Posted by HWULA  6/15/2023 2:37 pm | #111 |
Moss Retires, joins league office
McQuelsey shooting guard Deacon Moss announced his retirement in the middle of the offseason. Reportedly going back and forth, he simply decided he could not withstand another long haul of a season. Additionally, with the rise of Bryson McMurray, he felt it was time to hand the reigns over. Moss will have his #5 jersey retired by the Woodpeckers. Moss's accomplishments are as follows:
Deacon Moss
x9 All-OBA
Champion (1972)
All-1970s First Team
Following his retirement, after a much needed camping trip, Moss will join the league office as Vice President of Player Health, overseeing how to improve durability not only within the league, but within the nation as well.
Congratulations to Deacon Moss on a historic 12-year career with the McQuelsey Woodpeckers!
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Posted by HWULA 6/17/2023 1:59 am | #112 |
1982 Season
All eyes were on the OBA in 1982. Now with eighteen teams from sixteen cities, the excitement of basketball was reaching the entire nation.
Spearheading this effort was the Boothtown Mobsters. They were led by league MVP Navon Oren, their flashy point guard who seemingly could not miss within 15 feet of the basket. Seneca Buck and Darnell Donald were the second and third options on the league's top team. Boothtown was ranked top of the table for the first time, and they will be making their second postseason after a seven year absence.
The drought is over! Cameron Murphy Jr. and the Murdlock Monocles will be making their first playoff appearance! Murphy Jr. had an exceptional 1982 campaign, surrounded by the young talents of power forward Io October and Ish Anderson. Together, they became a three-headed monster that the rest of the league struggled to stop.
After middling seasons the year prior, both McQuelsey and Luva found themselves return to the top half of the standings. Bryson McMurray fully took over as the first option on a wheeling-and-dealing Woodpecker offense. The Mountaineers were captained once again by their young shining star, Sinclair Journey. Journey had his best season as a professional, aided by his bulking up in the offseason.
No stranger to the playoffs, the Mescudi Moonmen returned again. However, things looked differently this time around; Hitts Weckerthaul, while still playing at a relatively high level, seemed to hand the reigns over to his center, Bojan Turk. Turk was widely regarded as the best defender this season, averaging nearly two blocks a game. He was also incredibly efficient offensively.
The Bay Bishops had a disappointing season, but were still good enough to clinch. John Hamilton's numbers fell slightly, but that was mostly because Junior Black turned in a remarkable 1982 stat sheet. While the Bishops led the league in scoring... their defense was pretty abysmal all year.
The Irving Crows battled injuries all year, but did just enough to clinch the #7 on their quest to defend their title. The Nachtigen Titans came in at #8, the first of the four new teams to make the playoffs. They were followed by Harlow Rivers and the Remolvo Choristers, the Gin City Porkers, the Sleuths of Simeka and Bara, all four finishing with an even 17-17 record.
Although The Team of the River Galloway still fell short of where they are accustomed to, their 10-win improvement from the previous season was certainly promising. Strong play from the young Stanley Sweetney and Marlin Drew contributed to their rise in the standings. The Murdlock Razors, without the help of Carl Baker for the first time, did not amount to much. Evans Strong put together a fantastic individual season, but the Razors were simply outpaced on the court.
Willis Patrick had an amazing season for the Ensylvan Drakes, seemingly out of absolutely nowhere. That was the lone bright spot for the Ducks. They were followed by the defensively atrocious Dovinwitt Louds, the abysmal Irving Ricos, and the Desherd City Dachshunds.
At least the Dachshunds had Dog Toy Night!! That was fun!!
1982 All-OBA Teams
1982 Playoffs
#1 Boothtown Mobsters vs. #8 Nachtigen Titans
The Mobsters came into the playoffs hot and sizzling. The new Titans have a tall task in taking them down. Navon Oren proved to be a force of nature with the basketball and has elevated the play of his teammates. Can these young Titans achieve the unthinkable? Will the Mobsters continue to control their own destiny?
