Thursday, October 11, 2012

Some Good, Bad, and Ugly as RiR move to 3-2

Since we last spoke, the Price is Right has won one and lost one in their shortened Fall series in Brunswick.

Where should we start?

The Good

-  The team is shooting 35% from three point range in 5 games which is one of the highest marks in team history.  Leading the way is coach/captain Jason Hunter who is hitting a staggering 54% of his chucks from back there.  He has been around a 30% shooter from deep over the past few years. 

-  Brandon Hunter is finally starting to find his game.  B. Hunter was 5/8 from inside the arc in the loss this week vs. Old and Slow.  He had 25 points and again made all of his free throws.  He is shooting 73% from the line this season and the team again is shooting a team record high 64%.  Hunter has also begun to slowly find some range from deep as he has increased his 3P% this year from the mid-20s to 32% over the past few games.

-  Kyle Komer has been a great add.  Komer has been running the point more often than not and also adding speed and quickness to the top of the 2-3 zone.  With Pat Cripple being out for the near and long future, Komer has not only filled his shoes, but added another dynamic which the team has never had: the ability to get to the bucket and run an offense.  Komer is shooting 50% from inside of three and has made 12/18 free throw attempts while averaging over 10 points a game (10.5).

-  Andy Kempf returned...briefly.  Andy Kempf saw his first action with the team this past Monday and started where he left off last year, grabbing 12 boards and adding 6 points.  He will help solidify the inside of the 2-3 zone moving forward and provides a great body for screens on the offensive end.

-  The team beat its bitter rival Boston Road last Monday 64-63.  Boston Road has been the team that has always put the stop to PiR's winning ways, but the team found a way to win last week.  The team had a team high 20 free throws and made 15 of them (75%) which really helped control the offensive end.  Always undersized, Jason Hunter ended up playing the post position in the 2-3 zone and recorded 5 rebounds.  The 2-3 zone again did its job and kept the opposition out of the key and caused turnovers and fast breaks.  It was a great rebound win after losing to Boston Road in the championship last season

The Bad

-  The team did lose this past Monday to Old and Slow 70-58 as injuries again have become a mainstay as the teams weakness.  Not only was the team without Ryan Stuver (D-league stint), Mike Petrilli (illness), Rob Cruise (illness), and Kyle Knapik (D-league stint), but Kyle Komer had suffered and broken thumb in the game against Boston Road and was battling injured all night long.  The PiR signed a 10-dayer to help fill the void, but it was not enough down the stretch.  Team chemistry becomes and issue at these points.

The Ugly

- Big man Kerry Hunter's finger.  During the loss this Monday, not only did Kerry bang his head after a "possession charge-block" no-call, he also tore ligaments in his middle finger, leaving it awkwardly bent during the second half.  The team has now official listed him as "out" and has around a 6-8 week recovery coming up leaving the team even smaller than it was before.  The team plans on calling up Ryan Stuver this week to play in the game Monday but is still determining if they want Kyle Knapik as well.  The team is still also monitoring Petrilli and Cruise as they recover from their illnesses.

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The team will host The Metro Stars who they were defeated by earlier this season at 9:10 this coming Monday.  It will be the final game of the Fall season before the league is broadened to the 14 team Winter league.  The PiR will likely battle again for the Division II crown, where they came up one game short of winning the championship last season.