GrandMaMa's Win Sloppy Game Against Cereal Killers

Caldwell had his best game of the season, scoring
11 and shooting 50% from three point range.

A 20 point victory is never one to shrug at, but the GrandMaM'as were not sharp during their 61-41 victory against Cereal Killers this past Sunday.

For the second straight contest, the MaMa's shot below 40% from the field (39%). Their defense, and simply having more firepower, pushed them to victory on this night.

The MaMa's held the Cereal Killers to only 18 points in the second half as the opposition merely did not have the weapons to truly threaten the MaMa's on this night.

A bright spot on this night came from Chuck Caldwell. Caldwell scored 11 points on a night where the team needed some offensive help. He made good on three of six three pointers and added another field goal, along with grabbing five rebounds. The scoring output was a great sign as Caldwell had failed to score in his first two games back from the broken hell he suffered at the end of the fall season. Not only were his points welcome, Caldwell really helps to solidify the MaMa's 2-3 zone at the top of key. The Cereal Killers were only held to five three point field goals all night.

Two other MaMa's scored in double figures. Kevin Morgan led the team with 16 points while Brandon Hunter added 13. They combined to snatch 16 rebounds. Andy Kempf (1 point) was also once again effective on the glass, grabbing 9 rebounds of his own.

The GrandMaMa's have an off weekend, as the season is put on hold for today's SuperBowl game. The season will continue on the 8th as the MaMa's take on State Farm at 7PM EST. State Farm is 2-6 on the year, last place in the West Division.

Winning Streak Ends at 8

After a 75-51 drubbing of Soda Slingers on January 11th, the GrandMaMa's found themselves putting their 8 games winning streak on the line against a formidable foe, and rival, Powerstrokes.

The Powerstrokes won the battle 68-61, effectively ending the GGM's winning streak at 8.

Brandon Hunter led the way against Soda Slingers,
scoring 28 points and shooting 5 of 9 from deep. 

It was a tale of two games on the offensive side of the ball these past two weeks. The GrandMaMa's shot 41% from the floor and 44% from three against the Soda Slingers, adding 75% free throw shooting. Against the Powerstrokes however, a much better defensive team, the good guys could only manage to shoot 36% overall from the floor (32% from three/38% from two).

The passive style of play from Soda Slingers worked right into what the MaMa's do well, run and attack on offense. Andy Kempf (22 rebounds) and Matt Eberwein (16 rebounds) had double-digit rebounding nights. While Brandon Hunter, who led the team with 28 points, almost had the same with 9 rebounds of his own. Kempf recorded the first double-double of the season for the GrandMaMa's, scoring 14 points as well.

It was a great sign for the defense as well, holding the Soda Slingers to 51 points. They scored 100 the previous week. As one-sided as the outcome was, the game was never even that close. The Slingers started to get hot from deep, making 10 three pointers in the second half. That output alone would have topped their first half scoring total by 17 points. The score was 47-13 MaMa's after the first half.

The Powerstrokes however, brought a more dynamic 2-3, using their length, size, and athleticism to bother the GrandMaMa's near the half court line all night long. Inopportune turnovers and a poor shooting night took the wheels off of the machine that was the GrandMaMa's team basketball style.

Brandon Hunter and Kevin Morgan scored 16 and 19 points respectively, but combined to shoot 13 of  34 from the field (38%). Matt Eberwein (8 points), Pat Cripple (8) and Jason Hunter (6) rounded out the scoring on a night where the team shot its lowest percentage from the floor for the season.

The team was without energetic big-man Andy Kempf on this night however. A night where they could have used more intensity and hustle on both ends of the floor, especially on the glass. Kempf is leading the team in rebounds, grabbing 11 per game.

The good news is that the GrandMaMa's will get to face Powerstrokes one more time before the playoffs begin, as they match up again on March 1st.

The GrandMaMa's look to begin a new winning streak tonight as they face off against Cereal Killers, who only had 1 win as of January 10th.

GrandMaMa's Only Team That Remains Undefeated; Milestones Reached

After this past weekend's games, the GrandMaMa's remain as the only team without a loss in the Brunswick Mens Rec Basketball League.

Their 64-47 defeat of We Get Buckets pushed the MaMa's record out to 6-0, moving them a game ahead of West Division leaders Powerstrokes and Goon Squad.

Pat Cripple and Matt Eberwein prepare for
We Get Buckets this past Sunday

The GrandMaMa's also led the league in team defense, only allowing a total of 217 points, 46 points fewer than the next team (We Get Buckets, 263).   They are also in the top five of the league scoring the basketball, totaling 329 points, trailing Soda Slingers (331) by two points and Powerstrokes (400) by 71.  The MaMa's will have a chance to move past the Slingers tomorrow as they face off at 5:10.

Back to this past weekend...

The good guys dressed a nearly-full squad this past Sunday, having 8 men available to play.  Chuck Caldwell (one rebound) made his return from the broke heel he suffered a few months ago.  Caldwell will add another layer to a defense that seems to be firing on all cylinders.

