Game Recaps

5/16/12
BULLS STRIKE BACK TO EVEN SERIES AND FORCE DECISIVE GAME 3

Monday night was Game 2 of the CTMBL Finals and it was a battle for the ages. The Thunder tried to stake claim to another title but were forced to play the first half with only 5 guys. The Bulls opened the game showing zone defense but quickly changed back to man-to-man after giving up some quick baskets. Both teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the half and the Thunder would miss a chance to extend the lead going into the break but still went into halftime up 25-22. Reinforcements came for the Thunder in the second stanza as Mike Cofrancesco and Craig Brown made their appearance just as the half was getting under way. But the Bulls stepped up the effort on both ends of the court and erase the halftime deficit and pulled ahead with 10 minutes to go. Brian Jackson (17 points, 5 rebounds) and Tyler Vermette (17 points, 4 rebounds) both attacked the basket on the offensive end and created turnovers on the defensive end to lead the Bulls rally. The Thunder stayed close with solid efforts from Mike Brady (13 points, 4 rebounds) and Mike Capecelatro (11 points, 8 rebounds) but missed open looks late that proved their undoing. The Bulls hit some clutch free throws late and were able to ice the game late and take Game 2 by a 48-43 margin. This sets up a huge Game 3 next Monday for all the marbles. Stay tuned to see who will prevail in what continues to be an exciting CTMBL season!!!

5/9/12
THUNDER TAKE CONTROL OF SERIES WITH BIG GAME 1 WIN

The CTMBL Finals got under way this past Monday and saw the Thunder and Bulls squaring off with eyes on the title. The Thunder entered the series in a familiar spot as the number one seed looking for their 3rd straight league championship. This would be their third different opponent in the finals however, as the Bulls capped an impressive rookie campaign in the CTMBL with a playoff run to the finals. The Thunder have been led all season by league leading scorer Mike Cofrancesco (27.4 ppg) and the inside presence of Eric Pepe (14 ppg, 11 rpg), a veteran of many CTMBL slugfests. Three-point specialist Mike Sibarium spaces the floor while Sixth Man of the Year Candidate Mike Brady fills up the entire stat sheet week in and week out. The Bulls pose a formidable threat however, with the size, speed and athleticism to match up with the Thunder. Big man John Herman (14 ppg, 8 rpg) combines power down low with ball skills and a shooting touch not often seen in a man his size. Tyler Vermette (13 ppg, 3 apg, 8 rpg) and Damian Gunningsmith (12 ppg) create matchup nightmares with their athleticism, while Brian Jackson (13 ppg) consistently gets to the rim and has the strength to finish in traffic.

Game 1 saw the Thunder come out motivated from the start and use precision passing to score some quick easy baskets. Their patience on the offensive end was the key throughout the game as they constantly worked the ball around to get good looks and opened up a 41-32 lead at halftime. Mike Cofrancesco once again led the way with 25 points while Mike Sibarium put up 13 points and added some big rebounds underneath. Mike Capecelatro and Eric Pepe each chipped in 12 points for a balanced Thunder attack. The Bulls were led by Damian Gunningsmith (16 points) while Brendan Carey (12 points) and John Herman (10 points) each had two 3-pointers in an attempt to bring the Bulls back in the mix. The Thunder's defense and rebounding were keys to preserving the lead as they foiled the Bulls efforts late. Thunder take Game 1 and move one step closer to another title with a 72-58 victory.

5/1/12
THUNDER DISMANTLE KINGS IN QUEST FOR THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE/BULLS HOT SHOOTING SINKS NETS

The Semi-Finals of the CTMBL got under way last night and saw the #1 seed Thunder looking in prime postseason form. The Thunder spread the ball around early and often and got easy shots against the Kings as 4 players would hit double figures led by Mike Cofrancesco with 26 points and 4 rebounds. The Kings who came off a thrilling double overtime victory over the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs were confused defensively and had little answers for the Thunder as they trailed 40-23 at half time. The second half was back and forth and while emotions got heated at one point on the court, the outcome of this game was never in doubt. Thunder win easily 71-55 and move on to the finals for the third straight season.

