Hampstead Masters Basketball League

Hampstead Masters Basketball League 2025 – 2026

Finals Recap

A lot of you guys have been asking for a finals recap, and I made the decision to write one after the series was over – win or lose. So, in keeping my word, here is the final writeup for the Hampstead Masters Basketball League 2025-2026 season. For my money, this was the most competitive, hard fought, and entertaining season in my 7 years in the league – and I think many others agree. And I’m not just saying that because my team won the championship – although it sure helps! If you take a step back, it really was a well-balanced season. Sure, Keystone (Green) and IGT (Red) had challenges battling injuries and chemistry…but the four other teams all realistically had a shot…and that type of parity rarely happens. After two competitive semifinal rounds that saw #3 Rocking Roofing and #4 J&B Butcher advance over #2 Anderson & Son Carpentry and #1 Ryder Electric respectively, the finals matchup was set. And man, did we give them something to watch. Three ultra-competitive games where each team left everything they had out on the court. I’m not going to chronicle everyone’s stats, because these finals were much more than numbers…it was effort, defense, clutch scoring, and gutting it out when you had nothing left in the tank. This series could have gone either way and it took until the last 15 seconds of game 3 to determine a winner. On to the results!

Game 1:           Rockingham Roofing 55  vs.  J&B Butcher 47

UNDERDOGS. J&B Butcher would limp into the opening game, literally, with league-leading scorer Steve Wilson out due to a sprained ankle and Baby Mac nursing a bruised MacRib. For Rockingham, Billy Ryder was gimpy as well after severely turning his ankle playing pickup over the weekend. But it’s playoff time and there are no excuses…but still, with Marky Mark completely out of the lineup for J&B, surely the Roofers were favorites. Not so fast…J&B came out with a plan and they stuck to it. They played with pace and frustrated the Roofer’s from the opening tip - not allowing them to run or play in transition, which is their bread and butter. J&B seemed to want it more – getting all the loose balls, keeping rebounds alive, setting picks and being patient on offense. Before you knew it, it was halftime and J&B had a 1-point lead. A close 3^rd period saw the Roofer’s flip that and hold a 1-point lead of their own. And then Rockingham continued their 4^th period magic that emerged in the series against Anderson & Son Carpentry, and outscored the Butchers 19-12. Gumby and Billy Ryder had key buckets down the stretch and made just enough foul shots to salt it away…but it was still a game with 2 minutes left. Rockingham won the game but they couldn’t feel all that great about their performance. In the end, it was defense that won this game, and clutch shooting in the 4^th…but it almost got away. And with Wilson coming back for game two, J&B had to feel confident that he would make enough of a difference to win.

Game 2:            Rockingham Roofing 69  vs.  J&B Butcher 70

The craziest game you’ll ever see. Anyone who witnessed this game will never forget it. It may have been the most entertaining game I’ve ever seen in Memorial Gym…and I had a good view from the bench after fouling out. It had everything…overtime, 4-point plays, crazy made shots, a buzzer beater in OT to win it, players fouling out all over the place, and a new ref that no one had ever seen before. You knew this was going to be bloodbath. Both teams fully loaded, as healthy as they could be in week 25 of the season – and it was off to the races. Billy Ryder gets called for a foul on the opening tip and then picks up his second fold 30 seconds later – so it’s an ominous start for Rockingham. For J&B, with Wilson back and running point, this game had more offense with Baby Mac draining 3’s, Wilson doing Wilson things, and solid play from J&B’s supporting cast of Silva and Forbes. But the Roofers were right there to match them every step of the way. Another big night for Billy Ryder, Maguire and Snyder combined for 30 and had their outside shots working, hustle plays from Larry, Gumby, Hall and Dow. But by the time the 4^th period came around, J&B started to pull away and enjoyed a 10-point lead with roughly 3 or 4 minutes left in the game. So, then the foul parade started and the Roofer’s actually started chipping away at the lead…8 points…6 points…and with only a few seconds left, 4 points. It’s Rockingham’s ball, and a frantic possession winds up with Jim Hall taking an off-balance 3-pointer that clanged off the front of the rim, hit the backboard and dropped in…and wouldn’t you know, he was fouled! Baby Mac reached over and must have grazed him, so J&B Coach Terry Crump calls time out to try and ice Jim Hall and also draw up a play with the 1.9 seconds that remained on the clock. Jim Hall calmly walks up to the line with the whole gym watching him and ties the game with a free throw that hit nothing but net – because that’s what Jim Hall does. Unfazed. End of regulation tied at 64. Overtime begins…Snyder has fouled out at this point and everyone else on the Roofer’s has 4…not a great situation. Billy Ryder fouls out on the first play of OT diving for a loose ball and Gumby fouls out a minute later. For those of you that are counting, that’s 3 starters on the bench for Rockingham. Never seen that before and probably never will again. But instead of hanging their heads, the Roofers pressed on…Coach Pumkin in the game, with Maguire, Hall, Sankey and rookie Jeremy Dow. Neither team could do much in the extra frame until Jeremy hits a bank shot from the corner of the court under the scoreboard. You heard me right – he banked it in. The shot defied any logical explanation, and I still cannot understand HOW it went in, but it did. J&B comes back down the court and goes up by 2 with under 20 seconds left. A chaotic possession for the Roofer’s has Pumpkin find Old Man Maguire on the baseline who hits a fadeaway 3-pointer over the outstretched arms of Baby Mac – who is unquestionably the best shot blocker in the league – and he drains it. Roofers are up by 1 now with no timeouts….J&B quickly inbounds the ball to Steve Wilson who sprints up the court and makes an uncontested layup as time expires…because that’s what Steve Wilson does. Unfazed. And just like that it’s over. Heartbreak. Devastation. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Call it whatever you want, but I can tell you how it felt. It fucking hurt…bad. So now it’s on to game 3 in two weeks, with a week off for school vacation….one game left for all the marbles.

Game 3:            Rockingham Roofing 54  vs.  J&B Butcher 50

THE NAILBITER. Not going to lie, I think we all felt the nerves tighten up a little bit before this game. And Rockingham definitely came out tight…no doubt about it…but J&B looked poised jumping out to an early 9-point lead playing smart ball, moving on offense, and getting easy shots. They held a 16-9 lead after the first period, and it was only that close because Rockingham scored 4 unanswered points at the end of the frame to at least bring some momentum into the second…and that seemed to help. The Roofers outscored the Butchers by 8 in the second period and held a 1-point lead at the half. It was pretty clear this was going to be a defensive battle, and the refs were letting both teams play – unlike game 2. Neither team was in any sort of foul trouble, but no one was really lighting it up on offense either. A back-and-forth third period saw J&B take a 3-point lead going into fourth, but it was still anyone’s game. I have to confess; I really don’t remember a lot of what happened in the 4^th period because I had my head buried in Dave McIntyre’s jersey trying to prevent him from taking over the game. What I do remember was  both Steve Wison and Billy Ryder making shots when it mattered most…layups, outside shots, free throws…clutch buckets. Rockingham is up by two with under a minute to go and a controversial jump ball is called on a missed J&B free throw, which gives the Butcher’s another possession. I do think the right call was made, however. But J&B turns it over on an errant pass after inbounding the ball…crisis averted. The Roofer’s are still up two with the ball and roughly 30 seconds left when yours truly gets trapped on the sideline after getting a pass from Jim Hall. I get unceremoniously shoved out of bounds in front of a packed bleachers (I think I almost killed Craig Jackson’s kid) but it was ruled a turnover on me with about 30 seconds left in the game. Great…so this is how we lose. The following possession, all of my fears come true. Someone sets a pick on me that freed up Baby Mac for a 3-pointer which would have put J&B up by one. I contested it, but it was a clean release, and I know Big Dave thought it was in – and so did I because it looked pure. But it hit the front of the rim, bounced over and Rockingham secured the rebound. Two free throws later the Roofers are up 4 with only a couple seconds left and all we have to do is not foul. During the timeout, we literally considered just sitting on the bench. But we didn’t and there was no 4-point play in the cards to send this game to OT, and that was it. A hard-earned victory  for Rockingham Roofing in a series that could have easily gone the other way. Nice that a bunch of old guys and one young buck got the job done in a league that’s getting younger by the minute.

Playoffs! Round 2, Game 2 Recap

And just like that, we’re on to the finals. I’m shocked that neither one of these two series went three games to be honest, but man were they both super competitive. The refs seemed intent on swallowing the whistle and letting us play – which is just fine (for most of us) – and you got two BIG BOY games as a result. Now #3 Rockingham Roofing will square off against #4 J&B Butcher for the championship. Rockingham was in the conversation for the #1 seed midway through the final week of the season before stumbling down the stretch, while J&B had to climb out of the basement after starting off with a 3-7 record. Defense, clutch shooting, and  some might say ‘a cruise’ helped get these two teams to where they are now – but make no mistake about it – they both deserve to be here. On to the results!

Finals – Game #1, Wednesday Feb 11^th

#3 Rockingham Roofing  vs.  #4 J&B Butcher  at 6:30pm

Game 1:           J&B Butcher 56  vs.  Ryder Electric 54

This game will forever be known as the ‘ability’ game…as in ‘availability’. Not only was the league’s second leading scorer Jimmy Ryder  somewhere in the Caribbean doing his best Julie McCoy impersonation (look it up youngsters), but Tommy “The Back” Lecesse and Dave “McRib” McIntyre were also dealing with injuries…although credit to both for trying to play through the pain. Everyone is banged-up this time of year.  Twenty-plus weeks of dragging Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes (again, look it up youngsters) takes its toll on the body – and the teams who usually win in the end are the ones who stay healthy and whole. So, this game was over before it started, right? No Jimmy, a gimpy Tom…that’s 75% of the Black teams scoring right there. But what wasn’t disclosed on the pre-game injury report was the McRib…and when the big man for blue started the game on the bench, you thought maybe there was a chance. After falling behind huge (I think by 18 points) late in the first half, Steenson’s squad mounted their comeback campaign with perhaps a little help from J&B thinking they had already won the game. Big Shot Rob Ashe and KANE! caught fire in the second half and brought it all the way back when the inexplicable happened for the second week in a row. A foul with the game tied by someone whose initials are GW (hint: not George Washington) put the Commish and his 58% free throw percentage on the line. And what does the Bambino do, he drains them both. There was still a bit of time left but an unfortunate traveling call on an inbounds pass to Principal Mitch Mencis that Coach Steenson will be seeing in his nightmares for years to come was pretty much the nail in the coffin. Big Shot Rob Ashe had one last desperate heave from the corner as time expired, but it was not meant to be. J&B moves on and #1 seed Ryder Electric was left holding their knobs & tubes in their hands and wondering what could have been.  Leading the way for J& was (nor surprise) league leading scorer and bosom buddy Steve Wilson with (22), and Jonathan Silva with a stellar (17) most of which came in the first half. The Commish with a season high (6), everyone’s favorite DB (5), and the law firm of McIntyre, Murphy and Forbes (2) each. If you had Rob Ashe (15) and KANE! (14) as the Electricians two leading scorers on your ticket, that quinella would have paid roughly 170-1. Tommy gutted his way to (8) and so did Mitch Mencis, Rami Noodles (4), GW (3), and Ricky O (2). Good season boys!

Game 2:           Rockingham Roofing 56  vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 48

Coming off a very fortunate overtime victory in their game last week, Rockingham Roofing was looking to put away Anderson & Son Carpentry  for good - especially now that the Butchers had punched their ticket to the finals. It wasn’t a great start or a very clean game for the Roofers at all, but they leaned into their defense and made the Golden Girls fight for every point they got. Still, Rockingham was down 6 after the 1^st period and down 4 at the half. Shots weren’t falling, too many turnovers and wasted possessions…but they were still right there. Anderson & Son Carpentry couldn’t get much going either besides Andy. After trimming the lead down to 3 after 3, all that was discussed inside the huddle was ‘no plays off’. And the Roofers went out and put on a defensive masterclass. After last week’s furious 4^th period comeback by gold, this week it was the Roofers who flipped the switch and outscored Anderson & Son Carpentry in the final frame to the tune of 16-5. Huge defensive possessions and clutch steals by Larry Sankey and Craig Maguire  when the game was super tight inside the final 2 minutes were half the battle. The other half was making free throws when it counted. Maguire 6-6 down the stretch, and Billy Ryder 5-6…how’s that for manning up? Overall, the Roofers were 16-23 from the line. I’m now mathematician, but that smells like 70% to me. Conversely, the Carpenters were 5-14….and those points left out there could have (no, would have) made a difference. For the Roofer’s, Billy Ryder played great and although he only had 6 made baskets, he made 9 free throws overall and finished with (21). Old men Maguire and Snyder each chipped in (11), older man Gumby (8), Jimmy Hall (4), and Larry (2). Fun fact, Rockingham Roofing made only one three-point shot the whole game…I wonder who that came from? For gold, Andy Wamboldt was simply huge in this game for his team scoring (27)  which is well more than half their total points. The rest of the squad could only muster 21 total points…TJ and Pitre (6) each, Ryan Curry (5) and Jimmy V (4).

Playoffs! Round 2 Recap

Wow, what a difference a week makes. After two not so competitive games in round 1 (and that’s me being polite), this week’s games were ‘must see TV’. Both were highly competitive and came down to the wire with some heroics by the guys you’d expect, and some others not so much. I’ll say this – you usually have an idea of which team is most likely going to win a series going into it…but not this year. This week, both of the lower seeds won – putting the top two teams in a win-or-go-home scenario next week. Let the drama begin. On to the results!

Round 2 - Wednesday Feb 4^th

Game 1:  #1 Ryder Electric  vs.  #4 J&B Butcher  at 6:30pm

Game 2:  #2 Andeson & Son Carpentry  vs.  #3 Rockingham Roofing  at 7:45pm

Game 1:           J&B Butcher 52  vs.  Ryder Electric 45

Well, well, well…what do we have here. The #4 seed J&B Butcher upset the #1 seed Ryder Electric to officially kick off the semi-finals. So how exactly did this happen? If you’ve been paying attention to my clairvoyant write-ups over the past couple months, you’ll know that I’ve been saying J&B is the team that no one wants to play. They’ve been gelling as a team and have arguably the best 1-2 combo in the league with Baby Mac and Baby Marky Mark. This game was a defensive battle by both teams…and very physical. Not really much separation by either side in the first half. Tommy 3-Ball got hot in the 3^rd period – but Steve Wilson was right there to match him. And then the Dennis Breton experience happened. In the 4^th period, he erupted for four baskets…including several of the no-look variety…and almost single handedly took over the game. Tremendous defense across the board by J&B including plenty of DB reach-arounds and Baby Mac blocks limited the Electricians offense and they wound up outscoring Ryder Electric 19-13 in the period, which was effectively enough to win the game. League leading scorer and my best buddy Steve Wilson led the way for the Butcher’s with (18), everyone’s favorite DB (11) back-breaking points, Billy Forbes and Baby Mac (8) each, Jonathan Silva (4), and lastly Murph (3). For Ryder Electric it was Tommy with a game high (19), Jimmy Ryder (14), Rami a solid (10), and Mitch (2). Next week, J&B will be looking to CRUISE to a series victory and SINK Ryder Electric. It will be ALL HANDS ON DECK for J&B while Ryder Electric will have a MAN OVERBOARD and play the game shorthanded. Could we be seeing the end of the Steenson, Jimmy Ryder, Tommy Leccese, Rami, Jim Kane, and Gary Walker dynasty after just one season? Only time will tell. Wait, did I just use ‘Gary Walker’ and ‘dynasty’ in the same sentence. I apologize to the word ‘dynasty’.

Game 2:           Rockingham Roofing 60  vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 55 (OT)

What a game. I’ve been part of a few wild ones over the years, but this one may have taken the cake. Stressful. Dramatic. Desperate. Clutch. Lucky. All adjectives that applied to this particular game.  Rockingham Roofing hasn’t had much success against Craig Andrson’s Gang of Golden Goons this season – losing each of their last 3 tilts in somewhat demoralizing fashion. But it’s a different season now and what happened during the first 20 weeks is in the past…at least that’s what the Roofers were telling themselves heading into this game. Now as for the game itself, it started off innocently enough like their previous encounters – tied after the first period and Rockingham up a few at the half. But after three periods, the Roofers enjoyed a 7-point lead and looked like they were at least somewhat well positioned to win the game. Andy had to fight hard for his points, and his supporting cast wasn’t giving him much help. And on the Roofer’s side, Billy Ryder was taking it to the hoop at will and either scoring or taking foul shots. So it was pretty much a two man game for the better part of three periods. Then a furious comeback in the final frame saw Anderon & Son take the lead and go up by 3 with under 20 seconds left. Billy Ryder then temporarily saved the game by sinking an off balance 3-point bank shot to tie the score at 49…only to commit a touch foul with 4 seconds left sending Andy Wamboldt to the line for two shots and fouling himself out at the same time. Two chances to win…first shot in and out, and the second one was off the rim…but Yellow secured the rebound and got a shot off – but missed. To overtime they went – with Billy out for the Roofers and the Carpenters demoralized but clearly with the advantage. Three minutes left to glory or gut-wrenching defeat. On the first possession, someone (who completely sucked for the first 39 minutes of the game) posted up Andy and made a shot off the glass knowing that Andy did not want to commit his fifth foul. That same someone was then left alone on the Roofers next possession and unexpectedly hit a wide open 3-pointer (thanks to a lot of encouragement from the Pumpkin) to put Rockingham up by 5 with a little over a minute left. Yellow fought back and wouldn’t give up, but ultimately lost after a lot of made foul shots by the Roofers to run out the game. Both teams certainly thought they had won the game multiple times – and probably should have. So yeah, you got that right – Rockingham beat their nemesis in OT with their best player on the bench…but they couldn’t have won without him because he literally carried them during regulation. Billy Ryder led all scorers with a whopping (32) points, Maguire chipped in with (10),  Snyder (8)…6 of which came in OT, Jim Hall (5), Jeremy Dow (3), and Gumby (2). For the men in yellow, it was Andy Wamboldt setting the pace with (26), Ryan Curry next with (11), TJ (8), Jimmy V and Pitre only (3) each…and no surprise divisible by 3, and Buatti and Cabral (2) apiece. By the way – the Roofer’s are 3-0 since retiring Gumby. I’m exhausted just writing about it. Next game should be interesting…bring your popcorn!

Playoffs! Round 1 Recap

We’re off to a wild start! The first round of this year’s UFC Steel Cage Match…I mean Hampstead Masters Basketball playoffs is in the books. I’d love to say that the round of one-and-done games were close and competitive, but that would be false. Both Rockingham Roofing and J&B Butcher handled their business and took care of Keystone and whatever Andy’s company is calling itself these days without much trouble. And I think that’s kinda what we all expected…the top 4 teams all year long have matriculated into the final four – and this year anyone can win it. We’ll see who shows up when the bell rings this week.

Round 2 - Wednesday January 28^th

Game 1:  #1 Ryder Electric  vs.  #4 J&B Butcher  at 6:30pm

Game 2:  #2 Andeson & Son Carpentry  vs.  #3 Rockingham Roofing  at 7:45pm

Game 1:           Rockingham Roofing 72  vs.  Advantage Utilities ITG 50

This game was a rematch of week 20…and after losing that game handily, Advantage Utilities ITG’s task would be even tougher this week minus Brian Ducharme who was out traveling. And Coach Wheeler was out also – so there wasn’t anyone around to steer the S.S. Minnow (which interestingly enough was a 1964 Wheeler Express Cruiser – no joke). You kids who are 40ish probably don’t know what the S.S. Minnow is – and that’s too bad – because that means you also probably never debated Ginger vs. Mary Ann. I digress. This game was over early with the Roofer’s putting up a 29-spot in the first quarter to Advantage Utilities ITG’s 11, and from there it was never really close. Good passing, balanced scoring, and hustle points were all in Rockingham’s favor despite the best efforts of Ed Velez and Jackie Moon Jackson who both had solid games. Despite not taking one foul shot (hell, they only called two fouls on the red team all night) Rockingham put up 72 points in a variety of ways – fast breaks, three-pointers, mid-range, rebound putbacks, in the post, and drives to the hole. Billy Ryder led the way with (19) and had some serious help with Snyder and Maguire adding (18) each. Did I mention there were no foul shots? Jim Hall had a nice comeback game with (8), Larry with perhaps a season high (6) and Jeremy Dow (3) that included one hell of a missed layup. Well played Jeremy. For red, Ed Velez had a game high (21) which included 5 three-pointers, the aforementioned Action Jackson (12), Johnny Rock (5), Bobby Farland (4), Lynchie and Greggy T (3) each, and finally T-Mac (2). Tough season guys, but you competed every time you took the floor

Game 2:           J&B Butcher 51  vs. Keystone Precision & Engineering 38

This game. WTF. Let me gather my thoughts. It started off with a great steal and clean breakaway for Billy Forbes…who proceeded to miss the layup  (Jeremy style) - not once, but twice – with Keystone ultimately securing the rebound. So that’s how things started, and let’s just say they didn’t get a whole lot better. It was a very chirpy game from the beginning…a lot of hand checking, guys initiating contact, and a whole lot of balls not going in the basket. I mean holy smokes…8-7 after the first period and 23-13 at the half. And then for the icing on the cake, Keystone only scores 4 in the third period, which if my math is correct means 17 points through three quarters of the game. Might be a record for futility…yeesh. And it’s not like J&B was playing lights-out either…but they didn’t have to. They only had 37 through three periods, but that was enough for a 20-point lead and an easy victory. For J&B, this season’s leading scorer and my best friend Steve Wilson  (according to Jimmy Ryder) led all scorers once again with (19). Steve, I’m going to start calling you ‘The King’ until someone knocks you off your throne. King Wilson – that has a nice sound to it – don’t you think so Jimmy? Jonathan Silva and Billy Forbes added (8) each, everyone’s favorite DB had (7)…at least 4 of which were of the no-look variety, Murph added (4), Baby Mac only (3) but played great defense, and Commissioner Ruth (2). For Keystone, it was Nate leading the way with (12), Dave “where ya been?” Russell (10), Big Pat DiNino (8), Adam Young (6), and Freddy (2). Tough season for Keystone with injuries and other assorted absences, but your guys played hard through it all.

As for the shenanigans that happened at the end of the game, I ‘ll just say this. The Hampstead Masters has been going strong for 40-something years and playing in this league is a privilege. We have an unbelievably unique opportunity to be in a gym where it’s only us on game nights, to play with a bunch of great guys who all at one point or another will be your teammate, and enjoy an atmosphere that combines both healthy competition and strong social bonding. And anyone who ‘gets it’ will tell you it’s the latter that’s most important. Tempers can flare up in games and trust me – I know – I’ve been a bit of a pusscake this year and I’m not really proud of it. But we cannot jeopardize this league or the people in it. So let’s all keep that in mind moving forward. It would be a shame to lose something so great.

Weekly Recap - Week 20

Fresh off my one-week break from writer’s cramp, here we are at the end of another season. Week 20 is a wrap, the playoff seeds are set, and the final stats are in. Congratulations to Steve Wilson who finished as the league’s leading scorer for the third season in a row (21.1 ppg) – and let’s be honest, was there really ever any doubt that he was going to come out on top? I don’t think so. He also finished with the highest free throw percentage (80%, minimum 40 attempts). Tommy Lecesse led in three-pointers made (59). The biggest hack in the league…Brain Ducharme (55) fouls - followed closely by Jimmy Ryder with (50). I’d also like to point out that I made more three-pointers this season than Rami Ata, Mitch Mencis, Chris Lynch, Billy Forbes, T-Mac, Ricky O, The Commish, Jeremy Sheppard, Johnny Rock, Bobby Dudal, TC, Anthony Serino, Jeff Polchlopek, and the Pumpkin. That makes me the 39^th best three-point shooter in the league - but who’s counting. I am actually. Here is the playoff schedule:

Round 1 - Wednesday January 21^st

Byes: #1 Ryder Electric, #2 Andeson & Son Carpentry

Game 1:  #3 Rockingham Roofing  vs.  #6 Advantage Utilities ITG at 6:30pm

Game 2:  #4 J&B Butcher  vs.  #5 Keystone Precision & Engineering at 7:45pm

Believe it or not, there was still something to play for in week 20. How did everyone do? On to the results!

Game 1:           Ryder Electric 61  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 54

Considering there was really nothing to play for, this game was surprisingly entertaining. Good to see Nate Spero trying to give things a go each of the last two weeks despite a very tender knee. Gary would be in the ICU. This was a tight game throughout with Keystone actually up by 1 point going into the final frame. But too much Tommy Lecesse down the stretch (8 three-pointers… yikes!) was more than they could handle, and Ryder Electric finished off the win despite not having Coach Steenson, Rami and Ricky. Rami & Ricky…sounds like you guys should open up a noodle restaurant or something. Tommy’s (28) led all scorers and Jimmy Ryder’s (18) were probably 2 points less than he wanted, but still a good result. Mitch added (7), Big Shot Rob Ashe (6) and KANE! (4). For Team Green, Pat DiNino put a bow on his very solid season with (23), Red Shoes had (11), Freddy (8), Adam Young (6), Nate (4) and Jeremy (2). In all seriousness, congratulations to Jimmy Ryder for not missing a single game and scoring 398 points this season which might be a league record. It’s definitely good enough to get you a spot in second place behind Steve Wilson. There’s a rumor circulating that Gary is forming a search party for Dave Russell. Gary’s perseverance throughout this season without his binky has been truly remarkable and nothing short of inspirational. He’s coming to get you Dave…

Game 2:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 59  vs.  J&B Butcher 49

Lots riding on this game. A win by J&B Butcher would not only vault them into a potential 3-way tie for second place (tiebreakers aside), but a loss by Anderson’s Golden Girls would almost surely move them out of second place and the coveted first week bye. Sadly, for the Butcher’s, league leading scorer Steve Wilson was not available as Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch were finishing up their world tour. But J&B were getting ‘Good Vibrations’ from Jonathan Silva and they still made it a game thanks to a monster 24-point second period which led to a tie score at the half. But the offense went silent in the second half for the Buthcer’s who could only muster 17 total points. For Anderson’s goons, it was Airball Andy making a triumphant return with two no-doubters from three-point land and struggling his way to (20) points. George Washington Buatti was on fire for one of his best games of the season with (11), Ryan Curry added (9), Jimmy V (6), Pitre (6) which is divisible by 3, Mark Cabral had (4), and TJ had (3) to go along with the largest fan section I’ve ever seen at a game. For the boys baby blue, it was Jonathan Silva, who is looking more and more like John Rambo in First Blood every week, with a helluva good game scoring multiple ways and leading his team with (17). Baby Mac chipped in (11) but seemed off from the three-point line most of the night. Everyone’s favorite DB added (9), Billy Forbes (6), Murph (4) and the Commish (2). With the win, Anderson & Son lock up the #2 seed. Congratulations, I think.

Game 3:           Rockingham Roofing 74  vs.  Advantage Utilities ITG 65

With the results already in from game 2, this game was purely window dressing. Rockingham Roofing was locked into the #3 seed and Advantage Utilities ITG has been all over the #6 seed since halfway through the season – so both teams will meet again next week in the first round of the playoffs. As for this game, the Roofers sure needed a gut-check coming off two horrible losses where they played like absolute garbage in the fourth quarter – practically handing the #2 seed to the Golden Bananas. Credit to Advantage Utilities ITG who came out on fire and really didn’t let up for the whole game. Up 6 points after the first period and 3 points at the half, it was clear they weren’t going to back down. But a monster 28-point third period by Rockingham tilted the tables a little more than Red could handle and they were never really threatened after that. For the Roofers, Billy Ryder turned in his best game of the season with (35) including 5 three-pointers and going 8 for 13 from the charity stripe. Snyder chipped in (16), Old Man Maguire added (13), Gumby (8) and Larry (2). 64 points combined from your top 3 are going to win you some games – let’s see if they can keep it going. For Advantage Utilities ITG, this was probably one of their best offensive showings of the season – despite the loss. Ducharme led his team with (17), Bobby Farland (14), Action Jackson (13), T-Mac (8), Lynchie (7) and Greggy T (6). It’s been a long season for Coach Wheels, but your boys haven’t quit on you…still playing hard and hoping to play spoiler in the playoffs. This guy is hoping that’s not the case.

Weekly Recap - Week 18

The best thing about week 18 is that it’s over. Once again, there was movement at the top of the standings – and both Anderson & Son Carpentry and J&B Butcher are coming on strong. I’m not sure how much longer Keystone can keep playing with a skeleton crew and remain competitive – but at least they had Dave Russell back this week. Nice to see you Dave! Gary missed the hell out of you. And red keeps doing red things. That would be losing. We now enjoy what really amounts to a 3-week break that I think most people are happy about to help rest, recharge and get healthy heading into the playoffs. Only two weeks left in the regular season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone in the league and your families. On to the results!

Game 1:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 83  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 63

Hideous. That’s the only word to describe the 4^th period of this game – at least from Rockingham Roofing’s perspective. Anderson & Son Carpentry might choose something more positive, because literally everything went their way. What was a good game – tied at 50 after three periods – turned into a house of horrors…and it didn’t take long. Three unanswered 3-pointers in the first 90 seconds of the fourth for the Golden Girls was all it took to make the Roofers completely lose their shit, and from then on it was all downhill. And not just a little downhill – like a bunny slope. No, this was a full-scale Mount Everest avalanche to the tune of 33-13. In all my years playing at Memorial Gym, that was the single most lopsided period of basketball I’ve ever been part of – and it wasn’t fun. At least it was a good game for the first three periods. In addition to getting every call from the refs and somehow only getting called for one foul himself, Andy Wamboldt led Anderson & Son Carpentry with (29) points…congratulations. Seriously, how is that possible – one foul? I’m glad your whining worked, because mine certainly didn’t. And there was plenty to go around from both of us. Andy had plenty of help too…Ryan Curry (15), Jimmy V (13), Pitre (9) which is conveniently divisible by three, TJ (8), Buatti (4), Old Man Anderson (3), and Cabral (2). For the Roofers, who were missing Jim Hall and his tremendously consistent 3-point shooting, it was Billy Ryder nearly matching Andy with (28), Maguire (14) after a slow start, Snyder and Gumby (9) each, and rookie Jeremy Dow (3) who showed the entire league that yes, he can make a layup. It’s about time. Love you man! 63 points should be enough for Rockingham to win the game…it was the defense that killed them in this one, and it’s starting to become a weekly issue. But a win in two weeks against Ryder Electric will put them right back in first place. Time to clean things up…it’s crunch time.    

