THE DREAM LEAGUE
Asian American / Open Basketball Leagues
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2008_Summer/Fall AL (NYC) |
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Swishes & Bricks (9/3-9/7) |
| The AI’s 1. Ryan Degracia (SK War Dog) – The real Ryan Degracia stepped up this week, and boy, did he step up in a huge way. With an AL season high 39 points (might even be the DL NY highest points scored ever in a players first game on a team) on 14/24 shooting (10/18 on 3’s!- he made it rain like Voshon Lenard in his prime) 4 boards, 2 dimes and a steal, he single handily made all AL opponents rethink using a zone D against the War Dogs. Basically outscored his entire team by 17 points (!) in a 61–47 SK War Dog’s win over Purple Cobras. Why he was even passing to ring up 2 dimes is very selfish of him, he should have just kept on chucking. 2. Rob Chanthavongsa (Deutsche Bankers) – Good thing RC didn’t have a last minute project due the night of the game or the Bankers would have been in deep trouble. Accounted for 50% of the team’s offense with a career high 26 of the team’s 51 points on 11/21 shooting (3/4 on Fts which really made a difference considering how close the game was) with 10 boards and a steal in the Deutsche Bankers’ 51–49 win over Rage. 3. Brian Liang (HBI) – Despite an off day shooting on the court (4/11), Liang still tallied 15 points due to his prowess at the free throw line (sank 7/10) with 9 boards, a dime, a steal and 2 blocks in HBI’s 44–39 win over the Hypebeasts. HBI with 3 wins in a row after 2 opening season defeats which also coincides with Liang showing up for games. I think that we can all notice the pattern that is going on here. Rodmanesque’s 1. Noh Joon Choo (Deutsche Bankers) – My former co-worker who has moved on to bigger and brighter things with his AL season high of 12 boards, a dime and a steal, but unfortunately a goose egg from the field (0 points on 0/6 shooting) in the Deutsche Bankers 51–49 win over Rage. 2. CS Hsia (Rage) – Grabbing an AL career high in boards with 14 is definitely a noteworthy task, but what is even more noteworthy is that he did it against the big front line of the Deutsche Bankers. Scored 4 points on 2/4 shooting with 3 steals and 2 blocks in their down to wire 51–49 loss to Deutsche Bankers. Big O’s 1. Leighton Kuet (Rage) – Ivan Drago doing it all and leaving his mark on the court for Rage with 17 points on 6/20 shooting (2/4 on 3’s) with 6 boards and 5 dimes in a close 51-49 loss to the Deutsche Bankers. 2. Felix Shen (SK War Dog) – Playing with teammates like SMC on Gen-X and Bomber Degracia makes getting dimes easier than slicing bread. All you have to do is get the ball in their hands then start back pedaling down the court to play D because you just know that they are going to get the bucket in the hole. Shen with 7 points on 3/4 shooting with 2 boards, 7 dimes and 2 steals in the SK War Dog’s 61–47 win over the Purple Cobras. Bombers 1. Ryan Degracia (SK War Dog) – Just like Teddy Hancock in the AAA division, if Degracia ever sinks 10, or anything close to 10 3’s again, I will have to rename this section for one week’s edition. Doubt that will happen as teams will surely stick multiple defenders on him now that they know he can sink a 3 as easily as he can sink a 2. Sank 10 (!) 3 pointers to account for 30 of his 39 points on 14/24 shooting overall with 4 boards, 2 dimes and a steal in a 61–47 SK War Dog’s win over the Purple Cobras. 2. Victor Ng (Hypebeasts) – Only scored 6 points (and which also tied him for the team lead in this very low scoring affair), but they all came from behind the arc (2/3) which is the definition of a bomber in Hypebeast’s 44–49 loss to HBI. The Glove’s 1. Jiang Yu (Deutsche Bankers) – It feels like an eternity since the last time (actually its just been 3 editions since the first time I mentioned him in my inaugural Swishes & Bricks column), but he definitely gets lumped in this defensive category with 4 swats to go along with his 9 points on 2/8 shooting (did make 5/6 from the charity stripe), 9 boards and 2 dimes in their 51 – 49 win over Rage. If you are going to get 4 swats in a game, I think that you’re allowed to do the Mutombo finger wave. 2. CS Hsia (Rage) – Another repeat performer for the week, CS had a very solid defensive showing with 3 steals and 2 blocks to go along with his aforementioned 14 boards in Rage’s 51–49 loss to the Deutsche Bankers. 3. J. Alejo (Purple Cobras) – While the defensive game plan for the Purple Cobras did nothing to stop the offensive onslaught of Degracia (I think that aside from gang tackling him, nothing could’ve stopped him), Alejo did play the passing lanes to the tune of 3 steals to go along with 11 points on 4/9 shooting, 9 boards and 3 dimes in a 61–47 loss to SK War Dog. Bricklayers 1. Kevin Park (Deutsche Bankers) – Definitely not a performance that you want DB shareholders to see, KP with 8 points on 3/14 shooting (21%) with 5 boards, 2 dimes and 2 steals in the Deutsche Bankers’ 51–49 win over Rage. 2. Joe Yen (Rage) – Please correct me if I am wrong and there is another Mighty Joe Yen playing in DL this season who is the rock down low for the teams that he plays for. Tallied 8 points on 3/15 shooting (2/12 fro 3’s- again why is he getting the green light to take these 3’s when, if this is the Yen I am thinking about, he is brutally efficient down low) with 5 boards 2 dimes and 2 steals in a close 51–49 loss to the Deutsche Bankers. 3. Sean Zhang (Rage) – Posted a solid double double against the formidable interior presence of this Bank, but needed 19 shots (made 5) to get those 14 points in Rage’s 51–49 loss to the Deutsche Bankers. 4. Andre Liu (SK War Dog) – Might be feeling the Olympic hangover as the savvy Vet went on to score 4 points on 2/11 (18%) shooting with 6 boards. On the bright side they still did win thanks to the offensive onslaught of Degracia. |