2012-2013 Playoffs

Round One, Game One: #3 Dark Green (Tierney) versus #6 Light Green (Beaver)

-While the regular season would pin them as the underdogs in this contest, it was clear from the start that Dark Green's 3-seed might have been a bit of an illusion, born of fortunate timing and a weak schedule. Light Green seemed to dominate this game from the get-go, controlling the boards and getting inside buckets seemingly at will. Luke led the charge yet again, racking up 18 points and 18 rebounds in the process. Troy led the supporting cast, echoing his strong playoff performances from a year ago, and finished with 8 rebound and 5 boards. Light Green, though mostly a doormat for most of the regular season, certainly looks much more like a legitimate threat than they did a few months ago. Dark Green made several pushes late, but Light Green was there to answer the bell every time and coasted to a pretty easy Round One victory. They will face off against the top-seeded Brown in Round Two.

Round One, Game Two: #4 Light Blue (Matt V) versus #5 Dark Blue (Vito)

-Matt V's boys came into the playoffs riding high, having been so dominant late in the season. It was really only their early season struggles that put them in the fourth seed. Obviously, they came into the playoffs with big plans. But, oh my, things looked grim quickly. They found themselves down two with just seconds remaining, having trudged through an ugly, offensive-challenged battle. Fortunately, they escaped with the help of a timely, clutch three-pointer from a non-starter. And really, that's all that matters: getting to the next round. You only need to win three games (two if you get a BYE). Certainly take a win anyway you can get it. Matt Koll played his usual gritty game, ending with 6 points, 10 boards, and 6 assists, while Matt V was an absolute non-factor, finishing with a paltry couple of rebounds AND NOTHING ELSE. That being said, for most of their team to play poorly, and for them to still get through, that would seem to bode well moving forward. We'll see how they fair against second-seeded Orange in Round Two.

Round Two, Game One: #1 Brown (Crotty) versus #6 Light Green (Beaver)

-Beaver's Boys showed some real grit down the stretch. They wouldn't lay down for anyone, and while they struggled offensively for the majority of the season, they proved a tough match-up for anyone. However, it wasn't a real surprise that Brown's scrappy fast-break would undo them in the end. Luke played well again, netting his second double-double of the 2012-2013 Playoffs with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but yet again, his team was not going to topple any giants with him steering the offensive boat. On the other side, Brown kept their ship steady and did what they do best, get to the rim and get out on the break. With their small size and lack of depth, they don't have the weapons to grind teams down in the half-court. They operate much better in open space on broken plays. This one was close enough, but never really in doubt. Besides, it was a foregone conclusion that Brown would play for a title since Week One.

Round Two, Game Two: #2 Orange (Rech) versus #4 Light Blue (Matt V)

-I never understood the phrase "too many cooks in the kitchen" until I saw Matt V's band of weary travelers unravel in this game. With a bunch of ballhawks, you run into trouble trying to spread the opportunities around. Good players loose interest and rhythm quick if they aren't running the show. Worse yet, when the chips are down, you can't have every one of your players ball-hogging and trying to single-handedly bring your team back. Orange didn't do much well other than knock down a few jumpers and Light Blue fell apart faster than Matt Koll at the free throw line. Orange coasted to an unexpectedly easy win, setting up a third match with Brown in the championship. Round One went to Brown on a buzzer beater. Round Two went to Brown in what was mostly a blowout. What will happen in Round Three?

Championship: #2 Orange (Rech) versus #1 Brown (Crotty)

-Brown started the season as the massive favorites to win the title. The first half of the season went exactly according to plan, as their stacked roster annihilated team after team. But adversity hit in the form of two of their best players becoming unavailable down the stretch and for the playoffs. Orange stayed just behind Brown, using a skilled front-line to finish the season with the second best regular season record. After an impressive romp in Round Two over a talented Light Blue team, Orange got their third chance against Brown, this time with the title on the line. Unfortunately for them, Brown had a little too much firepower and was able to fend off a late-game push and secure the championship that seemed like theirs to lose since Week One. In the process, Rob was yet again denied his first title, while Mark picked up his second, and Jerry snagged his first of many. Congrats to Brown.

Season Recap: 

            -This year was a great example of how important the draft is. Brown put together a roster that was tough for anyone to deal with, simply by taking players that inexplicably fell farther than they should have. Light Blue's roster was full of talent, but was mismatched in terms of playing styles, or maybe too well matched. Green had all the fight they needed, but not enough skill players to compete when playing the legit teams. There aren't any hard and fast rules when it comes to drafting, but at the very least, it's important to at least try and learn something from how the previous drafts turned out. Lesson One: It's better to take a player you know than to gamble on someone you don't. Lesson Two: Make sure your drafted players don't all do the same things. Lesson Three: Don't draft Rob, or you'll have no chance to win the championship. Lesson Four: Don't get drafted by Matt V. For obvious reasons...