Final Recap

In a game with a thrilling finish, Upstate Swagger completed a fourth quarter comeback to beat Team Motivated and earn the crown of King of Kings Summer Pro-Am Champions with a final score of 70-67.

At the start of the game, it looked as if Upstate Swagger would not be able to hang with Team Motivated. Without three-point sharpshooter Scott Knapp, Upstate Swagger came out of the gate playing sloppy basketball, going down 13-2 in the first four minutes.

At the end of the first quarter, the lead was 26-13 in favor of Team Motivated. Led by Syracuse University’s Brandon Triche and Dajuan Coleman, Team Motivated seemed to be dominating every aspect of the game. At halftime, Team Motivated was up on Upstate Swagger 45-34.

Upstate Swagger faced a double-digit deficit heading into the fourth quarter. It was in the fourth that the number one seed turned their game on. Sean Burton tied the game with 2 free throws at 62-62 with under five minutes to go in the game. From there, it was a back and forth battle until the end.

Upstate Swagger first took the lead with 2:12 remaining in the game on a Nick Grimmer Layup. From there they never looked back, despite constant offensive pressure by Team Motivated.

Team Motivated certainly had chances to take the lead late, but their shots just didn’t fall. One might question their shot selection late; Coleman chucked up two off balanced threes within the final 80 seconds of the game. However, one may credit the defense of Upstate Swagger with forcing the ball to their opponents worst shooter.

Upstate Swagger finished the season 9-1, starting the season on a four game win streak and finishing as champions on a five game win streak. This is the team’s second title in the past three years. Upstate Swagger looks forward to next season and their attempt to defend their title champs in the King of Kings 2013, the life development programs eighth season.

Semi Final Recap

In a rematch of last year's championship game, Team Motivated avenged their 2011 defeat with a win over Syracuse Elite 93-73 Friday night. The win puts Team Motivated in the championship game for the third straight year.

Syracuse Elite stayed within striking distance for the first half. King of Kings Defensive player of the year and second-team all King of Kings player Chris Martin of Syracuse Elite had a surprisingly explosive offensive first half, keeping his team in the game at halftime when the score was 52-49.

The third quarter is when Team Motivated went on their run. They came out after the half on an 8-0 run, and their lead only went below double digits once mid-way through the third. Team Motivated spent the rest of the game gradually adding to their lead, eventually putting the game out of reach.

In the second semi-final, Upstate Swagger used a huge second half surge to dismantle the Bless Ballers 74-47. The win puts Upstate Swagger in the finals against Team Motivated Sunday evening at 5:00 P.M.

Throughout the first half the game stayed close. After Upstate Swagger opened up the game on a 16-0 run, the Bless Ballers pulled within 6 at halftime. That was as close as the Bless Ballers would get.

Upstate Swagger opened up the third quarter determined to blow the lid off the game. The smothering defense of Upstate Swagger was too much for the league’s second leading scorer Cornelius Vines to handle. Vines and the Bless Ballers were held to 3 points in the quarter.

The fourth quarter was played in a much less intense manor. The number one seed looks to get reserves Nick Grimmer and Jared Sudderly back for the championship game, who were absent during the semi-final. Upstate Swagger and Team Motivated will square off Sunday, August 12th at 5:00 P.M. to determine the winner of the 2012 King of Kings Men's Summer Pro-Am.

8/8 Recap

Third Quarter Outburst pushes Swagger to Victory.

The number one seed in the King of Kings summer Pro-Am showed why they are the team to beat Wednesday night. In a game where the fourth quarter was for all intensive purposes meaningless, Upstate Swagger eliminated The Gunnas in blowout fashion.

The Gunnas, who were without star forward Deandre Preaster stuck with Upstate Swagger up until halftime, when the score was 53-37 in favor of Upstate Swagger. That was all the scoring and defense the Gunnas could produce, as the third quarter was dominated by Upstate Swagger.

Upstate Swagger came out of halftime on a 16-0 run to extend their lead to 32. Within the first three minutes of the half, the game was blown open. At the end of the third quarter, the score was 98-54, meaning Upstate Swagger won the quarter 45-17.

The rest of the game was a combination of lazy defense and three pointers. The game was called with 5 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the final score being 122-81. the leading scorers were Scott Knapp and Scott Morton, finishing with 30 and 29 points respectively. Upstate Swagger plays in the Semi-Finals Friday evening.

In an unexpected lopsided game, Utica Select was eliminated from the playoffs by Syracuse Elite. Syracuse Elite came out with purpose and didn’t let up throughout. The final score was 88-69. The win puts Syracuse Elite in the semi-finals Friday evening.

At halftime, the score was 41-29 in favor of Syracuse Elite. The Syracuse based team seemed to stunt Utica Selects offensive game plan. By locking down on Syracuse University stars Rakeem Christmas and James Southerland, all the pressure to score was on the shoulders of sharp shooter EJ Gallup, who seemed to be unable to buy a three pointer.

Syracuse Elite went up as many as 29 points in the third quarter. Utica Select found themselves unable to capitalize on the various opportunities they had throughout. The Big three for Utica Select, Christmas, Southerland, and Gallup, finished with a surprisingly total number of points.

8/6 game one recap

In the first game of the King of Kings post season, Team Motivated was all over 99 Problems, winning 92-59 in blowout fashion. The loss eliminates 99 Problems from the playoffs and sends Team Motivated to the semi-finals Friday evening.

99 Problems showed glimpses of hope throughout the game, but a lack of stops defensively and very little offense turned out to be too much to overcome. With three minutes remaining in the first quarter 99 Problems was only down four points, but that was as close as they would get to winning.

The majority of the game was owned by Team Motivated. Even without standout center Dajuan Coleman, Team Motivated had a distinct size advantage that they used to get to the basket. Throw in the fact that the team was hitting outside shots, and 99 Problems had their hands full.

