Homicide Review: Richmond Women's League

I checked out the Richmond Women's League yesterday that plays at McNeill High School (#4 Rd south of Westminister). C-Wats and Beers run with a bunch of ex-T-Birds and Falcons on a team called Evans and Friends, captained by none other than Jessie (not Jessica) Evans. As I stepped into the gym, I recognized plenty of familiar faces from the Kerrisdale Co-Ed league: Donna from Blaze, Audrey from MP Ballers, Brooke and a few others from BTR. Is the K-League the farm team for RWBL or vice versa?

The league looked fairly well organized, with two refs per game, score keepers, and functioning score board. McNeill HS is new as well, with a great floor, bright paint, and very good lighting for shooting threes. The main gym is where you want your games, with plenty of room on sidelines and baselines. The small gym next door has its issues: score clock not working, lack of heat (hey janitor, the league is paying rent!), slippery floor (hey janitor, ditto), and wooden backboards.

The league is composed of eight teams with a real mix in terms of caliber and age. Some of the established teams are long time supporters, with players in their 40's. Maybe the wheels don't run as fast as they used to but they all have game. The other teams are like Evans and Friends - young, fast, and athletic.

I stayed for the first half of the Evans Friends game. Some observations:

• Game started sloppy. Opposing big bodies were scoring inside at will, while E&F kept throwing passes a half second too late. E&F finally got warm and started running 12 minutes into the half.
• Jesse was popping jumpers from all over and showed lightness of foot on defence. Very deft touch - hey Lummer, why don't you get Randy Nohr to pass her the ball more often? I think she would be happier with the number of touches TT women get.
• Finally met Chrissy, who we tried to recruit a few years back. Nice mid-range game and an astute defender. She gave me her special recipe for noodles with sauce.
• J-Wats had trouble cutting across the slippery floor but was able to get to the hoop with either hand off the dribble. She should be playing in Europe!
• Beers has big hands, which she put to good use on a killer hesitation right to left crossover in the open court.
• Kelly's and Temo's son, endowed with great basketball genes, has started picking up the hoopster vibe. Didn't cry and gurgled happily on the bench as E&F went on a 10-4 run to finish the half.

Verdict: Richmond League is the only game in town if you want to play competitive women's ball. Refs are patchy, but that's expected in any league outside the campuses. E&F is the team to beat, a deadly combination of speed, size, and outside shooting.

Kobe Haters: 81 Reasons to Believe

Dear Haters:

Kobe scored 81 points in one game tonight.

Let me repeat, 81 points. Regardless of whatever negative stuff you can

say, you gotta admit that this kid is absolutely sick!!!! EIGHTY ONE

POINTS!!!

I got the game on tape if anyone missed it (second highest scoring game in

NBA history - next to Wilts legendary 100 in 1962)

Ankle is still in rehab - should be back next Thursday.

It's Still About Kobe

I know you all hate it when I do this but.....Kobe hit the game winner:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260112013

T

All About Kobe

Once again, it's Charlie Rosen on Fox with the detailed analysis. The Lakers haven't been on TV at all (what's up with Sonics/Magic last night on SportsNet - who cares?), and I don't have satellite so I haven't seen much of Kobe myself.

Judging from highlights:

Kobe has a sick left-right-left move, the one described by Charlie. It's a simple double crossover but the way Kobe jukes his body weight from one side to another makes it impossible to stop. T, are you running your DVR over and over again to add to your reportoire?

No surprise that his D is MIA. When you score 40+, who has time to hunker down at your own end? Unless your name is Mike and you get it done going both ways.

V

Observations from War Memorial on a Saturday Night

Jess and I checked out our first T-Birds game at the Point Grey campus this year. Observations in no particular order:

1. Fans Suck...
Sitting at center court facing the score keeper, we were surrounded by Lethbridge fans. What's up with the local fans? This is the only place to get your live high caliber hoop fix!

2. But the Score Board is Awesome
Some rich almuni must have donated some money. The new score clock is frighteningly big and bright. The new announced is a 10,000% improvement over Bradley O. I know Brad from high school days, but sorry, the new guy is much much better.

3. Women Rock
Lady T-Birds are #2 in the CIS rankings, and they showed their best stuff. Even though they lost their starting point guard, the ball actually moves better around the court. Kate made all the right decisions going inside when available, reversing the ball crisply, and hitting open threes.

Third-year guard Erica McGuiness is the real deal. She has a herky-jerky way of moving on the court, but she is deceptively quick and has a great nose for the hoop. Very quick release, and she even showed an assortment of post-up moves. Would love to get her out to run with Triple Threat in 2007.

4. Too Many Chiefs, Not Enough Indians?
On to the men's game, Chad Clifford is a stud. 21 points in 16 minutes, 4-7 from three point land, going to the hoop strong, and making plays. I don't remember him looking like this at SFU.

I have to admit I was skeptical at first. Is there enough ball to go around between the shooters? However, Coach Hanson has things under control. Pick your poison: Bains, Archibald, or Clifford. Double one and the other two will kill you. Archibald was Robin this night, going for 20 but looking flat and bored in the second half. Bains played Stockton, relatively quiet with 9 points, but a whole lot of assists.

5. They Never Taught us That at Camp
Love that low, sweeping wrap-around bounce pass UBC guards use to get ball into the post. Double love when it goes in from the high to low post with defender sealed and helpless. No one else seems to do it - is this a UBC specialty?

6. Best Name for 6'8" Shot Blocking Forward
Bryson Kool. How cool is that.

We are out until the UVIC / SFU back to back series at the end of January.

V

Terence's Revenge on White Rock Boy

This is how tough you have to be to play with the St. Andrews Homicide Squad.

Hot Rod sends this in afer a Thursday night wipe-out by one of the Chinese Old Skoolers. Who says the middle-aged Chinese guys don't play hard? Rod-man spent four hours waiting in ER and had five stitches inserted over his eyebrow. Check out below (not for the faint of heart).

Lesson for the youngsters: this is what happens to those who argue double dribbling calls.

Get well soon.
The Squad

Kobe Sucks: Part II

Check out the wicked comments on Kobe. Charlie Rosen is a good friend of Phil Jackson, so this is all inside stuff. T, what do you have to say?