The late game featured the #2 Nets and the #3 Bulls. The Nets owned the the Bulls in the regular season taking both games in the regular season series but the week layoff proved costly as the Nets came out cold while the Bulls came out on fire and built up a 30-8 lead early. In the first half, John Herman was hitting from all spots on the court and would finish with 22 points in the contest for the Bulls. The Nets would trail by as much as 30 early in the second half but tried their best to mount a comeback in the likes of LA Clippers/Memphis Grizzlies a few nights earlier. Jon Herman (17 points, 8 rebounds) for the Nets was a presence inside while Rushan Lumani drained 4 3-pointers in the second half en route to 18 points. But several key plays down the stretch by Damian Gunningsmith (16 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds) and Brian Jackson (13 points, 8 rebounds) secured the win for the Bulls 67-52.

The CTMBL Finals are set. Thunder vs Bulls to face off in a best of 3 series beginning Monday May 7th. Stay tuned!!! 

4/18/12
THUNDER KNOCK OFF BULLS AND LOCK UP #1 SEED/NETS TAKE DOWN MAGIC AND ALSO SECURE BYE

The opener on Monday Night matched the Thunder vs the Bulls with major playoff implications on the line. A Bulls win would potentially force a 4 way tie for first place but the Bulls would need to beat the Thunder with only a 5 man roster. The Thunder welcomed the return of league leading scorer Mike Cofrancesco coming back from a thumb injury and jumped out to an early lead and would take a 6 point edge into halftime. The Bulls put up a good fight but ran out of steam in the second stanza as the lack of subs was too much to overcome. The Thunder were led by Cofrancesco (18 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds), Eric Pepe (13 points, 11 rebounds) and a breakout performance from big man Pete Kazlas putting up a near double-double with 8 points and 10 boards. Kazlas was a force down low and could be a huge factor in the Thunder's title defense. The Bulls were led by Damian Gunningsmith with 18 points and 6 rebounds while Tyler Vermette had a spectacular all around effort with 9 points, 6 assists and 10 boards. Thunder pull away late and secure the #1 overall seed in the playoffs with 61-49 victory.

The nightcap saw the Nets and Magic squaring off in a classic CTMBL rivalry where records get thrown out the window as old foes do battle. In classic Nets fashion, some hot shooting early and impregnable defense jump started them to a big early lead. Acacio Salgado could not miss as he nailed an array of shots from behind the arc and runners in the lane. Salgado would finish with 23 points in the contest while the inside combo of Mike Rodriguez (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Jon Herman (8 points, 12 rebounds) would once again dominate. The Magic were led by Angel "Showtime" Cruz and John "The Animal" Hayducky as each contributed 11 points. The Nets win rather easily 66-47.

KINGS MAKE BIG RUN IN SECOND HALF AND DEAL CLIPPERS 4TH STRAIGHT DEFEAT

In the Tuesday Night game, the Clippers jumped out to an early lead behind some hot shooting from the Barone family. John, Mike and "Pops" Barone combined for 26 points and 5 triples building up an early advantage. The Kings however would use pressure defense to take a 26-23 lead at halftime with Derrick Myers (16 points) the main offensive weapon. Jeroy Smith and Manny Serrano would each chip in 10 points for the Kings as they were able to distance themselves in the second half. Kings pick up their 3rd victory of the season by knocking off Clippers 52-43.

The Playoff Schedule is now set as the Thunder and Nets secure the top two seeds and the first round byes. The Bulls lock up the #3 seed and will draw the #6 Magic in the opening round next week while the Clippers fall to the #4 seed and have a rematch with the #5 Kings. Winner of the Bulls/Magic takes on the Nets while the winner of Clippers/Kings faces the Thunder in semi-finals. The march for the CTMBL title begins next week!!!

