Curtis J. Phillips (1-2) crumbles to the Dawgs (3-0) 53-74

Around the League

Scores, news and notes from week two of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation 2011 Winter Men's Basketball League Division 4:

• The Dawgs (2-0) served notice that the league is still theirs for the time being as they hammered newcomers and 2010 Fall Thursday Night League Champions, the Old Dudes (1-1), 65-31.
• There was no revolution for The Revolution (0-2) as they were stomped by the high scoring No Names (2-0) club 87-58.
• A few moms may have been taken down as the Milf Hunters (1-1) outlasted Scroalition (0-2) 59-47.

Upcoming Game of the Week: The Dawgs (2-0) host Curtis J. Phillips (1-1) in the most storied rivalry in Division 4 over the past two years. Much like the Lakers versus the Celtics, the Bulls versus the Pistons of yesteryear, the two teams usually are of the elite, despise each other on and off the court and almost come to blows every game. With that intact along with CJP being the last champion before the Dawgs current back to back championship run, it will likely be the most highly contested game of the season.

Curtis J. Phillips (1-1) outwits Jefferson's (1-1) 47-31

The Curtis J. Phillips basketball team is now 3-1 all-time versus Jefferson's as they defeated them 47 to 31 on Tuesday night. In the previous three meetings between the two, the final scores were 48-44 CJP, 54-52 CJP and 36-45 Jefferson's. Tuesday night was no different for one half of basketball as Jefferson's slowed down the game and controlled the tempo. However CJP found themselves up by two at half time as the interior defense of Charles Morris, Lane Leedahl and Josh Lawrence kept the much taller Jefferson's players in check. As for the second half, CJP started to dissect Jefferson's defense and with about ten minutes to play three pointers by Matt Donnelly, Jim Hammen, James Lawrence and the aforementioned Leedahl busted the game open for CJP. That along with playing tough defense until the final minute, team CJP came away with first ever double-digit victory in the series match-up between the two teams.

Quotes

"Good win tonight against a big team that loves to ugly it up. Moved the ball really well and took quality shots. Also thoughts and prayers to Jefferson's team captain Jason Franklin, who was unable to play last night after slipping and falling on the ice....what an idiot." - CJP forward Jim Hammen

"Wonderful win tonight and here is to getting another next week." - CJP forward Daniel Sondreal

Game Notes

Team CJP had all eight players in attendance for the first time in six games.

Around the League

Scores, news and notes from week one of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation 2011 Winter Men's Basketball League Division 4:

• The No Names (1-0) defended their mothers by defeating the Milf Hunters (0-1) 87-53.
• Jefferson's (1-0) defeated league newcomers Scroalition (0-1) 61-44.
• The two-time defending Division 4 champion Dawgs (1-0) beat the Revolution (1-0) by forty points with a final score of 73-33.

Upcoming Game of the Week: The Dawgs take on the Old Dudes at 7PM. The winner of this one may likely go on to win the league championship.

Curtis J. Phillips (0-1) loses their season opener to the Old Dudes (1-0) 48-61

Team Curtis J. Phillips lost their first ever season opener Tuesday night as they fell to the Old Dudes by a score of 48 to 61. Prior to the game no one knew the makeup of the Old Dudes but as each of their players strolled into the gymnasium it became clear that a new super team had been formed. For many of CJP's players had played with and against the members of the Old Dudes in local church pickup basketball games and those players just happened to be the better ones in those games. As for the action, with team CJP playing without James Lawrence and Charles Morris, they played a two-three zone defense for the duration of the game in hopes of conserving energy and slowing down the explosive Old Dudes. That plan along with some fundamentally sound basketball on the offensive end led to a half time score of 27 to 27. However early into the second half the Old Dudes simply didn't miss from three-point land for several possessions while team CJP turned the ball over a few too many times and quickly found themselves down by double digits. Nevertheless CJP continued to play spirited basketball and kept the game competitive until the final buzzer.

Quotes

"Very good effort in a loss to a good team tonight. To shoot that poor of a percentage and only lose by 13 to a team that talented is a moral victory, if there is such a thing." - CJP forward Jim Hammen

"They were a tough team with great shooters. We played a great first half, but a lot of missed shots and turnovers in the second half made it hard to stick with them." - CJP guard Brett Goedeke

"Played tough, ran out of gas, but we kept it competitive. Good test of our character." - CJP center Lane Leedahl

Game Notes

Guard James Lawrence missed the game due to some sort of wedding planning for his upcoming nuptials. Center Charles Morris missed the game as well for he was reportedly "sick as a dog." Team CJP is now 5-1 all-time in season openers.

2011 Winter Basketball Schedule Released

At 12:32PM today, the Lawrence Parks and Rec's powers at be released the official 2011 Men's Division 4 Winter Basketball schedule. Team Curtis J. Phillips will begin their quest for their second ever league championship January 11, 2011 at 8:00PM at the East Lawrence Rec Center versus the Old Dudes.

