Around The League - Rivalry Weekend (LeBronze Division)

[Commish]

YEAR 4
Season 14 - Fall 2009
5 DIVISIONS
"Bullets - LeBronze Champions"

Around The League - LeBronze Division
December 3, 2009
By: Hanz Jimenez
Contributing Writer

GBOBLO vs. Bullets
LEBRONZE DIVISION


GBOBLO leading scorer Kevin Valmonte made an entrance by showing up late against Bullets in a must-win Rivalry match-up against the undefeated team. With the scoreboard showing 17-11 with 7:52 left in the 1st half, Valmonte led GBOBLO with a comeback scoring 27 points and taking their opponent to a triple OT Rivalry thriller. In the end, Bullets clinched the LeBronze Division Championship with a 69-66 win.

Mike Enriquez scored 11 of Bullet's first 24 points and he finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals. Enriquez played a key role in Bullets' biggest win of the season and playing with 4 fouls in OT, he still managed to get key stops for Bullets in the extended period. Luis Rubalcaba struggled with his shot but found his stroke in the second half. He finished with 4 three-pointers and 14 points while Miguel Rodriguez added 13 points and 12 rebounds. GM Daniel Donato was a liability on offense and his 0-for-6 ft percentage was evident of his late season struggle. While his teammates gave him a difficult time when he missed point blank layups, it was his defense that actually helped Bullets clinched the LeBronze Division Championship.

"They give you a hard time because you missed a lot of wide open layups, but your teammates should know you were a lockdown defender in the overtime period," said a league analyst.

With GBOBLO trailing 27-16 at halftime, GM Victor Ng knocked down several key 3-pointers in the second half and he finished with 11 points, 2 three-pointers and 8 rebounds. Cyrus Regalado led the team with 17 rebounds and 21 points while Kevin Valmonte led the team with 2 steals and 2 three-pointers. As the game wore on, several Dipset players made it nerve-wrecking for GBOBLO players to score as they cheered loudly in favor of Bullets. Victor Ng missed 2 shots in the first OT period with 5 seconds left and Kevin Valmonte missed a wide open layup in double OT with 2 seconds left.

"Four of the loudest, most exciting games this year have come from LeBronze Division," said League Commissioner Hanz Jimenez. "It's exciting because it's not too competitive where teams are stacking up, four teams are tied with the second best record so there's a lot of parity, and it's still a Recreation division because there is no Playoffs. Yay for no Playoffs!"


Thrillers vs. D-League DT
LEBRONZE DIVISION

Thrillers' leading scorer Danny Martinez finished with a game-high 24 points as Thrillers defeat D-League DT with a 62-56 win.

The team had a combined scoring effort from their bigs with Kris Carrillo finishing with 10 points and 14 rebounds while Mark Baron added 19 points and 9 rebounds. They were too big for D-League DT to compete against and they owned the boards, 38-16. Romeo Paguyao led Thrillers with 5 assists while Mark Baron led the team with 2 blocks.
Paulo Montoya celebrated his birthday a night before and despite being visibly fatigue, he finished with 10 points, 2 steals, and had the play of the day with an inwards spin move that had his opponents raising their eyebrows. Leomar Cachola finished with a team-high 22 points, 4 assists and tied the steals record grabbing 9 steals. Justin Padiernos added 13 points while Jon Perry finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds. Cachola was virtually on every defensive play for D-League DT and because this is LeBronze, he won't be recognized in the record books for tying the record.


Wii Not Krunk vs. D-League DT
LEBRONZE DIVISION

D-League DT once again rallied from behind and it was shooting guard Justin Padiernos who hit a big 3-pointer to tie game at 46 with 50 seconds left. Wii Not Krunk forward Daunce Coge hit a big free throw to give Wii Not Krunk a 47-46 win as Wii Not Krunk improves to a 3-4 record.
The Pomona team started the game on a 9-2 run. Jon Ferrer had 4 steals at the end of the 1st half and he finished with 4 points and 4 steals. GM Leomar Cachola led the team in scoring once again with 14 points and 8 rebounds. Paulo Montoya finished with 11 points while Justin Padiernos added 13 points and 4 steals.

Kevin Urbyan led Wii Not Krunk with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals. Daunce Goce finished with 11 points and 6 rebounds while Paulo Tabora finished with 10 points and 3 three-pointers. Will Not Krunk was up 46-43 with 1:34 left but the team missed 3 straight 1-and1 attempts.


Pharcyde vs. Dipset
LEBRONZE DIVISION

Both teams brought a huge crowd and the pressure of playing in front of a big crowd had both teams missing a lot of shots early in the 1st half. The halftime score read 13-11 in favor of Pharcyde and Pharcyde ran away with a 48-41 win.

League analysts knew this was coming for Dipset. The Chino Hills team was excited to play against Trinicousins and their peers felt they would overlook their first opponent, Pharcyde. Chuck Trevino utilized his size and he finished with a double double, 12 points and 12 rebounds. Kevin Singson led the team with 17 points and he knocked down a team-high 5 three-pointers. GM Dale Basingat scored 11 points while James Bawayan added 7 points and 3 steals. Singson was huge late in the second half knocking down two consecutive 3-pointers to give Pharcyde a 34-30 lead in the decisive half.

The Dipset crowd wanted to get into the game early in the contest but with both teams stuck at 9 points apiece for 4 minutes, the crowd really had nothing to cheer about. Walter Tamidles delivered in the second half finishing with 22 points and 5 three-pointers. Matt Frock finished with 7 points and 2 rebounds while Jim Nguyen led Dipset with 3 blocks, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Dipset would be in the Championship Game against Bullets had they beaten Pharcyde but GM Jim Nguyen said it best when he was asked about Pharcyde's Center, Chuck Trevino.

"We overlooked them (specifically Trevino) and we were too hyped for Trinicousins," said Nguyen.


Assassins vs. Black Finger Tribe
LEBRONZE DIVISION

Assassins led 32-29 at halftime but a second half collapse led to a 61-50 win in favor of Black Finger Tribe.

Nick Vasquez finished with 19 points and 6 rebounds while Andre McNeil led BFT with 13 rebounds and 8 points. GM Kameron Johnson controlled the tempo and his all-around numbers was the difference maker for Black Finger Tribe. Johnson finished with 18 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals but it was his unselfish attitude that gave BFT their 3rd win of the season.

Rodney Ching returned to the lineup with 16 points and 2 three-pointers while Center Brent Johnson roamed the paint for 22 points and 7 rebounds. Fidel Hernandez was the third leading scorer with 10 points and he finished with 7 boards. The team took too many ill-advised shots late in the second half as Black Finger Tribe rallied for the upset.

"Black Finger Tribe was younger, faster, and they were just hanging around until they made a run in the second half," said a league analyst. "They want Trinicousins real bad, and we're hoping they're ready for them in the Season Finale."



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

+ Game Previews, recaps and write-ups are articles written by Superstar Basketball League Analysts.