Game 2:           Ryder Electric 62  vs.  Advantage Utilities ITG 47

Don’t let the 15-point margin of victory fool you – this was a competitive game – kind of. But then Advantage Utilities ITG did what they seemingly do every game by crapping their pants when things get close. Turnovers, poor shot selection, no ball movement…take your pick. After coming out hot and holding a first period lead, Wheelers bunch promptly gave it all back over the next 2 periods and were down 9 heading into the final frame. They cut the lead to 5 and then the wheels (pun intended) fell off. Too much Jimmy Ryder. The league’s third-leading scorer had himself one hell of a game and accounted for exactly half of his team’s total points. That’s (31) for all of you half-wits who can’t do rudimentary math. Tommy Lecesse added (12), Rami-lama-ding-dong had a very solid game with (10), Kemba – I mean Gary – Walker had two 3-pointers and finished with (6), KANE! (2) and Mitch the dreaded (1). For the men in red, there was only one dude in double figures and that was Ed Velez with (11). After that, Craig “Jackie Moon” Jackson (9), Lynchie (8), Ducharme (7), Bobby Farland (6), and the law firm of MacDonald, Rockwell & Wheeler (2) each. I’m still holding out hope that red will play spoiler to whatever team gets the 3 seed and knocks them out of the playoffs. I just hope it’s not us.

Game 3:           J&B Butcher 67  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 44

I was at J&B Butcher earlier in the week ordering my holiday roast and told their owner Jimmy that the team he sponsored just keeps winning! Even more than Charlie Sheen. That’s four in a row and six of their last seven (there’s a 6-7 meme in there, but I can’t figure how to use it). I’ve been on their bandwagon for some time now and wouldn't be surprised to see them go deep into the playoffs. Ever since Billy Forbes came back into their lineup, they’ve been a different team. They’re getting contributions from everyone, moving well without the ball, taking smart shorts, great passing, and the big man in the middle is playing some serious defense…hell he doesn’t even have to score. It was league leading scorer Steve Wilson setting the pace with (23) for J&B and he had lots of support from the likes of Billy Forbes (13) , Dennis Breton and Jonthan Silva with (11) each, Murph (4), Baby Mac (3) and Coach Crump (2). Those who showed up this week for Keystone saw Pat DiNino and  Dave Russell in his glorious return each score (10), Red Shoes Garone (9), Freddy (7), Adam Young (4), and then JC and Jeremy Sheppard with (2) each. It’s hard to tell what you’re going to get from Keystone in the playoffs. Will the Spero boys be back? Will they be healthy? I have my suspicions but I’ll keep them to myself for now.

Weekly Recap - Week 17

Sorry for not sharing a write-up last week. Stupid thing called work got in the way unfortunately…but here’s a quick summary. Advantage Utilities ITG beat Keystone for their third win of the season, weeeee! J&B Butcher - without Steve Wilson and Dennis Breton - beat Rockingham Roofing for their worst loss of the season. And Ryder Electric mopped the floor with Anderson & Son Carpentry to take over first place…for a week. Week 17 was a different story however…with Ryder Electric losing and Rockingham Roofing winning, there is a tie atop the standings – although the Roofers hold the tiebreaker for now. And as I’ve been saying for weeks – watch out for J&B Butcher who have won 5 of their last 6 games and are now firmly in the conversation for ‘team to beat’ with league leading scorer Steve Wilson having another huge game. There is only one team under.500 in the entire league. Sorry Wheels. On to the results!

Game 1:           J&B Butcher 62  vs.  Ryder Electric 57

To say that J&B Butcher is rounding into to form heading into the playoffs would be an understatement. With their win this week, they’ve defeated the top two teams in the league in back-to-back weeks…including one game while severely undermanned. Their 3-7 record seems like a long time ago and are only one game behind Anderson & Son Carpentry in the standings for 4^th place. This was the best game of the night…close the whole way through until a18-11 third period helped the Butcher’s erase a 3-point halftime deficit and lead by 4 going into the final frame. Steve “Marky Mark” Wilson took control of this game early and got a solid effort from everyone in his funky bunch to drop first place Ryder Electric into a two-way tie atop the standings. He led the way with (25) further cementing his league-leading scorer status much to the chagrin of the boys in 2^nd and 3^rd place who pay very close attention to these things. Jonathan Silva added (10), everyone’s favorite DB Dennis Breton (7), Billy Forbes and Murph Dog (6) each, Baby Mac (5) and tremendous defense as always, and Commish (2). The Electricians gave J&B all they could handle and Jimmy Ryder fouling out with a few minutes left in the game didn’t help matters any. Tommy Lecesse poured in (21) including five 3-pointers, Jimmy Ryder (14) which is a total sure to hurt his league leading scorer aspirations. Gary freakin’ Walker was the 3^rd leading scorer with (9) including a few shots that looked like scud missiles hitting the backboard, Rami had himself a nice game with (8), Big Shot Rob Ashe had one big shot and had (3), and then KANE! with (2).    

Game 2:           Rockingham Roofing 72  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 60

The roofers needed a win after their debacle last week against a depleted J&B Butcher – and Keystone came-a-calling without three of their starters. The Spero boys, Dave Russell and Jeremy Sheppard were all MIA, leaving Team Green without any subs for the entire night. Still, they gave Rockingham everything they could handle, jumping out to a 15-2 lead. But Rockingham answered that with an 11-0 run to the end the first period and then dropped a 28-spot on Keystone led by the inimitable (look it up) shooting of Jim Hall. Five three-pointers, and as we sit here today his 28 for the season are 6^th best in the league – and he’s missed 3 games. Mr. Hall’s (19) were good enough to also lead his team in scoring, but he had some help. Santa Claus Maguire had a Merry pre-Christmas with (17), Jimmy Ryder 13 and absolutely smothering defense, Snyder (12) despite missing every single outside shot he took, Gumby (6), Jeremy Dow (3) and a great layup attempt, and Paesan Anthony Serino with (2). For Keyston it was a two man show. Red Shoes Garone led all scorers with (30) – hey who was covering that guy? Oh, I was for most of the night. Dammit! DiNino added (19) and there are most of your points. Feddy and JC had (4) each and Adam Young (3). Wondering how things are going to work when the playoffs roll around for Keystone and they have to figure out how to play with one another again? Hmmm. Rockingham really needs to find the defensive mojo that they had early in the season…giving way too many easy points. Gumby mascot is now 3-1.

Game 3:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 54  vs.  Advantage Utilities ITG 39

The Cinderella story from last week – ITG – turned right back into a pumpkin this week after falling to Anderson & Son Carpentry who still have their eyes on a first-round bye. A 6-point first quarter and 9-point first half simply isn’t a recipe for winning. But then again, nothing that Red has cooked up this year has worked. A frustrating season for sure – but who knows – perhaps they could be a spoiler in the one-and-done first round of the playoffs. Wouldn’t that be something. Even with a 9-poiny first period, it’s not like the Carpenters ran away with this one. It was an 11-point game heading into the fourth period, and we’ve all seen teams crap their pants and give up leads larger than that. But not this week. No one really jumped out in the scoring column for the Golden Bananas…Jimmy V (11), Andy and Mark Cabral (never thought I’d have them in the same sentence) with (10) each, George Washingtoin Buatti (9), Jeff Pitre (6) which is divisible by three, Ryan Curry and Coach Clint Eastwood (3) each, and TJ had (2). For ITG, Craig “Alpaca” Jackson had his best game of the season and practically scored half of their points with (18), Lynchie (9), Bobby Farland (5), Ducharme with perhaps a career low (3), Greggy Tats and T-Mac with (2) each. Yikes.

Weekly Recap - Week 15

Fun times as always during the friends and family pre-Thanksgiving banquet at Memorial Gym. Best night of the season unless you have the 8:30 game or suffer a humiliating loss in front of the people you most care about.  And yes, that happened. We are now officially three-quarters of the way through the schedule and have one game remaining against each opponent. This is the home stretch…time to start dialing things in, playing together as a team, and eliminating mistakes. No one wants to walk backwards into the playoffs. I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. On to the results!

Game 1:           J&B Butcher 67  vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 58

Like I’ve been saying for weeks…not sure I want to see J&B Butcher come playoff time because when they have all cylinder’s firing, they look unstoppable…as was the case on Wednesday night. There were points aplenty in this game as J&B  erupted for a season high 67…however Anderson & Son Carpentry, the league’s highest scoring team, only scored 58 and were left shaking their collective heads at the end of the game. And what really sucks (for them) is that everyone and their brother came to watch them play – immediate family, extended family, friends of family, adults, kids, pets. You name it, they were there. It must have been a quiet Thanksgiving around many of their tables the next day. Down by as many as 26 at one point during the game and looking completely lost out on the court (Jim), Anderson’s Turkey’s would mount an incredible comeback in the 4^th period let by none other than 3-point sharpshooter Jeff Pitre who was languishing on the bench. Once inserted, he did not miss. Five 3-pointers in a row during a 4-minute stretch helped cut the J&B Butcher lead to 5 or 6 points I think with still a few minutes left to play. But too much Baby Mac, Steve Wilson, and what the actual f#&k got into Dennis Breton. Not to be outdone by Jeff Pitre’s laser show, everyone’s favorite DB had himself a night. Five 3-pointers  that were nothing but net, and a few other no-look baskets (literally no-look…not actually looking at the basket with his eyes) led to a season high 19 points. The Dennis Breton Experience – come get yourself some. Wow. Anyway, the Butchers held on for an impressive victory – thankful that they are finally healthy and that they were able to tab Dennis in the middle rounds of the draft. What a steal. In addition to DB’s performance, Steve Wilson led all scorers with (23) and was under control all night hitting shots from all over the place. Baby Mac added (12) with a few big threes of his own, Silva and Forbes had (6) each - and that was all they needed. For Anderson & Son Carpentry, it was Pitre – King of the Threes - leading the way with (18)…shockingly divisible by 3. Andy airballed his way to (17) on a tough night around the basket that Baby Mac may have had something to do with, TJ a nice game with (12), Ryan Curry (9) and Mark Buatti (2). Thanks for the cupcakes, Mark…and please go visit The Bearded Baking Co. which Mark and his son run out of Manchester and Hampton – amazing breakfast, lunch, pastries, and custom cakes.

Game 2:           Rockingham Roofing 64  vs.  Advantage Utilities ITG 49

Middle game of the night and at this point, the gym is packed and everyone is starting to dip into the food. But Not Rockingham Roofing – they had their eyes set on a third win in a row and would look to do so against Advantage Utilities/ITG/Andy’s Company who had other things in mind. And rightfully so coming off a big win the previous week versus J&B Butcher. The kept things close after the first period, but Rockingham had their way in the second period outscoring Red mostly in the paint. Both teams held serve in the second half, each scoring 23 points and the Roofers walked away with a 15-point victory that seemed very much closer than what the final score would indicate.  For the Roofers, it was Billy Ryder (who was convinced he was having a lousy game) leading all scorers for the evening with (30). Tough result kid…I wish I could have a shitty game like that. Snyder was next with (13), Old Man Maguire – who will slowly start to transition into Santa Claus had (10), Gumby and Larry (4) each, and Jeremy Dow (3). Missing was Jim Hall who is quietly averaging 8 ppg for Rockingham and by far the biggest steal of the draft…hope you’re feeling better. For Wheeler’s Bunch, it was Brian Ducharme matching Snyder with (13) and Ed Velez matching Maguire with (10). The problem is they didn’t have anyone to match Billy Ryder’s (30). Action Jackson added (9), Bobby Farland (7) and then Lynchie, T-MAC, Johnny Rock, Greggy T, and Wheels had (2) each. I was told by multiple sources (like seriously 20 different people) that I may perhaps have exaggerated a few foul calls against me? While I cannot confirm or deny these allegations, I did suffer a bloody lip which made my Thanksgiving feast a little less enjoyable. Hope you’re happy. I will try and pursue my passion of adult men’s basketball with a little more joy and a smile on my face from now on. And thank you for your concern about my well-being out on the court Jen Wamboldt. At least someone has a heart. Gumby mascot is 2-0.

Game 3:           Ryder Electric 54  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 49

What would we get out of Keystone this week versus 10-4 Ryder Electric? It’s been a tough stretch for the men in green lately - losers of 3 in a row and hoping to avoid a fourth. And things would be a little harder on this evening without Fireman Mike Garone and JC Cameron who is having a very solid season. And Ryder Electric would be coming in hot after losing the prior week to Rockingham and falling into second place (with tiebreakers), And what do you know – it was Keystone who came out and seized a first period 11-6 lead. A miraculously healed Dave Spero looked spirited and so did brother Nate and Pat DiNino…perhaps this would be their night. And then the second and third periods happened, and their 5-point lead had turned into an 11-point deficit. Too much Jimmy Ryder, Tom Lecesse, and KANE! That’s right – three 3-pointers from Jim Kane helped burry Keystone just like he did to Rockingham Roofing earlier in the year. You simply can’t give the man an uncontested 3-point shot. Keystone mounted a fourth period comeback, but it was too little too late and Ryder Electric held on two win and keep pace with their big brother, Rockingham Roofing on top of the standings. Jimmy Ryder led all scores in the game with (20) yet frustratingly (to him) remains in third place for the scoring crown.  Tommy Lecesse was welcomed back with open arms and had (16) in his return, KANE added (9), Mitch (5), and then Ram and Wednesday Night Ricky O (2) each. For Keystone Pat DiNino rebounded from his goose-egg the week before and led his squad with (13), the Spero brothers each had (10), Adam Young, (6), Dave Russell (4), and then Freddy and Jeremy (3) each. Dave Russell – I hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving over Gary’s house…plenty of “stuffing” to go around. Hugs & kisses.  

Weekly Recap - Week 14

Wow what a week. Dr. James Naismith – inventor of the game of basketball – probably rolled over is his grave watching the state of affairs at Memorial Gym in Hampstead this past week. In what may be the lowest scoring night in the history of the Hampstead Masters Basketball League , we definitely looked like we were playing a hundred years ago. 270 total points scored across all 6 games averages out to 45 points per team. That’s horrendous. Let’s put things in terms that everyone can understand…Gary Walker had twice as many points (4) as Pat DiNino, Sean Morriseey, and yours truly combined…’nuff said. The games still counted however and oh boy are the standings getting all jammed up. And someone new (not named Jimmy Ryder) took over the scoring lead. Jimmy actually moved back one spot to third just in case anyone wanted to know. That’s hurtful. On to the results!

Game 1:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 57  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 36

At least Keystone scored in the first period this week. Hell, they actually had a lead (14-13) after the first frame…which quickly disappeared thanks to a putrid second and third period that reminded everyone of their historic struggles from the week before. In fact, they scored less points in this game than they did last week – which is remarkably awful. Getting outscored 33-12 over those two periods is tough to come back from. To be fair, Coach Spero didn’t play, Dave Russell was a no-show (what’s up with that Gary?) and Jeremy Sheppard was also MIA. Still, three weeks ago, Pat DiNino could not miss against Rockingham Roofing – scoring 27 points in one of the season’s best all around performances. And this week – goose egg. Now, Andy Wamboldt defending him may have ever so slightly affected things as he’s looking to cement a second straight MVP award. And don’t look now, but Craig Anderson’s Golden Group of Galloping Goons  have quietly won three in a row and are with one game of first place….all without the services of Jimmy V.  It’s starting to sound repetitive, but Andy Wamboldt had himself another game…(26) points – taking over as the league’s leading scorer and playing stifling defense on Big Pat. Ryan Curry added (10), TJ (8), Pitre (7) including a career-best 4 made free throws on 5 attempts and of course, a three. Cabral had (4) and the old ball coach (2). For Keystone, my game balls go to Adam Young (12) and JC Cameron (9)…both played hard and gave 100% all night. Red Shoes added (6), Nate (5), and Freddy (4)…and that was it for the Green Team.

Game 2:           Rockingham Roofing 51  vs.  Ryder Electric 43

Ryder Cup Part III. A lot on the line in this game with first place Ryder Electric facing second place Rockingham Roofing. Did it matter that the Electricians were missing Tommy Lecesse and Jim Kane? Possibly… but they still had the league’s second leading scorer (soon to be third leading scorer) Jimmy Ryder to deal with. This was a back and forth affair all night and definitely worth watching for the fans. Down 1-point after the first period, Rockingham reversed course and actually played really well during the second and third periods, opening up a 10-point lead. They held on down the stretch for an 8-point victory despite a significant disparity in fouls calls. For the Roofers, Billy Ryder led all scorers with (21) an the Old Salt Craig Maguire added (20) in a throwback performance that Coach Pumpkin expertly dialed-up and predicted before the game. Larry Sankey’s offense came alive with (5), Jim Hall (3) and Snyder a career-worst (2). For Ryder Electric, ‘Bronze Medal’ Jimmy Ryder fished with (19) points – 2 points less than his brother and ironically the same number of points that Steve Wilson had, meaning Jimmy would continue to lag behind the two-time defending scoring champion. Rami and Mitch both had solid games with (8) each, Gary Walker Junior (4), and then Big Shot Rob Ashe and Wednesday Night Ricky O (2) each. For Rockinghame Roofing to pull out a victory with five points combined from Snyder, Gumby and Hall tells you there was a lot more this game than meets eye. And Ryder Electric took twice as many free throws as Rockingham – which believe me, the refs will hear about. Jimmy Ryder missed more than half of his (5 for 11)…several of which came during crunch time. Facts.  These two teams have unbelievably similar overall statistics. Same record at 9-4. Same total points against with 674 (and Jesus  I hope those two controversial points from a few weeks back don’t come back to haunt the Electricians because that would be…interesting). As a result, Rockingham Roofing (who owns the head-to-head tie breaker) moves into first place. A watched pot never boils.

Game 3:           Advantage Utilities ITG 46  vs.  J&B Butcher 37

Coming into this week, J&B Butcher was looking like the team nobody wants to play come postseason – despite their record and fifth place position in the standings. Forbes is back and playing well. Forner MVP and league-leading scorer Steve Wilson and former MVP and this year’s DPOY candidate Baby Mac are arguably the league’s best 1-2 punch. And they’ve got the redhead as their coach…and they were squaring off against 1-11 ITG…what could be better? How about some freakin’ made baskets – that could be better. J&B looked like they were sleepwalking through this game. Not a lot of movement on offense, not a ton of offensive rebounding, turnovers…you name it. But give ITG credit – they took advantage of what was given to them. Not that they scored a lot of points – I mean, you don’t win many games scoring 46, but that’s what they have to do if they want to stay competitive – take advantage of bad basketball. For ITG, it was Bobby Farland’s night with a season high (13), then Action Jackson with (9), Ed Velez (8), Ducharme (7), Greggy T (5), and T-Mac and Lynchie (2) each. For the Butcher’s Steve Wilson had half the teams points with (19), Jonathan Silva next with (8), and then holy crap – DB Denis Breton (4) and Baby Mac and Dollar Bill Forbes (3) each.

Weekly Recap - Week 13

Lucky week 13 is in the books and as I sit here writing this in the cold November rain, I’m realizing this season is giving us some things we’ve never seen before. For example, we have a team with 9 wins, a team with 8 wins, a team with 7 wins, a team with 6 wins and a team with 5 wins….and then we have Red.  That’s what I call parity minus one. We also saw the first 0-point quarter in I can’t remember how long and a 6-point first half – which, after checking with the Elias Sports Bureau – has never happened before. Shocker, both of these underachievement’s came from the same team in the same game. Bigger Shocker, it wasn’t Red. More on these developments later. On to the results!

Game 1:           Ryder Electric 58  vs.  Advantage Utilities ITG 49

I’m not going to say I had high hopes for last place Advantage Utilities – I mean ITG - facing second place Ryder Electric…but I thought just maybe this could be a trap game. Nope. No trap. ITG was down 10 after the first period and 21 after the third. This game was over before it started despite a furious comeback attempt in the final frame. As I heard several people tell Coach Wheels (who’s on the hot seat BTW) if they could just bottle up what we saw in that fourth period, you’d have a very different record. A very well-rounded game scoring -wise for Ryder Electric saw Jimmy Ryder lead all scorers with (22), Tommy Lecesse added (12), KANE! (7), Rami-lama-ding-dong (6), Wednesday night Ricky O (4), Principle Mencis (3), Steenson and GW (2) each. GW does not stand for Game Winner.  For ITG, they actually had three guys in double figures…Brian (13), Ed Velez (11), and Action Jackson (10). Plus Bobby Farland, Chris Lynch and Greg Tatarian completed the triple-nickel…(5) points each. I received zero submissions for the ITG acronym, so we’re going with It’s Totally Gone…meaning your season. Ouch. Too Soon? Paul Wheeler doppleganger = Greg Hill from the WEEI morning show. Look that shit up. WOW! 

Game 2:           J&B Butcher 56  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 39

Nate Spero back from vacation. Dave Spero back with a healthy knee after seeing his witch doctor. And most importantly – Dave Russell back from his 10-week pussyhand injury. Gary is SO happy. And thank God you’re all back, because I don’t know if a 0-point quarter could have happened without you, let alone a 6-point first half. Not going to lie fellas – that was tough to watch. I’m not saying it wasn’t mildly enjoyable, but you felt guilty...kind like admitting that you actually like a few songs by Cher. If that’s your thing…it’s not my thing. Anyway, kudos for not throwing in the towel when it was 14-0 after the first period and 27-6 at the half. Most teams would have thrown in the towel…actually most teams would have thrown up ON the towel. But you actually won the second half 30-29…it just wasn’t enough to come back from the incredibly humongous shitting-of-the-pants performance in the first half. Not that they really needed anyone to score, but J&B had (17) from league-leading scorer Steve Wilson and a lucky (13) from everyone’s favorite DB, Dennis Breton. Baby Mac and Jonathan each added (9), William/Billy/Bill/Will Forbes (4), and Bobby Dudal and the Commish (2) apiece. Thank goodness for a respectable night from Pat DiNino who had (13) and Fireman Mike Garone (8). Outside of those two, it was just JC and Dave ‘what do you call a guy with no arms and no legs in a pile of leaves?’ Russell with (5) each, Nate (4), brother Dave (2) and Freddy also (2). If you guys want to dial up another performance like that next time we face you, I’ll take it. Russell - Gary said there would be extra spooning for you after such a tough loss on your first day back. Hope all your dreams came true.

Game 3:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 65  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 57

The self-flagellation for Rockingham Roofing began right after the game and as of this writing is still going strong. That’s not to say they pissed the game away, but they had every chance to win a tight game when they were actually up with under 5 minutes to go. Too many missed defensive assignments and missed free throws. Christ – I missed a wide open breakaway on a perfect feed from Jim Hall that would have made things really close with like 2 minutes left. And foul trouble. For all you Yahoo’s that think I get preferential treatment, that was me going to the bench with 4 fouls early in the third period in case you missed it. In fact, the only guys who’ve been called for more fouls this season than me are hacks like the Ryder brothers, Brian Ducharme and Pat DiNino. And by the way I’ll take any one of you on my team any day – just sayin. The Roofers only have 4 losses – two at the hands of Anderson’s Golden Banana’s who were without Jimmy V (still on his mission helping the lepers on Molokai), Mark Cabral and Jeff Polchlopek. Sometimes it helps with consistency shortening the rotation and I think that was the case here. They were in rhythm all night. Andy F-ing Wamboldt (AFW from now on) had (26) points and at least that many rebounds – but it was Pitre’s (14) and Buatti’s (11) that really hurt. Ryan Curry added (8), TJ had (6) on two back-breaking three’s – and that was it. No points for the old ball coach, but he still looks like Clint Eastwood. For the Roofers, it was mostly pedestrian efforts all around….Billy Ryder (16), Snyder (12) , Jim Hall (10), Maguire and Dow (6) each, Gumby (5) and Larry (3). Serious points – I mean deeply serious points - for anyone who gets the “lepers on Molokai” movie quote. No Googling. Hint, early 80’s…and it was a sequel.

Weekly Recap - Week 12

Another big week with some big results that had a major impact on the standings. We now have two teams tied for first and two teams tied for second (tiebreakers notwithstanding). Only two games separate first place from fourth place which tells you one thing – this is still anyone’s league. On to the results!

Game 1:           Rockingham Roofing 73  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 63

I’ll say this about Keystone – it doesn’t matter who they put on the floor. You’re going to get a full effort from start to finish and you better come prepared to play hard. It would have been very easy to look over and see no Nate Spero, no Dave Russell, and an injured Coach Dave Spero in civvies wearing a knee brace and think, we got this. Now, Dave Spero has been known to…how do I say this politely…slightly exaggerate an injury from time-to-time (ask him about crutches during the 2023 finals). So I assumed we’d see him at some point (and I was right)…but he’s clearly nowhere near 100%. But the Roofers would be without Billy Ryder to begin the game and also Anthony “Bourdain” Serino who was off traveling somewhere again, absorbing the local culture, and eating copious amounts of food.  So the game begins…and so does the Pat DiNino experience. Without Spero & Spero helping to create offense, it was up to Pat to do a lot that himself. Which he did. A lot. And with great success. A dizzying array of drives to the basket, pull-up jump shots, a midrange game, three-pointers…you name it, Pat had it in his pocket. And seemingly every one of them went in. It was a one-point lead for Keystone at the half, and third periods haven’t exactly been Rockingham Roofing’s sweet spot this season, but they were determined to do something about that. They just didn’t expect it to come in the form of Jeremy Dow – but it did! His 13 points almost equaled his season total and were the difference in the game when things weren’t looking so good. The Roofers opened up a 9-point lead during the period and were able to hold on for a 10-point victory and their highest scoring game of the year. For the first and probably last time this season, yours truly led Rockingham with (20) points – all of which were bunnies at the hoop courtesy of great passing. Billy Ryder managed (16) in three periods of  work, Jeremy and unsung hero Jim Hall had (13) each, The Marine (7), and Gumby (4). Arguably the most complete game of the season…most points, most three-pointers made, 67% from the charity stripe and great complimentary scoring. The Pat DiNino show had (29) for Keystone and his partner in crimes Red Shoes Garone added (14) of his own. JC had a nice game with (8), Adam Young (4), Freddy and Coach (3) apiece, and Jeremy Sheppard  (2). How much longer is Russell going to milk his pussy-hand? Gary says hi Dave.

Game 2:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 61  vs.  Advantage Utilities ITG 49

Last time these two teams met, Anderson & Son Carpentry afforded Advantage Utilities their only win of the season – and with Brian Ducharme and Ed Velez out no less! Things were looking up for the scrappy boys in red, but their joyous moment would be short-lived. After suffering four more losses in row, the unthinkable has happened. For the first time in Hampstead Masters Basketball League history, the embarrassment of a lost season has directly led to the loss of a team sponsor. Clearly the decision to back Coach Wheeler and his 1-10 team forced the hand of Advantage Utilities to sell out to ITG just last week. And that’s what I will refer to you as moving forward – mostly because it’s easier to type. So thank you ITG for making my life easier – and good luck with your $300 investment. Now, how would the Advantage Utilities…I mean ITG squad respond to the  change in ownership? Spoiler alert – they lost. But it was a runaway for Andersons team. With Jimmy V still out on his mission to Honduras, they needed some others to step up – and they did. It was a slow burn, steadily increasing their lead period after period and ultimately a 12-point victory. New ITG CEO Andy Wamboldt who confusing plays for Anderson & Son Carpentry led all scorers with (17) and a super-sweet airball to keep his streak alive. Ryan Curry added (16) and TJ (11) which really helped, Buatti and Pitre had (6) each which is of course divisible by three, and Coach Clint Eastwood added (5) of his own to round out the scoring. For ITG, it was Brian Ducharme having another nice game with (13), the law firm of Jackson, Tatarian & Velez had (7) each, T-MAC (6), Bobby Farland (5), and Lynchie (4). The real question remains – what does ITG stand for? I have a few ideas related to the team’s performance but will gladly accept any other submissions. Results to be published next week…$5 if I use your idea.  

Game 3:           J&B Butcher 62  vs.  Ryder Electric 53

There was something in the air on Wednesday night…not sure what it was…but I had a feeling we’d see an upset in this game. And here’s the scary part…I really don’t think it was that much of an upset because J&B Butcher has been playing well – just not getting results. And now William Forbes is back and looking comfortable which gives these guys sneaky depth. It also doesn’t hurt having a 1-2 punch of Baby Mac and Steve Wilson – just sayin. But surely first place Ryder Electric wasn’t going to lay down for anyone – except maybe Tommy Lecesse’s personal assistant Dan Hewett who was in attendance – but that’s another story. He’s got skills. The game was deadlocked at 14 after the first period and then J&B Butcher made their move in the second thanks to sweet shooting from Steve Wilson and led by 7 at the half. A back and forth, evenly contested second half resulted in A LOT of free throws by J&B Butcher down the stretch (28 to be exact) and they missed nearly half of them to keep things closer than they needed to be. But Ryder Electric was cold shooting all night and although the game was in reach, they could never get close enough to really threaten. Perhaps all of these advanced analytics, whiteboards, “Systems”, and pouring over stats are having a negative effect on the team? Or it could just be Gary Walker…I mean that’s a real possibility too. It’s probably Gary. For the Butcher’s in Carolina blue, Steve Wilson had himself a night with (25), Baby Mac had (11) and some stifling defense, DB (8), Forbes (7), Silva (5), Murph (4), and the ageless Bobby Dudal (2). Nice to be healthy Coach Crump, right? For Ryder Electric, Jimmy Ryder did all he could and scored (19) although I think even he’d tell you he left a few out there. Tommy’s Teabag System had (12), Big Shot Rob Ashe (9), Friday Morning Ricky O twerked his way to (6), KANE! (3), and then Rami and Mitch (2) each.