The leading scorers for Team Motivated were Alshwan Hymes and Mickey Davis, who finished with 26 and 18 points respectively. 99 Problems was led by Josh Wright, who finished with a less than satisfactory 21 points. Team Motivated looks to continue their winning ways in their semi-final match Friday evening at Notre Dame. The team and time are TBD.

Playoff Preview

Playoff Preview- 8/1

As the regular season comes to a close, each team in the King of Kings Summer Pro-Am looks to make a deep run into the playoffs. In a league loaded with Division I, II, and III talent, every team regardless of regular season performance has the ability to be contenders if each team plays to their strengths. Let’s take a look at what each team needs to do in order to have a shot at the title.

Upstate Swagger:

Upstate Swagger boasts a roster of local legends. They have three ex-professional players in Dave Golembiowski, Scott Morton, and Sean Burton. Upstate Swagger may not be the youngest or most athletic team on the floor, but they are certainly the smartest and it shows in their play.

What they need to do to win: Simple. Upstate Swagger needs to play their game. Even if they are not hitting their shots from beyond the arc (which is a rare occurrence) their ball movement can slice any defense apart. Speaking of defense, their zone can smother any opposing team. The key to the successful zone of Upstate Swagger is their ability to continually box out and rebound defensively, which is no easy task in a zone. With a full roster led by Burton at the 1, Upstate Swagger is poised to make a run deep into the playoffs.

The Gunnas:

Cousins Wesley Jackson and Deandre Preaster, two former standouts at Thomas R. Proctor High School, lead the Gunnas. The team also features local ballers Walkery Mills and Josh Henderson. After a disappointing regular season, the Gunnas look to make a run in the playoffs.

What they need to do to win: The Gunnas need to have the right players in the right positions. The offense needs to run through their best ball handler, Henderson, who can dribble out of any trouble he gets in. Jackson should be at the two/three, along with Mills at the two/three. Preaster needs to bang down low where he is most dangerous/versatile. His array of post moves and quickness is very hard to defend. The Gunnas also need excellent perimeter offense from Mills and Jackson in order to make up for the rest of their undersized roster, which can sometimes be exploited in man-to-man situations on defense. It will be interesting to see if things can come together in the postseason for the Gunnas.

Team Motivated:

Team Motivated (JD’s Finest) is led by the star studded duo of Brandon Triche and Dajuan Coleman, two Jamesville-Dewitt grads who will play at Syracuse in the fall. There are rumors that Michael Carter-Williams, who played in the team’s first game, will be returning for the playoffs. Throw in swingman Alshwan Hymes of JD and you have the most athletic, dangerous, high-powered offensive roster in the league.

What they need to do to win: In order for Team Motivated to win the championship, Triche, Coleman, and possibly Carter-Williams need to dominate their one on one matchups. No defense, zone or man, can match up with the strength and size of Triche and Coleman. By winning these matchups, the entire floor will open up for their teammates, all of which are highly capable of knocking down open threes or take the ball to the hoop. If Team Motivated’s stars can play to their potential, they become the heavy favorite to win the championship.

Syracuse Elite:

Syracuse Elite is a squad full of mid to upper twenties Syracuse based ballers. They are the defending champions of the league, and they don’t hold that title lightly. They play just as hard if not harder than any team in the league at all times.

What they need to do to win:

Syracuse Elite needs to play as a unit. Defensively, the team matches up pretty well with every team in the league. They switch between half and full court man-to-man, constantly putting pressure on the ball. The problem with Syracuse Elite is they don’t have that one star that can put the team on his back offensively when things aren’t going their way. This makes it that much more important for the defending champs to involve everyone on offense and move the ball. This team won’t kill you from behind the three-point line, but when they are moving the ball and getting to the basket, they become serious contenders.

Greater Grace (Utica Select):

Syracuse forward James Southerland and center Rakeem Christmas lead greater Grace. The mid season addition of Coastal Carolinas EJ Gallup, who seemingly hits every three pointer he pulls up for, makes Utica Select quite the threat.

What they need to do to win:

Utica Select needs step their game up defensively. They have proven throughout the year they can trade baskets with any team in the league. Their defense at times has been lazy. Utica Select frequently allows teams back into games through a lack of defensive intensity. With Gallup hitting shots, Christmas down low, and Southerland having the advantage in at least one category in every matchup he sees, it all comes down to defense for Utica Select if they want to contend for the title.

99 Problems:

99 Problems is led by former Syracuse University and Proctor guard Josh Wright and current Colgate baller Chad Johnson. The duo carries the load offensively for the team. Height wise they are a little under-sized, but their speed can easily make that up on the court.

What they need to do to win:

99 Problems plain and simple has a problem sharing the ball. Some of the players on the team most certainly feel the pressure from Wright to pass the ball to their best playmaker (Wright himself) instead of letting each player get involved offensively. In order for 99 Problems to be considered as contenders, Wright and Johnson need to realistically score 70 points a game combined, in addition to stepping up their defense and getting the rest of their players involved. It may seem like an improbable task, but it can be done, and it is necessary in order for 99 Problems to be considered as a threat in the playoffs.

Dream Chasers:

The Dream Chasers are led by Notre Dame grad and Colgate University baller Pat Moore and Lemoyne’s Brian Zapisek. The team looked befuddled for most of the season on the court, but came together in the last few weeks, finishing the season 3-4 on a two game win streak.

What they need to do to win: Shoot lights out. That is how they won their final two games of the season, and that is what they need to do in the playoffs. If Moore, Zapisek and Co. can get hot from beyond the arc, they can compete with anyone. They also have two centers at 6’8’’ and 6’11’’ that can alter any shot that comes in the paint. But no matter what, it all comes down to shots for the Dream Chasers, and if they hit shots, both open and contested, then they have proven they shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Bless Ballers:

Mookie Jones, who played for Syracuse University as well as last seasons leading scorer Cornelius Vines, who played his college ball at Hofstra, lead the Bless Ballers. The Bless Ballers offensively can compete with anyone in the gym. When they move the ball well, they can strike from anywhere on the court.

