Ridiculous Upside: FanPosts

Bakersfield Jam = a True Team

2013-04-11T11:45:40Z

Since joining Ridiculous Upside I’ve seen articles on D-league stars almost every day but couldn’t recall reading a post on a D-league team recently . And that’s allright, since most of the players compete for their own right to live that NBA dream.

But here is my vision on the best team in the NBADL. I mean not the best record wise (though they surely were), but the best as a TEAM.

I remember reading NBADL teams’ fans comments back in early February where they expressed opinions on Bakersfield Jam who took over the top spot in the league back then. Mostly there were comments like "Jam is not this good at all" and "This is not for a long". Still 2 months later nothing has changed.

No trades during the season were made to scoop some other team’s top player. Instead front office thought about growing bonds and developing team chemistry. Boosting bench players’ confidence payed off, they were ready to contribute when asked for bigger roles*. And if I’m not mistaken, no player on the roster had been named Performer of the Week, until the very last round (Brian Butch took the title). Everyone from the core that consisted of Jerel McNeal, Renaldo Major, Damion James, Brian Butch and key reserves Stephen Dennis and James Nunnaly, was important. A few NBA assignment guys (Quincy Acy, Mike Scott, Diante Garrett etc.), all helped during their short stints, they fluently molded into the team’s game schemes. It was obvious that guys enjoyed playing with each other and had some pregame rituals developed as well. No hero balls, no ball hogging. That’s not Jam’s style. Coach Will Voigt seemed always to found the right rotations to utilize everybody’s skills the best way possible, for example often playing Dennis and McNeal at the same time, so Jerel could focus on scoring.

No call-ups or injuries had forced them to loose a beat. There was always somebody to fill the gap. Team has showed their character overcoming a 32 point deficit in a W over LA D-fenders. They bounced back in a perfect manner after meltdown in Idaho, beating their bitter rivals Santa Cruz Warriors twice to end the regular season on top. I could continue on and on…

Regardless of what the future/next season may hold, I think every Bakersfield Jam fan is proud of what their team have accomplished this far.

When listening to Jerel McNeal’s first interview as a member of Jazz I felt as if he was a little bit abashed talking about where he just had come from. He really shouldn’t be.

*for more you can read two awesome articles on Stephen Dennis and James Nunnaly here on Ridiculous Upside.com.

But here is my vision on the best team in the NBADL. I mean not the best record wise (though they surely were), but the best as a TEAM.

Regardless of what the future/next season may hold, I think every Bakersfield Jam fan is proud of what their team have accomplished this far.

When listening to Jerel McNeal’s first interview as a member of Jazz I felt as if he was a little bit abashed talking about where he just had come from. He really shouldn’t be.

*for more you can read two awesome articles on Stephen Dennis and James Nunnaly here on Ridiculous Upside.com.

An Obituary to Fort Wayne Mad Ants’ Tony Mitchell’s streak of consecutive games of 22+ points

2013-03-17T22:51:16Z

23 years old 6-6 rookie scored at least 22 points in each of the 14 games prior to St. Patrick's day, topping that with a career high 32 points in a game against Canton Charge on February 4th. His streak of consecutive 23+ points lasted just 2 games less.

It was quite impressive to see this year's Slam Dunk champion post a nice string of high scoring games during the whole month of February, but the following weeks proved that Tony was not done yet.

Jeopardy crawled in on the very first day of March while facing Springfield Armor. Fighting foul trouble for the whole evening Mitchell caught himself scoring his 6th and 7th point on free throws with only 33 seconds (!) left in 4th quarter. It seemed his series of 8 consecutive games of 23+ points was destined to end with a buzzer. But then as if some higher powers conspired to prevent it (those could have been his teammates, as well), when Mad Ants survived the regulation. Forward was given an unexpected opportunity to revive his image. During the 1st overtime Mitchell upped his point total to 11 and teams headed into a second OT. It appeared as if Tony had left the best for last, as he poured in 12 (!) points with 3 treys in 3 additional minutes, finally giving the residents of Mad Anthony’s city a reason to cheer about and himself a total of 23 points in 27 minutes of play on a stat sheet.

