Will Recspekt and Ball Is Life Finally be Challenged this Week?
SUMMERLIN REC: Week 4 Predictions
By L.C. Comine | Summerlin Media Associate
Chris’s Angels (2-1) vs. Recspekt (3-0)
We start the night with a good one as Recspekt gets their first challenge of the season as the take on Chris’s Angels. This game has the makings of a good one only if the Angels are at 100 percent tomorrow night. If they aren’t then expect an easy W for Recspekt.
Recspekt has looked down right scary this season so far dominating all three of their opponents. They are holding teams to 68 PPG, which is third in the league, and they are scoring almost 90 PPG, which is good for second in the league. Edward Vaughns is making his case for MVP averaging 30.7 PPG so far this season and giving this team a much more dynamic look at the guard position. Against the Angels Recspekt will need Vaughns to be a difference maker and will need Charles Vinson to put the clamps on Adam Schmitt. Recspekt will have to be patient on offense, as the Angels once again own the No. 1 defense in the league only giving up 66 PPG. If Recspekt doesn’t force the issue and plays their game they should be fine tomorrow night. Recspekt will need Vaughns and Vinson to lead the offense and hope everyone else is ready to go.
I have to wonder what Chris’s Angels we will get in this matchup. Will we get the team that dominated HYR Life and held them to 41 points or we will get the team that showed up last week and had to rally to defeat the SP 101 squad 70-60. There is no doubt in my mind the Angels will bring the defensive energy and there is one guy I am looking for to be that catalyst. Benji Roufs needs to be in attendance tomorrow night to get his squad fired up and to bring the energy. In his one game this season Roufs had a triple-double and having him side by side Adam Schmitt is a game changer. The Angels can win this game with their defense and if they can get the stops and create turnovers I think Adam Schmitt and Chris Ward will have the opportunities to make some plays. I just don’t know if the Angels will have that energy.
I have gone against Recspekt enough in the past and I am not making that mistake again. This team is too deep and loaded for them to lose. I think the addition of Edward Vaughns makes this team so much better and it will make Charles Vinson and company much more dangerous. Recspekt wins by double digits.
Prediction: Recspekt- 72, Chris’s Angels- 61
SP 101 (1-2) vs. HYR Life (0-3)
SP 101 had a chance to pull big upset last week against the Angels but they couldn’t hold on in the second half. HYR Life continues to get run out of the building and it looks like this game may be HYR Life’s only shot at a victory. A lot of newcomers in this one will have the opportunity to make a statement for their team.
SP 101 has a chance to get to .500 at the mid way point of the season and they have to be the surprise of the league so far. The play of newcomer Manzik Kaden has been quite impressive. Kaden is averaging 27.5 PPG for SP 101 and another newcomer Mikey Margolin looked impressive in his debut last week. HYR Life has a very impressive newcomer as well in Nathaniel Burgess who is averaging 25.7 PPG so far and almost 10 rebounds per game. I think all these newcomers will be important tomorrow night but in the end I believe SP 101 has too much depth, talent, and chemistry for a HYR Life team that cannot stop anyone. SP 101 moves to 2-2 on the season.
Prediction: SP 101- 84, HYR Life- 70
Easy Go Travelers (2-1) vs. Ball Is Life (3-0)
This game is going to be interesting. I don’t know what to expect just yet from the Easy Go team that is still finding its way. Ball Is Life is playing at a very high level and will be looking to make a statement. This game could swing a few different ways tomorrow night and I am guessing this will be a matchup we will probably see again in the playoffs.
Easy Go has made strides each week and they really haven’t put it all together just yet. They have a great mix of shooters and inside players that can hurt you. Tij Von Nieda leads this team with 26.7 PPG and is shooting 46 percent from behind the arc. If Easy Go wants to pull the upset two guys need to lead them and those guys are Mike Smiljanic and JJ Todd. Both of these guys will have the size difference over the Ball Is Life roster and they will need to set the tone early and often for Easy Go. If Easy Go can contain the MVP Chris Ford, Bobby Mears, and cool off Mihail Kocevski then they will have a real shot in this game. There is no doubt Easy Go will get some good looks on offense with Tij, Kenny McNeil, and Juan Carter but the key will be on defense for Easy Go. If they cannot stop Ball Is Life then this game will get out of hand quickly.
Ball Is Life is loaded and if it weren’t for Recspekt they would probably be working on multiple titles in a row. This team is an offensive juggernaut and the numbers they are putting up right now is impressive. They are averaging 111.7 PPG and Mihail Kocevski who is averaging 40 PPG so far through three games leads that. Chris Ford, Bobby Mears, and Jeff Jones are among others who are leading this scoring explosion. There is no doubt what they will do in this game or try to do. They will score but they must game plan for the height of Easy Go and the presence they will have in the paint. If they can figure out a way to frustrate Easy Go and keep them honest then they will have no problem but this will be interesting to see.
Like Recspekt it’s really hard for me to go against this Ball Is Life team. The chemistry and familiarity is just too good right now and its obvious Easy Go is still trying to get there. I think Ball Is Life wins this game but don’t be surprised if Easy Go pulls it out especially if Ball Is Life lets them hang around.
Prediction: Ball Is Life- 87, Easy Go Travelers- 75
WTF JR? (2-1) vs. BAR (0-3)
This game is going to be ugly I am afraid. BAR comes in to this one 0-3 and dead last in the league in scoring at 54.3 PPG and some have to wonder will they win a game this season? WTF JR? comes into this off a tough loss to Ball Is Life and will be looking to take some frustration out on BAR.
In looking at the matchups in this game I just don’t see how BAR will be able to compete. Sean Breen and Max Miller-Hooks should have their way with BAR and Anthony Khotsikian and John Murillo should be able to keep up with the bigs of BAR. If BAR is going to have any shot in this one Sean Margulis is going to have to have a big shooting night and BAR will need Travis Scribner to make his season debut. If Scribner is there then BAR is a different team. They play with a different energy and confidence. Unfortunately for BAR I don’t see him showing up and look for a huge night from Breen and Hooks.
Prediction: WTF JR? 81, BAR- 58
Beacon (1-2) vs. Hickory Huskers (1-2)
Our final game of the night is definitely one of the most important ones of the night as Beacon takes on the Hickory Huskers. Both of these squads come in at 1-2 and a victory for one of these teams will be huge moving into the second half of the season.
Beacon seems to be slowly coming together after a rough start to the year. It looks like Tyler McCammon and Tim Parelli are stepping up to being the leaders of this team and that will be needed this week. Parelli will be needed to battle down low against the Berglund brothers. Beacon needs to continue to play together and they need to find some guys to step up and hit some shots. Beacon must improve on its 24 percent shooting from deep and if they want to defeat Hickory they will have to hit those shots this week. Marcus and Barrington Milner have to step up and hit those open shots to take some of the load of Parelli and McCammon. Only time will tell if they can.
Hickory has dropped two straight after a big week one win over the Easy Go Travelers. Hickory has added some muscle to its roster in the Berglund brothers and they made quite they debut last week against Recspekt scoring 36 of the teams 51 points. This week against Beacon the opportunity will be there again for them to score but Hickory will need a much better performance out of UH all time 3-point leader Kerry Knoll if they want to move to 2-2. Hickory goes as Kerry goes and if he has an off night as will Kerry.
I think this will be a great game but in the end Beacon hits some big shots down the stretch and get a monster double double from Tim Parelli. Beacon moves to 2-2.
Prediction: Beacon- 75, Hickory Huskers- 69