Weekly Recap - Week 11

With the second half of the season now underway, we start playing teams for the third time. And week 11 went the same way that week 1 went, with Rockingham Roofing, Ryder Electric and Keystone Precision & Engineering all victorious. It’s no coincidence that they are also the top three teams in the standings – with Anderson & Son Carpentry lurking close behind. However, Anderson’s Golden Goofballs could have been in a tie for second place if they had just held on to a 23-point early lead against Ryder Electric. Yes, it was the comeback of the year, and it was epic. On to the results!

Game 1:           Rockingham Roofing 58  vs.  J&B Butcher 52

Tough way to start for the Roofers hearing that Billy Ryder would be out until at least the 3^rd period (football coaching duties = being a good dad). The J&B backcourt of Wilson and Silva must have been licking their chops not having to worry about his defensive presence. But what do you know, the Silver Foxes (for those who have hair) of Rockingham Roofing were up by 5 after the first period and down by only 2 after the first half. Morrissey and Snyder got off to hot starts…and Gumby would continue to roll for the rest of the game bringing back memories of his MVP glory days. Billy Ryder was a surprise arrival at half time – and his energy plus strong scoring from Old Man Maguire and Jim Hall were exactly what the doctor ordered. After a putrid third period that saw both teams combine for 15 points, the fourth period was a wild ride. A back and forth fireworks display to the tune of 49 points – 29 of which belonged to the Roofers who pulled away late for a six-point victory. Bosom Buddies Sean Morrissey and Craig Maguire were the top scorers for Rockingham with (15) each. Can’t say enough about Jim Hall who added (10) and continues to give Rockingham the outside scoring they so desperately need. Billy Ryder added (9), Snyder (7), and Anthony (2) to round things out. The Butcher’s were led by Steve Wilson’s (16) and Jonathan! Silva ‘s (13). Baby Mac added (9), everyone’s favorite DB (7), Murph-dog (3), and Bobby Dudal and the Commish (2) apiece. J&B’s record may not be stellar at 3-7, but they are a difficult out and are only going to get better in the second half of the season. And BTW, welcome back William Forbes from his pussy-finger injury. I can’t even really call it a pussy-finger….that thing was gruesome. Good for you for making your way back. Shot was off (to be expected) but the energy and hustle were there. I know the redhead is glad to have you back.

Game 2:           Ryder Electric 66  vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 65

This game’s writeup is brought to you today by Bigelow Tea…the only bag I’ll put in my cup. Where to start? Wait, I know…just a teaser…the final score was the first and only time Ryder Electric had a lead all night. In other words, they were behind - from the opening tip and by as many as 23 points until the final 3 seconds – when they pulled ahead by one. An ill-fated last minute inbounds pass by Gold to Andy Wamboldt in the corner saw him triple-teamed instantly with nowhere to go. And speaking of instantly, instant tea is lovely. I especially like to double-bag my extra-large tumbler if I’m feeling in the mood. For Ryder Electric (their uniforms are Black, which is also a type of tea in case you didn’t know…I don’t really like it though). Anyway – Jimmy Ryder had a huge freakin’ game with (30) to lead all scorers. Tea-baggin’ Tommy Lecesse (courtesy of teatotaler Dan Hewett via Paul Wheeler…if you know, you know) added (14) points, Gary Walker had (8) which I’m still shaking my head about, Mitch Mencis (6), Ricky O (4), and Rami and KANE! (2) each. You can put KANE sugar in tea if you like it sweetened...and who doesn't like it sweetened...mmmm. For Anderson & Son Carpentry - who snatched defeat from the jaws of victory – they wasted GREAT games from Andy Wamboldt who had (28) to go along with one million rebounds and Ryan Curry (17) in the top supporting role. Factor in another (8) points each from Pitre and Mark Cabral, (2) from TJ, and the dreaded (1) single point from Coach ‘Earl Grey’ Anderson who wasn’t feeling quite elated as he was last week. We did establish, however, that he’s a dead ringer for Clint Eastwood under certain lighting. But not with that new ‘Dutch Boy’ haircut…holy crap. If you don’t know who the Dutch Boy is, grab a can of paint or Google it. Oh, and just to rub a little extra salt in the wound, Airball Andy back in the house with a deuce.

Game 3:           Keystone Precision & Engineering 55  vs.  Advantage Utilities 43  

Give Advantage Utilities some credit…despite their 1-8 record heading into this game, no one is hanging their head. Well. Maybe Coach Wheels – but luckily there is no hot seat in the Hampstead Masters League, so your job is safe. Whether you like it or not. Please don’t quit, we need you. And your boys came out and played hard, so whatever you said (or threatened them with) before the game worked. This was a 3-point game going into the fourth period but there was just too much Nate Spero, Fred Malcolm and Pat DiNino down the stretch. Nate had 17 free throw attempts…he only made 6 of them, but still…he had 17 free throw attempts. Keystone had 31 total for the game and Advantage Utilities, 4. That’s the story right there…clearly one team was forcing the action inside. For Keystone, it was Pat DiNino on top with (15) but then how about this…Freddie and Nate Spero with (14) each. Imagine how many points Nate could have had if he made his free throws. And I’m allowed to say that because I once shot 28% from the line one season. True story – ask anyone - not proud of it. JC added (6), Adam Young (4), Jeremy (2) and that was all they needed.  Nice to see Brian Ducharme have himself a game leading the men in red with (13), Ed Velez chipped in (11), Lynchie (6), T-MAC and Jackson (4) each, Johnny Rock (3), Bobby Farland (2). Let’s be honest – scoring has been their Achilles heel (sorry Brian) all year. They’re averaging almost 8 points per game less than the next closest team. Got to put the biscuit in the basket.

Weekly Recap - Week 10

Hard to believe but we are 10 weeks in and officially halfway through the season. Wow that went fast. And the best part is, I’m not counting anyone out just yet…although Advantage Utilities is officially making me nervous. Public Service Announcement: the book was a freakin’ disaster this week. Let’s try to step things up a bit…pay attention…and if you’re uncomfortable doing the book, have someone else do it. Losers. On to the results!

Game 1:           Rockingham Roofing 60  vs.  Advantage Utilities 37

Rockingham Roofing was looking to right the ship after a frustrating loss to Steenson’s Men in Black the previous week, and last place Advantage Utilities (who were missing Ed Velez to make matters worse) was just what the doctor ordered. This was a blowout of significant proportions with the Roofers jumping out to a 15-0 lead that ballooned to 22-3 after the first period. It was smooth sailing from there and the Pumpkin’s Band of Merry Men coasted to a 23-point victory. For the Roofers, it was Billy Ryder’s (17), Old Man Maguire’s (12) and Snyder’s (11) leading the charge. Welcome back Jim Hall who added (9), nice to see some real points instead of just hustle points – which he always earns in spades - from Larry who contributed (4), Gumby had (3), and Anthony and Jeremy (2) each. Glad you found your shot Jeremey – even if it was banked!  There’s the secondary scoring that Rockingham needs. Last week 4, this week 20…much better. Not much to highlight for the Utes, but Craig Jackson had a solid game (finally!) with (13), Lynchie (7), Bobby Farland and Brian Ducharme (4) each, who could forget Paul Wheeler's (3), and then T-Mac, Johnny Rock and Greggy T had (2) each. I’ve done hundreds of these write-ups and can’t ever remember putting a solitary (4) next to Brian Ducharme’s name. Excellent defense from Billy I’m sure made a difference, but the man needs more opportunities. God, I love having the 6:00 game. Thanks for the pizza Billy!

Game 2:           Ryder Electric 65  vs.  Keystone Precision 62

Let’s level set. First place Ryder Electric came to the game with everyone on their current roster present and accounted for. Keystone showed up with 5 guys…not the hamburger joint…I’m talking about 5 dudes. That’s it. No burgers…I mean, no subs. And only 3 of those 5 dudes would score in the game. A walk in the park for the Electricians, right? Not so much. Keystone keeps proving all their doubters wrong by playing a tough brand of basketball. Good defense, excellent foul shooting (13 for 17 in this game) and 6’5’ 240lbs. in the middle doesn’t hurt either. (I’m guessing on the weight Pat!). They gave Ryder Electric everything they could handle in this game and then some….up 3 at the half, tied after the third period and then fatigue hit late in the game and they had a tough time defending the 3, which ultimately cost them. The Electricians had a monster game from Jimmy Ryder (30) and good wingman support in Tom Lecesse (16) and Mitch Mencis (9). Gary Walker Jr. and his thermal underwear had (5), Big Shot Rob Ashe with (3) and Rami (2). For Team Green – the three dudes who did all the scoring were Big Pat DinNino (27), Dave Spero (18) and Red Shoes (17). But Props to all of you including Jeremy Sheppard and Adam Young for playing the full 40 minutes, not fouling out, and keeping it competitive. Better make sure everyone knows the clock/book schedule Coach Spero…starting off the game with the other team shooting a pair of free throws sucks.

Game 3:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 68  vs.  J&B Butcher 62  

“I feel young again! I feel young again!” will be what I remember from this game courtesy of Coach Craig Anderson after draining three straight 3-pointers in the third and fourth periods. Congratulations coach – but what’s more important than your ‘fountain of youth’ moment is that your team finally broke out of its miserable three game losing streak. But make no mistake – it wasn’t easy. This was a great game to watch, and it was nice to see strong play from both sides. After getting trounced 16-5 in the first period, J&B Butcher responded with 26 points in the second period and held on to a one-point lead at the half. How the hell does that happen? I’ll tell you how – because it was turn back the clock night and old man Dennis Breton exploded for 11 points in the quarter. Dennis is as streaky as Steve Tripodi's underwear, but he put it all together when his team needed it most. Still, it was not enough thanks to the Craig Anderson Experience – oh and Andy Wamboldt’s monster evening may have had something to do with it as well. He led all scorers with (29) including 6 three’s…good lord. And he finally had some balanced scoring from the rest of the squad…TJ and the Coach (9) each, Pitre’s (8) – surprisingly not divisible by 3, Ryan Curry (7), Mark Cabral (4) and George Washington Buatti (2). That’s a full team effort…and they were missing Jimmy V (God’s work) and Jeff P (pussy foot).  J&B Butcher only needed four guys to score – led by Steve Wilson’s (24), Baby Mac’s (17), DB’s (11) and Jonathan Silva’s (10). It’s nice that Andy has his own cheering section for pretty much every game. But at least they get to see a show….lots of scoring, some primal screams of frustration, and a few airballs (yes, the streak is back on). Pat I’ll have my money for the Superbowl squares next week I promise! Good win coach – both you and Dennis Breton get to eat for free at Maryann’s Diner courtesy of AARP and Geritol. Hope you’re feeling better Commish, but feel free to take next week off as well.

Weekly Recap - Week 9

Week 9 is in the books, and good luck figuring out what’s going to happen on a week-to-week basis in the league this year. Keystone, proud owners of a neagitive 21 point differential, have moved into third place at 5-3 and are riding a four-game winning streak (all since Dave Russell went down with a pussy hand…hmmm). Anderson & Son Carpentry have lost three in a row and dropped to fourth place. J&B Butcher – once left for dead – find themselves at 3-5 and right back in the mix. Injuries are also starting to become a factor for most teams. Remember that the best ability is availability…especially late in the season and the playoffs. Resting now isn’t a bad thing. Some big movement in the standings after this week’s slate of games. On to the results!

Game 1:           Ryder Electric 66  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 55

Ryder Cup II…a battle for first place. This game started off very competitive with both teams going back and forth until the final 2 minutes of the first half when Ryder Electric went on a run to claim a 9-point lead at the break. From there, things just got worse for Rockingham and they could never get close the rest of the way. The Roofers need more secondary scoring, and not having Jim Hall around to knock down open threes hur for sure. But make no mistake – this game was lost on the defensive side of the ball. Not covering KANE! and Gary Walker – who combined for 5 three pointers - proved fatal. Now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write, but it happened…Jesus. Even Friday Morning Ricky made a few important baskets and Big Shot Rob Ashe turned back the clock to remind everyone he still has a little something left in the tank. Maybe more than a little. For Ryder Electric, it was Jimmy Ryder who set the pace with (15) and then the previously mentioned Rob Ashe with his best game of the season (12), KANE! with his best game of the season (9), Gary Walker Jr. with his best game of the season (6), Ricky O with his best game of the season (6), Rami and Tommy…isn’t that cute (7) each, and Mitch with (4). For the Roofers, it was Billy Ryder’s (20) leading the way and followed closely by Snyder (18) and Semper Fi Craig (13). Morrissey added (4) and that’s it.  If you had told me before the game that Rockingham would get 51 points combined from their big 3 and hold Jimmy, Tommy and Mitch to 26 combined points – I would take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Easy math….the rest of Ryder Electric had 40 and the Roofers 4. Wow. Let’s hope Coach Tripodi got some wisdom from his annual family pilgrimage to Pumpkinfest this weekend. I’m serious, he went. There are pictures.

Game 2:           J&B Butcher 59  vs.  Advantage Utilities 53

The battle of the basement dwellers gave us a pretty entertaining game to watch, filled with ups and downs throughout and big swings in momentum. Wheeler’s boys in red jumped all over the Butchers (who were without Steve Wilson again) from the start and led 17-6 after the first period – only to watch it almost all slip away in the second. A four-point lead at half was trimmed to 3 after three periods. And after the fourth we had every referee’s favorite result – a tie, which means OVERTIME! Extra work they don’t get paid for…Yippee! And the OT belonged to J&B – outscoring Advantage Utilities 10-4 good buddy and walking away with their third victory of the season. For the Blue Butcher’s, a great all around game from Baby Mac who lead all scorers with (18) and a big result from Jonathan Silva (15) who finally had some luck go his way for a change. Murph added (9), everyone’s favorite DB (I know what you’re thinking but I’m talking about Dennis Breton, losers) had (8), Coach Crump with a season high (4) and single handedly keept his team in the game during the first period, Commissioner Young (3), and Bobby Dudal (2). For the Utilitarians, Ed Velez was the high scorer with (15), Greg Utili-Tatarian (11)…nice game buddy, Ducharme (8), Action Jackson (7) to go along with a tremendous amount of verbal abuse from the crowd, T-Mac (6), Lynchie (4), and Jonny Rock (2). A word of advice for everyone who wears a red jersey. I’ve been on Brian’s team twice before…get him the freakin’ ball. Although you can wait to start until after we play you clowns next week. You’re welcome.

Game 3:           Keystone Precision 49  vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 47

The best game of the night pitted two teams going in completely opposite directions - Keystone riding high and Anderson & Son Carpentry trying to figure their stuff out. This was a defensive battle, but that’s just the way the Green Goons like it. Defense, steals, rebounds, drawing an exaggerated charge here and there, being patient, and hitting open shots. Say what you want about their MO, but they are playing good team ball right now.  Keystone held an uncomfortable lead for most of the game, but Coach Carig’s squad nearly came back at the end. Free throws down the stretch sealed a two-point victory for Coach Spero and sent Anderson & Son Carpentry to the showers. For Team Green – it was Pat DiNino with a game high (17) firmly entrenching himself in the way-too-early MVP discussion. Red Shoes, Freddie, and Adam Young each had (7) and JC had (4). Dave Russell had zero points. Dave Spero (5) and Nate Spero (2) combined for 7 points. Again, if you told me that before the game, I would have said loss for Keystone. Now for the Carpenters (weren’t they a band?). Pretty sure they were. Andy Wamboldt was ‘On Top of the World’ with (15) and a HUMONGOUS airball – perhaps two. Jimmy V asked Ryan C to ‘Touch Me When We’re Dancing’ while they twinkle-toed their way to (8) points each, Mark ‘It’s Going to Take Some Time’ Cabral (7), Jeff ‘Love Me for What I Am’ Pitre had (5) which is surprisingly not divisible by 3, and The Bearded Bakers Dad Mark ‘Superstar’ Buatti had (4). Hard to imagine the way the season started that Keystone would leapfrog the Carpenters in the standings after this game…but they did.

Weekly Recap - Week 8

Week 8 featured a couple really good games and one blowout. With three teams tied at 4-2, something had to give…and it did. As we near the halfway point of the season, teams should be rounding into shape and figuring things out. Clearly some have and some haven’t. I’ll say one thing….the gym is open for pickup on Friday mornings at 5:30, and Saturday/Sunday mornings at 6:30 and it’s mostly all guys from the league. It would be good to see a few more down there.  On to the results!

Game 1:           Keystone Precision 55  vs.  J&B Butcher 52

Coud Keystone make it three wins in a row after losing three in a row? In a word, yes, but this game was tighter than Steve Tripodi’s underpants on a warm summer day. How’s that for a visual? Not good. Give it up to the Spero brothers who are playing good ball right now and Pat DiNino who is about as steady as they come in the paint. Spero the D led Keystone with (16) followed closely by Spero the N who had (15) and made 100% of his free throws. Big Pat had (12), Freddie (6), Adam Young (4) and Red Shoes Garone (2). For the Butcher’s – thank goodness for sharp-shootin’ Steve Wilson who had a game high (26) – or exactly 50% of his team’s points. Without his scoring we might be talking about relegation here. Dennis Breton was next scoring (8) and having a solid season, Baby Mac was snakebitten from outside – rimming out half a dozen three-pointers and finished with (7)…so was Jonathan Silva (7) who had a bunch of good looks, but no good luck. If it was Sunday morning, he would have made all of them. Bobby Dudal and Murph each had (2)…and that’s all she wrote. You feel like J&B is right on the cusp of turning the corner into a more consistent team. And it’s right around now when former MVP Baby Mac starts to lock things down and become a different player…should be interesting to watch. And with Billy Forbes coming back any week now, they could look much better soon.

Game 2:           Rockingham Roofing 64 vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 55

This was the game of the night heading into week 8…and let’s just say it didn’t disappoint. Two teams tied atop the standings – and it was Rockingham Roofing looking for revenge after to losing to Anderson’s Golden Group of Gorillas the first time around. And you just knew there was a little bit of Pumpkin magic in the air when Coach Tripodi inserted himself into the starting lineup and promptly scored 5 quick points…the most I’ve seen him score in a league game in many years. And I think he actually talked some Pumpkin smack to Craig Anderson too…behave Coach! The game was tight after the first period and then the Roofers seemingly seized momentum in the second outscoring the Golden Girls by 10 and held a 13-point lead at the half. The second half was wild…a three-point festival erupted in the 3^rd period and before you knew it, Anderson & Son Carpentry had put up 25 points and cut Rockingham’s lead to 3. But the Roofers closed this one out after letting one slip away last week against Keystone. Good defense, rebounding and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch (13 for 17 in the game) was more than enough to get it done. For the Roofers, Billy Ryder led  the way with (17) and was almost matched by Jim Hall’s (15). Snyder added (12) and a big, fat airball, Old Man Maguire (9), Pumpkin (5), Morrissey (4), and the pride of East Boston, everyone’s favorite Paisano Anthoy Serino (2)….free meatballs for everyone! Anderson & Son Carpentry got another all-world performance from Andy Wamboldt with (23) although he chucked up a couple airballs himself and 2 for 6 from the line isn’t going to win you many prizes…if you need lessons, I know a guy. Jimmy V and his pussy knee added (14), and after that…ehhhh….Pitre (6) which is divisible by 3, Ryan Curry (5), Mark Cabral (4), and Coach Anderson (3). Jim Hall gets player of the game for Rockingham…4 HUGE three-pointers and clutch 3 for 4 free throw shooting during nut-cutting time at the end of the game made this an easy choice. I was proud to secure a rebound towards the end that resulted in Andy legitimately trying to kill me, which also fouled him out of the game. I would foul out myself on the very next play. Idiot. Still, big win…bring on Black next week for Ryder Cup part deux!

Game 3:           Ryder Electric 52  vs.  Advantage Utilities 38

Advantage Utilities – hot off their first victory of the season – was looking to start a winning streak of their own against first place Ryder Electric who were missing a fairly important cog in league leading scorer Tom Lecesse. Sooooo, which Advantage Utilities team was going to show up? The one without Ducharme and Velez that put the smack down on Anderson & Son Carpentry last week, or their winless alter ego? Woof. It wasn’t a runaway by any means, but the end result was never in doubt as Ryder Electric took the lead early and didn’t surrender it, going wire-to-wire for a comfortable 14-point win. To say Advantage Utilities could never get things going would be an understatement. No one in double figures – and the Three Musketeers from their week 7 victory (Jackson, Farland and Lynch) could only muster 15 points combined for the entire game. As for Ryder Electric, they didn’t miss a beat without Tommy. And don’t look now but Mitch Mencis is starting to get comfortable and figure out what it’s like to play in the league…that’s bad news for everybody else. No surprise that Jimmy Ryder led all scorers with (18), Comfortable Mitch Mencis a tidy (12), Rami (8), Gary Walker Jr. (6), Friday Morning Ricky (4), Coach Steenson and KANE! (2) apiece. Now to the ugly stuff…the Utility Boys were led by Ducharme, Lynchie and T-Mac with (8) each, Action Jackson (5), Ed Velez (4), Common Man Greg Tatarian (3) and everybody’s BF Bobby Farland (2). Perhaps it’s time for another intervention from Advantage Utilities El Presidente…

Weekly Recap - Week 7

Week 6 was a disappointment with the Commish having to cancel the two late games due to a very slippery floor which the early game players had to suffer through…just ask Ryan Curry. But we managed to get a couple pickup games in, which was fun. I can’t remember what happened in the early game, but I think Andy Wamboldt may have had a few points and DEFINITELY an airball in a loss. Week 7 however was a different story…big developments and a significant shakeup in the standings. Perhaps the teams who thought they were the cat’s ass are really just a bunch of tool bags? All I know is this – when the whistle blows, you better be ready to play. Some teams were this past week, and others weren’t. On to the results!

Game 1:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 57  vs.  Advantage Utilities 59

As if starting the season out 0-5 wasn’t bad enough, Coach Wheels found out pre-game that he would be without top two picks Brian Ducharme and Ed Velez. Not exactly what you’re looking for when facing second place Anderson & Son Carpentry – who would be welcoming back Jimmy V from a knee injury even though the doctor told him to sit out a few weeks. Just reminder nitwit – there are no championship trophies in October. And besides, you were going against a winless Advantage Utilities squad who were missing their top 2 players…easy win, right? Ahh, not so fast. Like a prophet, Andy Wamboldt walked up to me before the game and said, “you watch…this is going to be a one-point game at halftime and we’re going to struggle to put them away.”  You talked yourself right into it my friend. It was actually a two-point game at the half – but with Advantage Utilities in the lead. And then the second half turned into the Chris Lynch, Craig Jackson, and Bobby Farland show – all three of whom had their coming out party (finally) accounting for all of their teams’ points over the last two periods. Anderson’s Carpentry Crew just had no answers for them, and they could never get into a scoring rhythm of their own.  For the winning Advantage Utilities team – Lynchie led the way with (15) and was followed closely by Bobby Farland’s (14) and  Action Jackson’s (11). Common Man Greg Tatarian added (9) on three 3-pointers, T-Mac chipped in (8) and freshly shorn Paul Wheeler with (2). Andy Wanboldt led all scorers with (22) for the Golden Goons, Jimmy V and his pussy knee added (12), Pitre (9) which is once again easily divisible by 3, Ryan Curry (8), TJ (4), and George Washington Buatti (2). Rumor has it Advantage Utilities President Christopher Chapman – unhappy with his team’s slow start and unable to get Andy Wamboldt to throw the game despite offering him a bucket of White Claws - held a players-only meeting to address his expectations for the remainder of the season. It was win or go home. Looks like they can all stick around for another week. Fun fact about Advantage Utilities – all employees are required to grow aggressive beards. https://www.advutilities.com/about-us.  I guess Coach Wheeler didn’t get the message. But congratulations on your first win of the season…took you long enough!

Game 2:           Ryder Electric 63  vs.  J&B Butcher 40

Don’t let their position in the standings fool you – this was the game of the night on paper. Both teams would certainly be hungry after coming off a loss two weeks ago and looking to prove they’re every bit worthy of being in the championship conversation. Turns out that Ryder Electric were the only ones with an appetite on this night – while J&B Butcher suffered from a case of the pukies instead. This game was ugly. U-G-L-Y. How does 23-5 after the first period sound? Want more? 44-15 at the half….yeesh. The Butcher’s tried to make a half-hearted run in the second half and actually got he lead down to 19 at one point – but that was literally the highlight of the night for them. I got nothing else. For the Electricians, Tommy Lecesse’s (21) points were a game high and Jimmy Ryder close behind with (19). They didn’t need much else, but Rami had (10) on his quest to be this year’s most improved player, Mitch (6), Friday Morning Ricky (4), and One Shot Rob Ashe (3). For the Butcher’s – Baby Mac had (12), Wilson (9), Jonathan Silva (8), Dennis (7), and the Commish (4). Give it to Ryder Electric for knowing how to play with a lead and closing a game out - something Rockingham Roofing could learn from. Which brings us to….

Game 3:           Rockingham Roofing 46  vs.  Keystone Precision 48

The calendar has turned to October, and the crisp feeling of Fall is in the air. And you all know what that means….it’s Pumpkin season! It’s that scared time of year when Coach Steve Tripodi transforms from an average basketball coach toiling away on the fringes of Big Island Pond, into The Great Pumpkin – a basketball savant who masterfully concocts game plans like magic potions designed to spell doom for the opposing team. I’m making all of this shit up. I think everyone knows why we call him Pumpkin. But there were Autumn blessings present for Rockingham Roofing, as Keystone would be without Red Shoes Garone and Dave Russell who is still recovering from his pussy-hand. Advantage Roofers, right? You’d think they may have learned a thing or two from the first game of the night not to underestimate a team who is missing players. After jumping out to a 21-9 lead in the first period on hot shooting from Gumby and Maguire, the Roofers offense went silent – mustering only 26 more points for the rest of the game. How does that happen? 6’5” Pat DiNino is how a lot of it happened – and a lot of defensive intensity (and maybe a flop or twelve) from the Spero brothers. But it was the most under-the-radar hero for Keystone who made the biggest difference – Adam Young. 10 huge points including two 3-pointers – and one in the final minute to tie the game when it looked like the Roofers were on the road to victory. Props to you Adam – everyone loves your game and you deserve credit for hitting a couple big-time shots…you lucky bastard. For Team Green, it was the aforementioned Pat DiNino with (15), Dave Spero and Adam Young (10) each, Nate Speron (8), Freddie (4) and Jeremy Sheppard (1). For the Roofers, Billy Ryder lead all scorers with (18), Gumby (12), Maguire (8), Snyder (6), and Jim Hall (3). We won’t talk about how many layups the Roofers missed collectively…total team loss. Don’t look now but Keystone has rattled off two big wins in a row and find themselves back to .500 and right in the mix of things.

Weekly Recap - Week 5

We are officially at the quarter pole of the season….5 games in and 15 to go. That went by fast. Now that every team has faced each other exactly once, we can start to draw dome conclusions, right? Not so fast. What seemed like a couple of sure-fire wins on paper didn’t go quite as planned. And even though the final scores don’t quite reflect it, each game was competitive well into the fourth period. Some guys nutted up while others pooped in their pants…want to find out who? On to the results!

Game 1:           Keystone Precision 60  vs.  Ryder Electric 46

This was a crazy game…for many reasons. Keystone would once again be without Dandy Dave Russell, but also Mike Garone who traded in his red shoes for his fireman boots on Wednesday evening. So let’s be honest, surely a teetering squad missing two of their top players wouldn’t stand a chance against the fighting Steenson’s who were coming off their first loss of the season the week before in a hard-fought game. Well, let me just say that the Spero brothers would not be denied on this night and played with a passion we had yet to see from them this season. And big Pat DiNino feasted on his old teams’ lack of size and dominated the glass. But make no mistake – this was a game. Only one point separated the two teams at halftime and then out of nowhere Keystone found themselves up 11 with two minutes to go in the third period. And then as quickly as it came, it went away - and the Electricians took the lead back early in the fourth. And then the Spero Experience happened, and it was lights out. It really didn’t help that Jimmy Ryder fouled out on a few sketchy calls and (I’m trying to be polite) one major flop-a-dop-alus from Dave Spero. Coach Steenson was nervously pacing the sideline like a wind-up doll as he watched the Keystone lead grow free throw by free throw…all 30 of them! That’s not a typo…30 freakin’ free throws in one game might just be a record – and to Keystones credit – they made 18 of them which is 60%...better than the league average. Most importantly they hit the ones that mattered down the stretch and they bested Ryder Electric 19-10 in the final frame to earn a really gutsy win. DiNino continued his solid season with a game high (19), then Nate Spero (16) and Dave Spero (13). And a few big buckets from Freddy (5), JC (4), and Adam Young (3) that turned out to be very important. Fore Ryder Electric, Jimmy Ryder and Tommy Lecesse each had (15), Rami (8), Big Shot Rob Ashe and  KANE! (3) each, and Mitch Mencis got his first ever bucket and finished with (2). Gary Walker Jr. and Wednesday Night Ricky O’Donnell were nowhere to be found. Coach Steenson – get yourself in the game brother.