#4 Luva Mountaineers vs. #5 Mescudi Moonmen
A rematch of the 1980 OCS Finals! This one is sure to be exciting. Once again, this postseason matchup will be held in Luva. Them Moonbois are starting to see some impressive work put in by Bojan Turk as both Nicholas Laundale and Hitts Weckerthaul continue to get older. Can Sinclair Journey capitalize on his stellar regular season? Will the Moonmen find their way back to the postseason win column they have occupied for most of their existence?
#3 McQuelsey Woodpeckers vs. #6 The Bay Bishops
The Woodpeckers have experienced a changing of the guard - literally - with Bryson McMurray leading the way. McQuelsey has their sites set high as they exceeded most people's expectations for 1982. However, they will have a tough matchup against the sharpshooting Bishops of The Bay. Will McMurray continue to showcase why he deserves to be named among the league's elite? Can The Bishops return to their 1981 form with their shooting? Will The Bay hold their ground defensively after an atrocious regular season?
#2 Murdlock Monocles vs. #7 Irving Crows
Excitement for Monocles fans as playoff basketball returns to the capital city. The Monocles, led by Cameron Murphy Jr., surprised MANY fans and analysts, as most predicted a similar result to the 11-15 mark they psoted in 1981. Io October and Ish Anderson are young and talented. However, the defending champions are coming into town, hungry for an upset. Will the spotlight scare the Monocles, rookies of the postseason? Will the Crows, healthy at the right time, come in and show why they were crowned a year ago?
Last edited by HWULA (6/25/2023 9:41 pm)
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Posted by HWULA 6/18/2023 4:04 am | #113 |
1982 Quarterfinals
#1 Boothtown Mobsters 89, #8 Nachtigen Titans 65
This was a tough one to watch, especially for the folks back in Nachtigen. Boothtown jumped out to a 21-5 lead and never looked back. Navon Oren was, as he was in the regular season, spectacular. The league's MVP racked up 37 points and dished out 11 assists on the night. Seneca Buck also chipped in with a stealthy 24 points. The Titans could not make a shot to save their lives - or in this case, their chances at a title. It wasn't for a lack of effort; Nachtigen played with passion. The ball just wouldn't go in the hoop for them. Boothtown picks up their second postseason win in franchise history.
#4 Luva Mountaineers 77, #5 Mescudi Moonmen 62
Luva's defense proved to be the driving force behind their victory. They held the Moonmen to just 27 first half points. In particular, they packed the paint, forcing Mescudi big man Bojan Turk to take uncomfortable midrange shots. Turk had a great day on defense, but his 14 points on 5/16 shooting left something to be desired. Hitts Weckerthaul played well, scoring 27 points himself. But it was Sinclair Journey's night for the Mountaineers. 44 points - including 7 made 3-pointers - led the way for Luva to advance to the semifinals. Freddy Duncan also played an important role off the bench, going 7/7 from the free throw line late down the stretch.
#3 McQuelsey Woodpeckers 86, #6 The Bay Bishops 103
Our lone first-round upset came courtesy of Junior Black, John Hamilton and The Bay Bishops. For fans of shootouts, they were in for a treat. Black and Hamilton combined for a walloping 77 points, an absurd feat for only two players. The math was pretty simple - The Bay kept hitting shots from beyond the arc, and the Woodpeckers, despite shooting an efficient clip, made most of their shots inside. Black had 42 while Hamilton chipped in 35 points. Bryson McMurray showcased brilliance on his way to 29 points and three steals for McQuelsey. The Bishops just kept knocking down 3s and pulled away with plenty of time left on the clock.
#2 Murdlock Monocles 98, #7 Irving Crows 85
The final matchup of the evening confirmed that, once again, the OBA will have a champion that has never previously won the OCS Finals. The magic in Murdlock continued for the Monocles. Cameron Murphy Jr. was nearly unstoppable with his 34 points on the night. The defending champions certainly kept it close, trading the lead with the Monocles until just before halftime, with Murdlock leading 50-47. Quentin Crown came up well short of his impossibly high expectations placed on him after last year's phenomenal run to the Crows' championship victory. Crown only had 12 points on 20 shots. However, much of that can be attributed to a previous ankle injury that he was dealing with throughout the year. For Murdlock, Io October and Ish Anderson pick-and-rolled their way to a combined 40 points of their own. October, not a fantastic free throw shooter, comfortably shot 8/8 from the charity stripe to close out the game and put the Monocles on top for the first time in postseason history.
