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Part One, continued

Jung: I'm already ready!

Coach: Love the enthusiasm! Good luck to both of you!

Both, in unison: Thanks Coach!

Gale: *walks in* I figured as the last guy in the room it was my turn.

Coach: Correct. Look, half the locker room does not like nor respect you. You're a kid, and you act like it. This is a man's league. You better be ready to work harder than you ever have in your life or you won't be here. Do you understand that?

Gale: Yes.

Coach: We'll see. Whatever you're told to do, do it. No questions. You have talent. We need to see if your talent fits here and how. You will be working with every group here. Be prepared for anything and everything. Do I make myself clear?

Gale: Yes sir.

Coach: Good. Prove you belong here and belong with us. Make yourself a weapon. Work on everything. If you're good at something, get better. If you're not, get good at it. No excuses. It's all on you.

Gale: Yes sir.

Coach: Meeting adjourned.

Exit interviews, Part 2
Inside the conference room…

Coach Reina: I wanted the first part of this to be a group thing. You guys represent the core of this team. You are the leaders. I expect you to lead. Cyozo, you’re workload is going to be most fluid. You’re starting at center until either Jung or Datler step up or management decides to go after a center and move you to your natural power forward. Either way, I expect you be a prominent voice among the bigs. Nick, you’re the starter at the 4. Your situation is as fluid as Cyozo’s. You’re also “The Guy” for the bigs. You have more experience. Use it. Your experience moving from the 3 to the 4 will be instrumental in helping the other bigs navigate moving from the 4 to the 5 and back. Also. It will be instrumental with helping Gale figure out his role. Shots, you keep making yourself useful in the locker room. Kyle, I challenge you to be able to fill 3 positions on the floor. Your passing holds you back at the 1. I’d like to see your board work improve, too. You’re “The Man” on this team. Be our leading scorer. Paulie, if Kyle is “Batman” you’re Alfred. Bruce Wayne can’t function without him, and Batman can’t be Batman without him. I just want you to be more assertive. Bobbie, run the show on the court. Folks, we have to do better putting the ball in the basket. No reason Bobbie shouldn’t average 10 assists a game. Make your shots.

This is where I’m gonna switch things up. I’ve done all of the talking; your turn. Tell me what you think you need to improve on. Bobbie, go.

Bobbie Coenen: my inside D. Gotta cut off the drives better to help the bigs. Finishing at the rim. Helping on the boards.

Reina: Paulie.

Lutz: Boards, conditioning, and I’d like to add a wrinkle defensively: shot blocking.

Reina: I like the sound of that, Paulie. Kyle.

Knowles: Finishing at the rim, passing, conditioning, helping on the boards.

Reina: Shots.

Sutori: My inside game, passing, and range.

Reina: Nick.

Guevara: I need to tighten up my outside D and passing, improve my inside game and Paulie’s wrinkle defensively. I wanna be a shot blocker.

Reina: OK Nick; go do that! Gyozo.

Czagala: I have a lot to work on. My shot, range, handles. Passing. Driving, and conditioning. Hopefully I can add shot blocking as well.

Reina: OK; I want you ready to go 40 minutes a night. You’re not going to often, but be prepared. I notice no one said free throws. I don’t like leaving points on the court. Nick and Shots are the 2 best active players in this room, and they aren’t even the best on the team. That’s right; I said it. Check the team records books. I’m that guy. Shot blockers? 3 point shooters? Scorers? Ballhawks? I’m that guy. That’s regular season and playoffs.

I said that to say this: you guys have the look and potential to be greater. Do it. It’s your time. Put in the work. When opportunity knocks, rip the door down.

These are the things we will do. We will take care of the basketball. We will rebound the basketball. We will defend the full court. We will share the ball. Your job as the core group is simple: set the example. You can't play to my standard, you don't play. Do the things I ask of you. You have an idea or question? My door is open. Got a problem? My door is open. Want to run? Do the things I ask.If you show me half court is more your style, we'll do that. PLay ugly and win ugly? That's fine, too. As long as we win, I do not care how it looks from the outside. These are our principles. They are non negotiable. Any questions?

