would tie it up at halftime with a free throw made by Cal H, and a 12 footer from the left wing by Jake J as he was assisted by Winston C.  In the second half, the Spartans had a 2 for 2 from the charity stripe by Joshua H; to then be mirrored exactly by Jake J of the Magicians as he was 2 for 2.  Down the stretch, it was Player of the Game-Raphael S with two big buckets to give the Spartans the narrow victory.

Vikings vs Pirates

Mostly Pirates with the scoring in the first half as Player of the Game-Jones U had all six of his points in the first half.  The Vikings had a nice passing/shooting tandem of Jack M getting the ball to Ellis L for a score.  The Pirates were able to pull away, as Sam S and Etty S each made a basket, as they went onto the victory of competing raiders.

Bronze

Broncos vs Dragons

The Dragons did what they could, but the ball just wouldn’t fall into the hoop.  However the Dragons hustled to get the ball, as Adam F got rebounds, and Galiel S made several steals.  The Broncos would win this match with 2 field goals from Vivienne L, a free throw from Cole L, and a plethora of baskets from Player of the Game-Louis L who led the match in points and rebounds.

Rams vs Wildcats

This was a closely fought battle from start to finish.  The Rams took the early lead with a couple of nice swish shots made by River S;  however the Wildcats tied it up by halftime with a couple of buckets from Ray L, then took a narrow lead to end the third quarter when Nathan S and Jaxton S each made a field goal from about 15’ out..  The Rams made a valiant effort to try to catch the Wildcats, when Titus A made his first YMCA basket ever late in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats were able to hang on for the narrow victory, as Player of the Game-Ray L added one more bucket late to get the victory. 

Silver

Thorobreds vs Bears

A match that can be described as tooth and nail from beginning to end.  The Thorobreds dominated the first half as Rome R made multiple drives to the hoop, and teammate George C had the ‘3’ ball working from beyond the arc.  The Bears were able to stay close in the first half with 15 footers from Levi L and Victor L.  The Thorobreds built a small lead to end the third quarter with another ‘3” by Player of the Game-George C, free throws from Loren G, and a basket by Theo R.  The Bears had a strong fourth quarter, as Bobby D and Nanda A made drives to the hoop for scores, and then with only seconds left, Player of the Game-Decker A nailed a deep left corner trey to tie the score, and the result ended in a draw.  Perfect outcome for a great match.

Bison vs Eagles

The Eagles led the match throughout the first three quarters, and had the hot shooting of Oscar F with 14 first half points that included two makes from downtown, then got baskets from Teddy M and Soren V in the third quarter to have a sizable lead.  The Bison had kept pace through the first half with baskets from Alex B, Lucas A, and Krsna P.  With the Eagles having a good lead going into the fourth quarter, it seemed as if they would cruise to victory, but not so fast, because the fourth quarter was full court press, and the Bison had a full squad to wear down the shorthanded Eagles.  Anthony W and Kian S played the big man’s game by powering to the hoop for scores, Oliver F made a basket, and then with only seconds left, Player of the Game-Xavier S took the inbounds pass and with ice water in his veins, nailed the 12 foot jumper to give his team the one points victory in an incredible comeback that required a total team effort by the Bison.  A thrilling come from behind victory, that Yogi Berra would say “It ain’t over, till it’s over!”

Gold

Gold Rush vs Golden Tigers

Close first half as the Gold Rush got baskets from Diego G, Liam B, Andy H, and Jacob H;  the Golden Tigers had baskets from Ethan C, Niam P, and Henry M.  The second half saw the Gold Rush get a ‘3’ from Matthew K, and a basket from Quest D;  however, the Golden Tigers would have multiple players score of of good distribution of the ball, as Buck J, Archie L, Beau Z, and Emet K would spread the ball around to each other for assists and scores.  Player of the Game-Krishna A would end up with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Golden Tigers to the victory.

Golden Bulls vs Golden Lions

The Golden Lions started the scoring with a trey from Isaac W, and a basket each from Keegan E and Theodore E.  The Golden Bulls were able to keep pace and take a narrow halftime lead as Leo Y had a strong second quarter with 8 points, and Jonathan W and his brother Nathanaiel W each had a basket.  The second half saw the Golden Lions pull ahead in the third quarter with a couple baskets each from Viggo M and Zayd S.  The Golden Bulls were able to pull aways in the fourth quarter as strong defense by Magean O and Azumi N led to them finding their teammate and Player of the Game-Rohan P who was can’t miss from beyond the arc, as he had three ‘3’s and was a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line, to allow the Golden Bulls to pull away for the victory.

Platinum

Hornets vs Jaguars

The first half was back and forth, as the Jaguars leading scorer Mohamed D made several baskets, and teammate Max P had a couple of putbacks.  The Hornets had first half scoring from Ydur L, Radin T, and Daniel F.  The second half saw the Jaguars get good defense from Noah L and Brandon I as they each made blocks and steals, and Kay R got onto the scoreboard.  In the end, the Hornets had too much firepower as Danny Z, Amir E, and Augie T all scored, and Player of the Game-Dylan K had a phenomenal shooting day making deuces and treys, along with a devilish 6 for 6 from the charity stripe to give the Hornets the victory.

SUN 2/2/25

Copper

Braves vs Trojans

Photo by Dean Georgaris 

Mostly Trojans as Ryan S had two baskets, Dylan M had several rebounds, William J with a couple of steals, and Player of the Game-Marlowe G was the leading scorer with 8 points.  The Braves had steals from Joshua B, a free throw made by Nara W, and Lawson R with his first basket ever to close the game to end the match on a bright spot. 

Bronze

Maroon Tigers vs Aggies

All Aggies from start to finish with a great passing attack that saw Olivia W lead all scorers with 12 points, baskets from Rohan H, Josephine C, Lachlan C, and Owen W.  The Maroon Tigers got most of their scoring in the second half as Riggan Marder and Jaxon O each had double digit scoring, as they were given nice passes by Hannah C.  In the end, the superb passing skills of Player of the Game-Sora N who continued to find open teammates for scores, was good enough to give the Aggies the victory.

Silver

Bulldogs vs Hawks

Photo by Jaime and Mayra Guzman

The Bulldogs have an experienced Silver division squad, and all eleven players scored in the match with the highlights being a basket each from Josiah H, Pablo G, Rayden T, and William H.  The Hawks got their scoring going in the second half, as Grayson M and Kailash S each had a basket, and Ignacio G had hot shooting with several distance makes.  In the end, the Bulldogs went onto the victory, as Player of the Game-Walker R made several baskets and had a great all around game performance.

Photo by Jaime and Mayra Guzman

Wolves vs Steers

The Wolves front loaded all their scoring early on, as Ray S, Declan W, Amarveer G, and Charlie K had several points each.  The Steers got going in the right direction as the game progressed, and Sebastian J, Naphat W, and Julian G each had a couple of buckets.  The second half saw good defense from Natcha W to get the ball to Ryder R for a score that got the Steers a little closer.  The Wolves would continue to score, as Bodhi P, Griffin M, and Player of the Game-Alice R would make several drives to the hoop for scores to give their team the victory.

Eagles vs Thorobreds

Both teams had their second match of the weekend.  The Eagles got the scoring started with baskets from Ford M and Teddy M.  The Thorobreds countered with a driving Rome R who put the floaters up and in, and a basket each from George C and Loren G to take the halftime lead.  In the second half, the Eagles got steals from Knute H who was able to find Kris P and Oscar F for scores.  The Thorobreds eventually pulled away as Maximus A was able to grab rebounds to get the ball to Player of the Game-William B who was the leading scorer for the match with 16 points, and the Thorobreds were able to cross the finish line for the victory. 

Gold

Yellow Jackets vs Golden Rams

The Golden Rams took the early lead with baskets from Judah H and Elliot I.  The Yellow Jackets would then spread the ball around to get the lead by halftime, as Liam D, Bradley E, and Drew W would score off of assists from Player of the Game-Finn P.  In the second half, the Golden Rams were able to get Justin P, Jack M, and Nicholas C on the scoreboard to cut into the lead.  The Yellow Jackets were able to pull away down the stretch as Beau E and Jaxon S scored multiple baskets to give their team the victory.

Platinum

Panthers vs Rattlers

The Rattlers had first half scoring with ‘3’s from Rowan B, Diego G, and Abdullah J.   The Panthers were getting all their scoring from Dylan M who had 14 first half points on a variety of very well made shots, and the Panthers were looking good;  however, tragedy would strike in the second quarter, as Dylan M would land awkwardly on his leg, and had to leave the match with an injury.  The Panthers continued on and got scoring from Liam A, and Joshua E agreed to come over from the Rattlers to help the Panthers as he scored 11 points for them.  With the Rattlers behind in the second half, they got their transition game going as Constantine A and Ezra M got layups.  The Panthers played tough defense with Dominic D, Ryan Y, and Dylan Z holding down the fort.  In the end, it would turn out to be the incredible hot shooting of Player of the Game-Louis M who had four 3-pointers in the second half that would give the Rattlers the come from behind victory.

SAT 2/8/25  WEEKEND #2

Copper

Spartans vs Trojans

Simon G got the Spartans on the scoreboard first as he was assisted by Raphael S. The Trojans were able to tie it up at the end of the first quarter as Marlowe Geogaris sank in a shot just before the buzzer.  The match went back and forth in the second quarter as the Spartans got the lead back with baskets from Nicolas L, but then the Trojans recaptured the league just prior to halftime when Jacob G and Ryan S each had a basket.  In the second half, the Trojans got steals from Rocco A and Lorenzo A; the Spartans countered with master thief Merritt C who had multiple pickpockets to get the ball down the court to where Player of the Game-Joshua H made all his game high 8 points in the second half, to lead the Spartans to the victory.

Pirates vs Braves

Pretty much all Pirates in this matchup as Jones U was the leading scorer with 11 points, followed closely by Huntley T with 8 points.  The Braves eventually got into the scoring column with a free throw each made by Nara W and Cam F, and Joshua B had a big fourth quarter with two buckets as he was assisted by Violet M and Hodge P.  The Pirates held onto the victory as Oliver H and Ezra A each had a basket, and Player of the Game-Etty S had the most assists in the match along with a basket.

Bronze

Rams vs Maroon Tigers

The Maroon Tigers had a strong first half as they got baskets from Enzo Shepnick, Matthew A, Jaxon O, and Player of the Game-Riggan M to take a big lead at halftime.  The Rams did win the battle of the second half as River S finished the match with 12 points, and Issa A and Zachary C had baskets off of assists from Charley A.  The Maroon Tigers would hold onto the victory with strong defense from Zev R and Hannah C.

Coach Alicia with Player of the Game-Riggan M.  Photo by Scott Marder

Wildcats vs Broncos

This game would be the same score at the end of the first, the end of the second, the end of the third, and at the end of the fourth for one of the rarest situations ever.  It was deuces wild at the end of the first as Ray L had a bucket for the Wildcats, and Oscar C had a basket for the Broncos.  The second quarter saw Player of the Game-Ivy H score the first of two of her buckets for the Broncos, and Nathan S scored for the Wildcats as it was all fours between the two teams at halftime.  In the second half, Kiera B got on the scoreboard for the Broncos, and Player of the Game-Lukas B would have 6 points for the Wildcats.  It was crazy eights to end the third quarter, followed by a Bo Derek perfect “10” to end the match.  You could call it a “Kiss your sister” from start to finish, to end in a draw.

Player of the Game-Ivy with her good luck charm.  Photo by John Huss

Silver

Bears vs Bulldogs

Strong first half by the Bulldogs with multiple baskets from Henry F, Dylan R, Josiah H, and Saum S as they were assisted by Elliot S and Pablo G to give their team a big lead going into halftime.  The Bears played tough, and got a basket each from Phoenix V, Bodhi K, and Levi L before the halftime break.  In the second half, Nanda A, Decker A, and Bobby D each scored multiple points for the Bears to get them closer.  In the end, the strong play of James C and Player of the Game-Rayden T kept the Bulldogs ahead for good when they each added points to the scoreboard.

MVP of the Bronze division for Fall 2024, Victor L.

Photo by Greice Lima

Hawks vs Thorobreds

The first half saw baskets from the Thorobreds by William B, Loren G, and Maximus A;  the Hawks had baskets from sub players Decker Amos and Elliot Sheng to keep the score close at the halftime break.  In the third quarter, the Thorobreds got baskets from Hugo C and Rome R; the Hawks had buckets from Landon S and Kailash S.  In the fourth quarter, the Hawks took a small lead on a basket from Ignacio G;  however the Thorobreds had a strong fourth quarter as George C and Player of the Game-Aiden Y each had a “3’ to pull ahead for good and onto the victory. 

Gold

Golden Tigers vs Golden Bulls

The first quarter belonged to the Golden Tigers as Henry M and Leon M had field goals.  The Golden Bulls would get their scoring going in the second quarter as Rohan P and Alexander M would make outside shots, and then the scoring for the Golden Bulls would continue in the third quarter as Olivia R would make drives to the hoop, Jonathan W and his brother Nathanaiel W would have a basket each, and Julian Z would convert a hook shot to get close to the Golden Tigers.

Henry M was the winner of the Top Passer award for the Gold division Fall 2024 season.  Photo by Valerie Mack

In the fourth quarter, the Golden Tigers were too strong on defense, and scores were made by Harrison B, Buck J, Beau Z, and Player of the Game-Emet K to build a big enough lead to stay ahead for good and onto the victory.

MVP of the Gold division for Fall 2024, Olivia R.  Photo by Rachel Ruiz

Golden Rams vs Gold Rush

Photo by Winnie Man

The first half would end in lucky ‘7’s for each team, as the Golden Rams had points from Auden T and Finley P off of assists from Sam W;  the Gold Rush had points form Ross N and Andy H.  The third quarter saw the Gold Rush jump out to a big lead as Liam B and Matthew K scored thanks to dime disher and Player of the Game-Jaewon C who led in assists among all players in the match.  The Golden Rams made a run in the fourth quarter as Judah H, Zachary L, and Nicholas C scored;  however, the final minute saw a big basket from Jacob H to give the Gold Rush the narrow victory.