#1 Boothtown Mobsters vs. #4 Luva Mountaineers
All eyes will be on the Mobsters as they look to evade the curse of the #1 seed for the first time since 1974. Navon Oren must continue to play at the pace he has been while involving his teammates. On the other side, the Mountaineers will need someone other than Sinclair Journey to post respectable numbers if they want to pull off the upset. Can Boothtown break the curse and advance to the OCS Finals for the second time? Will Luva have their shot at redemption after falling short in 1980?
#2 Murdlock Monocles vs. #6 The Bay Bishops
While The Bay could not miss against the Woodpeckers, they also did not defend very well, giving up the most points of any of the advancing squads. They will face a young but strong-willed Monocles team that will look to take control early through their three main options. Can the veteran presence of The Bay demonstrate that they are too much for any team to handle? Can the Monocles continue to surprise doubters everywhere, as they have done all season?
The 1982 OBA Semifinals are coming up next!!! What will happen??
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Posted by HWULA 6/18/2023 6:56 pm | #114 |
1982 Semifinals
#1 Boothtown Mobsters 68, #4 Luva Mountaineers 79
Although the margin of victory was in the double-digits, this was an incredibly entertaining game to watch. For starters, the two best players guarded each other for most of the matchup. Navon Oren would iso-drive on Sinclair Journey frequently and, despite Journey's long frame, Oren was still able to lay it in with relative ease. On the other side, Journey's combination of hesitations, pull-up middies, and strength made his offensive game unpredictable for the smaller Oren. The league's MVP finished the matchup with 35 points, while Luva's Journey dropped another 40-burger. Both players were physical and things got testy at the start of the second half. Oren felt he was getting fouled, to which Journey took umbrage with. Luva began to pull away after the scuffle. While Oren led the way for the Mobsters, his teammates failed to show up to work. Seneca Buck and Darnell Donald combined for only 15 points on 20 combined shots. Freddy Duncan for the Mountaineers had another great game off the bench, chucking in 15 on a perfect 5/5 from 3-point range. Luva will advance to their second OCS Finals and first since their 1980 loss to the Mescudi Moonmen.
#2 Murdlock Monocles 74, #6 The Bay Bishops 67
How about an OCS Finals appearance during your first playoff run in team history? The Monocles were clearly not frightened by the 103-point mark the Bishops put up against McQuelsey the week prior. Murdlock held tough on defense, flying around and double-teaming John Hamilton and Junior Black. The two Bishop guards were harassed every time they touched the ball. Ish Anderson was the shining star for Murdlock, picking up four loose balls, scoring 28 points and passed out nine assists. The Monocles double-team strategy forced The Bay to look inside, where Io October would protect the rim in his best defensive game of his young career. Cameron Murphy Jr. scored 24 while October had 15.
#2 Murdlock Monocles vs. #4 Luva Mountaineers
1982 has been a remarkable Cinderella year for the Monocles. From preseason-predicted cellar dwellers to an OCS Finals appearance, the Monocles young aces have accelerated their game faster than anyone expected. However, they are rookies to the most important game of every year. Luva has the OCS Finals experience and the best player on the floor in Sinclair Journey. This will come down to offensive game plan. The Monocles are better-equiped to win in the paint, whereas the Mountaineers surpass Murdlock from the outside.
Which team do you think will win their first OCS Finals?
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Posted by HWULA 6/20/2023 12:11 am | #115 |
1982 OCS Finals
#2 Murdlock Monocles 75, #4 Luva Mountaineers 81
LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUVAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! The Mountaineers rolled into Murdlock with confidence and a surefire defensive gameplan. Luva wanted to keep the ball out of Cameron Murphy Jr.'s hands and then harass his young teammates. The Mountaineers doubled Io October and Ish Anderson whenever it was possible.
The atmosphere was incredible at the Murdlock City Gym. The house was packed, ready to cheer on their capital city team. The double-team strategy worked for Luva from the get-go. Sinclair Journey had the tall task of guarding Cameron Murphy Jr. and forcing him to pass to his teammates. Murphy Jr. still scored plenty - 30 points on 18 shots - but he needed help down the stretch that he didn't receive.
