International Basketball Championships 23 (IC Thread)

[Ethane]

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Does Newmanistan Hate Us Yet?
Sam Heath - Sports Commentator

Everyone in Ethane has begun questioning whether Newmanistan, previous participants in both the International Basketball Championships and the World Baseball Classic (+ 4-time winners), hates Ethane yet after the Red Kites keep beating Newmanistan at everything.

Ethane took an easy win against Newmanistan in their third match of the tournament, beating them out 78 points to 62 points. Right from the off, the team from Ethane were dominant and zoomed ahead, forming a gap in points which the team from Newmanistan were just unable to beat. It was actually the highest scoring game so far, but not too far off the average score for the Ethanians, who have scored an average of 71.75 points per game in comparison to a top side (1st in the group) average of 86.22 points per match so far.

Not only did the Ethanians beat Newmanistan in the IBC, but they also beat them in the WBC in a tight series. The Red Kites were up against the previous four-time WBC champions in the round of 16, and although Ethane did have the higher rank, Newmanistan was seen as the favourite to win by most predictors. However, the Red Kites were able to take the win, stretching the series out across the five games for a tense end to the round of 16.

With Newmanistan out of the WBC, their hopes now all rest on this tournament. It looks like they will probably progress, although it is not inevitable yet, but they will not top the group, with them likely slotting in behind Ethane to advance into the playoff brackets.

[Qasden]

Welcome back! It's your sixth CUTOFF comin' in hot. If I could describe this hectic day in 1 word, it's sandwich.

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Group A

Nova Anglicana 75-86 Drawkland
Soltsteed 81-74 New Lusitania and the Algarves

Group A                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                            5    5   0   406  340  +66     15
2 Abaja                                4    3   1   319  287  +32      9
3 Nova Anglicana                       5    2   3   389  388  +1     6
4 Soltsteed                            5    1   4   380  424  -44     3
5 New Lusitania and the Algarves       5    1   4   367  418  −51     3

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Group B

PandaClaws 75-103 Saint Kanye
Cosumar 82-76 Nueva Celta

Group B                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Saint Kanye                          5    5   0   504  384  +120   15
2 Cosumar                              5    3   2   440  441  -1    9
3 Free Republics                       4    3   1   323  327  −4   9
4 Nueva Celta                          5    1   4   378  429  −51   3
5 PandaClaws                           5    0   5   375  449  −74   0

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Group C

Corcra and Tir Trodaithe 84-90 West Saintland
Ceni 96-93 Flardania

Group C                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 Ceni                                 5    5   0   448  408  +40     15
2 West Saintland                       5    4   1   422  390  +32     12
3 Flardania                            5    2   3   441  431  +10     6
4 Corcra and Tir Trodaithe             5    1   4   389  442  −53     3
5 A Couple of People                   4    0   4   309  332  −23     0

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Group D

Valanora 72-64 Kecrazia
The Iron Syndicate 96-78 Purple Rabbits

Group D                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts 
1 The Iron Syndicate                   5    5   0   423   376  +47   15
2 Valanora                             5    3   2   393  375   +18    9
3 Vettrera                             4    2   2   306   297  +9   6
4 Purple Rabbits                       5    2   3   393  400   -7    6
5 Kecrazia                             5    0   5   338  405   −67   0

[Abaja]

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MATCHDAY 6 CUT-OFF
Qasdonian Side

So far 4 teams in groups E-H are undefeated. Will their records last? We will see after 5 more match days. MD 6 comin' at ya

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Group E
Nueva Andalusia 66–66 Greater Churchill (81–75 OT)
Vangaziland 86–76 Frenline Delpha

Group E
                        Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Vangaziland             5    5   0   464  313 +151    15  
2 Frenline Delpha         5    3   2   351  416  −65     9  
3 Greater Churchill       5    2   3   317  331  −14     6    
4 Musterfield             4    1   3   275  312  −37     3
5 Nueva Andalusia         5    1   4   313  348  −35     3

Group F
West Phoenicia 66–85 Abanhfleft
Empire of Cats 80–69 Adab

Group F
                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Abanhfleft                  5    5   0   436  323 +113    15  
2 United States of Devonta    4    3   1   303  316  −13     9 
3 Empire of Cats              5    3   2   377  359  +18     9      
4 West Phoenicia              5    1   4   338  393  −55     3 
5 Adab                        5    0   5   347  410  −63     0

Group G
Natanians and Nosts 94–67 Foodporn
Newmanistan 73–70 Unified Sunrise Islands

Group G
                           Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Ethane                     4    4   0   287  239  +48    12   
2 Newmanistan                5    3   2   391  368  +23     9  
3 Natanians and Nosts        5    3   2   372  363   +9     9  
4 Unified Sunrise Islands    5    2   3   361  355   +6     6    
5 Foodporn                   5    0   5   329  415  −86     0

Group H
Addled Braintopia 68–69 Spaam
Valladares 75–51 Jeckland

Group H
                        Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Qasden                  4    4   0   343  251  +92    12   
2 Valladares              5    4   1   407  347  +60    12 
3 Spaam                   5    3   2   383  389   −6     9    
4 Addled Braintopia       5    1   4   356  386  −30     3  
5 Jeckland                5    0   5   339  455 −116     0

[Abanhfleft]

I'm posting this because I got knocked out of the Rugby World Cup and I didn't want to waste this particular RP. Normal and regular basketball service will resume when they resume.

Gaelic Gamers
Presents...

The Rugby Rundown
with Dara Keane

Well. It looks as if Cousin Aisling has finally absconded with her duties as the rugby reporter after she failed to turn in three Rugby Rundowns in a row and she's decided that she's not going to deal with the final pool stage match against Yesopalitha now. Well then. Good thing I watched the game against Yesopalitha with the clear idea that Cousin Aisling is going to drop this on my lap so at least I'm prepared.

Now then, let's get down to business. Abanhfleft started off hot against Yesopalitha. Again, it was the Dev and Till Show as Dev Nasuggi and Till Solvermann combined to produce most of Abanhfleft's best moments in this game. Nasuggi himself landed the first try of the game over in the 7th minute after 15 attempts to get it over the line the first time. I have to tell you, Dev was really fighting for that ball just before he finally grounded it. Just a few minutes later Tilly boy finally got another try after a few attempts himself, both in this game and in the preceding ones. Need I even tell you that Nawwaz Shareef Wahhab converted both times as well?

Yesopalitha, though, they weren't ready to give up without a fight. They were raring to take the game to us, that they were. I don't want to say that our boys in blue, orange, and green got a little overconfident when they scored two tries back to back but that's exactly what happened. No shame in admitting that you did something though, you know. Yeah, we got two tries quickly and then the Yesopalithans scored two quick tries of their own. Call it karma, call it whatever you want; it's what happened. But maybe the fact that Sikaruchabamba got sin-binned may have had an effect on our defense though.

But aside from that, the only other surprises we got was when Yesopalitha were awarded a penalty which I personally feel to be completely unjustified. Never mind that Yesopalitha scored it and gained a surprise lead over us; they shouldn't have got it in the first place. Neither should Nawwaz Wahhab have been sin-binned for it because I really think that was soft but that's what happened and we'll have to accept that.

Fortunately for us Nawwaz was back on the field when we got a penalty of our own. And he couldn't miss this one, no, not our Nawwaz Shareef Wahhab. Then Dixon Cochabamba (not Sikaruchabamba, they're two different people, you people can't seem to be able to get that into your thick skulls!) scored a rare try of his own but unfortunately this time, Wahhab couldn't convert this one this time. Five points wasn't exactly the most comfortable lead you could have but at least our defense held firm this time and we were able to walk away with the win and four straight victories in the pool stage. Now we'll be up against new boys Bvriania who are looking to make as big an impact here in rugby union as they did in rugby sevens. This should prove to be a very good game. This almost inspires to take up rugby union once again myself. But I'm afraid I might just embarrass my family with my fat legs and shiny bald bonce. Lovely days!

Try: Nasuggi 7' c
     Solvermann 10' c
     Cochabamba 70' m
Con: Wahhab (2/3) 8', 11'
Pen: Wahhab 56'

[Empire of Cats]

All Right! Felines Get First Win of Second Half of IBC 23

Catstantinople - Well, after that 0-2 run, anything that's a win is cause for celebration. The Felines took out their frustrations from the last two games on hapless Adab, still searching for its first win after five games, by demolishing them in an 11-point blowout. But questions remain. Will the Felines successfully handle the class of the division, Abanhfleft, and rival for the second-place spot, the U.S.D.? Time will tell.