What they need to do to win:

The Bless Ballers offense has to go through Vines, who is by far the best ball handler on the team. That being said, Vines needs to relish his role as point guard and try to create less by himself and focus on getting his teammates involved. Another key for this squad is Mookie Jones. Jones, who was not known for his perimeter offense prior to this season, can light it up at times from beyond the arc. Jones needs to find the right balance of three point shots while not sacrificing his ability to get to the basket, which is key for his team. If Jones is making shots, that opens the floor up for Vines as well as the rest of his team to find holes in the defense. If Vines and Jones can share the ball effectively and score when they have the opportunity, then the Bless Ballers have a chance to make a deep run into the playoffs.

8/1 Recap Game 1 Recap by Nigel Dunkley

Wednesday night at the King of Kings Summer Pro Am, Brandon Triche and Team Motivated took on Josh “The Stick Man” Henderson and the Gunnas in the final game of the regular season. Team Motivated was stacked with Division 1 talent including Brandon Triche and Dajaun Coleman who play for Syracuse University and Alshwan Hymes who plays for Canisius College.

Although the Gunnas were short handed tonight, Walkery Mills kept them in the game during the first quarter by hitting on 4 three point attempts in the first quarter. By the completion of the first quarter Team Motivated had the early lead 30-24 led by Hymes who connected on all 3 of his three point attempts.

 At the start of the second quarter Coleman checked in for Team Motivated and  Henderson for the Gunnas. Early in the second off a Gunnas miss Nick Rizzo jumped over Melvin Triche for a put back dunk to ignite the crowd. Before the Gunnas could get back on defense Team Motivated inbounded the ball to Brandon Triche who passed to Coleman for the monster two handed jam. This was the theme of the game for the Gunnas. Every time they scored or threatened, Team Motivated came right back down the floor and scored on them.

Throughout the third quarter Team Motivated out hustled the Gunnas to go on a big run. This run boosted their lead to as much as 37 points just in the third quarter alone. Despite being down Mills and Henderson continued to contribute to try and bring their team back. 

Team Motivated held a 48 point lead with 4 minutes left in the game. Team Motivated won the game 127 to 81. The top performers included Henderson with 30pts and 8rebs, Mills with 25pts and 14 rebs, Hymes with 22pts and 5ast, and finally Coleman with 25pts and 12 rebs.  

In the second game, Upstate Swagger held off Syracuse Elite 64-63 to finish the regular season as the #1 seed heading into the playoffs. The post-season begins Monday, August 6th at Notre Dame High School.

King of Kings 7/30 Game Recap by Nigel Dunkley

Nigel Dunkley is an intern for the King of Kings Life Development Program. He is a senior at Thomas R. Proctor High School in Utica, New York. His interest in sports communications has grown throughout the King of Kings season, and he will now be a regular contributor to the King of Kings Blogspot account.

Monday night at the King of Kings Summer Pro Am. (Men’s division), Mookie Jones and Utica Select took on James Southerland and the Bless Ballers.  Southerland along with Jones and Rakeem Christmas play Division I basketball for Syracuse University.  All three came out to Utica and played tonight at the King of Kings Summer Pro Am. Utica Select also boasts Division I talent with E.J. Gallup from Coastal Carolina and Cornelius Vines from Hofstra.

 

Utica Select won the tip and went on a 7-0 run to start the game behind James Southerland, the teams leading scorer. Although they were down early the Bless Ballers didn’t give up. The shooting of Jones and Vines’ allowed The Bless Ballers to get back in the game including Vines’ buzzer beater in Southerland’s face to end the 1^st quarter while falling to the ground. 

 

At the start of the 2^nd quarter Syracuse’s 6’8 Southerland attacked the basket and dunked over Bless Ballers #23. That would not be the only jam for Southerland before halftime. After Vines missed a free-throw #24 on Utica Select turned the rebound  into a fast-break, throwing the alley-oop to Southerland. With time winding down The Bless Ballers get the ball into the hands of Mookie Jones and he completed a buzzer beater three from way down town before the half.

 

Although Bless Ballers were in control for most of the game Utica Select did not give up. In fact, they made a run late including Southerland’s three pointer with 4.8 left to bring them within three. Even though Gallup made 12 three pointers, the shooting of Vines and Jones was too much for Utica Select to handle. The Bless Ballers won 97-92.

King of Kings 7/30 Recap Game 1

Dream Chasers pull away from 99 problems to come away with the victory.

In a see-saw battle that saw 17 lead changes throughout, The Dream Chasers pulled away from 99 problems in the fourth quarter to win 84-73. The Dream Chasers finished the regular season on a two game win streak at 3-4. 99 problems enters the postseason with a record of 2-5.

The teams seemed evenly matched throughout. Back and forth they went for the first three quarters. Neither team was able to pull away from the other once either team took the lead, keeping the game close and the audience on their toes.

In the fourth quarter, it was all Dream Chasers. The combination of made three pointers and a series of defensive stops allowed them to take the lead from 99 problems. This time they had the lead, the Dream Chasers didn't look back.

Brian Zapisek was the second leading scorer for the Dream Chasers, finishing with 19 points. Pat Moore, a Notre Dame graduate and current Colgate player was instrumental in the team’s victory, was the leading scorer. Moore finished with 22 points. Josh Wright and Chad Johnson shared the load offensively for 99 problems finishing with 18 and 19 points respectively, but the duo could not muster enough firepower to will their team to another comeback.

Up next for these teams are the playoffs, starting next week. Both teams have showed flashes of excellence throughout the year, and are very capable of deep playoff runs. It will be interesting to see what each team is capable of in the playoffs.

