Reignmakers: A Prelude

Well ladies and gentlemen, the season opener you have all been waiting for awaits us tonight at 8:50:

Your Reignmakers will travel to Brunswick to face Young and Reckless at Brunswick High School to open up their inaugural season.

Hopefully Shawn Kemp is in attendance. It was reported after he was contacted about the team name, he gave his blessing and wanted to quote "be apart of something that I helped to found." Keep your autograph pens handy.

The starting lineup for tonight will look something like this:

C - Kerry Hunter
> After contemplating retirement following the championship game in the spring of 2010, Kerry came into a workout for the Reignmakers after calls from upper management. What the Reignmakers lacked in size they hoped Kerry could fill in the void. He joins the team after signing a one year deal just last week for the veterans minimum. Kerry averaged 2.3 points and 3.2 rebounds last year in just 8 minutes per game.. His career totals in 20+ years of basketball are 16.5 points and 8 rebounds.

PF - Brandon Hunter
> It has been a few years since the second Hunter's dominating performance in the Twinsburg Rec League where he averaged over 20 points and 5 rebounds. But Brandon looks to be an integral part of the Reignmakers this season. He will be counted on to carry a lot of the load scoring and also on the glass. There were varying reports of a contract dispute following last years dibocle on Championship night, but the Reignmakers locked him in for the next 3 years at about $8 million per. Coming off a year where he only saw the court around 12 minutes a night and averaging 6 points per game, his career averages eclipse 17 points and around 7 rebounds.

SF - Jason Hunter
> Rarely used during the Championship run of the NEO All-Stars last spring, the third of four Hunter's on the team looks for a break out season. With the triple Hunter punch in the starting lineup, it will hopefully bring great things on the offensive side of the ball. A great working relationship with his brother Brandon should helpthe team chemistry on and off the floor, jelling the team within its first few games. Jason signed a "team-friendly" deal at the beginning of the summer for 5 years around $3.67 million per season. His career averages, 12 points, 4 rebounds, while shooting 44% from three point range and 85% from the line.

SG - Chad Dobson
> A bit of an unknown. Thats a way to put it for most Reignmaker fans. Chad was signed this past month after scouting trips around the area discovered his talent. As offense goes, the Reignmakers only have so many options and they hope Dobson can turn into one of these. He averaged 13 points and 2 steals in the MRBA (Michigan Rec Basketball Association) and was placed on the All-Star team as a reserve two years in a row. The Reignmakers inked him on for one year at $1.67 million.

PG - Michael Petrilli
> Petrilli has been in and out of the league for the better of 5 years now, but has never been off the radar. He was signed to a 10-day contract last spring for the All-Stars and seemingly hadn't missed a beat. Petrilli will have his biggest role yet on this up and coming basketball squad and his three point shot will have to be executed to perfection night in and night out. He comes off a season in the RBDL (Rec Basketball Developmental League) where he finished 5th in MVP voting while averaging 18 points, 2 steals, and 2 rebounds. He shot an amazing 55% from beyond the arc and 88% from the foul line. Petrilli signed a one year deal at $2 million per, with and player option for the next two years.

Reserves:
C - Andy Kempf
> Andy brings hussle and a big, banging body inside for the Reignmakers. He's getting a chance to find his place in the RBL this season, but suffered a minor groin injury in the off-season. He will likely become the starting center once able, but may be on the IR for the opening game.

F - Ryan Stuver
> Just another piece to the puzzle. Stuver has been linked with Kempf, Brandon Hunter, and Petrilli for quite some time and the Reignmakers hope his dedication and hard work, as well as his familiarity with the offense will bring good things off the bench.

G/F - Clinton Weigel
> More hustle. More grit inside. The Reignmakers will need big years out of Kempf and Weigel if they want to compete with bigger teams. His and Kemp bring about the same to the table offensively, but the team hopes to keep them hungry on the defensive side leading to steals and a lot of easy buckets in transition.

G/F - Brent Hunter
> Currently in the RBDL, the fourth and final Hunter hopes to join the team in December during the playoff push. He will add more size and scoring once he joins the team and may also look to earn himself a starting position if all plays out accordingly.

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The first two games on the season will be "play-in" games of sort. It wil ldetermine where the Reignmakers sit this year in accordance with other teams in the league. The one thing to look for is how well this team jells throughout the year. They have been brought together from different aspects of basketball and from different areas, which may cause some speed bumps early on. But once the competitive juices flow and they notch some wins on their belts, they could be a sleeper pick in this years season.

Check back tonight as a recap of tonights game will be posted.

As Phil Collins once sang, "Yes I wish it would rain down, down on me."

Lets hope for a lot of Reign tonight.

Play ball.