Zachary L received his award for Most Improved Player Fall 2024 Gold Division.  Photo by Winnie Man

Platinum

Rattlers vs Hornets

Photo by Rebecca Edwards

This game would remain close from start to finish.  The first half was mostly a 3-point shooting contest as the Hornets had treys from Dylan K and Ydur L;  while the Rattlers had downtown makes from Ezra M, Diego G, Louis M, Joshua E, and Rowan B.  The second half would remain close as the Hornets had deuces from Radin T, and a trey from Augie T.  The Rattlers would pull away in the final minutes as Player of the Game-Rowan B would make two driving layups to keep the Rattlers as the only undefeated team in the Platinum division.

SUN 2/9/25

Copper

Vikings vs Magicians

The Vikings did most of their scoring early in the match as E and Player of the Game-Jack M had multiple baskets each.  The Magicians would get most of their points in the second half as Lily O made a free throw, and Jake J would have 7 points off of assists from teammates Drew D and Soraya K.  The Vikings would hold on for the victory as Caleb A scored as he was assisted by teammate Noah S to give their team the first victory of the season.

Bronze

Aggies vs Dragons

The Aggies had first half scoring from Sora N, Olivia W, Decker Z, and Owen W to build a good halftime lead.  The Dragons would do all their scoring in the second half as Tate A would have two baskets, Galieil S scored, and Natalie W would convert a free throw.  Down the stretch, the Aggies would have Player of Game-Russell D make two big buckets to keep his team ahead for good and to the victory.

Silver

Eagles vs Wolves

The Eagles got the scoring started with a barrage of points from Oscar F who was making baskets from inside and outside with his sharp shooting skills.  The Wolves would retake the lead by halftime on the strength of multiple baskets from Ray S, Liana E, and Player of the Game-Declan W who was “Can’t miss” as all his shots were nothing but net.  The Eagles would get second half scoring from Soren V and Teddy M as Amos T would assist them on their scores. The Wolves would stay out front till the end, as Charlie K and Cetine T would get onto the scoreboard with their high angled bank shots to give their team the victory.

Steers vs Bison

The Steers started the scoring with baskets from Ryder R and Max A.  The Bison caught up and took the halftime lead on multiple buckets from Krsna P, Anthony W, and Player of the Game-Lucas A.  In the second half, the Steers got field goals from Dean M and Naphat W, as each were assisted by teammate Natcha W, as they got closer to the Bison.  The Bison were able to hang on, as Xavier S had a couple of baskets late in the match to give his team the victory.

Gold

Golden Lions vs Yellow Jackets

The Golden Lions struck first with baskets from Andrey S, Oakley E, and Linus V.  The Yellow Jackets would get the halftime lead as Liam D had multiple rebounds to which he put back for scores, Ray S had a bucket, and Finn P would have points and multiple assists.  In the second half, the Golden Lions would get closer with a nice long shot from Isaac W, a hook shot from Keegan E, and rebounds for putbacks from Zayd S.  The Yellow Jackets would be strong down the stretch as Declan W, Jaxon S, and Player of the Game-Drew W would each make multiple field goals from distance to give their team the victory.

Platinum

Jaguars vs Panthers

This matchup of big bad kitty cats would see the Panthers strike first on drives to the hoop by Leonardo G, and a 12 foot floater from Dominic D.  The Jaguars would then get the halftime lead as Mohamed D, Kai H, Max P, and Kamden K would each score multiple points.  In the second half, the Panthers would get closer with baskets from Ryan Y, Liam A, and Jude L;  however, the Jaguars were too strong, as Noah Levy and Isaac L each had a basket, and Kay R and Player of the Game-Mohamed D were hot from beyond the arc, as both players had a couple of treys each, and propelled their team to the victory.

SAT 2/15/25 WEEKEND #3 

Copper

Spartans vs Braves

The Spartans started the morning with the scoring, as Player of the Game-Simon C had the first couple of made baskets for his team.  The Braves had some good defense to shut down the Spartans, as Luke O and August M had a couple of steals to keep the game close.  In the second half, the Braves had a couple of field goals from Raffa G, as he was given the ball in transition from the rebounds collected by Joshua B and Hodge P.  The Spartans chose Joshua H to score all their second half points, as he had a triplet of ‘2”s on assists from Bryce R.  The Spartans held off the Braves as Logan W and Landon M prevented the Braves from making a comeback as they wouldn’t allow them to get to the basket with their tough defense, and went onto the victory.

Trojans vs Vikings

The Vikings had an excellent offense of pass distribution as the spread the ball around with assists from Aiden G, Noah S, and Ellis L that led to scores by Caleb A and Jack M, as they had remained close with the Trojans who had 6 points from Ryan S, and a monster performance from Player of the Game-Marlowe G who was can’t miss, as he had seven field goals and a perfect 2 for 2 from the charity stripe.  The Trojans were also aided by top assist maker Jacob G who was dishing out the dimes, and Mila H was the master thief as she picked a few pockets to get the ball for her team.  In the final quarter, the Vikings played hard as Joseph G got rebounds, and Theo G had some steals, but they came up slightly short, and the Trojans went onto the victory.

Bronze

Dragons vs Rams

Strong first half by the Rams as Player of the Game-River S had 12 first half points, and teammates Titus A and Vivienne B each had a basket off of assists from Jayson G.  The Dragons got their scoring in the second half as Emory B, Lucas G, and Galiel S each made a basket, and teammate Natalie W added a free throw.  The Rams were able to keep the lead till the end, as Zachary C had 6 second half points, and Charley A and Theo F had multiple rebounds to give their team the victory.

Maroon Tigers vs Wildcats

The Wildcats struck first with baskets from Lukas B and Ray L, as they were assisted by Nico L.  The Maroon Tigers took the lead by halftime as Matthew A, Riggan M, and Player of the Game-Jaxon O each had multiple baskets and assists amongst each other.  The Wildcats mounted a comeback in the second half as Benjamin B and Ashley N each had a basket;  however, the Maroon Tigers were able to stay ahead till the end of the match for the win, as James W had a basket, and Alexander W got the rebounds. 

Silver

Wolves vs Bison

A battle of two undefeated teams in the division would go wire to wire throughout the match.  Defense reigned supreme in the first half as few points were scored;  however, the Bison had points from Mete O and Lucas A, and the Wolves had points from Alice R and Bodhi P.   Scoring picked up in the second half as the Bison had baskets from Xavier S and Kian S, and the Wolves had Liana E and Declan W making hoops.  The fourth quarter was back and forth with multiple lead changes, and with less than a minute left in the match, Krsna P shot in a ten-footer to put his team ahead;  however, with only seconds left in the match, Player of the Game-Rex B nailed a shot from 12’ out on the right wing to put his team ahead to stay onto the victory in the closely fought matchup.

Steers vs Bulldogs

Photo by Brian Read

Bulldogs took the first bite as they got in distance shots from Killian G, Dylan R, and Josiah H.  The Steers got their scoring going in the second half as Julian G led his team with 8 points, Sebastian J converted a hook shot, Ryder R had a long range shot, and Naphat Wattanalaowit made a nice shot as he was assisted by his brother Nawat W.  With the Steers getting closer, the Bulldogs put it into overdrive as Player of the Game-Elliot S had several buckets and multiple assists to keep his team ahead and onto the victory.

Photo by Dean Georgaris 

Bears vs Hawks

Photo by Greice Lima

The Hawks had first half scoring from Emma H, Landon S, and Trevor S; the Bears had Victor L, Phoenix V, Decker A, and Player of the Game-Nanda A score multiple points to give their team a comfortable halftime lead.  

Photo by Mayra Guzman

The Hawks would get closer in the second half as Matteo B, Ignacio G, Greysen M, and Grayson M all got on the scoreboard.  In the end, the Bears kept the lead as Bodhi K made a couple of turnaround jumpers to have all players score for the Bears in their victory.

Gold

Golden Bulls vs Yellow Jackets

The Golden Bulls had first half scoring from Azumi N, Leo Y, and Jonathan W;  but, the Yellow Jackets would build a good first half lead as Drew W, Declan W, and Liam D all scored.  In the second half, the Golden Bulls got buckets on drives to the hoop from Alexander M and Olivia R as they were assisted by Megan O, along with Rohan Peddi being the leading scorer for his team with 13 points; however, the Yellow Jackets got a gritty defensive performance from Bradley E, and a three party from Player of the Game-Beau E as he made four 3-pointers and was perfect from the free throw line as the Yellow Jackets went onto the victory.

Golden Rams vs Golden Tigers

The Golden Tigers exploded in the first quarter with 20 points with Emet K, Krishna A, and Beau Z leading the way on the scoreboard.  The Golden Rams would break through in the second quarter as Judah H and Jack M got on the scoreboard, and counted their scoring in the second half as Elliot I, Auden T, and Sam W added points for the Golden Rams.  The Golden Tigers would stay ahead for the win as Ethan C, Buck J, and Henry M would score; while Player of the Game-Harrison B would make a trey and a pair of deuces to guarantee his team the victory.

SUN 2/16/25

Copper

Pirates vs Magicians

It was all the Pirates Jones U in the first quarter as he had 7 points;  then, his teammate and Player of the Game-Ryder B scored six points in the second quarter.  The Magicians started their scoring in the second quarter, as Jake J would make the first of his five field goals for the match, as he was assured by Lucky S and Cal H.  In the second half, the Magicians used a few tricks up their sleeves as Sonia H and Jules T picked the pockets of their opponents, and started to get closer with the score.  The Pirates would finish strong as Ezra A and Miles B found Etty S open with their assists, as she put the game away with a couple of baskets for the win.

Bronze

Aggies vs Broncos

Defense dominated the first half as the Broncos had the combination of Oscar C, Penelope J using a triangle trap to create turnovers; while the Aggies had Rohan H and Olivia W grabbing rebounds, and getting the ball to Player of the Game-Decker Z who scored all the first half points for the Aggies.  The second half saw the Broncos get scoring from Cole L and Louis L as they were assisted by Kiera B.  The Aggies would pull away for good as baskets were made by Tucker L, Owen W, and Olivia W in order to keep the Aggies undefeated this season.

Player of the Game-Decker Z. Photo by Alysse Levine

Silver

Thorobreds vs Steers

The Steers got the early lead with baskets from Ryder R and Julian G, then a “3” from Naphat W.  The Thorobreds kept pace with baskets from Rome R, Cade S, and Billy C.  The second half was a close battle as the Steers got points from Sebastian J and Nawat W as they were assisted by Carson G.  The Thorobreds were able to come from behind in the final minutes as George C had 7 points, Aiden Yousefi made free throws, and Player of the Game-Hugo C made key assists and points in final minutes to give the Thorobreds the victory.

Hawks vs Wolves

The Wolves built a big lead in the first half with field goals from Rex B, Alice R, Declan W, and Player of the Game-Bodhi P;  however, the Hawks came roaring back in the second half, as Matteo B, Trevor S, Kailash S, and Corbin S were making outside shots, and teammates Emma H and Greyson M converted free throws.  The Wolves had to use the tough defense of Frida G and Cetine T to hold down the opponent, and teammates Liana E and Griffin M added baskets to hold on for the victory.

Gold

Gold Rush vs Golden Lions

Neck and neck battle from start to finish.  The first quarter ended Bo Derek style with a perfect 10 from both teams, with the Golden Lions getting buckets from Viggo M and Andrey S; the Gold Rush had scoring from Sean D, Jaewon C, and Diego G.  The second and third quarters went back and forth, as the Gold Rush got rebounds from Quest Dixon who found Matthew K beyond the arc to nail the downtown shots; while the Golden Lions had drives to the hoop for scores from Oakley E, Theodore E, and Isaac W.  In the fourth quarter, the Golden Lions had big rebounds from Zayd  that were putback for buckets;  but, the Gold Rush would continue to get ‘3’s from Diego G and Player of the Game-Matthew K to eke out the victory.

Platinum

Panthers vs Hornets

The Hornets took the early lead with a trey party in which shots were made from downtown by Dylan K, Radin T, and Player of the Game-Ydur L.  The Panthers would trim the lead in the second quarter as Rohham T was a perfect four for four from the free throw line, and teammate Liam A would make drives to the hoop.  In the second half, the Panthers got a basket from Dylan M, an And1 conversion from Aiden Y, and 13 second half points from Leonardo G which included an amazing assist from Dominic Drew as he jumped out of bounds and threw an over the back-no look pass to Leonardo G for the score.  The Hornets would go onto the victory as Augie T, Amir E, and Daniel F had scores with strong defense from Shai P to close it out.

Jaguars vs Rattlers

Photo by Jane Paik 

The Jaguars had a strong first quarter as Max P, Kai H, and Mohamed D dominated the boards and put the rebounds back in for points.  The Rattlers would get it back together and get their scoring going in the second quarter as Ibrahim A and Joshua E got on the scoreboard, and Diego G had nine points with a trey, dos deuces, and pair of freebies from the charity stripe.  The Rattlers would continue their scoring in the second half as Abdullah J and Rohan S each had a deep Steph Curry ‘3’.  The Jaguars would show their resilience as Ocean Y, Jaden K, and Brandon I would get on the scoreboard thanks to the great guard play of Player of the Game-Noah L was dishing dimes, dropping deuces, and converting the And1, as he took over the match and led his team to victory which now puts three teams in a three way tie for first place in the Platinum division.

SAT  2/22/25  WEEKEND #4

Copper

Spartans vs Vikings

The Vikings got the halftime lead with several free throws made by Ethan C and a basket from Ellis L, along with strong defense from Jack M and Oliver W.  The Spartans were able to regroup at halftime and we were able to get multiple baskets from Simon C and Joshua H, thanks to Player of the Game-Jack D who had several assists to his teammates, and steals from Bryce R on defense to take the lead in the second half and keep it for good to go onto the victory.

Magicians vs Braves

Both teams were in search of their first victory, and the Braves got the scoring going as Raffaele G had a couple of quick baskets to give his team the early lead.  The Braves were able to hold on for a while as Violet M and Lawson R were able to be strong on defense to prevent the Magicians from scoring; but, the Magicians would finally break through in the second half, as Lucas R created turnovers, Cal H had a basket and Player of the Game-Jake J would break free with multiple baskets as he was assisted by Lucky S and Jules T.  The Magicians would get their first victory of the season, with the Braves still hoping to get their first victory next week, but showing signs of improvement with all their players, especially August M, who had a really good game with multiple rebounds and steals

Pirates vs Trojans

Photo by Hillary Yablon

A couple of top-notch teams in the division with a pretty even first half that had the Pirates get baskets from Jones U and Samuel S; while the Trojans got all their scoring from Marlowe G.  The second half saw the Trojans with good defense from Samantha B, along with steals from Jacob G and Dylan M.  But all the scoring in the second half belonged to the Pirates, as Ryder B and Joseph Y were able to assist Etty S on a couple of baskets, Ronan S made the scoreboard with a bucket in the fourth quarter, and Player of the Game-Samuel S continued his scoring spree to keep the Pirates undefeated.