Tied at 72 with 2:00 left, Journey pickpocketed Anderson on a blitzed double-team attempt and slammed it home on the fast break. To make matters worse, Anderson fouled him on the dunk, putting Journey to the line. The momentum swung entirely. The Mountaineers essentially sagged on October, and he missed two very wide open shots from the elbow. A few fouls and free throws later, and the buzzer sounded.
While Journey only finished with 24 points, he was praised for his defensive prowess and his clutch plays in crunch time. As a result, he was awarded the OCS Finals MVP, his first.
Luva wins their first title in their second OCS Finals appearance.
Congratulations to the Mountaineers on an exceptional run to their first championship!
1982 Luva Mountaineers Championship Banner
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Posted by HWULA 6/22/2023 11:35 pm | #116 |
1983 Offseason
The big news from The Table in The Back Room of The Bar of The River Galloway is that they needed a bigger table, so they got one.
A New Era Emerges - Following Luva's victory in the 1982 OCS Finals, many players decided to hang up the shoes. Indeed, this certainly marked the beginning of the next era of exciting OBA basketball. New talent is being ushered in every year, and that talent will quickly claim the league as their own. Many notable players - including surefire Hall of Famers - retired prior to the league meetings. Some of the names include:
Cameron Murphy Jr.
Official founder of the Oneoiea Basketball Association
x11 All-OBA
x3 scoring champion
All-1970s Second Team
Evans Strong
1981 MVP
x14 All-OBA
Champion (1979)
All-1970s First Team
Quentin Crown
1981 OCS Finals MVP
x2 All-OBA
Champion (1981)
Isaac Revon
x8 All-OBA
Champion (1972)
All-1970s Second Team
Former champions Mike Beck (Desherd City) and Wesley Howard Jr. (Murdlock Razors) also called it quits. Congratulations to all on their remarkable and lengthy careers!
Hall of Fame Finishes Construction - The Hall of Fame in The Bay has completed construction and is slated to open during the week of the 1983 OCS Finals, with the first Hall of Fame class to be announced shortly prior. There will also be an induction ceremony, as well as the unveiling of room names.
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Posted by HWULA 6/24/2023 11:50 pm | #117 |
1983 Season
The OBA was top-heavy in 1983, coming down to the final week to decide a regular season first place finisher. It was incredible, as the top four teams were all in contention for #1. In fact, Luva and Remolvo split the season series, and the secondary tiebreaker (+/-) was only a seven point margin in favor of the Choristers. Remolvo needed to win their season finale against the Murdlock Monocles and score ten more points than the Mountaineers, which they did. Although neither Michael Williams or Harlow Rivers ended up on the All-OBA teams - much to the chagrin of Chorister fans - they had a major impact on their first place position. Sinclair Journey and Freddy Duncan once again carried the Mountaineers to a dominant season, earning All-OBA First Team placements. The surprise team of the year was the Ensylvan Drakes, who enjoyed success on the backs of power forward Willis Patrick and center Tate Lendon-Tornery. Gin City, led by the youngster Byron No and big man Ibrahim Mohammed, landed in fourth place, losing both games of the season series to the Drakes.
Mescudi accomplished the same exact record and the same exact position as last year. Hitts Weckerthaul took back a little bit more control in 1983, landing on the All-OBA team for the first time since 1981. The Sleuths of Simeka will make their postseason debut as the sixth seed. Brody Rizzo, Sol Renfro, and Esteban Grover captained the Sleuths in their second season of existence. Old man Marlin Drew and new man Stanley Sweetney brought The Team of the River Galloway back to the playoffs after an absence of four years. The final spot was clinched by the Woodpecker of McQuelsey. Bryson McMurray had his best season as a professional, almost singlehandedly carrying the Woodpeckers to more wins than they were projected to receive. For his phenomenal efforts, leading the league in steals, 3-point percentage, and points, McMurray won his first MVP award.