*surveys the stunned looks on the faces in the room*

Coach: (walking into the room) Pio, you didn't hit them with the press did you?

Reina: No sir, Coach. That was just warmups. The floor is yours...

Happy Ourer: Welcome to the Linndale Radio Basketball Network! I am your host, Happy Ourer, and we're talking what's next for Linndale basketball under the direction of head coach in waiting, Linndale legend Pio Reina. Pio, thanks for joining us this evening!

Pio: It's good to be back here, Happy. I apologize for not being able to do this sooner, but as you might guess, I've been a bit busy.

Happy: Well, we've missed you around here but we're also thrilled for you with your new role. For folks tuning in for the first time, Coach Reina -can I call you that now- is my former colleague and partner broadcasting Linndale basketball, the legendary star shooting guard from his playing days, and recently was announced as Linndale's head coach beginning Season number 60. He'll spend Season 59 as an assistant coach with the team. I know it's far too early in the process, but can you tell the fans what plans are in place for the upcoming season?

Pio: Well Happy, you can still call me Pio. Folks, don't underestimate this man; I've learned a lot from Happy. You've got a great one here! Happy, I can tell you that the press we unleashed late in the season is a work in progress and will be used very sparingly. It still remains very much a tool we have, and the guys love playing that style, but I've made it clear they have to earn that. Coach has entrusted me with the defense and player development so those areas will be my primary focus early on, but I have input across the board.

Happy: We've seen some shocking moves made by the front office, with Mikhail Klimenkov and Arley Coronado being 2 of the most recent examples. Is this an indication of money trouble?

Pio: I can't speak on the financials per se, but I am aware there was going to be a reckoning if we didn't address it. Before both were moved, we made it a point to secure talent we believe would grow and replace and even surpass those talented men. We will miss them, but we also think we will be better long term.

Happy: Are there any players you're looking to see improve? Who is primed for a step forward?

Pio: We want to see all of our guys improve. If you're not improving, you're moving backwards. To answer your question more directly, I'm excited to see how Kevin Jung and Balthasar Gebhardt Datler progress. We will need them to take a big step forward. Gyozo Czagala is another one, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Nick Guevara.

Happy: With the recent changes, who are defined as core players?

Pio: Everyone is a core player until they are not. We value everyone. You can make yourself not a core player, but everyone is a core player until they are not. We are only as good as our weakest link. Find your role and fill it to the best of your ability. The more you can do, the better the team is. That's what we want.

Happy: Folks, we gotta go to break. More with Linndale coach Pio Reina when we come back. This is the Linndale Radio Bsketball Network!

Friends. . . countrymen,

Fare thee well to all. It has been a pleasure to be part of this community. I enjoy the personalized narratives and active voices that have been given to your franchises. There's times I've been this manager too. I enjoy the stats and updates, and the activities and analysis and I will definitely miss that.

I hope you get exactly the draftee you need, or find the absolutely best transfer bargain to fuel your franchise forward. I hope to see you all in the future, but only because you've promoted, and not because of a relegation!

All the best to you!

Best of luck...give em' hell in DII!

Best of luck. We don't want to see you back here anytime soon. Hopefully you have a long stay in division II. Though it would be an interesting contest of how many of us you can scrimmage in the later parts of the season

Indeed - good luck to you! Thanks for participating - hope to never see you again. )

Season 58 Wrap Up Post
Well, believe it or not, I got one thing right from my predictions for Season 58, which will forever be remembered in the record books as The Terrible Season (obviously because my team performed so poorly).

With that being said, I will revel in the fact that I predicted JBogoroff's Rip City Revival (more like Rip Off City Revival, amirite?) to win the title. On the flip side of that coin, I predicted that Tachenko, the recent relegator from DIV II would compete strongly with Rip City in the championship, taking them to three games. When in fact, they relegated AGAIN (so long kokku), some what surprisingly to my sorry squad.

Kudos to The Ashkickers for sticking it to my predictions (AGAIN). Maybe I'll learn my lesson this year.

[b]End of Season Stats Recap
And now for a quick recap of the year! First up, what everyone loves, SCORING.