4/11/12
THUNDER GET REVENGE ON CLIPPERS/KINGS RUN AWAY LATE AGAINST MAGIC

The early contest Monday saw the Thunder and Clippers squaring off with potential #1 overall seed on the line. Earlier in the season the Clips were able to take down the Thunder but the Ok City squad would not have a repeat of that performance. Suiting up only 5 players, the Thunder displayed a patient offensive attack and exploited mismatches to their advantage while pulling out to a 37-29 lead at halftime. The Thunder pounded the ball inside utilizing their size advantage with Eric Pepe (25 points, 14 rebounds) and Mike Sibarium (16 points, 7 rebounds) scoring down low and consistently knocking down free throws when put on the line. The Clippers countered by finding holes in the Thunder's 2-3 zone with Tim Fico (14 points, 2 assists, 10 rebounds), Frank Fevoleto (11 points, 5 rebounds) and Steve Barone (10 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds) all scoring in double figures. In the end though, the Thunder prevailed 58-47.

The Kings and the Magic were the nightcap, with the Magic still looking for that elusive first win. The teams traded baskets in the first half and things remained close as the Kings took a 7 point edge into halftime. In the second half the Kings used pressure defense to force the issue and their athleticism proved to be too much for the Magic. Once again it was Jeroy Smith leading the way for the Kings with 22 points, 4 assists, and 8 rebounds. Derrick Myers also provided stellar defense and converted some easy baskets in transition to build upon the lead while tallying 16 points. The Magic were led by Chris Conley (19 points, 3 assists, 7 rebounds). The Kings run away with this one late and top the Magic 70-40.

NETS DEFENSE ONCE AGAIN FRUSTRATES OPPONENTS AS THEY KNOCK OFF BULLS

The Nets and Bulls were the Tuesday matchup this week and both teams still had eyes on the first round bye in the playoffs. Once again the Nets were able to get out to a fast start with some hot shooting and tough defense. After building up a 15 point lead early, the Bulls were able to settle down and chip away before halftime making the deficit more manageable. But a 13-2 run to open the 2nd frame put the Nets in clear control of this contest. The inside forces of Jon Herman (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Mike Rodriguez (11 points, 7 rebounds) combined with the hot outside shooting of Duarte Rua (11 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds) were the keys to opening up the wide margin. The Bulls had trouble knocking down open shots and missed a series of easy layups that ended up being their downfall. Tyler Vermette would be the lone Bull in double figures as he finished with 16 points, 2 assists and 5 rebounds. The Nets cruise to a 52-39 win and force a 3-way tie for 2nd place with only 1 game remaining as the Nets, Clippers and Bulls are all square at 6-3.

As stated at the half-way point of the season, the tie-breakers for playoff seeding will be as follows: 1. Overall win percentage 2. Head to Head Record 3. Aggregate Score in Head to Head Matchups 4. Total Points Scored. The top 2 teams will receive byes in the first round.

4/4/12
THUNDER DEFENSE KEY IN 2ND HALF TO BEAT KINGS/NETS TRUMP CLIPPERS IN LOW SCORING BATTLE

The opener saw the Thunder and Kings squaring off and things remained close throughout the first half as the Kings narrowed the margin to just 2 points at the break. In the second half however, the passing of the Thunder picked apart the Kings defense for some easy shots and the Thunder played lock down defense en route to a 47-29 victory. Once again leading the way was Mike Sibarium with 17 points and 7 rebounds and Eric Pepe with a big double-double down low (15 points, 10 rebounds). The Kings had their own double-double threat with Jeroy Smith (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Derrick Myers (11 points, 6 rebounds) also contributed to the effort. 

The late game saw baskets very hard to come by as the Nets and Clippers locked horns. The Nets were able to get off to an early lead while the Clippers struggled to get any shots in the hoop. Some full court pressure late led to a couple easy baskets but the Nets led 21-7 at halftime. The second half featured more of the same, as the slow pace and tough defense forced each team into difficult shots. Mike Rodriguez (10 points, 7 rebounds) and Acacio Salgado (8 points, 1 rebound) led a well balanced Nets squad as all 8 players in uniform managed to tally points. The Clippers on the other hand just struggled to ever get things going. Tim Fico was the lone bright spot with 9 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds. The Nets do what it takes to win and come out on top 33-21.

