Sign of the Twine: Cotton, Day 16

B-ballers,


What’s good? If it isn’t the international workmanship of Carmelo Anthony (37 points, in 14 minutes, against team Nigeria), it’s “The Phenom’s offensive onslaught in today’s championship game. Witnessing one of the greatest individual displays of offensive efficiency this league has ever experienced (18/27 fg. % and 12/16 ft. %), has temporarily satiated my b-ball appetite. Ya heard?

Championship Monday was the perfect ending to another memorable season. Some of the best games of this season have involved team “Sky High.” At 5-10 they had to fight and scratched for every win this year. At times the frustrations of the regular season got the best of them. But the 2k12 postseason exhibited their will to win as the rec yard felt the heartbeat of an underdog.

E-Smoove led team Sky High with a career best, 37 points (23 in the 1st half). He also accumulated 11 boards, 4 dimes and 1 block. He scored 23 of the 49 Sky High 1st half points. His 7/14 shooting from beyond the arc (13/25 overall) led a Sky High frenetic pace that set the tone early in the contest.

The Runnin Rebel scored the first 5 points of the game. Sky High scored the next 10 points. Sky High led 26-23 with 6:56 to play in the 1st half. The Runnin Rebels led 33-28, 1:51 seconds later. Real talk.

After leading 49-44 at the recess team Sky High was outscored 50-37 in the 2nd half. The 94 points scored by team Runnin Rebels ties a postseason record – set by the ultimate team Dynasty, in a 94-61 rout, in a 1st round playoff game back on 4/25/06. That’s what’s up!

Then Phenom most definitely saved his best for last. On this day, he was like the bank vault with no security; unguardable! Ya heard: He poured in an astonishing 52 points (career best and league record), 6 rebounds, 7 dimes and 4 thefts. If there is such a thing – it was a subtle 50 plus effort. Much to the likes of Bernard King; arguably the greatest small forward ever to don a New York Knicks uniform. Check the stats!

Scoop, a.k.a. The Human Eraser, closed out another championship season with 16 points, 11 boards, 4 thefts and 2 blocks. Scrappy was 8/12 from the field and tallied 18 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. The Carpenter contributed 6 points, and 12 boards. And The General finished with 2 points, 3 rebounds, 6 dimes and 2 steals. Congrats to the 2012 Champs, team Runnin’ Rebels (12-2)!! Their 94-86 championship victory was nothing short of impressive. Word is bond!

Congrats are also in order for team Sky High’s ability of overcoming the odds and producing one of the most memorable postseason runs in the history of our league. The King Cobra showed up big for Sky High. He tallied a career best, 27 points (12/19 from the field), and added 8 rebounds, 1 assists and 1 steal, to his breakout postseason numbers. Billy Ho and Runny Ray collaborated for 15 points, 17 rebounds and 6 assists to help keep Sky High on the threshold of forcing a decisive game 2.

Today’s action reminded me of why I love this game. The unconsciousness of The Phenom and the will of E-Smoove reassured me that my mission is a story worth telling. My connection to the desire of the King Cobra and the clutch mentality of Scrappy is what inspired me to become your MannofStat. The Blueprint, a.k.a. Earl J. Richmond lives through us. His brainchild is now our reality. Let’s continue to make it do what it do. Ya heard?

Once again, my stat team proved to be a sensational mix. Mr. Blue, Froggy-Frogg, El-Indio and Pop-a-shot; Sign of the Twine would’ve been just another rec period without you. Lil’ Magic, Diesel and Big Bank cashed in their stats for whistles and referee attire. Job well done fellas??

Father Time and the 2 man cleanup crew of Chino and Skeeter Jackson gives the rec yard that same everlasting connection to The Blueprint, that led me to stamp my kicks, before the 06 championship game with these words:

“4 my man E R.I.P.”

You see it. You know it. Now feel it.

Sign of the Twine: Cotton

All Tournament Squad

Playoff M.V.P.

The Phenom

30 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3 steals (3 games played) FG% 45/86

The Human Eraser

11 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 3 blocks (3 games played) FG% 14/29

King Cobra

13.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 2 blocks (4 games played) FG% 19/40

E-Smoove

21.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1 block (4 games played) FG% 32/70

Heart-N-Soul

23.1 points, 8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.1 steals (2 games played) FG% 17/30

Honorable Mentions:

Scrappy, Frost, Silk Money, Billy Ho and The Carpenter

Nuff Said,

MannofStat
Copyright © 2012 by Leroy Elwood Mann

Sign of the Twine: The Blue View, Day 15

The Semi-Final: Sky high vs. Regulators. Both teams know what this game means and its evident by a tightly contested 1st half in which every shot was challenged and the tension was thick. Sky High dominated the boards early, led by King Cobra (9 points, 16 rebounds, 1 steal and 4 blocks) whose transcendent energy dominates games no stat sheet will ever reflect. Silk Money (12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block) hit back to back treys and the Regulators went on a late 8-2 run, however, the silky one would be held largely in check the rest of the way, Regulators by 5 at the half, 27-22. The leading scorers for both teams happened to be role players making solid contributors. J-Dub of the Regulators (11 points) and Runny Ray of Sky High (7 points).

The Regulators opened the 2nd half by pushing the lead to 10, 33-23 at the 11:40 mark. E-Smoove (19 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals) responds, attacking inside and out. Frost (17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals), the little giant steps up and halves the lead to 35-30 in 90 seconds. And with Billy Ho (4 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals) crushing the boards. Sky High goes on a 1 1-0 run. The Regulators could not recover and Sky High pounced. They did it with tenacious team D., limiting Silk Money to just 12 points and holding the Bigg Dogg scoreless! Frost, icy from the line down the stretch, and Sky High wins going away 56-44 setting up the final showdowns with the number one seed Runnin’ Rebels.

If you’ll recall, there was a quote from the King Cobra (week 6 Rap Session), after a regular season Sky High loss to the Runnin’ Rebels, “that experience taught us a valuable lesson that will be implemented to make up official contenders for that chip. Retaliation is a must!” Sky High has knocked off the #2 and #3 seeds to get to the final. Both teams are playing the best ball they’ve played all season. It promises to be a wildly entertaining spectacle.

Tempers flared today at the end of the game, which sometimes happens when competitors compete at a high level. Responding to this pressure in a negative way only proves you are incapable of dealing with it, which is really no pressure at all considering the republican-led N.C. legislature is dismantling the Racial Justice Act as we speak, which may in turn cost some of us our lives. This is [GMB], not the sandlot; grow the f__ck up.

This is my final column of the season and it’s been a blast. I admit I began some days in a funk and left the yard exhilarated. Big ups to the ballers, coaches; and to the refs – outstanding job in their first season, you’re all on my team, ya dig? The rec staff. The Rec-Man; we could not have done this without the aid of the “Rose,” word! The Bull Frog, El-Indio and the MannofStat running the point; what a team!

Much love to my friends and family residing in the DMV: Moms, Auntie, Boo, Pam, Tara and my pretty little ones, Makayla and Mariah. And Alice of London, who remind me constantly that life like b-ball is a team sport.

Honors to Earl Richmond “The Blueprint,” gone but not forgotten. We ball under the whistle today on the strength of his integrity, and we hold each other accountable to his high standard.
Mr. Blue,

Copyright © 2012 by Paul Smith