Game 2:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 64  vs.  J&B Butcher 55

This was poised to be the game of the night until a last-minute absentee text from big man Dave McIntyre that landed like a fart in church for J&B Butcher head coach Terry Crump. When’s the last time you read a sentence that had cuts of meat, religion, and flatulence in it? Boom! Not the best news to hear when the only dude big enough to cover Andy Wamboldt is MIA, but at least Terry could turn to Steve Wilson (and look him right in the eye actually) and say – just please shoot whenever you have an open shot - no matter where you are. And he pretty much did that and kept the game very close for the better part of thee and a half periods until he ran out of gas. Too much Andy down low. I think I saw him get four rebounds on one offensive possession…mostly from his own missed layups, but that’s beside the point – the guy can rebound.  And he led the way for the Golden Goons with (21) and had a lot of help from Jimmy V sprinting his way to (15)  points mostly on breakaways. Curry and Buatti had (7) each, Pitre (6) – once again divisible by three, and then TJ and Cabral (4) each. For J&B, Steve Wilson had himself one hell of game notching (32) in a losing effort. Something tells me he will once again lead the league in scoring. Jonathan Silva added (9), Dennis Breton (7), Murph (3), and then Bobby Dudal and the Commish with (2) each. Most importantly – Airball Andy kept his streak alive…3 games in a row if I’m not mistaken. How many more until we seriously consider getting t-shirts made up? I’m a XXL…

Game 3:           Rockingham Roofing 66  vs.  Advantage Utilities 53

Donning their new white jerseys (thanks Billy!) the Roofers set out to stay atop the standings while  facing a desperate Advantage Utilities team still looking for their first win of the season. Rockingham got out to a fast start and led 17-6 after the first period. But the men in red wouldn’t go away and kept things really tight until about halfway through the final quarter when they cut the lead to 4 or 5 points, I think, but then had to start fouling. And the Roofers would hit 15 of 23 overall to salt the game away. But it wasn’t all glory for the winners…there needs to be some accounting for a few absolutely horrible shots. It would be hypocritical of me if I didn’t mention the 3 Airball Musketeers for Rockingham Roofing…Dave SnydAIR, Craig MaguiAIR, and Billy RydAIR on a near half court heat-check. But a win is a win. For the Roofers, Billy Ryder had his breakout game putting up a Larry Bird (33) points which included 5 three pointers and an 8 for 13 effort from the line. We’ll take that every week pal…no excuses. Snyder was next with (11) and dare I say some clutch free throws late…Jim Hall continues his solid season with (10), Old Man Maguire had (8), Gumby (4), and that was it. For Advantage Utilities – how about this for a box score: Action Jackson had (11), Ducharme and Bobby Farland had (9) each and then T-Mac, Lynchie, and Ed Velez had (8) apiece. So no scorer had less than 8 points, but no one had more than 11 either. Still, a balanced effort and something tells me these guys are going to start clicking soon. Coach Wheels – get yourself in the game brother. Coach Pumpkin – get yourself in the….actually never mind.

Weekly Recap - Week 4

Week 4 was a night of “firsts” at Memorial Gym. We had our first 70-point game of the young season. We had our first Ryder vs. Ryder matchup which came down the wire (more on that later). We welcomed our first injury replacement to the league – hello Mitch! We did not have our first airball however…we’ve had airballs aplenty in this league since the very first game, which coincidentally Andy Wamboldt played in. Yikes. But the real question is – would Advantage Utilities secure their first win – and would Ryder Electric suffer their first loss? Hint: one would happen. On to the results!

Game 1:           J&B Butcher 55  vs.  Advantage Utilities 41

Hard to figure out what’s going with Advantage Utilities…they’ve got good pieces but just haven’t figured out a way to put it all together yet. I have a suggestion though for Coach Wheels (which I’ll wait to give until after this week because we’re playing them – sorry buddy).  But perhaps this was their week…J&B Butcher would be without Billy Forbes and his grotesque thumb injury but also Steve Wilson (not to be confused with the volleyball Wilson! from the movie Castaway – although I can hear Coach Terry Crump screaming his name when he got the news 5 minutes before the game that he would be a no-show). I wonder if Steve ever gets all jacked-up because every time he looks at a basketball, his name is on it. Sorry – back to the game. Surely Advantage Utilities would have the “advantage” in this matchup, right? Yeeaahh….not so much. 6 points in the first period and 16 total in the first half just isn’t going to get it done. J&B came out and took control of the game from the very beginning and enjoyed an 11-point lead at halftime thanks to some hot shooting from Baby Mac, Jonathan Silva, Dennis Breton and Murph! And defensively they were on point as well - blocking shots all over the place, Dennis using his reach-around skills to create turnovers, and pesky on-ball intensity from Silva. For the Butcher’s, a huge game from the huge man Baby Mac (22), Silva had (12), Dennis (9)…and that alone would have been enough to win…but Murph added (8) and Coach Crump and Bobby Dudal had (2) apiece just to make sure. Not much to write about for Coach Wheeler’s team…Chris Lynch led the scoring with (10), Ed Velez (9), Ducharme (8), Jackson and his pussy leg which seems to be getting better (5), T-Mac and his McRib that seems to be getting better (4), rookie Farland (3) and The Rock (2). I’d say let’s hope Red gets a victory next week but…

Game 2:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 75  vs.  Keystone Precision 54

Ever since Anderson & Son Carpentry laid a gigantic steaming turd in their week 1 matchup versus Ryder Electric, it’s been nothing but unicorns, rainbows, and baby sloths – and this week proved no different against a teetering Keystone squad. And losing Dave Russell to a broken hand isn’t going to help matters any. I can’t imagine not being able to use one of my hands…so many thoughts. But at least you have Gary around to help you do all the things you can’t do by yourself anymore. He’s a true friend. But even a one-handed Russell probably could have played better defense than what we saw on the court Wednesday night…holy smokes. The boys in yellow put on a scoring clinic…35 points in the first half and 40 in the second…and they rested starters in the 4th! I’m trying to think of something creative to say about this game but I’m having a hard time – it was just a blowout – plain and simple. For Coach Anderson’s team, it was Andy Wamboldt leading the charge with (20) and followed closely by Ryan Curry who got off the schneid with (19) and also Jeff Pitre with (15) – which is easily divisible by 3 so you know exactly how many shots he made. Jimmy V and Mark Cabral had (7) each, TJ added (5) after a week off, and the Old Ball Coach chipped in with (2). For the fighting Spero’s, Big Pat DiNino had himself a nice game with (18), Coach Spero had (10), Red Shoes Garone (8), Nate (7), Jeremy Sheppard a solid (6) and Adam Young (5). Oh, and Airball Andy’s streak lives on – let’s keep that going big guy - it makes us so happy in the bleachers. Those airballs are living rent-free in your head and we love it.

Game 3:           Rockingham Roofing 57  vs.  Ryder Electric 52

This was no matinee…it was a heavyweight tilt that proved to be worth sticking around until 8:30 for. First place (and undefeated) Ryder Electric squared off against second place Rockingham Roofing, who were looking for redemption after a mostly lopsided defeat the week before at the hands of Anderson & Son Carpentry. Meanwhile, the men in black (a subtle reference to one of my all-time favorite musicians – not the Will Smith/Tommy Lee Jones UFO movies) have been quietly cruising along picking up win after win after win…and making it look easy. But the Roofers were out to prove they were ready for the challenge…and oh boy did they deliver. Ryder Electric held a 2-point lead after the first period, but Rockingham closed the gap and actually lead by 2 at halftime 29-27. But then things almost got away after a serious run by the Electricians to go up by as many as 7 and held on to a 5 point lead going into the 4^th period. Nut-cutting time for the Roofies and they manned up in the final frame with some huge buckets, clutch free throw shooting, and tenacious D (not a subtle reference to the band Tenacious D because I think they suck). Anyway, this all resulted in a 5-point win for Coach Tripodi’s crew which had to feel a little sweet after getting knocked off by Coach Steenson’s team in the finals last year. Lot’s more ball to be played though. For Rockingham Roofing, this was the Gettysburg Address game because they only needed four scorers (and if you don’t know what that means, you’re stoopid). The Old Marine himself – Craig Maguire - led the way with (20), followed closely by Billy Ryder’s (17), Snyder’s (11) and Gumby’s (9)…and that’s it. In defeat, Ryder Electric had (25) from Jimmy Ryder, (16) from a beat-up Tom Lecesse and then not a lot else….just (4) each from Rob Ashe and Rami Ata, and a lucky-as-balls (3) from Gary Walker Jr.  What a game. And the week leading up to this matchup must have been insufferable for the Ryder’s wives with all the shit-talking that surely went on between the two brothers. I honestly can’t even imagine. God bless you both.

Weekly Recap - Week 3

Week 3 was a fun night at Memorial Gym with full slate of competitive games but not so full of players. Every team was missing key contributors this week and as you rookies will find out – it really affects the matchups. There’s a lot to get to and plenty of people to insult, so…on to the results!

Game 1:           Anderson & Son Carpentry 54  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 48

There was a lot of chirping leading up to this game amongst the Big Island Pond social circle. Perhaps it was the Airball Andy nickname from week 2 (which he lived up to in this game also!) or maybe it was bragging rights for who has the biggest…boat. I don’t know for sure, but it was testy. There were also rumors of Anderson & Son Carpentry holding unsanctioned team practices at the gym (of course unbeknownst to Coach Anderson, which, let’s be honest, isn’t much of a surprise)…but still. Clearly this game meant something. And to be fair, the Golden Goons took it to the Roofers from the start and jumped out to a 19-7 first period lead. From there it was an uphill battle for Coach Pumpkin’s crew. Every time they cut the lead down to a respectable number, Andersons team would respond with a mini run of their own. Until the fourth period when things got interesting. Desperation kicked-in and the Roofers went on a 19-8 flurry to actually make a game of it for the final few minutes…but it was too little too late. For Anderson Carpentry – Andy Wamboldt had a monster game with (21) and a yet to be calculated number of rebounds. Let’s just say it was a lot. And he stuffed the crap out of me on a putback that I still think was a foul, but what do I know. Jimmy V came out of his early season fog and had a meaningful (16)…and then fairly pedestrian numbers from the rest of the team – Curry and Buatti (5) apiece, Pitre (3) and Cabral and Polchlopek (2) each. For Rockingham, Billy Ryder had a game high (23), Old Man Maguire (10), Gumby (7), Snyder (6), and Coach’s first (2) of the season. If we’re being truthful –  and everything I write here is of the utmost integrity – no one on Rockingham Roofing had a good game. Let’s see how things go next time. And just one more little tasty treat…this was Andy’s first win against a Tripodi/Snyder squad after going 0 for 6 last year. Still got to win a few more (like 5) before we can call it an actual “rivalry”.

Game 2:           Ryder Electric 55  vs.  Advantage Utilities 45

This game was as much about who wasn’t on the court as much as who was. League-leading scorer Tommy Lecesse and K-Mac were out for Ryder Electric…and first round pick Brian Ducharme was AWOL for Advantage Utilities. Three key players to say the least. Which means someone else had to seize the moment and step up. Any guesses? Well let me tell you - I wouldn’t have been more surprised if I woke up with my head sewn to the carpet – but Rami Ata and Friday Morning Ricky O’Donnell STEPPED UP combining for 19 huge points and were truly the difference in this game. In fact, their 19 points is the exact number of points that leading scorer Jimmy Ryder had. So, if you put Rami and Ricky together, you get Ryder? That’s a lot of R’s…and I don’t want to think about Rami and Ricky together – not even a little bit – that’s a balding mess of body hair and awkward looking shots. So, let’s just say the three of them combined for 38 points. Coach Steenson chipped in (8), Big Shot Rob Ashe (5) and Gary Walker Jr. somehow managed to accumulate (4) in between all of his airballs and backboard shattering cannon fodder. The game itself was a back-and-forth affair most of the evening with several lead changes and coach Wheels had the lead down to four in the waning moments of the fourth period – but they just couldn’t get it done. Ed Velez led all scorers with (25), but didn’t have a whole lot of help…Action Jackson (7), Lynchie (5), and then Johnny Rock and rookie Bobby Farland (4) each. That puts Advantage Utilities firmly in last place and sill looking for their first win. Bonus points if anyone can tell me (without Googling it) what famous movie the “head sewn to the carpet” quote is from). Rami – you said you wanted to be in the writeup – so congratulations and I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t disappoint.

Game 3:           J&B Butcher 63  vs.  Keystone Precision 59

The final tilt of the evening may have been the best game of the bunch with J&B Butcher desperately needing a win to prevent an 0-3 start and Keystone trying to avoid two losses in a row after a nice win to start the season. Both teams were missing a starter – J&B was without Billy “The Thumb” Forbes and Keystone was missing fireman Mike Garone. This was a relatively high scoring affair for any game this season with 122 combined points – and exactly the type of game where you can get “Wilsoned”. That’s a term familiar to those of us who watched the little prick carve up defenses two seasons ago en route to the MVP, and last year leading the league in scoring and helping his team reach the finals. So, Keystone got Wilsoned for (22) – but they also got Silvaed for (17) and Brettoned for (13). That’s 52 points between the three of them. Baby Mac added (7) along with some stingy defense, and Murph-dog netted (4) to close things out for the winners. Silva’s clutch free throw shooting late in the fourth period cannot be overlooked going 6 for 7 with the game on the line. Overall, J&B was 15 for 21 from the charity stripe – and that’s going to win you some games. By contrast, Keystone was just 1-4 with Nate Spero being the only one who even went to the line. That’s messed up. And despite having a team with a crap-ton of “D’s” in their names, Keystone gave up a league season high 63 points. DiNino had (16) for the men in green, D-Russ (12), D-Spero (11), FreD and Jeremy ShepparD (6) each, ADam Young and Nate (3) apiece and JC (2). Unfortunately Dave “Safety First” Russel appears to have significantly hurt his hand in this game. I hope you’re not going to miss the season because I will miss our utterly useless - but at the same time hysterical – conversations in the bleachers after games. And I know your soulmate Gary Walker will miss you even more – but at least he’ll be by to bring you chicken soup every day along with a reach-around. So at least you have that going for you. Which is nice.   

Weekly Recap - Week 2

Two weeks in and we’ve already got multiple storylines to report. Season ending injuries. Our first Family Feud game between Vaillancourt and Lynch (brother in-laws). An off-the-charts scoring outburst by the ‘way-to-early-to-call’ MVP favorite. The Ryder boys both held to single digits, but still winning. Dennis Breton back from the dead…or at least a very long nap. And only 8 players total with double figures across all six games in what’s been a very low scoring season so far. There were some truly remarkable performances this week – both good and bad. Get your popcorn ready…on to the results!

Game 1:           Ryder Electric 53  vs.  J&B Butcher 45

Oh brother. This one had the makings of a blowout from jump street. J&B Butcher would be without last season’s scoring champion Steve Wilson (illness) and Glenn Murphy (whereabouts unknown). And then to make matters worse, promising rookie Billy Forbes had to leave the game in the first half after suffering a gruesome thumb injury that just about made Nate Spero puke. It was pretty bad. On the flipside, Ryder Electric had all of their studs except Ricky O’Donnell who was busy chasing cattle in Montana (true story…say a prayer for the cows). And wouldn’t you know it – J&B Butcher trounced the Electricians 19-9 in the opening frame and held on to a 3-point lead at halftime. The back-and-forth affair continued in the second half and then Kevin McCarthy pulled up lame with a significant hamstring injury that was plaguing him earlier in the game. It was a 2-point lead for the Electricians going into the fourth period and they were able to pull away down the stretch despite shaky play from most of their team. I say most of their team, because there was one guy who could not be stopped – Tommy Lecesse – who delivered one of the better performances we’ve ever seen in Memorial Gym. 36 freakin’ points, which works out to be 68% of his team’s total. I’m not great at math, but when one dude scores more than two-thirds of your points, I think you need to take him out to dinner, clean his garage, or offer to caddy for him during his next round of golf. Something…because he picked all of you up. Besides Tommy’s (36) freakin’ points, the only other scorers were Jimmy Ryder who struggled mightily to get (8), Gary Walker Jr. and Big Shot Rob Ashe (3) each, K-Mac (2) and Rami with the unfortunate (1). Not a typo – that’s it. For the Butcher’s, Dennis Breton’s (17) led the way but was still less than half of what Tommy scored, sorry D. Jonathan Silva had a strong (11), Baby Mac (7), Forbes and the ageless Bobby Dudal (5) apiece. K-Mac and Billy – I know I speak for the whole league (except for maybe the replacement players who are dying to get in) when I say we hope you’re both feeling better and that you’re able to return sometime this season. Hold on, I think Mitch Mencis is calling me…   

Game 2:           Keystone Precision 38  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 55

Coach Steve Tripodi brought his senior circuit into week 2 after an impressive opening night victory, but would face a Keystone team coming off a tremendous comeback and victory of their own against Advanced Utilities. After Nate Spero and I manned the scorer’s table for game 1 which included lengthy discussions about our struggles with hair loss, how much we both love Dennis Breton, and how much we hate…aahhh never mind…it was time to square off. Keystone has speed, Rockingham has size…so where would you place your bet? Turns out size mattered more – at least in this game. While Keystone’s Pat DiNino was clearly the largest guy on the court – the Roofer’s can start four guys over 6 feet tall and pair them with the fastest guy in the league – Billy Ryder – who can matchup against just about anyone. After jumping out to a 22-10 first period lead, Rockingham increased its lead to 17 points at the half. But we all know playing with a big lead is tough, and as sure as Jeff Steenson showing up to the gym with 47 bags and his Converse socks, Keystone would mount their comeback. I could be wrong, but I think the lead was cut to 5 or 6 points at one time during the second half…but every time Keystone made a run, the Roofers were able to answer – and they salted the game away by making their free throws down the stretch. The Roofers nearly had 5 players in double figures. For the first and probably only time this season, yours truly had a game high (12) points…which is pretty weak. Jim Hall playing some great overall team basketball was next in line with (10), Billy Ryder, Old Man Maguire and rookie Jeremy Dow (9) each, and Gumby with (6). For Keystone, it was all single digits. Adam Young came out blazing and was their high scorer with (9), Coach Dave Spero (8), DiNino (7), Red Shoes Garone (6), and then Nate, Jeremy Sheppard, Freddy, and Gary Walker Jr.’s bosom buddy Dave Russell (2) each. Things are Looking up for Rockingham Roofing, and with Summer nearly over, it’s almost Fall….and you know what that means. Pumpkin season.

Game 3:           Advantage Utilities 35  vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 51

Both of these teams were looking to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start…which means absolutely nothing because everyone makes the playoffs. However, after a less-than-spectacular performance in week 1, Coach Craig Anderson’s golden goon squad was looking to right the ship against an Advantage Utilities team that should have been extra motivated after snatching defeat from the jaws of victory versus the Spero brothers last Wednesday.  But Coach Paul Wheeler would be without Tim McDonald who hurt his McRib in week 1, a limited Action Jackson who is still nursing his pussy knee, and Ed Velez who was a late arrival after falling asleep on the beach. Anderson’s team showed no mercy however, doubling up the men in red 18-9 after the first period…and it was an uphill battle from there. Advantage Utilities could never get anything going, and not one player scored more than 7 points…that’s hard to fathom. Not the case for Anderson’s crew however – they scored seemingly at will except for a putrid third period. Jeff Pitre found his three-point shot after a concerning week 1 performance and led all scorers with (17). Airball Andy Wamboldt lumbered his way to (13), Jimmy V (10) George Washington Buatti and TJ with (5) apiece and league treasurer Jeff Polchlopek with the always awkward (1). I’d like to know what the hell happened to Ryan Curry after scoring 21 points in week 1 and getting blanked during week 2. Oh wait, Brian Ducharme. Sorry Ryan. I’ve been on the end of that losing battle more times than I care to remember. Frustrating. For Advantage Utilities, let’s hope this game is their worst of the season. You might want to hold your nose when you read these stats…Ed Velez (7), Ducharme, rookie Bobby Farland and Chris Lynch with (6) each, Jackson and Common Man Greg Tatarian (5) apiece…and that’s it. For real. Congratulations to Andy Wamboldt for beating up the team he sponsored (and works for) and sending them to the basement in the standings. I’m sure that Advantage Utilities leadership will be thrilled to hear these results when I call them later today.  Chances are there’s a performance improvement plan in your future big fella. Well played my friend.

Weekly Recap - Week 1

Welcome to the first weekly recap for the  Hampstead Masters Basketball League 2025 – 2026 season. For all you rookies – these weekly writeups are meant to be entertaining  in a funny, insulting, rewarding kind of way. So please don’t take offense to anything that’s written here because you WILL find yourself on the wrong side of a back-handed compliment from time-to-time…especially if your name is Gary Walker, Rick O’Donnell or Craig Jackson. Love you guys...mean it.

First things first. On a serious note, I would be remiss without acknowledging the recent passing of Ross Huntington after a far-to-quick battle with cancer. Ross was my next-door neighbor, a great family man, and a good friend to many of us. He was a fixture in the Hampstead basketball community for decades as a player, coach and commissioner in the adult leagues and a tireless contributor through Civic Club teaching “Biddy Ball” to children who were just getting started. We will miss seeing you at the gym Ross with your shirt tucked in, your size 7 sneakers, and your smooth stroke from outside – even at 73. Rest in peace my friend.

Now on to the week 1 results…always the most interesting night of the season where coaches find out if they drafted well or laid a turd. So, we’ll overreact to this week’s results like any good sports radio talk show host would do and break down what was a fun night at memorial Gym. It’s great to be back!

Game 1:           Advantage Utilities 52  vs.  Keystone Precision 54

This game was a tale of two halves…and what should have been a runaway win for new sponsor Advantage Utilities, instead left them shaking their heads in defeat after a disastrous fourth quarter. Advantage Utilities was without Coach Wheeler and damaged-goods Craig Jackson who now has a pussy knee to go with his pussy arm…but that didn’t stop them from coming out like a house on fire and jumping to a 16-5 lead after the first quarter. On the other side, Keystone and rookie Coach Dave Spero (who miraculously figured out a way to show up for a 6:00 game) looked overmatched in the early going. I thought perhaps the lack of chemistry came from Dave Russell missing his bestie Gary Walker now that they’re not on the same team – but what really happened was excellent play from the boys in red. A balanced scoring attack and stingy defense led by second-year players Ed Velez and Chris Lynch and newcomer Bobby Farland…and of course you had Brian Ducharme being Brian Ducharme. BUT the Spero brothers and team green clawed their way back and erupted in the fourth quarter outscoring Advantage Utilities 21-10 in the frame. For Keystone, it was big Pat DiNino leading the way with (13) and then Nate Spero (10), Dave Spero and Red Shoes Garone (9) apiece, Adam Young (7), and Dave Russell (6). For Advantage Utilities Ed Velez led all scorers with (17), Brian Ducharme and Chris Lynch (11) each, Rookie Bobby Farland (6), Tim MacDonald (4) before caving in his ribcage, and Greg Tatarian (3). Nice comeback for Keystone and a squandered opportunity for Advantage. A savvy Wheels on the sideline could have made a difference – just sayin.

Game 2:           J&B Butcher 48  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 63

The oldest – or should I say most experienced - team in the league (Rockingham Roofing) may have discovered the Fountain of Youth in top pick Billy Ryder. Ryder sliced and diced his way all over the court while showcasing excellent outside range nailing two three-pointers and playing suffocating defense. Old men Serino, Morrissey, Maguire, Sankey and Snyder are happy to have fresh legs and pretty good size across the roster this season. But a challenge lay waiting in the form of 2 of the last 4 MVPs in Dave Mac and Steve Wilson representing J&B Butcher. The Odd Couple (Dave 6’5) and (Steve 5’6”) are a handful on their own – never mind together – so Coach Pumpkin knew not to take them lightly. The Roofers came out blazing and doubled up J&B Butcher 22-11 after the first quarter with a balanced scoring attack. But pesky J&B would not go away and kept the game close over the next two quarters shrinking the Rockingham’s lead to 4 at one point. But the depth of Tripodi’s roster (Jim Hall and rookie Jeremy Dow were huge) allowed for plenty of subbing and the fourth quarter belonged to the Roofers as a result, outscoring the Butcher’s 14-5 and salting this one away. For Rockingham, Billy Ryder’s (20) were a game high followed by Snyder (14) and Maguire (10). Jeremy Dow added (7), Jim Hall (6) and Morrissey, Sankey, and Serino with (2 each). Not reflected in the numbers of those last three is the relentless hustle and defensive effort required to keep a team under 50 points…well played guys. For J&B it was Wilson (15) and Baby Mac (14) that did most of the damage. Jonathan Silva added (6), good looking rookie Billy Forbes (4), welcome back Dennis Breton (3), and Bobby D and the Commish with (2) apiece. Happy 60^th birthday Pumpkin!

Game 3:           Ryder Electric 62  vs.  Anderson & Son Carpentry 45

A lot of people were looking at Anderson Carpentry as the best team on paper coming out of the draft with top overall pick Andy Wamboldt and a slew of shooters to compliment him. Rookie Coach Craig Anderson trotted out his golden group to see what they could do against Ryder Electric and Coach Steenson - who many scoffed at for desperately trying to hold on to the glory of last year’s championship by re-drafting 6 players from that team. Turns out the Nutty Professor isn’t just about mock drafts, Venn diagrams, and encyclopedic pre-game strategic planning. He may actually know a thing or two about drafting, coaching, team chemistry and the importance of continuity – because they blitzed the crap out of Anderson Carpentry from the start and made the game not really all that competitive in the end. Jimmy Ryder picked up right where he left off last season scoring a week-one best (26) to go along with his trademark defense and hustle. After that it was Tommy Leccese (12), Big Shot Rob Ashe (8), Gary Walker (6), KANE! (5), a slimmed down Rami (3), and K-Mac (2)...and Wednesday Night Ricky O with a goose-egg. For Anderson Carpentry it was pretty much Ryan Curry (21) or bust , Wamboldt (11), Jimmy V (6), Buatti (3), and then TJ and Pitre (2) each. So not only did Pitre NOT make a three, but he actually MADE a two. Confirming with the Elias Sports Bureau that this may be a first in his playing career. Not kidding. Something tells me that Anderson’s squad will figure things out – too much talent, size, and speed on that team not to be better than what they showed in week one.

Week 19 is in the books and everything is settled seed-wise for the playoffs – making the week 20 games inconsequential for everyone. First time I can ever remember that being the case. J&B Butcher has been laser-focused on the 6^th seed since Halloween, the 4^th and 5^th seeds go to Tulley Electric and Baker Painting and still could go either way – but it doesn’t really matter because they’ll be playing each other regardless. East Coast Lumber gets the 3 seed with their victory on Wednesday night, Rockingham Roofing is the 2 seed, and Keystone is the number 1 overall seed for this season.  We had three really good games this week, and it was nice to see every team with (pretty much) their full compliment of players. Everyone has their bumps and bruises for sure, but we should have 6 reasonably healthy and full teams going into the playoffs in two weeks. And now because I said that, someone will get hurt in week 20 – probably me. On to the results!

Game 1:  East Coast Lumber 62  vs.  Baker Painting 58

This game had a lot riding on it. A win by East Coast Lumber would secure the #3 seed over Tulley Electric and Baker Painting given their head-to-head records. But it certainly didn’t start out too well for the team in gold. Baker Painting surged to a 20-9 lead after the first period thanks to 4 three-pointers from Edgardo Velez (who is this guy?) and a couple more from Mark Cabral. The two of them had all of Baker Painting’s points in the first frame (I mean who really needs Ducharme and Garone anyway). But then it all started to slowly fall apart for Gerry’s Kids…getting outscored in each of the subsequent 3 periods and allowing the Malcolm Boys (18 for Fred and 11 for Tim) and holy crap Dennis Breton (17) to just light it up. Also worth noting was Andy Wamboldt playing on one leg – severely hobbled with a bad calf – and not even remotely playing like himself only scoring (7). An under-the-weather Maguire added (5), Jim Hall (4) – and that’s all they needed. For the Painters, it was the aforementioned Velez and Cabral (16) each, Ducharme and Timmy Mac (8) each, Chris Lynch (5), the Commish and Red Shoes (2) each and everyone’s favorite Italian Stallion Anthony Serino (1)…which is three less than the number of meatballs he had before the game.

Game 2:  Rockingham Roofing 82  vs JM Tulley Electric 68

Rockingham Roofing had nothing to lose in this game with a first round bye already secured as the number 2 seed. But the Roofers had been put in their place the last two times playing Tulley Electric, so a win in this game would feel pretty good and even their season series. Vintage Rockingham showed up in this one and it didn’t hurt that last season’s MVP had a Wilson-esque performance. There were 4 in double figures for the Roofers led by Mr. Wilson’s (29), and then Cation Jackson (17), Spero the Elder (16) and Snyder (10). Almost a 5^th with Jimmy (8), and Jeremy Sheppard (2). This marked the 6^th time Rockingham has scored over 80 points this season…and they’ve also surrendered the most points of any team in the league BY FAR – so take that with a grain of salt. For the Electricians, jeez Nate Spero had himself a game with (24) and had some help from Jonathan Silva (15) and GW Buatti (10). The rest of the crew was somewhat limited – Baby Mac and Wednesday Night Ricky (5) each, Murph (4), Kimball back from the dead with (3) and the box and one stifled Curry a bit only scoring (2). The loss for Tulley Electric sets up a meeting with Baker Painting in the first round, which should be one hell of a play-in game.

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 53  vs.  J&B Butcher 43

Not a whole lot to play for in this game with both teams being pretty much assured of their seeding status. Still, it was a hard fought, reasonably competitive affair and a 1-point game entering the 4^th period. But then the Butchers did the whole ‘Princess changing into a pumpkin’ thing in 4^th period by only scoring 3 total points and essentially handing the victory to Keystone. TJ missed this one, enjoying a well-deserved work vacation in Mexico – but they sure could have used him down the stretch. For Keystone, it was Tom Leccese (16) and Jimmy Ryder (15) leading the way and also joined by Dave “NippleRing” Russell in double figures with (10). Big Pat DiNino scored (8), Classy Billy Chasse and KANE! with (20 apiece. Gary “PussyFoot” Walker limped his way to zero points. For J&B, Pete Norke (18) and Seanissey (12) were the high scorers – and there wasn’t much to write home about after that…Craig Anderson (5), Adam Young (3), Charlie and Larry (2) each, and JC with the always popular (1). Even though their record blows, J&B Butcher is healthy, whole, and motivated to prove that the regular season was an anomaly. We’ll see in a couple weeks.

Taking full advantage of the two weeks off in between games over the holidays! First things first…I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a Happy New Year. The week 18 games seem like they were forever ago, but maybe that’s just me trying to forget a disappointing result for Rockingham Roofing. We’ve welcomed some new players (due to injury) and they are having a significant impact and helping parity across the league, which is good for everyone. And they’re all good guys which is ultimately the most important thing. So where does everyone stand with only two weeks left to go in the season? On to the results!