BULLS PULL AWAY LATE WITH HOT SHOOTING TO KNOCK OFF MAGIC

The Tuesday game ended up seeing more points then both Monday games combined as the Magic and Bulls both came out of the gates on fire. The first half was back and forth most of the way with Bob Gendreau and Angel Cruz pacing the Magic while Damian Gunningsmith and John Herman had the answers for the Bulls. The Bulls took a 2 point half time lead and expanded upon it early in the second frame. Gunningsmith led the way for the Bulls and finished with 28 points and 8 rebounds while Herman displayed deft touch for a big man notching three 3 pointers en route to 20 points, 3 assists and 10 boards. Brendan Carey (15 points) and Brian Jackson (11 points) also posted solid games for the red team. The Magic tried their best to keep up with the scorching pace but ran out of steam late. Gendreau nailed five 3 pointers and ended up with 23 points while Angel Cruz had a terrific all around effort with 14 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. In the end the Bulls continued their winning ways notching their 4th straight win with the 81-58 triumph. 

The wins by the Bulls and Thunder coupled with the Clippers defeat means we have a 3-way tie for first place with 2 weeks to play. And the Nets are still in striking distance only 1 game back so should be an interesting final push towards the postseason. See you all next week! 

3/29/12
CLIPPERS BEAT UP MAGIC/BULLS TAKE DOWN KINGS

The Clippers took on the Magic on Monday Night by jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. Their patient offensive attack led by Steve Fulco (19 points, 3 assists, 8 rebounds) and Jimmy Barone (14 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds) combined with their tough defense proved to be too much for the Magic. Chris Conley led the Magic with an inspired effort, putting up 20 points and 11 boards, but no other Magic player would crack double digits. Tim Fico (10 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds) also played a key role for the Clippers as they won 55-38.

The late Monday game featured the Bulls and Kings. The potent Bulls offense was led by the hot shooting of Brendan Carey (21 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound) and a big-time double-double from Tyler Vermette (17 points, 15 rebounds). The Kings were once again led by Jeroy Smith (20 points, 14 rebounds) and Manny Serrano (4 points, 17 rebounds). The Bulls led wire to wire and cruised to an easy win 64-41 and set up a key Tuesday Night matchup with the 6-0 Clippers with playoff seeding implications on the line.

TWO FOR TUESDAY SPECIAL: THUNDER EXPLODE ON UNDERMANNED NETS/BULLS DEAL CLIPPERS FIRST LOSS TO TIGHTEN RACE FOR TOP SEEDS

This week featured a double-header on Tuesday with the Thunder squaring off against the Nets in the opening frame. The Nets suited up only 4 guys this week and the Thunder took no pity on them as they spread the ball around and poured in bucket after bucket. Mike Sibarium hit a CTMBL record 12 three-pointers on his way to 36 total points and also logged 8 rebounds. Mike Capecelatro had a near triple-double with 25 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds, while Mike Brady (12 points, 10 assists), Eric Pepe (11 points, 12 rebounds) and Craig Brown (11 points, 3assists, 7 rebounds) also played key roles in the win. Pete Kazlas was the lone Thunder player not to reach double figures, but did manage 11 rebounds. The Nets were led by Mike Rodriguez (27 points, 13 rebounds) and Brian Chaves (13 points, 3 assists, 8 rebounds). Jon Herman and Duarte Rua each had 9 points as well. Thunder run away with this one though, and win easily 99-58.

The nightcap on Tuesday was a hotly anticipated battle. The Bulls were looking for revenge after squandering the lead in the season opener against the Clippers. The Bulls got off to a good start with a couple long range shots from Brian Jackson who finished with a game-high 20 points, 2 assists and 8 rebounds. Tyler Vermette once again played a big factor putting up 15 points, 2 assists and 7 rebounds and consistently pushed the ball up court forcing the action against the Clippers defense. The Clippers fought back in the second half and wouldn't go down without a fight as Steve Fulco (13 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds) and Jimmy Barone (12 points, 3 rebounds) combined for 6 three-pointers. The Bulls would hang on this time however, and deal Clippers their first loss with a 54-41 victory.