Empire of Cats 80 - 69 Adab

Patrick Morris had to take a backseat to Teresa Rolde, who scored 24 unassisted points and 12 with assists to his 20 points with five assists. Teresa seemed to be playing like she had something to prove, and it certainly looks like she has made her point very clear, whatever her motivation: never underestimate her when she has the ball in her hands.

In related news, the management of the professional basketball team, the Harrison Messengers, have announced an informal referendum of their fans to ask which player should be the team captain for the upcoming year. Patrick Morris has a commanding advantage with a lead of 62%. It should be remembered, however, that the poll is not the final decision, which is a private vote by the management's owners, however, they have held the vote to "determine what the fans of the team believe". - Excerpted from the Sports Voices section of the Catstantinople Dispatch, Edward Reed reporting.

[Saint Kanye]

IBC 23: SURGE DUMP PANDACLAWS, GO 5-0
St. Kanye assured of group stage winning record in 103-75 win

by Dante Dinkley

OLULAWI - It's a new venue, but the same old winning ways for the St. Kanye Surge as they defeat PandaClaws, 103-75 at the start of the second leg of the 23rd International Basketball Championships group stages. Group B, composed of the Surge and PandaClaws alongside Nueva Celta, Free Republics and the Cosumar Stallions, moved from Abaja City's Wallis Center into Olulawi's ZorgadiAir Arena to swap with Group D composed of Valanora, Vettrera, Purple Rabbits, the Iron Syndicate and Kecrazia. "So we won, and are now 5-0, but we ain't the least bit ensured of a playoffs spot", said Surge assistant coach Bernard Foley. "There's still Cosumar and Free Republics hot on our heels. We need a strong showing against them like we showed on our first meetings." The Surge crushed world #59 Free Republics by thirty-two in Matchday 2, and had a big scoring run at the end of the Cosumar game in Matchday 5, to get past the #15 squad by ten.

Brock Dotson hauled in 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Surge, who dealt PandaClaws its fifth defeat in as many games. The white-clad Kanyeans won the jump ball, and made ten straight points to start the game before PandaClaws' shooting guard broke the drought with a reverse layup. The Surge would respond with another scoring run, and eventually lead 25-12 after the first ten minutes of the game.

In the second quarter, coaches Anton Spoletto and Foley felt the need to put bench players in for some fresh legs. Zack Coyle immediately stripped his opposing small forward of the ball and launched a three, something he doesn't normally make. It was good. Several plays later, reserve center DeAngelo Norris would slam in an alley-oop dunk fed by Norman "The Fly" Walker for a 39-19 lead with 5:31 to go in the second quarter, the Surge's and the game's biggest so far. The score after twenty minutes is 51-27 for the Kanyeans, with Josh Jackson's halfcourt three not counting for leaving his hand too late.

Panda Claws got things going for them to start the third, with defensive pressure and mismatches, as well as some good shooting from both of their forwards, having them cut the lead to ten, 60-50 at the 6:36 mark. Two three-pointers in twelve seconds, by Victor McLain, announced the return of the Surge's starters and signaled them pulling away once more, pushing the lead back to twenty, 74-54, at the end of the third. PandaClaws lost their power forward, who has been making most of their rebounds, to foul trouble in the fourth, leading to more rebounds for Dotson and Joel Pond as well as more second chance points for the Kanyeans. A putback by Pond off a miss by Jackson gave the Surge a thirty-one-point advantage, 92-61 with 3:49 remaining. PandaClaws' point guard completed a three-point play in the next sequence to cut the lead to twenty-eight, where it would remain until the end of the game.

There were fewer Kanyeans today than in the Surge's previous games, at 2,875, likely because not everyone is aware of the change in venue. Dotson said "The energy and enthusiasm still hasn't diminished, and I even think they made up for less people with louder chants and cheers". Tomorrow, the Surge will be in purple against Free Republics, who currently hold a 3-1 record, the loss coming from St. Kanye in their first meeting. "We won't let them get their vengeance", said Dotson. "We must protect both our record and our place in the group standings."

Scores:

ST. KANYE 103 - Dotson 20, McLain 17, Jackson 13, Pond 12, Porter 10, Walker 8, Coyle 6, Norris 6, Samson 5, Duff 2, Levy 2, Schneider 2.

PANDACLAWS 75 - Individual scores not available.

Quarters: 25-12, 51-27, 74-54, 103-75.

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Around the IBC

by the Kibitzer Research Department

Victor McLain talks about the mid-season break, when he met up with the Empire of Cats' Teresa Rolde and Abanhfleft's Jazz Higgs. "We three returned to the bar we had a chance run-in three days prior, you know, for drinks and conversation, and even a few games. Jazz was absolutely better than me at pool", McLain says with a laugh. "But he can't even touch me at darts. As for Teresa, she joined the bar's trivia night, and won. We each have our strengths outside basketball."

GROUP A: DRAWKLAND 86, NOVA ANGLICANA 75

The Net Corp also rise to 5-0 today, at the expense of Nova Anglicana, who suffer back-to-back losses and fall to 2-3.

GROUP B: COSUMAR 82, NUEVA CELTA 76

The Stallions get back on track after Matchday 5's loss to the Surge, improving to 3-2 after a six-point win over Nueva Celta (1-4).

GROUP C: CENI 96, FLARDANIA 93

The Snakes maintain their perfect record at 5-0 by edging out the Lightspeed, who drop to 2-3.

GROUP D: THE IRON SYNDICATE 96, PURPLE RABBITS 78

The Black Arrows are likewise 5-0, thrashing Purple Rabbits to send them down to 2-3.

GROUP E: VANGAZILAND 86, FRENLINE DELPHA 76

It's not a massacre like in Matchday 1, but a win is still a win as the Royals (5-0) avoid the Anacondas' (3-2) vengeance.

GROUP F: EMPIRE OF CATS 80, ADAB 69

The Felines (3-2) get their first win after two straight losses, while Adab (0-5) still get none.

GROUP G: NEWMANISTAN 73, UNIFIED SUNRISE ISLANDS 70

The Rockets go 3-2 and over 0.500 by winning a close one over the USI, now at 2-3.

GROUP H: SPAAM 69, ADDLED BRAINTOPIA 68

With this tight win, the Dollies (3-2) have now beat the Brainotopes (1-4) twice, and by an average margin of only 1.5 points.

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Game Schedule - Group B

Surge Record So Far: 5-0

Matchday 1: W 106-88 vs. PandaClaws (UR*)
Matchday 2: W 96-64 vs. Free Republics (59)
Matchday 3: BREAK
Matchday 4: W 94-62 vs. Nueva Celta (UR)
Matchday 5: W 105-95 vs. Cosumar (15)
BREAK
Matchday 6: W 103-75 vs. PandaClaws (UR)
Matchday 7: Purple Jerseys vs. Free Republics (59)
Matchday 8: BREAK
Matchday 9: White Jerseys vs. Nueva Celta (UR)
Matchday 10: Purple Jerseys vs. Cosumar (15)
BREAK
Playoffs

*Unranked.

All games televised live through SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and streamed on ibc-tv.stk.

[Empire of Cats]

Adventures of the Musketeers: More Than Meets the Eye

Olulawi (Shortly after Empire of Cats vs. Adab, Game 5) - Teresa Rolde sat alone in the locker room, her head leaned back against the wall, allowing her brown hair to tumble over her shoulder. Her eyes were closed, but her mind was racing. She was less than thirty minutes separated from her most important victory in her career yet. She had singlehandedly put up thirty-six points in the game against the hapless Adabians, more than outshining Patrick and stealing the show from him. It wasn't as if he wasn't going to care. He always stressed that games were a "team effort" and went out of his way to name one accomplishment of one of his teammates in his post-game interviews, but he was the captain. He got the interviews, it was part of his job. In fact, he was probably conducting one now.

She sighed deeply. For the first time since she had shared her secret with William and Patrick, she felt at ease. Yes, the Adabians weren't a powerhouse. But she was the MVP of the game for the team, there was no doubt of that. Hopefully, her performance had eased some of Patrick's (justified but unnecessary) concern about how her friendships might affect the team. Now, if only she could keep dong that.

She opened her eyes and looked at the clock on the wall as the door opened and William quietly walked in. He was tiptoeing, and the sheer sight of him trying to keep himself from tripping over her toes caused her to laugh. He jumped in surprise, and looked at her.

"I...I thought you were asleep. I hope I didn't wake you."
"Oh, no, William, it's all good. I appreciate the concern, but I need to get up anyway. It's almost six, and if I'm to make my 'curfew' that Patrick has set up, I need to get going," she said, sitting up and stretching.
"Oh, yeah, that's right. You're going out tonight. Have fun, Res."
"Thanks, William. Catch you later." She retrieved her nearby bag - only the essentials, of course, some money, a mirror, and a brush - a girl had to look pretty when going out, even if she had just come off a basketball court - and grabbed her jacket from the hook and sallied out of the door, heading out into the fantastical world that made up the city of Olulawi.