Bronze

Rams vs Aggies 

The Rams had tough defense in the first half as Zachary C, Theo F, and Jason G were preventing the Aggies from scoring in the first quarter however the Aggies would finally break through in the second quarter as they got baskets from Rohan H, Tucker L, and Player of the game-Olivia W to take the lead at halftime.  The second half saw Titus A and Charley A get baskets for the Rams;  however, the Aggies would continue to play strong as Rohan H and Lincoln S got into the scoring column as their team went onto the victory.

Silver

Bison vs Bears

Photo by Matthew Farrar

Close first half as the Bears got scoring from Nanda A and Phoenix V as they were assisted by Bobby D;  while the Bison spread the scoring around with buckets from Alex B, Oliver F, Mete O, and Xavier S.  In the second half, the Bears had tough defense from Levi L, Bodhi Ko, and Victor L;  however, the Bison would be too strong, and pull away in the second half with turnovers created by Nicholas J, and Lucas A, Wyatt M, Anthony W, Rocco T, and Player of the Game-Krsna P would all score multiple points to secure the victory.

Photo by Peter Winkler

Bulldogs vs Eagles

Photo by Dean Georgaris

The Eagles struck first on the scoreboard as Oscar F would score 13 of his game high 22 points in the first half, with shots going in from beyond the arc, as he was the recipient of rebounds and passes from Sadie B.  The Bulldogs would take the lead at halftime on the strength of multiple baskets from Dylan R, Henry F, and Player of the Game-Josiah H, and would continue to score and pull away in the second half with a trey party of the three bucketeers sinking it in from downtown, Elliot S, Saum S, and Killian G.  The Eagles would try to cut into the lead in the final minutes as Amos T and Soren V made it on the scoreboard, but the Bulldogs had additional baskets from James C and Walker R to stay ahead for good and remain undefeated in the division.

Steers vs Hawks

Photo by Mayra Guzman

Both teams were looking for their first win, and this was close from start to finish.  It would remain tied at halftime as the Hawks had scoring from Matteo B and Ignacio G;  the Steers would have baskets from Greysen L and Julian G.  The second half would go back and forth as the Hawks would get Kailash S on the scoreboard, and Igancio Guzman nailed a ‘3’;  but the Steers would come through as they would get big baskets from Natcha ‘Angie’ W, Cayson G, and Player of the Game-Naphat ‘Aton” W who led his team in scoring, assists, rebounds, blocks, and to their first victory of the season.

Platinum

Rattlers vs Panthers

Close first half as the Panthers got scoring from Leonardo G and Dylan Z;  the Rattlers had Ibrahim A, Diego G, and Ezra M scoring first half field goals.  The second half had the Panthers get a deuce and a trey from Dylan M, and rebounds and points from Liam A;  however, the Rattlers would be too dominant in the second half and would pull away with a deuce and a trey from Rohan S, multiple assists from Louis M and Rowan B, as they found Player of the Game-Joshua E as he drove to the hoop for scores, and onto the victory.

Jaguars vs Hornets

The Hornets were buzzing and swarming in the first half as they got out to a big lead with multiple ‘3’s from Dylan K, drives to the hoop for scores from Ydur L, and a trey from Shai P.  The Jaguars did not give up, and regrouped to make a comeback starting late in the second quarter as Mohamed D had 9 points in the quarter with his running floaters, and continued the comeback in the third quarter as Kai H had 8 points in the third frame, and teammates Noah L, Isaac L, and Kay R had a three party, as they were scoring from downtown with each having a three to take the lead going into the fourth frame.  The Hornets were buzzing again, and had scores from Daniel F, and more threes from Dylan K, as they were assisted by Augie T.  The Jaguars would prevent the back and forth of lead changes, and keep their lead till the end, as the strong inside play of Player of the Game-Max P getting rebounds and points would hold off the swarming Hornets, and give the Jaguars the victory and sole possession of first place in the division.

SUN 2/23/25

Bronze

Maroon Tigers vs Broncos

Pretty much Broncos for the first half as they got most of their scoring from Louis L and Ivy H.  The Maroon Tigers were able to get their scoring going in the second half as Jaxon O and Riggan M were making outside shots, and Enzo S and Haruka Y grabbed rebounds.  The Broncos held on for good to win the match on the strength of steals from Vivienne L and Jordan C, and a couple of baskets from Player of the Game-Hank C in his first appearance for the season, and it was a good debut for him.

Wildcats vs Dragons

First half scoring for the Dragons came from Owen M, Owen G, and Anand V, as they were assisted by David S;  the Wildcats had scoring from Jaxton S, Nathan S, Ashley N, and Ray L to take the halftime lead.  In the second half, steals from Devraj K led to more points for the Dragons, as Natlie W made the scoreboard with a free throw.  The Wildcats would go onto the victory as Lukas B dished out dimes to Player of the Game-August S who scored 10 points for the match in his debut in the league.

Silver

Wolves vs Thorobreds

This match would go back and forth with multiple lead changes as these two top teams in the division squared off.  The Wolves took the early lead with baskets from Ray S, Declan W, and Charlie K.  The Thorobreds would come back and take a lead in the second quarter as William B and Cade Sc each had a “3”, and teammates Hugo C and Rome R put in the floating jumpers;  however the Wolves got a one point advantage heading into halftime as Liana E had a strong second quarter with two buckets off the backboard.  In the third quarter, lead changes occurred frequently, as defense was strong with Aiden Y and Maximus A grabbing rebounds for the Thorobreds; Frida G and Cetine T double teaming up on defense to get steals for the Wolves to keep the one point advantage at the end of the third quarter.  With full court press in the final quarter, the Thorobreds found a way to edge out their opponent for the narrow victory in the final minutes of the match, as George C made a key basket, and Player of the Game-William B continued his dominance down low with drives to the hoop for scores, as he led his team in points and rebounds, to put his team in first place in the division.

Bears vs Eagles

The Eagles were in search of their first victory of the season, and would today be the day?  It started out well for the Eagles as Oscar F was on fire from the outside with a pair each of treys and deuces to give his team an early lead.  The Bears clawed back with tough defense, and being that they only had four players, they all played hard.  All four Bears scored with Decker A and Bobby D leading the way with their dribble drives to the hoop, and teammates Phoenix V and Victor L were hitting the deep jumpers.  The Eagles held on to the lead till the very end thanks to blocks from Knute H, assists from Amos T, a couple of baskets from Kris P, 10 points and 3 assists from Soren V, and the third trey of the day from Player of the Game-Oscar F, as they got their first victory of the season. 

Gold

Golden Lions vs Golden Tigers

The Golden Lions had first half points from Theodore E, Keegan E, and Andrey S;  the Golden Tigers had first half scoring from Buck J, Ethan C, and three threes in the second quarter alone from Krishna A, to which I thought I was going to have to grab the fire extinguisher since he was on fire!  With the Golden Tigers starting the second half with the lead, they built upon expanding it with a couple of baskets from Niam P as he was assisted by Emet K.  The Golden Lions did their best to make a comeback as Caleb O and Zayd S had a strong presence in the paint with multiple blocks and rebounds;  however, the Golden Tigers would go onto the victory, as Player of the Game-Henry M would have a double-double in rebounds, and multiple assists and blocks, as his team remained undefeated for the season.

Golden Rams vs Golden Bulls

Photo by Winnie Man

The Golden Rams had a dominant first half in which Justin P, Zachary L, and Elliot I had baskets, and teammates Sam W and David Y were forcing turnovers.  The Golden Bulls would regroup at halftime, and they would outscore the opponent in the third quarter on baskets inside the arc from Alexander M and Rohan P, a basket outside the arc from Leo Y, and down low shots from Azumi N off of assists from Oliver  and Megan O, as they got within striking distance of taking the lead.  The Golden Rams were able to hold for the victory as Finley P had a big basket late in the match, and Player of the Game-Judah H led all scorers with 12 points, as two of his field goals came late in the match to give his team their first victory of the season.

Yellow Jackets vs Gold Rush

Wire to wire excitement in this match as two top teams in the division would battle throughout all four quarters.  First half scoring for the Yellow Jackets came from a ‘3’ each by Beau E and Ray S, and baskets by Declan W, Jaxon S, and Bradley E;  the Gold Rush would get a couple of baskets from Andy H as Sean D and Quest D had multiple rebounds, and Jaewon C was a master thief with the most steals in the match.  The second half went back and forth with the Yellow Jackets getting rebounds from Liam D that he put back in for points, and steals from Edward M to take the lead late in the fourth quarter.  The Gold Rush would take a timeout, and set up the full court press that resulted in multiple baskets from Matthew K with his outside shot, and Player of the Game-Diego G taking it to the rack for layups that grabbed the lead in the final seconds to go onto the victory is a fun and entertaining match to watch.

SAT  3/1/24  WEEKEND #5

Copper

Trojans vs Magicians

Photo by Dean Georgaris

All the scoring in the first half came from the Trojans as Marlowe G and Player of the Game-Ryan S scored.  The Magicians were able to outscore the Trojans in the second half as Jake J made 4 baskets, and Lily O made her first basket ever as she was assisted by Jules T.  The Trojans were able to hold on for the narrow victory as tough defense from William J and Samantha B prevented the Magicians from making a comeback.

Photo by Dean Georgaris

Spartans vs Pirates

The Pirates were off and running as they had a pirate’s booty of baskets in the first half with Ryder B, Etty S, and Jones U each had a pair of buckets.  The Spartans recovered from the early onslaught and were able to have points scored in the second half, as Merritt C, Landon M, and Simon C scored, with the help of good defense from Julian M.  Simon C had a nice double ankle breaker crossover as he left two defenders crashing into each other as he drove to the hoop.  In the end, the lead was big enough for the Pirates, as Player of the Game-Ezra A grabbed all the rebounds in the second half to prevent the comeback by the opponent.

Jones received his Fall 2024 Hustle Award.  Photo by David Updegrove

Vikings vs Braves

First half saw a defensive battle as Ethan C and Caleb A got steals for the Vikings;  the Braves had Cam F and Lawson R grabbing rebounds.  The second half saw the scoring as the Braves had a basket from Raffaele G and a free throw made from Nara W; the Vikings had a baskets from Aiden G, Jack M, and Player of the Game-Ellis L which was a little more than the Braves, giving their team the victory.

Bronze

Broncos vs Rams

The Rams had baskets from River S and Titus A, along with rebounds from Jayson G and Harper G to initially take the lead.  The Broncos would get going with the scoring late in the second quarter as Hank C and Canasia B made coast to coast drives aided by steals from Penelope J and Ben L.  The Broncos would continue to get additional baskets in the second half with Oscar C and Louis L each using the baseboard to score, and Player of the Game-Cole L being the leading scorer for the match with 6 points.  The Rams would try to comeback with a basket from Titus A, and strong rebounding from Zachary C, but fell short at the end, as the Broncos held on for the victory.

Wildcats vs Aggies

The only first quarter basket came from the Aggies, as Decker Z scored with the assist from Tucker L.  The Wildcats had good defense from Max H and Nico L that led to Ashley N and Nathan S getting on the scoreboard.  The Aggies spread the ball around as Player of the Game-Rohan H would have multiple assists and points, Lincoln Sheng had a couple of assists, with Owen W and Russell D as the recipients to score for their team.  The Wildcats would get rebounds from Clara C and Georgia L to cut into the Aggies lead;  however, the Aggies would prevail as Isabelle M and Josephine C would not allow the Wildcats to get to the basket, and hold down the fort for the victory.

Dragons vs Maroon Tigers

The Maroon Tigers would have a huge first quarter and controlled this match throughout with all the scoring from Riggan M, Jaxon O, and Player of the Game-Tomas L.  The Dragons would get their scoring going in the second quarter as Devraj K, Owen M, and Tate A had multiple buckets each, as Emory B and David S would assist them.  The Maroon Tigers would cruise to the win with help on defense from James W and Enzo S as they were master pickpocketeers to create turnovers.

Silver

Bison vs Bulldogs

Photo by Dean Georgaris

This would be one of the most exciting matches this season, as the undefeated Bulldogs were looking for that perfect record.  The Bison would start the match as a thundering herd and get early layups from Matthew A, Wyatt M, and Xavier S as they had a big lead to end the first quarter.  The script would flip in the second quarter as the Bulldogs were able to take a one point lead at halftime with baskets from Walker R, William H, and Saum S, as there were dealt dimes from Elliot S.  The third quarter was lockdown defense with the Bison having Rocco Tomas and Kian S prevent the Bulldogs from driving to the hoop; the Bulldogs returned the favor by having Pablo G and Josiah H trap the Bison in the corners.  The teams were deadlocked through most of the fourth quarter, and then with only a minute left in the match, Mete O stepped up with ice water in his veins and nailed two jumpers to give the Bison the narrow lead, to which after mad scrambles, they were able to hold onto the thrilling victory.  Not only was Mete O, the Player of the Game, but it was coincidentally his birthday.  How about that!  

Gold

Golden Tigers vs Yellow Jackets

With the previous match, having been very close, would the trend continue;  well, it most certainly did.  Both teams would exchange baskets in the first half, as the Golden Tigers had Leon M and Ethan C scoring; while the Yellow Jackets had Liam D and Finn P scoring with Finn being hot from beyond the arc, as he was making ‘3’s.  The second half would see back and forth lead changes as the Yellow Jackets had a trio of treys from Jaxon S, and baskets from Ray S and Drew W;  the Golden Tigers were employing their strong inside game as Henry M, Niam P, and Jaxon V made power drives to the hoop.  In the final minutes, it would be Player of the Game-Beau Z who would make a couple of key baskets to pull out the narrow victory for the Golden Tigers and keep them undefeated for the season.

