by George Reed
We’ve hit the mid season mark of the house season, and the
race towards glory is heating up … fast.
1. Wizards (7-1)
It should be obvious to most who follow the league that the
most dominant team thus far has been the Wiz. The magic (pun intended) being produced
by these young men is truly a spectacle. I have been able to personally witness
many of the beatdowns that the Wizards are laying upon helpless teams. Keep in
mind the one loss this crew had was a forfeit. Junior Mikey Maccarone is running
the show with help from fellow junior and two-sport star Peter Archey and senior
stud Graham Helgans. Maccarone has a knack for distributing the rock at
opportune times to his big man, junior Jack Garfield, and the style in which he
does so is extraordinary. I’m a fan of this team and only see good things from
them in the weeks to come, especially when the man directing these young
athletes is prominently known as the best in the league (Coach Archey).
2. Nuggets (7-1)
The nuggets have been fantastic in the early portion of this
house year. Austin Crane has led this team to 7 victories and the one loss
coming at the cruel hands of the Wizards. The one thing that this team lacks is
a consistent scoring option, but they usually make up for it with the
tremendous defense from the Traver brothers. Junior “Bigolas Nicholas” Wildish
has had a breakout season thus far, stroking the midrange jumper like he’s draining
home alone in his driveway. If someone can step up and become a viable scorer,
then don’t be afraid if you see the Prep Rep wearing a ring.
3. Nets (5-3)
Those in attendance on Sunday, January 26th in the New Gym
witnessed a classic. The rejuvenated Nets took on a highly ranked Lakers squad
in a game that needed two overtime periods to settle. The game started with
fireworks and ended with them, as junior Anthony DiMeglio’s 21 points (5-6 from
downtown) and my 22 points willed the Nets to a victory. DiMeglio has been
nothing short of outstanding recently, particularly with his production from
moneyball territory; he has been drilling threes at a high rate and with
consistency. With 13 seconds remaining in regulation, DiMeglio found his
favorite spot on the floor and nailed a 30 footer to tie the game at 45 a
piece. The Nets then went on to win in double overtime. The status of senior
leader and point guard Dan Murphy remains unseen after a hand injury in this
contest, but sources have it that his finger has been realigned and a return is
immediate. Many say that this team is just getting started as they are
3-0 when all players have been removed from the disabled list ;) .
4. Lakers (5-3)
The aforementioned Lakers have let their opponents know loud
and clear their intentions: to brutally assault opposing teams on the defensive
end. The Lakers have brought a press to the league that is unmatched as a
superior amount of athleticism rests on the shoulders of seniors Brendan
Donahue and Zach Basu. These two individuals utilize the talents of junior Matt
Sherwood and others to the fullest potential in order to put up a large amount of
points from a lot of different contributors. If Sherwood can find his game on
the low block, and the press is effective, this team is going to be very
difficult to beat.
5. Mavericks (6-2)
The Mavericks remain a mystery in this year’s House League.
Strong performances by juniors Danny Siemers and Sam Bowtell have lifted this
team to a number of key wins. However, this team does not “show up” week after
week. The Mavs have a physical advantage with stud-athlete and senior Myles
Ridder and junior giant James Fox, but lack the overall scoring talent that is
inevitably necessary to be productive in such an offensive-oriented league.
Look for the Mavs to steady their pace of play and feed the big men who are
hungry on the block.
6. Cavaliers (4-4)
The Cavs have climbed the ladder of House Rankings as they
have put together a beautiful month of January thus far. With another win over
the Heat on Sunday, Blake Lange’s squad has moved into position to make a dive
into the top 5 in the following weeks. The Cavs have a style of basketball that
allows them to put together solid performances week in and week out, and no
team should want to face them in the near future.
7. Knicks (4-4)
The Knicks are the most radical team in the league this
year. Seniors Carter Watt, Chris Chiamulera, Dylan Carruthers, and Jack Foley
have a tendency to not “bring it” week in and week out. I assure you that if
the attendance and effort were there, the Knicks would be a dominant force in
the league. League sources report that Carruthers is starting to find his
offensive game. If this holds true, look out for the Knicks, because a hot
Carruthers could mean sheer hopelessness for opposing teams.
8. Bulls (3-5)
Junior Calvin Crosby’s Bulls have been lackluster as of
late. Crosby’s outstanding marksmanship from all over the court has not been
enough to will this team to victory week in and week out. Junior Kevin Pendo’s
style of play needs to complement the play of Crosby better if this team is
seeking victories in the month of February. At least this team has separated
themselves a wee bit from the remaining four teams with a win over a solid
Mavericks team this Sunday.
9. Jazz (3-5)
The Jazz picked up a key win on Sunday as senior Harry Gillespie
and the boys took down the Knicks. Thus far in the season, junior Dylan
Cunningham has played Goose to Gillespie’s Maverick quite well. Cunningham and
Gillespie are teaming up to form a solid scoring duo. Two-sport star Andrew
Nault also is just starting to gear up for this year’s season, and the
influence he could have on this team may be immeasurable.
10. Heat (2-6)
The question on everyone’s minds thus far into the house
season still remains unanswered: how will junior Charlie Travers affect the
league? At this point in the season, there is no fair answer. Travers has put
on a show in several games, but has also been unable to will his team to many W’s.
Look for Travers to take it seriously and turn it on in the upcoming weeks.
11. Thunder (1-7)
The Thunder got the winless monkey off their back this week
with a smacking of a weary Celtics gang. Junior Conor Davey walked the walk and
talked the talk as he directed this team to a lopsided 54-34 victory. The
margin of victory is the only thing keeping the Thunder from being the lowest
seeded team in house. Davey, junior Jamie Schwartz, and perhaps injured junior
Cooper Drippé need to work together if the Thunder have intentions of making a
playoff run.
12. Celtics (2-6)
The Celtics have not had much to offer as far as competition
in the league since December. The last time the C’s found themselves on the favorable
side of the win column was all the way back in 2013, falling in six consecutive
games to various teams. Junior Phillip Rech needs to do something radical and
he needs to do it fast in order for this team to be successful.
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