The second miraculous bounce back swingman provided on 10th of March against D-league leaders Bakersfield Jam. Collecting 15 points at halftime , former Alabama (Crimson Tide) Slammer once again left the locker room with a mindset of a 3pt champ (or maybe Stephen Curry?) and settled for 3 pointers and long jumpshots thus somehow evading from easy baskets. Finally converting and 1 opportunity with less than 4 minutes to play, he was given one more chance to continue his impressive statistical run. Overtime saw him scoring 5 points for another "modest" 23.

During the 14 game stretch from February 2 to March 15 Tony Mitchell averaged 25,6 ppg. Although the shooting percentage was not brilliant, about 39% from the field, heavily spoiled by taking about nine 3-pointers a game (on humble 33% accuracy), this year’s All-Star proved to be a versatile player and contributed considerably in other areas as well collecting 6,6 rebounds, 2,7 assists and about 2 steals in 36 minutes of play. Mad Ants went 8-6 during this period.

Game in Springfield on March 17 put an end to this run, and it hurt a lot because it was so close. On a bright side – Mitchell's streak of consecutive 19+ point games has now extended up to 16, and is still alive. Need I say that no other player in NBADL can currently catch up with it either.

To be honest, Mitchell did score lesser points (2) during that stretch – on February 16 @ Houston, but wait- didn't he got 95 points in Dunk contest's final round? That would make for it.

It was quite impressive to see this year's Slam Dunk champion post a nice string of high scoring games during the whole month of February, but the following weeks proved that Tony was not done yet.

To be honest, Mitchell did score lesser points (2) during that stretch – on February 16 @ Houston, but wait- didn't he got 95 points in Dunk contest's final round? That would make for it.

Poll

Who do you think killed Tony Mitchell's streak of consecutive 22+ points games?

Springfield Armor

0 votes

Mad Ants coach Duane Ticknor

0 votes

St. Patrick

1 votes

Tony Mitchell himself

0 votes

1 votes | Poll has closed

Jerel McNeal

2013-02-28T14:59:36Z

McNeal was deactivated by Bakersfield a couple of days ago. Is that because he's being prepped to be recalled to the NBA or is there another reason? Hope it's not something bad as he'd been playing so well up until the deactivation. Even though he's not a natural point guard, given the right situation he could definitely stick in the NBA and make a nice long career for himself. Thank you.

Why the D-League Works?

2012-11-08T12:35:32Z

The NBA had gone on for years without a real farm system that was designed to develop talent and keep the NBA exciting. The betting websites are always interested in giving credit where it is due, and commissioner David Stern deserves a lot of credit for creating a developmental system that helps NBA teams to have a place to keep talent that may otherwise go to other leagues around the world. Without the D-league, the NBA could have lost some of its most exciting stars to countries where most NBA fans would not get a chance to see those players play.

Probably the most dramatic recent example of D-league success is Jeremy Lin of the Houston Rockets. The sports betting experts had never even heard of Lin before he put on a Knicks uniform and started Linsanity last year. Lin played his college ball at Harvard and then was not drafted by any NBA team when he was eligible in 2010. The Golden State Warriors took a chance on Lin and then sent him to its D-league team in Reno for development. Lin was so frustrated by his experience in the NBA that he went to play in China for the 2011 season. When he returned to the United States, the Knicks signed Lin and sent him to Erie.

At a time when the Knicks needed someone at point guard and injuries were killing New York, Lin stepped in off the D-league roster and made an impact. It is just one story of many as to why the D-league is critical to the future of the NBA.

NBA D-League President Says 'Yes' To Detailed League Stats Online

2012-02-01T05:56:34Z

"Moneyball" has changed the way sports stats are talked about at the bar and around the water cooler. It’s no longer enough to talk about the pedestrian stats and figures such as points per game. Now we need to know Ricky Rubio’s field goal percentage when attacking the rim (52.2%) or that LeBron James is sixth in the league in post-up field goal percentage.

The bottom line is that we want – no, need -- to know more about the game of basketball and numbers behind it (thanks to the Twitter feed of Sebastian Pruiti for the above statistics).

So what about those of us who are die-hard fans of the NBA D-League? Where do we go for our stat fixes? This year Sam Farber has published a number of articles on the NBA D-League website. He’s doing some great analytical work and has touched on topics that include: advanced basketball statistics, rebounding, free-throw shooting, pacing, ball control and 3-point shooting. As a Fort Wayne Mad Ant fan, I especially enjoyed his article about the recent call-up of Walker Russell Jr. to the Detroit Pistons.