The door jingled as Teresa walked into the small bar for the second time in a week. The smog was as thick as the last time she had been in it, but the pool table had been moved slightly and a chess set - a real one, not some hand-me-down from a regular patron - sat on its own table in the center of the bar. She smiled at that. Jazz Higgs stood aside the pool table as Victor McLain knocked the cue ball into one of the other pool balls and sank it with one shot. She had to admit that they both cut a handsome figure, and she paused a moment to watch. Instinctively, she touched her hair absentmindedly, brushing a curl back over her ear.

"Well, Victor, that's three straight times you've beaten me tonight. Maybe we should find a sport that's more equal to both our talents."
"What? We've been out only forty-five minutes and you're ready to concede?" teased Victor playfully. "Jazz, it sounds like you need some more beer."

Teresa smiled at the two and walked over to them. "Hello boys! What's all this?" Jazz feigned anger as he turned to Teresa. "Teresa, he keeps beating me! Why don't you help me? Talk to him; he'll listen to you!" He grinned slyly at her.
"What? Two on one? That's not very fair!" pleaded Victor as he picked up the cue ball and proceeded to toss it in the air and catch it. "Teresa, as a real sportswoman, I implore you, do not let him succeed with his scheme."

Teresa laughed as the two walked up to each other and looked at each other with haughty airs.

"Milady, I doth think this man sinks to insult my sportsmanship," quipped Jazz as he stroked his chin like an aristocrat.
"Nay, my good sir, you imply that there is anything to insult," retorted Victor.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then both broke out in simultaneous smiles as Victor slung one arm around Jazz. Teresa suddenly found his arm around her waist as he pulled her to the other side of him, and the three laughed. "What's new, Res?" She had to admit that she didn't really object to being this close to Victor, both literally and metaphorically. Nor did she object to it with Jazz when he likewise gave her a hug. Victor looked at Jazz and then at Teresa. "How about we paint the town, then?"

The next two hours were spent telling jokes and playing games as the three bonded over polite differences of opinion regarding the best team at the tourney (one vote for each of the teams represented, by those representing them), the best movie they'd ever seen, their motivations for playing, and even a rendition of the well-known classic "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey on the bar's small stage in the corner, to the amusement of the regulars. Jazz found his equalizing sport, easily defeating Victor in three rounds of darts, while Teresa decided that the trivia at the bar night was too much to pass on. She did even better than she had expected, making the final round against an older man who progressively kept downing beers and whose answers became less clear with each.

"What nation started the three-hour long 1896 War of Beers, so named because diplomats started a brawl because they had had too much to drink?"
'"Oh, I know this! It was....um....oh! Us! Empire of Cats!" I'm glad the University offered a Empire of Catsian History crash-course, she thought. If only my peers could see me now!

After collecting her small monetary reward and thanking the bar's patrons, she began to say her goodbyes for the night.

"I never pegged you for a history major, Res!" quipped Victor.
"Yeah, well, don't judge a book by its cover!"

The three embraced, promising to meet soon, and as Teresa walked back to the team's hotel, she couldn't help but feel a sense that she might have had perhaps the best day of her life.

[Qasden]

[align=center]

OMFG! Hello there seventh CUTOFF. So nice of you to partake on the Abajan side （＾ν＾）

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Results, Courtesy of Ethane (THANK YOU)

[Abaja]

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MATCHDAY 7 CUT-OFF
Qasdonian Side

T.V City. That's where I want to be. Here is MD 7.

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Group E
Frenline Delpha 99–75 Nueva Andalusia
Greater Churchill 74–80 Musterfield

Group E
                        Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Vangaziland             5    5   0   464  313 +151    15   
2 Frenline Delpha         6    4   2   450  491  −41    12 
3 Musterfield             5    2   3   355  386  −31     6
4 Greater Churchill       6    2   4   391  411  −20     6     
5 Nueva Andalusia         6    1   5   388  447  −59     3

Group F
Adab 74–73 West Phoenicia
Abanhfleft 94–59 United States of Devonta

Group F
                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Abanhfleft                  6    6   0   530  382 +148    18
2 United States of Devonta    5    3   2   362  410  −48     9  
3 Empire of Cats              5    3   2   377  359  +18     9    
4 West Phoenicia              6    1   5   411  467  −56     3 
5 Adab                        6    1   5   421  483  −62     3

Group G
Unified Sunrise Islands 73–89 Natanians and Nosts
Foodporn 86–92 Ethane

Group G
                           Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Ethane                     5    5   0   379  325  +54    15  
2 Natanians and Nosts        6    4   2   461  436  +25    12
3 Newmanistan                5    3   2   391  368  +23     9  
4 Unified Sunrise Islands    6    2   4   434  444  −10     6  
5 Foodporn                   6    0   6   415  507  −92     0

Group H
Jeckland 61–78 Addled Braintopia
Spaam 74–64 Qasden

Group H
                        Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Qasden                  5    4   1   407  325  +82    12   
2 Valladares              5    4   1   407  347  +60    12   
3 Spaam                   6    4   2   457  453   +4    12  
4 Addled Braintopia       6    2   4   434  447  −13    6  
5 Jeckland                6    0   6   400  533 −133     0

---

redd = Eliminated

[Spaam]

Dollies Cause IBC Upset

The Spaamanian National Basketball team has caused controversy amid one of the biggest upsets in the International Basketball Championships last night. Sporting an unfamiliar green jersey for the match that was similar to their Qasden opponents, the Dollies overcome them in the last quarter to come out 84-74 winners. However, many are criticising the unusual change of uniform as 'cheating' as the Vans committed a massive 30 turnovers as confusion between their star point guard Justen Hocks, and the majority of the Spaamanian team who are genetic twins to Justen.

Having previous dominated the Dollies by 22 points in their last meeting, the hosts were expected to start out strongly in the first quarter. However, there were problems early on as similarities between the two teams' point guards caused the Vans' offence to be sluggish, and at the first turn the hosts were only up by a single point, 18 points to 17. The Qads continued to be slowed down by the Spaamanian's defense, as their man-to-man strategy caused their opponents to be hesitant to pass, and the turnovers started to become a problem. Tying the game up at the main break, the Dollies then took the lead at the end of the third quarter, 57 to 56.

Spaam then employed a change of strategy in the final quarter, which stalled the Qasden game completely. On offence, the Dollies were seen pretending to defend against each other, leaving them free to make their way to the basket with minimal interference. Meanwhile, on defence, the Spaamanians were heard calling out to the Qads for the ball, leading to an uncharacteristic number of turnovers and giving the visitors the advantage in the quarter. The Dollies outscored the Vans, 27 to 18 in the final quarter, giving them their best win to date. Spaamanian coach Nandee Elaavaris refused to speak to the media after the game, and crowd was seen booing Spaam as they left the court.

After their buzzer beating single point win over Addled Braintopia and their win over Qasden, Spaam are now equal first in Group H, but have played one more game than Qasden and Valladares. They now have a break before they face the winless Jeckland, followed by their must-win game against Valladares. Qasden will also be facing Valladares, who will be hoping for a win to ensure a top-two position.

[Saint Kanye]

(OOC: No results? No problem. We're throwing back to last season with this RP!)



IBC 22: IT'S OVER!
Surge beat Ethanese hosts 95-71, capture second title

by Claude Harlan

NEW SARUM - "Past is past. The Surge collapsed last season, but that's all behind us now. We rose up again. Started a new journey. And now, thanks to our dedication, hard work, teamwork, and your support, we ended up back at the top."

The words of Anton Spoletto, the new head coach of the overhauled St. Kanye Surge team, were immediately followed by cheers and applause from the Kanyean fans at Heritage Sports Centre. They had every reason to be happy, as after all, the boys in purple and lime just won the 22nd International Basketball Championships title by overwhelming hosts Ethane, 95-71. Victor McLain, the 21-year-old shooting guard out of the Kanyean National Institute of Technology, was declared Finals MVP after pouring out a performance of 31 points, three rebounds, six assists and two steals. Center Joel Pond added 16 points and nine rebounds, while small forward and team captain Josh Jackson had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. Henry Tellersom led the Ethanese with 23 points.

The game started with both nations' national anthems, St. Kanye's' first then the Ethane's. All twelve players from both sides were introduced one by one, as well as the coaching staff, again with the visiting Surge first. They were wearing their purple jerseys, whereas the home team wore white. As the opening tip began, so did the noise from the 6,703 Kanyeans, 12,169 Ethanese, and various other audience members present inside, as well as the many more outside.