Gold Rush vs Golden Bulls

The streak of close matches continued, as both these teams would alternate with lead changes throughout.  Most of the first half belonged to the Golden Bulls as Oliver L scored a basket, and Rohan P and Ocean Y were scoring from downtown.  The Gold Rush would turn it around in the third quarter to take the lead on the hot shooting of Matthew K as he had dueces and a trey on a nice no look assist from Andy H, and Jaewon C also dished a dime to Quest Dixon for a score.  The Golden Bulls fought back with rebounds from Vanessa A and Player of the Game-Julian Z to get the ball to Azumi N for scores and take the lead in the final minute of the match.  The Gold Rush tied it up with seconds left as Player of the Game-Quest D layed it up and in off the glass as the buzzer sounded.  Players asked if we were going to play overtime, to which my answer was “No, go home and kiss your sister.”

Player of the Game-Julian Z.  Photo by Jennifer Lynn

Golden Lions vs Golden Rams

Would there be a close fourth match in a row to end the day?  Why yes there was!  The Golden Rams jumped out front early with a couple buckets each from Judah H and Justin P;  however, that lead would not last for long as the Golden Lions came back with hot outside shooting from Soren V, Keegan E, and Logan C to take the lead at halftime, and continued to extend their lead in the third quarter as Soren V and Andrey S scored.  But all was not lost for the Golden Rams, and the found a way to make a comeback in the fourth quarter, as Elliot C and Sam W created steals to get the ball to David Y for a basket and Player of the Game-Auden T who had power drives to the hoop for scores, including a layup with seconds left to win the game by a bucket.  It was a nice way to end an exciting day of close matchups.

SUN 3/2/25

Bronze

Wildcats vs Rams

All Wildcats in the first quarter as August S and Player of the Game-Ashley N did the damage with their scoring.  The Rams won the second quarter with baskets from Titus A, River S, and Zayden D.  In the third quarter, good defense from both sides kept the score at a minimum, with the Rams getting steals from Jayson G; the Wildcats having Sonia K and Max H snag the rebounds and intercept passes.  The Rams got Vivienne B on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter as she put in a shot front ten feet out.  The Wildcats were able to stay ahead for the victory, as Ray L added a couple of baskets.

Aggies vs Maroon Tigers

The Maroon Tigers struck first with field goals from Riggan M and Jaxon O;  but, the Aggies would have an excellent passing game in which assists were in abundance, as Lachlan C, Sora N, Owen W, Lincoln S, Isabelle M, and Player of the Game-Rohan H who had the most assists in the match.  The Aggies had more dimes than a meter maid(remember those?).  Beneficiaries of all these wonderful passes for scores, were Tucker L, Russel D, and Decker Z, and along with multiple putback rebounds for points from Olivia W, the Aggies built a comfortable lead.  The Maroon Tigers would play hard in the second half to cut into the lead of the Aggies, as Haruka Y and Enzo S got in on dishing dimes to teammates, and James W got a couple of steals.  In the end, the Aggies won with a great all around team game, as they stayed undefeated for the season.

Dragons vs Broncos

All Broncos in the first half with baskets from Hank C, Jordan C, Louis L, and Player of the Game-Oscar C.  The Dragons would outscore the Broncos in the second half, as Lucas G and Owen G each had a bucket, and teammates Tate A, Emory B, and Anand V had multiple baskets, with Max D getting rebounds.  The Broncos were able to hold on for the victory as Canasia B and Cole L added scores, and good defense came from Ben L.

Silver

Eagles vs Steers

It was the Oscar F show in the first quarter as he had a pair of treys and deuces, along with a free throw to get the Eagles flying high, and teammates Ford M and Soren V chipped in on the scoreboard as they were making shots from the side.  The Steers got their scoring with a pair of triples from Julian G, and a basket each from Cayson G and Sebastian J courtesy of outlet passes from Max A.  The Eagles would continue their strong play throughout the match, as Player of the Game-Teddy M scored and assisted on several baskets, and teammates Sadie B and Knute H were dishing out dimes to ensure the victory.

Bears vs Wolves

This would be a close game throughout all four quarters.  The Wolves had the game leading scorer, Ray S, who had 11 points, and teammates Amarveer G and Alice R made the scoreboard as Friday G and Cetine T would steal the ball to move it up ahead on transition.  The Bears eventually pulled out the victory in the end, as points were scored by Decker A, Nanda A, Levi L, and Player of the Game-Bobby D.  The Bears were helped by strong defense performances from Tyler E and Bodhi K that prevented the Wolves from making a last second comeback.

Platinum

Panthers vs Jaguars

The Panthers had the early lead on ‘3’s from Leo G, and drives made by Jude L and Dylan M.  The Jaguars were able to cut into the lead before halftime, as Mohamed D and Max P played a strong inside game to score points.  The Panthers had scoring in the second half from Liam A and Rohham T with his outside shooting accuracy from midrange and downtown;  however, defensive pressure from Nathan G and Kamden K led to transition points from Kai H, and an And1 conversion from Kay R to take the lead, and then going down the stretch, Player of the Game-Brandon I made big hook shots late to give the Jaguars the victory, and remain on top in the Platinum division.

Hornets vs Rattlers

Photo by Jill Maxcy

For all intents and purposes, I looked as if the Rattlers were going to run away with this match, as a plethora of ‘3’s gave them the big lead throughout the first three quarters.  The Rattlers had treys from Rowan B, Louis M, Ezra M, Joshua E, and Rohan S.  It was as if it was the Oprah Winfrey show, and she said “You have a ‘3’, and you have a ‘3’, and you have a ‘3’ too”,  too bad it wasn’t cars.  But the Hornets wouldn’t get discouraged and swarmed the Rattlers in the final quarter as Daniel F and Ydur L made drives to the hoop for scores, Shai P made steals to find and open teammates Radin T and Augie T for scores, and then Player of the Game-Danny Z made coast to coast runs as fast as freight train that couldn’t be stopped to lay it up off the backboard.  And before you knew it, the Rattlers were ahead for good, and snatched the victory from the jaws of defeat.  A great come from behind victory that Yogi Berra would say “It ain’t over, till it’s over!” 

SAT 3/8/25 WEEKEND #6

Copper

Spartans vs Magicians

Defense ruled the first half with the Spartans getting steals from Bryce R and Levi M;  the Magicians had Jules T and Lily O locking down the middle. The second half saw more scoring with Jake J scoring most of the points for the Magicians;  the Spartans had baskets from Simon C, Nicolas L, and Merritt C.  The Magicians were able to pull it out in the end as Player of the Game-Lucky S made a key go ahead shot to give their team the victory.

Trojans vs Braves

Photo by Dean Georgaris

Competitive match throughout, as the Braves had 5 points from Nara W, and 10 points scored by Joshua B, along with good defense from Cam F and Violet M.  The Trojans would eventually pull ahead for good as William J and Dylan M got rebounds to give to Ryan S, Marlow G, and Player of the Game- Jacob G for scores late in the match to give their team the victory.

Bronze

Broncos vs Wildcats

The first half had limited scoring due to good defense;  however the Broncos had a basket from Vivienne L, and the Wildcats had Ray L make a long outside shot. The third quarter saw the Broncos take the lead with baskets from Cole L and Canasia B;  however, the Wildcats would be aggressive in the fourth quarter, and turn up the heat on defense to get turnovers to create points by August S, and with seconds left, Player of the Game-Benjamin B nailed the shot from ten feet out to give the Wildcats the victory.

Maroon Tigers vs Rams

The Rams took the early lead as River S made a basket, and Harper G converted two free throws, and Zachary C was strong on defense and converted a free throw in the second half, and teammate Titus A also made a nice bank shot.  The Maroon Tigers were short handed, but all five players were tough with Alexander W and Zev R getting steals, Matthew A driving to the hole for the layups, and Co-Players of the Game-Tomas L and Hannah C scoring points to take a big lead in the second half and hold onto for the win.

Silver

Hawks vs Bison

The Bison had a strong first half with ‘3’s from Oliver F and Wyat M, and inside makes from Lucas A and Player of the Game-Kian S.  The Hawks were able to get on the scoreboard in the second half as they got baskets from Kailash S, Corbin S, Max L, and Trevor S;  and were able to cut further into the Bison lead, as Ignacio Guzman got hot beyond the arc.  The Bison regrouped and got baskets down low from Alex B and Krsna P to maintain their lead, and wrap up the number one seed heading into the in-season tournament next weekend.

Thorobreds vs Bulldogs

Photo by Dean Georgaris

Mostly Bulldogs through this match with multiple scoring from many players, but the Bulldogs were very adept with the assists in which Elliot S and Pablo G each had a couple of dimes, but it was master passer and Player of the Game-Saum S who had double digit assists that was a master clinic on passing that gave the Bulldogs a big lead that they had till the end for the victory.  The Thorobreds played touch and had treys from beyond the arc by William B, Hugo C, and Rome R to put points on the scoreboard as they did outscore their opponent in the second half.

Steers vs Bears

Steers struck first with points from Max A and Sebastian J.  The Bears took the lead before halftime with baskets by Bobby D and Marcel J.  THe Steers fought back with points from Naphat W and Cayson G, along with steals from Dean M;  however,  baskets from Nanda A and Player of the Game-Levi L kept the Bears out front for good and onto the victory.

Gold

Golden Lions vs Golden Bulls

The Golden Bulls had baskets in the first half from Oliver L and Vanessa A;  the Golden Lions had buckets from Viggo M and Keegan E to take the lead at halftime.  The Golden Bulls had good defense in the second half from Megan O, and silver subs Phoenix V, Victor L, and Levi L.  The Golden Lions had silver sub Nanda A score a couple of field goals in the second half, and Andrey S and Player of the Game-Theodore E did the majority of the scoring in the fourth quarter to pull away for their first victory of the season.

Platinum

Rattlers vs Jaguars

Competitive first half with the Jaguars getting points from Mohamed D, Max P, and Kai H to initially get out front;  however, the Rattlers would have a parade of ‘3’s that their players were all hitting shots from downtown without anybody missing on the team.  The SMASH brothers of Rowan B, Diego G, Leo M, and Player of the Game-Ezra M were all hitting multiple treys, as they owned the arc.  Within a span of only eight minutes, the Rattlers had converted nine 3-pointers!  The Jaguars did get a ‘3’ from Isaac L, and some solid defense from Nathan G.  But the Rattlers were playing well as a team as Leo M and Constantine A were dishing out the dimes that helped get the three party started and ended in the celebration of another victory.

Hornets vs Panthers

It was tough for the shorthanded Panthers, but they made the best of it, and got points from Liam A, Jude L, Ryan Y, and Rohham T who made a couple of 3-pointers, and Brendan S had multiple rebounds.  The Hornets were too strong, as Dylan K had five 3-pointers, Ydur L made several drives to the hoop, Radin T had three field goals, Chris C and Shai P had a basket each and multiple assists, and Player of the Game-Augie T played a solid all around game with points, assists, steals, and rebounds to give the Hornets the victory and put them in a three way tie for first place in the division.

SUN 3/9/25

Copper

Pirates vs Vikings

Pirates had first half scoring from Ryder B, Etty S, and Jones U to get a good lead by halftime.  The Vikings kept pace with baskets by Caleb A and Aiden G.  In the second half, the Vikings created steals by Oliver W and Adeline S, while Theo G grabbed some rebounds to help their team.  In the end, the Pirates sailed onto victory with tough defense from Ronan S, and baskets from Huntley T and Player of the Game-Charlie K.

Bronze

Dragons vs Aggies

The Dragons were tough on defense and held the opponent to limited points, as Owen M, David S, and Natalie W made several steals to get the ball to teammates for scores which included Tate A, Lucas G, Owen G, and Anand V.  The Aggies would pull out the victory with rebounds put back for points by Olivia W, a basket each from Owen W and Lincoln S, and a dominant performance from Player of the Game-Lachlan C who had multiple assists, rebounds, and points to overcome a tough opponent.  The Dragons showed vast improvement with all their players as they gave the undefeated Aggies a real test.

Silver

Hawks vs Eagles

Photo by Hayley Hsu Farrar

The shorthanded Eagles recruited several Bronze players from the match before to help them out, and they would make valuable contributions to the game.  The Eagles took a big early lead on baskets from Charlie K, Oscar F, and Bronze subs Lincoln S and Olivia W.  The Hawks did claw back with baskets from Trevor S, Max L, Landon S, and Ignacio G to cut into the lead;  however, the strong rebounding of Player of the Game-Sadie B helped the Eagles fly higher than the Hawks, as the Eagles landed in the victory nest.

Bulldogs vs Wolves

Photo by Dean Georgaris

The first three quarters saw a back and forth slugfest, as each team took their best shot at each other.  The Wolves had multiple baskets from Liana E, Ray S, and Declan W;  along with solid defense from Frida G and Cetine T.  The Bulldogs would counter with multiple field goals from Elliot S, James C, and Player of the Game-Dylan R who also would be involved in a dishing duel with teammate Saum S as to who would make the most assists in the match, as both were finding open teammates who would score of their passes, and this would be the difference in the fourth quarter, as the Bulldogs would pull ahead to stay as Pablo G, Rayden T, and Josiah H would be the beneficiaries of these assists, as the Bulldogs went onto the victory.

Thorobreds vs Bison

Photo by Hayley Hsu Farrar

The Bison controlled the first half with strong inside play that yielded baskets from Alex B, Kian S, and Lucas A to take a big halftime lead.  The Thorobreds fought back and put on a run in the third quarter that saw multiple baskets from Rome R, Hugo C, and Loren G to get within a few points, and tied it up in the first part of the fourth quarter with a basket from Maximus A.  The Bison regrouped and put together a strong fourth quarter as Wyatt M drove to the hoop for scores, and Player of the Game-Anthony W chomped up all the rebounds, and put them back in for points to give the Bison the victory, and the number one seed going into the in-season tournament starting next weekend.

Gold

Golden Rams vs Yellow Jackets

The Golden Rams used their bigger size to muscle in points in the first half as Auden T, Judah H, and Elliot I scored hook shots and bank shots down low;  the Yellow Jackets put on the full court press in the second half to create turnovers to catch the opponent early in the fourth, as Ray S, Drew W, and Bradley E scored, and then Declan W hit a go ahead ‘3’.  But the Golden Rams would not give up, and spread the ball around as Sam Warner and Justin P found open players Nicholas C and Player of the Game-David Y to get the lead back.  Fast and furious play in the final moments with good defense from the Golden Rams with Zachary L making key steals was enough to eke out the narrow victory for his team in the final seconds.

