Week Sixteen and Regular Season Player Reports

Mark - This figured to be a strange year for Mark. On paper, his team had the most talent, which didn't bode well for his statistical output. And through the first half of the season, this was exactly the case. As Brown blew out opponent after opponent, Mark barely scratched the surface of his potential, deferring to teammates and finding satisfaction in his team's dominance. But soon, after losing three of their best players to varying degrees of predictable absences, Brown and Mark had to radically redirect their efforts. Suddenly, Brown went from the hunters to the hunted. There were no more easy wins to be had. Not surprisingly, the scoring load fell to Mark and he responded well. He led his team to a strong finish and an overall number one seed heading into the playoffs. And though things have certainly changed to a degree, Brown is still the favorite, and there's no doubt Mark is a big reason why.

Team Record: 10-2

Personal Records Set: Rebounds (120), Blocks (10)

HatchetBall Records Set: FTs Made (70), FT % (95.9%)

Playoff Prediction: Champions. There's no question Brown will have their hands full with the deeper teams. While BYEs aren't always a good thing, because the fat bodies don't profit from any time off, Brown's first round BYE could be a great blessing if the teams they don't match up with well find themselves eliminated. Brown has won every close game they've been in this year; it makes sense that they'll do well in the playoffs, when every game seems to be close.

Matt K- If you gauged Matt Koll's 2012-2013 HatchetBall team against his previous two teams, which both won championships, you would think he got stuck on an awful team. Team Light Blue started the year 2-5, when Matt Koll had only lost 4 games TOTAL in those championship years. But that isn't really the case. Matt does have a good, deep roster with talent. Their problems all seemed to be intangible: people not showing up, players not playing well together, and no clear identity for the team to establish. But in the second half of the season, this all changed. Blue finished the season on a 5 game win streak and looked like the class of the league. Matt was his steady, usual self throughout the streak, offering the defense and rebounding that is critical to any team's success.

Team Record: 7-5

Personal Records Set: 3-pointers (12), Blocks (15)

HatchetBall Records Set: Rebounds (147)

Playoff Prediction: Semifinal Elimination. For all their depth, Light Blue doesn't run the break well at all. They get almost all of their scoring from offensive rebounding and outside shooting, which are hard things to depend upon night in, night out. They have a favorable match-up in Round 1 against Dark Blue, which has had similar scoring problems throughout the season, but if Light Blue goes cold, they could lose to anyone. I get the feeling that once the chips are down Light Blue will not respond well, which makes them likely targets to get upset. I think they have championship talent, but peg them as pretenders more than contenders, simply because they lack that one player they can rely upon when the shots aren't falling. Therefore, it seems likely that they'll get through one round and come up short in the next.

Matt V - It's interesting to reflect upon Matt V from last year compared to this year. Last season, he compiled a team of good players that couldn't play together and he missed the playoffs entirely. This season, he seemed to be headed in the same direction. Then, all of a sudden, the fates shifted and Matt V's vision of the team he drafted came to fruition. His drafting strategy of taking the best player available, regardless of how those players fit together, finally seemed to be paying off. But at a more granular level, the difference might have been his own play, not the play of the team he drafted. Over the first eight weeks of 2012-2013, Matt was averaging just 4 points a game. He was taking plenty of shots (as evidenced by his highlight reel), but his statistical turn around over the second half of the season went a long way towards turning the team's fortunes around. At the end of the day, his team won't win or lose a game based on his contributions, but particularly in the close games, his 8-9 points a game goes a long way.

Team Record: 7-5

Personal Records Set: Rebounds (52), FTs Made (3), FTs Attempted (5)

HatchetBall Records Set: yeah right...

Playoff Prediction: Semifinal Elimination. Echoing that same thought, it seems VERY unlikely that Matt V will have two good games in a row. I really think it will come down to timing for Light Blue. They will need the right players, like Matt V, to have their good games at the right time. If they all shoot well in Round 1 and blow out Dark Blue, and then no one shoots well in Round 2, and they get blown out by Orange or Brown, I really won't be surprised. They'll be better off spacing out their production and winning multiple close games; to me, that seems to be their best chance at a title.

Luke - 2012-2013 was a big year for Luke for many reasons. He dropped that Elk's carcass worth of weight he'd been carrying around on his back and it also marked a return to respectability on the basketball court. Luke was a double-double machine this year, leading an offensive attack that relied heavily on him to create opportunities. Lack of talent and athleticism proved a significant burden for Team Green, and they weren't all that competitive against the better teams, but credit should be given for locking up five wins and securing a playoff spot. And while most will remember Luke's season as the one where he lost a bunch of weight, over time, it might be remembered as the moment it became obvious that if he is paired with the right teammates, he will be a tough HatchetBall force to deal with for years to come.