Ethane's Lewis Oswalds won that toss, and eventually scored the first points of the IBC 22 finals with a short jumper. Tbe Surge quickly responded with Michael Porter finding his captain Jackson wide open for a three. The crowd reacted to every shot, rebound, foul or turnover thrown their way. At the end of the first quarter, the visitors were protecting a slim lead over the hosts, 22-20.

The Surge were trying to escape from their opponents in the second, but Ethane just kept snapping at their heels. The Kanyeans' largest lead was seven, 39-32 off a floater by Porter with 5:47 remaining in the quarter, but that was quickly cut back to three with two consecutive baskets by Ethanese power forward Samuel Anderson, the second one getting a loud cheer from the home fans for being shot over two taller Kanyean defenders. The Surge answered quickly once more, and the two teams traded baskets and then headed into the locker rooms at halftime, with St. Kanye leading 46-40.

The Surge's coaches liked to mix things up, and so they put in a team of, from point guard to center: Norman "The Fly" Walker, Jayvon Duff, Zack Coyle, Joey Levy and DeAngelo Norris - all bench players - to start the third. This unit was able to grow the Kanyeans' lead to thirteen, 58-45 after a dunk by Levy, but head coach Spoletto and assistant coach Bernard Foley still toyed with their lineup. All-arounder Jackson, three-point specialist McLain, and star rebounder Brock Dotson were utilized at times, and as McLain hit a three-point shot over a defending Tellersom, the Ethanese fans were silenced as they fell behind by fourteen, 70-56 to end the third.

With such a big lead, a second championship for the Glorious Free Republic seemed like a sure thing, but the Surge didn't want to get too cocky. They were instructed to take as much time off the clock as possible in the fourth quarter, to limit Ethane's chances of scoring. St. Kanye's excellent outside shooting meant that they still got the big points despite slowing down. They even scored twelve points in a three-minute stretch while not allowing the Ethanese to score, turning the lead from 76-61 at the 7:26 mark to 88-61 at 4:26. But when the game is almost over and the score reading 95-69 with ten seconds remaining, the Surge allowed Oswalds to make a windmill dunk, give Ethane two more points, and let them finish the IBC finals in front of their countrymen with a bang.

As the buzzer sounded, confetti rained down from the rafters of Heritage Sports Centre, and fans and press members rushed to the court to meet and greet the players and staff. Finals MVP McLain of the Surge described it as a "very happy feeling, following the footsteps of the likes of James Blackwell and Darren Overton [the original team's co-captains] with an IBC ring, and of course making our families and country proud." Meanwhile, Ethanese manager Devyn Weekes said that he wanted his team to answer to the press in a separate conference to be held after the awarding ceremony.

Earlier, IBC 21 champs, the Abanhfleft Rebolusyonaryos, defeated the Vangaziland Royals, 90-52, for the IBC 22 bronze medal. Jazz Higgs, the Rebs' half-Kanyean, half-Drawkian center, was the player of the game with a double-double of 37 points and 16 rebounds. Abanhfleft likewise fielded a different team from the squad that won the title last season, but unlike St. Kanye, it had two holdovers in Higgs and point guard Chris Morada.

Scores:

ST. KANYE 95 - McLain 31, Pond 16, Jackson 12, Dotson 9, Porter 9, Levy 6, Norris 5, Duff 3, Walker 3, Lopez 1, Adams 0, Coyle 0.

ETHANE 71 - Tellersom 23, Anderson 15, Oswalds 10, Steven-Pauls 8, Stacey 5, Denvis 3, Pauling 3, Davidson 2, Masters 2, Illswalker 0, Summers 0, Underwood 0.

Quarters: 22-20, 46-40, 70-56, 95-71.

[Empire of Cats]

Sports Bar Video Trending as IBC Heats Up

Olulawi (International AP) - As the Twenty-Third International Basketball Classic moves past the halfway point, a recent video of three players from the IBC singing Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" together on a bar stage in a bar in the capitol of Abaja has gone internationally viral. In the video, Teresa Rolde, one of the players from the Empire of Cats and one of the so-called "Three Musketeers" of the Empire of Catsian team, Jazz Higgs of Abanhfleft and Victor McLain of Saint Kanye have their arms over one another's shoulders and are performing the song in front of a small crowd of Abajaians. All three are smiling and cheerful, and no evidence of any hostile or unfriendliness is shown, and has already been hailed by many Empire of Catsians as the perfect symbol of what the nation stands for: friendliness and peace.

As of this morning, the video has already received nearly thirty-eight million views after being uploaded last night by a sports broadcasting outlet in Olulawi which has been covering the IBC. "Before seeing this video, I couldn't tell the difference between a basketball and a baseball. I still can't, but I can tell you that if players are this friendly as representatives of their nation, I will support our sports programs 100%. Teresa Rolde represents what our nation is founded on," said one commenter. "The friendship and camaraderie between these players brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes," wrote another. "It is good to know that with all the strife in the world, we can still live together." Other responses were much more simple, including this one: "It's official. Teresa Rolde is my favorite basketball player." - Excerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch, Felicity Harris reporting.

[Ethane]

Match Day Seven Results
Abajan Side

---

Group A
New Lusitania and the Algarves 69–83 Nova Anglicana
Drawkland 77–93 Abaja

Group A                           Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                         6    5   0   1   483  433  +50    15
2 Abaja                             5    4   0   1   412  364  +48    12
3 Nova Anglicana                    6    3   0   3   472  457  +15     9
4 Soltsteed                         5    1   0   4   380  424  −44     3
5 New Lusitania and the Algarves    6    1   0   5   436  505  −69     3

Group B
Nueva Celta 82–65 PandaClaws
Saint Kanye 96–81 Free Republics

Group B                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Saint Kanye             6    6   0   0   600  465 +135    18
2 Cosumar                 5    3   0   2   440  441   −1     9
3 Free Republics          5    3   0   2   404  423  −19     9
4 Nueva Celta             6    2   0   4   460  494  −34     6
5 PandaClaws              6    0   0   6   450  531  −81     0

Group C
Flardania 58–69 Corcra and Tir Trodaithe
West Saintland 84–68 A Couple of People

Group C                     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 West Saintland              6    5   0   1   506  458  +48    15
2 Ceni                        5    5   0   0   448  408  +40    15
3 Flardania                   6    2   0   4   499  500   −1     6
4 Corcra and Tir Trodaithe    6    2   0   4   458  500  −42     6
5 A Couple of People          5    0   0   5   377  422  −45     0

Group D
Purple Rabbits 72–65 Valanora
Kecrazia 78–78 Vettrera (85–86 OT)

Group D                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 The Iron Syndicate      5    5   0   0   423  376  +47    15
2 Valanora                6    3   0   3   458  447  +11     9
3 Vettrera                5    3   0   2   392  382  +10     9
4 Purple Rabbits          6    3   0   3   465  465    0     9
5 Kecrazia                6    0   0   6   423  491  −68     0

[The Iron Syndicate]

OOC: Yes, I know this part isn't great compared to the others. It's what I get for assuming there's going to be a delay and not bothering to write it out with a lot of time left.

Enigma

Chapter Six

The SUV moved to the front of the garage, and then as it took up its position there, the two large doors slid open and revealed a ramp that led down and through the rest of the property and then onto the street beyond the fence. They accelerated, revealing the sound of an engine that had to be better than just the typical kind that would be found in a luxury SUV, and sped onto the street before joining the line of traffic that was heading further downtown.

“You probably think that this is just a basketball visit, and while it is, it's also more than that,” said Quinn Kelly, the multi billionaire who had brought Sol Star here to Luxus. He had a small grin on his face as he explained, because he knew that Sol had no idea what he was talking about, and he just continued as the young player sat silently next to him. “You see, I was in the tech business before I was in the sports one. Everyone knows me as the CEO and founder of IronSoft, but that's not really the main thing that I'm into. I've always been a fan of weird stuff, things that haven't been fully developed yet that I can put my mind towards finishing…

“You know, stuff that's like a puzzle with a few pieces missing, that can make a big difference for a lot of people if someone can find the missing piece. I'm the guy that finds those pieces, and I have a lot of side projects in industries that are still developing. One of those things that I'm working on… Well, you already know a lot about it. But I've been in on it from near the start, and I'm one of the biggest investors into it. I'm talking about Project Enigma, and I know more about the background of it and what actually goes into it than you do, no matter how much you've benefitted from it.

“Now, I know you're probably thinking that I can't possibly know more about Enigma than someone that's around because of it, but I think you'll find yourself surprised by just now involved my company is in all of this. We were one of the companies that jumped in to support Enigma when the Syndicate called out secretly for investors and said that they would require more funding to continue the creation of the project and the initial development. They were ready to shut their doors and we came in and gave them everything from research equipment to funding to professionals who knew how to use the budget more effectively.

