By Will Pegler
Before I get started I'm going to explain how the rankings are going to work this year. Cord Fox and I will be switching off week to week for the entire season. That's pretty much all I needed to explain, so hopefully that cleared things up for everyone.
Anyway, the first week of house ball is already over and a couple of teams have established themselves as championship contenders, while others have not had as much success so far. Something to keep in mind, though, on Wednesday many teams were missing their star players who were football players, so they were not at full strength. With their full rosters back going into week two, things may change. Enough of the intro, lets get right into it.
() indicates previous ranking; [] indicates record
1. Spurs (1) [2-0]
Cord had this team at number one in the preseason, and they have certainly lived up to the hype so far. In their first game they were missing their best player in Quinn Fay but were still able to win, and this past Sunday they pulled out another W. Nick Percarpio has been key for this team in complementing Fay and running the point, and will be another threat for them throughout the season. It's fitting that this team is named the Spurs, because the man at the helm of this ship, Tim Percarpio, could easily be considered the Gregg Popovich of this league, a long time coach, he looks to lead this team to a championship. Other players that have contributed so far are juniors Connor Percarpio, Hank Rech, and Logan McGovern (who is back from a two year hiatus), as well as senior Ryan Jones. My final thought on the Spurs is this, don't sleep on junior Nick "Ice in his veins" Casciari, the kid is deadly from the three point line.
2. Hornets (5) [2-0]
A lot of big names on this team. Nick Green, Craig Triano, Pablo Martinez, Cam Raia, Mike Neary... the list goes on. So far the Hornets have been able to mesh all of their young talent together well and are off to a strong 2-0 start, winning both games fairly handily. Nick Green is definitely the leader of this team, but junior Craig Triano follows close behind, as he is a solid defender and a good mid-range shooter. Senior Pablo Martinez adds an element of speed to this team, as the soccer star is always hustling down the court for fast break opportunities. Junior Mike Neary will need to be strong on the boards this season, but I have no doubt that he will be able to succeed in this role. While this is a very young team, I think their youthful abilities will carry them far this season.
3. Nets (4) [2-0]
The Nets are one of the strongest all around teams in the league, looking through their roster it's tough to find any weak spots. This team is led by a big three unlike any other, Justin Van de Graaf, Ethan Ehlers, and Mitch Pryor will give other teams headaches on both sides of the ball. Van de Graaf, a long time house player (despite the years he wasted time in the travel league), is known for his ability to drive to the basket and knock down free throws, while Ehlers will be the other half to this strong back court, as he is a strong shooter and talented on the defensive side as well. Pryor, on the other hand, will be tough to stop as he can easily drive to the basket and play great defense with his size and strength. Senior Ryan Corcoran will also needs to play well this year with his good height and solid shooting ability, along with junior Charlie Baylis who will give this team unwavering hustle.
4. Warriors (2) [1-1]
The Warriors are still one of the best teams in the league despite their .500 start. With MVP candidate Jack Beatty running the show along with knockdown shooters Benny Boy Bidell and Jack Campbell, this team is in a good position to make a run at the championship this year. With strong junior talent coming from Blake Sommi, Henry Nolte, and of course "funny guy" Cole Armstrong, the Warriors have good depth and a knack for ironic comedy (shoutout Cole). Senior Morgan Kennedy will also add value in the defensive department. Keep in mind that the team's one loss came against a number one ranked Spurs team and only by two points.
5. Knicks (3) [1-1]
Spencer Jarecke, Chris Magnusson, and Peter Marren are three strong players that will continue to lead this team on offense. All three have the ability to shoot while Jarecke has good height and can come in big in games when rebounds are key. On defense, junior Tommy Murphy will need to be strong down the stretch this season. I personally have no doubt in Murphy's ability, if you ever need to see how hard he's working, just take a look at how much the kid is sweating. I've heard rumors that he starts to sweat the night before games when he's watching tape, and I wouldn't question it, the sweaty Irishman has a competitive fire unlike any other. Hopefully Murphy will be able to fire up players such as junior John Gianatassio, someone who suffered greatly from back injuries last season.
6. Suns (6) [1-1]
This .500 team has yet to move from their preseason ranking. A very young team, the Suns have a lot of junior talent, Brian Minicus, Max Grant, and Kevin Grune are some of the big names. Hopefully all of this speed and athleticism will make up for the size that this team lacks. Junior Matt Gould will have to play the role of big man this year, while other juniors Max Gasvoda and Nate Hadlow will have to play well also. My one worry about Hadlow is the fact that he's Canadian, while his natural caring and generous nature is usually a plus, he will need to stop uttering the words; "Sorry, eh?" if he wants to succeed in this physical league.
7. Raptors (10) [0-2]
I realize this team started out last in the preseason and have yet to do anything to prove that ranking wrong, but I think they're going to come around as a real contender to win very soon. Seniors Brian Keating and Teddy Burke are two players who will add size and speed to this roster. Late in the season when rebounds become key, these guys will be tough to deal with. Junior talent comes from David Volz, Alex Murray, and Cole Stevenson, three guys who will need to come up big if this team wants to go anywhere. Also shoutout to Ryan Griffin, I'm assuming he was going to start bothering me if he didn't get a mention, so here it is. I could be completely wrong about this team and they don't win a game, but hopefully they don't make me look stupid and live up to the hype I've given them despite their slow start.
8. Bulls (8) [1-1]
Jackson Vaught has been big for this team so far and will need to continue to be if they want to succeed. Although Vaught is a great shooter, he is making a tough transition, coming from JV basketball to house. The two games are completely different, one is a time for everybody to get together and just shoot some hoops with friends, the other is a ruthlessly competitive league where players will do anything to win (yes, house ball is the second one). Other than Vaught, senior Jack Farren (who somehow didn't get picked until the third round) will need to be a big part of this teams offensive scheme. Other players who will add some talent are Will Rehm, Jackson Mcnear, and the Englishman Ben Hayes.
9. Celtics (7) [0-2]
It seems the Rayhill dynasty has dissipated over the past few years, and that trend may continue this season. The Celtics have stumbled out of the gate so far with two losses but look to rebound somehow this weekend. Seniors Nick Trager and Brendan Berrigan have the potential to be a good one-two punch this season, and will need to do so if the Celtics want to win some games. Junior Sean Collins will also add some talent at the point, while big men Alex Phillips and Harry Rayhill are reunited once again. Who could forget that notorious hair duo from last year?
10. Cavaliers (9) [0-2]
The Cavs have struggled to find any form of success so far. Senior Cord Fox did miss the first game of the season, so once they get their main source of size back they may be able to get back on the right track. Senior Matt Meyjes will need to have a big year, and if junior Fin Batson gets hot from three this team may able to win some games. As of now, though, they sit at 10.
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