SBNation versus TrueHoop Network - Game 2

Well, I didn't get a chance to play in the first game last Saturday, but a rematch was thrown together for this morning.  Surprisingly, both networks were able to field teams.  For SBNation it was

• Ridiculous Scott from Ridiculous Upside at center;
• Brian from At The Hive at power forward;
• Rohan from At the Hive at small forward;
• Andrew Sharp from SBNation NBA at the shooting guard;
• And yours truly ran the point.
• Rey from The No Look Pass (a citizen of ClipsNation) was on loan to the SBNation bench.

• Nathan Begley from Portland Roundball Society;
• Zach Harper from Cowbell Kingdom;
• Joe Gerrity from Hornets 247;
• Matt Moore from Hardwood Paroxysm;
• And Surya Fernandez from Hot Hot Hoops;
• Citizen YoungBolo of Cllps Nation and The No Look Pass came off their bench.

I would tell you what positions they were playing, but THN didn't actually appear to believe in that sort of 'structured' approach.

SBNation avenged their earlier loss with a fairly comfortable 36-22 win.  Of course, Rob Mahoney of the Two Man Game got a 'DNP - Home in Dallas' for the game, which may have been a factor, given that he scored 32 points (i.e. 10 more than the entire THN team) in the first game. 

I'd like to take credit for the win (SBN is, after all, undefeated when I play), but my honest assessment is more that the THN coach lost the game.  I'm not sure coach Matt Moore made the best decision in having his team stay up all night review video of the first meeting.  Or maybe that's not what they were doing all night.  Either way, I blame Moore.

Both teams started slowly.  SBN turned the ball over on our first four possessions without ever getting a shot off.  Eventually we settled in a little, and took a 14-4 halftime lead (like I said, both teams started slowly).

When YoungBolo entered the game it changed a little.  Harper made some rainbow threes, Bolo got into the lane some, and THN cut the lead down to 25-20 at one point.  But SBN restored order with an 11-0 run to put the game away. 

I think I can safely say, without fear of contradiction,the following two things about my own performance:

• I was by far the best 47 year old point guard out there;
• If Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro had seen the game, he would say that I "played the right way."

We'll say that I was a 'veteran presence' for SBN.  Given the fact that I was literally twice as old as most of my teammates, I think the description would be fitting.  The game was at once right and wrong for me as a player.  I would much rather pass than shoot, and given that all of my teammates were, shall we say, willing shooters, that worked out well.  But it would definitely be better for me if I had some clue where my teammates wanted the ball, or where they were going to be.  The spacing left something to be desired.

My personal highlights had to be a little baseline scoop shot, and the charge I drew from YoungBolo on a fast break (nice to have refs out there, if you're going to try to draw a charge; not really a good playground strategy).  The lowlight was letting Gerrity pick my pocket in the backcourt.  Glad no one had the flip video going on that one, because I don't want to see that on YouTube.

We didn't have a stat book this time, unlike the first game.  Rohan probably led SBNation in scoring - he made a handful of threes with his unorthodox but effective fling.  Sharp made a couple threes and a couple twos, and even Ridiculous Scott drained one long ball.  Rey made a sweet no look pass, living up to his blog name, and Brian did yeoman's work on the boards.  

The series is now tied one game apiece.  Game three will take place in July 2011.