Golden Tigers vs Gold Rush

The Gold Rush were looking to be the first team to defeat the Golden Tigers, and it was looking good as Diego G and Quest D scored to give them the early lead.  But the Golden Tigers came roaring back with baskets from Emet K and Buck J to take the lead before halftime.  The Gold Rush would have second half scores from Jaewon C and Matthew K to get closer;  however, the Golden Tigers would prevail on their strong defense that created turnovers to get baskets from Jaxon M and Player of the Game-Ethan C to keep their team undefeated with another victory.

SAT 3/15/25 WEEKEND #7

Copper

Magicians vs Vikings

All the Magicians scoring came from Jake J who had 10 points, but he had help from teammates Lucky S and Cal H who found him open to give him the ball for the conversions.  The Vikings were able to use more diversified scoring to win the match, as they got points from Ellis L, Jack M, and Player of the Game-Desmon S, with the help of Noah S making several assists, as they had just a few more points than the Magicians when the final buzzer sounded.

Bronze

Rams vs Dragons

The Rams got on the scoreboard first with a basket from Titus A and a free throw from Issa A.  The Dragons then got a couple of buckets from Owen G to take a brief lead;  however, the Rams would take the lead back as River S had his outside shot going in, as he was making them with high accuracy.  The Dragons would put on pressure defense in which Adam F made some steals, and Owen M found Lucas G open to get him points as they got closer in the third quarter.  The Rams would pull away in the fourth quarter as Alex Y got key rebounds, and Zachary C had a basket off a nice cross court pass from Vivienne B to keep the lead for good and onto the victory.

Broncos vs Aggies

The Aggies were looking to remain undefeated, and it was looking good in the first half as the ball was being spread around with multiple passes that led to baskets by Russel D, Sora N, and Olivia W to take a good lead at halftime.  But the second half would belong to the Broncos as they played an aggressive rebounding from Canasia B, and pressure style defense from Vivienne L, that led to baskets by Oscar C, Louis L, and Hank C.  The Aggies held onto the narrowest of victories as Player of the Game-Lincoln S came through in the final seconds with a go ahead basket to keep his team undefeated as they escaped with the victory;  but, the Broncos can be proud to have given the undefeated team a real tough challenge with their great play.

Wildcats vs Maroon Tigers

Both teams ended the first half with a 14-14 tie, with the Maroon Tigers getting most of their points from Riggan M and Jaxon O;  while the Wildcats had August S and Ray L scoring for them.  In the second half, the Wildcats leading scorer was Lukas B with defensive help from Max H;  the Maroon Tigers would prevail, as Tomas L had a big second half as he scored 12 points with the help of assists from Player of the Game-Enzo S who had several no-look dimes bouncing off the court to find open players for scores to go on to the victory. 

Silver

Bison vs Hawks

Mostly Bison for the first half of the first on the in-season tournament quarterfinals, as they had ‘3’s from Lucas A,, Oliver F, and Player of the Game-Wyatt M.  The Hawks got their scoring going in the second half as Matteo B, Trevor S, and Kailash S each had multiple makes from the wings, as they were the beneficiaries of nice passes from Grayson M and Greysen M.  The Bison would go on to the victory as Krsna P, Alex B, Anthony W, and Mete O all got rebounds down low to put them back in for points, as they moved onto the semifinals.

Gold

Yellow Jackets vs Golden Lions

The first half saw a back and forth battle with multiple lead changes as the Yellow Jackets relied on inside scoring from Liam D, Finn P, and Beau E;  while the Golden Lions had perimeter makes from Oakley E, Andrey S, and ‘3’s from LInus V and Viggo M.  The Golden Lions had second half scoring from Keegan E and Theodore E;  however, the Yellow Jackets would pull away for the victory on the strength of drives to the hoop from Drew W, and the sharp shooting of Player of the Game-Declan W as he was can’t miss from distance as he nailed treys and deuces for the win.

Player of the Game-Declan W

Photo by Brian Wong

Gold Rush vs Golden Rams

The Golden Rams had first half scoring from Zachary L and Auden T;  the Gold Rush had all their scoring from Matthew K as he was making shots from downtown, and converting reverse layups to give his team the halftime lead.  Matthew K continued his scoring spree in the second half with the help of passes from Quest D and Spencer N.  The Golden Rams diversified their scoring which became very effective in taking the lead as David Y, Auden T, and Sam W got on the scoreboard, and down the stretch of the final minutes of the match, Player of the Game-Justin P took over with drives to the hoop and a perfect day from the charity stripe to give the Golden Rams the victory.

Platinum

Hornets vs Jaguars

The Jaguars took a narrow halftime lead on the hot outside shooting of Noah L and Mohamed D as they were living behind the arc;  the Hornets kept pace as Amir E made a hook shot, Dylan K had a couple of treys, and Danny Z was a runaway freight train with his coast to coast drives for layups to the hoop.  The Jaguars extended their lead early in the third quarter as Kai H was making jump fadeaways;  however it was all Hornets after that, as they went on a big run with Radin T and Ydur L playing tic-tac-toe to make the basket, and Player of the Game-Augie T was scoring down low and from downtown to allow his team to pull away with a large margin for the victory.

Panthers vs Rattlers

Low turnout for both sides, but both teams made the best of it.  The Panthers were in search of their first victory, and the Rattlers wanted to stay on top of the division.  It was neck and neck in the first half with the Rattlers getting four 3-pointers from Ezra M, and baskets from Joshua E; while the Panthers had a pair of treys from Rohham T and baskets from Dylan M.  In the second half, the Rattlers got a small lead with outside makes from Rowan B and Abdullah J;  but, the Panthers were determined to get their first victory of the season, and no one was more determined than Player of the Game-Leonardo G who led all scorers with 14 points that included a pair of ‘3’s, 22 rebounds, and a record 10 blocks to pull away in the final minutes of the match, thus giving the Panthers their first victory of the season.

SUN 3/16/25

Copper

Braves vs Pirates

Mostly Pirates in this matchup as they would remain undefeated as Player of the Game-Jones U had 14 points, and teammates Ezra A, Charlie K, Sam S, and Etty S had baskets;  however, the Braves showed improved skills and play, with Cam F and August M doing a fine job of dribbling, Nara W getting rebounds, and Joshua B scored for the Braves with his nice shooting touch.  Both teams enjoyed the day, and then went off for ice cream after.

Trojans vs Spartans

It was a Greek mythological battle as these two teams fought hard against each other.  Ryan S scored the only first half basket for the Trojans;  the Spartans had baskets from Simon C and Nicolas L to take the halftime lead, and extended it in the third quarter as Raphael S and Player of the Game-Bryce R each made a bucket.  The Trojans would ride their horse into the battlefield of the fourth with good defense from Samantha B, and points from Jacob G and Player of the Game-Marlowe G.  The match would end in a Bo Derek “10’ for each side, or possibly an intervention from Aphrodite to calm her brother Apollo down, and let love conquer all.

Bronze

Aggies vs Rams

The Aggies were looking to close out the weekend with two victories and got off to a good start as Sora N, Lincoln S, Olivia W, Owen W, and Russell D all scored in the first quarter.  The Rams would buck back as they got closer before halftime with points from Zachary C, Titus A, and River S.  In the second half, the Rams got steals from Zayden D, and rebounds from Jayson G to slow down the Aggies, but eventually the Aggies would catch fire again, as Tucker L, Decker Z, and Player of the Game-Josephine C would all score to keep their team undefeated.

Silver

Bulldogs vs Steers

In the second quarterfinal match of the in-season tournament, the Steers were looking to upset the Bulldogs, and they got out to a quick lead with baskets by Naphat W and Julian G.  The Bulldogs had to take a timeout, regroup, and deploy a new game plan that was effective in which Player of the Game-Henry F would make multiple outside shots from the side, and Dylan R and Saum S would score down low and up high, as they reclaimed the lead by halftime.  In the second half, the Steers did their best to institute a half court trap that created turnovers in which Cayson G and Dean M made several steals, and Ryder R put points on the scoreboard.  The Bulldogs would stay strong and doggone stubborn, as they spread the scoring with Josiah H, William H, and Rayden T would score, and give their team a spot in the semifinals of the winners bracket.

Thorobreds vs Eagles

In the third quarterfinal of the in-season tournament, the Eagles struck first with multiple makes from Oscar F and Teddy M to get the early lead.  The Thorobreds were patient, and worked the ball around, as George C, Aiden Y, and William B would score to tie it up at halftime.  In the second half, the Eagles had a basket from Sadie B who also led her team in rebounds.  The Thorobreds would take advantage of having more players available as they put the pressure on, and created turnovers that led to points by Loren G, Maximus A, and Player of the Game-Rome R to take a big lead all the way to the end, for a date in the semifinals.

Wolves vs Bears

This match would become the most exciting of the weekend.  At stake was a spot in the semifinals of the winners bracket of the in-season tournament.  It looked all Bears in the first quarter as Decker A and Levi L did most of the scoring;  but, the Wolves would have a strong second quarter in which Liana E made a bucket and Charlie K made a ‘3’ to narrow the Bears lead by halftime.  The third quarter saw the Wolves get to within a point of the lead as Alice R made a drive to the hoop, and Bodhi P converted an ‘And1’.  The fourth quarter did not let up on the excitement, as both teams full court pressured each other, and many lead changes would occur.  It would come down to the final minute as Player of the Game-Decker A nailed a ‘3’ from the deep left corner to take the lead;  but, this did not last long, as the Wolves would get it back on a ‘3’ and a made drive by Ray S.  With only seconds left in the match, Decker A would step up again, but this time, he was deep in the right corner, and nailed another ‘3’ to take the lead back.  After mad scrambles in the end, the Bears would hold on with their strong claws to get the victory, and narrowly move on in the winners bracket of the tournament.

Gold

Golden Bulls vs Golden Tigers

This match was mostly the Golden Tigers throughout as they would remain undefeated, as they had most of their points form Henry M, Emet K, Ethan C, and Player of the Game-Buck J.  The Golden Bulls played hard and had a basket from Azumi N, a couple of buckets from Nathanaiel W , and three threes from Rohan P.  The Golden Tigers would have a pair of threes from Krishna A and a basket from Leon M as their team would remain the only undefeated team in the division.

SAT 3/22/25 WEEKEND #8

Copper

Braves vs Magicians 

This match was mostly the Magicians as they had a majority of the points from Jake J and Cal H.  The Braves were able to get free throws made by Hodge P and Cam F, and Player of the Game-Lawson R had two buckets to give their team a respectable score.  The Magicians held on for the victory as Player of the Game-Winston C had multiple steals and rebounds that locked down the defense.

Trojans vs Pirates

Photo by Dean Georgaris

Tight first half in which the Trojans had points from Marlowe G and Ryan S; while the Pirates had baskets from Etty S and Jones U.  In the second half, Lorenzo A converted two free throws to get the Trojans within striking distance of taking the lead;  however, the Pirates were able to pull away as the good defense form Player of the Game-Oliver H led to baskets from Samuel S and Ryder B to help the Pirates stay undefeated with another victory.

Bronze

Dragons vs Wildcats 

The Dragons struck first with free throws made by David S, and buckets from Tate A to have the early lead;  but, the Wildcats would retake the lead by the middle of the third quarter as Ray L, Ashley N, and August S each had multiple makes.  The Dragons would make a valiant effort to make a comeback as Adam F made a basket, and Anand V had a couple of nice steals.  In the end, Player of the Game-Max H made a basket and was super solid on D, and was the difference maker in helping his team get the victory.

Broncos vs Maroon Tigers 

The Broncos controlled this match for the first three quarters as they got most of their scoring from Louis L who had several coast to coast drives, and solid rebounding from Cole L and Canasisa B, along with steals by Ivy H.  But the basketball games at our YMCA are four quarters, and the Maroon Tigers controlled the fourth quarter.  The Maroon Tigers started the fourth quarter with a basket from Enzo S as he banked it in from 10 feet out, and Player of the Game-Riggan M scored 9 points in the final frame that included a buzzer beater from a difficult angle in the deep right corner to give his team the narrow victory. 

Silver

Hawks vs Wolves

In the first of the semifinal matches in the consolation bracket of the in-season tourney, the Hawks had a big effort from Trevor S as he scored 18 points that included a pair of ‘3’s, and was aided by teammates Kailash S and Corbin S making points as well.  But this match would mostly belong to the Wolves, as their pack was out and running from beginning to end, as most of their scoring came from Declan W, Alice R, and Charlie K.  Player of the Game-Liana E had a big match, as she had over 10 rebounds, several steals, a couple of assists, and 6 points to lead the Wolves to victory and a date in the consolation final for the next day.

Steers vs Eagles

The Steers hooked in their horns early with a plethora of baskets from Julian G and Naphat W, and had teammate Cayson G add a free throw, as they took the early lead;  but, the Eagles would fly high on the wings of Oscar F who had 18 first half points as his team grabbed the lead by halftime.  The Steers would make a comeback in the second half with Dean M and Sebastian J making the scoreboard on assists from Natcha W to get within a point of the Eagles.  The Eagles would pull away in the fourth quarter as the tough defense of Knute H, and a couple of late baskets from Greyson L(who subbed for the Eagles from the Steers) and Player of the Game-Charlie K helped them to get the victory, and move on to the consolation final the next day.

Bison vs Bears

The top seed Bison were looking to make it into the in-season tourney final, but the Bears had other ideas, as they jumped out to an early lead with baskets from Decker A, Levi L, and Victor L.  The Bison regrouped and worked the ball on the inside to get baskets from Anthony W and Rocco T as they received long court passes from Lucas A, and then teammates Wyatt M, Kian S, and Xavier S would make mid range shots to draw themselves closer to the Bears.  But as they saw at Yellowstone, don’t get too close to the Bears, because they will attack back, which is exactly what these Bears did, as Nanda A and Phoenix V scored to push the lead back up.  The Bison would make a gritty comeback in the fourth quarter as Krsna P and Oliver F made nice drives to the hoop, but Player of Game-Bobby D would come through with his tough defensive stops, as he kept getting knocked down, but he kept getting up, and he would hold off the herd of Bison, to give the Bears the victory, and a spot in the in-season tournament final.

