Is Ryan Jansen on the Hall Of Fame short list?

Each week, we search through our 360 media coverage to highlight the week that was in Ultimate Hoops Leagues.


Spotlight

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This spot is typically reserved as a player spotlight, but we had a big announcement on the Ultimate Hoops Podcast this week that takes precedent. We are starting an Ultimate Hoops Hall of Fame. This is something that has been has been in the works for a while, and we are now moving forward with the idea. For years, players and staff from around the country have hypothesized who belongs in the UH Hall of Fame. For years, those debates were just for fun; they were make-believe. In 2018, this will become a reality for a select few players or contributors. There are plenty of details that we have yet to divulge to the public. We will provide updates in the coming weeks of the podcast. For all of the information that is available right now, listen to this week's episode of the UH Podcast (the HOF is discussed at the 2:05 mark of the episode). 


Possible Hall of Famers?

Instead of milestones this week, we'll take a look at five of our oldest regions and predict if there are any players worthy of being inducted into the UH Hall of Fame come August. 

Minnesota - Ryan Jansen

Jansen dribbling up the court.

Jansen dribbling up the court.

We start where UH started. Minnesota has been the home of Ultimate Hoops basketball for over 11 years, so there are a few deserving candidates of a nomination. With that being said, the Hall of Fame is reserved for the truly elite, and only a select few will be enshrined each year. Of all the possible nominees, the one that sticks out most is Ryan Jansen. Jansen has been putting up great stats for years, as he's eighth in points, fourth in rebounds, fifth in assists and second in steals in Ultimate Hoops history. What's most impressive about Jansen's resumé are his wins. He's played in 760 games, which is the most in UH. He's won 669 (most all-time) of those games, for a winning percentage of .880. On top of that, he's won 19 championships (most all-time), and he won the first-ever National Tournament in 2011 in Chicago with the Saints. I'd be shocked if Jansen wasn't nominated come May. 

Detroit - Mckinsey Golfin

Golfin leading his YLie squad in the National Tournament

Golfin leading his YLie squad in the National Tournament

If you look at the career stats page on our website, you'll see that Mckinsey Golfin is right behind Jansen in games played (638), wins (461) and championships (17). Where you'll see no one ahead of Golfin is in points scored (13,445) and three pointers made (1,811). He's also second in assists, fifth in rebounds and fifth in steals. All Golfin has done in Shelby is win games and score points. He's also a regular out in Vegas, as his YLie team makes an appearance at the National Tournament every year. The lack of success in the National Tournament may hurt Golfn's Hall of Fame chances, but it's hard to argue with 13,445 points, which is 2,669 more than runner-up, Vaughn Gray. The 17 championships won't hurt either. 

Las Vegas - Chase Skinkis

Skinkis confused by a call

Skinkis confused by a call

Vegas has been a hot bed of UH talent for years, and recently they've added even more. This honor is not for players who have played a couple seasons, however. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, you need continued success for years of UH basketball. When I think of continued success in Las Vegas, I think of Chase Skinkis. Our career stats leaderboards are full of players from Minnesota and Detroit, as they are the regions that have been around the longest. In 310 games, Skinkis has dished out 2,496 assists, good for sixth all-time in UH. Over the course of his UH career, Skinkis has averaged 18.9 points per game, 10 rebounds and 8.1 assists. Along with the near triple-double a game, he's also shot 67 percent from the field over the course of his long career. His Villains won the Summerlin Fall open championship a few weeks ago, putting his championship total up to 10. If there's a HOF nominee out of Vegas, it'll most likely be Skinkis. 

Colorado - Anthony Byrd

Byrd focusing at the free-throw line

Byrd focusing at the free-throw line

When it comes to the most deserving candidate in Colorado, two names comes to mind, Beau Barney and Anthony Byrd. Both were integral parts of The Decision, the 2014 Las Vegas National Tournament champions. Byrd won the tournament MVP that year, which boosts his resumé a bit. Barney has played in 39 more games, and has put up the more impressive stats in that time, but I would have to pick Byrd as the more deserving nominee. Byrd not only has the tournament MVP, but he's also won 12 championships to Barney's three. At the end of the day, wins become more important than stats, so Byrd gets the slight edge. There's a chance that both of these player will be inducted into the Hall of Fame someday, but I'd put my money on Byrd to possibly get there first. 

New York - Michael Mastro

Mastro at the NYC National Torunament

Mastro at the NYC National Torunament

Anthony Leo, our league coordinator in Syosset, has often said that if there was a Ultimate Hoops New York Hall of Fame, that Michael Mastro would be in it. Well, there is not going to be a Hall of Fame just for New York, but Mastro's career has been good enough where he may end up getting inducted into the Ultimate Hoops Hall of Fame. In just 249 games, which is 117th all-time, he's grabbed 4,007 rebounds, which is the third most in UH. Over the course of his career he's been a double-double machine, averaging 23.5 points and 16.1 rebounds per game. He's won 12 championships in Syosset. He was also apart of RTG, the second place team out in the NYC National Tournament. He was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 12.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. We'll see if Anthony Leo can campaign hard enough to get Mastro an induction in August. 


Top Performers of the Week

Points: Armando Suleiman - 54 (West Bloomfield, 6ft & Under B)

Rebounds: Rocko Holmes - 27 (Scottsdale, Draft) 

Assists: Nicholas Kassab -11 (West Bloomfield, 6ft & Under B)

Steals: Eric Mosley - 5 (Gilbert, Draft) 

Blocks: Two tied with 4 - Juice Hedrick (Gilbert, Draft), Steve Bertrand (Gilbert, Draft) 

Rocko Holmes' stat line was absurd in Scottsdale this week, as he went off for a 70.8 PPR

Rocko Holmes' stat line was absurd in Scottsdale this week, as he went off for a 70.8 PPR


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