Bloodbath! Unsung Warriors defeat Regulators 36-29

Ladder position: 8th
5 wins, 6 losses


Regs lose Matt Leonard, lose game, may have lost chance at finals.

Before and after: Leonard did not return after the collision, and is in doubt for next game

This was the game many fans has penciled in as a must see from the start of the season. Even with the Regs looking shaky and out of a top 4 spot, a season record 3 fans piled into the MSAC arena. This game promised much and delivered plenty, but left Regulator fans ultimately disappointed in the seven point loss.

Both teams traded baskets and turnovers at a lightning quick rate until midway through the first half. That's when Matt Leonard and an unknown Warriors player met face-to-arm, and Leonard's nose bent four-ways-back-from-Sunday (medical term). The force of the impact was immediate as blood came gushing out in huge streams that looked awesome as. If that wasn't enough to inspire his teammates, Leonard still chased after the ball to keep possession - with blood flowing - it was freakin' unreal.

With so much blood on the floor, the game had to be transferred to a different court. The two teams left off where they started and the contest was tied at halftime.

The second half was as fiercely played as the first, but down to only one big man (Sam, who was air balling free-throws - sorry Sam), and a no-show from Matt Owens, the Regulators were going to have to play at their best. Got to give credit to the Warriors perimeter defense which was almost like a wall, the few times a Regulator got in was through a broken play from a bad pass.

Claude once again delivered the goods, accounting for a huge percentage of the Regulator score. But with the rest of the team finding it hard to get anything this can be seen as a positive. Owens no doubt would have put a few on the board and Torrance had sore guns from a skiing trip (missing a few threes he might normally make).

But enough excuses - a massive percentage boost is the forecast for next week as the Regs take on cellar-dwellers DUB. Then a bye followed by more bottom tier teams before a last round matchup with current #6 team Shooting Blanks.

Check back for a ladder update and analysis of the Regulator road to finals glory:

What they have to do, who's in their way and what has to happen...an in depth analysis for you - the reader of the most obscure, confounding and sometimes bizarre basketball blog out there on the Internets.

A tale of two games. This week. Regs win 51-31

Regs pounce with lightning speed and deadly accuracy in comprehensive win.

The nature theme continues.This deer thing gets away? What do you think?

Hang on, we've been here before. Remember the 3 straight wins and top of the ladder status?
Yeah it felt like this.

This game was a massacre to be sure.

Highlights:
Holy shit the Regs can pass! They were clinical in technique and creative with the rock.
Open looks were found all the time and the shooting was deadly.
80% of the team hit a three pointer.
Ben Torrance pulled off a hanging up-and-under scoop (plus the foul!) in heavy traffic.
He then decided to play some Gridiron with some long touchdown passes that were right on target. In between a couple of threes were in order.
Digs thought he might get 5 steals. He got 7. He could have had 10. Add in some sweet dishes and his first 3 of the year and the grin is still showing.
Mattyo vowed to get some boards (he did) but probably racked up more assists than anything. His shot was dropping and if stats were kept, there would be numbers everywhere.
Claude Larman had the radar on, hitting 4 threes I can remember. But most of his buckets came in transition starting with a steal, and a quick pass to Larman and ending with an easy bucket. The only time he missed was his most wide open layup of the night. That was one for the Blooper reel.
Sam Fuggle became a beast against the biggest front court in the league. He ruled the baseline an the boards. Leonard would usually be needed for this but Fuggle out did his 3 opponents. He also got out and ran for some awesome buckets.

Alright, alright. Time to put the lid on it. Good win against shit team. That's it.

Bye next week. Then a massive test against a top 2 team. Full squad is needed.

A tale of two games. Last week.

Check the poll on the left and correctly answer to win absolutely nothing!

Regs lost by one point.

Details are hazy but insiders informed me that if the score was kept properly, the Regs would have had a win.

The scenario:

The Regs thought they had the win.

They were wrong.

Up by one point, with not much time left, scoring two points would give the opposition the rock with a chance to tie.

Hold the ball. Best thing to do in this cut-throat, rollercoaster season. The Regs need to get on a roll and this would be two in a row.

Hold the ball. Buzzer. Win...hey what the FucK?

Bottom line muthafucas - is that the scorecard was wrong and the Regs lost by one point.

CRUSHED.

This reporter heard this news by Sat-phone, covering a story in the Middle East. The Middle East being Surfers Paradise and hearing the news = drinking beers on the balcony of a hotel.

That is all.

Round 10 Ladder

Winnin' Ugly. Regulators defeat Oh Jays 34-33

Ladder position: 7th
4 wins, 4 losses

Regulators claw back some respect with gritty win.

After a lean stretch, the Regulators need to feast on a crap team.

The Regulators took another step forward on the path to finals glory with a solid team effort that was much more convincing than the final score showed.

Stung by the narrow loss last week and tackling an opponent below them on the ladder, the Regs struck quickly to jump out to a 5 point lead. Oh Jays came back strongly though and took a 19-13 lead into halftime.

The Regs were not fazed however and came out blazing in the second half. Roopa was let off the chain and attacked the ball on D (4 steals) creating some easy buckets. Sam, Leonard and Torrance controlled the glass on both ends, Claude found his shooting touch (14 second half points) and Digs played the point with aplomb.

By the time Oh Jays called 'time' the six point deficit was converted to an eight point lead with plenty of time to spare.

Oh Jays managed to get within two points near the end, but with the ball in the safe hands of Digs (10 assists, 0 turnovers) and a fantastic offensive rebound and drawn foul from Torrance (sandwiched between two big guys, timed the jump perfectly and got the foul!), they never looked like stealing this one.

Game notes...at the halfway point of the season, the Regulators are dead even at 4 wins, 4 losses...starting point Digs will miss next game, his replacement, Josh has been signed to a 10-day, $20,000 contract...Matt Owens sat out this game due to contract obligations for the Oakleigh Basketball League...next opponent is Thunder Truck who have had an astonishing FOUR drawn matches this season...