A disappointing 1982 season only motivated the Dovinwitt Louds. Although they missed the playoffs by one spot, their four-win improvement kept things exciting. Navon Oren had a spectacular follow-up to his MVP season, but the rest of the Mobsters fell short. The Bay Bishops beat up on the bottom of the league, but, once again, their defense - or lack thereof - failed them when it mattered most. Bara's Jefferson Connors flashed athletic excellence throughout the season during the Cudas' middling campaign. Pablo Ruiz - who received most of the ire from Chorister fans for reportedly "stealing" one of the spots on the All-OBA teams - gave the Ricos the spark they have needed for so long. While Uisto Aldivando was still sidelined with his recovery process, he offered plenty of advice and mentorship to the young Ricos. Felix Grant was the best big man in the league, but the Crows lacked the leadership they had with Quentin Crown, and their record proved it.
Perhaps the most disappointing season belonged to the Murdlock Monocles. Not only did they fail to make another run to the OCS Finals, but they finished in the bottom part of the league. Between the two Murdlock teams, the attendance at the end of the season was brutally pathetic. The Titans also could not reach the playoffs for a second straight year. Although Tyrone Buckley gave Dachshunds fans a little bit of hope for the future, he was incredibly raw and overmatched for much of the year. The Murdlock Razors, now without much of an identity or star to attach themselves to, were awful.
1983 All-OBA Teams
1983 Playoffs
#1 Remolvo Choristers vs. #8 McQuelsey Woodpeckers
Although this appears to be a lopsided matchup in favor of Remolvo, this is going to be an entertaining opener to the postseason. Harlow Rivers and Michael Williams are fiending for their first OCS Finals appearance. Will league MVP Bryson McMurray stand in their way and bring the Woodpeckers to an upset? Will the Choristers chemistry translate to playoff success? Will someone step up and help McMurray in their quest for victory?
#4 Gin City Porkers vs. #5 Mescudi Moonmen
Gin City makes their playoff debut against the seasoned Mescudi Moonmen. Hitts Weckerthaul is looking to add to his already incredible legacy. Bojan Turk has something to prove after his embarrassing statline in the 1982 playoffs. Byron No is an exciting spark plug for the Porkers, and Ibrahim Mohammed is a defensive monster. Will Gin City take their regular season success and add it to a playoff recipe? Will Them Moonbois rebound after just their second postseason loss in team history?
#3 Ensylvan Drakes vs. #6 Simeka Sleuths
The Drakes came out of nowhere to dominate the regular season. The Simeka Sleuths also surprised fans and media members. Both teams lack playoff experience and cost themselves games in the regular season because of inexperience. Who will come out on top in this youthful contest of Ducks and Detectives?
#2 Luva Mountaineers vs. #7 The Team of the River Galloway
Luva is the faster team in this game and swept the season series against The Team by a combined six points. When The Team led in those games, it was due to strength and outside shooting. At this point, however, Sinclair Journey has proven himself to be a more-than-competent #1 option on a championship-contending - and now, championship-defending - team. Can Stanley Sweetney, Marlin Drew and The Team get it done? Will Luva march through the city of Gilroy and showcase why they are one of the best teams in the league?
Who do you think will win in 1983?? Let us know!!
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Posted by HWULA 6/25/2023 10:17 pm | #118 |
1983 Quarterfinals
#1 Remolvo Choristers 79, #8 McQuelsey Woodpeckers 72
It was a bombastic atmosphere at the Remolvo Arena. Roars echoed throughout the spacious church-like venue as Harlow Rivers and Michael Williams put on a show for Choristers fans. League MVP Bryson McMurray was tasked with defending Rivers with tight pressure, leaving Williams to have free reign on the perimeter. Williams scored 24 of his 32 points on 3-pointers, most of which occurred in the first half. McMurray was no slouch for the Woodpeckers and showed everyone in attendance why he was voted as the best player of 1983; McQuelsey's leader had 42 points and played stout defense. Ultimately, it would be Rivers who would have the final word in this contest. With a 68-65 lead late in the second half, Rivers stole the ball and laid it in the hoop, shifting the momentum in the Choristers' favor for the rest of the game. A few free throws later, Remolvo would emerge victorious in this hard-fought battle.
