Week 1: promising futures are in

Welcome back to the Gr3g League!

Week one of Year 5 is here and we’re excited to bring you a full season of “dive bar” basketball.

Opening up the season with the 200th overall game, the City of Bridges returned to the court for the first time since hoisting the trophy after their 3-0 Final series run last season against their main rivals, the Roundball Ruckus Ligers. Coming into the game the Bridges led the all-time series 7-4.

The Ligers got out to an early lead, nearly gave it up late in the game and had to watch a game-tying buzzer-beating three by Money ricochet off the stanchion just to get the W.

City of Bridges notes:

• D Nags played in his 50th league game and moved his points total to 407, both are BeerCityHoops records.
• Kid A changed his number to #40.
• Money surpassed 300 career points (307).
• RossTy returned to the court after a season off following an Achilles injury.

Roundball Ruckus Ligers notes:

• $ilky became the second player to surpass 350 career points (356).
• Scotty J returned to the league after a season away.

The game consisted of the top-6 active scorers:

D Nags (407), Silky (356), B. Buckets (342), Kid A (333), Money (307) & Gr3g (291).

ACTIVE PLAYERS SCORING LIST

Game 2 tested the waters of the 2nd Ward as the Rhythm: River North versus the Sixth Street Nets.

The Rhythm return this season as the prohibitive favorite to challenge City for the title. Cope returns to Rhythm for another year of defensive annoyance (including a personal dislike of the expertise at his craft by this writer) with Trav & Parker still navigating the way. DJ Seven8z, a Year 1 champion with the now-retired Hawks returned to the mix, this time in Rhythm.

The Nets on the other hand, looked like your favorite show coming back for season 3 with a new supporting cast.

Rueben “Juice” moved to North Carolina. Bowen Arrows is out with an ankle injury. TK, Smitty and C Bake are retired for now. Word is Evinrude may also be out for the season after playing in Week 1.

Zach Baker & Greeny are back. Rookies joining the Nets in teal and purple are Jon V, For LeeS, B. Baker and JoJo.

The Rhythm showed off the size disparity early and often as they out rebounded the Nets 38-31, mirroring the 36-31 final score.

Game 3 brought together the two newest teams in the League, Ward 1 rivals West Leonard Hearts and Bridge Street Fire.

Coming off a 8-7 record in their inaugural BeerCityHoops season, the Hearts return all of their players and add rookies Eliseo and Frobe Huncho. This team of mostly guards can get to the hoop and shoot the three, sometimes doing too much of one or the other. Getting Hamlet involved in the middle will be key to their success.

The Fire put together a nearly brand new squad over the summer. Big Baby recruited Splash, added B (Ben) and BK off the free agent market, then trading for Hengy and the rights to his recruits Big Max and Powell. This team is bigger than most of the other teams but will need to gel quickly and get steady guard play to burn it up.