Although I should probably be studying for mid terms, I decided that house ball was a more productive way to spend my time. Another crazy week has ensued, with no more undefeated teams and plenty more jumps up and down the rankings...
1) Washington (3) [3-1]: The Huskies have no question been the best team in house ball so far. Starting with the fact that they should really be undefeated, with their only loss coming from an OT heartbreaker without star player Kevin Grune. This week the Huskies clashed in a huge matchup against Duke, beating the Blue Devils by two points in a game that Washington controlled from the start. Kevin Grune once again had a strong offensive performance while Max Gasvoda and Sherlock Aristizabal were solid from the field. This kid Sherlock has been so consistent I'm starting to think he is a reincarnation of Larry Bird. I know this philosophy may have some holes in it considering Bird is still alive, I stand by it. Anyway, the Huskies have been dominating this season and are a threat to go all the way.
2) Duke (1) [3-1]: Although the Blue Devils dropped a game this week, they remain as one of the strongest teams in the league. Justin Van Duh Graff (ok, I think I got it this time) and Sean Collins are far and away the best guard duo in house ball and are matchup terrors for any opponent. The duo's shooting has also improved throughout the season, adding yet another dimension to their abilities. Mike "the enigma" Neary has been playing well in the paint and has been another offensive weapon for this team. This squad looks to move past their loss on Sunday and continue to be successful. (Ryan Griffin was there, I know because when I walked in he missed a fairly wide open layup, ok I'm done now...)
3) Georgetown (4) [3-1]: The Hoyas continue to climb up the rankings this season as they have been on a tear the past couple of weeks. In their last game, this squad decimated MSU in a defensive clinic. Will Rooney continues to be a force on both sides of the ball, grabbing boards and putting up layups for points. Craig Triano runs the point for this team and has been showing off his passing skills of late. Triano has normally be known as a scorer, but has proven that he can dish dimes as well. The Hoyas intimidation factor has been strong as well, with Sophomore enforcer Will "Cully" Culliton down low. "Cully" plays JV hockey as well as house ball, and this is very evident in his play as he is not afraid to body check players into the wall or give someone an unsolicited elbow to the face.
4) Maryland (5) [2-2]: Though their record may not show it completely, the Terps have been strong so far this season. In their past game they took care of business against a solid Kentucky team, utilizing their size and rebounding abilities well. This team's biggest threat this season has been sophomore Teddy Brannigan. Teddy has been able to drive to the basket well `and hit his outside shots, carrying the team offensively. Running the point for the Terps has been Will Rehm, who has been on and off this season but finally showed off his full potential in Sunday's game, dropping dimes to his teammates and draining multiple 3's. If the Terps can stay hot, they will be a force to be reckoned with down the stretch of this season.
5) Kentucky (2) [3-1]: The Wildcats lost their first game on Sunday to previously mentioned Maryland. Kentucky has normally been a very solid shooting team, but were anything but in this one. Though they opened up the game hot, they quickly ran out of steam and became streaky shooters. Fin Batson and Alex Murray did all they could for this team offensively, but Maryland's size and speed quickly tired this team out. Let's keep in mind though that Kentucky is still a top team in this league and look to pick up a win this Wednesday.
6) Michigan (8) [2-2]: The Wolverines have been a paradigm of mediocrity in the first half of this season. Though they possese probable MVP Nick Green, Michigan has been very inconsistent so far. They have showed flashes of greatness in some games, but have also struggled mightily in others. This week, though, the Wolverines won against Syracuse, beating them by a margin of 10 points. I will say this about this team, they have the most confidence out of anybody, mostly fueled by Sophomore Justin Canelli. In fact, with several minutes left in Sunday's game, Canelli could be seen talking to fans and chatting with parents. If Michigan could have the same amount of ability that they do confidence, they would undoubtedly be a championship contender.
7) Syracuse (7) [2-2]: The duo of Alex "Quicky" Phillips (yeah, i'm brining that one back) and Harry Rayhill has continued to carry a large role for this squad. GFA student Sam Smith has shown some great abilities, but his shot selection remains in question. He has been known to force many shots and gets into funks where he seems to forget where his teammates are. Cason Stone has been a solid player for 'Cuse so far . Stone seems to make all of routine shots and gets the job done defensively, forcing many turnovers for the Orangemen.
8) Stanford (9) [2-2]: In one of the biggest upsets so far this season, the Cardinal somehow defeated UConn in a tight battle. Max Grant finally returned for this team and was key considering they were without Harry Constantine. Stanford's gritty and aggressive style of play willed them to victory on Sunday. One key aggressor for this team has been Connor "Sully' Sullivan who, in the games that I've seen him play in, has drawn comparisons to Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, as he is not afraid to put opponents on the floor. While this may be a fun way to play, head coach Stu Constantine should probably rein "Sully" in before he gets fined for some of his hits. (If you don't know who Burfict is, feel free to look up his hit on Steelers WR Antonio Brown)
9) UConn (6) [2-2]: Since their preseason ranking of two, the Huskies have only disappointed so far this season. As I mentioned earlier, UConn lost in a huge upset to Stanford on Sunday. House ball fans have been baffled by this loss, but rumors have been floating around that UConn's star player Jack Joyce was mentally effected by his incident in the cafeteria on Friday afternoon (kid spilled chocolate milk all over himself, was quite a mess). Anyway, a bright spot for UConn has been Sophomore Connor Percarpio, who has built up quite a reputation for himself around the league with his ferocious defensive abilities.
10) North Carolina (10) [2-2]: Though they had a slow start to this season, the Tar Heels have picked things up in a big way lately. Their fast paced style of play has made them a very tough defensive matchup and can tire teams out quickly. This squad is led by Sophomore David Volz, the rookie has proven himself in this league, as he has been hitting tre bombs in his sleep and driving down the lane with ease. Another huge component for UNC is Tommy Murphy, we all know this kid is a solid player, but man can he sweat. I even heard that Murphy's sweat combined with the fabric in his jersey to create a "force field like" affect around him. Leaving him open constantly for shots.
11) Michigan State (12) [0-4]: I don't have too much to say for these last few teams, other than that they need to figure things out soon before the playoffs roll around. The Spartans finally got Patrick Burke back to play, but Charlie Olsen was missing from competition. The only reason this team isn't last is because we have yet to see this duo play side by side. I think this team could succeed once they are playing together.
12) Providence (11) [0-4]: The Friars have yet to even come close to winning this season and have struggled both offensively and defensively. I'm pretty sure Brian Minicus has only been to one game, which is problematic as he is no question this teams best player. If Minicus starts to attend more games, maybe this team has a chance to pull things together.
Weekly Awards:
MVP: Kevin Grune
Big Man of the Week: Teddy Brannigan
"It's actually called Hyperhidrosis and It's a condition": Tommy Murphy (If Andrew Darby were not wasting his time on varsity the two would co-own this award)
Defensive Player of the Week: That chocolate milk bottle that covered Jack Joyce like no other player could
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