7/23 recap game 2

Motivated edges Bless Ballers for victory

In a surprisingly low-scoring game, Team Motivated came out on top of the Bless Ballers 63-56. The result of the game puts Team Motivated back towards the top of the standings with one game remaining. The defeat was the Bless Ballers second loss in a row.

The game had the potential to be a crowd pleaser, with star-studded talent including: Syracuse’s Brandon Triche, Dajuan Coleman, Mookie Jones and ex Hofstra player Cornelius Vines. Offensively, the game did not live up to it’s potential, as a humid gym along with slightly sloppy play led to a large amount of turnovers.

Team Motivated held a lead of 21 points after an 18-0 run to end the first half and start the third quarter. However, the Bless Ballers would not go down without a fight, slowly chipping away at the lead. They came as close as 4 points with 47.3 seconds remaining.

The Bless Ballers were unable to complete the comeback late. The combination of missed-forced three pointers and a few Team Motivated free throws did the Bless Ballers in.

Up next for Motivated is the Gunnas Wednesday, August 1^st at 6:45 P.M. The Bless Ballers look to pick up a win in their final game of the season Monday, July 30^th at 8:00 P.M. against Utica Select. Both games will be played at Notre Dame High School.

7/23 Recap Game one

Utica Select comes out on top.

In a game that featured many more lead changes than one would expect, Utica Select out-gunned the Gunnas 100-92. The game was close up until the end of the third quarter, when the Gunnas began showing signs of fatigue. They stuck with Utica Select for most of the game, but in the end the offensive firepower and size of Utica Select was too much to handle.

The Gunnas came out red hot, sticking with Utica Select every step of the way. Watching the game, one got the feeling the Gunnas could only hit so many shots to keep pace with Utica Select until the baskets stopped falling. However, it seemed this would happen late in the first quarter, not the end of the third. At halftime, the Gunnas were even leading 52-50.

The fourth quarter was dominated by Utica Select. Behind strong performances by EJ Gallup and James Southerland, Utica Select outscored the Gunnas 25-21 in the final 7 minutes of the game. Southerland finished with 27 points and Gallup finished with 23.

Utica Select looks to continue their success Monday, July 30^th at 8:00 P.M. against the Bless Ballers. The Gunnas look to upset JD’s Finest Wednesday, August 1^st t 6:45 P.M. Both games will be played at Notre Dame High School in Utica.

Two Players, One Dream

As Cornelius Vines and Chris Martin’s careers go down different paths, both players hope the end result will be the same.

On Wednesday July 18^th, The Bless Ballers and Syracuse Elite took the court to square off as part of the King of Kings basketball league. At first glance, it looked simply like the defending champions (Syracuse Elite) fighting to keep pace in the standings against a serious contender (Bless Ballers). This game was so much more than that.

This was a match up between two men who take basketball as seriously as you can, Chris Martin and Cornelius Vines. It had the makings to be the perfect match up. Vines, a scoring machine, versus Martin, whose defense can be summed up perfectly by the emcee-given nickname: Bruce Bowen.

Vines was a solid player at Hofstra University. After tremendous careers at Henninger High School and Iowa Lakes Community College, Vines averages double digit points his junior year at Hofstra and was a key contributor both his junior and senior season. He was the leading scorer during the King of Kings 2011 league, finishing with 30.9 points a game.

Martin is also Syracuse raised. He played his high school ball at Corcoran High School, and played at Cayuga Community College, where he averaged over double digits in points. Martin is currently averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds a game for Syracuse Elite.

Vines has an offensive game that strikes fear into opponents. He can score off the dribble or from three. “I’m currently working with the GymRatz of Syracuse,” said Vines. This is a program helped run by Gilbert Speights and former Syracuse player Billy Edelin. “I also just signed with an agency, 610 sports and entertainment management.”

Martin, what he lacks in offensive flash, he makes up for in all aspects of the game. Martin can do it all: defend (as good as anyone in the King of Kings league) hit the open shot, drive, pass, rebound, pass, etc. The intensity he brings to each and every game is unparalleled. Martin picks out the opposing teams best offensive player, and tells his teammates “I’m lockin’ him down tonight.”

Here is where these two men’s careers diverge: at the King of Kings life development program in Utica, NY. Where do these players go from here? Where does their life take them at 23 (Vines) and 27 (Martin) years old respectively?

Both know exactly where they would like to go, and that is overseas. There is an enormous opportunity compared to the United States to play basketball professionally in Europe and Asia, and both Vines and Martin are looking to tap into the goldmine that is professional basketball.

“I’m just lookin’ to get my foot into the door,” said Vines. “I’m doing everything I can to stay ready and get better, so hopefully when I get that call, I will be ready. I’m in the gym five days a week, and I hit the weight room 3 days a week. All I need is to get my foot in the door.”

Likewise, Martin is staying ready and striving to get to that next level of ball overseas. “You know, after you hit thirty, teams aren’t going to take a chance on you,” Martin said with a smile on his face. “I’m keepin pace, playing with a high level of competition here [at King of Kings in Utica]". “I play in four leagues, and I am always workin’ on my game. I’m just waitin’ for that call.”

When asked if they had any country in particular they wanted to play in, both players smiled and said anywhere. Martin and Vines aren’t picky. Both know that the older the get, the less of a chance they have to get that call. Vines still has some time, but this is especially the case for Martin. That may be why he plays every game like it his last. If there is a scout in the crowd, they see the real Martin, the baller from ‘Cuse that will do anything his coach asks, and he will do it well.

On Wednesday night, Syracuse Elite came out on top against the Bless Ballers, a team led by Vines and Syracuse Universities Mookie Jones. The Bless Ballers led for most of the game, but Syracuse Elite eventually took the lead with two minutes remaining and ended up winning by 10. Martin was instrumental in this comeback, finishing with over 20 points and constantly rebounding and pushing his teammates to play better.

