Updated League Standings: LSU on Top

The League has updated the standings for our division.  They are as follows:

1.  LSU (won 9-lost 2)

2.  Marquette (won 6-lost 4)

3.  Texas (won 5-lost 4)

4.  Notre Dame (won 6-lost 5)

5.  Villanova (won 4-lost 5)

6.  Louisville (won 0-lost 11)

The "Bermuda Triangle" Defense

Yesterday, I explained the nickname "shark tank" and how it applies to our zone defenses.  Another nickname that applies to one of our zone defenses is the "Bermuda Triangle".

The Bermuda Triangle is one of LSU's zone defenses.  It is named after the legendary area in the North Atlantic Ocean where ships, planes and sailors have allegedly disappeared over the centuries.  (See map above.)

The Bermuda Triangle is our nickname for the "Triangle-and-two" zone defense that we use on occasion.  The Triangle-and-two is a zone that you don't see often in high school or college.  It is considered a gimmick defense at those levels.  However, at the youth basketball level, especially at this level, it is an effective setup.

In the Triangle-and-two, two forwards defend the zones on the low post and one forward defends the paint.  The three forwards make up the triangle.  The two guards vigorously defend the ball handlers as they cross the half-court line.  (See diagram above.)  Since very few players, if any, at this level are able to shoot effectively from the perimeter, this defense works.

When mixed in with our man-to-man and our other zones, the Bermuda Triangle works.  The ball and the opposing offense may enter the triangle, but they usually will not succeed in their journey to the basket.

In the "Shark Tank"

On the LSU basketball team, we try to have some fun.  Some of our fun comes from the nicknames that we give to some of the players and to parts of our game.  One of our nicknames is the "shark tank".

The shark tank is our nickname for the paint area of the lane on our defensive side of the court.  When we array the team in a zone defense, the person whose job it is to guard the lane and its access to the basket is told to go into the shark tank.  He plays tough and ferocious (yet clean) defense.  The defender in the shark tank is the key to our success when we play in a zone defense.

Agenda for Final Week of the Regular Season

Final Regular Season Game:  Thursday, March 12 at 6:45 versus Villanova at the Dickerson School in Chester

Final Regular Practice:  Tuesday, March 10 at 6:00 at the Peapack Gymnasium.

Playoff schedule TBA.  We will enjoy a first round bye due to our division championship.

"W" Stands for Will, Walter and Winning

Some people might think that "W" stands for the middle initial of the 43rd president of the United States or for the title of the film named after him, but they would be wrong. For the LSU Boys Basketball team, "W" stands for winning while having fun.

Winning starts with a ten man team where everyone contributes. LSU sits atop the division because of the ten young men who play like tigers. It helps, too, that we have two sixth graders who already have one championship season under their belts.

This season marks the second season that Walter Rivas and Will Howes have played together on a team in the Chester League. Last year, Walter and Will played key roles in the success of the Peapack-Gladstone Bulls. The Bulls compiled a 9-1 regular season record to win the 5th and 6th grade division of the Chester League. Will was the team's point guard and leading scorer, averaging over 13 points per game. Walter was the team's leading defender, earning the nickname "the bandit" for his ability to steal the ball from the other team and start a fast break.

Walter and Will brought to this year's team the confidence born in last year's success. Their confidence has infected the other players who have pulled together to create a 9-2 record while having some fun. The team knows that it can always rely on Will and Walter to score some points and keep the team in any game.

Will and Walter have two regular season championships and nineteen wins under their belt, but they have some unfinished business: A post-season championship.

LSU Clinches First Place, 40-31

Three months hard work has paid off for LSU.  It all started after Thanksgiving with practice, then after New Years with our first game.  All ten boys showed up for practices and games and gave it their all.  Tonight they were rewarded.

LSU clinched first place in the Boys 5th-6th grade division with a convincing 40-31 victory over cross-town rival Notre Dame.

The first half was a see-saw battle between the rivals.  Notre Dame focused their energy on LSU point guard Will Howes, who drove the ball to the basket time and time again.  He forced Ethan Vieja into foul trouble in the first half, and more importantly sunk six free throws in the first half.  Using a withering back-court press over the last two minutes of the half, LSU surged to a 20-18 halftime lead.

Then the LSU defense clamped down, holding Notre Dame to 13 points in the second half, only two of which came from star Notre Dame center Andrew Martin.  On offense, Walter Rivas dominated the third quarter with six points and Ryan Lane dominated with six of his own in the final stanza.

Six LSU players scored, with three in double figures.  Walter Rivas and Will Howes scored 11 apiece.  Ryan Lane dropped in ten for his second double-digit game.  Miles Kenny (4), Noah Kleitsch (2) and Nick Liccardi (2) rounded out the scoring.

With a record of nine wins and two losses, LSU has mathematically eliminated all other teams.  Congratulations, men.  Great work!

For Miles Kenny, Winning is "All in the Family"

LSU forward Miles Kenny comes from a long line of successful athletes.  You name a sport, and I could probably name one of Miles's siblings who excels in it:  Football, lacrosse, basketball . . . 

And this is not the first season in which I have had the privilege of coaching one of the Kenny men in basketball.  Last year's Peapack-Gladstone Bulls won a trophy for the regular season championship of the 5th and 6th grade division of the Chester League.  The leader of that team was one Will "Magic" Kenny.

When we started the Bulls, we had two players named Will (Will Kenny and Will Howes).  That situation clearly demanded nicknames.  At the first practice, Will Kenny made shot after shot, to which I quipped, "I guess we've got that old Kenny magic!" which was a reference to the Will's athletic prowess and that of his family.   The nickname "Magic" stuck.  Magic Kenny led the team to a 9-1 regular season record and the league championship.

Exit "Magic" Kenny to the 7th and 8th grade team.  Enter Miles Kenny, one of our fabulous fifth graders.

Miles helps LSU win in a number of ways:  rebounding, defense, points, steals.  He brings a joy to practice and to the games.  He makes it clear that he loves to be there and wants basketball to last forever.  Once Miles called me to ask what time that our 4:30 practice would end, to which I answered:  "Midnight.  Is that OK?"

Miles immediately answered "I wish!"  In other words, Miles would be happy to come and shoot hoops and be with his team mates for hours and hours.

Miles did not get an official nickname at the beginning of the LSU practice season, but maybe he doesn't need one - he is the only Miles on the team, and his name rhymes with "smiles", which is what I see every time Miles comes into the gym.