Game 1:  Baker Painting 75  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 59

Rockingham Roofing had a full squad and Baker Painting only had six players – including two newcomers. Advantage Rockingham, right? It sure didn’t work out that way. After an even first period, Baker Painting began pulling away slowly but surely and before anyone knew it, they had a double-digit lead midway through the 3rd. The Painters out-hustled, out-rebounded, out-ran, and out-shot Rockingham over the final 3 frames and look like a serious contender with the additions of Edgardo Velez and Chris Lynch. The frustrated Roofers began the intentional foul brigade about halfway through the 4^th quarter and Baker Painting almost complied, hitting only 13 of their 28 attempts for the game. But it doesn’t matter how many the other team misses when you can’t make shots of your own – and that’s what ultimately cost Rockingham any chance of coming back. Holy smokes Edgardo Velez who put the league on notice with a game high (24) and dishing out some nifty dimes as well. And man did he have help from Brian Ducharme who bolstered his MVP candidacy with (22) and also Red Shoes with (18). That’s enough to win the game right there – but Chris Lynch added (6) and the Commish had (5) as well just for laughs. For Rockingham, Steve Wilson had (22). Spero (10), Pitre (9), Snyder (8), Tatarian (5), Jimmy V (3), and Sheppard (2). And lastly – a mea culpa from yours truly for behaving like a child towards the refs and also Chris Lynch…not my finest moment and it won’t happen again (maybe).

Game 2:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 72  vs East Coast Lumber 58

It’s no exaggeration to say that Keystone has been the most consistent team all season right from the very first game – and that’s why they sit alone in first place. This was a bit of statement game…having watched Rockingham Roofing just lose the early game and with East Coast on a nice little 2 game winning streak, Keystone dominated from start to finish. The combined 53 points in the first period (29-24) might be a league record…still looking into that one. Keystone would build on their 5-point advantage in each of the next two periods and cruise to a comfortable 14-point victory. A really well-balanced attack by Gang-Green was led by the league-leader in three-pointers made, Tommy Leccese, with (18) which is conveniently divisible by 3 (x6 for you math wizards). Tommy was complemented by Jimmy Ryder’s (16), Jeff Steenson’s (10), Pat & Rami’s (8) each, Gary Walker Jr.’s (6) and (3) each by Classy Billy Chasse and KANE! Despite the loss, Andy Wamboldt continues to impress and make an MVP case of his own with (20), The Old Salt Maguire had (13), Dennis (9), Tim with (7) and probably not sleeping all that much with a new-born, Freddy (5), and Jim Hall (4). Is Pat & Rami’s a food truck?

Game 3:  J&B Butcher 58  vs.  JM Tulley Electric 53

Yes! What a way for the final game of 2024 to end – with a J&B Butcher victory – only their second of the entire season. Tulley Electric were admittedly missing a very big piece with Baby Mac out of the lineup, but J&B has been in that boat many times this year as well, so no excuses. And the Butchers had to come back in this one…down 6 and the end of the first period and still down 2 and the end of the third. But they dug deep in the final period and put up 21 points to Tulley Electrics 14 and walked away with a 5-point win. Big Charlie was huge in this game – literally and figuratively leading the way with (18) points and clearly taking advantage of the missing behemoth in the middle for the Electricians. But he had some help as well with TJ adding (14), JC (9) on 3 three-pointers, Pete Norke (7), Gumby (6), and Craig and Larry with (2) apiece. For Tulley Electric, Nate had (16) but it was a struggle for most everyone else. Ryan Curry had (10), Jonathan Silva (9), Friday Morning Ricky with his best game of the season had (8), and then Wheel and Buatti adding (5) each. Look like Dave Mac is out for the season with a broken finger, but help may be on the way for the Electricians in the form of another big-man…stay tuned!

With losses by East Coast Lumber and JM Tulley Electric, both Keystone and Rockingham Roofing have secured first round byes. J&B Butcher is comfortably in position for the 6^th seed, however, seeds 3 through 5 are wide open with three teams tied at 9-9. Needless to say

Hard to believe there are only 3 weeks left in the regular season, and even harder to believe that playoff seedings are still up for grabs. Four teams are still in the running for the #1 and #2 seeds and an automatic first round bye – and while the top two teams have been leading the way all season long, their play of late suggests that nothing is guaranteed. By the way, great to see Jimmy McLachlan in attendance on Wednesday evening. He sent me a nice note the next morning saying how much he appreciated the sweatshirt and everyone’s support. Please keep the date for his fundraiser in mind – January 24^th at Michael’s Function Hall in Haverhill. On to the results!

Game 1:  East Coast Lumber 62  vs.  JM Tulley Electric 56

This was a helluva good game…both teams missing their first-round picks (Dave Mac and Tim Malcolm) and tied going into the 4^th period – who would come out on top? After jumping out to a seemingly comfortable lead, East Coast would find themselves up by 12 at halftime – only to see it all slip away in the 3^rd period thanks to a frantic comeback led by the three-point shooting of Ryan Curry who went off for 6 of them in this game. But a little too much Andy Wamboldt (17), Santa Claus Maguire (16) and really well-balanced scoring from the rest of the East Coast squad in the 4th helped seal the victory and put a halt to Tulley Electrics four game winning streak. Freddy added (11), Dennis Breton with (7), Bobby Dudal with a strong (6), and Jim Hall (5) would round things out for East Coast who really needed this win to keep pace with eh group of teams in the middle of the standings. For the Electricians, it was the aforementioned Ryan Curry with (20), Bang-Bang Buatti (11), Silva and Spero (7) apiece, Friday Morning Ricky? had (5), Kimball (3) on a lucky three-pointer, Murph a quiet (2) and Wheels the dreaded with the dreaded (1).

Game 2:  Rockingham Roofing 88  vs.  J&B Butcher 55

Rockingham Roofing needed a get-well game and for better or worse, J&B Butcher was standing in their way. The Roofers hadn’t put forth a solid end-to-end game in probably 8 weeks despite multiple pleas from their coach to play a “full 40”. Well, something resonated in the Pot-Bellied Pumpkins speech this week because they came out on fire, and nothing was going them on this night. 57 points in the first half including 30 points in the 2^nd period alone brought back memories of their early season, six game winning streak. This may have been a much different game had big-man Charlie Vannette and Energizer Bunny Larry Sankey been available to play – seeing as how they took the Roofers to OT the last time they played. But an all-around effort for Rockingham with five guys in double figures was just what the Pumpkin ordered. Jimmy V led with (22), Snyder – who crawled out from under a rock – was next with (16), Pitre (14), Action Jackson (13) and Wilson (12). Spero with (9) missed double digits by one point and then Jeremy Sheppard added (2). J&B Butcher had four guys in double figures including Big Pete (15), TJ (13), Gumby with (11) for his best outing in a while, and Adam Young (10). JC, Craig Anderson and Captain Crump has (2) each in the losing effort.   

Game 3:  Baker Painting 67  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 54

Another week, another new player for Baker Painting…what the hell is going on around here! Welcome Edgardo Velez who replaces team sponsor and ultimate competitor Eric Baker. In all seriousness, let’s hope Eric gets better and returns to the court soon…it wouldn’t be right seeing him go out this way. And what better way to welcome Mr. Velez to the league than with a victory over first place Keystone – and a resounding victory at that! I don’t think Keystone has been down by 15 at any point this season let alone after the first half like they were in this game. They game was played evenly after that, and it was a fairly comfortable win for the Painters. Now, it must be mentioned that Keystone was with out league-leading 3-point threat Tommy Leccese and down-low stalwart KANE!, but still – a win is a win. For the Painters, Brian Ducharme looking to make an MVP statement led all scorers with (25) and yes, new guy Edgardo Velez was next with (15). The Commish and Red Shoes each added (7), Timmy Mac (6), the other new guys Chris Lynch (5), and Mark Cabral (2) to round out the scoring. For Keystone, no surprise with Jimmy Ryder leading the way scoring (20) and followed very closely behind was Big Pat DiNino with (19). But that’s where things pretty much stopped – Dave Russel had (7) in his return from a pussy-rib, his best friend in the entire world Gary Walker Jr. and Captain Steenson each had (3), and Classy Billy Chasse had (2).

It's going to be an interesting final few weeks of the season and everyone will get the benefit of two straight weeks off over Christmas and New Years. So, rest up – no more excuses!

It was pointed out to me, recently, by several people, that I neglected my duties as a non-dues-paying Board member and did not complete the weekly writeup. I was doped up on turkey, gravy and lots of wine and whiskey – so it was a tough weekend I’m not going to lie. I feel terrible about this, honestly I do…but not so terrible that I’m going to do a full throttle summary of games that were played two weeks ago. So you’re getting a Week 15 Cliff Notes Recap. And if you’re too young to know what Cliff Notes are then you can just screw. Serioulsy.

Week 15 Cliff Notes Recap

Game 1:  Baker Painting 49  vs.  J&B Butcher 47

So close once again for J&B, but no cigar.  And Baker Painting didn’t have Baker or Red Shoes Garone. Tough shooting night for J&B with no one in double figures…Cabral led the way for the Painters with (13), the Commish (12) and Ducharme (10).

Game 2:  JM Tulley Electric 59  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 45

Not sure I’ve ever seen such free throw disparity in a league game before. Tulley Electric took 24 to Keystones 4. I’m no mathematician, but that’s a 6-1 advantage… yikes. The Electricians might just be the hottest team in the league but are prone to streakiness. But when you get (17) from Curry, (13) from Big Mac and (11) from Silva, you’re going to win a lot of games. For Keystone Tommy Leccese had (18) and Jimmy Ryder (14).  

Game 3:  Rockingham Roofing 77  vs.  East Coast Lumber 68

It has to be frustrating for East Coast…0-3 against Rockingham Roofing for the season despite leading late in all three games. This one was a disaster with the Roofers full court pressing for the entire second half and notching 47 points to just 28 for East Coast. Juggernaut Wamboldt had a monstrous effort with (35) in the losing effort while Pitre (20), Wilson (19), and Vaillancourt (17) did most of the damage for Rockingham.

Week 16 Recap

Game 1:  East Coast Lumber 69  vs.  J&B Butcher 64

East Coast jumped out to an 11-0 lead in this game only to see a spirited comeback by J&B Butcher to take a 20-17 advantage after the first quarter. Now, 20 points is more like a halftime total for J&B the way they’ve been struggling, but perhaps this might be the game that they put it all together? Then came the second quarter – only 8 points - and East Coast outscored the Butchers by 10 and the writing was on the wall. Still, 64 points for Terry’s Troop is a very respectable effort and marks their third highest total for the season – so perhaps they’re starting to come around. East Coast meanwhile claws their way into 4^th place all by themselves and still has an outside shot for the #2 seed – although they’d have to win out. Solid contributions all around from the Golden Goons – Wamboldt (19), Santa Claus Maguire (17), Dennis finally woke up from his winter hibernation/coma and poured in (16), and Malcolm the Elder had (11) while filling in for his son (and new dad – congratulations Tim!). The Bobby’s and Jim Hall each added (2) to round out the scoring for the Coasters. For J&B, Pete sNorkel finished with (17) and TJ had (13)…(8) each for Charlie and Gumby and then JC and Craig Anderson added (6) apiece. Adam Young had (4) and (2) for Mr. Sankey.

Game 2:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 68  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 54

It bothers me to my core that that I am forced to admit that we may have succumbed to not one, but two, Gary Walker 3-pointers in the second half of this week’s game. Contributions off the bench in this game were huge for Keystone as they took the final meeting of the league’s top two teams (record-wise) and have the clearest path to the #1 seed thanks to their points-against total. Rockingham Roofing (without reigning MVP Steve Wilson) threw away a stellar first half that found them up 5 points 35-30. And then the team that has had so many great second half comebacks completely fell apart scoring a total of 19 points – exactly half the total of Keystone's 38. Save for last week’s nut-check win versus East Coast – the Roofers have been in a bit of a rut lately…not making shots and not winning in transition – two of their hallmarks. For Keystone, Tom Leccese continued his solid season with a game best (19) and he had a lot of help with Jimmy Ryder's (14) and Pat DiNino’s (12). But without Gary’s bosom buddy Dave Russell in the lineup, it was the bench production that really made the difference down the stretch…KANE! (7), Walker and Steenson (6) each and Rami Ata (3). For the Roofer’s, Spero led the way with (18), Jimmy V (11) and then it was a mixed bag of nothing special…Snyder and Jackson (8) each, Pitre (6), Sheppard (2) and Tatarian the dreaded (1). Four of Rockingham’s five losses have come without Wilson in the lineup…guess he was MVP for a reason.

Game 3:  JM Tulley Electric 54  vs.  Baker Painting 50

The Electricians have not so quietly won 4 in a row and sit squarely in third place – just two games behind Rockingham Roofing with 4 games left to play in the regular season. One could argue they are playing the best team ball of anyone in the league at the moment, and here’s why…they take what the game gives them and don’t need monster results from their top players to win. Case in point this week – Nate Spero only had (3) points and it didn’t matter. He did a bunch of other stuff – rebounding, assists, diving for loose balls, etc…complimentary basketball. Baby Mac had a big game with (15) to go along with a likely broken finger, Buatti stepped up with (11), Curry had (9), Silva (8), Murph and Friday morning Ricky with (4) each, and Nate’s (3). Baker Painting was led by Ducharme (15), Baker (10), Red Shoes and the Commish (8) apiece, Timmy Mac (4), Cabral (3), and new guy Chris “I’m Jimmy V’s brother-in-law" Lynch with (2). Let's welcome Chris to the leag...he's a great guy who used to come down and play pickup on Tuesday nights about 10 years ago and he’s replacing Jeff Polchlopek who just underwent successful rotator cuff surgery. He’ll be sidelined for the rest of the season and possibly for the over 50 league as well. Jeff is a Board member and Treasurer and does more for this league than probably anybody realizes. We’ll miss you on the court Jeff and hopefully we’ll still see you on Wednesday nights. Also, great to see Eric Baker back this week after a lengthy injury hiatus. He gutted it out for sure – but this likely was his last game as the knee is just not what it needs to be. Hope you heal up Eric!

As I sit down to write this week’s recap, I realize there are certain times I enjoy writing them more than others. This is not one of those weeks. Aside from my teams horse-crap performance (more on that later) there is usually at least one competitive game to watch on a Wednesday evening. Not this week. Three lopsided affairs. With six weeks to go, there is a lot that can still happen with the standings.   On to the results – and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Game 1:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 51  vs.  J&B Butcher 37

First place versus last place…you could kinda see where this game was going. But who knows – J&B has been playing better of late and they’re getting healthier. And, Keystone was missing super-sub Gary Walker Jr. so who knows what kind of an emotional toll that would take on Dave Russell (more on that later). J&B hung around in the first quarter, but after that it was pretty much all Keystone thanks in large part to Tom Leccese and Jimmy Ryder who hung a double (18) on the Butchers…and they didn’t need much after that. KANE! had (6), DiNino a quiet (4), Elder statesmen Steenson & Chasse (2) each, and Dave Russell…missing Gary…could only muster (1). Trying to find a silver lining in J&B Butcher’s effort but there’s not much to highlight after Pete Norke’s (14). Morrissey seems to be getting healthier by the week and added (7), TJ (6), Adam Young and yes Coach Crump! with (4) each, and Larry (2).

Game 2:  East Coast Lumber 59  vs.  Baker Painting 42

Not having Eric Baker was one thing last week, and the Painters were more than able to hold their own against Rockingham Roofing. But not having Baker and Brian Ducharme against the front-line of East Coast Lumber – that’s a whole different story. And predictably the Coasters coasted to an easy win. Have yourself a game Andy Wamboldt…The Juggernaut finished with (24) including a 3-pointer and a respectable 5-9 from the charity stripe. East Coast didn’t need too much after that but still got (12) from, Fred Malcolm (7), Jim Hall (5), Maguire and The Rock (4) each, Dennis (3) and Bobby Dudal (2). For the Painters, someone would have to pick up the scoring and both Mark Cabral (12) and Commissioner Kevin Young with (11) led the way. Kevin seems to have found range that no one thought he had – hitting a 3 pointer and going 2-2 from the free throw line. That’s 5 triples for KY this year! Red Shoes Garone added (10), Timmy Mac (4), Jeff Polchlopek (3) in what was likely his last game of the season as he prepares for rotator cuff surgery, and lastly everyone’s favorite Paesani Anthony Serino with (2). Jeff, I hope the surgery goes well – and not just because I recommended the surgeon for you  - but because you are someone everyone enjoys watching play with your hustle, tenacity and never-quit attitude. Attack your rehab like you play basketball and you’ll be just fine.

Game 3:  JM Tulley Electric 70  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 48

This game sucked. There’s a price to pay when you keep pulling horseshoes out of your ass week after week. For all the things that have gone right for Rockingham Roofing this season (buzzer beaters, 4^th quarter comebacks, overtime wins)…this game was their penance. After a couple lackluster performances in each of their previous two games, Coach Pumpkin implored his team (which would be full for the first time in 6 weeks) for a wire-to-wire win…and instead got pretty much a wire-to-wire loss. A complete drubbing to be fair. A flogging. A beating. A whoopin’. Call it what you like, it was just plain ugly. And give all the credit to Tulley Electric who came out hot and never took their foot off the gas – on defense or offense. All the hustle points, all the rebounds, great passing, minimal turnovers and lights-out shooting. A breakout game for rookie Jonathan Silva (22) who seems to be figuring out just how good he can be…and when paired with a super-motivated Nate Spero (14) – that’s a tough 1-2 punch. Ryan Curry came alive in the second half and chipped in (11), Baby Mac (8), George Washington Buatti (7), Murph (6), and Wednesday Night Ricky (2) rounded out the scoring for the Electricians. For the Roofers – just yuck…Dave Spero (13), Steve Wilson (10), Jeff Pitre (8) Snyder (6), Jimmy V (5), Jackson (4) and Tatarian (2). A season low 6 threes and 48 points…a lot of missed shots, yes – but perhaps better defense by Tulley Electric. Coincidence that they played their best game of the year without Coach Wheels on the bench? hmmmm….just kidding Wheels. Maybe.

After week 13, there is more separation at the top of the standings and a whole lot of congestion after that with three teams tied at 6-7. Keystone and Rockingham have created a 4-game gap and the rest of the league seems to be fighting for playoff seeding at this point. And don’t sleep on J&B Butcher – Charlie is starting to round into form (as is Pete) and Sean Morrissey’s club-foot seems to be feeling better…that’s a sexy thought. On to the results!

Game 1:  Rockingham Roofing 63  vs.  Baker Painting 62

For the second week in a row, Rockingham Roofing would be pushed into an extra frame – except this week they were the ones who had to hit the last second shot to send it to overtime. Not going to lie – I think the Roofers went into this game a little overconfident when they looked over to Baker Paintings bench and saw no Baker, no Cabral, no Anthony and no Coach Collins….which meant no subs. But the Painters were not about to use that as an excuse and took it to Rockingham right from the jump holding them to a season low 19 points in the first half. Coach Pumpkins squad began to chip away (as they do) in the third and fourth periods but could not separate and the found themselves down by seven in the final two minutes. A couple hustle baskets and a pure baseline 3-pointer from Steph Pitre with about 9 seconds left would be enough to even things up and force a 5^th period. A few steals and some clutch free throw shooting in overtime were just enough to eke out a 1-point victory for the Roofers despite some unnecessary shot-taking and a late 3-pointer from Brian Ducharme. For Rockingham, Wilson had (19), Jimmy V (12), Spero (9), Pitre (7) and then Jackson, Snyder, Sheppard and Tatarian had (4) each…so everyone scored except the Pumpkin. Got to get him some shots. Baker painting had big games from the 5 guys who showed up…Ducharme (18), Red Shoes (17), comeback player of the year candidate Timmy Mac (14), The Commish (17) and Polchlopek (6). Have to give credit where credit is due…they played inspiring basketball with no subs, worked their asses off and didn’t quit. Great game.

Game 2:  JM Tulley Electric 52  vs.  J&B Butcher 41

Don’t let the final score in this one fool you because this was a tight affair. The story of J&B Butcher’s season is losing late in games. The inability to hold on to 3^rd and 4^th period leads has cost them at least a few wins and this game was no different. J&B led by 4 at the half and were tied after three periods…but 5 points in the fourth period just isn’t going to get it done most nights and it wasn’t on this night as Tulley Electric cruised to an 11-point victory down the stretch. A well-rounded effort for the Electricians started with Nate Spero (16) who had his fingerprints all over this game. Ryan Curry chipped in with (9), Friday Morning Ricky – there I said it – had arguably his best game as a pro with (8), Buatti (7), Baby Mac (6), Jonathan Silva (4) and Murph (2). For the Butchers it was the twin towers Charlie (12) and Pete (11) leading the way with Adam Young (8), TJ (7) and Craig Anderson (3). Contributions from the bench really helped Tulley Electric pull this one out.  

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 56  vs.  East Coast Lumber 50

A fantastic matchup to end the night pitted the two most physical teams in the league against one another – so you knew this one was going to be a tough and tight affair…and it did not disappoint. A back-and-forth first half resulted in East Coast Lumber holding a 4-point lead thanks to Craig Maguire pulling shots out of I don’t even know where…but an early Merry Christmas to you my friend. But too much Jimmy Ryder and a bunch of three-pointers from Tom Leccese helped Keystone pull away in the third period outscoring East Coast by 9 and then holding on in the fourth for a six-point victory. The Ryder/Leccese combo had (17) each and the surprise third leading scorer was Pancakes Walker with (7)…even though he was missing his idol, Dave Russell. Big Pat DiNino had (6), KANE! (4), Classy Billy Chasse (3) and the Coach with (2). The old marine Maguire (19) was the only double-digit scorer for East Coast. And another fun fact, this may be the only game in history where a father outscored his son…Freddy had (9) and Tim had (8). The Juggernaut finished with (7), Dennis (5) and the Rock (2).

Two blowouts bookended one helluva game between Rockingham Roofing and J&B Butcher. It was a rare warm November evening requiring fans and open doors – but all three games were completed and we may have the first full twenty game season in a long time. There, I just jinxed us. Nice to see our forefathers in attendance – Mike McConnell, Howie Steadman, Jimmy White and Ross Huntington. On to the results!

Game 1:  East Coast Lumber 70  vs.  JM Tulley Electric 46

Everyone was expecting a better game to kick-off the night – but a seemingly distracted JM Tulley Electric could never get things going – and in front of their sponsor no less! No, even a special guest appearance by Matt Tulley himself – great to see you Matt - was not enough to provide a spark (pun intended) for the Electricians who have now lost three in a row. They could only muster 13 total points in the first half and found themselves down by 19 at the break...and after that it was lights out (again, pun intended) for Tulley Electric. For the Coasters, Tim Malcolm (24) was on fire from outside in the first half including 5 three-pointers, Maguire had (15) and was dropping dimes all over the court, and Andy “Juggernaut” Wamboldt (see the X-Men movies) had (12) points and I think 57 rebounds. Rounding out the scoring for the boys in yellow – Jim Hall had a nice game with (8), Freddie (7), and the trio of Dudal, Breton and Rockwell (2) each. 70 points is no joke…those games are usually reserved for a tilt with Rockingham Roofing. Now tied for 3^rd place, perhaps Bobby's Bunch are finding their offensive mojo just in time for a playoff push. For Tulley Electric, Ryan Curry (12) was the lone bright spot (that’s now three puns for those counting) and after that Buatti (9), Friday Morning Ricky (8) in easily his best game of the season – maybe ever? Baby Mac (6) on two three-pointers, Nate (5), Murph (4), and Jonathan Silva (2).

Game 2:  Rockingham Roofing 88  vs.  J&B Butcher 81

Game of the night…and perhaps game of the season! A relentless J&B Butcher squad – still without Gumby – gave Rockingham Roofing all they could handle for four periods, and even that wasn’t enough. Pete Norke, who was filthy in this game (and I’m not just talking about his undershirt) nailed a three-pointer as time expired to tie the game up and send it into overtime. How would the Roofers respond? By  doing what they do…hitting foul shots when it matters most as they salted away the game by outscoring J&B 9-2 in the extra frame. Rockingham (who in fairness were missing the 30 PPG that Jimmy V and Steph Pitre provide) were behind literally the entire game until the final few minutes when Steve Wilson finally remembered that he can hit three-pointers whenever he wants…and he made a bunch of them. If you like offense, this was your game…8 double-digit scorers and 4 of them had over 20. For the Roofers it was the Dave Spero (30) and Steve Wilson (28) show, co-starring Action Jackson (15) and Snyder (10), and special guest appearances by Jeremy Sheppard (4) and Greg Tatarian who had the dreaded (1) point…which by the way he called in mid-air on the second of two foul shots. For the Butchers, Pete had himself a game with (28) including 5 threes, and Charlie had arguably his best game of the season scoring (20) on 8 field goals and a perfect 4-4 from the line.TJ chipped in (14), Old Man Anderson (11), Larry (4) and then JC and Adam Young with (2) each. That’s three in a row for Rockingham who haven’t had a full team in 6 weeks.

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 57  vs.  Baker Painting 37

The Green Machine keeps rolling along with a surprisingly easy victory over a Baker Painting team that is usually much more competitive than they were this week. Only 37 points including a dismal 7 points in the entire second half…what’s up with that? Keystone wasted no time and pounced on the sluggish Painters taking a 22-9 first period lead. The game tightened up a bit in the second period but Gerry Collins’ crew would never get closer than 9 and then the second half meltdown came. For Keystone, DiNino was a beast – especially in the early going  finishing with (21) points overall and was joined in double figures by Big? Jimmy Ryder (13) and Tom Leccese (11). Dave Russell had (6) and his bestie Gary “Pancakes” Walker added (4) and then KANE! with (2). For Baker Painting it was Brian Ducharme (17 - despite going 0 for 6 from the line) and not a whole lot else even with a full team. Red Shoes Garone (8), The Commish (5), Timmy Mac (4) and Baker – who perhaps was still on a vacation hangover (3)….and that’s it besides a bunch of goose eggs from everyone else. The Painters will look to right the ship next week against Rockingham Roofing who are looking for a bit of revenge from the last time these two teams played. Pancakes....

We have officially kicked off the second half of the season…man time flies when you’re having fun. Or in the case of J&B Butcher, it may seem like Groundhog Day (in a bad way). In other news, we now have a tie for first place atop the standings thanks to a one-sided victory by Rockingham Roofing over Keystone Precision & Engineering due largely to attrition. Attendance continues to be an issue for several teams this season, but not an excuse (see Baker Painting’s writeup). On to the results!

Game 1:  Rockingham Roofing 67  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 51

A matchup of the league’s top two teams would normally be the game of the night – but not this night. Significant absences for Keystone (Ryder, Steenson and KANE!) would result in this game not being as close as it probably should have been. To be fair, it was tied at the half, but the Rockingham did what they do and turned on the gas in the 3^rd and 4^th periods outscoring Keystone by 16 during that stretch. The Roofers were without Snyder for the whole game and Spero for the first half but didn’t really need either one to close out this game. Action Jackson led all scorers with (20) and had a lot of help from Jimmy V and Wilson (14) each and Jeff Pitre (13). Tatarian (3), Sheppard (2) and Dave Spero with the dreaded (1) point. For Keystone. Leccese showed up big-time with (18) which was followed closely by Big Pat DiNino’s (16). Classy Billy Chasse (6), Gary Walker Jr. and his best friend Dave Russell were twinsies scoring (5) each and Rami Ata matched Spero’s effort with (1). The Roofers now hold the tie breaker advantage against Keystone. Their fourth and final matchup should be interesting to say the least…let’s hope both teams are whole.

Game 2:  Baker Painting 54  vs.  JM Tulley Electric 48

This was a tough one to understand. Baker painting was missing two of their top starters in Eric Baker and Mike Garone. JM Tulley Electric was at full strength…advantage Electricians, right? That’s why they play the game. The painters jumped out like a house of fire in this one to the tune of 17-6 after the first period. And it didn’t get much better from there – although Baby Mac tried his best to single handedly get the Electricians back in the game during a late game run…but it just wasn’t enough. Steve Tripodi had as many points as Ryan Curry and Jonathan Silva combined…Zero. How did that happen after dropping 35 against us 2 weeks ago? Hard to figure out, but maybe Baker Painting just wanted this one more? Brian Ducharme certainly did scoring a game-high (21) and he had help from Mark Cabral (15) who is quietly coming on strong. Timmy Mac and The Commish had (8) each and Pink Eye/Bronchitis Serino with (2). For Tulley Electric it was Baby Mac (16), Buatti (12), Nate Spero (8) and we’ll give him a break after climbing Mt. Everest, Wednesday Night Ricky (4), Wheels Up and Jay Kimball who finally showed up with (3) each and Murph (2).

Game 3:  East Coast Lumber 56  vs.  J&B Butcher 39

J&B Butcher really tried in this game – they really did – and they were right there tied at the half. But a dismal 2^nd half that saw them score only 11 total points was just too little to match the youth and firepower of East Coast Lumber. Future first round pick Andy Wamboldt had himself a (fittingly) strong game with (23) and the rest of the gang didn’t really have to do much after that. Still Tim Malcolm had (11), his daddy had (9), Maguire (6), Dennis (5) and The Rock (2). Legal firm Dudal, Clarke & Hall had as many point as Tripodi, Curry and Silva. For J&B, a spirited effort from TJ and Craig Anderson with (10) each, Pete Norke (6), Adam (5), Larry Sankey (4) the Cameron/Crump duo (2) each. I missed my game to watch my sons chorus event at Pinkerton and I’m glad I did - but the highlight of my evening was seeing Charlie Vannette’s daughter Emma up on stage with the rest of the chorus…phenomenal to see Charlie and way to go Emma!

As we officially reach the halfway point of the season, order has been restored to the Galaxy as both Keystone and Rockingham Roofing each won and remain atop the standings. The rest of the league is either at .500 or below so there seems to be an opportunity for one of the teams really bunched to separate themselves from the pack. Also – this marked the second week in a row with a technical foul so let’s try to clean things up a bit this week…we’re very fortunate to have the refs we have and they really do the best they can with our group of idiots. On to the results!

Game 1:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 63  vs.  JM Tulley Electric 46

No Dave Russell, no problem for the Green Machine. No Dave McIntyre for Tulley Electric, big problem. The large man makes a world of difference for coach Paul Wheeler’s squad since so much of their team’s offense runs through him. As a result, the Electricians looked a little lost and a little passive in this one knowing it was going to an uphill battle against the top team in the league. And Keystone did not disappoint doubling up their opponent in the first period 14-7. They would go on to win every period after that as well and cruised to reasonably easy 17-point victory. Just another day at the office. Someone other than Jimmy Ryder led Keystone in scoring for a change as Tom Leccese had (19) followed by DiNino (14) and then Ryder (12). Steenson chipped in (9), KANE! and South Lawrence’s very own Billy Chasse (4) each, and Gary Walker Jr. (2). For the Electricians, Nate Spero continued his strong play and was really the only force to be reckoned with scoring (21). GW Buatti had (8), Ryan Curry came back down to earth a bit this week scoring (7), Jonathan Silva (4) and then Murph, Wednesday Night Ricky, and Wheels Up (2) each.