Team Record: 5-7

Personal Records Set: Points (122), Rebounds (111), FTs Made (35). FTs Attempted (56), FT % (62.5%)

HatchetBall Records Set: None

Playoff Prediction: Quarterfinal Elimination. In Round 1, it will be Green vs. Green, which isn't a terrible match-up for Luke's lighter shade of Green. However, because Luke's team has had a hell of a time finding buckets in close games (which I'm sure this one will be) I can't really see them pulling out the win. But, even if they do find a way to get to Round 2, they would be heavy underdogs to whomever they ran into there. I'm not ruling out a first round win, but anything more seems blatantly unlikely.

Rob - Another solid season for our favorite Pole, despite one particularly memorable outburst after experiencing some struggles at the free throw line. Rob has proven once again that he can single-handedly bring a team to a great regular season record and put himself in contention for the title. What remains to be seen is whether he can ever put all the pieces together and finish the job. Burnt Orange looked solid for most of the season, perhaps just a step behind Brown, but near the end, they certainly started to taper off, losing handily to the aforementioned Brown and Light Blue in consecutive weeks. It didn't make a whole hell of a lot of difference in terms of playoff seeding, as Orange still locked up a second overall seed and a first round BYE, but it's safe to say that heading into the playoffs, they are not playing their best ball. They'll need some superhuman performances out of Rob to turn things around. For Rob's part, that's exactly the sort of dramatic impetus he should feed off of in pursuit of his first HatchetBall title.

Team Record: 8-4

Personal Records Set: Rebounds (122)

HatchetBall Records Set: None

Playoff Prediction: Championship Elimination. While Orange has looked bad against the top-tier teams as of late, I still think they have a good team that will be hard to beat. They have a nice balance of shooting and size. Their problem all year long has been effort. They get beat to loose balls and give up a ton of fast break points. I anticipate the playoffs being more than enough motivation for Orange to play a little harder and turn the games into half-court contests, which is where they fare much better. Match-ups will be key for them, but I see no reason they can't get to the title game and give Rob a serious run towards HatchetBall immortality.

Jerry - Likely relieved at the mercy of not getting stuck on Matt V's team again, Jerry played well all year long, basically acting as the engine for the best team in the league. His rebounding, playmaking, and toughness caused headaches for opponents yet again. He still hasn't made the transition towards becoming an elite scorer, but he does so many things well on the court that it makes him an invaluable presence on a contending team. His efforts have certainly paid off this season, as he helped lock up a first overall seed, and put himself in good position to get his first taste of HatchetBall glory.

Team Record: 10-2

Personal Records Set: Points (142), Rebounds (128)

HatchetBall Records Set: None

Playoff Prediction: Championship. It's worth noting that Jerry has never played in the playoffs, but it's obvious that his rugged style will allow him to fit right in. Possessions matter much more in postseason play, and with his offensive rebounding and fast-break finishing, look for Jerry to be a big part of leading Brown's inevitable triumph.

Troy - I'm sure when Troy looks back at 2012-2013 and considers how many things that happened (marriage, newborn, house, etc.), the thing he'll remember most was his sophomore HatchetBall season. He didn't make much progress this year, but continued to show the flashes of talent that make him such a valuable contributor. More importantly, I feel like Troy has continued to fly under the radar, which means he should get some good opportunities in the coming years to grab some more titles, getting paired with other good players. He may not be a first-option type player, but there's no doubt he can be a huge part of a contender, which he proved his rookie season.

Team Record: 5-7

Personal Records Set: Assists (16)

HatchetBall Records Set: None

Playoff Prediction: Quarterfinal Elimination. I feel like Dark Green is a tough match-up for Light Green, if only because their rugged style of play will keep it the low-scoring, grind-it-out type of close game that they have struggled with all year. And, again, even if they do scrape by Dark Green, whoever is waiting for them in the next round would seem to have them significantly over-matched. That being said, when shots fall, anything can happen. Troy in particular will be a big part of that X-Factor, as his shooting this season has been wildly hot and cold. If he hits, their chances improve greatly.

Drish - There is a deep, dark circle of hell reserved for people who take things for granted. It's a privilege to play in HatchetBall. To ignore that privilege and not even show up is a disgrace. But that's why pencils have erasers.