1. Magic (3-0) – The Magic remain at number one this week after two dominant performances over the Wizards and the Spurs this weekend. With Mark Demarais’ heart and Nick “night-wing” Ferguson’s calming presence, it’s hard to find a weakness in the team. “Fontana and Ross stepped up on Saturday and Sunday, respectively” said Senior Nick Ferguson. “As of right now, I don’t see any teams in the league that can beat us.” Many analysts speculated that Walker would not be able to adjust to the fast paced, high flying action that is rec basketball, but his performance this weekend ended that debate. They look to continue their success as they take on the Sonics (1-1) and the Rockets (1-2).
2. Nets (2-0) – After barely scraping by in their first game of the year, the Nets showed up in force this Sunday, destroying the Rockets. Senior Colin Murray led the attack with Justin Ferre by his side and Anthony Eadale keeping the other team away at bay. Unfortunately for the Nets, they only got in one game this weekend because of a scheduling conflict with the Patriots. This weekend will show if they are able to perform at such a high caliber two days in a row as they face off against the Nuggets (2-1) and the Bulls (0-3).
3. Celtics (3-0) – There were a lot of questions about the Celtics this preseason about whether they would be able to compete without any senior leadership. But Juniors Drew Naismith and Kevin Mansen have silenced any doubt people had, both stepping up and putting the Celtics on the map. The only foreseeable problem for the Celtics is their lack of defensive talent. If they want to continue to win games, both Mansen and Naismith have to be on their game every week. Their perfect record doesn’t seem to be in jeopardy this weekend as they take on the Heat (0-2-1) and the Wizards (0-3).
4. Nuggets (2-1)- After a hard fought loss in the first week, some people doubted whether team captain Brendan Chaisson would be able to perform over the weekend. His performance however quickly silenced any and all critics. With the offensive skills of Liam Kelliher and the defensive skills of Steve “the sneak” Lynch, the Nuggets made light work of both of their opponents. With so many soon-to-be rec all-stars, the strongest part of this team is definitely their depth. Freshmen Myles Kraus and James Randall set the gold standard for rec rookies. The team is up against some serious talent this weekend in the Nets (2-0) and the Mavericks (2-1).
5. 76ers (2-1) – The 76ers looked to be one of the best teams in the league after week one, but their lackluster performance in week 2 brought them down to the 5 spot. There is no denying that this team has skill, and between Matt Toti’s sharp shooting, the Morey brothers cleaning up down low, and Steve Phelan’s 11 ft. wingspan one would believe that they would be tough for any team to beat. But a clear lack of chemistry on the team has kept them from being the dominant force they are capable of being. They look to get things back on track this weekend as they take on the Bulls (0-3) and the Heat (0-2-1).
6. Mavericks (2-1) – Despite many critics doubting this team’s ability to win games during the preseason, this team proved that they can seriously compete in the league. Centered around Senior Colton Mitchell, the team needs their superstar to stay healthy in order to be competitive. Thomas Heffernan proved that Mitchell isn’t the only player that can take over a game as he dropped 16 points in their game on Sunday. The Mavericks will certainly be tested this weekend as they take on the Rockets (1-2) and the Nuggets (2-1).
7. Sonics (1-1)- The Sonics made waves in the opening week by defeating the Nuggets in a very close game. But after their game was cancelled on Saturday, they were unable to carry their momentum into Sunday against the Mavericks. Key players Rocco Frattasio, Bergomi Francois, Jerry Lewis, and Brian Jackowski put in a valiant effort, but ultimately came up short. This team is not to be taken lightly though as their explosive play can easily catch any team ill prepared. They look to reestablish themselves as contenders as they take on the Magic (3-0) and the Lakers (1-1-1) this weekend.
8. Lakers (1-1-1) – The Lakers are one of the more disappointing teams so far this year. After stepping away from the limelight for a year to focus on his skiing career, Matt Brownsword returned this year with the hopes of picking up where he left off. Much to the chagrin of head coach Gavin Fiske, that was not the case in the first two games of the season. Joey Daaboul and Frankie Welter were able to make up for Brownsword’s lack of production in the first games, but it was clear that Browsword would have to step up on Sunday. And step up he did, dropping 25 points against the Wizards. Brownsword will be looking to prove that he still has the skills that carried his team through the playoffs two years ago as they take on the Spurs (1-2) and the Sonics (1-1) this weekend.
9. Knicks (1-2)- Despite the fact that they have a losing record, only a fool would rule the Knicks out as serious contenders this year. With both of their losses coming to some of the best teams in the league, their 1-2 record can be deceiving. With the height of Timmy McNamara and size of Ben Sacco down low, this team gets most of its point off of offensive rebounding and great post play. They will look improve their record this weekend as they take on the Wizards (0-3) and the Spurs (1-2).
10. Spurs (1-2)- Just barely making it into the top ten, it is clear that the Spurs season is already in jeopardy. Coach Joe Weinacht made headlines this offseason as he traded in superstar Jon Rockwood for two rec rookies in Peter Hoegler and Bob “Scumbo” Rabaioli. Unlike Walker of the Magic, Hoegler has been unable to adjust to the more physical play of rec basketball and can be seen flopping after even the slightest contact, and it is unclear whether Rabaioli has ever had any formal basketball experience. When asked to comment, he just continuously bragged about being the third best basketball player in his gym class. Unless seniors Jack Stedman and Cj Weinacht can pick up the slack, the Spurs’ season will end in disappointment. Looking to prove that Coach Weinacht move was the right one, they take on the Lakers (1-1-1) and the Knicks (1-2) this weekend.
11. Rockets (1-2)- It has become clear that in order for the Rockets to have any success this year, Senior Jon Rockwood is going to have to find a way to keep his emotions under control. Even with the sharpshooting of Ryan Cisternelli, the team is lost without the leadership Rockwood needs to bring to the table. Hardly a game goes by without Rockwood be warned multiple times that he’s on the verge of a technical foul, and letting rec stars like Night-wing Ferguson get into his head has only made matters worse. The team will be put to the test against the Mavericks (2-1) and the Magic (3-0) this weekend.
12. Bulls (0-3)- As soon as it was announced that Joe Smith would be playing for the high school instead of rec basketball, it was clear that this team is in for a rough season. James Smith is one of the best, if not the very best, players in the league, but without a strong supporting cast his efforts are fruitless. Bryan Kelleher certainly has the size to make a difference down low, but even he can only do so much. Things probably won’t get any better for the Bulls as they take on the 76ers (2-1) and the Nets (2-0) this week.
13. Heat (0-2-1)- On paper, the Heat look to be as a competitive team as any. But unfortunately for them, that does not always mean they will actually perform well. Harrison Berkland, Jack Lavanchy, and Shawn Sarnie are all highly skilled players, but so far this year they have not been able to put anything together. Unless they can quickly identify the problem and fix it, the Heat will spend the majority of the season at the bottom of the standings. Their schedule does not get any easier as they take on the Celtics (3-0) and the 76ers (2-1) this weekend.
14. Wizards (0-3)- It’s hard to find anything positive to say about the Wizards at this point in their season. Although all their losses came against strong teams, the Wizards do not look poised to make any kind of run for the championship. Besides big man Aiden Moore and point guard Brendan Sullivan, this team does not have any players that have stood out this season. If the Wizards are to get a win this season, somebody is going to have to step up and assume a leadership position. Until then, the Wizards are the worst team in the league. Playing the Knicks (1-2) and the Celtics (3-0) this weekend, it is unclear when, if ever, their first win will come.