Game 2:  Baker Painting 60  vs.  J&B Butcher 48

Would the triumphant return of coach Collins and his conjunctivitis sidekick Anthony ‘Pink Eye’ Serino be enough to get Baker Painting back on a winning streak? Sources say yes, although I’ll say getting Brian Ducharme back in the lineup may have had a little more to do with it – sorry boys. And facing a struggling J&B Butcher team still without Sean Morrissey didn’t hurt either.  But the Painters would be without one of their leaders – Eric Baker and were only 6 deep thanks to Coach and Sidekick not actually suiting up…and wouldn’t you know it was a tie game at the half. But too much Ducharme in the second half and super strong play from Tim McDonald and Mark Cabral helped guide the Painters to a 12-point win. As expected, Brian Ducharme led the way with (19) and he had great support from Red Shoes (13), Timmy Mac (12), Mark Cabral (11) and The Commish (5) including another 3-pointer…seriously? For J&B, at least there was a bit of an offensive pulse with three players in double figures and nearly a fourth. Pete Nork had (14), TJ and comeback player of the year candidate Craig Anderson with (10) each and Adam Young (8). Big Charlie and (4) and Mr. Hustle Larry Sankey (2) rounded out the scoring for Terry’s team.

Game 3:  Rockingham Roofing 69  vs.  East Coast Lumber 60

The Roofers would once again be without two key players in this game – Caribbean Craig Jackson and Common Man Greg Tatarian – which is not what you want when playing Bobby Clarke’s front line of beasts. Maguire had himself a game after nearly snapping his ankle in half during the first minute of play, but Tripodi’s Goon Squad managed to harass Wamboldt and Tim Malcolm enough to hold them well below their scoring averages and hit just enough 3 pointers and foul shots down the stretch to pull out the 9-point victory. For the Roofers, Jimmy Vaillancourt (23) continues to set the scoring pace, but was helped out by the trio of Snyder, Spero and Wilson each contributing (11), Pitre with (9) and Sheppard (4). Going 17 of 23 from the charity stripe is going to win you a lot of games in this league and the Roofers are shooting nearly 70% as a team for the season – 20% better than the league average. For East Coast, as previously stated, Maguire led his team with (20), Malcolm the Younger had (12), Wamboldt (10), Malcolm the Elder (6), Jim Hall (5), Dennis Breton (3) and then The Rock and Bobby D (2) apiece. There were a lot of sore bodies after this game!

Week 9 saw even further shakeup in the standings as player absence due to injury, travel and being a responsible parent is taking its toll on several teams. As we all know, the most important ‘ability’ in this league is availability, and when a team is missing in one or two of their rotation players, it becomes an almost impossible matchup. Rockingham Roofing has been without reigning MVP Steve Wilson for two straight weeks (and Craig Jackson this week), Baker Painting missing Brian Ducharme, Sean Morrissey still out for J&B Butcher…all lost. And as a result, things have really tightened up. Going to be fun as we enter the second half of the season. On to the results!

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric 68  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 58

Looking to avoid losing two straight, Rockingham Roofing would be without three top players in this one – Steve Wilson, Craig Jackson and Dave Spero (for half the game). And Tulley Electric was looking for a bit of revenge having lost their earlier matchup with the Roofers on a last second possession with a chance to tie the game at the very end. Enter Ryan Curry…good grief. Electing to start off in a 2-3 zone, Curry punished Rockingham Roofing to the tune of (26) points including 6 three pointers and 14 points in the first period alone. He was the Electricians only double-digit scorer…Buatti and Jonathan Silva each finished with (9), Nate Spero (8), Murph (7), Baby Mac (6) and Wheels Up (3). Wednesday Night Ricky contributed 5 fouls for the boys in orange and Jay Kimball showed some tremendous hustle…maybe. For Tripodi’s tribe – not much to write home about although Jimmy V (15) and Dikembe Pitre (14) continue to have very solid seasons. Spero chipped in (11) in limited time, Snyder and Tatarian (7) each and Jeremy ‘German’  Sheppard (4). After winning six straight games and putting up record point totals – the Roofers have dropped two in a row and look very beatable when not at full strength. Time to man up. Tulley Electric on the other hand have won four in a row and sit squarely in third place – only a game behind Rockingham.

Game 2:  East Coast Lumber 60  vs.  Baker Painting 52

Could East Coast Lumber put together two wins in a row just as they did to start the season? Their chances improved greatly when Baker Painting showed up without Brian Ducharme…especially given the size of East Coast’s front court. Credit the Painters for staying close in this one though…tied after one and only down 4 points at the half…it was the third quarter that killed them getting outscored by 11 and from there it was a relatively easy win for Bobby’s Bunch. Great balance in scoring for the Coasters with Andy Wamboldt (we need to come up with a nickname for him – suggestions welcome) leading the way scoring (18) and followed by Tim Malcolm (13), Maguire and Breton (12) apiece, The Rock (4) and Freddy (2). For Baker Painting Timmy Mac showing everyone he still has it with (13), Red Shoes Garone and ‘welcome to the league’ Mark Cabral had (11) each, Baker (10) and the Commish (5) including a 3-pointer, what? Credit to our refs – the two Dan’s – for not calling about 3 technical fouls in this game, because they easily could have. Lots of whining.  

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 59  vs.  J&B Butcher 54

Playing the last game of the evening, Keystone knew that with a win they would take sole possession of first place and playing the one-win J&B Butcher, that seemed to be a foregone conclusion. And it was. But not before J&B put on a late surge in the second half to make the margin of victory (or defeat depending on who’s perspective) only 5 points. Steenson’s squad is getting contributions from literally everyone…and this week all 9 players scored – a rarity in this league. How’s this for a box score: Tom Leccese (16), Jimmy ‘Easy’ Ryder (14), Pat DiNino (8), Dave Russel (6), Steenson & Classy Billy Chasse (4) apiece, KANE! (3), and then Gary Walker Jr. and his brother Rami Ata (2) each. Balance, Balance, Balance…leads to consistency which leads to winning. For J&B it was more of the same…struggling to points on the board although perhaps a new member of the starting rotation emerged? Craig Anderson dropped a (15) spot which was second on the team only behind Pete Norke’s (17), TJ Hooker had a solid effort with (8), Big Charlie (7), Adam Young (6) and everyone’s favorite Larry Sankey (3). WITWIG…Where in the World is Gumby? Just kidding Sean – hope the foot starts feeling better.

Write this down - week 8 is when things officially got interesting. Just when you think everything is settling into place and teams have found their identity, the top two teams in the league go out and lose and all of a sudden the standings start to  look a little different. Matchups mean everything in this league, and when each team has their full complement of players, every game is winnable by any team – as Rockingham Roofing and Keystone found out this week. On to the results!

Game 1:  Baker Painting 65  vs.  Rockingham Roofing 58

Rockingham knew they were going to be shorthanded in this one with Steve Wilson out and Dave Spero being late…and making up for the combined 31 points they average would be no easy chore. This game was a battle and both teams toughed it out going back and forth for most of the evening until Baker Painting started to pull away in the final frame. And then the intentional foul brigade began…to the tune of 33 attempts for the Painters who did their part to let the Roofers back in the game by missing 15 of them. Red Shoes Garone was a beast going off for (28) points and was the exception shooting 8-8 from the charity stripe. He had plenty of help from Baker (15) and Ducharme (14)…despite missing 13 foul shots between them…and then Timmy Mac (5) and the Commish (3) rounded out the scoring. For the Roofers – without the 1-2 punch of three pointers from Wilson and Spero – scoring was harder to come by than usual. Still, it was a 2-point game with less than 5 minutes to go in the 4^th. Jimmy V continues his excellent play this year with (22), Snyder (15) including what might be a career best 5-5 from the line…not kidding, and Pitre (11) were the top scorers for Rockingham. Jackson added (5), Spero (3) in limited minutes and Jeremy Sheppard (2). Baker Painting was missing their skipper Gerry Collins and first mate Anthony Serino who were reportedly out on a 3-hour tour trying out new restaurants. It will be interesting to see how the next game fares if both teams are full.

Game 2:  East Coast Lumber 65  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 55

The second upset of the night – East Coast Lumber smack in the middle of a 5-game losing streak certainly had little chance against first place Keystone, right? That’s why they play the games! Consistency has been the bugaboo for Bobby Clarke’s team most of the season – seemingly unstoppable at one moment and then going completely cold for long stretches. That did not happen in this game. East Coast had Keystone on their heels from the jump and found themselves leading at by 10-points at the half. Neither team set the world on fire in the second half scoring-wise, but East Coast still won by 10 and they can hang their hat on that. Tim Malcolm led four scorers in double figures with (16), the old Seaman Craig Maguire with (15), rookie Andy Wamboldt (13) and Dennis Breton – clearly motivated by this authors jabs last week had (11) including three 3’s…well done my skinny friend. Freddie (6) and Johnny Rock (4) had the 10 points combined that could have made the difference? Nowhere to be found in the box score was the law firm of Dudal, Clarke & Hall…maybe next week fellas. For Steenson’s squad, Jimmy Ryder continues to set the scoring pace and led them with (14) and then a very balanced effort from Pat DiNino (10), Dave Russell and the Pride of South Lawrence and Golden Meadow Road in Hampstead Billy Chasse (9) each, Tommy Leccese (8), KANE! (4), and finally Rami (2). Where in the world is Jeff Steenson?

Game 3:  JM Tulley Electric 51  vs.  J&B Butcher 36

I wish I could say something spectacular about the final game of the night, but I would be lying. It was great to see Charlie Vannette back, however, and that was about the best news anyone could have asked for – so there’s a silver lining. As for the game, it was no masterpiece. The 87 combined points match what Rockingham Roofing put up all by themselves last week. And only 11 combined fouls between the two teams shows you that it wasn’t very physical…or that refs Dan and Nate wanted to get out of Dodge. For the Electricians, what got into Ryan Curry? I think he may have scored the first 10-points of the game, he had 14 in the first quarter and finished with (19). And then – get this - everyone else scored points. Nate Spero (10), Baby Mac (9), Maybe Jay Kimball had (3) finally, and this is my favorite….Buatti, Murph, Wednesday Night Ricky, Jonathan Silva, and Wheels Up all had (2) each. For the Butcher’s, not a lot of highlights when you only score 36 points but Adam Young had himself a game netting (13) on a variety of shots and then the three stooges – Pete, Larry and Charlie had (6) each, TJ (3) and Mr. Anderson (2).

Week 7 is in the books and Memorial Gym saw some familiar trends continue to play out…Keystone winning with defense, Rockingham Roofing winning and scoring at an unprecedented level, and East Coast Lumber losing. In fact, after this week’s games, only Keystone and Rockingham Roofing are above .500. We’re a third of the way through the season…surely someone from the rest of the pack is going to challenge for one if the top two spots and secure a coveted bye, right? We’ll see…on to the results!

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric 54  vs.  East Coast Lumber 47

Looking to avoid their 5^th loss in a row, Bobby Clarke’s East Coast Lumber squad needed a win about as bad as Jay Kimball needs a new body. And they had a chance in this game after jumping out to a 13-7 lead after the first period. But then some of their old habits reared their ugly heads…untimely three-pointers, missing the open man in transition, not continuing to feed Maguire who was unstoppable in the first period to name a few. Tulley Electric was more than happy to watch the self-destruction and turned the table on East Coast in the second period, which resulted in a 4-point halftime lead. The Electricians pretty much held serve from then on and finished with a 7-point victory that never felt like it was in doubt. Nate Spero had an up-and-down game but worked his ass off and finished with a team-leading (15). Glenn Murphy who continues to play well above his draft slot had (11), Baby Mac and rookie Jonathan Silva with (8) each, Ryan Curry (6), Friday Morning Ricky had (4) and Buatti with (2). For East Coast, no surprise that Tim Malcom led the way with (16) and was matched by newcomer Andy Wamboldt who continues to be a beast on the boards the likes of which this league has never seen. How did he last until the 3^rd round? Maguire the Marine had (9) all in the first 5 minutes of the game, and then Johnny Rock (4) and Jim Hall (2) and that was it. Way too many zeros. I think Dennis has been drinking too much booze from his world tour with the over 50 league championship trophy. Time to sober up pal. Been waiting to use that one for a while…  

Game 2:  Rockingham Roofing 87  vs.  J&B Butcher 53

Without big man Charlie Vannette and another solid starter in Sean Morrissey, J&B Butcher knew this was going to be an uphill battle from the start facing off against one of the two teams at the top of the standings. Credit the boys in blue – they came out like a house of fire jumping all over the Roofers and kept things competitive for a while with a manageable halftime deficit of only 8 points. And then the second half happened. That’s when Tripodi’s squad exerts their will on other teams with their shooting and athleticism. Three-pointers, fast breaks, pesky defense, and most importantly – stamina. A 48-22 run put an exclamation point on a 34-point victory….the sixth in a row for Rockingham. It was the Roofer’s undersized big men who enjoyed a moment in the sun for a change – not surprising with Charlie and Morrissey out. Whoa Nellie Craig Jackson led the way with a game high (24) and Snyder finally got his head out of his ass and had (16). Jimmy V continued his solid play on both offense and defense and finished with (17), Steve Wilson had (11), Jeff Pitre honored the passing of daddy Dikembe and finished with (9) points and one block, Dave Spero (8) and Greg Tatarian (2). For the Butchers, Pete Norke (15) and a resurgent TJ (14) did their best to keep their team close. After that it was only Craig Anderson (9), No Quit Larry Sankey (8), Adam Young (4) and (3) for JC. Despite it being officially pumpkin season and with extended playing time, Coach Tripodi was unable to sink a basket.

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 52  vs.  Baker Painting 51

Best game of the night. Both teams missing significant pieces in this one – Dave Russell for Keystone and Mike Garone for Baker Painting. Pretty even swap on paper and as it turns out, the game was about as close as you could get. Baker Painting jumped out to a huge lead and were up 30-14 at the half – and then it all unraveled. They were tied after 3 periods and then I think Keystone went ahead by one at the very end – and that was their only lead of the night which they held on to for the win. Brian Ducharme (21) led all scorers albeit in a losing effort for Baker Painting. Mark Cabral had his best game of the season with (8), Eric Baker (7), Timmy Mac and the Commish with (6) apiece, and Jeff Polchlopek with (3) on an actual three-pointer…which is about as rare as a Sasquatch sighting. Jimmy Ryder continues his impressive play and led his team with (20) while DiNino (14) and Tommy Leccese (11) each chipped in meaningful points. KANE! with (5) and the pride of South Lawrence Classy Billy Chasse with (2) and that’s all they needed. One would have thought with Dave Russell out, perhaps Gary Walker Jr. would get some more playing time? Not so much…goose-egg for Gary. It’s alright G…love you, mean it. Keystone’s Captain Jeff Steenson mysteriously sat out the game in his civilian clothes and kept his distance from the bench. Boar’s Head? UTI? Only he knows. Here’s hoping you feel better Jeff…

After taking the first 5 weeks of the season off, the weekly recaps are starting up again and this writer has a lot to say! To all the newbies in the league, take everything you read here with a grain of salt - it’s meant to be fun and insulting – and trust me it will be. Any grievances must be filed with the Commissioner’s office…and if you actually have a grievance, you’re a pusscake.

We’ve officially entered the second quarter of the season and there are already two teams staking their claim as the top dogs – Keystone (captained by Jeff Steenson) and Rockingham Roofing (captained by Steve Tripodi). Both teams are 5-1 and have split their two games against each other. This season has been interesting with a lot of new players making a significant impact and mixing with some veterans who still have a lot of game. I think were going to see things start to even out across the board before all is said and done. On to the results!

Game 1:  J&B Butcher 55  vs.  East Coast Lumber 45

If anyone needed a win more than J&B Butcher, I don’t know who that would be. After starting the season 0-5, Terry Crumps squad was facing an uphill battle in week 6 against the biggest front-line in the league (Wamboldt, Malcolm, Maguire) without their biggest big-man Charlie Vannette. Surely East Coast would pound the ball inside and feast on a smaller team, right? Not so fast…poor outside shooting, Pete Norke flashing his MVP form and a rejuvenated TJ Hodgkins had something to say about that as the Butchers jumped out to a sizeable early lead and doubled up East Coast 30-15 at the half. 15 points in the first half…yuck. Still trying to figure out what the game plan was in this one. And it didn’t get better after halftime with J&B adding 6 more points to their lead. East Coast finally showed some spark in the 4^th but it was too little too late. That’s 4 L’s in a row for yellow after starting out 2-0 and looking unstoppable. J&B meanwhile gets their first win and now that they’re off the schneid maybe some good things will start happening. Pete Norke led all scorers with (19) in this one followed by TJ (12) Craig Anderson and his black eye came out of the crypt for (8), JC and Gumby with (5) apiece, Larry (4) and Adam Young (2). For East Coast it was Maguire the Marine and Tim Malcolm with (10) each then Wamboldt (9), Bobby Dudal and the Rock with (4) each, Freddie and Dennis (3) each and Jim Hall (2). Fun fact: When you type Pete’s name, Microsoft tries to autocorrect “Norke” to ”Snorkel”. Charlie – we’re all pulling for you and your family and hope that Emma gets well soon.

Game 2:  Rockingham Roofing 74  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 61

I’m not going to say that Rockingham Roofing had revenge on their mind entering this game, but I’m not going to say they didn’t either. The first matchup this season was a decidedly one-way affair with Keystone dropping a 95-spot on the Roofers who in fairness were missing their coach, their undersized big men, and had a hobbled Steve Wilson. No excuses though…it was an ass-whooping and Tripodi’s crew were left licking their wounds and enduring some good-natured chirping in the 4^th quarter. This time around was a bit different, although it didn’t start out that way with Keystone jumping out to a 25-11 lead after the first quarter. After getting punched in the mouth, Coach Tripodi switched up the defense and the rest was history as Rockingham Roofing went on to outscore Keystone in each of the next three quarters including 25-9 in the fourth when it mattered most. For the Roofers it’s been a 4-headed monster all season and this game was no exception…Steve Wilson (19), Dave Spero (18), Jimmy V (13) and Jeff “Dikembe” Pitre (12) led the way with “Action” Jackson adding (7), Tatarian (3) and Snyder (2) including hist first career foul-out. I thought Commissioners weren’t supposed to foul out? Hmm….For Keystone, impressive rookies Jimmy Ryder (19) and Dave Russell (14) had solid games and big man Pat DiNino also had (15). Jim Kane had (8), Tom Leccese was limited to (5) and there were no points scored off the bench. Mission accomplished. Rockingham Roofing shot 77% from the line on 30 free throw attempts and are averaging nearly 77 points per game this season – numbers unheard of in this league. Something tells me these two teams might have a date in the postseason.

Game 3:  JM Tulley Electric 48  vs.  Baker Painting 45

This was a good, competitive game to watch. Tulley Electric came into this one stumbling a bit at 1-4 and having given away more than a few leads, while Baker Painting was riding a two-game winning streak and had everyone show up on a Wednesday night for a change. Back and forth these two went all night until Tulley Electric opened things up a bit in the third quarter and held the Painters to 5 points. But some absolutely putrid foul shooting down the stretch meant it was anyone’s game to have and the Electricians made just enough more to eke out the win. Nate Spero led all scorers with (16) in this one, Ryan Curry had a solid game after switching headbands and finished with (12), George Washington Buatti and Baby Mac (8) each, Jonathan Silva with (3) on a 75-foot end-of-the-quarter shot that should have counted for at least twice that much, and Murph-dog with the dreaded (1) point. Where was Wednesday night Ricky? Oh yeah, it was Wednesday night. Wheels, you need to shoot more. For Baker Painting, the painter himself Eric had (12) and so did Ducharme, Red Shoes Garone with (10), the Commish (5), Jeff Polchlopek (4) and looking like this year’s most improved player, and finally Timmy Mac (2).  

Congratulations to Keystone Precision and Engineering for taking home the title for the 2023-24 Season

Regular season over. Wow that went fast. It seems like just yesterday we were at the draft hoping not to be picked by Gary. Just kidding Gary…kind of. So now we know that Keystone and J&B Butcher have earned byes for the first round of the playoff and will be guaranteed at least two more games of meaningful basketball. As for the rest of the league – good luck in the one-and-done first round.  I           wouldn’t be surprised with any result, but may the best teams win!

Game 1:  East Coast Lumber  60  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering  55

Keystone already had the #1 seed in the bag and were without Steve Wilson who is nursing a tight hamstring…so with the bye he’ll have a few weeks to rest. Still, the Engineers put up a spirited fight against East Coast Lumber who were looking to go into the postseason feeling good about their game…and they did just that be handing Keystone only their 5^th loss of the season. And amazingly East Coast has delivered 3 of those defeats! This game was a back-and-forth battle until Big Shot Rob Ashe decided to take things over. A vintage performance by the lefty (19 points) put the league on notice that he is not to be ignored come playoff time. He was complemented well in this game by Ducharme and Maguire with (11) each and Craig Jackson with (10). Rockwell moonballed a few baskets and finished with (6) and Wheels-up with (3). For the Gang in Green, a monster game by TJ Hodgkins who finished tied with Pete Norke for points with (17) each, the younger Malcolm had (11), Adam Young (6) and then Anthony ad Jeff Polchlopek with (2) apiece. Will be interesting to see if these two meet in the playoffs!

Game 2:  J&B Butcher  85   vs.  EH Baker Painting  73   

J&B Butcher had a pretty clean shot at the #2 seed and a first-round bye. Even with a loss and a win by Tulley Electric, they had the tiebreaker advantage given their 47-point advantage in points against. But they left no doubt about it as they cruised to a 85-73 victory over Baker Painting for their highest scoring game of the year. Did it help that the Purple Painters were without Big Charlie and Coach Steenson? It certainly didn’t hurt. Jimmy V (29) and Snyder (26) combined for 55 points and led an unrelenting attack that also included Fred Malcolm with (16) and Jeff Pitre with (12). Johnny K (2) didn’t have to score at all…instead he controlled the pace, dished out a ton of dimes and kept Dave Spero busy on D. Spero did his damage for Baker Painting on the offensive side of the ball though with (29) points of his own and had a bunch of help from Garone (19), KANE! (11), Buatti (10) and Sheppard (4). 73 points is the second most pints they’ve given up all season – so J&B has some work to do o the defensive side of the ball if they want to get anywhere in the playoffs. But their offense is clicking at the right time.  

Game 3:  JM Tulley Electric  51  vs.  Rockingham Roofing  41

The final game of the night and of the regular season came down to one team still looking to put a few consistent games together (Tulley Electric) and another team trying get familiar playing with their big man coming back from injury. Points were tough (real tough) to come by in this one, but the Electricians stepped and held on down the stretch to win the game and secure the #3 seed overall. The good news for Tulley Electric is that a lot of their team scored in this game – but no one had a particularly great game, and they left a lot of points on the court. Nate Spero finished with a team high (14) and after that it was all over the place…Leccese (9), Murph (8)…nice game Murph, Tulley (7), Fireman Jim Mac and Bobby Clarke (4) each, Dennis (3) and Bobby Dudal (2). But that was enough to beat the Roofers on this night as they were without Timmy McDonald Ricky O. Eric Baker had a solid game with (14) and finished a very strong season for him individually, I think. The Big Man had (11) and Kimball (9) and that was pretty much it. The Pumpkin 

Hard to believe there is only one week left to go in the 2023-2024 regular season. After last weeks results, it looks like J&B Butcher have the inside track on the #2 seed and a first-round bye thanks to their 47-point advantage in ‘points against’ over Tulley Electric. But the final 4 spots are all up for grabs which should make for a very interesting final evening of regular season play. Bring on the playoffs!

Game 1:  EH Baker Painting  68  vs.  JM Tulley Electric  46

This was a game that Tulley Electric really needed to have if they wanted any real shot at the #2 seed and after jumping out to an 11-1 lead after the first 5 minutes, it looked like they were well on their way. And then I don’t know what the hell actually happened but Baker Painting starting lighting it up and went on a 54-14 run to take a 30-point lead after 3 periods! They literally could not miss for a 25 minute span….Dave Spero knocking down 3’s from everywhere, Buatti on fire, Red Shoes Garone hitting crazy one-handed baseline jumpers…it didn’t matter what they were taking – everything went in. It’s scary to think of what Purple can look like when they get hot considering they are one game out of last place. For the winners, Dave Spero (20), Garone (17) and Buatti (15) led the charge…and they were complemented by Steenson and Vannette with (6) apiece, and KANE! and Sheppard with (2) each. For Tulley Electric, Nate led the way with (12) and encouraging to see Tom Leccese have a bounce back game with (11) – although a large chunk came late when the game was all but over. Tulley and Dudal had (6) each, Bobby Clarke (4), Murph (3), and the two Jim’s – McLachlan and Hykel with (2) apiece.

Game 2:  East Coast Lumber 59   vs.  Rockingham Roofing  53   

Give Gary’s Goons some credit. After a rough start to the year, they’ve battled back to be pretty darn close to .500 and have an outside shot at claiming the #3 seed overall. They sometimes completely crap their pants (which I blame mostly on questionable coaching) but they always play very hard and have a deep lineup. Just look at this game…Billy Chasse (17) and Rob Ashe (17) each scored more than Maguire (8) and Ducharme (8) combined. And not to mention they were missing Craig Jackson and Jon Rockwell who were both out. Wheels dropped in (5) and Mullins a season-best (4). Great to see the pride of South Lawrence have a huge game and also come back from a shot to the nose that left his pencil-thin mustache all bloodied. And Big Shot Rob is having himself a late season surge as well – so watch out for these guys if everyone gets hot. Rockingham Roofing had to be disappointed to lose this game because it was close throughout and they had solid performances from Eric Baker (20), Francis (11) and Baby Mac (10). But after that, only Morrissey and Kimball with (6) each could muster anything. Timmy Mac sat this one out with a bad calf and Ricky is off to do the lord’s work. Could have used a few points from the Pumpkin in this one…especially with his son Ben in the stands. Once again Steve, you’ve let your family down.

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  54  vs.  J&B Butcher  49

The two highest scoring teams in the league put up the lowest scoring game of the night in what amounted to a hard-fought, defensive battle. Keystone watched MVP-favorite Steve Wilson depart midway through the first quarter (with a tight hamstring?) and he did not return to the game. Fortunately for Keystone, they have two other horses in the barn (Norke and Malcolm) to help carry the load when someone goes down. But what really won this game was TJ Hodgkins stepping up in Steve’s absence…draining 3’s all over the place and playing very solid defense. J&B couldn’t put anything together and instead spent the entire night turning the ball over and getting outrebounded by Tim Malcolm and Jeff Polchlopek. For Keystone, Tim Malcolm had (16), Norke (15) and TJ (14)…with Polchlopek adding (4), Adam Young (3) and Steve Wilson (2). J&B struggled to find the bottom of the net all night. Johnny K finished with (14), Jimmy V (11) and Craig Anderson (8). The rest of the output was somewhat underwhelming – Snyder (6), Fred Malcolm (5), The Commish (3) and Jeff Pitre (2). That’s right, you heard that correct – Jeff hit his 4^th two-point shot of the year to go alongside 46 made three-pointers. God bless him.

Happy New Year all! With only two games remaining in the regular season, it is officially nut-cutting time. As the playoffs approach, Keystone has the #1 position locked up, but the rest of the remaining seeds are all up for grabs including the coveted #2 seed which comes with a first-round bye.  Hoping everyone had a good holiday break…

Game 1:  Rockingham Roofing  54  vs.  EH Baker Painting  41

Was this game just a low-scoring affair with two struggling offenses or a defensive masterpiece? How about one of each. A resurgent Rockingham Roofing showed that it can win ugly…and that they’re content with sharing the scoring duties and playing solid defense. 54 total points scored doesn’t usually mean you’re running away with the game, but it did in this one for the Roofers as EH Baker Painting continues to struggle with consistency and finding their offensive identity. Baby Mac (14) and Kimball (12) led the way for Tripodi’s Tribe but they also had meaningful contributions from Friday Morning Ricky (8), Francis Au Jus (6), Morrissey and Timmy Mac (5) each and Eric Baker with a quiet (4). If you can win by 13 with Baker only scoring 4 points, you’re doing something right…he’s been the heart and soul of that team all year. For Purple, we’ve seen this script before…no one could really get things going enough to mount a serious threat. Buatti continues to play well and had a strong game with (15) and Garone played a solid #2 with (10) – but after that there wasn’t much to write home about. Coach Steenson (4), Spero and Big Charlie (3) each and then the law-firm of Cate, KANE!, and Sheppard with (2) apiece. These two teams are duking it out for last place…but might have some surprise competition. More on that later…      

Game 2:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  68   vs.  JM Tulley Electric  53   

This game could not have started worse for Tulley Electric. Tom Leccese was out with a shoulder injury and Nate Spero was nowhere to be found – which resulted in a 19-5 first period drubbing by Keystone. But give the Electricians credit thanks to their never-say-die leader Matt Tulley who almost single-handedly willed his team back into the game during a 16-8 run in the second period to cut the lead to 6 at halftime. Then Nate showed up and things were starting to look better…until they got Steve-Wilsoned. That’s a thing now…getting Steve Wilsoned. Seven 3-pointers and (28) total points – most of which came in the second half – put the icing on the cake for Keystone and they cruised to a relatively easy 15-point victory. Tim Malcolm (12) and Adam Young (11) had solid games, Norke (7), TJ (6) and then JC and Jeff Polchlopek with (2) each. For Team Tulley, Matt and Nate each had (13) and Dennis Breton had a nice game with (12). Good to see Bobby Dudal with (6) and Fireman Jimmy Mac (5)…Bobby Clarke and Murph-dog rounded out the scoring with (2) each. Tulley Electric still has a shot at the #2 seed but will likely need to win out and hope for two losses by J&B Butcher.