“And so, like you know, Enigma grew and grew, but you don't realize that this whole time, I haven't made any profits off of it. It's been a big cash drain and if it wasn't for having someone to sponsor it, it would have collapsed multiple years ago under the weight of its own costs. But I never cared about that because I'm not in this for the money, I'm in it to keep pushing the advancement of technology forward and helping this country make progress in that field. That's why IronSoft has been so successful, and it's also why Enigma is still a thing right now, and not some defunct project that was frozen for losing money for every year of its existence.

“As I said, I kept pushing the research forward and putting more and more money into it and what I got in return was a project that was coming closer to the original goal: creating a perfect human. You should know that this project wasn't created because of sports, no matter what you may have been told, but it was created to improve the human condition. It just so happens that sports is one of the best ways to test if the project is working, and that sports requires peak condition. That little fact has meant that something like, say, basketball, goes hand in hand with observing the project and seeing if it's working.

“You're the result of this project, of course, and I believe that Luxus is the best destination for you to sign in because of my background with this project and my ties with it… Other teams don't realize how important and special you are, and don't understand your true background, but I do. I have an active role in running this team, and I can make sure that you fit into the system better than you would fit into it somewhere else. More accurately, I can change that system around you, to make you more comfortable and to maximize your talent. You have a ton of potential to be a star, but you have to remember that there's four other players out there and that if you head to the wrong team, they can drag you down.

“But of course, I want you to find the right city for you, too, because Luxus isn't for everyone. I had Dustin call you here, but I didn't intend on trying to keep you here if it's not what you want, even if I'm the only owner in the league that has a knowledge and expertise of the project. That's why I brought you here instead of coming to your door… So you can experience the city for yourself and make your choice.”

Sol stared out the window at the city lights as Quinn spoke, and then had a reply of his own when he was finished. “You've funded this project and you might be one of the original people behind it, but that doesn't mean that your team is the best one. It's not like they know about it, and even if you're trying to pull strings from the background, I'm still going to have to deal with some of the same things that I would deal with anywhere else… What should make me want to sign here instead of Portus?”

“Portus might be a huge city, but it's no Luxus, and you just can't replicate what you can find here. Everything there is more subdued and everything here is over the top, it really just depends on what you're looking for in a city and what you're looking for in a team. I'd like to think that my Luxus Dolphins represent this city well,” said Quinn. “The Dolphins players are loved here, and with the money that you're going to be making if you decide to join us… Well, it's going to be a fun place for you to live, and I think it's better that I show you instead of simply telling you.”

[Natanians and Nosts]

Natanians and Nosts is close to advancing to the next round at the 23rd IBC,wich would be an incredible fact since it's only our third IBC and we're not particularly good.Our supporters would be surprse if we did so,since they don't trust the team.If they manage a win against Newmanistan the chances are really high,but would they be able to defeat Ehtane the group leaders?Ethane has 15 points,Natanians and Nosts has 12 points,it's basically certain that they will defeat us at the last matchday,but what if we defated them?That's absurd I know,but we have mr. Molnár who's a great player (both in size and in court) has scored a great quantity of points,but the rest wasn't as good in scoring,but have proven to be great as a whole making our team currently the best scorers in our group.

[Saint Kanye]

IBC 23: SURGE RETURN TO PLAYOFFS
Yeezies get first playoff seat in Group B with win over Free Republics

by Kelsey Ratzenberger

OLULAWI - The St. Kanye Surge ensure themselves a place in the top sixteen teams of the 23rd International Basketball Championships by getting their sixth straight win, a 96-81 result over Free Republics.

Josh Jackson, the Kanyeans' team captain, scored eleven of his team-leading 25 points in the fourth quarter, where the purple-clad Kanyeans pulled away from the white-clad Free Republics team to win by fifteen, after leading by just five at the end of the third quarter and tying at the end of the second. Rodolfo Udinesi led Free Republics with 17 points before being ejected with 2:27 remaining in the third quarter for a hard foul on Surge point guard Michael Porter. Porter also left the game, with a bloody lip and a missing tooth from when Udinesi hit his face.

The revenge-minded Free Republics, ranked 59th in the world, came into ZorgadiAir Arena carrying a 3-1 record, their sole loss coming from their Kanyean opponents in Matchday 2, 64-96. They started out well, getting the jump ball and a 7-4 start after two minutes. The Surge, not wanting to fall behind early, called a timeout. They would take the lead, 10-7 off a three-pointer by Victor McLain, and keep it until the end of the first ten minutes of action, 19-16.

After a fruitless possession by St. Kanye to start the second quarter, Free Republics would tie with a three-point play by center Rami Nystrom, and even threaten back for the lead with Udinesi attempting a fifteen-foot jumper, but he was blocked by Joel Pond. The Surge would then score a four-point play with McLain's three plus a foul by Free Republics PG Markus Herrmann, starting a 13-4 run. Free Republics would use up a timeout, though, and score nine unanswered points to tie the game at 32. After an exchange of baskets for each side, the first half of the game would end with both teams scoring 44 points.

The Surge would again break the tie with a layup by Pond, 46-44. Free Republics would try to answer back, but the tight Kanyean defense made them force and miss a bad shot with the shot clock winding down, A three by Jackson made the score 49-44 for the Surge with 7:56 remaining in the third quarter. A tip-in off Dave Samson's own miss gave the Kanyeans their first two-digit lead in the game, 71-60 at the 1:54 mark, though it was short-lived as Free Republics would make six straight points to end the quarter (it would have been eight, but Zack Coyle was able to chase down a seemingly unguarded Joakim Lindqvist and swipe the ball away from him as time ran out).

The Surge were not content with the slim lead, and didn't want it to see-saw back to the other guys. They changed the five on the floor every chance they got, and switched defensive assignments. Also, the ejection of Udinesi brought Free Republics down at the SG spot, and McLain and Jackson, who he at times swapped positions with, capitalized. The former brought the lead back to double digits with a right corner three, 79-69 for the Surge at the 8:10 mark, while the latter scored five points during a ten-to-nothing run to make St. Kanye's lead eighteen, 92-74 with 3:26 remaining. Free Republics then contented themselves to cutting down the lead to not reduce their point differential. However, the lowest they can manage to trail by is thirteen, 94-81, until Johnathan Schneider brought it back to fifteen with two free throws at the 0:04 mark.

Surge head coach Anton Spoletto had many things to be pleased about. "The boys are back in the playoffs, we have the highest scoring average (a hundred points per game), we're also up there in point differential (+135, third behind the Vangaziland Royals' +151 and the Abanhfleft Rebolusyonaryos' +148). But there's still the last two games. We won't treat Nueva Celta and especially Cosumar as pushovers. In fact, we'll fight as if we really need those games just to stay alive." St. Kanye takes a break tomorrow, then guns for a second win over Nueva Celta, who they already beat 94-62 in Matchday 4. Kanyean stadium attendance at the recently-concluded Free Republics game was at 3,609.

Scores:

ST. KANYE 96 - Jackson 25, Pond 15, McLain 14, Dotson 13, Porter 8, Samson 7, Walker 7, Schneider 4, Levy 2, Norris 1, Coyle 0, Duff 0.

FREE REPUBLICS 81 - Udinesi 17, Osorio 15, Martin 10, Nystrom 10, Herrmann 9, Lindqvist 6, Saldana 6, Mikluho 4, Jones 3, Owens 1, Mancini 0, Markovic 0.

Quarters: 19-16, 44-44, 71-66, 96-81.

---

Around the IBC

by the Kibitzer Research Department

Brock Dotson speaks out about the latest video sweeping the internet, featuring his fellow Surge player and best friend Victor McLain singing at an Olulawi bar alongside Abanhfleft's Jazz Higgs and the Empire of Cats' Teresa Rolde. "Hey, if that's how they chill out, then so be it. Just don't push me into that kinda thing, I admit I'm a bad singer, I'd ruin it", he chuckles. "But I'm still all for international unity and friendship between competitors. I know 7ball. Drawks, I want to play you."

GROUP A: ABAJA 93, DRAWKLAND 77

The Lions (4-1) avenge their three-point Matchday 1 loss to the Net Corp (5-1) by beating them by sixteen. If both teams finish the group stages on top, and with identical records, co-hosts Abaja will get the higher seed over Drawkland by virtue of head-to-head points for.

GROUP B: NUEVA CELTA 82, PANDACLAWS 65

One Group B newbie shuts the door on another's chances on making the Round of 16 as Nueva Celta (2-4) beats PandaClaws (0-6) by seventeen.