As Vines and Martin lead their teams into the second half of the season and into the playoffs, both will likely step up their game even more so they can hopefully be noticed by someone that can make their dream of playing overseas come true. All they need is a chance, and Vines and Martin could make a nice addition to a team in need of a pure scorer or a pure player overseas.

7/18 Game One Recap

Motivated Second half surge too much for Dreamchasers

Offensive power pushes team Motivated to victory.

Team Motivated came out sluggish, but a second half push behind an unlikely scoring machine allowed them to outgun the Dreamchasers. For a while it looked as if the Dreamchasers may pull off the unthinkable, but Team Motivated settled down to come away with the victory.

The Dreamchasers came out firing, scoring 31 points in the first quarter behind a plethora of three pointers. They built a lead of as many as 7 points, going up 43-36 with 5:29 remaining in the second half. Team Motivated quickly went on an 8-0 run, and held the lead from there.

The second half was all team Motivated. The team from JD took a one point lead into halftime, and finished the third quarter up 17 points. Melvin Triche, Brandon Triche’s younger brother, was largely influential in the team’s second half run. Melvin finished with 20 points on the evening.

The Dreamchasers look to pick up their second victory of the season Wednesday, July 25^th at 8:00 P.M. against Syracuse Elite. Team Motivated looks to continue their success against the Bless Ballers Monday, July 23^rd at 8:00 P.M.

7/16 Game Two Recap

99 Problems second half surge too much for Gunnas to handle

Lack of defense does Gunnas in.

In a game that ended in one of the most bizarre ways possible, 99 Problems overcame an early 18-point deficit to defeat the Gunnas 83-74. This was 99 problems first non-forfeit win of the season.

The Gunnas in the first half controlled the game. Lights out shooting by Walkery Mills and Wes Jackson gave their team a commanding lead. At the end of the quarter, 99 problems began chipping away at the lead, and by halftime the deficit was only 10.

The third quarter was when 99 problems took command of the game. They earned their first lead with 4:50 remaining in the quarter, going up 46-45. The lead alternated for a couple minutes until 99 problems finished the quarter on a 7-0 run, captivated by a layup at the buzzer by Josh Wright. The call to allow the layup was questionable at best.

The fourth quarter was all 99 problems. The Gunnas came as close as 4 points late, but constant defensive breakdowns and missed opportunities on offense kept them from getting any closer. In particular, a missed alley-oop from Deandre Preaster to Rizzo to cut the lead to 2 cut deep. The missed opportunity was followed by a deep pull up three by Wright. Perhaps the miscues were due to the fact that the Gunnas only had 5 players, and fatigue began to set in.

At the end of the game, the Gunnas must have been tired, because they stopped playing defense with 30 seconds remaining. Wright missed a layup that was uncontested by Jackson, and instead of grabbing the rebound only down 5 points, Jackson let the ball go past him, quickly being picked up by a 99 Problems player and put back for an easy basket. If Jackson were to have gotten that rebound, the Gunnas would have had the ball with 30 seconds remaining in a two-possession game. More of the same ensued, and the teams stopped trying altogether, throwing alley-oops and not playing any defense. Wright was the game high scorer, finishing with 45 points.

The Gunnas look to steer the ship in the right direction against Greater Grace July 23^rd at 6:45 P.M. 99 Problems look to continue their success against Upstate Swagger July 25^th at 6:45 P.M. Both games will be played at Notre Dame.

7/16 Game One Recap

Utica Select Outguns Upstate Swagger

Missed opportunities lead to Swaggers first loss of the season

In a game with double digit lead changes, Utica Select came out on top. Behind strong shooting performances by James Southerland and EJ Gallup, Utica Select handed Upstate Swagger their first loss of the season 91-83.

The teams traded leads throughout the game. Late in the fourth quarter, it looked as if Upstate Swagger was going to continue the season undefeated, up 72-66 with 1:59 remaining. Utica Select came back to tie the game with 10 seconds remaining, and Upstate Swagger was unable to capitalize on a last second opportunity.

In overtime, it was all Utica Select. Upstate Swagger was unable to finish at the basket like they did during regulation, and their shots just weren’t falling. The opposite was the case for Utica Select, as they finished most of the chances they had, both around the rim and beyond the three-point line. Southerland finished with 38 points. Gallup finished with 31 points comprised of 9 three pointers and 4 free throws.

Missed free throws were costly for Upstate Swagger. Scott Morton himself finished 1 of 9 from the charity stripe, by far his worst free throw shooting performance of the season. Upstate Swagger saw tremendous production from usual role player Nick Grimmer. Grimmer ignited a spark off the bench, finishing with 22 points and 6 assists. His strong performance was unable to offset the team’s absence of Scott Knapp, Upstate Swaggers sharp shooter.

Upstate Swagger looks to rebound after their first loss of the season July 25^th at 6:45 P.M. against 99 problems. Utica Select hopes to build on their momentum when they face the Gunnas Monday, July 23^rd at 6:45 P.M. Both games will be played at Notre Dame High School.

7/11 Game 2 Recap

Syracuse Elite too much for 99 problems to handle.

Syracuse Elite came out hot and set the tone for the game early, stunting 99 Problems on defense and scoring at will. The game was completely controlled by Syracuse Elite. Syracuse Elite was up as much as 24 points in the fourth quarter, but some cheap baskets at the end of the game made the final score 82-69.

99 problems continued their struggles; it didn’t help that their main offensive threat, Josh Wright, scored only 19 points on a night where he missed the majority of his three point attempts. The only other real threat for 99 problems, Colgate baller Chad Johnson, struggled throughout, and even left the game for the stands with 6:00 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Johnson would later return for 99 problems and finish with 21 points.