Game 3:  J&B Butcher  75  vs.  East Coast Lumber  57

Having been man-handled by East Coast Lumber the last two times they’ve played, J&B Butcher had this game circled on their calendar. However, without Johnny K (Florida) or Fred Malcolm (hernia) the boys in powder blue knew it was going to be an uphill battle. But then a Christmas miracle occurred – and what to my wondering eyes should appear? – but Johnny K showing up with his basketball gear! Santa’s – I mean Johnny K’s – arrival was exactly the jolt that J&B needed, and they rode his sleigh of momentum from the opening tip to a 10-point lead after the first period. They continued to pad their lead each of the next two periods and never looked back…cruising to an 18-point victory. I’m pretty sure this is what Coach Crump envision when he drafted Johnny K (17) in round one, Snyder (18) in round two and Jimmy V (20) in round 3…as they combined for 55 points in what was easily the teams most complete game of the season. Matt Gorham played his butt off and had (7) points and about 5 steals, Craig Anderson had two big three’s and finished with (6), The Commish with (4) and Jeff Pitre (3). For East Coast, Ducharme led the way with (16) but no one else could get hot. Still, some solid performances put forth by Maguire and Classy Billy Chasse who finished with (9) apiece, Whoa Nelly Craig Jackson and The Rock with (8) each, and Big Shot Rob Ashe (7). East Coast now find themselves only one game out of last place, but could still grab #3 seed of things fall their way.

Tough week of games. Nothing close, no heroics, a lot of guys missing…hard to learn much from a week like this. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some stellar performances – because there was. And you can’t help but wonder what the playoffs are going to look like when every team will (most likely) be healthy and whole. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas…

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric  72  vs.  East Coast Lumber  60

Sometimes a matchup just works for one team versus another…and that sure is the case with Tulley Electric looking to go 4-0 and sweep the season series against East Coast Lumber. Despite not having Tommy Leccese, this game was a route from the opening tip…and don’t let the 4^th quarter surge from the Coasters fool you…it was never that close. Matt Tulley was a beast in this game with (27) points and no better night to do it on than his birthday. Nate Spero played a solid Robin next to Tulley’s Batman with (22) points of his own and keeping his chatter to a minimum. Dennis Bretton was a strong third wheel with (12), the two Bobby’s had (4) apiece. Fireman Jimmy Mac with (2) and Murph with (1)…nice! For East Coast, a resurgent Rob Ashe (15) was about the only bright spot in this game. Sure Maguire (17) and Brian Ducharme(14) had their points, but it was a lack of defense that really doomed them…because 60 points should get you a win most night. Jackson and Rockwell had (5) each, Classy Billy Chasse (3) and Gary Gary Quite Contrary matching Murph with (1) point…proving that one is not in fact the loneliest number.

Game 2:  J&B Butcher  54   vs.  Rockingham Roofing  41   

J&B was not looking forward to this game with Johnny K sunbathing his retired Greek body in Florida…that is until they found out that Rockingham Roofing was missing Baker (illness), Kimball (general stiffness), Francis (kids concert at Pinkerton), and Religious Ricky (Jesus). With only 5 healthy players, the Pumpkin would have to play a full 40 minutes…advantage J&B. Despite all of this, the game itself was far from a blowout despite an 18-5 lead after the first quarter for J&B. A spirited effort from Baby Mac (15) in his second game back from injury and Gumby (11) kept things close. A resilient Larry Sankey never stopped hustling and had one of the best games I’ve ever seen him play finishing with (9) and about a hundred rebounds and loose balls…Timmy Mac had (6) and the Pumpkin – well let’s just say he tried really hard. For J&B, Jimmy V led the way as he has done much of the year with (17), Pitre (12) on four 3-pointers, sweet-shooting Craig Anderson (9) on three 3-pointers, Snyder and Fred (6) each and Matt Gorham and the Commish with (2)each.

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  65   vs.  EH Baker Painting  56

Weirdest game of the night as Baker Painting jumped out to a 15-1 lead in the first 5 minutes of the game and a 20-11 lead after one quarter…only to see Keystone go on a 45-15 run in the second and third quarters…and then Baker Painting finish on a 21-6 run. WTF? It all sorted out to a 9-point win for Keystone in a game that never felt even remotely that close. Pete Norke flashed his MVP form by scoring (23) and Steve Wilson had a nice bounce-back game with (19). And for the first time in what seems like forever, the third leading scorer was somebody besides Pete, Steve or Tim Malcolm…it was Adam Young with (10). Tim had (8) and TJ (5)…and that’s all they needed. For the Purple Painters, Mike Garone continued his strong play with (16) as did Mark Buatti (14) and Dave Spero (12). KANE! finished with (9) and big Charlie (5). No one else scored for Baker Painting…who in fairness were missing a few players of their own.

Hard to believe there are only four more weeks left in the regular season and equally hard to believe that just about any game from here on out is a toss-up. Look no further than this past week’s results where last place (4-10) Rockingham Roofing beat first place (11-3) Keystone Engineering. Tulley Electric beat J&B Butcher despite J&B handing them a 31-point drubbing the last time they met. And East Coast beat Baker Painting after getting torched for 21 points in the first quarter…and then only surrendering 20 points the rest of the game. Go figure. On to the results!

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric  57  vs.  J&B Butcher   51

What a difference a month makes. Losers by 31 the last time they met, JM Tulley Electric was out to prove that was a fluke. Matt Tulley was single-handedly determined not to let his team lose this game – which I can say with relative certainty as he was guarding me. He took no plays off. Nevertheless, this was a very close game the whole way through – but two glaring lapses by J&B led to their demise in the 3^rd quarter. First, they didn’t take advantage of Nate Spero sitting down for 10 minutes courtesy of a well-deserved technical foul, and second – they did not adjust to Tom Leccese taking the ball to the rim instead of taking mostly three pointers. As a result, the Electricians outscored J&B 20-10 in the frame and that was enough. Leccese led the way for Tulley Electric with (23), while Nate and Matt added (11) apiece. After that, (4) points each from Dennis, and the two Bobby’s was all they needed. For J&B, Snyder set the pace for a change with (16), Jeff Pitre (8), The Commish and Fred had (7) each, Johnny K (6), Jim Vaillancourt – owner of 3 vicious Nate Spero blocked shots and a black eye – (5), and Matty Gorham (2). These two squads ended their season series at 2-2 and will have to wait and see if a first-round bye is in the cards for either one of them.

Game 2:  Rockingham Roofing  62   vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering  58   

Game of the night – perhaps of the year – with last place Rockingham Roofing handing first place Keystone only their 4^th loss on the season. And they waited until the last moments of the game to pull ahead. A comfortable - but not insurmountable – lead for Keystone for most of the game unraveled mightily as Sean “Gumby” Morrissey drove a literal spike though their hearts in the final 2 minutes. OK, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but you get the point. Keystone was up 8 with 2 minutes and change left and then Gumby went baseline 3, baseline 3 and a layup for 2…scoring 10 of his team-high (14) with the game on the line. Big stones Sean – well played. Baker continued his under the radar, second tier MVP-worthy campaign with (13), Big Tim Mac and even bigger Dave Mac had (8) each, Friday morning Ricky with (7), Kimball (6), Table Sauce (4), and Larry (2). Only the Pumpkin failed to score for the team he sponsors. For Keystone, they’ll be lamenting what could have been – although they’re still probably going to finish in first place. Shouldn’t have lost this game though…they missed a bunch of layups in the 4^th and a sketchy possession where the Roofers had the ball in the backcourt for a 13 count that wasn’t called all contributed to their demise. Young Malcolm had (16), Norke (13) and TJ (12). Which means (gasp) Steve Wilson was 4^th on his team in scoring with (9)…his only single digit game of the season. JC had (6) and Adam (2) to round things out for Keystone.

Game 3:  East Coast Lumber  55   vs.  EH Baker Painting  41

This game was no work of art. Low scoring and ugly all the way around – at least it featured a nice comeback on the part of East Coast who were down pretty big early onto the Purple Painters. Can’t quite figure out what’s wrong with Coach Steenson’s team…they have the horses but putting a complete 40 minutes together seems to be a challenge. In this game, they could only manage 7, 7, and 6 points over the final 3 quarters and East Coast was able to run away with the game essentially. Big Shot Rob Ashe and Action Jackson led the Coasters with (13) apiece followed by the two horses, Maguire and Ducharme with (12) each. Add (5) for Wheels-up and that’s all they needed. The Painters got decent production from Sper(13), Buatti (11) and Garone (10)…but not much after that…Charlie with (6) and KANE (1)…there’s another 1-point scorer for you!

We’re three quarters of the way through the season and other than Keystone looking like a lock for the #1 seed, I’m not sure we’ve really figured anything else out. Would you put money on any of the remaining five teams if either one of them faced-off against another?...I wouldn’t. Availability, effort, matchups, coaching, and experience all come in to play. Let’s see who gets hot during the home stretch. Welcome back Baby Mac!

Game 1:  J&B Butcher  66  vs.  EH Baker Painting  57

The most entertaining game of the night to watch for sure. This was a see-saw game of epic proportions with J&B falling behind by 13 after the first quarter, only to tie it up at the half. Then J&B opens up a 13-point lead after three quarters…and of course Baker Painting roars back to cut the lead to 3 in the waning moments of the fourth. Some clutch free throw shooting down the stretch by J&B (with Snyder wisely on the bench – smart call coach!) helped seal the deal for the Butchers. As a team, J&B went to the line a whopping 31 times which is a season high for the league…14 of them by Jim Vaillancourt alone. Jimmy V also led the way in points scored with (20) joining three other Butchers with double-digits  - Johnny K (13), Freddy (12) and Snyder (11). Pitre had (5), Matty G and Craig Anderson (2) each and the Commish with his third (1) point affair of the year. Congratulations. For Baker Painting, no one could stop Big Charlie in this game as he bullied his way to (18) mostly early points. Spero added (15) and was clutch down the stretch, Coach Steenson (7), Red Shoes (6), Buatti (5), KANE! (4),  and Jeremy Sheppard (2).

Game 2:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  86   vs.  East Coast Lumber  65   

There was a chance for Keystone to put up a hundo in this game after jumping out to a HUGE 24-6 lead that they never surrendered. Credit East Coast Lumber for cutting the lead to 8 at halftime…but a 49-point outburst by Keystone in the second half was more than the Coasters could deal with – especially missing Rob Ashe. The lack of true ball-handler could come back to bite these guys – but they’re solid up front and Ducharme continues to abuse anyone in his way. But this game was all about Keystone – where to start? Oh yeah, Steve Wilson…another ho-hum (24) point game slicing and dicing through the defense, dropping dies and knocking down 4 three-pointers. He had plenty of help in this one too…Tim Malcolm (20), Norke (19), and most-improved front-runner TJ Hodgkins (10). Add (8) from Adam Young and (5) from BIG ANTHONY and you have yourself a winning formula. For Gary’s Goons, it was Ducharme (26) and then a smattering of points from the rest of the team….Maguire (12), Action Jackson (9), Wheeler/Walker with (5) apiece, and the Rockwell-Chasse combo (4) each.

Game 3:  Rockingham Roofing  72   vs.  JM Tulley Electric  52

For the third time in five weeks, Tulley Electric find themselves on the wrong end of a double-digit blowout. The long-anticipated return of Baby Mac from the disabled list lit a sizeable fire in last-place Rockingham Roofing who are sick and tired of losing. And the big man came out like a Sasquatch who hadn’t eaten in 2 months…blocking shots, grabbing rebounds and facilitating buckets for his teammates. You couldn’t wipe the smile off Tripodi’s face with a shovel. This was actually a close game at the half with the Roofers holding on to a 5-point lead. But they outscored the Electricians 35-20 in the second half and won going-away showcasing some serious depth. The unsung hero of the season from my perspective has been Eric Baker who was a monster again in this one scoring (17) tough-ass points, Morrissey had another gem with (14), Baby Mac and Table Sauce (9) each, Timmy (8), Kimball (7), Friday Morning Ricky (6), and Larry (2). Depth of scoring is one thing that Tulley Electric did not have. Matt led the way with (20), Nate and Dennis (12) each, Fireman Jimmy Mac (6)…and then just (2) for Leccese – and that’s it.

With only 6 games left in the season, things are starting to really bunch up in the standings with 4 teams separated by only  one game. While Keystone Precision & Engineering have firmly staked their claim as the top team in the league, I think just about everyone would agree that this is anyone’s season. Baker Painting and East Coast Lumber are coming on strong, while J&B Butcher and Tulley Electric are in a bit of a skid. And some hopeful news that Baby Mac may be returning which would help Rockingham Roofing’s cause to say the least. On to the results!

Game 1:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  64  vs.  J&B Butcher  62

This was a great game to play in and probably a great game to watch as well. A back and forth battle all night long saw a spirited effort from J&B Butcher give first-place Keystone all they could handle. J&B had their chances in this game with a furious rally in the 4^th quarter but saw their final shot roll off the rim with a chance to tie things up. In the end, a heavy dose (pun intended) of reigning MVP Pete Norke (23) points and continued strong play from Steve Wilson (17) and Tim Malcolm (14) proved to be too much to overcome. The only other scorers for Keystone were Adam Young (6) and TJ Hodgkins (4). For the Butcher’s, Jimmy V led  the way once again with (18) and followed closely by (17) from Jeff Pitre who has found his stroke again draining five 3-pointers. Fred chipped in with (9), Johnny K, D Snyder, and the Commish had (6) apiece, and Matt Gorham with (2). Anderson being out with a bum knee didn’t help J&B’s cause…and for Keystone, has anyone seen JC?

Game 2:  EH Baker Painting 70   vs.  JM Tulley Electric  40   

Not a lot to be Thankful for in this game as Tulley Electric absorbed their second 30-point loss of the season after suffering a similar fate at the hands of J&B Butcher 3 weeks ago. This one was over early with a 49-14 halftime score…ouch. There’s a turkey joke in here somewhere but I don’t want to get my teeth knocked out. The Electricians clearly aren’t the same team without rookie Leccese in their lineup and their opponents can pack things in a bit without his deep shooting to worry about. The lowlights for Bobby Clarke’s Bunch were Big Matt (14), Nate (13), Murph and JMac (4) each, Dennis Breton (3) and Jim Hykel (2). A completely different story for the boys in purple who had arguably the most balanced attack of any team, in any game, all season. I think it’s pretty safe to say that no one wants to see these guys in a one-game playoff. There was an abundance of riches to go around for Steenson’s Stallions….Mark Buatti continues his stellar shooting with (19). Garone had a solid (17), Spero and Big Charlie with (8) each and then Brett Cate, Coach Jeff and Jeremy Sheppard with (6) apiece. It’s nice to see Jeremy start to flourish after getting out from under Coach Karl Lennon in the over-50 league. Love you Karl!

Game 3:  East Coast Lumber  52   vs.  Rockingham Roofing  47

Don’t look now, but East Coast Lumber find themselves one game out of second place with plenty of time left in the season. Even though they’re near the bottom in points scored, the lead the league in fewest points allowed – and we all know defense helps win championships. It also helps when the other team you’re playing doesn’t have a 6’6” 290-pound mountain in the middle of the paint – and that was the case again this week with Dave McIntyre out with a bad knee. Still, Rockingham Roofing continues to battle hard every week, which must make Coach Pumpkin very proud.  For East Coast, the Brian Ducharme train continues to roll along the track with (18) points and helped out by (14) from Jackson and somewhat pedestrian (8) from Maguire. Rockwell and Wheels-up had (4) each and the dynamic duo of Chasse and Walker with (2) apiece. For the Roofer’s, Morrissey was the surprise leader in points for a change with (12)…something tells me he should look to shoot more. Game-time decision Jason “Maybe” Kimball had (11), Baker and Francis Roux (which by the way translates into ‘Table Sauce’…look it up if you don’t believe me) had (8) each, Timmy Mac (5) and Larry (3). Table Sauce…I like that. You should put that on the back of your shirt.

A little separation at the top after week 13 with Keystone leading the way and showing that they’re the team to beat for now. And we had two 1-point scorers this week…amazing! Tune in below to find out who they were as we await the great pre-Thanksgiving feast!

Game 1:  EH Baker Painting  59  vs.  Rockingham Roofing  48

Baker’s Purple Painters showed up in full force for this game and promptly jumped all over the Baby Mac-less, and Baker-less Roofers 30-19 at the half. But then a little cockiness crept in and before you knew it, it was a one score game halfway through the 4^th. But the calming influence that is Dave Spero was able to settle the Painters down and help them cruise (sort-of) to an 11-point victory. Have yourself a game Mark Buatti…(21) points including 5 three pointers for easily his best game of the season. Garone had a nice rebound game with (16), the aforementioned Spero had (10), Cate (4), Jimmy White (3), Captain Steenson and KANE! with (2) each and Big Charlie with a little (1). For Tripodi’s Team, it was a struggle without his top 2 players, but don’t tell that to Francis Roux who dropped what may have been a career high (22). Great shooting sir. Friday morning Ricky showed up and had (8), Kimball, Timmy Mac and Morrissey each had (4), while Larry and the Pumpkin (that sounds like an 80’s TV show) had (3) apiece.

Game 2:  East Coast Lumber  63   vs.  J&B Butcher  60   

Playing without Johnny K doesn’t improve your chances of winning a game, and J&B Butcher found that out the hard way in their week 13 loss to the Gary’s Gang of Goons. A trip to sunny Florida for the newly retired real estate magnate and a sick Matt Gorham left a short bench for J&B, while the East Coast had all their horses - and they are getting healthier by the day. After falling behind by double digits through 3 quarters, the Butchers valiantly fought their way back and had a chance to tie things up late in the 4^th…but an off-balance Anderson 3 pointer at the buzzer went wide of the mark and the Coasters held on to a hard fought 63-60 victory. Ducharme and Maguire (20) each were on fire all night for East Coast, but it was the pride of South Lawrence, Classy Billy Chasse, who really put the nail in the coffin for J&B with (10) opportunistic points. Action Jackson had (6), Ashe with (5) and freakin Gary hit a 3-poniter which was ironically the difference in the game. For J&B, Jimmy V led the way with (17), Pitre came out smoking in the second half and finished with (15) on 5 three pointers, Snyder struggled with (10), Anderson (9), Freddy (6), Coach Crump (2) and the Commish with (1). I need to check the record book, but you may be leading the league in 1-point games…

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  75   vs.  JM Tulley Electric  70

Everyone was fired up for this game and it did not disappoint. Keystone jumped out to a sizeable 15-point lead at the half 40-25, but as we’ve seen time and time again – every team in this league is capable of making a run. JM Tulley Electric closed the gap and tied the game (I think?) in the 4^th before some dicey shot selection towards the end of the game and poor free throw shooting did them in. Still, a well-balanced effort had Tulley with (20), a white-hot Dennis Breton (17), Nate (14), Leccese (9), Murph-dog (4) and then Bobby Clarke, Jimmy Mac, and Jim Hykel with (2) each. Only 4 players scored for Keystone and they still had 75 points which is ridiculous. Wilson was unconscious once again and finished with (29) including seven 3-pointers, TJ and Pete (16) apiece and Tim Malcolm (14). I’m not sure anyone can keep up with Keystone if they play the way they did in this game…it was a beautiful display of basketball – good shooting, passing, ball movement – everything you want to see. And I credit Gerry Collins for coaching them all up so well. They clearly could not have come this far as a team if it wasn’t for you. Gerry is really feeling himself these days…so much so that he even came down to play a little pickup on Sunday morning. Well played my friend…well played.

The three top teams – Keystone, JM Tulley Electric and J&B Butcher – all held serve this week and separated themselves a little bit further from the bottom of the pack. A lot of big names missing games and that definitely played a role in the results. Not a lot of suspense in these games so let’s see what happened. And for the record, we had no 1-point scorers this week.

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric  61  vs.  East Coast Lumber  51

East Coast was missing Brian Ducharme who was away on a business trip…and that usually spells disaster. And it did again this week – although to the Coaster’s credit, they hung in there considering they fell behind 25-9 in the first quarter. After clawing their way back a little, it was a 10 point game the rest of the way and they just could never get over the hump. For the Electricians, Leccese seems to be out of his mini-slump and led the way with (21), Big Matt had (15), Nate (10), Fireman Jimmy McLachlan had (10) as well in a spirited effort, Dennis had (3) and rookie Hykel (2). If I told you Coach Gary Walker led East Coast in scoring would you believe me? He didn’t…but he still had what may be a career high (13) according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Maguire the Marine led the Red team with(15), Jackson close behind with (14), Big Shot Rob (7) and Rockwell (2).

Game 2:  J&B Butcher  65   vs.  Rockingham Roofing  50   

Don’t look now but after losing four straight games, J&B Butcher is back on a winning streak again – this time three games as they battled from behind to take down struggling Rockingham Roofing who were once again without Big Dave McIntyre. To be fair, J&B were missing a big gun of their own - the league’s third leading scorer, Jim Vaillancourt – due to parent/teacher conferences. Now, Coach Crump offered to go to Jim’s school and stand in for him…I mean who could tell the difference? They’re practically twins. And J&B definitely missed him struggling for most of the first half and early in the third falling behind by 6 points. That is until Coach ripped into them during a time out and whatever he said (I think he called us Puss-cakes) clearly made a difference and they won the game by 15 going away. For J&B, Johnny K (19) was a beast all night, but it was Fred Malcolm who really rose to the occasion in the 2^nd and 4^th and finishing with (17) for the game. Snyder chipped in (13), Craig Anderson a huge (8) and Pitre (6) on a couple threes. For the Roofers, Baker single-handedly kept them in it with (22), Gumby had (10), Kimball (6), Ricky (5), Timmy (3) and Francis/Larry with (2) each.

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  57   vs.  EH Baker Painting 48

Should have been the game of the night and it was, for the first half with Baker Painting holding a 4-point advantage 26-22. But a 24-10 shellacking in the 3^rd quarter by Keystone put them up 10 and they cruised to a comfortable 9-point victory. Everyone contributed in this game for Keystone who almost had 5 players in double figures…Wilson and Malcolm (14) each, Pete Norke (11), Adam Young (10) and TJ ever so close with (8). The Purple Painters were without Big Jim Kane, even bigger Jeremy Sheppard, and not so very big Brett Cate. But all three could have helped take some of the load off their starting five. A massive effort from Charlie who had (15), Dave Spero (11), Coach Steenson (9), Red Shoes Garone a quiet (6) and Buatti an even quieter (5). Hard to win without your full squad in this league and the fatigue was showing on purple at the end of this one. It also doesn’t help that Keystone has 5 GUYS IN THEIR EARLY 40’s on their team – Wilson, Malcolm, Norke, TJ, and Adam Young. How did that happen. Smart drafting Gerry – what you lack in height you make up for in IQ my friend. Prost!

I officially can’t figure out the league this year. Here we are starting the second half of the season and I’m pretty sure anyone can win this thing if healthy. Are there favorites, sure…but what looked like a wide gap a few weeks ago has tightened up considerably. Injuries are starting to play a significant role and teams are figuring out matchups. It’s going to be an interesting run from here. On to the results!

Game 1:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  70   vs.  Rockingham Roofing  59   

Keystone was missing Tim Malcolm (Celtics game) and Rockingham Roofing was missing Baby Mac (knee) – which sounds like a reasonably balanced swap on paper. And with MVP frontrunner Steve Wilson managing a groin issue, this could have been a trap game. Just like “no one expects the Spanish Inquisition”…no one expected TJ Hodgkins (with a bad back no less) to erupt for 19 points and a whole bunch of clutch free throws down the stretch to lead his team to victory. But he did – and he’s this writer’s vote for most improved player this season (Glenn Murphy is a close 2^nd). Wilson did his part scoring (22) including 6 3-pointers – Jesus, reigning MVP Pete Norke added (11), Anthony and JC with (6) apiece, everyone’s favorite accountant Jeff P had (4) and Adam Young with (2). For the Roofers, they put forth a spirited effort despite missing their #1 pick for the 4^th game in a row. Baker led the way with (19) and then it was Kimball (12), Francis (11) and Timmy Mac (10)…Morrissey had (5), Larry (2) and Wednesday Night Ricky…well…let’s just say he hustled. If you can't figure out the Spanish Inquisition thing, please come see me at the gym tonight for a lesson on culturally significant films.

Game 2:  EH Baker Painting  45  vs.  East Coast Lumber  37

This game should have been really good. It was not. And the lowest combined score of the season was the end result of a back-and-forth festival of missed shots, turnovers and just general sloppy play. Neither team could really get much going in this one despite having all of their big guns. I’m trying to think of something positive or clever to write but I’m having a hard time. This game blew. The Purple Painters did pull out a victory thanks to a career-high output from Jeremy Sheppard who posted (10) points to tie for the team lead in scoring with Mark Buatti. After that, Big Charlie had (9), Steenson and Garone with (6) each and Dave Spero (4). Only one 3-pointer made for the entire Baker Painting team, but 12-14 from the charity stripe is a really good result. For East Coast, what went wrong? Riding a 3-game winning streak coming in, Ducharme and Maguire could only muster (11) each and the other member of the big three - Action Jackson - struggled all night and only wound up with (2).  Big Shot Rob added (6), Wheels-up with (3) and the pride of South Lawrence, Billy Chasse, and the pride of Coldwell Banker Realty, Gary Walker, finished with (2) each. There…I did the best I could.

 Game 3:  J&B Butcher  69   vs.  JM Tulley Electric  39

And speaking of unexpected…I’m pretty sure no one saw J&B Butcher cruising to a 30-point victory over JM Tulley Electric – who have been arguably the hottest team in the league as of late. Everyone was hot for J&B in this one and after being down by a point through one quarter, a 21-4 outburst in the second turned out to be too much for the Electricians to overcome. This was one of those games where everything went right for one team and nothing went right for the other. Eight 3-pointers for J&B (but only 3 foul shots despite taking it to the rim all night…hmmmm) were the keys in this game. Impressive all-around effort from Jimmy V with (21), Johnny K and Jeff Pitre (12) apiece and Craig Anderson a healthy (8). Foul trouble for Snyder saw him sit on the bench for much of this game and only wound up with (6), Kevin Young (5) with an impressive and-1, Freddy (3) and Coach Crump with (2) hard-earned points that really sealed the game if you ask me – or anyone in the stands to be honest. For the Electricians, not much to celebrate…Tulley and Nate with (10) each, Dennis (6), Leccese was held to (5), Jim Hykel had (4) and then (2) each for Murph and Jimmy Mac – welcome back! Look for these guys to bounce back this week.

We’re officially halfway done with the season, and one could argue this is the most parity the league has seen in several years. EH Baker Painting might be the best last-place team I’ve ever seen. The reality is anyone can win on any given night…it all comes down to availability…the most important ability of all. As you’ll see in this week’s results.

Game 1:  East Coast Lumber 51   vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering 44

Two big pieces missing in this one…top players Steve Wilson from Keystone and Brian Ducharme from East Coast Lumber were both out, which means someone else had to step up for each team. So, who answered the bell? I’ll tell you who – Paul Wheeler (8) and Gary Walker (7) for the Lumber Boys. You knew Malcolm (20) & Norke (13) would show up for Keystone, and the same for Jackson (20) & Maguire (13) with East Coast….but after that it was the Wheeler and Walker show. The dynamic duo (Gary is Robin) combined for 15 points…which is 4 more than the entire bench had for Keystone. Even more impressive is that most of their points came during crunch time – in the third and fourth quarters - including three 3-pointers between them! Rob Ashe (3) was the only other scorer for East Coast. Well was it was fun while it lasted boys – Ducharme will be back next week. For Keystone, after Malcolm and Norke, it was just (4) from Adam young and (3) each from JC and TJ. Jeff Polchlopek had the distinct pleasure of scoring (1), which is becoming an all too regular point total across the league this year. Seems like there could be Booby Prize for the most 1-point games by an individual. Hmmm….something for the Board to discuss.

Game 2:  J&B Butcher 64   vs.  EH Baker Painting 61

One of the better games of the season thus far saw reeling J&B Butcher take on “Hot & Cold” EH Baker Painting. This was a back and forth, physical battle – just like their first meeting – which J&B won in overtime. High compete level, good team basketball, and no quit on either side saw things come down to the final few seconds and some clutch defense and free throw shooting by J&B. It felt like there were a dozen lead change in this one with J&B up by as many as 12 and the Baker Paining having a 7-point advantage with only a few minutes left. For J&B, Johnny K led the way with (18) followed closely by Jimmy V (15) and Snyder (13). Pitre got his shot going again and scored (6), the Commish and Craig Anderson had (5) apiece and Matty Gorhan (2). For the Purple Painters, Big Charlie was dominant with (19) and Spero not too far behind scoring (18) although only 1 for 5 from the charity stripe. Red shoes was “held” to (15) after dropping 29 last week and then it was pretty slim pickings after that – Buatti (5) and Bret and Sheppard with (2) each. Editor’s note: A scoreboard clerical error had J&B winning by 1-point, however it was revealed after the game that it was actually a 3-point victory. Not saying whose fault that was…GARY!

Game 3:  Rockingham Roofing 44   vs.  JM Tulley Electric 40

Not going to lie, this game set offense back a few years as both teams struggled to score points. The Roofers were once again missing their big guy in the middle and one would think that would give JM Tulley a sizeable (pun intended) advantage. But they were missing Tom Leccese - the league’s 4^th leading scorer – and that took away their number one outside threat. So Tripodi wisely decided to pack-it-in on defense and make things difficult inside. And it worked. At least I think it worked, because it sure looked to me like the Electricians just simply missed a bunch of shots they normally make. Even Matt Tulley, who scored a game high (14) would tell you he left a few baskets out there on the court and so did the rest of the team Nate had a quiet (9)…all in the 2n0d quarter, Murph with (6) and still playing well, Dennis (5), Jim Hykel (4) and Bobby Dudal (2). For The Roofies, everyone chipped in. Kimball (11), Baker (9), Morrissey (6), Francis (5), Ricky (4), Timmy Mac (2) and Sankey (1)….there we go with the (1) again. Oh, and the great Pumpkin scored 6 points – a season high – on two 3-pointers. Too bad your son wasn’t there to see it. Nice to see Fireman Jimmy McLachlan back in the league replacing Tom Labrie who tore his Achilles a few weeks ago. Get well Tom and welcome back Jimmy!

