This game was a tale of TWO HALVES – a Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde if you will.  In a game full of expectations onlookers were treated to a Titans clash.  Sweaty man bodies pounding against one another as loud moans could be heard from the bar…a DIDDY FREAK OFF?!?!?! On to the game….

Team Garrett got out to a blistering start tearing apart some of the worst ZONE defense GRINDERS have ever seen.  Burying shots from everywhere.  Jonny T $$ was hitting bank shots, deep shots and back shots all night long.  Draining (7) Three pointers while leading the team with 22 pts.  “Crazy” Al was slicing through the lane dropping his usual beautiful mid-range game that eats zones alive, putting in 18pts and 7 rebounds.  Captain Garrett chipped in a well-rounded all-around game with a quiet double-double going for 11pts and 11 boards.  Pauly P did what he does, he comes to work and does his job.  He is a consummate pro; you need a double-double? BANG you got it.  Give the man a job and he’s going to provide!!  Not to mention he was uber efficient shooting 63%?!?! But was it enough???

Team Curtis showed up to this game with meager expectations.  Was the first game a peek into what this Grinders season had in store for them? Or was it a game of smoke and mirrors??  The first half for the onlookers was possible proof that the first game of the season was a look into the future.  Going down by as many as 17 pts in the first half.  Sitting in a ZONE D they were getting drilled over and over (Thank you sir may I have another) as JT just tossed up trey after trey in their face.  Team Curtis went into halftime looking for a prayer.  Some mid game adjustments and a switch to man D…WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! The lead began to be chopped limb by limb.  The Serb showed a new side to his game, which in all reality should worry the league.  HE PLAYED IN THE PAINT!!  Was dominant in the paint, dropping sky hooks and bank shots.  Team Garrett reacted to slowly as the damage was already done.  Dropping a 32/10/4 while shooting over 50% is never good for any team hes facing.  J DUBS continued his slashing style of play cutting to the net consistently and creating havoc in the paint.  While not the most efficient stat line shooting just about 30%, he seems to have shaken off the rust and looking to be potent the rest of the season.  Taking a team high 32 shots in this game he must subscribe to the great Wayne Gretzky Michael Scott analogy “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.  Another player also looking to break free from the IR was PJ.  He came into this game coming off a rough first game.  Looking to put himself back on the map as a premier Grinder.  Id say he do so with an extremely solid line, shooting over 50% with 15 points and 11 boards.  Rounding out the scoring was a couple chip in buckets from General Muldowney.  A player whose game isn’t predicated on the points but more on the Rebounds and a flare for the theatrics.  Was team Curtis able to pull it off…..

With this game looking like a blowout for Team Garrett in the first half.  Turned into a redemption story and come back by Team Curtis, who walks away with BIG DUBS 73-66.  With the league parity better than it ever has been in the past, these games early in the season could loom large for future matchups…

Going in, this seemed to be a fairly even matchup – but it didn’t take long for T eam Time-Shifter Justin to assert their dominance. You may look at the box score and see a quite mediocre performance from Captain Justin: 5/21 shooting is not what we usually see from super tall guy. But in the case of shooting the ball, you can always count on Bryant to carry the load – and he turned in possibly his best career game, dropping 29 points on a defense that for 35 minutes had no interest in guarding him. Zach delivered another quality-over-quantity performance, with an 11/10/5 stat line and a lots of hustle on defense. Tirado subbed for the missing KO and drained three from range and was the second-leading scorer with 16 points. It’s not too out of the ordinary to see 30 shots out of Bryant, but if he can produce more performances like this, Team Justin could be a serious threat down the road.

For Team Peyton, you kind of knew what type of performance they were going to give after watching them for 5 minutes. In the span of 20 seconds, Peyton ran off with an ouchie on his fingie, Chuck fled the gym to upchuck (lol), and OMJ was steamed that him and his kin could not connect on a single pass. Grant as usual was there just having a good time, but despite a 20 point and 11 rebound effort, could not bring his teammates together. Peyton ended with 14 points and 8 boards, but also had a backbreaking 6 turnovers. Chuck started hot and netted 6 three-pointers, but noticeably fell off in the second half. OMJ shot 2/8 but dished out 5 assists. Fatigue and lackluster effort may have been Team Peyton’s undoing, and with a matchup against Team Garrett coming up, a similar showing could very well produce a similar result.

In a very dull, unexciting basketball matchup, the teams led by Mike Gersitz and Chris Cole put on a “show”. Both captains delivered standout performances, but it was the team dynamics and individual contributions that truly defined the game.

Gersitz’s squad shined throughout the night. Mike Gersitz was the shiniest star of the night, scoring 28 points with an impressive 70% field goal percentage. It was kind of like nobody tried to stop him. His all-around game was on full display as he added 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Despite not attempting any free throws or three-pointers, Gersitz’s efficiency was unmatched. E Boerdner provided a strong presence in the paint, securing 12 points and 12 rebounds. Although his shooting was less accurate at 33.3%, his contributions were vital. Boerdner also chipped in with 4 assists and 4 turnovers. Mike “I can’t Turn Left” Ford struggled with his shooting, hitting only 2 of his 10 attempts, but he made up for it with 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Jeff May added 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, along with 2 steals and 3 blocks, showcasing his defensive prowess. Overall, Gersitz’s team shot 43.3% from the field and 44.8% in effective field goal percentage, totaling 61 points. They dominated the boards with 32 rebounds and shared the ball effectively with 16 assists. Their defense was solid, recording 7 steals and 3 blocks, but they struggled with 15 turnovers. They’ll need to improve on that against other non-Chris Cole led teams.

Chris Cole matched Gersitz’s scoring output with 28 points, shooting 48.1% from the field. Cole was a force on the boards, grabbing 16 rebounds and maintaining an effective field goal percentage of 51.9%. Lil Josh added 6 points and 4 rebounds, while Mike Boccio contributed 6 points and 5 rebounds. Both players had shooting percentages of 37.5% and 33.3%, respectively. Tommy Hughes, despite a tough shooting night with only 25% from the field, scored 12 points and led the team with 7 assists and 5 steals. Cole’s team shot a despicable 36.8% from the field and 38.2% in effective field goal percentage, scoring a total of 52 points. They pulled down 28 rebounds and recorded 11 assists. Their defense was strong with 7 steals and only 7 turnovers, showcasing their ability to protect the ball.

This game did not have fans.