9/10 House Basketball Power Rankings Game 9: Wednesday, January 25

by Blake Lange

1.      Cavaliers W 36-22 (9-0)

The Cavaliers won’t seem to fall to any team that challenges them. They successfully put down the Celtics with ease. Kevin Pendo is the star of the team, and definitely one of the best players in the league. His shooting, passing, rebounding, and blocking skills all contribute to the flawless record. Philip Rech is the other primary contributor to the scoring, consistently bucketing 8 to 10 points. Other top-level players on the Cavaliers are Matt Pendo, Ryan Foreman, and Will Bloomer. Watch out when you are playing this team.

2.      Knicks W 38-34 (6-3)

With a big gap between number 1 and 2 in the rankings, the Knicks truly don’t deserve their record. One loss came in the absence of the Skolds, who are unquestionably the best players on the team, and another two of the elite players in the 9^th and 10^th grade league. Between them, most of the rebounds and points come, and it was no different in their win against the Pacers. In a fight that lasted until the last few seconds, the Pacers couldn’t regain a lead and continue the winning streak. With both Skolds in commission, the Knicks are a serious playoff contender.

3.      Wizards L 40-31 (6-3)

The second of three 6-3 teams, the Wizards pulled out number three even following a loss against the Bulls. The game came down to the final minutes, but the Bulls’ lead broke open late to secure the game. Myles Ridder, Andrew Nault, and George Reed have been leading the charge this season. Ridder’s defense, Reed’s offense, and Nault’s all-around skills are a tough force to overcome. The Wizards are on a tough streak, falling in three straight games, but they will rebound from the losses against the Bobcats, whose dismal record hasn’t earned them any higher than 11^th in the rankings through the whole season.

4.      Nets W 51-41 (6-3)

The Nets are a very strong squad. The sole reason for their placement behind the Wizards this week is the result of the game between them, in which the Wizards came out on top. Chris Chiamulera’s teamwork with Luke Mangan proved to be enough to take the 76ers by storm. The Nets have been very successful recently following Chi’s selflessness. The Nets are on a three game winning streak, which they hope to continue against the struggling Heat.

5.      Raptors W 38-21 (5-4)

The Raptors are the best of a few 5-win teams. In Wednesday’s game, the strong players were Jay Patrick and Jay van Elslander, a change from the usual Dylan Carruthers. No doubt Carruthers contributed, but not in the scoring area. Nonetheless, he is the best player on the team and has carried the team to a winning record, including the win against the Bobcats. After starting strong, however, the Raptors have fallen in the standings with 3 losses in the last 5 games.

6.      Pacers L 38-34 (5-4)

After a roller coaster of an opening to the season, the Pacers lost against the Knicks, the 2^nd ranked team. The Pacers began with three losses, followed by five straight wins and finally a loss on Wednesday night. Connor Davey, one of the team’s best, is out currently with an ankle injury. Even so, Curry Bloom and Brad Magnusson led the team to come up just short of the Knicks. The two are deadly from deep together, which is a useful tool to have in a league that lacks much perimeter defense. The Pacers place 6^th because of the inconsistent output and losses to teams higher up.

7.      Bulls W 40-31 (5-4)

Following a win over the Heat, the Bulls topped the Wizards to regain a positive record. Scoring leaders on the team are Nick Cohen, Jack Reis, and Blake Lange. In Wednesday’s game, Trevor McGovern and Andrew Pigeon both came in clutch. McGovern contributed with free throws and Pigeon with a crucial layup towards the end of the game that sealed the deal. The Bulls take on the Raptors this weekend, which should be a tough game for them if they cannot keep up the offensive work.

8.      76ers L 41-51 (3-6)

With a loss to the Nets, the 76ers have now lost four straight contests. Following a #1 preseason ranking, the 76ers fall to eighth because the defense has not been able to get stops. Even though they consistently score 35 points or more, the 76ers are not frequently victorious because they often allow 40 or more. Harry Gillespie leads the team offensively and defensively, with spectacular talent on both sides of the court. Reilly Bloom and Carter Watt are the other scoring contributors. If the 76ers want to be successful in the postseason, they must tighten up the D and continue the great offense as well.

9.      Celtics L 22-36 (3-6)

The Celtics struggled again against the unstoppable Cavs. They did a good job of cleaning up the fouls while still playing aggressively and with the same tenacity. Brendan Donohue is the head honcho of the team, racking up points and steals unmercifully, but the offense is where he has lacked in the losses they have suffered. No Celtics players fouled out in this one. Even so, the Celtics showed improvement in weak areas and might be victorious over teams less threatening than the Cavaliers.

10.  Heat L 42-29 (3-6)

Coming in close to last are the Heat. In both of their last two games, the bench has been empty, forcing the players to last all 40 minutes of the game. The fatigue has been very influential in the losses, especially without Jack Foley and Jack Feeley, who are two of the team’s better players. Even with those two, the Heat is not the strongest squad out there by any means. Their postseason hopes do not look good heading into the last several games of the season.

11.  Bucks W 42-29 (2-7)

The Bucks had a morale boost in their merciless win over the Heat. The win brings the Bucks to a distasteful record of 2-7, far from the preseason hopes that spotlighted Brian Davey. The stepper-ups on the team following his departure are Christian Cochran and Kyle Gifford, with other players occasionally putting the ball in the hoop. The Bucks are the only 2-7 team, and deserve the 11^th ranking judged by their performance against the teams surrounding them, excluding the game against the Heat.

12.  Bobcats L 38-21 (1-8)

Cooper Drippé and the Bobcats come in at a disappointing last. He leads the scoring and will continue to in the future. Other infrequent contributors include Griffin Ross, Nick Kunze, Liam Donoghue, and Jamie Schwartz, but none of these players have been able to define themselves as key factors in a victory. The Bobcats surely won’t finish the season any better than they started it, and the postseason doesn’t look promising for them at all.