Playoffs are here!

So the MBA playoffs have started. A few things have happened since my last blog posting…Wildcats won on a fluke buzzer beater, Rebels continue their win streak & dominance and my Bulldogs continue to struggle despite showing glimpses of the most balanced team from a skills standpoint. One thing I did notice is that most people have cut down the yapping however, I am still considering hiring board officials next year…possibly for the 2nd half of the season or just the playoffs. All in all, I think the officiating has improved ten fold. There are still a lot of loose calls and I attribute that to a combination of some guys not having much reffing experience (some guys are reffing for the first time) and lack of familiarity with the NFHSA Rules of Basketball. People forget, we don’t play by NBA rules. Not saying I know the rule book in & out but there are rules & definitions that a number of people aren’t familiar with…myself included. That being said, I know for a fact that I read the rule book more than anyone else in the league…probably because I’m the only one with an official rule book LOL.

Regular season went well, aside from people throwing hissy fits (and to the credit of all the players, there is only one person who still throws hissy fits LOL) I think most of the players have improved on controlling their emotions. I understand that people will always complain about calls/non-calls, but what people don’t understand is that more often than not it’s the way you communicate the message and NOT the message you’re sending. If you’re screaming and yelling like a child, you’ll get treated like one. I think that’s fair…but I digress. I think it’s obvious that the quality and the skill level of the runs have improved and I’ve seen the improvement in a lot of players. It’s made for interesting games and once again the bar has been raised in the MBA…kudos to all the players for that. Hopefully we can continue to improve. My main goal with this league has and always will be to provide a forum where we can develop positive relationships and improve our skills through basketball. In the MBA, it’s all for the love of the game.

Overall, I’m really happy with the way things went this year. The league grew, the level of play has elevated and everyone has been good to each other off the court. I’m really hoping that next year we’ll be able to expand the league to 6 teams…another goal I’ve set for the league is to add at least 2 more teams each year. I’m also very thankful for our volunteer refs & scorekeepers. A lot of the guys have families and their commitment & dedication is a testament to their character and good hearts.

For the 2nd year in a row, the 2010 MBA Scoring Champ is from the Gators. Congratulations to Tony of the Gators. His plethora of inside moves and a solid jumpshot carried the Gators all year.

The 2010 Defensive Player of the Year is from my squad. Congrats to Terrence. Not only did he lead the league in steals, but in true Rodman fashion he was one of the top 2 rebounders all year. Kinda funny that the scoring champ & defensive player of the year are old childhood baseball rivalries.

For autograph sessions or appearances at your event, please contact the league Commissioner at markham.basketball@gmail.com