The math he used in the article demonstrated Russell’s contribution to the Mad Ants and his impact on the players around him. It was intriguing not only for Mad Ant fans, but to those who enjoy D-League basketball and digging into the muddy world of statistics.

Aside from the NBA D-League website’s basic stat page, however, there isn’t a source online where fans can go to get the raw data needed to analyze player and team performance. It’s possible to go to Hoopdata.com and see that Walker Russell Jr. is now 15th in the NBA in terms of assist rate, but if you want to know where he ranked in the D-League before his call-up, it simply isn’t possible to find it online.

The bottom line is that we want – no, need -- to know more about the game of basketball and numbers behind it (thanks to the Twitter feed of Sebastian Pruiti for the above statistics).

For those of us who have read Dean Oliver’s treatise on Basketball statistics (Basketball on Paper: Rules and Tools for Performance Analysis) or who are readers of The Association for Professional Basketball Research’s many articles and discussions on how to analyze various aspects of team and individual basketball performance we simply do not have the raw statistics available to take our NBA D-League analysis to the next level. But there’s hope:

When asked via Twitter if detailed league stats would be released for "general consumption," NBA D-League President, Dan Reed, did say yes and to stay tuned. This is an important step to take as it expands the conversation that the fans and media can have about the NBA D-League. The expanded conversation will include deeper discussions about prospects within the league that are close to getting a call-up.

Advanced stats may also help uncover players who have not received much attention thus far, but who are capable of filling in as a role player on a NBA roster. This move will also open the door to making clear comparisons to the NBA and give a clearer measure of the current talent in the D-League.

Finally, fans of the league will have more ammunition to throw around as they talk about their teams and favorite players. While the D-League does not enjoy the popularity of the NBA, there are thousands of fans who attend the games and follow their local teams. Giving the fans more information about the players and insights into their play adds a new dimension to the game they are watching.

All of the above means that the NBA D-League is getting more eyeballs and attention. This can only lead to good things for everyone involved. With the season only half over, there is still plenty of time to dig into the data once the D-League releases it. Let's hope that happens soon...

D-League Playbook: L.D. Williams Dunks The Springfield Armor Past The Maine Red Claws

2012-01-20T20:21:00Z

L.D. Williams dunked the game-winning shot for the Springfield Armor in spectacular fashion against the Maine Red Claws on Thursday night so I figured I'd take a closer look at exactly how it happened.

This is an interesting play that is designed to get Lance Hurdle an open look in the corner. However, it’s drawn up to allow for 2nd chance points if the initial shot is missed. Let’s break it down, after the jump, to see how exactly the Armor pulled off their 93-91 win.

Jerry Smith steps up to the elbow and sets a screen that allows Lance Hurdle to get to the corner for the inbound pass from Damian Johnson. While Hurdle runs to the corner, Jordan Williams joins Smith at the elbow. This pulls the defenders away from the basket, and creates the space that L.D. Williams will need to get the putback dunk.

Here, Hurdle has the ball and is turning to shoot. Meanwhile, L.D. Williams is starting his cut to the basket. Smith sets a screen that gives L.D Williams just enough separation to get to the rim uncontested.

Hurdle missed the shot, but all Maine can do is watch as L.D. Williams dunks the put back shot and wins the game for Springfield.

As you can see, Maine is out of position and was too far away from the rim to contest the put back. This play was designed to get an open shot in the corner, but with clever screens away from the basket that pulled the defenders towards the top of the key, Springfield created the 2nd chance shot that they needed to finish the game.

Great design and execution on the part of Springfield! Here's an alternate angle:

From the Cheap Seats: Welcome to the D-League, Mr. Rojas!

2012-01-18T23:54:12Z

Sadiel Rojas raised some eyebrows at the 2012 NBA D-League Showcase when he filled in for an injured Ron Howard during the Fort Wayne Mad Ants game against the Bakersfield Jam. Rojas took advantage of his playing opportunity by clocking 40 quality minutes with 16 points and 8 rebounds. His energetic play and a key 3-point shot late in the game helped the Mad Ants secure their first win in a showcase game.

Rojas, a 6-4, 190-pound guard from Oklahoma Wesleyan and 2011 NAIA Player of the Year – averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds per game - was a fourth round selection in the 2011 NBA D-League draft by the Maine Red Claws. He was traded on draft-day to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and is the first player from Oklahoma Wesleyan to play in the NBA D-League.

