Smacktalk Sports Episode 5 – State of the Game: Basketball Edition
Check out the Vancouver Metro League’s Andrew ‘Soda’ Wadden’s ‘Smacktalk Sports’ latest podcast featuring an interview with the Metro League’s Mark Starkey and audio clips from last week’s championship game between SWAT & Heart, Hustle & Soul.
By Andrew ‘Soda’ Wadden
Interesting late season happenings around the NBA. Here’s a few thoughts and notes from a very interesting and exciting past week.
We Got a Final!
Of course the finals are now set with my prediction of a Lakers – Celtics final standing up. I called this at the start of the year, so I’m claiming it, regardless of my prediction at the start of the playoffs that the Celtics would lose to the Heat. I called it in October. So there.
This is going to be an all-out war between the NBA’s two best franchises. I’m quick to predict that the Lakers will win it in six, but really, I hate the Lakers and don’t want them to win. The reality is this. The Celtics will not fold to the Lakers. I know this sounds weak, but I’m gonna do a double prediction. It’s either Lakers in six or Celtics in seven. The champs will prevail on the losers home floor.
Best News I’ve Heard All Season
The god’s shined down on Toronto Raptors fans for like the second time in their history. The first time was back in ’06 when they nabbed the first overall selection, though, it was one of the worst drafts in NBA history, they did get Bargnani who like him or not is the third best player to come out of that draft. Brandon Roy (6th overall) and Rajon Rondo (21st) being the only two better. And please, don’t give me the opinion that LeMarcus Aldridge is better then Bargs, because really, he isn’t. I will not claim the Vince Carter draft day trade as a highlight, as we all know how that played out in the end.
Anyways, as I was saying, the god’s shined down on the Raptors this week when Hedo Turkoglu decided to cry to in Turkish television interview about his perceived unfair treatment from the Raptors management and that he wants to be released from the club. All I can say is this. Thank you God. Or Buddha or whomever is steering this ship. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now would you please somehow convince Chris Bosh or LeBron James or Dwyane Wade or even Amar’e Stoudamire to sign in Toronto? Heck, with Hedo’s 10 million coming off the books, maybe sign two of them. A fan can dream folks. A fan can dream.
Millionaire Boys Club
Speaking of signing free agents, apparently there is to be a summit meeting of sorts, between the top pieces of this summers NBA free agent frenzy. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson and late edition, Amar\’e Stoudamire, will be meeting up for a chat about their next moves and where they may end up next season. Man would I like to be a fly on the wall in that room. The NBA seems to have no problem with this meeting, in terms of tampering amongst players, as they shouldn’t. I mean, it’s not like you can really regulate that sort of thing anyways. It will be very interesting to see who goes where and with whom. I wonder if there may be some bad blood among some of the group if one goes with another and vice versa? Wouldn’t be too far fetched. Even if they don’t show it, deep down they could feel resentment.
Whatever the case may be, this meeting will help these young stars get a prospective of what they’re all thinking. This meeting very well could change the landscape in the NBA for the next 10 years. Hold tight NBA lovers. Gonna be a fun summer for all us NBA Smacktalkers out there.
SWAT 115 – Heart, Hustle & Soul 98
Congratulations to SWAT Team for winning the Vancouver Metro League Championship Thursday night, their first in four years of their Metro League existence with a 115-98 win over Heart, Hustle & Soul.
In what was a close game throughout the first thirty minutes of action, soon turned into a lopsided affair with SWAT’s defense setting the tone for SWAT’s vaunted offense to take control. H.H.S.’s Jason Birring’s 44 points kept his squad in throughout, but SWAT’s efficiency on the glass helped break the game wide open in SWAT’s favor late in the second half. Up 85-79 with 8:58 remaining, SWAT’s top-scorer Clayton Crellin dropped a tough and-one drive to the bucket which opened the flood gates for SWAT. SWAT went on 13-4 run from there on and never looked back, securing their first ever Metro League title.
Crellin’s 34 points led SWAT to the victory earning him his second Metro League chip after earning his first as a member of Canada One last season. Crellin also earned MVP honors after yet another brilliant season for the young 20 year-old.