#4 Gin City Porkers 61, #5 Mescudi Moonmen 77
Them Moonbois looked like the Moonbois of old as they dominated in Gin City. Hitts Weckerthaul showcased pizzazz in dishing out 12 assists to his teammates. He added 28 points on top of that. Bojan Turk did indeed have his getback game, going a perfect 11/11 from the free throw line and knocking down another five shots from midrange. The Porkers tried the same sit-in-the-paint strategy the Luva Mountaineers did last year, but it proved to be unsuccessful. Turk was much, much improved from his performance in 1982. As Mescudi's lead grew up to 25 early in the second half, Byron No and Ibrahim Mohammed were limited in their playing time. They both played well in the first half before Mescudi racked up the offensive intensity. The Moonmen advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 1980, when they won their fourth championship.
#3 Ensylvan Drakes 71, #6 Simeka Sleuths 94
Yuck. This was a bad day to be a Drakes fan. First things first, the game did not even start on time due to a malfunction with one of the rims. During warmups, a spring broke on the underside of the rim, and it took 42 minutes for maintenance to finish. Additionally, this was on the hoop Ensylvan was shooting on in warmups and slated to score on in the first half. While the Drakes simply had to wait until the hardware broke out, Simeka was able to keep shooting. Apparently, no one on the Drakes thought it would be a good idea to ask the Sleuths to share. It would have been crowded, but certainly worth at least asking about it. Anyways, after the delay, the Sleuths took control immediately. Their speedy, run-and-gun style was effective as they knocked down 8/10 first half shots from beyond the arc. Additionally, they were exceptional at the charity stripe, missing only two shots all night. Brody Rizzo was a highlight reel by himself, with 27 points and a magnificent shooting mark. Rizzo, Sol Renfro, and Esteban Grover barely played in the second half as the Sleuths lead was safe. Willis Patrick was the lone bright spot for the Drakes, scoring 22 in an otherwise uneventful game for Ensylvan. Oofda.
#2 Luva Mountaineers 97, The Team of the River Galloway 75
The title defense was on for the Mountaineers. Sinclair Journey had a great first half, followed by a rocky second half where he only saw 10 minutes of action. Last year's Finals MVP finished the evening with a double-double of 33 points and 10 rebounds. Journey possibly tweaked his ankle while attempting to block a shot, which could have contributed to his lack of play late in the game. At that point, Luva had a 20 point lead and it was unnecessary to risk Journey's health status any further. Freddy Duncan was also fantastic for the Mountaineers with 25 points of his own. The Team's Stanley Sweetney had a solid night in the paint, but couldn't hit anything from outside at the rate he would have liked. The veteran Marlin Drew was also slightly out of whack as he only tallied an abysmal 10 points on 2/11 shooting.
#1 Remolvo Choristers vs. #5 Mescudi Moonmen
Both of these teams struggled to score in comparison to the other weekend winners. However, both also have the talent to explode on the offensive end at any given night. Can the Moonmen catch lightning in a bottle and continue their hot streak of shooting? Will it once again be the duo of Rivers and Williams that will attempt to put Them Moonbois in a rocket and send them to the moon? Will Hitts Weckerthaul have an opportunity to amass a historic five championship victories? Will Bojan Turk further cement himself as the future of Mescudi?
#2 Luva Mountaineers vs. #6 Simeka Sleuths
These teams could not miss in the quarterfinals in their respective matchups. Are the Mountaineers in danger with the potential injury of their captain, Sinclair Journey? Does that present the perfect opportunity for the young Sleuths to send a message to the rest of the league? Will Freddy Duncan be able to step up in light of Journey's limitations? How will the Sleuths handle the pressure of going up against the defending champs?
The 1983 semifinals are on the way!!!