GROUP C: WEST SAINTLAND 84, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE 68

This sixteen-point win by the West Sanctii (5-1) books them a playoffs spot, alongside idle Ceni. ACoP falls to 0-5.

GROUP D: VETTRERA 86, KECRAZIA 85, OT

A one-point overtime win by Vettrera (3-2) means that Kecrazia (0-6) is still winless, and now out of the running for the IBC 23 title.

GROUP E: FRENLINE DELPHA 99, NUEVA ANDALUSIA 75

The Anacondas (4-2) send Nueva Andalusia (1-5) to an early exit from the competition by burying them by two dozen points.

GROUP F: ADAB 74, WEST PHOENICIA 73

Adab nips West Phoenicia for its first win, matching its victims' record at 1-5.

GROUP G: ETHANE 92, FOODPORN 86

The Ethanese team, at 5-0, is still without a loss after they eliminate winless Foodporn (0-6) from playoff contention with a six-point win.

GROUP H: SPAAM 74, QASDEN 64

The Dollies' (4-2) ten-point upset of the co-host Vans (4-1) made sure that no Group H team would finish the group stages with a perfect record.

---

Game Schedule - Group B

Surge Record So Far: 6-0

Matchday 1: W 106-88 vs. PandaClaws (UR*)
Matchday 2: W 96-64 vs. Free Republics (59)
Matchday 3: BREAK
Matchday 4: W 94-62 vs. Nueva Celta (UR)
Matchday 5: W 105-95 vs. Cosumar (15)
BREAK
Matchday 6: W 103-75 vs. PandaClaws (UR)
Matchday 7: W 96-81 vs. Free Republics (59)
Matchday 8: BREAK
Matchday 9: White Jerseys vs. Nueva Celta (UR)
Matchday 10: Purple Jerseys vs. Cosumar (15)
BREAK
Playoffs

*Unranked.

All games televised live through SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and streamed on ibc-tv.stk.

[Empire of Cats]

Felines Get Off Day; Practice and Prepare For the Final Games

Olulawi - The Empire of Catsian national team in the IBC, the Feral Felines, spent yesterday practicing extensively as they prepared to take on their next opponents, focusing in particular on gaining and maintaining momentum through the end of the game, an area that has hurt the Felines and cost them two games. In between practices, the team studied videos of their opponents and analyzed their styles, preparing notes and drawing up strategies to keep their opponents on their toes. However, time was also spent relaxing and resting. Coach Alexander Bell explained his logic behind the use of the off day: "Practicing until you drop of exhaustion isn't how we play the game. Balance of all three aspects - strategy, practice, and rest - allow our team to devise plans, practice them, get a feel for their opponent's style, and then rest so they can keep on their toes and keep from overexertion. Playing your heart out in practice is all well and good - but not if you end up so tired you can't play well on game day."

In their practices, the team divided into two and one team would test the other's ability to play defense against a certain style. "Our team put in a lot of work today. If it pays off, that's good, and we'll be happy. If it doesn't, then we'll have more experience as basketball players and a stronger basis to go off of," said William Tull, one of the guards and member of the top three scorers, the Three Musketeers. "A loss is one thing, but an unwillingness to learn from it or see beyond it means you'll just make the same mistake again, and that's far worse. You don't run from failure, you learn from it so you can face it."

That evening, Coach Bell presented the team with a series of small gifts, saying that even if they didn't win or make ether playoffs they had made their mark on him. The team in turn presented the coach with an etched silver plaque depicting the team and the catchphrase: "The 23rd IBC - The First For Us, But Not The Last." Coach Bell accepted the plaque, which will be hung on the wall of a new sports center planned in Catstantinople to honor the surge in sports popularity. Construction is expected to begin later this month. - Excerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch, Edward Reed reporting.

[Qasden]

Back home from comp and ready for the next CUTOFF for the Abajan side! To compensate my absence and to pay my debt to Ethane, here's some memeage music.

---

Group A

Abaja 77-65 New Lusitania and the Algarves
Nova Anglicana 73-68 Soltsteed

Group A                           Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Abaja                             6    5   0   1   489  429  +60    15
2 Drawkland                         6    5   0   1   483  433  +50    15
3 Nova Anglicana                    7    4   0   3   545  525  +20    12
4 Soltsteed                         6    1   0   5   448  497  −49    3
5 New Lusitania and the Algarves    7    1   0   6   501  582  −81    3

---

Group B

Free Republics 88-72 Nueva Celta
PandaClaws 54-74 Cosumar

Group B                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Saint Kanye             6    6   0   0   600  465 +135    18
2 Cosumar                 6    4   0   2   514  495   +19   12
3 Free Republics          6    4   0   2   492  495  −3     12
4 Nueva Celta             7    2   0   5   532  582  −50    6
5 PandaClaws              7    0   0   7   504  605  −101   0

---

Group C

A Couple of People 60-92 Flardania
Corcra and Tir Trodaithe 73-85 Ceni

Group C                     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Ceni                        6    6   0   0   533  481  +52    18
2 West Saintland              6    5   0   1   506  458  +48    15
3 Flardania                   7    3   0   4   591  560  +31     9
4 Corcra and Tir Trodaithe    7    2   0   5   531  585  −54     6
5 A Couple of People          6    0   0   6   437  514  −77     0

---

Group D

Vettrera 100-75 Purple Rabbits
Valanora 96-91 The Iron Syndicate

Group D                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 The Iron Syndicate      6    5   0   1   514  472  +52     15
2 Vettrera                6    4   0   2   492  457  +35     12
3 Valanora                7    4   0   3   554  538  +16     12
4 Purple Rabbits          7    3   0   4   540  565  -25     9
5 Kecrazia                6    0   0   6   423  491  −68     0

ruzz = Eliminated
ruzz = Advance

[Abaja]

---

---

MATCHDAY 8 CUT-OFF
Qasdonian Side

It's getting intense in Qasden. Who will pull away? MD8 results can respond

---

Group E
Musterfield 67–81 Frenline Delpha
Nueva Andalusia 76–98 Vangaziland

Group E
                        Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Vangaziland             6    6   0   562  389 +173    18  
2 Frenline Delpha         7    5   2   531  558  −27    15 
3 Greater Churchill       6    2   4   391  411  −20     6  
4 Musterfield             6    2   4   422  467  −45     6 
5 Nueva Andalusia         7    1   6   464  545  −81     3 

Group F
United States of Devonta 62–83 Adab
West Phoenicia 58–76 Empire of Cats

Group F
                            Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Abanhfleft                  6    6   0   530  382 +148    18 
2 Empire of Cats              6    4   2   453  417  +36    12  
3 United States of Devonta    6    3   3   424  493  −69     9  
4 Adab                        7    2   5   504  545  −41     6  
5 West Phoenicia              7    1   6   469  543  −74     3

Group G
Ethane 85–58 Unified Sunrise Islands
Natanians and Nosts 83–74 Newmanistan

Group G
                           Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Ethane                     6    6   0   464  383  +81    18  
2 Natanians and Nosts        7    5   2   544  510  +34    15 
3 Newmanistan                6    3   3   465  451  +14     9  
4 Unified Sunrise Islands    7    2   5   492  529  −37     6  
5 Foodporn                   6    0   6   415  507  −92     0  

Group H
Qasden 75–63 Jeckland
Addled Braintopia 65–98 Valladares

Group H
                        Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD   Pts                                
1 Qasden                  6    5   1   482  388  +94    15  
2 Valladares              6    5   1   505  412  +93    15  
3 Spaam                   6    4   2   457  453   +4    12  
4 Addled Braintopia       7    2   5   499  545  −46     6 
5 Jeckland                7    0   7   463  608 −145     0 

ruzz = Eliminated
ruzz = Advance

[Saint Kanye]

Around the IBC

by the Kibitzer Research Department

The St. Kanye Surge players and staff were spotted watching the Free Republics-Nueva Celta game at ZorgadiAir Arena in Olulawi today. Head coach Anton Spoletto said that they were here to scout Nueva Celta out, as they will be playing them tomorrow. "We're looking to counter their [Nueva Celta's] strengths and exploit their weaknesses", the 64-year-old Spoletto told the Kibitzer. "They may be out of the playoffs already, but we don't care. We ain't letting them off easy. We ain't letting them play spoiler to our campaign." The Surge are already entered in the Round of 16 with a 6-0 record, and have two games remaining in their schedule.

GROUP A: NOVA ANGLICANA 73, SOLTSTEED 68

Nova Anglicana's record improves to 4-3, still enough to give them a chance to steal a playoff seat from either Abaja or Drawkland, both at 5-1. Soltsteed, at 1-5, is already eliminated.

