by Matt Brown
As fall sports season came to a close, last week marked teh dawn of a new season. Perhaps the most exciting night for House ballers school wide, the draft was completed, and rosters posted on the Darien YMCA website. With the posting of the rosters, comes the preseason power rankings. Enjoy.
1. Kings- This team stuck out to me as clearly the most complete in the field. Head to toe, the Kings definitely look like the toughest team to beat. At the helm is probably the best player in the league, senior Bobby Weaver. With the retirement of Tony Britton, Bobby is looking to take over the throne of league MVP. He will seldom find someone to guard him and has the ability to score in bunches. Also, junior Craig Lamantia is one of the best. He is capable of scoring while driving and shooting from the perimeter, plus his size allows him to match up well defensively. The Kings will also find great athleticism in the likes of Carter Rae and a quiet sharpshooter in Carl Stowell.
2. Lakers- The Lakers are the most athletic team in the league. They have two players who pose the dual threat of size and speed: seniors Corey Eppley and Elliot Helgans. Plus, the Lakers hold a natural scorer and simply a strong basketball player in the likes of senior Jon Magnusson. If this squad can get out in transition through good defense, they will run away with games.
3. Trailblazers – The Blazers lack size, but they make up for it with a very standout BIG 3 and a lot of depth to back them up. Seniors Jack Voigt, Ryan Minion, and Jay Alter all have reputable names in the house league and should lead the Blazers to a good season by running up the score with their ability, however, they will have trouble with rebounds as they do not have a prominent big man. Watch out for Mitchell Wiz-kid with the three ball and junior Jack Travers to provide crucial support if this team is going to go far and contend for a championship.
4. Rockets- This ballclub is one of the most interesting in the league. They will score, and they will score a lot. Junior Jackson Whiting was quite clearly the MVP of the 9th/10th grade league last year and can score at will on good days. The team has another outstanding offensive player in senior Russell Palmer as well as the most underrated player in either grade, Ben Highton, at point guard. The Rockets will almost always be able to score points, however they must hope that their scoring can compensate for a lackluster defense that they will likely present.
5. Thunder- Ah, my team here (Matt). Trying to be as fair and balanced as possible, we are actually fairly well rounded. Andrew Maley is making the transition from varsity ball to House. This is the same jump that legends Tony Britton and Bobby Weaver made with ease and prosperity. While he might lack some of the athleticism that the two last year greats have, he will be one of the best ball handlers and the most consistent shooter in the league. Senior Thomas Carruthers is also a great athlete who will be able to score off the drive on a regular basis. Our problems will most likely come defensively and will need senior Joe Puzio to step up in order to solidify the post.
6. Spurs- The height on this team is scary. Junior Eric Christensen and the tree, senior Harlan Smith, are two of the tallest players in the league this year. On top of the skyscrapers in the post, they have one of the best guards in the league. Eric Walsh is a great dribbler, good shooter and pesky defender. The combination the height and Walsh will make for the Spurs to have a solid year.
7. Mavericks- The Mavs’ roster boasts a name that intimidates the majority of the league: junior Matt Forelli. Forelli stands at around 6'3 and claims to be 235, he can run with anyone in the league, jump with anyone, and can actually play basketball. He will be an unstoppable force in the paint. He will be accompanied by a tall and strong senior Sam Gillespie as well as shooters Billy Siemers and Mack Glavin.
8. Grizzlies- This team will rely on the athleticism of Danny Coyle and the skill of Luke Osherow. Osherow is a great athlete and good basketball player, but I am skeptical to if he has enough of a supporting cast to make a run.
9. Suns- The Suns are a small team, and although low in the rankings, they really aren’t that bad. Senior Jack Rehm showed scoring ability during his championship run, and Jack Sherwood put up 20 points in almost every game during his last House campaign. It is just a question of if these two scorers can keep the Suns a float all year.
10. Nuggets- The squad isn’t that bad, but I mean, they are sort of pretty bad. They have a good point guard in Christian Bognar who will play hard and make the occasional big three. Tommy Nicholls and Geoff Hubbard will need to perform well for them to be contenders.
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