As we near the halfway point of the season, some things are becoming clear, while others remain a bit of a mystery. For example, can anyone figure out Which J&B Butcher team will show up? Is Dave McIntyre’s bad knee going to sink Rockingham Roofing? Can anyone catch Keystone or JM Tulley Electric? Who will hit more 3’s – Steve Wilson or Tom Leccese? Where is Keith Mullins? Is Glenn Murphy taking private basketball lessons? (you’re playing very well my friend). Things to ponder as we wait for the triumphant return of Jimmy McLachlan! On to the results.

Game 1:  East Coast Lumber 59   vs.  Rockingham Roofing 46

No Dave McIntyre, No Problem….for East Coast Lumber. They turned on the jets in this one and won going away without the big fella in the middle to muck things up. A huge second quarter and a monster game from Brian Ducharme (19 pts) – who by the way is looking every bit of 100% - was more than enough to close our the undermanned Roofers who were also missing Larry Sankey and Steve Tripodi (oh no wait, Tripodi was there). Maguire chipped in (13) and Classy Billy Chasse had his best game in a while scoring (12), Rockwell and Ashe with (4) each, Wheels-up (3) and Gary and Jackson with (2) apiece to round out the scoring for East Coast. Eric Baker (16) tried his best to keep things close for the Roofers but it just wasn’t enough. Jay Kimball and Francis had (9) each, Gumby with (7) and Ricky with (5). Just not enough secondary scoring for Tripodi’s clan. And speaking of Tripodi – I expected at least one bucket from you considering your son showed up to watch you play AND it’s pumpkin season. Disappointing. You failed your kid.

Game 2:  JM Tulley Electric 74   vs.  EH Baker Painting 71

Game of the night. A significantly undermanned EH Baker Painting (no Charlie, no Captain Steenson, no Jeremy Sheppard) meant that they would only have one sub going up against the hottest team in the league – JM Tulley Electric. This was a tremendous battle between the Spero brothers who left it all out on the court. And you know who didn’t fail his kid – Matt Tulley – who’s son was also in attendance -  scored (18) including a big one down the stretch to send this game into overtime. But the player of the night was Nate Spero (24) who hit back-to-back 3’s with under a minute to go to cut an 8-point lead to 2 and set the stage for Matt Tulley to tie things up. Leccese chipped in with (11), Dennis with (9) on three early 3-pointers, Murph with (8) and Bobby Dudal (4). The Purple Painters let this one slip away despite an incredible performance from the game’s high scorer Mike Garone who had (29). Dave Spero (23), Buatti (8), Brett Cate (6) and Jimi Kane (5) finished the scoring.

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering 76   vs.  J&B Butcher 66

Father vs. Son. Son vs. Father. Family Affair. The Father Son Game. All in the Family. Call it what you want, but needless to say this had to be a fun game for Fred and Tim Malcolm. You know who it wasn’t fun for?...J&B Butcher (again) dropping their 4^th straight game and leveling them off at 4-4 on the season. On the bright side, they scored enough points to win. But defensively could do nothing to stop Steve Wilson (27) who is cementing his case for league MVP with another solid performance. And following Wilson’s impressive effort, Big Pete had (17) including two huge 3-pointers in the 4^th quarter when J&B had cut the lead to 1-point. The younger Malcolm had (12), JC (11) including three 3-pointers that I’m not quite sure how any of them went in, and (9) from Adam Young. J&B had strong performances from Jimmy V (18), and Johnny K and Dave Snyder with (17) each but they could never quite catch up. The Elder Malcolm had (8), Matt Gorham (4) and the Commish (2) in a losing effort.

Week 8 is in the books, and we saw a little bit of everything this past Wednesday at Memorial Gym. The standings continue to evolve, and  there isn’t so much of a gap between fist place and last place anymore. Bottom line, if you don’t come to play, you’re in for a long night – as J&B Butcher found out (again). On to the results!

Game 1:  EH Baker Painting  61   vs.  Rockingham Roofing  56

The two biggest dudes in the league (Charlie and Dave Mac) squared off in this matchup…I’m guessing 13 feet and about 570 pounds of beef between the two of them. Or about 6 Jeff Steenson’s...however you want to measure it. The game was spectacular and turned out to be the most competitive one of the night as both teams combined for 45 points in the 4^th quarter in a back-and-forth battle that ultimately was won by the Purple Painters. After a slow start, Dave Spero started to heat up and really helped lead his team to victory with (16) points. But he had plenty of help in one of the most balanced scoring games you’ll ever see with Mike Garone who also had (16), Big Charlie (13) and Barber-shop Buatti (12). Captain Steenson also added (4) and when you add it all up, that’s 5 more than Tripodi’s Tribe scored. And speaking of the Roofers, Baker, Kimball and Baby Mac split the scoring duties with (10) each, Francis a solid (9), Timmy Mac (7), Wednesday Night Ricky (6) and Larry and Morrissey with (2) each.

Game 2:  JM Tulley Electric  66  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering  55

This was the game that everyone was waiting for. One versus two. Doesn’t get any better than this during week 8 of the season and as for the game itself, no one saw an 18-4 second quarter beat-down coming from JM Tulley Electric that proved to be too big of a hole for Keystone to pull out of. But it happened. And by doing so, they claimed first place overall considering the points-against tie breaker. Credit Nate Spero for playing tough defense on league-leading scorer Steve Wilson and holding him to (11) points. The Twin Towers for Keystone - Norke and Malcolm – had (20) each and more than covered for him…but there wasn’t much to write about after that. Just (2) each from TJ and JC. And for the Electricians, Nate supplemented his defensive performance by leading his team in scoring with (17) and followed closely behind by rookie Leccese (16) and Dennis Breton (14) who had by far his best game of the season shoot-wise and defensively. He was a beast out there. Murph had (8), Tulley had (7) and Bobby Dudal (4) off the bench. That’s the kind of secondary scoring you need to win close games.

Game 3:  East Coast Lumber  64  vs. J&B Butcher 40

This game was U-G-L-Y and J&B Butcher has no alibi. Dropping their third game in a row, they look completely out of sorts and a shell of their former selves and weren’t ever close in this game trailing from start to finish. Last place East Coast Lumber came out on fire and never took their foot off the gas en route to a 24-point victory. For East Coast, Craig Maguire (22) was a beast in this one hitting a crazy array of shots from all over the court. Brian0 Ducharme (15) chipped in with another solid game and was followed by Craig Jackson (8), Big Shot Rob Ashe (7), Wheels-up with (6), and then the 3-headed monster of Rockwell, Walker and Chasse with (2) apiece. For J&B, not much went right except for Johnny K pouring in a spirited (17) to lead the way. The elder statesmen Freddie (8) and Craig Anderson (6) were the second and third leading scorers and then Snyder and Vaillancourt (4) each and the Commish with only (1). As the author of this writeup, I have the power to not even bring up the fact that I went 0-9 from the charity stripe in this game. But doing so would violate my journalistic integrity and I hereby fully acknowledge that I sucked ass. There you have it. I feel better.

Week 7 is a wrap and there’s been a seismic shift in the standings. J&B Butcher, once the undefeated crowned jewel of the league, now find themselves relegated to third place and mired in a two-game losing streak. Keystone continues their solid play with another dominant outing and JM Tulley Electric look like they’re a force to be reckoned with as well. The jury is still out on Rockingham Roofing, EH Baker Painting and East Coast Lumber. Things are starting to get interesting!,

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric  59   vs.  East Coast Lumber  53

East Coast had a legitimate chance to win this game. Leading at the half and tied after 3 quarters, a few costly turnovers and poor shot selection down the stretch proved to be the killer for Gary’s Goons. To get over the hump, they’re going to need more scoring outside of their top 3 – Ducharme, Jackson and Maguire. What makes this win especially impressive for Tulley Electric is that they didn’t need a million threes from Dennis or Tom Leccese – in fact Spero and Matt Tulley had more than they did – and they still found a way to win.  The aforementioned Tulley led the way with (19), Nate (14), Leccese (10), Dennis (9), Murph-dog (7) and that’s it. For East Coast, the big three combined for 39 points – Ducharme (16), Jackson (13) and Maguire (10), Rockwell and Chasse (that sounds like an auto body shop) had (4) each and Ashe and Wheeler (3) each. I’d wish you better luck this week Gary, but we’re playing you guys – so I hope your whole team craps their pants instead – like we did this past week. (segue)

Game 2:  Rockingham Roofing  59  vs.  J&B Butcher  45

…and speaking of crapping their pants, J&B Butcher was looking to get back on track after their first loss of the season with a win over bottom feeders Rockingham Roofing. Perhaps they took the Roofers too lightly or maybe it was the absence of “Dynamite” Kevin Young, because when the game was over J&B was left licking their wounds and wondering what the hell happened. For the second week in a row, porous 3^rd and 4^th quarter defense combined with tons of missed shots played a role, but if we’re being honest – Rockingham Roofing just wanted this one more and it showed. Rebounds, loose balls, tough defense…all the hustle points went to Tripodi’s squad. Baker led the way with (18) and then it was a an incredibly well-balanced attack with Baby Mac (10), Timmy Mac (8). Morrissey and Friday Morning Ricky with (6) each, Kimball and Sankey (4) each and Francis (3).  A tough shooting night for J&B, missing a lot of shots they’d normally make…Jimmy V had (16), Snyder (10), Johnny K (9), Freddy and Craig (4) apiece and Matty G (2). All that’s left is to hope for better results next week. Vote for Pedro!

Game 3:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  75  vs. EH Baker Painting  48

This game was a route, and Keystone Precision & Engineering have put the league on notice that they’re the team to beat this year. With last year’s MVP and two other leading contenders for this year’s award all on the same team, it could be an uphill battle for everyone else not wearing Hunter Green. They started off hot in this one and really never looked back – playing every kind of way possible including fast breaks, pick and rolls, deep threes, and dribble penetration. You name it, they can do it. For Keystone, Steve Wilson (31) continues his dominant play and puts up the first 30-spot of the season for any team and leads the league in scoring at 21.3 ppg with 25 three-pointers to his credit. Tim Malcolm added (14), Pete Norke and Adam Young had (9) each, Polchlopek with a dazzling (8) points using an array of skills that most of us were unaware he possessed, and TJ with (4) to round things out. The Purple Painters just couldn’t get things going in this one. Big Charlie continued his solid play with (14), Garone had (11) on limited touches, Dave Spero a quiet (8), Buatti (5), Steenson and Cate (3) each and the two bruisers Kane and Sheppard (2) apiece.

Week 6 saw the last unbeaten team in the league go down, but after that it was more of the same with two teams dropping to 1-4 on the season. What’s not the same are the league’s leading scorers. As of Week 6, the top three scorers are all rookies – Steve Wilson, Tom Leccese and Tim Malcom – and neither of them were a first round pick. In fact, five of the top ten are new to the league and all are averaging in double figures and have combined for 64 3-pointers…incredible. Nice to have some fresh blood for a change. I may have to start jacking up a few three’s of my own to stay relevant….Terry?

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric  67   vs.  J&B Butcher  59

This was a revenge game for JM Tulley Electric. After blowing a 20-point to J&B Butcher in their first game of the season, the Electricians had this one circled on their calendar for sure. J&B got off to a better start and were up by 2 at the half. But then a 29-point, 3^rd quarter 3-point barrage by JM Tulley Electric all but sealed it…despite a 4^th quarter surge from the Butchers. Matt Tulley (24) was simply too much to handle for the undersized J&B frontcourt and the combination of Tom Leccese (13) and Dennis Breton (11) with six 3-pointers between them were the nail in the coffin. Nate Spero (13) also had a nice game, Murph with (3), Jim Hykel (2) and Tom Labrie with the ever-so-hard-to-get (1). For J&B, their first loss of the season boiled down to sloppy turnovers and ball handling and a severe lack of defense in the 3^rd quarter. Still, Jim Vaillancourt poured in (18), Snyder with (16) and what might be a first ever 100% free throw percentage in a single game. Freddie (7), Johnny K (6), Pitre was held to (5) thanks to smothering defense, Craig Anderson (3) and the Commish and Matt G with (2) apiece. The Butchers will look to right the ship in their next game against Rockingham Roofing.

Game 2:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  63  vs.  Rockingham Roofing  48

Keystone got right back in the win column after last week’s surprise collapse against previously winless East Coast Lumber. There would be no such letdown this week as they cruised to a comfortable 15-point victory over Rockingham Roofing. Things got a little testy in the 3^rd quarter with Kimball (no surprise there) and Steve Wilson mixing things up…however both served their time, and all seemed to be well afterward. Keystone’s Big 3 did most of their talking on the court with Wilson (19), Norke (16) and Malcolm (14) combing for 49 points – more than Rockingham Roofing had altogether. So they didn’t even need TJ’s (9) or JC’s (5)…but thanks for showing up anyway guys. Baker led the way with (16) for Rockingham Roofing, Kimball (9), Morrissey (8) Baby Mac, who’s clearly not quite 100%, had (5) as did Wednesday night Ricky. Francis (3) and Timmy Mac (2) rounded out the scoring for Tripodi’s Tribe. I told Pete Norke before the season that he wasn’t going to have the fortune of playing alongside someone like Matt Tulley this year…and boy was I right. Instead, he got Wilson and Malcolm…Jesus. One of these days Pete, you’ll know what it means to suffer.

Game 1:  EH Baker Painting  66  vs. East Coast Lumber 61

No Buatti. No Steenson. No problem for EH Baker Painting this week against East Coast who may have been reading their press clippings after the previous week’s victory over league-leading Keystone. The Painters jumped out to a sizeable early lead, but to their credit, East Coast kept chipping away and made a game of it in the 4^th quarter. Perhaps they’re figuring things out…or perhaps Brian Ducharme is starting to look like himself (which he is). The Purple Painters once again put a skeleton crew out on the floor but had 4 guys drop double figures led by a resurgent Red Shoes Garone with (24). Diamond Dave Spero had (14), Big Charlie (13), Brett Cate a career high (10), Sheppard (4) and Kane (2). For the Coasters it was the Law Firm of Ducharme (17), Jackson (15) and Maguire (11) leading the way (although anyone who takes legal advice from any one of them is a jackass). Rob Ashe stroked his way to (8), Billy “Full Body” Chasse (6) and “Somebody’s Watching Me” Rockwell (4). If no one gets that reference, please come see me for an early 80’s hip-hop lesson.

Week 5 (which is really week 4) has come and gone and what a night of games we had! Two nailbiters and a blowout…and by the time it was over, one of two unbeaten teams continued their hot-streak and the other lost to the only winless team in the entire league. This truly is one of the most balanced seasons we’ve seen in a while at the quarter mark. On to the results…and hoping Jimmy White is feeling OK.

Game 1:  J&B Butcher  63  vs.  EH Baker Painting  60

This game was a battle. First place J&B Butcher (minus Fed and heart-and-soul teammate Matty Gorham) were about to find out what a fully-staffed EH Baker team was all about. But it was J&B who came out blazing thanks to tenacious D (that sounds like a band name) by the entire team which led to multiple fast break points and a 19-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. The lead eventually got as high as 21 before it all came crashing down to earth and the Purple Painters found themselves up by 4 going into the fourth quarter. A back-and-forth final frame finished with a late Dave Spero 3-pointer tying things up that sent the game into overtime…and the Butchers eventually pulled it out earning a 3 point victory. Jeff Pitre continued his sizzling start with 7 3-pointers finishing with (23) and Jimmy V was close behind with (22). Johnny K chipped in (11), Craig Anderson had an important (5) and Snyder, who spent more time on the floor than scoring baskets, finished with a career low (2). For Baker Painting, it was a solid effort from their top 5 – Red Shoes Garone (19), Big Charlie and newly shorn “Barber Shop” Buatti with (12) apiece. Steenson had (9) and Spero (8) to complete the scoring.   

Game 2:  East Coast Lumber  61  vs.  Keystone Precision & Engineering  60

Surely the 3-0 team (Keystone) was going to beat the 0-3 team (East Coast), right? Not so fast! Keystone did come out on fire thanks to sweet shooting from Tim Malcolm and found themselves up by nine after one quarter. But the Coasters bounced right back, and it was only a 2-point advantage at the half. A big 24-point 3^rd quarter for East Coast on the heels of Action Jackson had them heading into the last quarter with the lead and they pretty much held serve with a couple huge free throws from Maguire to seal it. For East Coast, the 3-headed monster of Ducharme (13), Jackson (22) and Maguire (12) combined for 47 points and then in a weird statistical anomaly, Ashe, Mullins, Walker, Wheeler, and Rockwell each had (4). For the Engineers – Pete Norke came out of hibernation on his 41^st birthday to score (18), Wilson matched him with (18), rookie Malcolm had (14), Adam Young (8) and TJ (2). Nice win Gary – now let’s see if you can string a few more together – although you are officially no longer in last place.

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric  65  vs. Rockingham Roofing  45

I’m not sure how JM Tulley Electric has two losses on the season after watching them play in this game. This was a clinic from start to finish – never trailing in the game – and cruising to a 20-point victory over Rockingham Roofing. For Tulley Electric, Tom Leccese (20) continued his torrid start to the season with 6 more 3-pointers, Nate Spero had his best game of the year so far with (18) and Tulley had (15). That’s pretty good distribution from your top 3 players. Murph chipped in with (6), Dennis had (4) and Bobby Dudal (2). For the Roofers, well let’s just say that at least Friday morning Ricky (12) showed up on a Wednesday! Baby Mac had (13), Kimball (8), Francis (5), Timmy Mac (4) and Baker (3). Morrissey took a goose-egg missing  a bunch of shots he normally hits…Tripodi told me after the game that he doesn’t want to be your friend anymore.    

Week 3 is in the books and I’m not sure what we learned this past week – except that Keystone looks like the team to beat early in the season. Several squads are still trying to find their mojo, while others seem to be playing well together and enjoying balanced scoring. More on that later.

BTW – kudos to the Hampstead Memorial Gym “Ground Crew”….Jay Kimball, Matt Tulley, Kevin Young for all their creative engineering to keep the floors dry during the two most humid Wednesdays of the entire summer…can’t believe that we finished every game so far. There, I’ve officially jinxed us. Sorry Kevin.

Game 1:  Rockingham Roofing  60  vs.  EH Baker Painting  44

There are a lot of guys on Rockingham Roofing that were part of last year’s championship team, but so far they haven’t been able to put things together and were looking for their first win of the season. However, the stars were aligned (or should I say missing) on Wednesday night as Baker Painting were without three of their top players in Charlie Vannette, Dave Spero, and Jim Kane. As a result, the Roofers coasted to a reasonably comfortable 16-point win. A re-energized Jason Kimball led the way with (14) and was followed closely behind by Baby Mac (13). A well balanced attack was rounded out by Gumby (8), Baker and Timmy Mac with (7) apiece, Francis for (5), Ricky (4) and Coach Pumpkin (2). For the Painters, it was an uphill struggle most of the game after a spirited effort in the first half. Coach Steenson poured in (19) – not bad for a 6^th round pick – and GW Buatti bullied his way to (14) in the losing effort. Red Shoes Garone had (8) and the only other scorer was Brett Cate (3). Look for the Painters to bounce back strong from this one with a (hopefully) full team next week.

Game 2:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  56  vs.  JM Tulley Electric  48

You knew this game was going to be good and it didn’t disappoint. High intensity from the opening tip and high flying from Tim Malcolm were the consistent theme throughout as Keystone pulled away for a hard earned 8-point victory. Malcolm (22) and Steve Wilson (17) are staking their claim as the top-duo in the league – so much so that they haven’t needed much help from reigning MVP Pete Norke (6) who you can tell is just biding his time and waiting to explode one of these nights. A solid game from Adam Young again with (7) and the law firm of Polchlopek & Serino with (2) each while waiting for TJ to return from injury. For JM Tulley Electric, rookie Leccese continued his hot start with 5 more 3’s and finished with (19), Bretton (9), Tulley and Spero struggled their way to (8) points each, Murph (2) and Labrie and Dudal with the difficult to get and unfortunate total of (1) each. Neither team could do a damn thing from the charity stripe going a combined 13-34. That’s hideous. Let me know if you guys would like some lessons – I know a guy. Hope your head is OK Nate.

Game 1:  J&B Butcher  55  vs. East Coast Lumber  45

To say Coach Gary’s East Coast Lumber team has struggled out of the gate would be an understatement…sitting at 0-2 and having fdifficulty scoring points. And they were missing both Rob Ashe and Paul Wheeler in this game which couldn’t help against a 2-0 J&B Butcher squad that looked solid taking down Rockingham Roofing by 17 last week. So how did it go? Well let’s just say that scoring a total of 9 points in the first half isn’t a recipe for breaking out of a slump. The Butchers found themselves up by 19 points (28-9) and even though East Coast played much better in the second half, it was still a relatively easy victory for the boys in Carolina Blue. The Butchers are the leagues stingiest defensive team, and while that played a part in the Coasters first half struggles, the real truth is, they just missed a ton of shots. Their ”big three” of Maguire (15) and Ducharme/Jackson (12) each did most of the scoring, while Gary added (4) and the pride of South Lawrence Billy Chasse had (2). J&B can pretty much pick their poison on any given night and their extremely even box score read as follows: Jimmy V (11), Snyder (9), Fred (9), Anderson (8), Johnny K (6), Jeff Pitre (6), Matt Gorham (4) and Kevin Young (2). If smart team basketball, active defense, ball movement and unselfishness are what you’re looking for – J&B has it – and they sit atop the standings after week three as a result. Let’s see how they do against the other 3-0 team this week – Keystone - at 6:00pm Wednesday night. Get your popcorn!       

Week 2 is a wrap…and what a difference from week 1 with three lopsided victories…and everyone had full squads. So is this what we have to look forward to or will things go back to the way they were in week  1. Only time will tell, but a few things are becoming clear:

First, Coach Collins stole Wilson and Malcolm where he got them in the draft just like he stole Pete Norke last year.

Second, point guard play is at a premium…with a bunch of new bigs this year and a few top-notch PG’s stepping out for the season (Soup, Rose, Fallisi, KMac)…having a true ball handler and table setter is a big deal.

Third, 3-point shooting is on fire. Pitre, Wilson, Leccese, Spero, Bretton, Kimball, Tulley, Morrissey and TJ are all off to hot starts from behind the arc. Time for perimeter defenders to step up!

Game 1:  JM Tulley Electric  59  vs.  East Coast Lumber  38

Everyone was curious to witness the return of Brian Ducharme – and while his presence was certainly felt and he looked healthy enough – it wasn’t enough to prevent Walker’s East Coast Lumber team from going 0-2. They couldn’t buy a basket in the first half and wound-up scoring only 16 points and down 13 to a motivated JM Tulley Electric after their demoralizing loss the week before. The Electricians took full advantage of their early lead this time and didn’t let it slip away – largely due to rookie Tom Leccese who poured in (17) on five 3-pointers. That took the load off the rest of the team and as a result they had a very well balanced attacked with (9) each from Dennis Bretton and Nate Spero, Tulley with (8), Bobby Dudal a solid (6), newcomers Hykel and Labrie with (4) apiece and Murph (2). Another tough night scoring-wise for East Coast…but at least Maguire got off the schnide with (13). Ducharme had (8) in his triumphant return, Ashe (7), Jackson (4), and Rockwell, Wheels and Walker with (2) each. Gary’s Gang needs a little better ball distribution and more hustle after loose balls if they’re going to climb back up the standings. I still maintain that this team will look a lot different when Brain is back to 100%.

Game 2:  J&B Butcher  64  vs. Rockingham Roofing   47

After a hard fought, come from behind victory last week against Tulley’s Electricians, J&B Butcher was hoping to get off to faster start in this game – but faced arguably the league’s biggest defensive force in Baby Mac. But what the Butchers may lack in size, they make up for in speed – and that was the key to this game as they forced the pace and fast-breaked themselves to a comfortable 17-point victory over Rockingham Roofing. Jimmy Vaillancourt led the way with (19) and continued solid 3-point shooting from Jeff Pitre (15) who had five of them once again in this game. Snyder chipped in with (11), Johnny K and Matty Gorham with (6) apiece, Commissioner Kevin (5) and Freddie (2) to round out a balanced scoring attack. For the Roofers, Morrissey came out hot and finished with (15), Baker and Baby Mac had (9) each, Timmy Mac (5), Francis (4), stat-boy Jay Kimball (3), Larry (2) and Welcome Back Ricky O’Donnell with a goose-egg. A frustrated Rockingham Roofing will look to right the ship next week against Baker Painting who suffered a pretty brutal defeat of their own. One thing that that the Roofers have to look forward to – it’s almost Pumpkin Season!

Game 1:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  77  vs.  EH Baker Painting  51

After two lopsided victories to start the evening, the fans at Memorial Gym were growing restless hoping to see a closer game in the finale. Nope. This one was over quicker than the others thanks to a 28-9 score at the end of the first quarter and then 42-26 at the half. Keystone put a smack-down on Baker Painting (who in fairness didn’t have their big guy – Charlie Vannette) until halftime…but still. Steve Wilson was filthy in this game…pure, unadulterated filth…hitting every type of shot imaginable from all over the court enroute to (26) points. And he had some help tonight…Rookie Tim Malcolm was practically unstoppable in his own right with (18) points, TJ had (13) after severely rolling his ankle in the first few minutes of the game, Adam Young with (8), Pete with (6), Polchlopek (4) including a sweet reverse layup that he’ll be seeing in his dreams, and JC (2). Scary thought – Pete hasn’t even really started playing yet – so what are they going to look like when he rounds into form? For the Painters, they just never got any momentum in this game after falling behind early by so many points…but my money is on their coach “Bags” Steenson to whip them back in to shape. Red shoes Garone led Baker Painting with (15) followed closely by GW Buatti who had (14) points to go along with several wood burns from hitting the deck so many times - man I love watching him play! Spero added (10), good to see Brett Cate back healthy with (8) and big Charlie (4). I wouldn't want to play these guys next week.

Week 1 is officially in the books for the Hampstead Masters Basketball League 2023-2024 season. The teams looked even on paper after the draft, and Wednesday nights results did nothing to suggest anything different. There were some notable no-shows and some sub-par performances by top draft picks (more on that later), but overall the games were competitive and actually somewhat intense. There’s definitely some rust to shake off for the guys who haven’t been playing since March, while other looked to be in mid-season form. Oh, and there are a few strong looking newcomers. On to the results.

Game 1:  Keystone Precision & Engineering  61  vs.  Rockingham Roofing  57

The game of the night featured the top two draft picks and last two league MVP’s (Pete Norke and Dave McIntyre) squaring off with one another, but it was the supporting cast for each team that provided the highlights. This was an incredibly tight and intense game right from the opening tip with high-flying rookie Tim Malcolm (15) combining with most-improved player candidate TJ Hodgkins (6) getting of to a fast start for the Stoners. But the Roofers were more than up to the task and kept exchanging the lead with Keystone thanks to a resurrected Jay Kimball (14) and Francis Roux (14) who looked great after taking last season off to play tennis. Tied at 26 at halftime, Steve Wilson (17) for Keystone and Eric Baker (13) for Rockingham waged an intense one-on-one battle in the 3^rd and 4^th quarters. Ultimately Keystone pulled away at the very end with slightly more balanced scoring in the 4^th quarter and won by 4. Adam Young (9) looks to be healthy again, reigning MVP Pete Norke had (6), JC chipped in (5) and Treasurer Jeff Polchlopek hustled his way to (3). Rockingham were missing “no show” Ricky O’Donnell and one-time retiree Larry Sankey but got (9) from Baby Mac, (4) from Timmy Mac, and only (3) from Morrissey. Look for the big guys to both rebound next week.

Game 2:  EH Baker Painting  58  vs.  East Coast Lumber  46

The Purple Painters and Gary’s Goons laced ‘em up for the middle game with one notable absentee – Brian Ducharme. Everyone is happy he’s back and thankfully him not showing up had nothing to do with his surgically repaired Achilles. This was a spirited game and only one point separated the teams at the half with the Painters up by one 26-25. Dave Spero picked up right where he left off last season tallying (22) in typical fashion – driving to the hoop, shooting free throws and draining 3’s. He had a lot of help from Mike Garone (12), Steenson and a healthy looking Charlie with (8) each, George Washington Buatti (5) and Jimmy White (3). For East Coast, it was a tough game physically. As if missing Brian wasn’t enough, Maguire suffered a literal “Charlie Horse” courtesy of Charlie Vannette and his tree trunk legs…which limited him to a career low 2 points and zero baskets made.  Craig “Whoa Nellie” Jackson looked solid pouring in (17), Big Shot Rob Ashe (11), and Chasse and Rockwell with (8) each. Goose-eggs for the W twins - Walker and Wheeler. This team will look much different with Ducharme back on the court next week….even if he is only 75%.

Game 1:  J&B Butcher  51  vs.  JM Tulley Electric  47

This may have been the most entertaining game of the night, with the Electricians jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first few minutes and a whopping 26-11 advantage at the end of the 1^st quarter. In the huddle between quarters, J&B’s coach, “Red” Auerbach – I mean Crump – switched to a zone defense and for some unknown reason, that befuddled the Electricians who went on to only score a combined 21 points for the rest of the game. The Butcher’s slowly chipped away at the 15-point deficit…it was 11 at the half, 5 at the end of the 3^rd and then pulled away in the 4th quarter by only allowing 6 points and eventually winning by 4. A well-balanced attack for the Butcher’s was led by a red-hot Jeff Pitre (15) who nailed 5 three-pointers – three of them coming in the final frame. Jimmy V and Fred Malcolm each chipped in with (10) apiece, a pedestrian (7) for Snyder and (5) for Johnny K…who admitted to playing golf and drinking earlier in the day (thanks buddy – not sure that’s part of the training regiment), Craig Anderson (3) and Kevin Young (1)…thank goodness you made that free throw! For JM Tulley, Big Matt had (15), Dennis Breton (13) on some very good shooting, Nate Spero (8), rookie Jim Hykel (5), Murph Dog (4) and Bobby Dudal (2). Look for the Electricians to bounce back from this one next week when they hopefully get 3^rd round pick Tommy Leccese back.