Classic vs. Ballaholics – The Portillo Saga
METROWEST DRAFT: Week 2 Predictions
By Taylor Pettiford | Metrowest League Coordinator
SEASON PREDICTIONS: 2-2 (.500)
With trades executed, rumors swirling, Burlington tipping off, a rec league hitting Boston and Westwood breaking the internet, we’ve had a busy week in UH Boston. But tonight, it’s back to what matters most: basketball. Four high-intensity matchups await. To hold you over until our live streams, let’s break down our matchups and predict our winners:
7 p.m. - REBELS (1-0) vs. STAMPEDE (0-1)
Shane Coleman vs. Tommy Hubbard. UH Metrowest’s top new scorer vs. the UH Boston Championship MVP scorer. We can’t wait. But the game will be decided outside of this head to head matchup. Stampede’s length is sure to cause problems as Wally Callam and Jasper Landrum should be menaces on the boards. But where will their scoring come from, after Hubbard? The opponents, despite a lackluster Week 1, have firepower in rookie Aaron Anniballi (ill) and veteran Taylor Pettiford (ankle) who will both be on the mend in Week 2. With Tiler Balboni and Micah Duarte playing the roles of X-Factors, expect the Rebels to have more weapons than Stampede has answers for.
PREDICTION: REBELS
7 p.m. – CLASSIC BARBERSHOP (1-0) vs. BALLAHOLICS (1-0)
Do you have your popcorn ready? No, seriously. You’re gonna wanna have a buttery batch ready for this show. Not only are Michael Perreault and Jay Resto two of the most vocal trash-talkers in the league, this team has some bad blood brewing. Last week, reports were that Brandon Portillo was unhappy with Ballaholics. Perreault subsequently shipped him off in a trade. Guess where to – yup, Classic. Right off the bat the teams will go head to head in what promises to be a high-scoring shootout. Nick Kineip and Keyon Armstrong battle on the wings while newly acquired Kevin Johnson and Resto square off at the point. Add a Perreault and Patrick Luckett matchup at the two guard and it’s guns blazing during the 7:00 hour. So how is this game decided? While Classic has a slight edge in the backcourt, they’ve got a serious edge in the frontcourt as Raynaldi Voyard will make his Metrowest debut and Emerson Portillo looks to go off for another double-double. Kevin Neal, Shawn Wise and DJ Corbett. The latter are no slouches, but Voyard promises to live up to his third-round selection and Emerson Portillo is as steady as they come. Expect a lot of trash talking, a lot of three-pointers and the most exciting matchup in UH Boston this week.
PREDICTION: CLASSIC BARBERSHOP
8 p.m. – BUCKETS GALORE (1-0) vs. BLACK MAMBAS (1-0)
This game is an interesting matchup as Yemi Ajao’s juggernaut faces off against a sleeper, in Arch Mitchell’s Black Mambas. All signs point to Buckets Galore being the runaway regular season winner of Metrowest, but Arch and his squad might have something to say about that. Mitchell is one of the more polished scorers in the league, Kenny Dennis gives Ajao fits defensively, Kenny Seitz can pull Roland Millien away from the basket and Jose Roman is the type of defender capable of disrupting Jude Valmeus. So, the Mambas are going to win? We don’t think so, but we give them a puncher’s chance. The difference here will be Josh Gates. The 6’2, lengthy wing is a career 40 percent-plus three-point shooter and started off the season 5-10 from beyond the arc. With his ability to knock down from deep and slash, BG’s got the upper hand and should move to 2-0.
PREDICTION: BUCKETS GALORE
8 p.m. – HUSTLE (0-1) vs. WARRIORS (0-1)
We’re hoping and praying we get to see Sam Longwell tonight. And the Warriors are too. Because it’s the only way the Warriors will pull out the win. Hustle has the league’s best scorer, Joel Katana, and the only person on the Warriors who *might* be able to guard him is Sam Longwell. Hustle will also return Tomas Morales in the paint to bang with Octavio Cruz while Drew Pettiford will look to continue his hot start. Without the Warriors having any chemistry built just yet, we can’t give them the nod here. But in Longwell they trust and if he’s as good as advertised, they may prove us wrong.
PREDICTION: HUSTLE