Averaging 15 minutes per game, Rojas is putting up 5 points and 3 rebounds per game. He is dangerous in transition due to his speed and athleticism, and has a knack for scrapping for rebounds against much taller and stronger opponents. Usually getting at least one steal per game, Rojas torments guards on defense as well.

From a fan perspective, Rojas plays hard every time he is on the floor and his explosive play is exciting to watch. He’s quickly becoming a fan favorite due to his work ethic and maximum effort on every play.

I was able to get a few minutes with Sadiel to ask him about his goals in the D-League and about his overall game.

Whether starting or coming off the bench, you are putting in some quality minutes. What are your goals when you step on to the floor?

"Right now my goals are to get in the game, make defensive stops, make defensive plays and to score off-the-ball. I’m not looking to score with the ball; I’m looking to score off the ball with back-cuts, cutting through the lane and fast breaks."

Watching you play, it looks like you are building your game around 2nd chance shots, solid defense, and transition scoring. Is this the kind of game you are looking to play?

"On defense, I’m aiming to help our big man and cut off the backdoor plays. On offense, I’m looking for offensive rebounds and second chance points. When I do shoot, I’m putting up a high shooting percentage because my points come from layups, dunks, offensive rebounds and open looks in transition. I look for ways to help the team and not just opportunities to score."

At 6-4, your vertical jump is amazing. What’s your secret? Do you have springs in your knees or rockets in your shoes?

"My freshman year in college I tried to dunk and the first time I couldn’t really dunk that good. I got hurt trying to dunk one time -- hurt my hip and I came back after four weeks of rest and then I could jump. I dunked well over 100 times in college."

We are all getting to know Sadiel Rojas the basketball player, but what’s something that we might not know about you?

"I give God the glory for every game and every rebound. I take none of the credit. It’s a hard road to get here and a hard road to stay here and I’m grateful."

Sadiel Rojas finishing a dunk against the Bakersfield Jam at the D-League Showcase

There’s a lot of intelligence behind the game that Rojas is crafting. NBA teams draft scorers straight from college and look to the D-League to fill specific roles and needs. Focusing on defense, rebounds, and transition play could give Rojas an advantage against other guards in the D-League as his game grows and matures.

When you add up Sadiel’s obvious athletic talent, excellent attitude, high energy, and humble personality you get a young man with a definite RIDICULOUS UPSIDE.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Early? Not Really.

2012-01-16T02:11:57Z

It's still quite early to be putting out a mock draft, but I am anyways. Just the lottery, put by current standings by winning percentage. Enjoy.

1. Washington" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/dc.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Washington" width="25"> Washington- Harrison Barnes SF North Carolina

Washington already got a long, athletic combo forward project in Jan Vesely, so getting another one in Anthony Davis wouldn't make much sense. The Wiz are the worst shooting team in the league so far, and badly need some offense. Barnes has the size, athleticism, and shooting touch to be a 20+ point scorer in the NBA.

2. Charlotte- Anthony Davis F Kentucky

The Bobcats are currently running one of the more up-tempo offenses in the NBA, a perfect fit for a pure athlete like Davis. Augustin and Walker often play together, running the fastbreaks. Davis could run with them and finish on the break. He has a long way to go offensively in the halfcourt, but the Bobcats will be patient with him, because the potential is there for the 6'10" forward.

3. Detroit" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/det_25.jpg" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Detroit" width="25"> Detroit- Andre' Drummond C Connecticut

Drummond is probably the top center in this years draft, and he's probably also the best player on the board here. This pick would put an absolute monster in there to protect the paint, and Drummond's offensive skills are surpisingly advanced (although they still need work and refinement). Greg Monroe might be better suited play PF too.

It's still quite early to be putting out a mock draft, but I am anyways. Just the lottery, put by current standings by winning percentage. Enjoy.

1. Washington" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/dc.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Washington" width="25"> Washington- Harrison Barnes SF North Carolina

2. Charlotte- Anthony Davis F Kentucky

3. Detroit" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/det_25.jpg" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Detroit" width="25"> Detroit- Andre' Drummond C Connecticut

4. New Jersey" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/njn_25_1.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="New Jersey" width="25"> New Jersey- Perry Jones F Baylor

Assuming Howard isn't traded, the Nets will likely avoid a Center and try to sign Howard while trading Brook Lopez, and maybe trading this pick as well. The Nets are weak at both forward positions, and Jones can play them both. He's got crazy height/length for a combo forward at 6'11", and he's talented enough to score outside and in.

