Team Shooters

Kettering, Ohio (espn.go.com) - Stop me if you've heard this before: Team Shooters pulls away in a hotly contested game to win by double figures. It seems like every week for the past few years you could start a Team Shooters game recap with that line. And yet again, using a balanced scoring attack that saw 5 members post double-digit scoring, Team Shooters defeated Team Red 64-49 on famed Charles I. Lathrem court at the Kettering Recreation Center.

Late roster addition Chris "Big Cat" Riner kept the team loose during pre-game. "It's hard not to smile looking at that person," said 2 time all-star John Beyer. However, playing without star post player Sam Lechleitner for the first time still left the team with a bit of uneasiness heading into the match. Team Red smelled a bit like cigarettes, but any team mostly comprised, definitively, of former members of the notorious East Dayton White Boys (EDWB) gang is going to be an intimidating sight. Nerves seemed to affect both teams, as the first few minutes was played as sloppy as any game played this year, with plenty of early turnovers and fouls. After 7 minutes of play, the score was just 7-5, and it seemed that stylistic play of Team Shooters that we have become accustomed to was nowhere to be seen. Frustrations took hold and reached a point of critical mass as Ben Sicnolf drove the lane, only to get knocked down as he attempted his lay-up. With no foul being called, Sicnolf slammed his hand on the floor in disgust. This earned him his first technical foul in his KRC playing career. And although  Team Red converted one free throw, the foul seemed to ignite the passions of Sicnolf and the rest of his Team Shooters teammates. They used that emotion to race out on a 7-0 run, prompting Team Red to use a timeout to catch their breath.

"Here's the thing - I've played with Ben a long time, both as a teammate and opponent. He is a heady player. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he purposefully got that technical foul to fire up the team," said Zach Hensler. While it's difficult to gauge how that type of play can affect a team, it certainly did seem that from that point on, Sicnolf was as focused as he has been all season. He continually pushed the ball and drove the lane for lay-ups in the first half. However, the game was still tight at 20-18 with just a few minutes remaining in the half. That's when a trio of three balls were sent in from the wing by Zach Hensler. After the third in the series, Hensler even let out his patented "Woo!" as he ran back down the court. After another lay-up by Sicnolf with two seconds left in the half, Team Shooters found themselves up 11 heading into intermission, 32-21.

The second half was just a matter of playing good defense and finishing their opportunities, as Team Red never really threatened to close the game. John Pallant scored several tough buckets using dribble penetration, while John Beyer continued to put on a clinic in the post. No post player in the league has the off-the-ball vision of the former first rounder Beyer, and once he gets it, he uses his deadly pump fake to get his defender off balance, before banging in another 6 footer in the lane. The key play in the second half might have belonged to Chris Riner. Team Red did close the game to 10 at one point, and after a Team Shooter miss, 3 Team Red players found themselves around the rim for an easy defensive rebound. However, the failed to account for the box-shaped Riner, as he jumped in setting up a wild play under the hoop. As Riner and a Team Red player chased the bouncing ball toward the end line, the Team Red player got to it and fired it off of Riner's leg. However, Riner, being the agile player he is, purposefully used his thigh to deflect it BACK off the Team Red player and out of bounds. John Pallant scored an old fashioned three point play on the ensuing possession and the lead was back to 13 and the game was pretty much decided.

"The Streak" as it has come to be known on the Southside of Ohio's 6th largest city has now reached 21. However, perhaps no game in the streak will be as difficult as next week's match-up. Playing the team with whom they're tied for first place in the league, Team Shooters will be without both Sam Lechleitner and Dan Kimble. This team has pulled through adverse times before, but at some point the roster losses is bound to catch up with them.

Approximated box score and analysis:

John Beyer - 10 points, 2 blocks - Beyer continues to run the floor after all defensive possessions. While this game didn't see him on the end of as many transition lay ups as usual, his pressure down the floor created space in the lane for his teammates to finish on the break. Again, scored with tremendous efficiency, reaching double figures without a high volume of shots.

Zach Hensler - 14 points, 7 rebounds - When Hensler is spiking threes, this team is all but unstoppable. Following the game, Dan Kimble said - "That play where we sprint down the court and Hensler trails and gets a back pass as he steps into a three is literally unstoppable. If Zach hits those, the game is over." Hensler continued his strong play on defense as well. Definitely his most complete game of the season.

Dan Kimble - 12 points, 6 rebounds - Kimble drove the lane time and time again, using his unstoppable angled bank shot to demoralize his defender. As Kimble will, literally, often tell you, "This team knows how to step on their opponents throat. Once we smell blood, we go for the jugular." No person exemplifies that more than Kimble - once the opponent is on the ropes, Kimble somehow reaches for something extra within and pushes even harder to put the game out of reach.

John Pallant - 10 points, 4 rebounds - Pallant rivals Hensler as the best finisher in traffic. He keeps the ball high, out of reach of his opponents, and seems to move only his hands with the ball at the absolute peak to shoot it in the lane. No movement from the rest of his arms are required, below his bent wrists. It's amazing to see in person. When Pallant diversifies his game, he's the best offensive player on the team because he can finish so well in the lane.

Chris Riner - 0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 unbelievable double out of bounds play to earn possession for Team Shooters - While Riner may not show up much in the box score, I think most in attendance would admit that Team Shooters would have had a very tough time winning the game without him. Riner was willing to take reduced minutes, but also could substitute in to defend any opposing front court player. (It's funny - for years, I always thought giving Huelsman credit for using his body to get in the way of defenders so that other guys could sky in and get it was STUPID. But I kind of got it a little more last night. Like four times, I would jump in for a rebound, and look to see Riner have his man sealed off. I mean, honestly, you try to get around a 5'5" refrigerator sized mass of human muscle.) Riner will be a welcome addition any time he can make it.

Ben Sicnolf - 18 points, literally like 10 steals - Sicnolf had active hands tonight, getting steals on 3 of the first 4 possessions. We finally got to see a glimpse of his former self in the scoring column. Really had the old drive and kick working with Hensler, which is his favorite thing in life.

The Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine Game Ball: Zach Hensler - An easy selection, Hensler busted his team out of their three point slump in a big way, connecting on three long distance dial-ups in the first half. He hit another at the start of the second, and also hit both of his free throw attempts. It wasn't until after the game that we discovered Hensler's cat had suffered a stroke and may be on her last legs - literally, as two of her legs are no longer working. In hindsight, it was easy to see a greater sense of urgency in the inspired effort from Hensler. Additionally, while the big men from Team Red weren't terrifically skilled, Hensler was once again asked to guard a HUGE bald man.

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