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Posted by HWULA 6/26/2023 10:58 pm | #119 |
1983 Semifinals
#1 Remolvo Choristers 59, #5 Mescudi Moonmen 67
DRAMATIC UPSET IN REMOLVO! THE MOONMEN ARE GOING BACK TO THE OCS FINALS!! WOW! Bojan Turk absolutely DOMINATED on the defensive end. Harlow Rivers scored 25 points for Remolvo, but it was only because of a high volume of shots. Turk altered shots left and right as the Choristers could not hit anything inside. The Mescudi big man finished with four blocks and an astounding 16 rebounds to go along with 21 points. Hitts Weckerthaul also locked down on Michael Williams, who did not repeat his extraordinary shooting efforts from the fist round. Tied at 56 with a minute to go, Rivers hit a 35-foot shot to put the Choristers up by three. Weckerthaul answered with a three-pointer of his own. Then... it was all Mescudi defense. Weckerthaul had a steal and ally-ooped it up to Turk to stun the Remolvo fans and players. On the next trip down, Turk outmuscled Rivers for a rebound and was fouled hard. Tensions immediately flared up with Rivers pushing Turk out of bounds after giving up the board. While Bojan simply walked to the other end of the floor, Weckerthaul had some choice words and colorful language for Rivers. It was an astounding lack of awareness from the Remolvo star. Turk sunk his impending free throws and the Moonmen knocked down the dagger three-pointer to solidify their spot in the OCS Finals. No stranger to the championship, Mescudi is back in the title game for the first time since 1980 when they won their fourth OCS Finals.
#2 Luva Mountaineers 91, #6 Simeka Sleuths 84
This was another great game, even though it was mostly controlled by the defending champions. Luva ended the first half on a 10-0 run and led by 15 when the buzzer sounded. This was promising for Luva fans, considering Sinclair Journey's limitations. Freddy Duncan was the catalyst for the Mountaineers on that run, scoring seven of those 10 points. However, the Sleuths had plenty of talent that allowed them to crawl back bit by bit in the second half. Simeka even took a one-point lead with 9:42 to go in the game. However, the last 10 minutes were all Sinclair Journey. If you showed a brand new basketball fan footage of this second half, you would not have known Journey was dealing with an injury. After only netting eight points in the first half, Journey exploded to finish with 39. It was one of those shooting performances where Journey had to twist, fade away, or do some otherworldly acrobatics and the ball would still go in. At some point, all the Sleuths had to do was put their hands up and shrug. It was Journey's night. Luva will take on the Mescudi Moonmen in what is sure to be one of the most highly anticipated OCS Finals in the league's history.
#2 Luva Mountaineers vs. #5 Mescudi Moonmen
A long-lived rivalry will be reignited in the 1983 rendition of the OCS Finals. Not only are these teams geographical neighbors - guaranteeing the house will be PACKED - but this will be the second time Luva and Mescudi play each other in the championship. Mescudi beat Luva in 1980 to be crowned champions. In the 1982 first round, the Mountaineers got the best of Them Moonbois off the strength of a 44-point performance by Sinclair Journey. Bojan Turk was unable to get things going in last year's playoffs game, but has vastly improved his game since. Hitts Weckerthaul has been on a fantastic run through this year's postseason, with some of his best play in years.
Old rivals. A new opportunity. Who will win the 1983 OCS Finals??!!
Last edited by HWULA (6/26/2023 10:58 pm)
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Posted by HWULA 6/27/2023 1:42 pm | #120 |
1983 OCS Finals
#2 Luva Mountaineers 89, #5 Mescudi Moonmen 77
LUVA GOES BACK-TO-BACK! For the first time since 1975-1977, the OBA has a team win consecutive championships. It took a full effort for the Mountaineers to come out on top, but they got it done. Sinclair Journey put on a performance to remember; 47 points on 77% shooting and 24 of those points coming from beyond the arc. Despite the Moonmen's best efforts, Journey could not be stopped. He scored baskets while being defended by seven different Moonmen throughout the game. Mescudi put seven different defenders on him and it looked like no one came even close to affecting his play. Luva jumped out to a 20-8 lead and never looked back. While the Moonmen played decently, the closest they ever cut the lead down to was to five points, and only briefly. Every time they tried to gain momentum, a big shot by Journey put an end to those attempts.
Sinclair Journey wins his second OCS Finals MVP trophy. Journey joins elite company of Hitts Weckerthaul and the retired Andre Oz as the only players in league history with multiple OCS Finals MVP awards.
Congratulations to the OCS Finals victors, the Luva Mountaineers! Luva wins their second title in a row and improves their Finals record to 2-1.