5. New Orleans" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/no_25_0.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="New Orleans" width="25"> New Orleans- Thomas Robinson PF Kansas

Robinson is having a great season so far at Kansas, averaging 17 per game as well as grabbing 12 boards per. Scouts wish he had an extra inch (he's 6'9"), but he's athletic and physical enough for that 1-2 inches to not matter. He's getting better at shooting, making 2-6 3's this season and 66% of his FTs (up from 51% last season), and he could be a mid-range threat in the NBA.

6. Golden State- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist SF Kentucky

The Warriors' backcourt is pretty crowded right now, but they could be in the market for a super-athletic Small Forward. Gilchrist will need time to improve his offensive game, but early on he could score in transition and from slicing to the basket. He will be an instant impact on defense and on the boards.

7. Sacramento- Cody Zeller PF/C Indiana

Given the mild uncertaintly of Cousins' future in Sac-town, and the lack of other legit talent on the frontlines, the Kings will look at the big men available. Zeller's draft stock is going up fast thanks to a excellent start to his rookie season. If the talented Cousins comitts to the Kings, he and the 6'11" Zeller would form a strong tandem up front.

8. Toronto" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/tor_25_1.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Toronto" width="25"> Toronto- Bradley Beal G Florida

The Raptors suffer from an extreme lack of offense, and Brad Beal is here to help. He's struggling a bit from 3 so far this season, shooting only 34%, but nonetheless he will be a dangerous shooter in the NBA. Reminds me of Eric Gordon, a bit undersized as a SG with a dangerous 3-pt shot. Beal also rebounds like he's 6'8" although he's only 6'3" (averaging 6.1 this season).

9. Milwaukee" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/mil_25_1.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Milwaukee" width="25"> Milwaukee- Jeremy Lamb SG Connecticut

The Bucks are still looking for a true 2-guard that can score the ball. Lamb is leading the Huskies in scoring at 18.6 per, scoring from 3-pt range, mid-range, and finishing at the rim. He's got good size at 6'5" for SG at the next level.

10. Houston- Jared Sullinger C Ohio State

Sullinger drops a bit, partly due to him only being fringe 6'10" and still a bit overweight, and not possessing elite athleticism. Either way, Sullinger is a talented center prospect who knows how to use his width to his advantage.

11. Phoenix" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/pho_25_0.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Phoenix" width="25"> Pheonix- Marquis Teague PG Kentucky

This is Nash's last season in Pheonix, probably off to some team in the East. That leaves a gaping hole at PG, which in this case would be filled by Teague. Marquis, the brother of the Hawks' Jeff, has good size and excellent athleticism. He knows how to score, but needs to work on his outside shot a bit.

12. New Orleans" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/no_25_0.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="New Orleans" width="25"> New Orleans (From LAC- from MIN)- Myck Kabongo PG Texas

The Hornets had quick little point guards who were extremely effective in Chris Paul and Darren Collison, but they are gone. Kabongo is alot like Collison, he'll get alot of points and assists on the fastbreak, but for him to be consistently effective in the halfcourt, his jumpshot will need improvement.

13. Memphis" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/mem_25_1.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Memphis" width="25"> Memphis- James McAdoo F North Carolina

McAdoo will be an interesting lottery selection, considering he's currently playing 7th man at North Carolina. But when you consider Harrison Barnes and John Henson are holding his minutes, it makes more sense. McAdoo is a PF right now, but could develop into a SF which his height is more permitent of (6'8" maybe 6'9"). He's a great athlete with a strong body, and good offensive skills that will only get better.

14. Boston" src="http://cdn05.duonox.com/files/teams/bos_25_0.gif" align="absMiddle" height="25" alt="Boston" width="25"> Boston- Austin Rivers G Duke

It was meant to be. Austin meets up with Dad in Boston, where Allen and Pierce are both on the sharp decline, leaving alot of scoring to be desired in the coming years. Rivers' raw talent/ability would put him in the top 10, but he's still learning the game and has to work on shot selection and decision making.

Thanks for reading.

From the Cheap Seats: It's Steve Gansey Time

2012-01-10T19:07:53Z

(Another post from Ryan Ripley. Enjoy! -- Scott)

As kids we learn that ants do not enjoy being under a magnifying glass, but with only one win in the past eight games including a three-game losing streak, that’s exactly where the Fort Wayne Mad Ants found themselves on January 7 -- with a home game against a talented Canton Charge team coming up to boot.