The GrandMaMa's won this game with another stout defensive effort and also by getting to the basket on the other end of the floor.  The MaMa's shot 55% from two point range on this day and only took 13 total three pointers, making just 4 (31%).

Scoring was spread out throughout the team as Brent Hunter (19), Kevin Morgan (12) and Brandon Hunter (10) all scored in the double figures.  Jason Hunter and Pat Cripple both added 8 points while Andky Kempf (3) and Matt Eberwein (4) rounded out the day on the offensive side.

Justin Woo was not available for the contest, but should be dressed for tonight's game against Soda Slingers.

Speaking of the Slingers, they took down West Division leading Powerstrokes 100-87 this past weekend, putting up their best showing of the season.  The GrandMaMa's will have to fully utilize their 2-3 zone scheme in order to tame the Slingers offensive prowess.  The MaMa's should again dress 8 as Brent Hunter is being sent back to the developmental league after his five game stint with the team.  Hunter had averages of 15.2 points and 6.4 rebounds.

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Milestone Season

Awhile back, we discussed a few individuals who were on their way to some career milestones and others who were closing in.

Here is a look at some milestones that were recently breached and others that soon will be:

Jason Hunter

• 1000 total shots - surpassed (1,022)
• 1000 total points - surpassed (1,031)
• 100 games played - surpassed (102)
• 500 field goals - 480

Brandon Hunter

• 2000 total shot - surpassed (2,031)
• 1000 field goals attempted - 883
• 500 free throws attempted - 427
• 1000 rebounds - 782

Kerry Hunter

• 500 field goals attempted - 470
• 500 total rebounds - 485

Andy Kempf

• 500 total points - 474
• 1000 total rebounds - 878
• 500 field goals - 480
• 100 games played - 98

Winning Ways Continue Through the Holidays

After a quick schedule change, the GrandMaMa's faced off again Good Fellas (3-2) this past Sunday. It proved to be the toughest match-up of the season for the MaMa's as they slid past their opposition 60-56.

The previous week against Money Team, the GrandMaMa's kept their winning ways going with a 61-45 victory.

Brandon Hunter led all scorers that night with 23 points on 8 of 19 shooting from the field.  He added three rebounds and three free throws.  Without second leading scorer Kevin Morgan in the lineup, the team utilized Brent Hunter to his fullest potential.  The youngest Hunter brother has been available for the past month and provided a scoring punch.  He totaled 15 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.

Pat Cripple and Justin Woo were also unavailable for the game against Money Team.  The GrandMaMa's used a call-up option and dressed Will Cleveland, previously from the Texas league.  Cleveland had four rebounds and six points, going three of seven from the floor.  Jason Hunter (nine points, two rebounds), Matt Eberwein (three points, six rebounds) and Andy Kempf (2 points, 11 rebounds) rounded out the team effort for the night.

Back to this past weekend...

Free throws have never been a big part of the GrandMaMa's success over the years.  As an organization they are only shooting 62% and only shot 65% this past Sunday.  But down the stretch, free throws by Jason Hunter, Brandon Hunter, and Pat Cripple sealed the deal against Good Fellas.

The three previously named individuals combined on six straight free throws inside of two minutes to close out the game.  The oldest Hunter brother scored five points on the night, making all five of his free throw attempts.

The scoring elsewhere was fairly spread out.  Kevin Morgan and Cripple returning from their one game absence
s scored 17 and 12 points respectively.  Brandon Hunter added 15 points and 7 rebounds of his own.

Though only combining to shoot 9% from the three point line (1/11), the GrandMaMa's found ways to win by taking the ball to the basket and utilizing their size advantage over Good Fellas.  Matt Eberwein (2 points, 10 rebounds) took a team high seven free throws, while Morgan (5) and Jason Hunter (5) also found points at the charity stripe.  The team took 26 free throws overall, 10 more than any other game this season.  The team also continues to shoot very well from inside the arc, shooting 48% (20/42) on the night.  The team total on the season from that range is 47%, which will be their highest winter season total if they can maintain the same pace through the entirety of the year.

The team hopes to start the new year with another win as they face We Get Buckets this coming Sunday at 5:10pm.

GrandMaMa's Move Winning Streak to 4

After their recent 73-39 victory this past Sunday, the GrandMaMa's have moved to 3-0 in the winter season.

The MaMa's are off to great start offensively, averaging 63.5 points per game and shooting 45% from the floor.  Even more shocking are their capabilities from beyond the arc.  Before the beginning of this season, the organization had never shot better than 35% from three point range through an entire season.  Though only having a small sample to work with, the 41% three point percentage is a welcomed addition to the offensive side of the ball.  The team is shooting 47% from inside the arc, which, if continued, would be their third best two point field goal percentage in organizational history.

On the individual side, Brandon Hunter is leading the team with 17.8 points per game while shooting 49% from the floor.  Not far behind is Kevin Morgan, who has come on strong this winter, averaging 17 points, six rebounds per game, and shooting 44% from the field.