Scoring Leaders
One, relative surprise in this group (also, surprising, League MVP ranking 10th on this list), with The Lone Wolf's Nicola Mezzalira getting 2nd on this list. I guess it might not be surprising as one bad team generally has a high scorer doing all their team's scoring, but I had to have something to say.
1. Graziano Gattoni (The Ashkickers) - 24.5 PPG
2. Nicola Mezzalira (The Lone Wolf) - 23.0 PPG
3. Randell Tobin (Tachenko) - 22.9
3. Juan Gilberto Segovia (The Beer Bellys) - 22.9

Hustlas Sirmantas Legkauskas just missed out on this list, coming in at 22.8 (and rightfully so as he was sold off to Polish club KK Lotnik Olesnica).

FG Shooting Leaders
1. Richard Mason (Tachenko) - 55.7%
2. Terry Armstead (Lion Rebels) - 55.1%
3. Sébastien Rigaux (Philly Dribble) - 54.5%

Special shout-out to scoring leader, Graziano Gattoni who took 131 more shots than Mason and still averaged 51.9% from the field.

3 PT Shooting Leaders
1. Sébastien Rigaux (Philly Dribble) - 54.7% (64 attempts)
2. Federico Fornels (Rip City Revival) - 51.1% (47 attempts)
3. Paride Fasselli (Philly Dribble) - 50.6% (87 attempts)

But, San Dominica Warriors' Luís Alberto Baião gets a special shout for shooting 49.6% on 121 attempts.

Perfect From the Charity Stripe
Making 30 of 30 free-throws on the year, Tachenko's Harris Stark kept his streak alive for the whole season, and, while it's not that amazing to make 30 over the course of 22 games, he did do it, so we have to mention it. Others with admirable attempts at perfection are Tachenko's Randell Tobin (72-78) and Carolina Rebels Ben Buijtels (46-51).

Rebounds Leaders
1. Richard Mason (Tachenko) 15.4 RPG
2. Patrick Cheatle (Miami Cleo) 14.7 RPG
3. Gordon Pullen (Tachenko) 13.7 RPG

2 percent's David Wilmink technically led the way with 16.0 RPG, but he only played in 13 games and totaled over 100 less than R. Mason (338 total rebounds)

Assists Leaders
1. Bobbie Coenen (Linndale) 6.2 APG
2. Cico Kallay (Tachenko) 6.0 APG
2. Lorenzo Rojas (The Ashkickers) 6.0 APG

After that, it dropped off pretty dramatically with the next two assist leaders averaging 4.8 assists. Kallay and Rojas were dominant with over 130 assists each, and Rojas especially stands out with a 7.8 AST/TO ratio with only 17 turnovers on the season.

Blocks Leaders
1. Vicente Valladares (San Dominica Warriors) - 1.7 BPG
2. Pavel Kalinov (The Beer Bellys) - 1.6 BPG
2. Patrick Cheatle (Miami Cleo) - 1.6 BPG
2. Terry Armstead (Lion Rebels) - 1.6 BPG
2. Dewayne Allen (Carolina Rebels) - 1.6 BPG

Technically Geoffray Locus (Miami Cleo) and David Wilmink (2 percent) led the blocks per game category (2.1 & 1.9 BPG), but they only played in 12 and 13 games, respectively...I figure if you barely play half of a 22-game season, you don't really qualify.

Season 58 Stats Wrap Up Part 2
Steals Leaders
1. Rien Kelchtermans (The Lone Wolf) - 1.9 SPG
2. Bobbie Coenen (Linndale) - 1.8 SPG
3. Nikos Neochoritis (Rip City Revival) - 1.7 SPG
3. Arys Varpukevicius (Miami Cleo) - 1.7 SPG

Bobbie Coenen really stood out with a 3.1 STL/TO ratio on the season, while Paul Lutz (Linndale) had a 3.6 STL/PF per game

Best Players
By Rating:
1. Terry Armstead (Lion Rebels) - 16.4 Average Rating
2. Nikos Neochoritis (Rip City) - 16.1 AR
3. Richard Mason (Tachenko) 16.0 AR

By Efficiency:
1. Terry Armstead - 29 Average Efficiency
2. Richard Mason - 27.3 AE
3. Federico Fornels (Rip City) - 24.6 AE

Though it is self-serving, I will point out that Armstead also averaged 50.1 Efficiency rating per 48 minutes. You're welcome.