Frequent roster changes and the replacement of head coach Joey Meyer with 26-year-old assistant coach Steve Gansey only intensified the scrutiny. Another thing learned as kids, though, is that while ants might scatter under a magnifying glass, they come back stronger and more determined than ever to get the job done.

(Another post from Ryan Ripley. Enjoy! -- Scott)

During the coach’s address before the Canton game, Coach Gansey stressed that while changes have been happening with the team, the fans can count on the team working hard and embracing unselfish play.

After a slow start in the first half, Mad Ants fought hard and got a much needed 107-98 win. Five Mad Ant players scored in double digits with Darnell Lazare leading the way with 22 points. Jarrid Famous (12 points and 11 rebounds) and Walker Russell Jr. (14 points and 10 assists) both had double doubles while Gilbert Brown showed the ability to be a clutch shooter with key baskets late in the game. This win snapped a three-game losing streak and gave Gansey his first home win as head coach.

Fast forward to the NBA D-League Showcase!

In the Mad Ants first game against Bakersfield, the unselfish message shined through Walker Russell Jr. as he lead the team with 19 points and a D-League season-high 19 assists. Lazare delivered with a double double (18 points and 12 rebounds) and Jarrid Famous had 20 points and 9 rebounds. Sadiel Rojas decided to have the game of his career when he filled in for an injured Ron Howard, too, as he finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and a key three-pointer late in the fourth quarter that helped secure the Mad Ant win, 100-96.

With a two-game winning streak started, the team’s energy level is higher than it’s been all season. Players are talking on the bench -- and on the floor. The game is fun again for the Mad Ants and most importantly, they are playing hard for all 48 minutes and closing their games strongly. Stats do not lie, Coach Gansey has recharged this team and has them playing at a level not previously seen.

On Thursday the Mad Ants have another opportunity to play in front of the Showcase crowd against Tulsa at 3:45 p.m.

From the Cheap Seats: Darington Hobson Sparks Mad Ants Past Canton Charge

2012-01-03T04:11:39Z

With the shortened NBA season, teams are opting to assign players to the D-League with increased regularity. Hamady Ndiaye (Wizards), Hassan Whiteside (Kings), Tyler Honeycutt (Kings), Gary Neal (Spurs), and Darington Hobson (Bucks) are the current assignees playing D-League ball.

From a fan perspective it is great to see such great talent come to a court near you. Though some D-League fans do complain that these assignments take minutes from players already on the roster -- and even cause team chemistry problems in some cases -- the assignment is well worth the investment of minutes for the D-League team that gains the talent refresh.

Take, for example, Milwaukee Bucks assignee Darington Hobson (@ParkaySmooth). He joined the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in late December and, after one game and a handful of practices, he provided the spark that the Mad Ants needed to snap their four game losing-streak against the Canton Charge on New Year’s Day with a 104-103 victory.

Hobson finished the game with 22 points (6-of-10 from the field, 9-of-10 from the free-throw line) to go with fiverebounds, five assists and three steals in 37 minutes of play. Not to mention he also hit the game winning shot with 21.5 seconds left!

As good as those numbers are Hobson’s biggest contribution isn’t reflected in the box score.

It started with a Tweet:

Hobson came to Fort Wayne with a positive attitude, and was truly excited to be playing in the D-League for the Mad Ants. This type of energy is exactly what was needed in Fort Wayne.

After four straight losses, the players and the fans were drained and looking for a spark. Hobson delivered.

On New Year’s Day he not only played well, but fired the team up with emotional play, infectious energy and his constant cheering whether on or off the bench. The team found a rhythm it was sorely lacking and the fans were louder than they had been all season.

He also did the little things very well. When the defense gave him a good look, he took the shot. When passing was the right move he often picked up an assist. In other words, Hobson created opportunities for himself and others based on what was made available by the Canton defense. Hobson was also aware on defense and helped correct some weak-side defensive deficiencies that had been plaguing the Mad Ants most of the season.

His fluid play fit in well with the solid efforts put out by Darnell Lazare (24 points, six rebounds) and Ron Howard (21 points, five rebounds) while overall the team shot better -- 48% compared to an average of 42% in previous games. Fewer forced shots and miscues also helped secure the much needed win.