3/25/12
NETS VICTORIOUS OVER KINGS IN TIGHT BATTLE/THUNDER GET BACK IN WIN COLUMN TOPPING THE MAGIC

In the opener, the Nets and Kings faced off in a hard fought, physical battle. The Nets once again used the inside duo of Mike Rodriguez (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Jon Herman (17 points, 8 rebounds) to set the tone for the game. The Kings kept it close throughout with Mike Martinez leading the way with 12 points and 4 rebounds while big man Jeroy Smith had another splendid all-around effort with 9 points, 7 assists and 16 boards. In the end some clutch free throw shooting from the Nets was enough to hold off the Kings 45-40.

The late game featured the Thunder looking to snap a two game losing streak against the winless Magic. The Thunder were once again without league leading scorer Mike Cofrancesco, but got big time performances from two other Mikes - Mike Capecelatro (23 points, 4 assists, 8 rebounds) and Mike Brady (22 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds). Eric Pepe and Mike Sibarium also combined for a big 27 points and 24 rebounds to round out the Thunder effort. The Magic hit some 3's in the second half to trim the lead to 13 and were led by Bob Gendreau (22 points, 4 3-pointers) and Angel Cruz (21 points, 3 3-pointers). Wayne Lake also chipped in 3 treys of his own on the way to scoring 13 points. In the end, the Thunder proved to be too much and pulled away late 84-60.

The Tuesday matchup of Clippers and Bulls was postponed to 3/27. 

3/19/12
We've reached the halfway point of the CTMBL Winter Season and things are beginning to take shape. Each team has played each other once and the Clippers stand alone atop the standings at a perfect 5-0, although 3 of their wins have been by 6 points or less. The Thunder, Bulls and Nets are all tied for 2nd place at 3-2 and will surely be battling for that 2nd seed in the playoffs and the first round bye. The Thunder have beat the Nets who have beat the Bulls who in turn have beat the Thunder so this race will be interesting!!! The Kings were 2 points away from handing the Clippers their first loss last week and are led by MVP candidate Jeroy Smith while the Magic are looking for their first win now that the hot shooting Chris Conley is back in the lineup. Surely there are many storylines moving forward in this league. Just a reminder, the top 2 teams will get byes in the first round and the tie-breakers for playoff seeding are as follows: 1. Overall win percentage 2. Head to Head 3. Aggregate Score in Head to Head Matchups 4. Total Points Scored.

3/18/12
BULLS DEAL THUNDER SECOND STRAIGHT LOSS/NETS OUTLAST MAGIC

The Bulls got off to a hot start against the Thunder and built up a 10 point lead in the first half behind some hot shooting from behind the arc. Damian Gunningsmith led the way for the Bulls with 4 triples and finished with 16 points, 1 assist and 7 rebounds. The Bulls also got big efforts from John Herman (17 pts, 8 rebs) and Tyler Vermette (13 pts, 10 rebs). The Thunder were missing some key pieces to their roster but still fought back to take the lead in the second half behind 19 points from Mike Sibarium and 14 points from Mike Capecelatro. In the end, the Bulls were able to put the hammer down and finish the Thunder off 69-62.

In the nightcap, the Nets took on the Magic who welcomed back hot shooting Chris Conley to the roster. The Nets got off to an early lead behind the rebounding prowess of Mike Rodriguez and Jon Herman who combined for 26 boards. Rodriguez also led the way scoring with 18 points, while Brian Chaves was second on the team with 7 points including a clutch late game 3 pointer. Conley struggled early in his debut but picked it up late, hitting 3 treys and finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Angel Cruz also chipped in 11 points but the Magic fell short as the Nets prevailed 48-41.

CLIPPERS SQUEAK BY KINGS IN TUESDAY NIGHT THRILLER

The Tuesday session saw a low scoring slug fest that seemed destined for overtime. The undefeated Clippers were tested throughout and this slow paced battle saw baskets not easy to come by. Frank Fevoleto was the only Clipper in double figures with 10 points while Tim Fico had 8 points to go along with 4 rebounds. The Kings were led by Jeroy Smith once again with 13 points and 6 rebounds and Juan Roure also contributed a big 10 points. In the end some clutch free throw shooting was the difference, as the Clips kept their perfect mark in tact with a 34-32 victory.