Syracuse Elite scored most of their points through pristine ball movement and fast break opportunities. The defense of 99 problems was consistently slow getting back throughout the game, and Syracuse Elite made them pay with an array of dunks and fast break baskets.

J. Lee has 16 points and 18 rebounds for Syracuse elite. He also had 5 assists and 5 blocks. Chris Martin finished with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Syracuse Elite looks to continue their success against the Bless Ballers Wednesday, July 18^th and 8:00 P.M. 99 problems looks to pick up a victory against the Gunnas Monday, July 16^th at 8:00 P.M. Both games will be played at Notre Dame High School.

7/11 Recap Game 1

Bless Ballers pull out victory in double overtime.

The game between the Bless Ballers and the Gunnas was about as good as it gets Wednesday night. The teams went back and forth throughout the night, but in the end, the Bless Ballers came away with a 91-84 victory.

The game saw many lead changes throughout. The Gunnas started off the game hot, seeming to get to the basket at will. The Bless Ballers picked up their defensive intensity, and at the same time picked up their first lead of the game, going up 23-22 on an 8-0 run in the first minute of the second quarter.

The Bless Ballers managed to maintain the lead throughout until about 5 minutes in the fourth quarter, when the Gunnas went on their run. Down as many as 8 points, the Gunnas came back to tie the game with 3 seconds remaining after a defensive stop thanks in large part to Walkery Mills locking down on Cornelius Vines. The Gunnas got the ball after a timeout at half court, and Josh Henderson narrowly missed a game winning three from one step inside half court off the inbounds pass at the end of regulation. Henderson finished with 26 points and 5 rebounds.

With 14 seconds left in the first overtime, it was the Bless Ballers that had the opportunity to win the game. Vines had the ball in an isolation situation, staring down Wes Jackson. Vines however could not finish at the basket, and into a second overtime the teams went.

In the second overtime, the Gunnas were right there with the Bless Ballers, until about 2 minutes remaining. It may or may nor be a coincidence that with 1:44 remaining the second overtime, Preaster checked himself out of the game until the one minute mark; it was at this time things started to go south for the Gunnas. They couldn’t muster up enough offense in overtime to stick with the Bless Ballers. Mookie Jones of Syracuse scored the first 5 points in the second overtime, and the Bless Ballers cruised from there. Jones finished with 30 points.

Up next for the Gunnas is a matchup with another Utica based team, 99 problems. The game will be played Monday, July 16^th at 8:00 P.M. The Bless Ballers take on Syracuse Elite Wednesday, July 18^th at 8:00 P.M. Both games will be played at Notre Dame High School.

Feature Article: Upstate Swagger

When Upstate Swagger walks into the gym, it may take a little while to recognize the talent you see in front of you. With players that look like your average basketball fan, the men on Upstate Swagger can easily be confused for anything but basketball players. It’s this type of attitude that the team thrives off of when they are on the court.

As soon as the referee throws up the opening tip, Upstate Swagger seems to do almost everything right. Constantly looking out-matched by their opponents superior athletic ability (which has been the case in every game thus far this season), Upstate Swagger beats opponents by playing the game of basketball the way it was meant to be played; five guys touching the ball every time down the court, everybody on the team doing the “little things” and the defense playing as one impermeable unit. Just ask Syracuse University guard Brandon Triche, who scored just 16 points in his teams loss to Upstate Swagger Monday night.

The teamwork the fans see when Upstate Swagger plays is uncanny. Extra passes, boxing out, hustle plays, and even inbound setups that seem to be drawn up by Coach K himself are done without second thought on the fly, a testament to the way these players play.

When looking at the roster, one can finally see why Upstate Swagger is so good. Sean Burton,  a local legend, star at Ithaca College, ex-professional player in Iceland and current coach at Utica College is the starting point guard. Dave Golembiowski, SUNY IT’s all time leading scorer is their go to offensive threat. Scott Morton, who played professionally in England can score from anywhere on the court. Scott Knapp, one of the greatest Section III basketball players of all time, has such a quick and pure release, he can drill a three with multiple defenders in his face.

The rest of the roster, consisting of: Jared Sudderly, Junior swingman at Hartwick College, Nick Grimmer, ex player and current coach at SUNY IT, Joe Smith, Head Coach at SUNY Morrisville, C.J. Cantil, ex Hamilton College player, and Chris Connelly, current Head Coach at Utica College, help comprise an Upstate Swagger roster that has a basketball I.Q. that is second to none.

“Bob Knight once said that mental is to physical as 4 is to 1,” said Burton after one of the teams first four wins on the season. “It doesn’t matter how big, fast or strong you are, if you don’t play as a team, you aren’t going to win.” Burton, who has been known to shoot from as far back as half court, often passes up his sometimes trigger happy jump shot to use his superior court vision and feel for the game to know where his team mates are and set them up perfectly at all times.

Golembiowski, who played professionally in Germany this past year, said, “The experience is invaluable, playing with a group of guys like this. We have coaches, coach’s sons, and people that know the game. These guys are very helpful in certain situations, and they help me out in particular because I want to start coaching soon.”

Upstate Swagger started the year with three easy victories. Their first real test came Monday night when Triche and JD’s Finest came to town looking to rebound after a forfeit loss the previous week. Without incoming Syracuse center Dajuan Coleman or sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams, Upstate Swagger’s superior knowledge of the game was too much for JD’s Finest to handle. Upstate Swagger came away with a 76-70 victory. The final score doesn’t tell the true story of the game however, as Upstate Swagger was up as many as 20 points throughout the game.

Upstate Swagger looks to continue their domination of the King of Kings league Monday, July 16^th at 6:45 P.M. against Greater Grace, a team led by Syracuse ballers James Southerland and Rakeem Christmas. If Upstate Swagger has taught us one thing this year, it’s that it doesn’t matter who is on the other team. If Upstate Swagger plays the way they are capable –the way they know they can play-- they will come away with the win, ten times out of ten.