Worst Players
By Rating:
1. Andrew Albrecht (Mighty Moose Rockets) - 5.8 AR
2. Kurt McNulty (MMR) - 5.9 AR
3. Ed Albright (MMR) - 6.4 AR

By Efficiency:
1. Kurt McNulty: -3.3 AE
2. Andrés Iglesia: -1.1 AE
3. Ed Albright: 0.6 AE

The highest efficient worst rated player on the season was MMR's Joel Cadelago who was rated 8.6 with a 15.7 efficiency, while the highest rated worst efficiency player was San Dominica's Janaki Grcev with a 11.1 rating but 3.7 efficiency rating.

Season 58 Stats Wrap Up - Teams Stats
Points Per Game
1. 109.9 - Philly Dribble
2. 109.5 - Linndale
3. 107.3 - Rip City Revival

14. 83.9 - Miami Cleo
15. 58.4 - Is This Heaven? (no)
16. 57.3 - Mighty Moose Rockets

Points Allowed Per Game
1. 68.9 - Rip City Revival
2. 77.3 - Philly Dribble
3. 77.9 - Miami Cleo

14. 110.8 - 2 percent
15. 110.9 - Is This Heaven? (if you were playing them, yes)
16. 120.5 - MMR

Point Differential Per Game
1. 38.4 - Rip City
2. 32.6 - Philly Dribble
3. 21.6 - The Ashkickers

14. -21.1 - The Lone Wolf
15. -52.5 - Is This Heaven?
16. -63.2 - MMR

Team FG%
1. 48.7% - Philly Dribble
2. 46% - Rip City Revival
3. 45.6% - Hustlas

Team 3PT FG%
1. 43.5% - Philly Dribble
2. 40.6% - Rip City Revival
3. 40.2% - Lion Rebels

Team Assists
1. 24 - Rip City Revival
2. 22.2 San Dominica Warriors
2. 22.2 Linndale
3. 21.9 Philly Dribble

Team Rebounds
1. 57.8 - Rip City Revival
2. 55.6 - San Dominica Warriors
3. 52.5 - The Ashkickers

Team Blocks
1. 7.1 - Miami Cleo
2. 7.0 - San Dominica Warriors
3. 6.2 - The Ashkicekrs
3. 6.2 - Rip City Revival

Team Steals
1. 11.1 - Linndale
2. 7.9 - Rip City Revival
3. 7.0 - Miami Cleo
3. 7.0 - Philly Dribble

Żubr Białystok close with 6.9 SPG.

Season 58 Ramblings and Notables
I don't think it was a big surprise for Rip City to dominate season 58 as they did, having just relegated from Div II the season before. I'm sure it's quite frustrating for Philly Dribble and The Ashkickers as they're both primed and ready. Hustlas was obviously the sensational story of the league with their meteoric rise to the stop of the standings, including handing Rip City their first and only loss on the season before having a fire sale and then playing three league games with NO ONE on their roster before fielding a team only to continue losing but still managing to make the playoffs (that's a mouthful). The surprise was definitely relegated Tachenko relegating again (and finishing with a sub-500 record). Miami Cleo and The Beer Bellys ended up opposite of how I thought their seasons were going to play out, with Miami's hot start only netting them a .500 record while thatguy's beer guzzlers turned it around and made their way into the playoffs. Kudos to Carolina Rebels for their effort in their inagural DIV III season for almost getting to .500 and avoiding relegation while out-performing expectations placed on them for the season. 2 percent also ended up turning around their season before unfortunately getting relegated. And I know that Żubr Białystok didn't have expectations of making the playoffs, much less being second in the Great 8. And lastly, it was too bad that Is This Heaven? botted out and that Mighty Moose Rockets flamed out and relegated, especially after being so good the seasons prior.

Thanks to Linndale and Hustlas for the added team commentary - glad to have the added content! With that, Season 58 is officially wrapped and we're on to #59. Good luck - I'll have a Season 59 primer probably on Thursday. Best of luck to everyone except for San Dominica! ;)