Hobson will eventually leave the Mad Ants and head back to the NBA, but hopefully the spark that his play has provided in Fort Wayne will stay behind.

No NBA? No Problem! D-League Fantasy Basketball is here!

2011-11-15T14:25:14Z

Come add your name to the sign up list and start doing your research!

https://sites.google.com/site/wetalkfantasysports/d-league-home-page

Draft date TBD!

Scoring

This can be changed to whatever scoring system your league would like.

Points - 1
Defensive Rebound - 1
Offensive Rebound - 2
Assist - 1
Steal - 1
Block - 1
Turnover - (.5)

Trades

Contact the owner of another team and work out a trade.
You must trade position for position:
C for C,
PG for PG,
SF for SF
Then leave the details in the comment box.
There will be a trade deadline but no max # of trades, unless otherwise agreed upon by the league

Free Agents work the same way trades do.

You must drop a PG for a PG and a PF for a PF.
Leave a comment to request a move and it will be done ASAP.
There will be a deadline to make a move and a max # of moves allowed(does not include trades), but once again as per league agreement.

Come add your name to the sign up list and start doing your research!

https://sites.google.com/site/wetalkfantasysports/d-league-home-page

Draft date TBD!

Scoring

This can be changed to whatever scoring system your league would like.

Points - 1
Defensive Rebound - 1
Offensive Rebound - 2
Assist - 1
Steal - 1
Block - 1
Turnover - (.5)

Trades

Contact the owner of another team and work out a trade.
You must trade position for position:
C for C,
PG for PG,
SF for SF
Then leave the details in the comment box.
There will be a trade deadline but no max # of trades, unless otherwise agreed upon by the league

Free Agents work the same way trades do.

You must drop a PG for a PG and a PF for a PF.
Leave a comment to request a move and it will be done ASAP.
There will be a deadline to make a move and a max # of moves allowed(does not include trades), but once again as per league agreement.

Surge Up the Energy: Previewing Iowa's Season With Moses Ehambe

2011-11-11T21:04:40Z

With the NBA season looking as it’s dissolving right before our eyes, the minor league of the NBA, the D-League, is soon to tip off its season soon with no holdout restricting their season.

The Iowa Energy officially start their season Nov. 25 at new franchise Canton (affiliated with Cleveland), but fans were invited to Wells Fargo Arena last night to an Open House to get fans thinking about the upcoming season. It will be hard to forget last season for fans after coming off the franchise’s first championship in their short time here in Des Moines.

"Last year was such a blessing," said Moses Ehambe, who is only one of three returning players for Iowa this season. "After having a losing season over in Spain, then being traded from Tulsa to Austin to here, then winning a championship was just amazing."

Flip the switch from last season, because this one will be entirely different. New coach. Nine newcomers are the majority of the Energy roster, one of them being Jarrid Famous, a 6-11, 240 center from South Florida.

His goal is to make a stand on defense.

With the NBA season looking as it’s dissolving right before our eyes, the minor league of the NBA, the D-League, is soon to tip off its season soon with no holdout restricting their season.

His goal is to make a stand on defense.

"I just got to do the same things I did in college," Famous said. "I hope to be solid on defense this year. My goal is to get two blocks a game if not more."

With nine rookies on this roster, Ehambe realizes that his leadership will be vital to this team’s success.

"Leadership is going to impact this team mightily," Ehambe said. ""You need someone to be able to bring that experience. I know what we went through last year, and what it takes to get back to the championship level this year."

Ehambe points out it’ll be the little things that will decide whether the Energy get back to the D-League Finals.

"It takes bringing intensity to every practice. Every team needs that."

Ehambe points out that the young players have come out and played solid in the first few practices.

"They come to play every day," Ehambe said. "We got guys who are willing to get down and play defense every time, and they play extremely tough."

One of the guys who will hope to enforce intensity is new head coach Kevin Young. When he first interviewed for the opening position once Nick Nurse left for Rio Grande Valley, Young’s instantly knew what he expected out of this year.

"It’s simple: I want to win. I want to repeat."

When looking at his young squad, Young is not concerned about the age of the team.

"The rosters are ever changing in D-League, so you can never get too comfortable. Having new guys come in is just part of the league."

However, Young points out that the biggest difference from his last position in Salt Lake City and here in Des Moines will be the youth of the roster.

"In Utah, we had guys who had been around for awhile and knew what was going on," said Young." Here, it’s kinda new to everybody."