SWAT’s perfect season stays in tack at 12-0 while Heart, Hustle & Soul are still searching for their first Metro League title.
Top Scorers:
SWAT – Clayton Crellin (34 points), Clint Lomax (20 points) & Chris Peerless (18 points).
Heart, Hustle & Soul – Jason Birring (44 points), Mark Tasic (21 points) & Karlo Villaneuva (12 points).
Thursday May 27th
8pm – New Gym Vancouver College
1. SWAT
vs
4. Heart, Hustle & Soul
* Preview to follow.
Clayton Crellin (SWAT) – 33
Nick Toews (Velvet Hoop) – 30
Jason Birring (H.H.S.) – 26
Casey Archibald (H.H.S.) – 25
Mark Tasic (H.H.S.) – 24
Igor Dutina (Team Serbia) – 18
Andrew Sturgeon (SWAT) – 14
Vlad Vidic (Team Serbia) – 14
Thomas Wan (Team Serbia) – 13
Jason Reynolds (Velvet Hoop) – 10
(1.) SWAT 78 – (7.) Velvet Hoop 64
Clayton Crellin’s game-high 33 points sends SWAT to their first Metro League final after a convincing win over the Cinderella kids, Velvet Hoop.
Crellin’s numerous dunks and continuous assault at attacking the rim brought SWAT back into the game after falling behind in the first 10 minutes of the game. Velvet Hoop jumped out the gate with point guard Nick Toews nailing five threes before the game was even 15 minutes old. SWAT used an early timeout to reestablish their defensive strategy, sending their best defensive player Jerome Jacobs to guard Toews who was on pace to break the Metro League record of nine three-pointers in a game. Jacobs was able to contain Toews for the most part, challenging his threes and making it tough for the young guard to get to the rack.
The defense set the tone for the offense for SWAT, as they took over the lead late in the first-half, and never looked back. Up six at halftime, SWAT continued to build their lead in the second half as Crellin bombed from outside and penetrated inside, while teammates Andrew Sturgeon (14 points), Sherlan Long (8 points) and Darren Spithoff (8 points) chipped in offensively. Velvet Hoop managed to get the SWAT lead down to three points early in the second half, but down the stretch SWAT proved to be to much for Velvet Hoop to handle.
Nick Toews was the game-high scorer for Velvet Hoop, dropping 30 points including an impressive seven three-pointers. Velvet Hoop enjoy their best finish yet in the Metro League, while SWAT keep their undefeated season intact and head on to the Metro League championship game.
(4.) Heart, Hustle & Soul 81 – (6.) Team Serbia 74
H.H.S. use their three-headed monster of Mark Tasic, Jason Birring and Casey Archibald to take down the always tough Team Serbia in what was a close game throughout the first-half.
Serbia was completely in this game through the first 25 minutes as the lead changed six times in the first half, with H.H.S. taking a slim five point lead into the break. The second half is where Serbia unraveled. H.H.S. busted out the gate with Tasic scoring inside and Birring and Archibald doing it from inside and outside, earning their squad an early eight point lead, which they contined to build. Serbia managed to stay in the game, pulling within five points in the final three minutes, but time, literally, wasn’t on their side. Serbia would be forced to foul in the dieing two minutes, stopping the clock and sending H.H.S. to the charity stripe where they knocked down their free throws, sealing the game.
H.H.S.’s Birring (26 points), Archibald (25 points) and Tasic (24 points), scored an incredible 75 of their 81 points, to lead all scorers. Igor Dutina led Serbia with 18 points. Serbia’s inaugural season ends while H.H.S. are off to their first Metro League final.
By Andrew ‘Soda’ Wadden
“The Beantown X-Factor”
Ok, my predictions when it came to the NBA this year were a little off. I had the Suns out of the playoffs, even picking the Clippers ahead of them in the West. Instead the Clips earned their yearly spot in the draft lottery and the Suns are battling for the West title. I even picked the New Orleans Hornets to make it in the West. You can see I was way off.
I was completely wrong with those predictions, but one thing I did say was that it would be a Lakers-Celtics final. Judging by the outcome of the first two games of the conference finals, it’s looking like I may just right…. for once.
