PLATINUM DIVISION
SEASON PREVIEW – WINTER 2009
ONE BALL, ONE TEAM
Twelve teams are in Platinum Division this season but the main focus continues to be on the most decorated player of Platinum Division, Kenneth Ubom. He has won three Championships in the last 5 seasons (each time with different teams) and he’s hoping to lead his new team, USUCK, back to the Finals.
Final Four
Early pre-season ranking have the following teams finishing in the Top 4 of the Platinum Division. Anything can happen in the regular season but in contrast to the Gold Division, this isn’t the division where any team can just win it. It’s clear that you have to be one of the top teams to get to Finals with the following teams proving that: 3G’s Sports (Fall 2008 Finalist, ranked 1st), USUCK (Summer 2008 Finalist, ranked 1st), and Relics (Spring 2008 Champions, ranked 1st).
+ USUCK – Their return to the Platinum Division was expected especially after the franchise only managed to win 1 game last season in Diamond. While nWo advanced to Diamond Division because of league requirements (champions must move up a division), half of the players from nWo will be playing for USUCK. Kenneth Ubom won his 3rd Finals MVP honor and his teammate Dedrick Bates finally won the Championship he felt he should have won a season ago. They were inconsistent last season in the Regular Season but turned it up a notch in the post-season. Will the Championship they won last fall bring consistency in the Regular Season?
+ The A-Team – They finished with the second best record but got eliminated in the first round against The Flock. A rookie team led by Shadon Knight who posted up MVP-type numbers last season, they’re eager to prove that last season was no fluke. Criticized with having a soft schedule last season, a finish at the Top 4 spot should silence the critics for Danny Medina’s A-Team. The backcourt of Chris Mosley and David West had both guards finishing at the top 2 spots in the steals category last season. Will they continue to play great team defense?
+ B-Junkies – They picked up underrated sharp-shooter Ryan Trainor making the team more dangerous than ever. GM Mikey Buenaventura has the team full of unselfish playmakers who can shoot, pass and defend. The team finished 3rd last season but were upset in the 1st round against nWo. Will this be the season that B-Junkies get to the Championship Round? Hugh Butler, Tony Demonaco, and Brandon Papez have great team chemistry and it’s only a matter of time until they deliver a Championship for B-Junkies.
+ Bank – They scored the upset of the season when 5 players from Bank led the team to the Semis after beating Relics in the 1st Round. Henry “Mr. Swag” Frierson was on fire and GM Aries Inguito is building his team around the charismatic point guard.
Middle of the Pack
+ Relics – Not even the addition of Ryan Snook could have prevented Relics’ early 1st Round exit last season. The usual tandem of All Superstar PF Andrew Knox and Amos Battle should lead Relics to the Playoffs but the chemistry of their newly acquired players is in question. GM Ernest Pablo earned the respect of his peers by not stacking up his team with “superstars” rather he chose a different route and surrounded his team with role players. The “superstars” got him to the Finals twice while the role players had him fishing after their 9th game. Did Pablo make drastic moves in the off-season or did he stay put?
+ Still Fly – They have been busy acquiring talent at local gyms and GM Jon Paras is trusting his new bodyguard, Harry Yoo, with free agent acquisitions. Many speculated Yoo would play for USUCK, a team he helped start back in Fall 2007. His rivalry with USUCK’s Dedrick Bates has been well documented and his reluctance to play with USUCK further proves his anguish towards Bates. Will we see a Still Fly rivalry against USUCK?
+ Boss Players – They might as well erase the Boss part in their team name and change it to just players. Last season, their Coach was on the sidelines in the Regular Season but was nowhere to be found during the Playoffs. Who will the new coach be? The trio of Jason Fielder, Anthony Sinclair, and Uzoma Kalu should make the team contenders but the lack of depth was instrumental in the team’s early 1st Round exit last fall.
In Session
+ SickWidIt – They gave up a 27 point lead in 18 minutes and lost the Championship against a defunct LA United. Many are saying the Championship was a fluke and LA United is nowhere to be seen this season. Mike Gonzalez had a superb season distributing the ball and he is now the assists record holder for the season. Gary Beaird is expected to play all season and former Zero Balance players are rumored to play for SWI. Has the team gotten over the monumental collapse last Fall or will that loss drive them all the back to the final round?
+ Dagobah System – The team made huge strides playing defense last season. They added Tommy Avalos and Ken Ngarayawongse and the Reyes Brothers scored huge wins over That Same Team and Hydroform. Have they gotten out of the cellar for good or will they return to the basement this season?
+ Screwed Up Click – Eddie Silva is returning his team with a new roster and many are wondering who the new personnel will be. Will Carl Hardin ditch The Ball Club and play for the team that made him an All Star, Screwed Up Click?
The Rookies
+ The Ball Club – They are a rookie team but the players playing in The Ball Club aren’t. Omar Alameddine, Carl Hardin, and Alphonso White are all playing for 3G’s Sports. The trio played for Money Shot last season and have experience under their belts. Will they face an early 1st Round exit much like Gold Division’s Money Shot did last season? Money Shot was managed by Anciano and interestingly enough, “Flight” and Alameddine won Championships in the other divisions playing for other teams.
+ Team Nazo – Jesse Romero was a stand out player for Dynasty last season. The Center can hit mid-range jumpers, rebound, block shots and was a former Defensive Player of the Season (Winter 2008). Individually he brings it. As a General Manager, well…last time he brought a team in was Showtime (Spring 2008) in the Diamond Division. The team went 3-5 with Damian Jones leading the team with 21.5 ppg. Will Team Nazo find success in Platinum Division?
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