THEM Take Down Top-Ranked Rebels

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH: Week 3 Power Rankings

By Ken Farmer | Bloomington South League Coordinator

1. THEM (2-0)

Last week: (2), W vs Rebels, 67-57

THEM knocked the Rebels off the top spot in the rankings with their Week 2 victory over the defending champs. Their victory was driven by a terrific defensive effort, holding their opponent to 34 percent shooting and just four made 3-pointers. They were able to keep the Rebels’ offense in check, especially in the first half where they allowed just 21 points. Offensively, the Rebels shot 51 percent from the field, but left some points on the free-throw line with a 17 for 29 outing. Jacob Barton was the key contributor on the offensive end with a team-high 21 points on 73 percent shooting and four of the team’s six 3-pointers. Devin Stensrude added 19 points in the game, 10 of which came from the free-throw line.

2. Guerrillas (1-0)

Last week: (3), Bye

The Guerrillas are looking like a force to be reckoned with this season with their fire power on the offensive side of the ball. They scored 89 points in Week 1 of the season and foresee a number of high-scoring weeks. Their victory over the Woj Bombs looks even better on paper after they handled the Muskies in Week 2. This team isn’t short on scoring options, highlighted by the 51 combined points to begin the season by Bryant Marmol and Da’Jon McKnight. Adam Hoven and Allen Edwards-Manning combined for 15 of the team’s 20 assists.

3. Rebels (1-1)

Last week: (1), L vs THEM, 57-67

It hasn’t been the start to the season the Rebels anticipated, but there’s plenty of time to turn things around. Their loss to THEM highlights their poor start to the season on offense as they’re shooting just 33 percent so far to start the season. In Week 2, the Rebels shot just 34 percent from the field and made four 3-pointers all game. Defense has been the calling card of this team and while they forced their opponent into nine turnovers, but also allowed THEM to shoot 51 percent on their field goal attempts. Cody Heinz finished the game with 26 points on 53 percent shooting to lead the Rebels’ scoring effort. Ryan McGuire added 18 points and secured 5 rebounds.

4. Woj Bombs (1-1)

Last week: (5), W vs Muskies, 97-74

The Woj Bombs shredded the nets in their impressive Week 2 victory. Their blistering offensive performance was ignited with their 3-point shooting. Four players made at least three 3-pointers as the team totaled 15 makes on 63 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc. Bronson Bartolo (21 points) and Mike Healey (14 points) each made four 3-pointers and kept the offense rolling with their outside shooting. Jake Gave had a monster game after a big Week 1 performance with 24 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assists. Their ball movement was also excellent in this game as they total 23 assists on their 37 made baskets. The Woj Bombs played well on the defensive side of the ball as well, holding the Muskies to 41 percent shooting.

5. Muskies (1-1)

Last week: (4), L vs Woj Bombs, 74-97

The Muskies couldn’t keep up with the Woj Bombs’ hot shooting and it resulted in their first loss of the season. It was just a three-point deficit at halftime for the Muskies, but the second half saw a drop off in their offense while the opponent continued to roll. They allowed their opponent to make 15 3-pointers and weren’t able to get them out of their rhythm. Offensively, they weren’t able to convert from beyond the arc, making just 31 percent of their 42 3-point attempts. On the plus side, they cut their turnovers in half from the 10 they had in Week 1. Kyle Radde paced the offense with 22 points and grabbed a team-high 9 rebounds. Jon Christenson pitched in 21 points with a team-high five 3-pointers.

6. Red Devils (1-1)

Last week: (6), W vs Player’s Club, 67-65

The Red Devils came through in crunch time to claim their first victory of the season. Luke Bruun’s late 3-pointer put the Red Devils up for good and they blocked the Player’s Club game-tying shot on the last possession of the game. Bruun finished with a team-high 21 points and had 4 of his 8 rebounds on the offensive end. Alex Riley contributed 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists and was a key factor in the victory. Lance Strom added 11 points on 71 percent shooting for an additional scoring punch. As a team, the Red Devils shot 45 percent from the field, but just 30 percent from beyond the arc.

7. Loons (0-1)

Last week: (7), Bye

The Loons will be looking to rebound from their Week 1 loss in which they ran out of steam in the second half. The Loons were down by just two at the break, but their offense mustered just 28 second half points while giving up 48 points. They shot just 39 percent from the field in that game, but did make 11 3-pointers. Walt Richard led the way with 20 points with two makes from downtown. JB Korte made a team-high four 3s on the way to 14 points. Their defense, usually the calling card of this team, struggled to limit the Muskies offense and allowed them to make 18 3-pointers in the game. I expect this team to turn it around defensively and continue to make life difficult for opponents on a regular basis.

8. Player’s Club (0-2)

Last week: (8), L vs Red Devils, 65-67

The Player’s Club’s game against the Red Devils came down to the wire, but they ultimately fell short for their second loss of the season. It was back and forth all game between these two, with the game being tied at half and the Player’s Club having a one-point lead with less than two minutes to go. There wasn’t much separating the two opponents from the box score as the two teams nearly mirrored each other from a stats perspective. Steven Kelsey led all scorers with 29 points, including five baskets from beyond the arc. Tony DeBoer finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Cliff Robinson pitched in 10 points off the bench and added 5 rebounds as well. As a team, they shot 42 percent from the field and had just 6 turnovers.

Predictions

7 p.m. - Muskies (1-1) vs THEM (2-0)

The Muskies will be looking to rebound on from their Week 2 loss in which they allowed 97 points. They’ll need to tighten things up on the defensive side of the ball, but will also need to be on their A-game on offensive. THEM is currently allowing just 51.5 points per game, which ranks first in the league. If the Muskies can find their stroke, they’ll have a good shot to win this game. However, they’ll also have to slow down THEM in the process.

THEM by 5

7 p.m. - Loons (1-0) vs Rebels (1-1)

The Rebels have struggled on the offensive end to start the season and face a Loons squad that is typically stout on the defensive side. However, the Loons did show some cracks in Week 1, but we can chalk that up to early-season fatigue with just five players. The Loons will need to be ready to face a Rebels team that is eager to get back into form and 44 minutes of intensity on both ends of the floor.

Rebels by 6

8 p.m. - Woj Bombs (1-1) vs Red Devils (1-1)

The Woj Bombs had a terrific offensive display in the previous week and will be looking to carry that momentum over into their matchup against the Red Devils. Their 3-point barrage fueled the offense and we’ll see if they can consistently rely on their perimeter shooting. The Red Devils are also a team that can get hot from outside and they’re certainly capable of coming out of this matchup with the win. Look for the team that wins the 3-point battle to come out victorious.

Woj Bombs by 2

8 p.m. - Guerrillas (1-0) vs Player’s Club (0-2)

The Player’s Club fell just short in Week 2 and have a big challenge ahead of them. The Guerrillas possess a number of offensive weapons and the Player’s Club will need to step up on the defensive end to slow them down. The Player’s Club can stay in this game with their three-point shooting, but an off night will eliminate any chance of coming out with the W.

Guerrillas by 13