Hooligans Take on Hoop Dreams for the Top Spot
SYOSSET VET: Week 4 Power Rankings
By Anthony Leo | Syosset League Coordinator
1. Hooligans (2-1)
The Hooligans are doing typical Hooligans things once again. They lose the first game of the season and then they rattle off a bunch of wins in a row. They have won two straight games and are looking better and better each week. Since the injury to Dave Konecky, the Hooligans have had others step up on both sides of the ball. Dave Kugel leads the team in scoring at 17 per game and is shooting 45 percent from deep this season. Kugel spreads the floor with his outside shooting opening the lane for Jay Harris to go to work in the paint. Harris is having yet again another great season, but Harris isn’t the only reason this team is 2-1 right now. They are getting the job done on defense as a team. They rank first in the league in points allowed and Jamaal Sanderson is locking up the opposing team’s best player every week.
2. Hoop Dreams (2-1)
Hoop Dreams continues to be on the rise, and this week they will face off with the number-one ranked Hooligans. With a win they will move into first place and first in the power rankings next week. It will be a test for them against a staple of the vets league. Hoop Dreams has been impressive this season, led by the duo of Chris Albano and Justin Dattolo. Albano and Dattolo have been a great combo that have been tough to stop. Albano leads the team averaging 18.7 points per game and 9 rebounds per game. Albano draws a lot of attention in the post leaving open looks for Jason Dattolo and Peter Deplas who can knock down the 3-ball and spread the floor. Defensively they have been average to this point in the season and they have room to improve. We’ll see how they handle the Hooligans this week before we anoint them the top team in the league.
3. And 1 (2-1)
Mark Pnini’s And 1 squad has been up and down because of guys being in and out of the lineup but they are still 2-1 on the season right there at the top. Last week they had a full roster for the first time all season, and with Mike Venuti back they had a lot more fire power on offense. And 1 needs Venuti to be their go-to scorer and he has got the job done averaging 23.5 points per game. They have plenty of defense with Pnini and Dave Sandler leading the way. Sandler is known as one of the league’s best defenders who can force turnovers and be a one-man fast break. And 1 with a full roster can beat any team in this league if they play the level of defense they are capable of. The only issue at times is scoring the ball. If Venuti gets cold they need others to step up and create some offense.
4. Let’s Do This (1-2)
Let’s Do This has been the best offensive team in the league this season led by Alain Wehder and Adam Sutton. Wehder is averaging 21.7 points per game and Sutton is averaging 16.7 per game. The surprise on this team has been the excellent play of big man Antonio Quirindongo. Q has been excellent this season in the post and he is putting up big numbers. Right now, Q is averaging 15 points and 13 rebounds per game. Not many saw this coming but Let’s Do This is thrilled to get Q involved in the offense. The downfall for Let’s Do This has been defensively. They have struggled to get stops and play team defense. If they can get it together on defense they could be a dangerous team with their dynamic offense.
5. Ballerz (1-2)
The reigning champions Ballerz have struggled this season more than they ever did last season. Mike Seff and the Ballerz have struggled to get anything going right for them offensively. They have scored 25 points and 37 points total in back-to-back games now. They only have two players averaging double digits with Sandro Bartolotta leading the team at 11.5 per game. This team is just too talented to struggle this bad and I expect them to figure it out. Mike Seff is averaging a career low in points right now and once he gets it going and finds his shot the Ballerz will take off. Defensively we know how good they are with Zeb Pirzada and Cedric Wallace leading the way. Wallace is the best big man in the league in terms of rebounding and blocking shots and Zeb is a pest on the perimeter. We have seen plenty of teams struggle and turn it around to get back to the top and the Ballerz are a candidate for a turn around season.
6. Walking Dead (1-2)
The Walking Dead have been hit with the injury bug and the bug has hit two of their most important players. They will be without Stephen Sombrotto and Richie Yorke for a second week in a row and without them the entire game changes. Both do so much for this team on both sides of the ball and it’s impossible to replace them. For now, the Walking Dead have to get by and change up the way they play until Yorke and Sombrotto can make it back. Tom Dimicelli has been his usual self-averaging 22.7 points per game. Dimicelli has carried teams in the past and he will have to do it again unless someone can step up and score in double digits to help out. We’ll see if guys like Ethan Jamron can step up and score the ball.
Predictions
Hooligans vs Hoop Dreams | Hooligans
Ballerz vs Walking Dead | Ballerz
And 1 vs Let’s Do This | And 1