Can Anyone Compete with Recspekt and Ball Is Life?
SUMMERLIN REC: Week Three Power Rankings
By L.C. Comine | Summerlin Media Associate
1. Recspekt (3-0)
The champs stayed undefeated last week with a 68-51 victory over the Hickory Huskers. Edward Vaughns who scored 34 points on 57 percent shooting from the field carried Recspekt. Jacob McDonald also chipped in 11 points to help lead Recspekt. The story of the game though had to be Recspekt’s defense. They held Hickory to 51 points and 34 percent shooting from the field. Recspekt was with out Charles Vinson last week and they still found a way to win. Recspekt is playing some incredible defense right now only giving up 68 PPG so far through three games. They are one of two undefeated teams that remain and this week they will be challenged by the Chris’s Angels.
2. Ball Is Life (3-0)
After a record performance in Week 2 Ball Is Life came back to reality a bit but still took care of business in defeating WTF JR? 81-71. It was a close game with about 5-6 minutes left but Ball Is Life proved to be too much for WTF JR? Mihail Kocevski had 23 points to lead Ball Is Life once again and sharp shooter Jeff Jones had 20 points which included six 3s. It’s pretty obvious this team is clicking on all cylinders right now and they can prove to the league that they are the team to beat this week as they play the surging Easy Go Travelers.
3. WTF JR? (2-1)
A tough loss last week to Ball Is Life is going to be a tough one for these guys to bounce back from. They had all the chances in the world to take control of the game in the second half and could not execute. It’s safe to say they let that game get away from them. Sean Breen did everything he could to keep them in it scoring 31 points. Max Miller-Hooks chipped in 16 points as well. WTF JR? did a great job holding Ball Is Life to 81 points, which is about 30 PPG below their average. Going forward WTF JR? needs to find more consistency on offense and will need some guys to step up and take the load off Max and Sean. WTF should be able to bounce back nicely this coming week as they have a matchup with BAR.
4. Easy Go Travelers (2-1)
Easy Go is quietly finding their way in their first season in Rec and moved to 2-1 last week with a victory over HYR Life 93-59. Easy Go shot 51 percent from the field and Tij Von Nieda scored 36 points which included nine 3s. Mike Smiljanic also scored 23 points and grabbed 16 boards. This was the second straight week Easy Go held their opponent to under 60 points and if they can get a little more consistent on offense then they should cause some problems the rest of the way. They have a big test this Tuesday as they face the high scoring Ball Is Life team.
5. Chris’s Angels (2-1)
The Angels moved to 2-1 this past week with a less than impressive 70-60 victory over SP 101. The Angels were actually losing by three at halftime but turned in on in the second half to secure the ten-point victory. Chris Ward continues his hot shooting this season as he led the Angels with 21 points which included a perfect 3-3 from deep. Adam Schmitt had 18 and Kyle Stockton had 15. The Angels seem to be still getting their chemistry and mojo right after a season off but they must turn it up the next two weeks, as the schedule gets much tougher. This week they get the champs and you better believe Recspekt will be ready for the Angels.
6. Beacon (1-2)
Beacon snapped their two-game losing streak this past Tuesday as the defeated BAR 70-52, which gave Beacon their first, win as a franchise. Tim Parelli had a big game for Beacon as he scored 23 points on 60 percent shooting and also grabbed 10 boards. Tyler McCammon is slowly becoming the floor general for this squad as he scored 15 points, dished out 6 assists, and also had 12 boards. The key moving forward for Beacon is to continue to let Tyler run the point and look to establish Parelli. Beacon still only shot 43 percent last week for the game and struggled from behind the arc shooting only 13 percent. If Beacon can start knocking down the outside shot then they will be extremely tough to beat. Beacon will look to get to .500 this week as they take on the Hickory Huskers.
7. Hickory Huskers (1-2)
Hickory put a little scare into Recspekt last week but they couldn’t sustain the early success they had and lost 68-51. The additions of the Berglund brothers will definitely help Hickory be more physical and it will take some of the load off Kerry Knoll. The brothers last week combines for 36 points and grabbed 20 boards. Hickory is definitely a team to watch in the second half of the season and if they can jell they will be a team you won’t want to take lightly. Hickory gets Beacon this week in a matchup of two teams looking to get back to .500.
8. SP 101 (1-2)
These guys almost pulled off their second upset of the season last week but they couldn’t hold on and eventually fell to the Chris’s Angels 70-60. SP 101 led by three points at halftime and put quite a scare into the Angels who is considered one of the top tier teams in our league. In just his second UH game Manzik Kaden had another big game scoring 24 points and dishing out 6 assists. Kaden has been a bright spot so far this season averaging 27.5 PPG in the two games he has played so far. As long as Kaden is in attendance SP 101 looks to be a much improved team and it will be interesting to see how they jell moving forward. SP 101 should move to 2-2 this week has they take on the winless HYR Life squad.
9. BAR (0-3)
Not the return to the league BAR was probably expecting so far this season as they fell to 0-3 last week. BAR is struggling to score, as they are last in the league in scoring at 54.3 PPG. BAR is shooting 33 percent as a team this season and it doesn’t look like it is going to get much better moving forward. BAR will need guys like Sean Margulis, JJ Buchanan, and Tyler Ecklund to really step up and lead this team. Still no sign of NFZ Travis Scribner. This week they get WTF JR? which should be another loss for the BAR.
10. HYR Life (0-3)
HYR Life is a team that is not playing very good basketball right now. They lost last week to the Easy Go Travelers 93-59 in a game that saw HYR Life only have 14 points at half. HYR Life is dead last in the league in defense giving up 100 PPG and they are second to last in the league in scoring at 60.3 PPG. Nathaniel Burgess has been the bright spot so far this season for HYR Life averaging 25 PPG and grabbing 9 boards per game. Burgess is going to need his teammates to really step up and help him out if they want to win any games this season. Next up for HYR Life is the SP 101 team that will be looking to get to 2-2 on the season.