Friday-Saturday, March 3-4, 2023
March Madness, CYBA style, started this week for our beloved Wildcats.
Friday Night's First Round Game
The CYBA's post-season tournament is a double elimination affair. Jacob's Grade 5 club, the #3 seeded Wildcats (5-3), were taking on the #6 seeded Deacons (2-6) at the Pleasant Valley School of Engineering and Arts gymnasium at 6:00 p.m.
Last Words of Wisdom
before the opening tip-off
The Deacons were playing tough defense
Dribbling and looking to pass
The score was all knotted up at the end of the First Quarter, Wildcats 4 - Deacons 4.
Finally, the pass was made
Running around and having LOTS of fun
It was still anybody's game at the Half as the Wildcats enjoyed a slight advantage, Wildcats 7 - Deacons 5.
Now, would the Wildcats coach be able to once again make his usual Halftime adjustments?
Rebound that basketball!
Fast Breaking
The halftime adjustments worked!
After three periods, the Wildcats had opened a nine point lead, Wildcats 16 - Deacons 7.
Ready to rebound an errant
Deacons' free throw attempt
Fast breaking yet again
Resting in the Fourth Quarter
The Wildcats won going away, the Final Score was Wildcats 22 - Deacons 11.
With the victory, the now 6-3 Wildcats were going to play a Second Round game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at their normal game site, the Las Colinas Middle School gym.
But against which club, the #2 seeded Trojans (6-2) or the #7 seeded Blue Devils (2-6)?
Those two teams were playing right after our game on Friday night.
Jacob and one of his fellow Wildcats
stuck around to watch/scout their
potential opponent
Saturday Afternoons's Second Round Game
As expected, this game would see the #3 seeded Wildcats (6-3) go against the powerful #2 seeded Trojans (7-2).
The Wildcats were ready for the Tip-Off
Jacob working to get open for a pass
Defending the Trojans inbounds pass
Getting run into at the top of the key
Crashing into the Trojans BIG MAN
The Wildcats were competing well to start the game, at the end of the First Quarter it was Trojans 6 - Wildcats 4.
Basketball is good exercise . . .
. . . especially when defending a fast break
Taking a shot
One-on-one with the tall Trojan
Looking to the rim
The Trojans got red hot and stretched their lead, at the Halftime break it was Trojans 17 - Wildcats 7.
Mugging on the bench for the paparazzi
Crazy Trojan arm flailing
Running the court
Getting physical with big #12
Taking another shot
The Wildcat's usual Halftime adjustments were no where to be seen on this day. At the end of the Third Quarter the score was Trojans 29 - Wildcats 12.
Another long sprint
Finding the open Wildcat under the basket
David vs. Goliath
"He flys through the air with
the greatest of ease . . ."
One last rebound opportunity
The Wildcats played with a lot of heart in the Fourth Quarter but it was not enough. The Final Score was Trojans 33 - Wildcats 23.
The #3 seeded Wildcats (6-4) now move to the Consolation Bracket for a game next Tuesday night at Las Colinas Middle School where they will take on the #4 seeded Buckeyes (6-4). The tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
News from the wonderful world of EuroBall . . .
The 2023 Italian Football League's
Kickoff Classic
On Saturday our beloved Varese Skorpions who were the FIDAF DII Champions in 2022 with a record of 8-1 were hosting FIDAF's defending DI Champions, the Firenze Guelfi who were 9-2 last year.
The game marked the Skorpions first game at the DI level in 33 years. In 2023, Italy's top division for American football would be called the Italian Football League which sounds much better to me than the old FIDAF DI appellation.
The IFL has nine teams this year with each squad playing the other eight IFL clubs once in the regular season.
This first week of the season, only the Guelfi and Skorpions were playing to further highlight this Clash of Champions showdown.
IFL Week #1 byes were being enjoyed by these seven clubs: Ancona Dolphins, Lazio Ducks, Legnano Frogs, Verona Mastini, Parma Panthers, Milan Rhinos and Emilia Stainless Steel Warriors.
In a monumental move, this year's IFL's Super Bowl XLII will be played on July 1st in Toledo, Ohio at the University of Toledo's Glass Bowl that has a seating capacity of 26,038.
In a wise move . . .
BCSN, a Toledo, Ohio sports station, is live streaming an IFL Game of the Week throughout the entire season to drum up interest in the IFL Super Bowl XLII classic. You can watch these games for a mere $6 each week.
I spent the $6 as I was joined by
Laurie and Michael as we rooted
for our Skorpions
Historically, we knew that the Skorpions were in for a potentially hard season.
Since 2016, the Skorpions were just the fifth club to accept the automatic elevation to DI after winning the DII Championship the previous campaign.
First Year DI Record of DII Champions
2016 Forli-Pesaro U.T.A. 2-8
2018 Bologna Warriors 1-7
2019 Milan Rhinos 1-7 (in 2021 post-Covid)
2021 Modena Vipers 3-5
2022 Varese Skorpions ???
Damn, sometimes I hate History
On this day, our Skorpions were simply outmatched by a better team.
The Guelfi dominated all three phases of the game as they led 35-0 late in the Second Quarter. With that 35 point lead, the rest of the game was played with a running clock.
The Guelfi (1-0) and Skorpions (0-1) both have byes next weekend and will be back in action on Saturday, March 18th. The Skorpions will travel to Verona to play the Mastini (0-0) while the Guelfi will host the Emilia Stainless Steel Warriors (0-0).
I must say that the BCSN broadcast was excellent! The camera work was first rate and the announcers handled broadcasting this rout professionally.
Of course, the fact that Second Half broadcast included lots of lively discussion on the subject of Italian cuisine didn't hurt them in my in-depth ratings.
Finally . . .
One last look at the City of Ventura
after the past week's crazy weather
Reading Is FUNdamental!
Nazi gold, Hermann Goering, the IRA,
Guinness beer and a 21st-century
Jesse James
All of the ingredients were in place for a great historical novel which could easily become a box office hit of a movie some day with, say, Colin Farrell as the star.
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