7/9 Recap Game 1

7/9 Recap

Dream Chasers vs. Utica Select

Fourth quarter run too much for Utica Select to overcome

A game that started out as a back and forth battle quickly turned into a bloodbath as the Dream Chasers picked up their first win of the season against Utica Select with a final score of 90-65.

The game started out with the teams playing fairly even. Utica Select took their first lead with 3:10 left in the first half, going up 35-33. This lead quickly evaporated and the Dream Chasers finished the first half with a 2-point lead.

The Third quarter was when the Dream Chasers slowly began to pull away. They finished the quarter up 63-50. Utica Select began to tire, and their defense and rebounding suffered. James Southerland, a forward at Syracuse University said after the game “we only have five guys, and you start to get tired. Especially against a good group of guys like that who have played together for a while. When they make you work on defense, when you only have five guys, they are tough to beat.”

At the start of the fourth, Utica Select showed their lack of conditioning and things started going south for them. The Dream Chasers came out firing behind red-hot shooter Pat Moore. They went on a 14-2 run to start the quarter and never looked back. Moore, a junior swingman for Colgate University, finished with 20 points.

Southerland seemed to be stunted on offense throughout the night, even though he finished with 35 points. Most of his points came off transition offense or second chance opportunities. It seemed every time Southerland touched the ball in the half court setting, the zone of the Dream Chasers smothered any opportunity he had to score.

Up next for the Dream Chasers is JD’s Finest, a team led by Syracuse University Senior Brandon Triche. The game will be played Wednesday, July 18 at 6:45 P.M. Utica Select looks to rebound against Upstate Swagger Monday, July 16 at 6:45 P.M. Both games will be played at Notre Dame High School.

 

What a Game! 7/5 Recap

What a Game!

Incredible Buzzer-Beater gives Syracuse Elite 82-80 Victory

What started out as a run of the mill basketball game turned into so much more Wednesday night at Notre Dame High School. Syracuse Elite, a group of Syracuse ballers took on Utica Select, a team led by Syracuse forward James Southerland.

Syracuse Elite controlled the game throughout, building a ten point lead with forty seconds left in the first half. Foreshadowing what would happen in the fourth quarter, Utica Select went on a 5-0 run to end the half behind timely shooting and key turnovers that cut the lead to 36-31.

Syracuse Elite were up as many as 12 points. After a double technical foul in the fourth quarter that put Syracuse Elite’s point guard out of the game, Utica Select went on their run. With 8 minutes to go, a layup by Utica Select’s Teandre Richardson made the lead 65-62.

With 6:18 remaining in the fourth, the game was tied. That’s when the fun began. Back and forth the teams went, putting on offensive clinics. Each team hit an array of shots: step backs, layups, pull up three’s, etc.. Every time a team scored, the other team would answer with an offensive firework of their own.

At the 4:30 mark, Utica Select saw their first lead of the game after a layup by Southerland. A put back dunk by Southerland followed by a steal by Richardson put Utica Select up by 2. Southerland then extended the lead to 75-69 with three foul shots.

Back came Syracuse Elite with a vengeance. The visitors scored a mind-boggling 11 points in 32 seconds, starting with a three pointer to cut the lead to 3 at the 1:09 mark and tying the game at 80-80 with 37 seconds remaining.

As the teams gathered for a timeout at the 18 second mark, Syracuse Elite’s Chris Martin went off, yelling at Utica Select to give the ball to Southerland in an isolation situation. Martin did not get what he wanted, as the ball went to a Utica Select guard, who was fouled on his way to the basket.

Utica Select missed both free throws, and down came Syracuse Elite.  With three seconds remaining in regulation, a shot went up, Martin out-rebounded Southerland, took one dribble, stepped back and threw up a prayer from the baseline about 8 feet away from the basket just before the buzzer sounded.

The ball seemed to hit every part of the rim before dropping in. Syracuse Elite erupted in celebration, and Utica Select, being the classy team they are, congratulated Martin and Syracuse Elite on a game well played.

Mel Bronson was the leading scorer for Syracuse Elite, finishing with 19 points. Martin had 17 points and 3 steals. Southerland led all scorers with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Richardson finished with 19 points and 7 rebounds.

Up next for Syracuse Elite are 99 problems. The game will be played July 11^th at 8:00 P.M. Utica Select will take on the Dream Chasers Monday, July 9^th at 6:45 P.M. Both games will be played at Notre Dame High School.

7/2 Game 1 Recap

Gunnas out-gun Dream Chasers for first win of season.

Transition offense, second chance points prove too much for Dream Chasers to handle.

The Gunnas came out firing Monday night against the Dream Chasers, and this time didn’t let up.  With a final score of 102-92, the Gunnas picked up their first win on the season.

It seemed every time the Dream Chasers got the lead down to single digits, the Gunnas came up with a bucket, whether by means of transition offense, three pointers, or second chance opportunities.  The lack of rebounding by the Dream Chasers certainly didn’t hurt the Gunnas. This defensive flaw was instrumental in the victory.

The Dream Chasers got as close as 7 points in the third quarter, but their momentum was quickly halted by an alley-oop from Wes Jackson to Deandre Preaster. The closest they got the rest of the game was again 7 points with 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter. This time, Jackson took matters into his own hands, getting to the paint and drawing a foul while finishing at the basket. From there the game was mainly controlled by the Gunnas, keeping a lead of 10-12 points.

Preaster finished the game with a double-double, recording 21 points and 15 rebounds. Jackson was the leading scorer for the Gunnas, finishing with 23 points. Brian Zapisek led the Dream Chasers with 26 points.

