FSPY Men’s Basketball League kicks off its 10th season

(Scotch Plains, NJ) A legion of fresh new ballers have joined some of the familiar old guard, as the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA Men’s 30+ Basketball League celebrated the opening of its 10th season on Dec. 9, with eight teams hoping to hoist the championship trophy in March.

Game #1

Winning team: Draymond (53)

Losing team: SuperSonics (45)

Draymond jumped out to a 14-point halftime advantage and held off the pesky SuperSonics behind Captain Jamal Berry’s 24-point, 9 rebound performance. Veterans Dave Berger (11 pts) and Vic Bauer (7 pts, 9 rebs), and rookie Taj Belfield (6 pts) were solid for the victors. Newcomer Joe Ruocco drained four from downtown on his way to 15 pts to pace the Sonics, while Brendan Ryan (13 & 7) and Capt. Steve Murray (10) also reached double-digit scoring.

Game #2

Winning team: RunAsOne (56)

Losing team: Under the Radar (48)

In a nip-and-tuck affair, RunAsOne ran away in the closing minutes as two first-year players, Bryan Stitt (18 & 11) and Ray Johns (12 & 10), made splashy double-double debuts. Capt. Jason Shann (11 pts) and newbie R.B. Alverna (10 & 8) punctuated a balanced attack for the winners. Eljay Aguillo (17 pts), frosh Ross Lebrun (12 & 10), and Capt. Clay Torres (8 & 9) were not under the radar in defeat.

Game #3

Winning team: The Goonies (59)

Losing team: Ocho Macho (50)

Ocho Macho got out of the gate fast, netting the first 10 points of the contest, but the Goonies didn’t abandon ship, thanks to scintillating efforts by Gregg “Triple G” Carder (24 pts, 4 treys), and Joe DeGennaro (18 pts, 14 boards). Kevin Adams contributed 7 & 5 in the comeback win. The Macho Men were led by point guard Geoff Gonzales (12), rookie Westley Etheart (11), big man Craig Cichocki (10 & 12), and vets Eric Halpin (8) and Capt. Joe Encarnacion (6).

Game #4

Winning team: Team 8 (87)

Losing team: Lightning With A Splash Of Thunder (61)

Blake Sonnek-Schmelz, who captained last season’s champion Team 8 squad, has revamped his line-up, and set his sights on a title repeat. Diaper dandy Rory Schulman (22 pts, 9-12 shooting), Gavin Ford (20 & 9), and Mike Ruccio (14 & 10) powered the onslaught, while Sonnek-Schmelz (10 & 7) and Rich Cobbinah (9 pts, 7 dimes) were also instrumental. The Lightning received electric outings from Warren Lowe (24 pts, 8 assists) and Orlando Jean-Charles (23 pts), and 8 tallies from first-year baller Rick Harris.

Standings:

Draymond 1-0

RunAsOne 1-0

Team 8 1-0

The Goonies 1-0

Lightning With a Splash 0-1

Ocho Macho 0-1

SuperSonics 0-1

Under The Radar 0-1