Bulldogs vs Thorobreds

Photo by Brian Read

The second matchup in the winners bracket of the in-season tournament featured two run and gun teams that would race up and down the court.  The Thorobreds took off out of the gate and started the scoring with a ‘3’ each by Rome R and George C, followed by a couple of turnaround jumpers from Loren G and William B.  The Bulldogs would bite back, and took the lead by halftime on the strength of multiple makes from Henry F and Walker R.  In the second half, the Thorobreds got the rare 3 for 3 on free throws form Hugo C as he was fouled on his 3-point attempt, and looked to get back into the fight;  however, the Bulldogs would get multiple baskets from Elliot S and Rayden T, along with rebounds and assists from Player of the Game-James C as they would get the victory and move on to the tourney final.

Gold

Golden Tigers vs Golden Rams

The Golden Rams were looking to hand the Golden Tigers their first defeat, and it was looking as if it might happen, as they had early points from Judah H, Auden T, and David Yonatan to get the lead.  However, the Golden Tigers would have a sensational second quarter from Emet K who had all 10 of his points in the second frame, and with baskets from Krishna A, the Golden Tigers had the lead at halftime and extended it in the third quarter as Henry M got the putbacks for points.  The Golden Rams would come on strong in the fourth quarter as Jack M and Sam W got on the scoreboard.  The Golden Tigers would hold on, as Player of the Game-Archie L made key baskets to keep the lead and go onto the victory, as his team remained undefeated.

SUN 3/23/25    

Copper

Vikings vs Spartans

The Spartans started the scoring with a basket from Simon C and a free throw made from Joshua H.  The Vikings were able to take the lead at halftime with baskets by Ellis L and Player of the Game-Caleb A.  In the second half, the Spartans had Bryce R get rebounds to push the ball up the floor;  however, the Vikings got additional points from Jack M and went onto the victory.

Silver

Hawks vs Steers

Even though this was a consolation bracket match, there was pride and good play from both sides.  The Hawks were looking for their first victory of the season, and things were looking good, as Trevor S was making shots from all angles and distance to give his team a big early lead.  The Steers would fight back, and get a basket each from Julian G and Sebastian J to narrow the Hawks lead by halftime.  In the second half, the Steers would get baskets from Naphat W and Max A, along with free throws from Ryder R;  but, this day would belong to the Hawks as Landon S made a basket, Kailash S had 7 points, and Player of the Game-Trevor S would have a game high 20 points that included a deep LeBron like “3” from the Y logo, as the Hawks would get their first victory of the season.

Photo by Stephen Salko

Wolves vs Eagles 

The consolation final of the in-season tournament started off with the hot shooting of Oscar F who made long distance shots for the Eagles, and three threes from Charlie K who was subbing for the shortwinged Eagles.  The Eagles also had subs Griffin M, Riggan M, and Oliver F score with the help of nice passes from Eagles regular dime disher, Knute H.  The Wolves would come on strong as the game progressed and multiple points would be scored by Declan W and Player of the Game-Ray S to take a narrow lead at halftime.  In the second half, the Wolves took control as Liana E, Rex B, and Alice R all had multiple makes that gave them a big enough lead to win the consolation final.

Gold

Golden Lions vs Gold Rush

Matthew K got the scoring started as he had deuces, a trey, and a free to give the Gold Rush the early lead.  The Golden Lions would come on strong in the second quarter as Player of the Game-Oakley E would make several drives to the hoop, and Andrey S would make ‘3’s from downtown that gave the halftime lead to the Golden Lions.  In the second half, the Gold Rush would get a basket from Jacob H and a buzzer beater ‘3’ from Liam B;  however, the Golden Lions would go onto the victory with baskets from Viggo M and Zayd S as they muscled down the rebounds to put back up for winning points.

Yellow Jackets vs Golden Bulls

Strong first half for the Yellow Jackets as Jaxon S, Bradley E, and Edward M gave their team a nice lead at halftime.  The Golden Bulls would mount a comeback with multiple makes from Oliver L, Leo Y, and Alexander M, as they drew closer to the Yellowjackets by the end of the third frame, and then had Julian Z and Rohan P make outside shots to get even closer;  however, the Yellow Jackets would have a strong fourth quarter as Ray S and Declan W would make nice floaters in the lane, and Player of the Game-Liam D would dominate the boards and putback rebounds for points to give their team the victory.

Platinum

Jaguars vs Panthers

Mostly Jaguars throughout this match, as Mohamed D and Kai H had multiple points.  But the Panthers played strong and Liam A had 10 points, and teammates Leonardo G and Dylan M had a nice outside shooting touch, and Ryan Yousefi was making drives to the hoop.  In the end, the strong inside play of Max P was too much to handle for the Panthers, as he had 22 points to lead all scorers, and to lead his team to the victory.

Rattlers vs Hornets

The Rattlers got things shaking to start, as Louis M had 10 of his game high 20 points in the first half, and teammate Joshua E was having frequent trips to the charity stripe to give their team the early lead.  The Hornets would buzz back to take the halftime lead as multiple points were scored by Daniel F, Dylan K, and Player of the Game-Radin T.  In the second half, the Rattlers were able to get Abdullah J and Ezra Mooney of the scoreboard;  but, the Hornets kept buzzing around the net, as Danny Z and Ydur L would go coast to coast for scores, and Shai P would splash his brushstrokes from beyond the arc to give their team the victory, and take sole possession of first place going into the final weekend of the regular season.

SAT 3/29/25 WEEKEND #9

Copper

Magicians vs Trojans

Photo by Dean Georgaris 

The Trojans got the first half lead on multiple baskets from Marlowe G and free throws made by Jacob G; but, in the second half the Magicians got their scoring going as Cal H had several baskets and so did Jake J, but the real standout was Player of the Game-Lily O, who had key shots and made crucial free throws, especially as the game was winding down, which helped to give her them the victory by only one point.

Braves vs Vikings

Low scoring first half as the only baskets came from the Vikings, Ellis  and Caleb A, but the Braves did get some good defense from Joshua B and Hodge P along with rebounds from Nara W that help Raffaele G get a basket in the second half, but the Vikings were too strong as they sailed away to the victory as Desmond S also made the scoreboard and Oliver W played some very good defense, and player of the game-Aiden G went on a scoring spree and scored late baskets to seal the deal.

Bronze

Rams vs Broncos

The Broncos built a big first half lead as Hank C, Oscar C, and Louis L scored buckets by driving to the rim for layups.  The Rams would make an attempt to come back in the second half as Titus A made a couple of outside shots and River S hit a mid range floater along with a couple of blocked shots to get with striking distance of the Broncos; but in the end, the Broncos were able to get a basket from Cole L, and with a plethora of rebounds from Player of the Game-Canasia B, they were able hold on for the victory.

 Aggies vs Wildcats

Photo by Guy Zaczepinski

Would the Aggies be able to achieve perfection and not lose a match this season? It looked as if they were going to, as they initially got baskets from Olivia W and Owen W to take a small lead but then with the good defense by Ashley N and Jaxton S, the Wildcats were able to get the ball to Ray L and August S for multiple points to take the halftime lead.  In the second half, the Aggies started to get back to where they could catch the Wildcats as Rohan H, Tucker L, and Decker Z made baskets, but it was too much Player of the Game-August S for the Wildcats, as he continued to score multiple baskets and take over the game in which he ended up finishing with a game high 17 points to give the Wildcats the victory. If it is any consolation for the Aggies, they didn’t have the perfect season, but they did win the league championship with the best record.

Maroon Tigers vs Dragons

The Maroon Tigers took the first half lead by having all their points in the first quarter as Riggan M had two free throws and Jackson O had several baskets. The Dragons would do most of their scoring in the second half and get a little closer to the Maroon Tigers, as they got baskets from Owen G and Tate A along with some nice assists from Natalie W; however, it would not be enough to catch the Maroon Tigers, who had really good defensive performances that included a large amount of steals from Player of the Game-James W who was able to get the ball up to Enzo S for a couple baskets as they would go on to the victory.

Gold

Gold Rush vs Yellow Jackets

This match would be a shootout from start to finish.  The first half was any ‘3’ you can do, I can ‘3’ better, as both teams were exchanging treys, as the Yellow Jackets had Declan W and Beau E hitting from downtown, and the Gold Rush had Diego G and Matthew K making them beyond the arc.  The halftime score was reflective of all the long shots made, as it was 33-33.  The second half saw some of the traditional deuces scored as the Gold Rush had baskets from Ross N and Quest D, and the Yellow Jackets had Finn P and Liam D scoring down low.  In the end, the Yellow Jackets pulled away, as Player of the Game-Beau E finished the match with all ‘3’s as he made seven of them to lead his team to the victory.

Golden Tigers vs Golden Lions

The Golden Tigers were looking to remain undefeated, and it looked good to start as Krishna A, Henry M, and Beau Z got them the early lead on timely shots made.  The Golden Lions were motivated to be the first team to knock off the Golden Tigers from the ranks on the unbeaten, as Theodore E and Logan C were scoring with aggressive moves to the hoop, as they took the lead at halftime.  The Golden Tigers would claw their way back as Emet K and Leon M would score buckets;  however, the Golden Lions were just too strong, as Andrey S, Linus V, and Oakley E all scored to knock off the Golden Tigers from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Golden Bulls vs Golden Rams

Photo by Winnie Man

Both teams battled hard throughout the entire match as it went wire to wire.  The Golden Bulls had a ‘3’ each from Rohan P, Julian Z, and Player of the Game-Leo Y;  The Golden Rams had baskets from Zachary L, Jack M, and Judah H.  Defense was tough down the stretch, as the Golden Bulls got rebounds from Vanessa A, and steals from Oliver L, that led to points from Alexander M.  The Golden Rams pulled out the one point victory as Player of the Game-Sam W hit a timely long shot from beyond the arc that was nothing but net in the final minute of the match.

Platinum

Panthers vs Hornets

Mostly Hornets throughout this match as Player of the Game-Daniel F, Dylan K, Danny Z, and Ydur L all made ‘3’s.  The Panthers countered with ‘3’s of their own by Dominic D, Liam A, Rohham T, and Ryan Y.  The Hornets assist leader was Auggie Tucker Maxcy, and the Panthers steal leader was Dylan Z.  The Hornets wrapped of the division title with the most points, but would they have to share the championship with the results of the #1 vs #2 seeding game the next day

Jaguars vs Rattlers

The winner of this match would get to play the #1 seed Hornets the following day for an opportunity to share the championship.  Jaguars struck first with a ‘3’ from Mohamed D and multiple inside makes from Max P.  The Rattlers would get the lead by halftime and extend it in the third quarter as Louis Meehan S, Leo M, and Diego G would make multiple transition baskets.  The Jaguars would get Kai H and Kay R into the scoring column, but it would not be enough, as the Rattlers got a basket from Constantine A, and multiple in the lane floaters from Player of the Game-Leo M to go onto the victory, and meet the Hornets the next day.

SUN 3/30/25

Copper

Pirates vs Spartans

The Pirates were looking to be the only team to remain undefeated in our league, but the Spartans had other ideas, and took the early lead as Nicolas L was 4 for 5 from the charity stripe, and Bryce R was 4 for 4 from the charity stripe as well.  But the Pirates are a resilient bunch, and got the scoring  going as Jones U would have 14 points on the day, and teammates Sam S, Etty S, and Charlie K would each have a basket.  The Spartans did what they could as Joshua H and Jack D chased down loose balls, but it wouldn’t be enough, as the Pirates had Player of the Game-Miles B playing lockdown defense, and his team would still remain the only undefeated team in the league.

Silver

Bison Gold vs Bison Purple

Originally the 3rd place In-season tournament match that was to be the Bison vs the Thorobreds, but only Maximus A showed for the Thorobreds, so we divided that teams up among all the other Bison players, and fun was had by all.  Highlights of the match include the Bison having three Player of the Game awards given to Lucas A for being the leading scorer, Xavier S for his points and assists, and Rocco T for his points and rebounds.  Other players such as Mete O, Wyatt M, Anthony W, sub Oscar Farrar, Oliver F, and Kian S made the scoreboard with baskets.

Bears vs Bulldogs

Photo by Dean Georgaris

With the division title all locked up for the Bulldogs, all that remained was to get 1st place in the In-season tournament.  After the first quarter, the score was tied at crazy eights with the Bears getting buckets from Nanda A, Levi L, and Bobby D;  while the Bulldogs had baskets from Player of the Game-Killian G, Elliot S, and Dylan R.  The Bulldogs took the halftime lead with a basket from Pablo G, and extended their lead in the third quarter with baskets from Player of the Game-William H and James C.  The shorthanded Bears had an injured player, so William H agreed to switch sides to help them out, and in so doing, scored 5 points for the Bears, and with another baskets by Victor L off of a nice assist from Phoenix V, the Bears were only a few points down.  The Bulldogs had Henry F take over in the fourth quarter as he scored all 8 of his game points in the final frame to have his team complete the double(division title and 1st place in-season tournament).

Gold

Golden Rams vs Golden Lions

It looked as if the Golden Rams would go onto the victory as they jumped out to a big early lead with points from Auden T, Elliot I, and Judah H;  but, the Golden Lions would not give up, and slowly but surely, they kept nibbling at the lead.  In the second half, the Golden Lions would get an And1 from Theodore E and a basket from Andrey S.  The Golden Rams would counter with a bucket from Jack M;  however, in the final seconds of the match, Player of the Game-Oakley E would go two for two to give the Golden Lions the one point victory.

Golden Bulls vs Gold Rush

The first points of the match came courtesy of the Golden Bulls as outside shots were made by Oliver L.  The Gold Rush would have a strong first half from Diego G who was super solid from the free throw line as he nailed 5 straight frees, and Quest D nailed a deuce and a trey to give their team a big lead going into halftime.  The Golden Bulls fought back with baskets from Nathanaiel W and Megan O;  however, the Gold Rush was finding the gold with long makes from Matthew K, and baskets from Player of the Game-Liam B who would “Bring the Soul to the Hole” as Dr. J would say, as his team went onto win the match.