GROUP B: FREE REPUBLICS 88, NUEVA CELTA 72

Nueva Celta bows out of IBC 23 at 2-5, while Free Republics keep their playoff hopes alive at 4-2, the same record as the Cosumar Stallions. Cosumar and Free Republics are fighting for one of the two spots in Group B, the other already belonging to the 6-0 St. Kanye Surge.

GROUP C: FLARDANIA 92, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE 60

The Lightspeed win and send ACoP to 0-6, but still don't make it past the group stages as their 3-4 record can no longer surpass that of the current top two teams in Group C: 6-0 Ceni and 5-1 West Saintland.

GROUP D: VALANORA 96, THE IRON SYNDICATE 91

Valanora's (4-3) old elves dish out Sol Star and his crew's first defeat, a five-point decision, bringing the Black Arrows' record down to 5-1.

GROUP E: FRENLINE DELPHA 81, MUSTERFIELD 67

Frenline Delpha (5-2) advances, beating Musterfield (2-4) by fourteen. The Anacondas are continuing to gnaw at their poor point differential, currently at -27, to avoid getting the lowest seed in the Round of 16.

GROUP F: ADAB 83, UNITED STATES OF DEVONTA 62

Adab (2-5) make it two straight wins, but still find themselves ousted from the playoffs. They bring the USD down to 3-3 and third place in Group F, though, behind 4-2 Empire of Cats and already advancing 6-0 Abanhfleft.

GROUP G: ETHANE 85, UNIFIED SUNRISE ISLANDS 58

The Ethanese (6-0) open the IBC 23 playoffs door for themselves, and also close it on the USI (2-5) with this twenty-seven-point triumph.

GROUP H: QASDEN 75, JECKLAND 63

A day after being upset by the Spaam Dollies, the Qasden Vans (5-1) return to their winning ways by keeping Jeckland (0-7) winless.

---

Game Schedule - Group B

Surge Record So Far: 6-0

Matchday 1: W 106-88 vs. PandaClaws (UR*)
Matchday 2: W 96-64 vs. Free Republics (59)
Matchday 3: BREAK
Matchday 4: W 94-62 vs. Nueva Celta (UR)
Matchday 5: W 105-95 vs. Cosumar (15)
BREAK
Matchday 6: W 103-75 vs. PandaClaws (UR)
Matchday 7: W 96-81 vs. Free Republics (59)
Matchday 8: BREAK
Matchday 9: White Jerseys vs. Nueva Celta (UR)
Matchday 10: Purple Jerseys vs. Cosumar (15)
BREAK
Playoffs

*Unranked.

All games televised live through SKYNET (Saint KanYe NETwork) Sports Channel 12 and streamed on ibc-tv.stk.

[Empire of Cats]

An End In Sight: Felines Take Second Game and Prepare for Final Matches

Catstantinople - The Feral Felines steamrolled the hapless West Phoenician Scorpions in a 20-point beatdown, 76-58, as the team continues to prepare for the final stretch of games that will decide whether they earn the No. 2 playoff spot in Group F or end up heading back home at the end of the regular season. While they are currently the No. 2 seed in the group at 4-2, pushing the U.S.D. into the No. 3 seed, it is a precarious hold and one that needs to be solidified if the Feral Felines have any hope of reaching the playoffs at all. Abanhfleft has already taken the first playoff spot. There is no room for error.

Empire of Cats 76 - 58 West Phoenicia

The Three Musketeers put up a total of 54 points, including assists of each other in the win, but it was guard Ray'shon Young who clinched the victory by sinking two three-pointers in back-to-back possessions to put the game out of the reach of the Scorpions, who were dealt back-to-back losses by the Felines and the Adabians, who managed to win their first game. The 0-2 run knocks the Scorpions out of playoff contention, along with Adab, despite their victory. That leaves two teams by default to battle for the last spot: the Feral Felines - and the U.S.D. In their last matchup, the U.S.D. inflicted one of two of the Feline's losses (the other coming to undefeated Abanhfleft).

"We need to keep our eye on the ball," said Young. "We can't afford to slip up against them or any of our opponents. This is our only shot at the playoffs, and we can't afford to drop any of our games." William Tull also seconded the opinion. "We have to be on our toes at all times. There's no room for error and no way forward but through."

The battle lines have been drawn. It's time to find out who will be making the playoffs beside Abanhfleft. - Excerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch, Edward Reed reporting.

[Empire of Cats]

Can The Felines Make the Playoffs?

Catstantinople - The Empire of Catsian national basketball team, or the Feral Felines - or just Felines - as they are more commonly known at the 23rd IBC, currently 4-2 and in the No. 2 spot in that group, are faced with a rather unusual position: they are one game separated from the United States of Devontia, currently 3-3 and in the No. 3 spot as the IBC enters its final games of the regular season. Of the exactly forty teams that are participating in the IBC, only sixteen will advance to the playoffs. The qualification is simple: be one of the top two teams in your group. The achieving of that goal? Not so much.

The undefeated Abanhfleft has locked up the first of those spots, which is unsurprising, as they are ranked No. 2 in the world and are undefeated at 6-0. The other, final spot is open, and the Felines currently hold it, but it is a tenuous spot. As for the rest of the group, the West Phoenician Scorpions and the Adabians are eliminated, which leaves two teams gunning for one playoff spot. There is only one shot at this for the Felines, and they cannot afford to trip up.

Tonight, the Felines face off against the United States of Devontia in what has already been called a "winner takes all" game. If the Felines lose, they become 4-3, tying the U.S.D., which has the advantage, having swept the series 2-0, and probably earns the second playoff spot. If the Felines win, then they go 5-2 and effectively cinch the final spot. There is no middle ground; one of these two teams is going to go on to the round of 16 and the other is going home.

So how likely is it that the Felines will end up making the playoffs? It depends on what the Three Musketeers can come up with and what the U.S.D. can do. In their only matchup, the Felines lost by four points. The U.S.D. is coming off of a loss at Adab, while the Felines have won their last two (at Adab and West Phoenicia). But can they do it?

We'll find out tonight. - Excerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch Sports Voices page, Randy Moss reporting.

[The Iron Syndicate]

Enigma

Chapter Seven

When the team arrived back in the Iron Syndicate to meet for the training sessions that would be held during their bye week, all eyes were on Sol Star. The Syndicate press was not only large but was all pervasive and had found out about the split between him and training partner Diamond Heart, after the latter had rejected his offer of a relationship, and both the tennis media and the basketball media was covering it and asking how it would affect the play of both star players. Because of the bye meaning that the Arrows wouldn't have a game until they traveled to Valanora, that relationship drama had actually made the front page of some prestigious papers, with Sol now being one of the most well known celebrities in sports.

Yes, his true identity, or rather his true origins, was still a secret that hadn't reached the public yet. But that was part of why he was so popular. He was dominating some of the better teams in the IBC and carrying this unranked nation to some big upsets in their first tournament, and he was doing it in flashy style despite everyone not knowing who or what he really was. The wild speculation was part of why everyone tuned in. The fans and the media were looking for little hints, and things like the popular Lass Rot theory had gained traction, with that theory saying that he was the son of former Portus Pirates star Lass Rot and that Sol Star was an anagram for that name. But Rot, the head of Syndicate Basketball, rejected that theory and that rejection was believed by enough people to give rise to many other theories that spread through the papers and the TV stations like wildfire.

It wasn't just the sports press that was interested, it was the national one. Everyone from sports reporters to talk show hosts had their own ideas about who this point guard was and why he was good enough to lead them despite apparently not playing outside of the parks until joining the national team. Some said that he was an alien captured by the government and disguised as a human, and others said that he had unlocked some kind of black magic found in deep space that had given him these abilities. There was another theory that he was an android and not a human, but that had been shot down by experts in the industry who said that there were no androids existing right now that looked that much like humans. More than a few people in prominent media outlets thought that he was a foreign player who had been brought in for a fee and naturalized so that he could represent the Syndicate under a new identity instead of playing for his home country, but nobody had found any other players that looked enough like him to really be him, let alone any who had skills like his.

So when Sol arrived at the arena for practice, there was naturally a row of press waiting to see what he had to say about his origins, despite him not answering any questions in the past about it. And it wasn't just that, they wanted to know too about what had happened between him and Diamond, and they wanted to hear from him about if it would have an affect on his play or not. “Sol, Sol!” a reporter called out, before blocking his path by sticking a microphone in his face when he was headed towards the private gate that the players and media used. “Do you mind telling us what it was about you and Diamond Heart that made you two not work out as a couple?”