The Gunnas look to continue their success against the Bless Ballers Wednesday, July 11^th at 6:45 P.M. at Notre Dame High School. The Dream Chasers search for their first win Monday, July 9^th at 6:45 P.M. against Greater Grace. The game will also be played at Notre Dame High School

6/26 Women's Opening Night Scores

Gotta Have It 54 (W 1-0)
Hard 2 Guard 31 2 OT (L 0-1)

Gotta Have It:
Alyssa Gratein 24 pts 9 rebs (Tie-Game High Scorer)
Shalisa Jackson: 18 pts 11 rebs

Hard 2 Guard:
Emily Durr 24 pts (Tie-Game High Scorer)
Barrie Brooks 5 pts 10 rebs 

Rim Rockers 43 (L 0-1)
So Appalled 57 (W 1-0)

Rim Rockers: Ayana Bradley 12 pts 9 rebs
Zephrah Pam 9 pts 9 rebs

So Appalled:
Tyler Ash 15 pts 9 rebs (Game High Scorer)
Quiessence Price 10 pts
Emia Willingham 9 pts 7 rebs 5 stls


Upstate Ballers 42 (L 0-1)
Utica Select 44 (W 1-0)

Upstate Ballers:
Sophronia Sallard 13 pts
Jamia Martin 10 pts

Utica Select:
Molly Hourigan 14 pts 7 rebs (Game High Scorer)
Iasiah Hemingway 13 pts 10 rebs 3 ast

Up Next:
Tuesday, July 3 at Notre Dame High School:
Utica Select vs. So Appalled at 6:00 P.M.
Hard 2 Guard vs. Upstate Ballers at 7:00 P.M.
Gotta Have It vs. Rim Rockers at 8:00 P.M.

6/27 Game 2 Recap

Syracuse Elite survive late Gunnas run, come away with Victory

Lack of defense, rebounding kills Gunnas

The Gunnas made a late push, but found the hole they dug themselves in was too much of a deficit to overcome. The game ended with a score of 82-74 in favor of Syracuse Elite, who picked up their first victory on the season.

The game seemed like much of the same for the Gunnas: lack of ball movement, settling for jump shots, not boxing out, and not contesting shots. This mostly changed at with 1:48 seconds left in the third quarter, when the Gunnas surge began behind timely shooting by Wes Jackson and elite play by Walkery Mills.

With 4:03 left in the fourth quarter, the Gunnas had cut the lead to four points. However, the lack of boxing out killed the Gunnas. Everytime the Gunnas got within striking distance, they let up defensively on the boards, handing away possesions via offensive rebounding and giving Syracuse Elite second chance, third, fourth, and even fifth chances around the basket.

Four was as close as the Gunnas got. Mills led all scorers, finishing with 24 points and five rebounds. Jackson had 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists for the Gunnas. The high scorer for Syracuse Elite was C.Martin, who finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 assist.

The win moved Syracuse Elite to 1-1 on the season. They take on Greater Grace (Utica's Finest) on Thursday, July 5 at 8:00 P.M. The Gunnas, still searching for their first win, take on the Dream Chasers Monday, July 2 at 6:45 P.M. Both games (and the remainder of the games for the season) will be played at Notre Dame High School.

Feature Article: Player Spotlight Brandon Triche

Player Spotlight: Brandon Triche

As the backcourt starter enters his senior season at SU, Triche looks to King of Kings to help develop his skills.

As Brandon Triche glides past his defender on his way to the hoop, you can tell you are watching a special talent. The former Jamesville-Dewitt high school star and current Syracuse University guard certainly has a presence when he is on the court. Triche, built like an ox with a 6’4’’ 205 pound frame, can do it all: Shoot, pass, defend, rebound, dribble, and explode past defenders. Triche is always looking to get better, and that’s why he spends his summers playing in the King of Kings basketball league in Utica, N.Y.

“You can’t get this type of competition anywhere else in New York,” said Triche. “The pace here, you have D1 guys, D2 guys, D3 guys, and guys that are gunnin’ for you because you play D1. It’s the best place to play. You know there’s nothin’ doin’ in the summer, and the level [of play] here [at King of Kings Utica], you can’t find anywhere else.”

Triche is certainly right about that. Team Motivated, the team Triche plays for, also boasts Syracuse reserve Michael Carter-Williams and former blue chip recruit and incoming Syracuse freshman from Jamesville-Dewitt Dajuan Coleman. These three have enough star power to carry a league, let alone a single team.

Malvin Triche, Brandon’s father who is the coach of Team Motivated, agrees that King of Kings is the best place for regional players to compete during the summer. “It keeps the kids in shape during the offseason. There is nothing else left in the summer, so all the talent comes to the King of Kings. The competition is what makes this league special.”

Brandon Triche agrees that the league is special, but for different reasons. “The atmosphere here man, it’s fun. The King of Kings is all about havin' fun. The freeness of the league, the atmosphere, you don’t find other leagues like this.”

As competitive as the league may be, nobody will argue that it is the same as playing Division 1 basketball. That’s why Triche uses this opportunity to test out moves he works on in practice against the highest level of opponents he can find. “You know, we’re workin’ out all summer, practicing all summer, here [the King of Kings league] is a chance for me to come down and see what moves work and what moves don’t, what I need to work on and what I need to improve on.”

Triche and his team look to rebound after last year’s loss in the finals. They certainly have the talent to do so. “Were hopin’ to take the league,” said Triche. “We have the talent, we have the guards, we have enough guys, and we have the team to win. I think we are capable of winning. We just have to go out and play.”

Triche and Team Motivated are off to a good start, winning their first two games in blowout fashion. It will be interesting to see if anybody can keep up with the high-powered trio of Triche, Carter-Williams, and Coleman. One thing is for certain; having these types of players at the King of Kings is a treat for area basketball fans to watch during the summer. Hopefully the summer basketball league in Utica helps Triche take his game to the next level as he prepares for his final season at Syracuse.