Yellow Jackets vs Golden Tigers

High scoring first half which featured ‘3’s by Beau E and Jaxon S, and midrange makes from Declan W to give the Yellow Jackets an early lead;  but, the lead wouldn’t last for long as the Golden Tigers got putbacks from Henry M and Leon M, and a barrage of ‘3’s from Krishna A who hit a buzzer beater at halftime from beyond half court.  In the second half, the Yellow Jackets would get back on track as they got strong inside play from Liam D in his last game at our Y, and a ‘3’ and frees from Finn P, as they drew closer to the Golden Tigers.  The Golden Tigers would take over in the fourth quarter as Buck J converted all his free throws, and Ethan C and Beau Z would score multiple points to go onto the victory.  Player of the Game went to Krishna A who was gracious enough to play for the Yellow Jackets when they lost a player to injury.

Platinum/Gold

Gold All-Stars vs Purple All-Stars

Teams were divided up amongst talented Gold players, and Platinum players who had originally shown for the #3 vs #4 Platinum seeding match, but didn’t have enough players.  Tight contest throughout, in which the first half saw scoring for the Gold All-Stars came from Henry M, Kai H, Buck J, and Liam D;  while the Purple All-Stars had points from Mohamed D, Ethan C, and Finn P, along with rebounds from Leon M.  The second half was more of the same close match with multiple lead changes as the Purple All-Stars had Player of the Game-Dominic D finish with 11 points which included a ‘3’ and crossover ankle breakers to take it to the hoop for scores.  With only seconds left in the match, the Gold All-Stars had Player of the Game-Beau E nail his third trey of the game, to tie the score.  A perfect way to end a fun match, as everyone was a winner.

Hornets vs Rattlers

The Hornets had already won the division title for the most points in the standings;  however, another championship was at stake with the #1 vs #2 seeding match.  The Rattlers would start the match with fangs out, as they had multiple treys from Ezra M and Louis M;  however, the Hornets would counter with five downtown makes from Dylan K to narrow the Rattlers lead by halftime, and then in the second half, Shai P and Ydur L were buzzing as each had multiple 3-pointers to get within a few points of the lead.  The Rattlers would come together and play strong defense and find Rowan B and Diego G behind the arc for their own version of a 3 party.  In the end, it would be Player of the Game-Ezra M converting 5 free throws in the final minutes to give the Rattlers a share of the the championship as they held on the for victory in the #1 vs #2 seeding match.

SAT 4/5/25 WEEKEND #10

Copper

Vikings vs Trojans

Photo by Dean Georgaris

The Trojans had first half scoring from Jacob G; while the Vikings spread the scoring around with baskets from Caleb A, Aiden G, Ellis L, and Jack M to take a big halftime lead.  In the second half, good defense by Ryan S and Samantha B led to baskets made by Marlowe G to help bring the Trojans closer to the Vikings;  however, the Vikings would stay ahead as Desmon S converted both his free throws, and Player of the Game-Noah S would gather all the rebounds to help their team to the victory.

Braves vs Spartans

Defense reigned supreme in the first half, as the only point scored was from Simon C as he converted a free throw.  The Braves had very good defense from Violet M and Hodge P as they would not allow any outside shots to be made, and in the second half, the Braves had points from Nara W and steals from Luke O and Augustine M.  But the Spartans would get their scoring going in the second half as Raphael S and Bryce R each made a bucket, and Player of the Game-Landon M would have four points in the fourth quarter to give their team the victory.  The Braves also got credit for the victory as both teams were winners.

Magicians vs Pirates

Would the Pirates be the only team in the league to have a Bo Derek? A perfect “10”, in other words, could they go 10-0 for the season?  The Magicians would get baskets from Lucky S, Winston C, and sub player Cam F to take an early lead, but after that, it would be all Pirates as they had double digit scoring from Jones U and Ryder B to take a big lead through the first three quarters.  The Pirates would seal the deal of a perfect season with a victory, as Oliver H converted all his free throws, and Player of the Game-Huntley T scored a basket.

Copper Division Champs-the Pirates

Bronze All-Stars vs Bronze Dragons

A casual game of three v three was played between the two teams, as Clara C, Ivy H, Jaxton S, and Max H scored.  The star of the match and Player of the Game was Devraj K who helped lead his team to their first victory as he led all scorers, rebounders, blockers, assist makers, and stealers with a complete all around match.

Bronze/Silver All-Stars(Gold) vs Bronze/Silver All-Stars(Purple)

Fun match for all, as stars of the match were Riggan M and Ray L who led the Gold in scoring;  Lincoln S and Zachary C who led the Purple in scoring.  Multiple assists were made by the Purple Sora N and Olivia W to lead their team to the victory.

Silver All-Stars(Gold) vs Silver All-Stars(Purple)

The Purple were led in scoring by Oscar F and Victor L, and had a basket each from Phoenix V and Sadie B.  The Gold would go onto the victory with multiple baskets from Teddy M and Bodhi P, and the 12 point performance of Player of the Game-Wyatt M.

Silver/Gold All-Stars(Gold) vs Silver/Gold All-Stars(Gold)

This match would be close throughout as the Gold would get multiple points from Elliot S, Ray S, and Anthony W;  the Purple would get multiple points from Oscar F, Decker A, and Julian G.  In the final quarter, it became a duel between Players of the Game, the Gold Henry F and the Purple Nanda A as they would each exchange baskets in the final minutes.  In the end, the Purple would edge out the Gold, to claim the All-Star win.

Gold/Platinum All-Stars(Gold) vs Gold/Platinum All-Stars(Purple)

Gold would have multiple baskets from Theodore E, Henry M, and Ray S;  while the Purple would have high scorers with Emet K, Andrey S, and Matthew K.  In the final quarter, it was back and forth between Players of the Game, the Gold Beau Z and the Purple Buck J as they would exchange baskets. In the end, the Purple would go onto the victory as Dominic D and Bradley E would score on drives to the hoop in the final minute to give the Purple the victory.

Platinum/Alumni All-Stars(Gold) vs Platinum/Alumni All-Stars(Purple)

A fun filled match in which alumni Sam McGowan played and scored for the Gold, and Brayden Stoll did the same for the Purple.  It looked as if the Gold would run away with it as Dylan K, Leonardo G, and Player of the Game-Dylan M gave their team a big lead.  But the Purple would not give up, as Kay R and Rohham T had the 3-ball going, and Players of the Game, Max P and Mohamed D played tough down low grabbing rebounds and getting to the hoop for scores, as they had a solid comeback to surprise the Gold, and snatch the victory from the jaws of defeat.  Regardless of the outcome, it was a fun way to end our Winter season of youth basketball at the Santa Monica Family YMCA.

This Issue’s Profile

Each issue of the Swish has a profile of a coach, player, or someone in the program who inspires all of us involved in Santa Monica YMCA youth basketball.  

This issue’s profile is of the Garcia brothers.  Julian and Leonardo have been players in our program for the past couple of years, and bring enthusiasm and spirit to the league.  Both boys are determined and dedicated to not only being the best that they can be, but also helping to lift their teammates to be their best as well.  Julian and Leonardo are always kind and courteous to me and other parents by saying hi and asking how they are doing.  Both boys always display good sportsmanship throughout their matches and not only congratulate their teammates but also their opponents when accomplishments are achieved.  Parents Mayra and Omar have instilled values of looking out for each other and setting an example to be followed, and they are incredibly supportive of the program.

I asked the brothers a few questions for the Swish:

DocDrew:  What is your favorite thing about youth basketball at the Santa Monica Family YMCA?

Julian: My favorite thing is practice with my teammates, running around and playing 

Leonardo: My favorite thing about the YMCA is playing basketball and also meeting new friends

DocDrew:  Who is your favorite player or coach, and why? 

Julian: My favorite player is Michael Jordan because he inspires me to play basketball, he has nice moves and I liked his save the last dance movie. 

Leonardo: My favorite player is Kobe Bryant. He’s my idol and he inspires me to play better basketball each and every game with the mamba mentality 

DocDrew:  What hobbies, activities, or other sports do you like to do?

Julian: I like playing soccer and football and one of my hobbies is to work out in my the back yard

Leonardo: One of my favorite hobbies is doing art and my favorite sport is Basketball

Julian and Leonardo

We are very fortunate to have the Garcia family be part of our youth basketball program, as they support each other and all those that participate in the youth basketball program.  Personally, I’ve seen how much these boys have improved, not just with their basketball skills, but as members of our community in helping us all get through these tough times, and help us all thrive together.

Scores

SAT 2/1/25  WEEKEND #1

Copper

Magicians 5, Spartans 9

Vikings 2, Pirates 14

Bronze

Broncos 14, Dragons 0

Rams 8, Wildcats 10

Silver

Thorobreds 23, Bears 23

Bison 29, Eagles 28

Gold

Gold Rush 23, Golden Tigers 41

Golden Bulls 29, Golden Lions 23

Platinum

Hornets 48, Jaguars 22

SUN 2/2/25

Copper

Braves 3, Trojans 12

Bronze

Maroon Tigers 22, Aggies 37

Silver

Bulldogs 35, Hawks 10

Wolves 35, Steers 14

Eagles 16, Thorobreds 31

Gold

Yellow Jackets 29, Golden Rams 21

Platinum

Panthers 34, Rattlers 39

SAT  2/8/25  WEEKEND #2

Copper

Spartans 17, Trojans 10

Pirates 31, Braves 6

Bronze

Rams 19, Maroon Tigers 35

Wildcats 10, Broncos 10

Silver

Bears 17, Bulldogs 38

Hawks 22, Thorobreds 27

Gold

Golden Tigers 36, Golden Bulls 27

Golden Rams 17, Gold Rush 20

Platinum

Rattlers 48, Hornets 44

SUN 2/9/25

Copper

Vikings 16, Magicians 10

Bronze

Aggies 16, Dragons 7

Silver

Eagles 23, Wolves 36

Steers 11, Bison 28

Gold

Golden Lions 29, Yellow Jackets 47

Platinum

Jaguars 40, Panthers 26

SAT 2/15/25 WEEKEND #3 

Copper

Spartans 10, Braves 4

Trojans 22, Vikings 18

Bronze

Dragons 7, Rams 26

Maroon Tigers 26, Wildcats 14

Silver

Wolves 20, Bison 19

Steers 17, Bulldogs 29

Bears 52, Hawks 28

Gold

Golden Bulls 26, Yellow Jackets 44

Golden Rams 22, Golden Tigers 38

SUN 2/16/25

Copper

Pirates 28, Magicians 12

Bronze

Aggies 15, Broncos 5

Silver

Thorobreds 22, Steers 16

Hawks 17, Wolves 29

Gold

Gold Rush 37, Golden Lions 34

Platinum

Panthers 28, Hornets 43

Jaguars 59, Rattlers 32

SAT  2/22/25  WEEKEND #4

Copper

Spartans 10, Vikings 5

Magicians 16, Braves 4

Pirates 20, Trojans 8

Bronze

Rams 5, Aggies 16

Silver

Bison 39, Bears 12

Bulldogs 53, Eagles 25

Steers 20, Hawks 15

Platinum

Rattlers 52, Panthers 23

Jaguars 58, Hornets 53 

SUN 2/23/25

Bronze

Maroon Tigers 11, Broncos 20

Wildcats 24, Dragons 7

Silver

Wolves 28, Thorobreds 31

Bears 26, Eagles 29

Gold

Golden Lions 18, Golden Tigers 46

Golden Rams 27, Golden Bulls 19

Yellow Jackets 28, Gold Rush 31

SAT  3/1/24  WEEKEND #5

Copper

Trojans 13, Magicians 10

Spartans 4, Pirates 17

Vikings 12, Braves 3

Bronze

Broncos 14, Rams 6

Wildcats 6, Aggies 22

Dragons 18, Maroon Tigers 34

Silver

Bison 20, Bulldogs 13

Gold

Golden Tigers 37, Yellow Jackets 32

Gold Rush 20, Golden Bulls 20

Golden Lions 25, Golden Rams 27

SUN 3/2/25

Bronze

Wildcats 24, Rams 12

Aggies 34, Maroon Tigers 21

Dragons 22, Broncos 35

Silver

Eagles 26, Steers 10

Bears 19, Wolves 16

Platinum

Panthers 27, Jaguars 33

Hornets 40, Rattlers 35

SAT 3/8/25 WEEKEND #6

Copper

Spartans 8, Magicians 11

Trojans 22, Braves 15

Bronze

Broncos 8, Wildcats 10

Maroon Tigers 19, Rams 9

Silver

Hawks 19, Bison 38

Thorobreds 21, Bulldogs 37

Steers 6, Bears 21

Gold

Golden Lions 42, Golden Bulls 20

Platinum

Rattlers 42, Jaguars 19

Hornets 46, Panthers 20

SUN 3/9/25

Copper

Pirates 25, Vikings 8

Bronze

Dragons 8, Aggies 18

Silver

Hawks 16, Eagles 31

Bulldogs 34, Wolves 25

Thorobreds 29, Bison 48

Gold

Golden Rams 28, Yellow Jackets 26

Golden Tigers 27, Gold Rush 14

SAT 3/15/25 WEEKEND #7

Copper

Magicians 10, Vikings 21

Bronze

Rams 16, Dragons 7

Broncos 15, Aggies 16

Wildcats 27, Maroon Tigers 37

Silver

Bison 44, Hawks 26

Gold

Yellow Jackets 58, Golden Lions 33

Gold Rush 17, Golden Rams 23

Platinum

Hornets 56, Jaguars 36

Panthers 42, Rattlers 32

SUN 3/16/25

Copper

Braves 2, Pirates 24

Trojans 10, Spartans 10

Bronze

Aggies 30, Rams 15

Silver

Bulldogs 27, Steers 6

Thorobreds 34, Eagles 19

Wolves 24, Bears 27

Gold

Golden Bulls 17, Golden Tigers 46

SAT 3/22/25 WEEKEND #8

Copper

Braves 7, Magicians 16

Trojans 13, Pirates 20

Bronze

Dragons 10, Wildcats 22  

Broncos 14, Maroon Tigers 15  

Silver

Hawks 24, Wolves 39

Steers 27, Eagles 34

Bison 27, Bears 35

Bulldogs 40, Thorobreds 18

Gold

Golden Tigers 31, Golden Rams 24

SUN 3/23/25    

Copper

Vikings 16, Spartans 7

Silver

Hawks 29, Steers 14

Wolves 40, Eagles 27

(6-4-2 for W-T-L, Consolation In-season tourney)

Gold

Golden Lions 27, Gold Rush 18

Yellow Jackets 46, Golden Bulls 28

Platinum

Jaguars 45, Panthers 25

Rattlers 41, Hornets 53

SAT 3/29/25 WEEKEND #9

Copper

Magicians 15, Trojans 14

Braves 2, Vikings 19

Bronze

Rams 7, Broncos 19

Aggies 20, Wildcats 23

Maroon Tigers 18, Dragons 4

Gold

Gold Rush 46, Yellow Jackets 58

Golden Tigers 19, Golden Lions 21

Golden Bulls 20, Golden Rams 21

Platinum

Panthers 60, Hornets 16

Jaguars 31, Rattlers 45

SUN 3/30/25

Copper

Pirates 22, Spartans 9

Silver

Bison Gold 37, Bison Purple 19

(6-4-2-0 for W-T-L-F, 3rd place In-season tourney, Bison got the victory)

Bears 27, Bulldogs 35

(7-5-3 for W-T-L, 1st place In-season tourney)

Gold

Golden Rams 14, Golden Lions 16

Golden Bulls 16, Gold Rush 42

Yellow Jackets 46, Golden Tigers 

Platinum

Jaguars/Gold All Stars 37, Panthers/Gold All-Stars 37

Hornets 50, Rattlers 54

(7-5-3 for W-T-L, seeding game)

SAT 4/5/25 WEEKEND #10

Copper

Vikings 27, Trojans 10

Braves 3, Spartans 9

(Braves get credit for a win)

Magicians 8, Pirates 30

All-Star matches

Bronze All-Stars 8, Dragons 10

Bronze/Silver (Gold) 20, 

Bronze/Silver (Purple) 25

Silver (Gold) 26, Silver (Purple) 18

Silver/Gold (Gold) 31, Silver/Gold (Purple) 34

Gold/Platinum (Gold) 33, Gold/Platinum (Purple) 41

Platinum/Alumni (Gold) 37, Platinum/Alumni (Purple) 41

Standings:  

Teams are awarded 5 points for a win, 3 points for a tie, 1 point for a loss, 0 points for a forfeit.  Tournament and seeding games have greater point value.  Teams are listed in their place in the standings with W-L-T and team points.