Young comes in from Utah after completing the 2010-11 season with a 28-22 record. The Flash did make the playoffs, but were ousted in the first round to ironically the Energy.

Young says he will carry a lot of the pricniples he had while in Utah over here to Des Moines.

"There was no secret that that worked last year," said Coach Young."We’re ready to suit up and play."

The Energy’s first home game will be Dec. 3 as the Energy take on the Erie BayHawks.

Really Unknown D League Draft Picks...Marcus Hill & Franklin Session

2011-11-04T16:19:34Z

Thursday night was the NBA D League draft, and two of the 'unknowns' stood out for me because I've been privy to a little sliver of their respective basketball journey's. First, PG Marcus Hill, taken #1 in the sixth round by the Springfield Armor, and second was Franklin Session who was picked up #16 in the sixth round by the LA Defenders. Both played at the ....

What " Type" of Players are out there?

2011-10-20T05:43:53Z

In my last post I spoke about a kid from Houston who will be looking to pursue his dreams in the NBDL, or as i like to call it, the NBA "Dream" League. Craig Blackmon has inspired me to do more research on players and coaches who are truly under the radar. There are many routes to the NBA, the most common would be big time recruiting, big time college, NBA Draft and the rest is history. Although that is the most common, it is also the hardest to obtain, many great players have been passed over years.That is a different road, this post is about those players that may have been late bloomers or just have been misguided in their careers. Just imagine, many guys grow up in the parks and courts around the world, never heard of until one or two years prior to the draft. Many international players play professionally in their respective countries from a young age and grow to become great athletes in the country, however when you may have melting pot like Brooklyn, New York, basketball is just as religous but the opportunity is not available. Now your thinking college right? Well that may be correct, but some basketball players may be better on the court than the classroom. What happens now? Thats when we hear about playground legends or European stars, and when a kid has always been misguided money is the easiest way to keep them astray. I have been to many Pro-Am summer leagues and charity games all across the country and seen first hand what a player that has never played professional could do, pretty amazing.

So I have came up with the a category system for players:

The "Star"
The " Next Generation"
The "Pupil"
The "Prototype"
The "Hungry One"

Let me explain each category.

The "Star", everyone loves the star and everyone knows him. He is the AAU champion, the high school phenom, the NCAA all-tournament candidate he is a great player, but the road has always been paved for him.

The "Next Generation" is father-son tandem, this is usually a star player but not necessarily, he just has always had the right things, at the right time, and in the right places. Been giving the benefit of having a legendary last name, with this you get room for error and a key to somethings other players may never get.

The "Pupil", he is similar to the NG but no actual family ties. He has been look out for his entire life either from a veteran NBA player or famous scout. This player has always know the ins and outs to making it successful in the business.

The "Prototype", he is built in perfect basketball form. He is the 7 footer or the 6'8 guard with extreme athleticism, his basketball skills may not be very polished but the kid wins every dunk contest and has tremendous "Wow" factor.

now my personal favorite is the "Hungry Player" he is the gym rat, the one who wants to be all those others wrapped in one. He is has always had to fight for his opportunities, but when the lights come on he puts on a show, maybe a small time division I player or maybe a juco role player, or possibly never had the shot at collegiate play.

So my question is what can you teach? We all are taught in different stages of our lives but there comes an age and time where we are not really receptive to these things. Basketball is a tough game to learn later in life, it is filled with skills and knowledge that takes years to develop, hence why kids begin basketball camps at early ages. Now its a bit easier to show someone how to interact and become a professional player. The skills you would learn in a college setting from a coach. So I would like to say, any coaches or scouts looking for talent during a time like the NBA lockout, go to your local gyms around 2 A.M. on a Saturday night, if you happen to catch a guy running suicides an shooting free throws give him a quick interview, might just surprise you what you find!

So I have came up with the a category system for players:

The "Star"
The " Next Generation"
The "Pupil"
The "Prototype"
The "Hungry One"

Let me explain each category.

Does Fantasy D-League exist?

2011-10-19T19:47:08Z

Does anybody know if there is Fantasy Basketball for the D-League somewhere on the internet? I think it'd be pretty awesome to play, and I want to create a private league, but so far I can't find anything using Google. So I thought maybe you guys who follow the D-League might know of a good place to create a league. So, anybody want to help me out? Or does Fantasy D-League just not exist?