It really surprises me that the Celtics are playing so well. I had written off picking the Celts as the season went on, thinking that KG’s legs were giving out and that Paul Pierce and Ray Allen’s careers were beginning to slide. I may have been right there, but there was one thing I didn’t see with this team. The X-Factor, Rajon Rondo.
How did I not know that Rondo would be the one to beat the King and the Cavs?
How?
Because nobody knew this. Rondo is proving to everyone that he one of the best young players in the NBA and this is his coming out party. Yes, the world got to know the soft spoken point guard with the ridiculously long arms during the Celtics championship run in ’08, but now it’s different. This is now Rondo’s team with the KG, Pierce and Allen being his role players. In Beantown the big three is no-more. More like Rondo and Co.
“They just don’t match”
As a Canadian, I am obligated to cheer for Steve Nash. Yes, it helps that I have never been fond of the Lakers, but since there are only a handful of Canucks in the NBA, I feel like I must honor my country and support the best basketball player to every come out of the Great White North. Sorry Bill Wennington.
When it comes to the West finals, it’s hard to not feel sorry for Nash and the Suns. Why?
Because they just don’t matchup with the L.A. Phoenix has been one of the best highlights of the year, as nobody picked them to do much but barely make the playoffs – or if you were me, to not even make it. They play an exciting brand of ball and have one of the tightest teams in the NBA. They just flat-out look like they’re having fun. Just maybe not right now.
L.A. is giving Phoenix fits so far in this series. Just when the Suns get something going, they fall behind just as quick as they fought back. The problem is the size and depth of the Lakers. Phoenix has nobody to contain Gasol and are even getting schooled by Lamar Odom. It doesn’t help that Kobe’s got that look on his face again this year. The “I like to act like Jordan” face. I love Nash and wish one day he can earn himself a chip, but it isn’t gonna happen this year. Oh well, he’s got time. I mean come on! He’s just 36 and in Steve Nash years, that’s really only 26.
“Bash THIS”
LeBron James haters, hear this. Hate him now, but I can guarantee you will love him later. Yeah, LeBron hasn’t won a thing yet in his career. Sure, two M.V.P. awards are nothing to scoff at, but the real “Kings” have rings. And King James is without. I get it, but remember this. Jordan had Pippen and Kobe had Shaq (and Gasol). Who has James really had? Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison and Shaq- in his twilight years. Not going to cut-it. Williams and Jamison will never be Hall of Famer’s, and Shaq is hardly Shaq now-a-days. Give LeBron a sidekick that’s capable and watch the rings fill-up his fingers. All the best needed a dance partner. This summer LeBron could find his.
“That’s it I quit”
I have lost all respect for a player I at one time admired. His name. Joe Johnson. Johnson flat-out quit playing this post-season when his team needed him the most. I know the Hawks were dysfunctional this year and it boiled to the surface during the playoffs, but Johnson is a free-agent this summer and may have seen his stock plummet. How can a team in their right mind pay a player a max, or close to max, contract after watching him give up on his team? Buyers beware.
“One last thing…”
I like Washington winning the draft lottery. Something positive needed to happen for the Wizards fans (god I hate that name), who’ve have been through so much garbage over the last few years. The passing of beloved owner Abe Polin, back-to-back seasons with 19 and 26 wins and of course the unfortunate antics of their best player, Gilbert Arenas, has left Wiz fans needing something to feel good about. Winning the John Wall sweepstakes should help with that. Congratulations Wizards fans. You deserve it.
If you are interested and an accomplished street baller / team, we will be
hosting our annual Kits Beach Basketball Division (as one of several
featured parts of “Kitsfest”): Friday, August 20 – Sunday, 22, 2010 on the
storied Kits Beach Basketball Courts.
Registrations are $ 400. (four-hundred) per team.
Please make cheque payable to:
The Canada One Athletic Foubndation.
(Kitsfest Basketball registration).
2010 Kitsfest Basketball Divisions:
Men’s Open, Girls 15 and under, and Boys 15 and under.