2011 Division 4 Men's Winter Basketball Schedule

January 11, 2011 - Curtis J. Phillips versus Old Dudes - 8:00PM
January 18, 2011 - Jefferson's versus Curtis J. Phillips - 6:00PM
January 25, 2011 - Curtis J. Phillips versus Dawgs - 8:00PM
February 1, 2011 - Scroalition versus Curtis J. Phillips - 9:00PM
February 8, 2011 - Curtis J. Phillips versus The Revolution - 7:00PM
February 15, 2011 - Curtis J. Phillips versus No Names - 7:00PM
March 1, 2011 - Milf Hunters versus Curtis J. Phillips - 9:00PM

Curtis J Phillips (3-4) falters in overtime to the Hogballers (4-3) 65-67

On Tuesday night Curtis J. Phillips found itself in unfamiliar territory as they were not playing for first or second place but for a slim chance at third. After Tuesday night's game, team CJP was settled in sixth place as they fell to the Hogballer's 65-67 in overtime. In game which will likely be remembered as one in which the refs decided to just let the final two seconds expire when CJP should of had an opportunity to inbound the ball underneath the hoop, it should be remembered as another game in which CJP lacked the conditioning, energy, and focus to play winning basketball. For the CJP of old would have likely routed the Hogballer's but instead found themselves with their first ever losing season.

Game Quotes


"The Hogballer's simply had more energy than we did tonight. Our advantage in individual talent kept it close but chance and time was on their side tonight." - CJP forward Daniel Sondreal

"We had it then we lost it." - CJP center Lane Leedahl


Game Notes

Center Josh Lawrence missed his third game of the season due to Thanksgiving travel. Center Charles Morris debuted in his new number six jersey as recently made the request to change out of his original number double zero jersey. Morris was set to be number two but that failed as the number two jersey is a size large.

Game Preview: CJP (3-3) versus the Hogballers (3-3) at 9PM

In tonight's season finale, a chance for third place is on the line as Curtis J. Phillips (3-3) take on the Hogballer's (3-3). Since the Hogballer's our a new addition to Division 4 of the Lawrence Parks and Rec Men's Basketball League it will be the first time the two teams will square off. Therefore by not having watched any of their games and only knowing one of their players, team CJP will have to be ready for anything if they hope to end their season with a winning record.

Game Notes

Center Josh Lawrence will miss his third consecutive game as he is in St Louis, MO for Thanksgiving. Forward Jim Hammen is listed as a game time decision as he continues to battle neck and back problems. Center Charles Morris will debut in his #2 jersey as he has switched from his original #00 jersey after last week's win over Shibby. The forecast for tonight's game is 34 degrees fahrenheit but that shouldn't be too much of a problem as the game is being played indoors at the East Lawrence Rec Center.

Curtis J Phillips (3-3) overwhelms Shibby (0-6) 69-40

With three players missing for Curtis J. Phillips, one would've expected a slower pace but that wasn't the case Tuesday night as team CJP's fast break was out in full force in their rout over Shibby 69 to 40. Other than the first few minutes where the ball seemed to bounce the wrong way, CJP's five of Charles Morris, Daniel Sondreal, James Lawrence, Matt Donnelly, and Brett Goedeke put on quite the passing demonstration as almost every made basket came courtesy of an assist. Whether it was Shibby playing a man to man, 2-3 zone, or full court press defense team CJP had the simple and deadly response of team basketball. For CJP found themselves up by twenty at half and wouldn't find themselves up by no less than sixteen points in the second half. 

Game Quotes

"Got off to a slow start but once we started pushing the ball we really got in probably the best fundamental fast break, drive and dish basketball CJP has played in a long while. Even without subs it was probably the  most fun I've had playing in a while!" - CJP forward James Lawrence on the team's victory over Shibby

"Oh the game. Better without any subs especially Jim. No, I'm just kidding. We moved the ball really good. Started knocking down shots more in the end of the first half. Got a lot of post ups, inside and out. That is all." - CJP guard Matt Donnelly on the team's victory of Shibby

Games Notes

Center Lane Leedahl missed the game due to business travel. Forward Jim Hammen missed the game due to chronic back and neck problems. Center Josh Lawrence missed the game for unknown reasons. Forward Daniel Sondreal wore the number 8 jersey instead of his original number 0 due to laundry issues. The team wore their white jerseys for the first time this season. Center Charles Morris will be changing numbers from 00 to 2 next season.

Game Preview: CJP (2-3) versus Shibby (0-5) at 8PM

In just over an hour Curtis J. Phillips will try to end their three game losing streak, while Shibby will try to get their first victory of the season in tonight's 8PM matchup in Division 4 of the Lawrence Parks and Rec Men's City League. Team CJP is 2-0 all-time versus Shibby with an average margin of victory of 21 points. Don't be fooled by large number as in their second game versus each other, Shibby's stubborn 2-3 zone defense kept the game close until late into the second half. What to expect? Expect both teams to be hungry for a win as no team wants to finish 0-7, whereby team CJP prides themselves as one of the leagues finest and wishes to end the season with an overall winning record.