3/9/12
CLIPPERS BEST THUNDER IN MATCHUP OF UNBEATENS/NETS GET OFF TO HOT START AND HOLD ON TO BEAT BULLS

In the opener, the top two teams thus far in the CTMBL squared off as the 3-0 Clippers took on the 3-0 Thunder. The tough defense of the Clippers forced the Thunder into an uncharacteristically bad shooting night and spread the ball around on offense to take the lead at halftime by 3. The Clippers were led by Tim Fico with 12 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds and the trio of Barone brothers (Andy 9 pts, Jimmy 8 pts, Steve 6 pts). The Thunder had opportunities late but missed several open shots and ultimately fell to the Clips 57-53. Eric Pepe led the way for Thunder in a bruising effort in the paint (18 pts, 9 rebs).

In the nightcap, the Nets and Bulls squared off and the Nets jumped out to an early lead with some easy buckets in transition. The inside presence of Mike Rodriguez (16 pts, 13 rebs) and Jon Herman (14 pts, 8 rebs) was balanced nicely with the guard play of Duarte Rua (13 pts, 3 asts) and Brian Chaves (9 pts). The Bulls fought back in the second half behind the play of Tyler Vermette (16 pts, 2 asts, 6 rebs) and their own big man John Herman (12 pts, 7 rebs). Ultimately the Nets hot start proved to be the difference and they came out on top 59-47.

KINGS GET FIRST WIN AND CRUISE TO EASY VICTORY OVER MAGIC

The Tuesday Night contest featured two teams both searching for their first win of the season. The Kings controlled things right from the tip and never looked back en route to an easy win 70-37. Jeroy Smith was a man-child on the court and put up an impressive triple-double (21 pts, 11 asts, 12 rebs) while Mike Martinez and Anibal Cruz each poured in 14 points. The Magic's struggles continued, but were led by John Hayducky (10 pts, 7 rebs) while Adis Hot and Wayne Lake both put up 8 points. 

2/28/12
THUNDER ROLL OVER KINGS/BULLS STOMP MAGIC

In the opener, the Thunder cruised to an easy win after missing their first couple of shots. Once they got things going there was no looking back as Mike Cofrancesco once again paced the attack with 37 points, 3 assists and 4 rebounds. Mike Capecelatro also added 20 points, 5 assists and 8 rebounds while Craig Brown and Mike Brady also topped double figures. For the Kings, they were led by a huge game from Manny Serrano down low (15 points, 23 rebounds) and Anibal Cruz from the outside (16 points, 10 rebounds). Thunder run away in second half however and win easily 86-46. 

The nightcap saw the Bulls looking to win their second straight. A balanced scoring attack allowed them to secure that feat with Brian Jackson (20 pts, 1 ast, 8 rebs), John Herman (18 pts, 9 rebs) and Brendan Carey (18 pts, 8 rebs) leading the way. The Magic tried in vain to keep up but simply didn't have enough fire power. Angel Cruz was the lone bright spot in the Magic's arsenal with 23 points, 2 assists and 4 rebounds while Bob Grendreau also pitched in (11 pts, 2 ast, 1 reb). Bulls have their highest scoring game of the season and pile it on 83-48.

CLIPPERS STAY UNBEATEN AND TOP NETS

The Tuesday night game saw what looked to be a good battle between the 2-0 Clips and 1-1 Nets. The Clippers used their pressure defense to force the issue and got some easy baskets that produced a rather easy win. Steve Fulco was hot from long range with 5 three-pointers and went for 24 points overall. Jimmy Barone and Tim Fico combined for 18 points in solid supporting roles. The Nets got 11 points from big man Mike Rodriguez and 8 from Rushan Lumani, but weren't able to keep things close as the Clippers stayed in front the whole game to win a low-scoring battle 49-32.

2/24/12
BULLS EDGE KINGS IN LOW SCORING AFFAIR/CLIPPERS CLOBBER SCAB SQUAD MAGIC TO MOVE TO 2-0