Our website and event will be significantly updated (we are adding beach paddle tennis and
more for this year):
www.kitsfest.com
If you wish to register a team (all teams must be properly uniformed),
please advise Misty Thomas, via:
mpt@shaw.ca
Note: We have very limited space still available.
All Semi-Final Games played in the New Gym.
8pm
1. SWAT vs 7. Velvet Hoop
9pm
4. Heart, Hustle & Soul vs 6. Team Serbia
(1.) SWAT 79 – (8.) Sonic Boom 69
SWAT hold strong and remain unbeaten this season with a first round win over the always scrappy Sonic Boom. Clayton Crellin’s 34 points were all but needed as SWAT couldn’t seem to shake the Boomer’s who were bombing from the outside, dropping 27 of their 69 points from downtown. SWAT jumped out the gate with 9-0 run, but Sonic Boom weathered the storm by going on a 9-0 run of their own backed by some hot-shooting from Joey Haywood (36 points) and Paul Rother (11 points). The lead bounced back and forth through the first half with SWAT taking a slim 40-34 lead into the break. The second half the intensity between the two teams began to heat up. SWAT’s Clint Lomax (19 points) controlled the glass and took to the lanes down the stretch while Sonic Boom’s Haywood countered by scoring in many different ways to keep the game within Sonic Boom’s reach. Late in the game out of frustration, Haywood took a technical that began to swing the momentum in SWAT’s favor. Jerome, SWAT’s shot-blocking machine, went to work on Haywood, locking him down defensively and giving the young CIS standout fits. The defensive stance by SWAT helped gain them separation in the final minutes with Sonic Boom being forced to foul to help keep the clock on their side, but it would prove to be too late. Sonic Boom play one of their best games of the season in a hard fought loss to the Metro League’s top team. SWAT keep their unblemished record in tact and move on to the final four.
(7.) Velvet Hoop 87 – (2.) Vancouver United 71
Velvet Hoop knocks off last season’s finalist Vancouver United with an impressive upset win. United, who were without most of their line-up including top-scorers Hardeep Bassram and Taylor Cheris-Wilding, only had five players on their roster and it proved to be their undoing. Velvet Hoop took advantage of the depleted United squad holding an eight point lead, 47-39, after the first 25 minutes. Velvet was doing it inside and outside, nailing 11 threes – a team high for the season. Nick led Velvet Hoop with 28 points, including six three-pointers, Jason Reynolds chipped in 19 points and Hunter Jordan supplied 15 points in the win. Jeremy Alexander led Van United with 20 points and Kerri Westmore added 19 points in the loss. The number two team in the Metro League is bounced while the Cinderella squad, Velvet Hoop, advance to the semi-finals.
(6.) Team Serbia 85 – (3.) Bullets 80
Team Serbia give their best performance of the year in a hard fought win over the Bullets. Serbia jumped out the gate scoring in bunches helping them earn a 10 point lead early on. Bullets would swing the momentum slightly when Ben Lee connected Jaime Robinson with an alley-oop dunk that would bring the Bullets bench to their feet. Serbia, however, wouldn’t let it faze them as top-scorer Igor Dutina lite up the floor dropping 28 points while teammates Thomas Wan and Srdjan Vujovic added 18 points. The Bullets really couldn’t get much going throughout the game. Ben Lee was the Bullets high-man with 21 points while Jamie Robinson added 14 points. Bullets are gone while Team Serbia is in the semis.
(4.) Heart, Hustle & Soul 143 – (5.) Remix 83
H.H.S. advance to the semis with an easy win over a mixed up Remix squad. Only three official players from Remix were available to play so Remix were forced to pick up three transfer players from SWAT and Vancouver United to play the game. H.H.S. took complete control of this game right off the hop, earning everything with relative ease. Jason Birring and Mark Tasic had their way for H.H.S., while the rest of the squad also got their points, in what was a game played with zero defense. Kuba Lupac and De’Shawn chipped in for Remix, while point-guard AJ Adusei was the games high-scorer. Remix’s inaugural season is finished while H.H.S. get their chance to battle for a Metro League title after losing in the first round last season.