Not to be understated, the defensive side of the ball is also performing at a top rate.  The team is only giving up around 42 points per game (41.6).  The defensive efficiency, along with the offensive output, has given the GrandMaMa's victories of 34, 34, and 16 points during the regular season this winter.

New addition Pat Cripple has fit right back into the system seamlessly.  In his second game as part of the GrandMaMa's against Vitamix December 7th, Crip scored 10 points, shot 50% from the floor, grabbed 5 rebounds, and created opportunity for the offense by creating turnovers on the defensive side of the ball.  He is averaging six points on 46% shooting in his two games this season.

Back to recent action.

As stated earlier, the 73-39 victory against Tune Squad, tied their largest victory of the year of 34 points.  Brandon Hunter (24 points) and Kevin Morgan (16) and Brent Hunter (20) all scored in double figures and combined to shoot 58% from the floor.  The youngest Hunter and Morgan also grabbed nine and seven rebounds respectively, while Matt Eberwein (3 points) led the team in that category with 10 rebounds on the night.  Justin Woo (five points, four rebounds) and Jason Hunter (five points, two rebounds) rounded out the scoring and rebounding totals.

After pushing out to a 31 point lead at halftime, the GrandMaMa's continued to push the envelope, outscoring Tune Squad 16-13 in a more defensive-minded second half.  Tune Squad could only manage five field goals against a GrandMaMa's 2-3 zone that has found new life with the additions from the offseason.

The team will look to push their regular season win streak to four games as they play a rare Monday night game against Money Team (1-1 as of this writing) at 6:30pm.

New Season, New Hope

The Grand MaMa's have always had their focus on the winter.

Badly outmatched, out-gunned, and out-manned throughout the winter, the Grand MaMa's knew their abilities as a team would shine through during the winter months in the Brunswick Mens Rec Basketball League.

Though the shine was dull, the MaMa's won their preseason opener against State Farm by a score of 45-36.

The team struggled in most aspects on the offensive side of the ball, but stepped up on defense, never surrendering the lead all game.

Brandon Hunter and first-year scorer Kevin Morgan compiled 22 points for the team, but could only manage to shoot 26% from the field (8/31) and 50% from the free throw line (4/8).  As a team the Grand MaMa's could only manage a 47% mark (9/19).

A rare night for the Grand MaMa's as Jason Hunter led the team in scoring, doing most of his damage from beyond the arc going four of six from deep.  He scored 17 points on 6 of 10 shooting from the floor.  He added a free throw and two rebounds.

Playing in his first game in over a year, Justin Woo added two points and a rebound, but solidified himself underneath on both ends of the floor and did not back away from any physicality on either end.

The Grand MaMa's will likely have one more preseason game before the winter regular season begins.  Pat Cripple will also likely make his debut for the team, and reports are seldom seen Brent Hunter may also be available.  A look at what a full squad could do would be a great watch this coming Sunday or Monday evening.

The Grand MaMa's next scheduled game time was not available at the time of this post.

As the Snow Begins, So Does a New Season

The Grand MaMa's are looking ahead.

Looking ahead toward tomorrow, to be exact.

After falling in the first round of the Fall league playoffs this past Monday, the Grand MaMa's already have their sights on a redeeming winter.

Though the team fell on hard times, going 1-9 during the regular season and playoffs this past season, a new hope and inspired outlook on the more competitively even-matched winter season is upon them.

They will have their first shot at their fresh slate tomorrow against State Farm at 5pm at the Brunswick Rec Center.

The Grand MaMa's have had some questions surrounding their roster over the past few months but have started to find some answers to those questions.

Kevin Morgan, who led the team in scoring this past season at 16.8 points per game, is going to make the commitment to the team this fall.  It is the first time in the organizations history that someone else has the led the team in scoring besides Brandon Hunter, who averaged 15.8 points per game this past season.

Two other additions this upcoming season include Justin Woo, who averaged six points and four rebounds during the team's Human Highlight Reel seasons, and Pat Cripple, who last played for the organization when they were named the Mailmen.  "Crip" averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 18 games that season while shooting 42% from the floor.

Looking back at the fall session, there was not much take away from the 1-9 record, but if you looked hard enough, you could find some positives.

Career highlights were eclipsed this past fall, while others may likely fall during the winter season.

Brandon Hunter moved over 1000 3-point attempts in his career (1102), 2000 points (2058), and is the first player in the organizations history to play over 100 games (101).  He is also closing in on 1000 rebounds for his career with 754.

Jason Hunter will likely eclipse a few career totals this winter including 1000 total shots (985), 100 free throws (97), 1000 points (981), and 500 field goals attempted (461).  He passed the 500 total three point attempt mark this past fall, standing now at 504.

Andy Kempf surpassed 500 shots this past season (505) and is closing on career totals of 500 field goal attempts (465), 100 free throw attempts (89), 500 points (464), and 1000 rebounds (834).

Not to be outdone, sparingly used veteran big man Kerry Hunter is also chasing career marks of 500 field goal attempts (387) and 500 total rebounds (485).

The new season, although preseason, starts tomorrow.  Come along for the ride as the Grand MaMa's push towards a their first championship run this winter.