Sol stopped walking, shrugging and adjusting the black Portus Central hat that he was wearing, staring at the reporter with his unusual dark grey eyes. “You know her. She's a traditional type of person… A tennis player, a very country club type. I'm a little too unconventional for her and she couldn't handle dating someone if she can't be sure that they're from the same background. I'm over it,” he said, and then after a pause, he spoke up into the microphone again. “It's not going to affect my play. If I don't play as well, it's because Valanora is a very good team, a top ten one, and it's hard for lightning to strike twice against teams like them.”

Another reporter reached over the barrier with a microphone, trying to get his attention. “On another note, you were seen in Luxus recently and you were seen with Dolphins owner Quinn Kelly, are you going to be joining the Dolphins for the upcoming domestic season?”

Sol shrugged again, keeping the same nonchalant expression on that he wore on and off of the court. “I don't know, I'm keeping my options open and I've only made one visit so far. I have to see what the rest of the league has to offer, but I enjoyed my visit to the Dolphins very much. A lot of people know that IronSoft has had a partnership with them for awhile, but most don't know just how much of a role Quinn Kelly has in running that organization or just how innovative they are when it comes to certain things, like sports science and analytics. I think I could improve my game by going there, for sure.”

There were some more questions, but Sol was going to be late for the practice, and so he nodded towards the reporters and said one last thing to them. “Look, guys, I'd love to talk with you all day, but Robin doesn't like it when we show up late to practice and I don't intend on getting on his bad side. Not today, anyway. I know what you all want to know, but long story short, I'm not saying anything today about my background and I'm also not saying what team I'll be playing for in the future. You all will have to keep waiting and you'll see eventually,” he said, before bowing slightly to them and turning to head into the arena.

When he entered, he was like a rock star. The arena staff all waved to him and called out to him, telling him to have a good practice session and to take down Valanora when the bye was over. He heard comments from both the cleaning staff and a few of the vendors that were on their way to stock the concourse shops. When he reached the actual locker room, he saw that most of the players had already headed out to the court. The only player that was still there was Dustin Durant, who was finishing with putting his jersey on and getting ready to go to the court. “Sol, I didn't expect you to be the last one here. What happened to being the first one in and last one out?”

“The press is still freaking out over the thing with Diamond, and they saw me in Luxus, too. They want to know if I'm going to sign, and they also expect some profound statement about why me and Diamond didn't work. It is what it is, I tried my best to give them a decent sound bite, because I know they're just doing their jobs,” Sol said.

“Oh yeah, I forgot you were in Luxus, how did you like the city? Did Quinn do a good job showing you around? And did you see for yourself what I said about it being the best city for a young male athlete?”

Sol chuckled, bumping fists with Dustin as the two of them walked into the tunnel, Dustin wearing a full uniform and Sol still wearing sweats and a team jacket. “I'm not gonna go into all the details, let's just say that I managed to pick up a few new side chicks while I was there. Maybe it is a good thing that Diamond didn't want to be with me, because she definitely wouldn't be happy. Quinn was great, too. He's a lot smarter than I thought. I mean, I always knew he was a tech genius but I didn't know that he was a really good executive also. I'm tempted by his offer, because me and him have an understanding and he's willing to make me a centerpiece. I don't know what you think about that, though, and I could see why you wouldn't like that.”

“Nah, the Dolphins have always been a stacked team in recent years. If I only cared about being the main superstar, I wouldn't have come here. I'd rather win all the rings with a big three of me and you and Rubi than be the big star on a team that loses all the time. What other team are you thinking about? Luxus is offering you the most cash and the best location-”

“But not the glory of the capital. There's just a different allure of Portus, the seat of power for this whole county. The Portus press is the biggest one and I think that while I could win with either the Dolphins or the Pirates, the Pirates have more of the things in place to make me a real legend. I'm talking statues outside of the national arena, and having my jersey in the rafters. You know, being the greatest to play here in this country. That's so much easier to do with the Portus press at my back and the glory of the Pirates helping me out.”

There was a pause, and both players left the tunnel and stepped into the inner part of the arena, moving to the court and avoiding being hit by flying passes as they made their way to center court. “Luxus can beat Portus if we're just comparing cities. Yeah, the media is bigger and there's more people, but Luxus has the casinos and the girls and the better housing. I can promise you that you aren't going to get crammed into an apartment in Luxus, but you will in Portus, where even the rich live like sardines in a can. Other than Ceres, there's not many other cities with as much sprawl as Luxus. And you already said that you like Quinn and that he's impressed you as an exec. Why not be the one to bring all of that glory here, and be known as the one that unseated the capital as the biggest team?”

Sol shrugged, snatching a pass out of the air and shooting it from the three point line in the corner. “It's a lot to think about, and I'll have to take some time to decide what's the best option for me. You'll all know by the end of the IBC though, and I'm not going to turn this into some long and drawn out saga that everyone is sick of by the time the actual decision comes out. But there's a lot of factors going into this and as much as I hate to seem like the mysterious player who keeps secrets from his teammates, I don't think I can explain all of them here or now.”

“Right, well, that's reasonable. As long as you keep playing for the national team and making us relevant in the biggest tournament that there is for basketball, I'm fine with wherever you go,” replied Dustin. “It would just make me a little happier if you could do the same thing for the Dolphins.”

[Qasden]

This is your ninth CUTOFF of IBC23! With the groups in Abaja diverging, which teams will find their hopes and dreams pixelated?

---

Group A

Soltsteed 72-87 Abaja
New Lusitania and the Algarves 60-90 Drawkland

Group A                           Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Drawkland                         7    6   0   1   573  493  +80    18
2 Abaja                             7    6   0   1   576  501  +75    18
3 Nova Anglicana                    7    4   0   3   545  525  +20    12
4 Soltsteed                         7    1   0   6   520  584  −64    3
5 New Lusitania and the Algarves    8    1   0   7   561  672  −111   3

---

Group B

Cosumar 76-79 Free Republics
Nueva Celta 70-96 Saint Kanye

Group B                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Saint Kanye             7    7   0   0   696  535  +161  21
2 Free Republics          7    5   0   2   571  571  +0    15
3 Cosumar                 7    4   0   3   590  594   -4   12
4 Nueva Celta             8    2   0   6   602  678  −76    6
5 PandaClaws              7    0   0   7   504  605  −101   0

---

Group C

Ceni 88-58 A Couple of People
Flardania 72-74 West Saintland

Group C                     Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Ceni                        7    7   0   0   621  539  +82    21
2 West Saintland              7    6   0   1   580  530  +50    18
3 Flardania                   8    3   0   5   663  634  +29     9
4 Corcra and Tir Trodaithe    7    2   0   5   531  585  −54     6
5 A Couple of People          7    0   0   7   495  602  −107    0

---

Group D

The Iron Syndicate 82-82 Vettrera (90-91 OT)
Purple Rabbits 70-65 Kecrazia

Group D                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 The Iron Syndicate      7    5   0   2   604  563  +51     15
2 Vettrera                7    5   0   2   583  547  +36     15
3 Valanora                7    4   0   3   554  538  +16     12
4 Purple Rabbits          8    4   0   4   610  630  -20     12
5 Kecrazia                7    0   0   7   488  581  −93     0

[Empire of Cats]

A Talk With the Team: Empire of Catsian "Three Musketeers" Discuss the Future

Olulawi - Reporter Fred McDouglas interviews the "Three Musketeers" from the Feral Felines basketball team.

Fred McDouglas - So, Patrick, William, and Teresa, how're you feeling? You're 4-2 and No. 2 in your group.
Patrick Morris - Well, I'd say we're a little nervous.....(laughs)....but we've got a job to do. So we can't be stressed. We've got to be ready.
William Tull - I agree. Fear will only hinder our performance.
Teresa Rolde - We've just got to stay on top of our game and we'll do OK.
FMD - So you're confident of your ability to win?
WT - Is anybody ever 100% sure about anything? I think, though, we're just going to have to see.
FMD - What about the playoffs, though?
TR - We've got to take it one game at a time. If you look too far, you lose sight of the here and now, and that's what matters when you're playing.
FMD - Anything you regret about your team's performance at the IBC?
PM - Heck no. We've had a stellar run for a first-time appearance team. I'm grateful for that.
FMD - Any thoughts about your opponents?
WT - They play well. It's been an honor to be counted among them.
TR - They're good guys, and women. I can truly say that they're my friends.
PM - They play tough, physical basketball. But they also have class. They are the best of their nation, and it's an honor to know them.
FMD - Any final thoughts?
PM - Just that I'm glad to have come.
WT - I'm proud to represent my nation. I think we've made a good impression.
TR - I'm just pumped fro the next game! (laughs)
FMD - Well, good luck to you all!
All Three - Thanks!
- Excerpted from the Catstantinople Dispatch, Sports Voices page. Fred Mc Douglas reporting.