Game Notes

CJP center Lane Leedahl will miss his first game tonight as he in St Louis, MO for business. Forward Jim Hammen will miss his second straight and fourth overall game due to chronic back and neck issues.

Curtis J. Phillips (2-3) yields to the No Names (3-2) 43-48

Last Tuesday night team Curtis J. Phillips lost its third consecutive game for the first time ever in a loss to the No Names 43-48. In a game where both teams were missing key players, the No Names picked apart CJP's 2-3 zone defense and headed into halftime with an eleven point lead. Heading into the second half CJP switched to a man to man defense and rode the low post talents of Lane Leedahl to find themselves tied with less than five minutes to go. Yet as the final score notes, CJP simply didn't have enough to overtake the athletic No Names squad in the closing minutes. However on a surprising note, the game was full of sportsmanship as both team continually praised each other throughout the game and after it as well. This being a surprise, as most teams tend to bark and scratch at each other and in the last game between CJP and No Names a fight almost broke out.

Game Quotes

Coming soon....

Game Notes


CJP is now 0-2 all-time versus the No Names. Forward Jim Hammen missed his third game of the season and is likely out for the finals two games with back/neck problems. Center Josh Lawrence missed the game for unknown reasons. CJP has worn their black uniforms for every game this season.

Game Preview: CJP (2-2) versus No Names (2-2) at 9PM

In just a few hours team CJP will try not have their first ever three game losing streak as they take on the No Names in tonight's nine o'clock matchup. Tonight's game will feature the leagues highest scoring team in the No Names with 70 points per game and lowest scoring team of CJP with 43.8 points per game. CJP is 0-1 all-time versus the No Names as they lost to them 62-50 on October 27, 2009 when the No Names were called Tarheels Suck. CJP will once again be without forward Jim Hammen as he has re-injured his back and may likely miss the remainder of the season. Center Josh Lawrence will also not be in attendance for reasons unknown.

Game Notes


Team CJP manager and forward Daniel Sondreal says the team will likely add another player to the team next season in wake of the team continually being shorthanded.

Curtis J. Phillips (2-2) falls short to The Dawgs (4-0) 45-61

For just the second time in team history, Curtis J. Phillips lost its second consecutive game Tuesday night to the Dawgs 45 to 61. In a game that was much closer than the final score concludes, a short-handed CJP played on par for thirty-three minutes against the defending league champions until the dynamic duo of the Daws proved to be too much for CJP. Even though CJP was short three players for the first half and two for the second, they made way on offense with the superb shooting of James Lawrence and Matt Donnelly. As for the defensive end, for the first team in team history, CJP played a two-three zone defense. In doing so, they slow downed the Dawg's interior play and ultimately came away with a new weapon to use from time to time when need be. In conclusion of last night's game, it seems the Dawgs may have their second consecutive league championship in the bag and even though CJP is coming off their second straight loss, the team's spirit remains high.


Quotes

"It's terrible missing any game during the season for a non-injury-related matter. It especially hurts when it is our rivalry game versus The Dawgs. Hopefully this schedule conflict can be avoided in the future. Like always, I know the team will fight their hardest even though they're short-handed." - CJP forward Jim Hammen on missing the game


"I thought we played a very competitive game considering we were short handed. Had a couple more shots have fallen it could've been a better outcome." - CJP guard James Lawrence on the team's loss to the Dawgs


"For thirty-four minutes or so it looked like we were heading to another nail biter against the Dawgs but then they simply made plays whereby we did not. Like always, a win would have been wonderful but tonight we learned that we can cause havoc by using the not so sexy 2-3 zone defense." - CJP forward Daniel Sondreal on the team's loss to the Dawgs


Game Notes


CJP center Charles Morris was not in attendance due to an unknown illness. CJP forward Jim Hammen was also not in attendance due to personal reasons. CJP center Josh Lawrence sat out the first half due to his technical foul received last week. CJP is now 2-3 all-time versus the Dawgs. The last time CJP lost two in a row dates back to losses occurred on January 26, 2010 (vs. The League Champions) and February 2, 2010 (vs The Dawgs).

Game Preview: CJP (2-1) versus The Dawgs (3-0) at 6PM

Tomorrow night team CJP will renew their rivalry with the defending league champions and currently undefeated Dawgs team at 6PM at the East Lawrence Rec Center. CJP will need all the help and luck they can get as the Dawgs are better than ever as they added a new player in the off season who just happens to be the best wing player in the entire league. Moreover CJP will be without leading scorer Jim Hammen as he will be taking in the Kansas Jayhawks Men's Basketball season opener. They will also not have the services of center Josh Lawrence for the first half as he will be serving the second half of his suspension which resulted from his technical foul last week in the teams loss to Jefferson's. Continuing the trend of misfortune, center Charles Morris is listed as doubtful as he struggles with some sort of sickness. Fortunately for everyone else a game will be played and that's all that matters as anything can happen.

Game Notes

This will be the second game missed of the season by forward Jim Hammen, who hadn't missed any season games before this one outside of being suspended last season for two games. Team CJP has a total of three technicals in their history playing in the Lawrence Parks and Rec Men's Basketball Leagues.