Copper:  

Pirates 10-0-0, 50 points

*Champions*

Vikings 6-4-0, 34 points

Spartans 5-4-1, 32 points

Trojans 4-5-1, 28 points

Magicians 4-6-0, 26 points

Braves 1-9-0, 14 points

Bronze: 

Aggies 9-1-0, 46 points

*Champions*

Maroon Tigers 7-3-0, 38 points

Wildcats 6-3-1, 36 points

Broncos 5-4-1, 32 points

Rams 2-8-0, 18 points

Dragons 1-10-0, 15 points

Silver:  

Bulldogs 9-1-0, 48 points

*Champions*, 1st place In-Season Tourney)

Bison 8-2-0, 43 points

Wolves 6-4-0, 35 points

Bears 5-4-1, 34 points

Thorobreds 5-3-1, 31 points

Eagles 4-6-0, 27 points

Steers 1-9-0, 14 points

Hawks 1-9-0, 14 points

(Both the Steers and Hawks 1-1-0 vs each other)

Gold:

Golden Tigers 9-1-0, 46 points

*Champions*

Yellow Jackets 6-4-0, 34 points

Golden Rams 5-5-0, 30 points

Gold Rush 4-5-1, 28 points

Golden Lions 4-6-0, 26 points

Golden Bulls 1-8-1, 16 points

Platinum:

Hornets 7-3-0, 40 points 

*Co-Champions* for most points

Rattlers 6-4-0, 36 points 

*Co-Champions* for winning #1 seed match

Jaguars 5-5-0, 29 points

Panthers 1-9-0, 13 points

Fall Season Awards

Copper

Most Valuable Player

Jones U-Pirates

Most Outstanding Player

Marlowe G-Trojans

Most Improved

Nara W-Braves

Hustle award

Simon C-Spartans

Top Passer

Ellis L-Vikings

All First Team

Joshua B-Braves

Nara W-Braves

Etty S-Pirates

Marlowe G-Trojans

Jacob G-Trojans

Ryan S-Trojans

Simon C-Spartans

Ellis L-Vikings

Jake J-Magicians

Lucky S-Magicians

Jones U-Pirates

Jack M-Vikings

Caleb A-Vikings

All Second Team

Desmon S-Vikings

Oliver H-Pirates

Noah S-Vikings

Ryder B-Pirates

Sam S-Pirates

Ezra A-Pirates

Cam F-Braves

Aiden G-Vikings

Raffaele G-Braves

Lawson R-Braves

Winson C-Magicians

Raphael S-Spartans

Bryce R-Spartans

Nico L-Spartans

Joshua H-Spartans

Cal H-Magicians

All Honorable Mention 

Soraya K-Magicians

Logan W-Spartans

Levi M-Spartans

Landon M-Spartans

Julian M-Spartans

Ronan S-Pirates

Joseph Y-Pirates

Huntley T-Pirates

Jules T-Magicians

Merritt C-Spartans

Jack D-Spartans

Joseph G-Vikings

Theo G-Vikings

Oliver W-Vikings

Adeline S-Vikings

Ethan C-Vikings

Augustine M-Braves

Hodge P-Braves

Violet M-Braves

Luke O-Braves

Drew D-Magicians

Sonia H-Magicians

Lily O-Magicians

Lucas R-Magicians

Lorenzo A-Trojans

Rocco  A-Trojans

Samantha B-Trojans

Miles B-Pirates

Charlie K-Pirates

Mila H-Trojans

William J-Trojans

Dylan M-Trojans

Bronze

Most Valuable Player

Olivia W-Aggies

Most Outstanding Player

Louis L-Broncos

Most Improved

Titus A-Rams

Hustle Award

Riggan M-Maroon Tigers

Top Passer

August S-Wildcats

All First Team

Louis L-Broncos

Titus A-Rams

Riggan M-Maroon Tigers

Jaxon O-Maroon Tigers

August S-Wildcats

Olivia W-Aggies

Sora N-Aggies

Lincoln S-Aggies

Owen W-Aggies

Canasia B-Broncos

Hank C-Broncos

Owen G-Dragons

Tate A-Dragons

River S-Rams

August S-Wildcats

Ray Lyons-Wildcats

Lukas B-Wildcats

All Second Team

Lachlan C-Aggies

Ashley N-Wildcats

Cole L-Broncos

Vivienne L-Broncos

Oscar C-Broncos

Charley A-Rams

Enzo S-Maroon Tigers

Harper G-Rams

Ivy H-Broncos

Kiera B-Broncos

Rohan H-Aggies

Tucker L-Aggies

Decker Z-Aggies

Russell D-Aggies

Owen M-Dragons

Josephine C-Aggies

David S-Dragons

Anand V-Dragons

Max D-Dragons

Galiel S-Dragons

Natalie W-Dragons

Matthew A-Maroon Tigers

Tomas L-Maroon Tigers

Lucas G-Dragons

Vivienne B-Rams

Zachary C-Rams

Jaxton S-Wildcats

Max H-Wildcats

Benjamin B-Wildcats

Nathan S-Wildcats

All Honorable Mention 

Isabelle M-Aggies

Zev R-Maroon Tigers

Alexander W-Maroon Tigers

Haruka Y-Maroon Tigers 

Jayson G-Rams

Issa A-Rams

Alex Y-Rams

Clara C-Wildcats

Nico L-Wildcats

Georgia L-Wildcats

Sonia K-Wildcats

Zayden D-Rams

James W-Maroon Tigers

Hana T-Maroon Tigers

Theo F-Maroon Tigers

Hannah C-Maroon Tigers

Penelope J-Broncos

Ben L-Broncos

Emory B-Dragons

Adam F-Dragons

Devraj K-Dragons

Jordan C-Broncos

Silver

Most Valuable Player

Dylan R-Bulldogs

Most Outstanding Player

Lucas A-Bison

Most Improved

Kailash S-Hawks

Hustle Award

Rome R-Thorobreds

Top Passer

Bobby D-Bears

All First Team

Dylan R-Bulldogs

Lucas A-Bison

Kailash S-Hawks

Rome R-Thorobreds

Liana E-Wolves

Alice R-Wolves

Bobby D-Bears

Trevor S-Hawks

Henry F-Bulldogs

Elliot S-Bulldogs

Declan W-Wolves

Naphat W-Steers

Julian G-Steers

Saum S-Bulldogs

Josiah H-Bulldogs

Krsna P-Bison

Oscar F-Eagles

William B-Thorobreds

Anthony W-Bison

Ray S-Wolves

Decker A-Bears

Xavier S-Bison

Nanda A-Bears

Levi L-Bears

Krsna P-Bison

George C-Thorobreds

All Second Team

Bodhi K-Bears

Aiden Y-Thorobreds

Loren G-Thorobreds

Rocco T-Bison

Wyatt M-Bison

Cetine T-Wolves

Frida G-Wolves

Pablo G-Bulldogs

Ryder R-Steers

Dean M-Steers

Cayson G-Steers

James C-Bulldogs

Walker R-Bulldogs

Knute H-Eagles

Charlie K-Eagles

Ryan T-Bulldogs

Phoenix V-Bears

Victor L-Bears

Max A-Steers

Sebastian J-Steers

Killian G-Bulldogs

William H-Bulldogs

Kian S-Bison

Oliver F-Bison

Charlie Ka-Wolves

Charlie Ko-Eagles

Teddy M-Eagles

Matteo B-Hawks

Ignacio G-Hawks

Griffin M-Wolves

Alex B-Bison

Cade S-Thorobreds

Sadie B-Eagles

Soren V-Eagles

Amos T-Eagles

Mete O-Bison

Greyson M-Hawks

Grayson M-Hawks

Landon S-Hawks

Nawat W-Steers

Natcha W-Steers

Maximus A-Thorobreds

Hugo C-Thorobreds

Billy C-Thorobreds

Rex B-Wolves

Bodhi P-Wolves

All Honorable Mention

Veer G-Wolves

Nicholas J-Bison

Max L-Hawks

Corbin S-Hawks

Emma H-Hawks

Suzan B-Eagles

Ford M-Eagles

Kris P-Eagles

Greyson L-Steers

Theo R-Thorobreds

Marcel J-Bears

Tyler E-Bears

Gold

Most Valuable Player

Henry M-Golden Tigers

Most Outstanding Player

Matthew K-Gold Rush

Most Improved

Megan O-Golden Bulls

Hustle Award

Auden T-Rams

Top Passer

Jaxon S-Yellow Jackets

All First Team

Buck J-Golden Tigers

Leo Y-Golden Bulls

Jaxon S-Yellow Jackets

Henry M-Golden Tigers

Matthew K-Gold Rush

Auden T-Rams

Rohan P-Golden Bulls

Ethan C-Golden Tigers

Emet K-Golden Tigers

Quest D-Gold Rush

Diego G-Gold Rush

Beau Z-Golden Tigers

Beau E-Yellow Jackets

Declan W-Yellow Jackets

Finn P-Yellow Jackets

Krishna A-Golden Tigers

Liam D-Yellow Jackets

Theo E-Golden Lions

Judah H-Golden Rams

All Second Team

Sam W-Golden Rams

Julian Z-Golden Bulls

Drew W-Yellow Jackets

Bradley E-Yellow Jackets 

Archie L-Golden Tigers

Niam P-Golden Tigers

Leon M-Golden Tigers

Ross N-Gold Rush

Andy H-Gold Rush

Harrison B-Golden Tigers

Liam B-Gold Rush

David Y-Golden Rams

Zachary L-Golden Rams

Elliot I-Golden Rams

Nicholas C-Golden Rams

Viggo M-Golden Lions

Andrey S-Golden Lions

Linus V-Golden Lions

Oakley E-Golden Lions

Alex M-Golden Bulls

Megan O-Golden Bulls

Azumi N-Golden Bulls

Jack M-Golden Rams

Justin P-Golden Rams

Keegan E-Golden Lions

Oliver L-Golden Bulls

Jaewon C-Gold Rush

Zayd S-Golden Lions

Ray S-Yellow Jackets

onorable Mention

Edward M-Yellow Jackets

Caleb Ong-Golden Lions

Logan C-Golden Lions

Finley P-Golden Rams

Jacob H-Golden Rush

Spencer N-Gold Rush

Sean Dobbs-Gold Rush

Jaxon V-Golden Tigers

Isaac W-Golden Lions

Jonathan W-Golden Bulls

Elliot C-Golden Rams

Nathanaiel W-Golden Bulls

Olivia R-Golden Bulls

Vanessa A-Golden Bulls

Platinum 

Most Valuable Player

Dylan K-Hornets

Most Outstanding Player 

Ezra M-Rattlers

Most Improved 

Max P-Jaguars

Hustle Award

Liam A-Panthers

Top Passer

Augie T-Hornets

All First Team

Dylan K-Hornets

Kay R-Jaguars

Noah L-Jaguars

Ezra M-Rattlers

Max P-Jaguars

Liam A-Panthers

Augie T-Hornets

Ydur L-Hornets

Rowan B-Rattlers

Mohamed D-Jaguars

Radin Taherian-Rush

Liam A-Panthers

Joshua E-Rattlers

Kai H-Jaguars

Daniel F-Hornets

Dylan M-Panthers

Leo G-Panthers

Louis M-Rattlers

Diego G-Rattlers

All Second Team

Rohham T-Panthers

Constantine A-Rattlers

Abdullah J-Rattlers

Leo M-Rattlers

Radin T-Hornets

Rohham T-Hornets

Dominic D-Panthers

Ryan Y-Panthers

Dylan Z-Panthers

Jude L-Panthers

Rohan S-Rattlers

Brandon I-Jaguars

Shai P-Hornets

Luokang Z-Hornets

Honorable Mention

Brendan S-Panthers

Ibrahim A-Rattlers

Jaden K-Jaguars

Christopher C-Hornets

Kudus D-Hornets

Nathan G-Jaguars

Isaac L-Jaguars

Amir E-Hornets

Kamden K-Jaguars

Ocean Y-Jaguars

Danyal B-Panthers

Thank you very much, to all the coaches, parents, players, and referees.  Special thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation for partnering with the Santa MonIca Family YMCA youth basketball program.

Dr. Paul Drew, youth basketball coordinator at the Santa Monica Family YMCA, editor and publisher of Swish