NSCAA 10- RP Thread

[Cassadaigua]

Quarterfinal cutoff in the Five Star and Pink 15

Scores

[Newmanistan]

And now the next round for the Sky Blue and Royal Conference is cutoff!
Results

[Valanora]

Woodland and Eternal Conference Tournament First Round through Quarterfinals cutoff.

Results

[Drawkland]

BIG SEVEN EIGHT & FLYING DRAWK

CUTOFF

cutoff time! here's a song

[Natanians and Nosts]

Celebration occurs as Northern Natanians and Nosts University reaches semi-finals

Students of the Northern Natanians and Nosts Universty of N-City Campus,and some nearby campi/campuses,agglomerated at the Biosciences Institute to celebrate the semifinals reached by the university at the Flying Drawk Conference in NSCAA.After watching the game,with big screens being placed in front of the Biosciences Institute,the Geology Institute and the Department of Arts and Archictecture,all live-streaming,the great mass of students ran to the Biosciences Institute to celebrate this conquest made by their college,the celebration got even bigger when some thirty minutes later,students from nearby cities arrived,making a really big volume of sound.
The game was hard-fougth,with Northern Natanians and Nosts University only taking the (definitive) lead at the fourth quarter,which starter 58x58 wiht Pocono City University.Ápio Leôncio Oliveira was particularly inspired this game,where he scored 32 of the 96 points of his university.Connor Hammel was the one who gave more trouble to Northern Natanians and Nosts University,but not the one who scored more points against the though,that would be Lawrence Carlock.
But not everything was joy in Drawkland,since Southern Natanians and Nosts University lost 103x70 to Universidade Portia,at the Big Seven-Eight(?) Conference.Northern Natanians and Nosts University will next play aginst Tryon University at the semi-finals.

[Cassadaigua]

Cutoff time in the Pink 15 and the Five Star

Scores

[Newmanistan]

Now the cutoff for the Sky Blue and Royal Conferences
Results

[Drawkland]

BIG SEVEN EIGHT & FLYING DRAWK

CUTOFF

cutoff time, for both me and Valanora's conferences. here's a song

[Cassadaigua]

Cutoff for the title games in the Pink 15 and the Five Star

Congratulations to the winners!

[Newmanistan]

Two more conference tournaments will be decided. Sky Blue and Royal Scores coming up!

Results

[Drawkland]

BIG SEVEN EIGHT & FLYING DRAWK

CUTOFF

cutoff time for the conference championships! here's a song

[NSCAA Basketball]

The official Ultra 64 tournament has been created.
Look it over and begin RP'ing. (begins Saturday)

[Cassadaigua]

Looks like I get to officially tip this tournament off! 1st round cutoff for my games.
Scores

[Newmanistan]

First Round Cutoff in the top half of the bracket!

Results

[Drawkland]

time for some basketball, try a song if you want

scores!

[Newmanistan]

This is a cutoff on games 21, 25, and 31.
Second round games involving the winners of these three games will still be scorinated tomorrow.

[Cassadaigua]

Cutoff for a few second round games!
Scores

[Newmanistan]

The road to the sweet sixteen continues now with this cutoff.

Results

[Drawkland]

more basketball! more excitement! more songs!

[Banija]

Banijan schools flying high in the NSCAA tournament with the Moravican public schools reaching the last 16


Northern Moravica fans players a big home win

METROPOLON, DRAWKLAND- The last time that we were here, of course, we were doing a preview of the conference tournaments. Which Banijan schools did what they needed to do to get into the big dance, while which Banijan schools could not finish the job? Well, we know that three Banijan schools did what was required of them to impress the committee and get into the big dance. The first, and the most obvious, was the University of Moravica, who finished second both in regular season conference play, and in the conference tournament. The other three Banijan schools were on the bubble.

The University of Loyola-Istria Blue Thunder saw their season end, when their Eternal Conference tournament run was cut short in the semifinals, by Ducentu State University of Drawkland. They did not get an invite to the field of 64, and therefore, found themselves on the outside looking in. Northern Moravica, on the other hand, actually finished with a worse record than their archrivals to the South. While both schools finished 15-13, and even the Blue Thunder finished 17-14, it was Northern Moravica who finished 15-14. How did they get in? Well in sports, they say what really matters is 'what have you done for me lately', and was true of the Cougars. A squad that started 6-12 won 9 of their next 10 to get into position for the postseason, and despite a heartbreaking loss in the 1st round of the conference tournament, they found themselves in the big dance.

The University of Ankole finished the regular season at 16-12, and at 18-13 overall. Despite their conference tournament semifinal being a 32 point loss to Cemmendy Tech, they got into the tournament anyways. And with that, we'll review the performances of the three Banijan schools in the tournament. We'd talk about the Blue Thunder, but one can check twii.tur for all the banter about Banija's non-qualifying school.

And without further ado...

The University of Ankole

High expectations might be the wrong phrase when trying to describe how this team entered the tournament. Most people wrote them off, not taking them as a contender to win it all. However, they were absolutely a serious threat to send some waves out in the world of college basketball, maybe even pulling off an upset. However, their first matchup was against Belle Haven State, of the Commonwealth of Baker Park. It was not a very good matchup for Ankole, though they absolutely played their hearts out. While Belle Haven opened a big lead early, they slowly clawed back. They trailed by as many as 12 in the second half, but still, had brought it down to 71-68 with under 30 seconds to play. However, a three pointer by Derek West buried the game for the defending national champions of Baker Park, and that was that. A long offseason, then, for the University of Ankole.

Northern Moravica

This team, playing at an absolutely blistering pace. Winning 9 of 11, including 9 of 10 to rescue what seemed to almost essentially be a lost season, and play their way, amazingly, into the tournament. Now, of course, it's in the tournament when legacies are made, when the stories are written, and good heavens- has this been quite the ride for Northern Moravica so far. You're talking about a school, of course, who as Banija's oldest and largest public school, has one of the country's biggest fanbases. Has some of the country's highest expectations. And that wants to success, even on this stage.

Even with the odds stacked against them, barely making the tournament, they came out swinging right away. In their first game, they played Pocono City Tech, of Newmanistan. They were second in the Flying Drawk regular season, finishing at 23-5. 8 games ahead of Northern Moravica in the standings. Northern came into the game as huge underdogs, and that resulted in a massive chip being on their shoulder. They ran out ahead against a seemingly shellshocked Pocono City Tech, and while the latter came storming back, it was simply too little, too late for the favorites as Northern Moravica pulled off the shocker.

But that wasn't it. With that first upset win, a large increase of Northern fans in Metropolon, Drawkland were expected, and that is what happened. The Northern came out for the second round matchup against Southport University, also of Newmanistan, and Northern Moravica ran them out of the building. Can this team do any wrong? They've won 11 of 13, find themselves in the final 16, with the next team in their way none other than the University of Endover, out of the Commonwealth of Baker Park. But still, far beyond expectations considering their 6-12 start to the season.

University of Moravica

The region's less celebrated public institution, of course, is the University of Moravica. IT is a rural school, while Northern Moravica is in the regional capital and Banija's oldest city, Herzegovina City. Their sports jobs are seen as stepping stones to higher jobs, as when Loyola-Istria plucked their quarterback off of the transfer system. But of course, they're sports crazed, and just love to beat NMU and Loyola, even if those big two don't share the hatred. But it's U of Moravica who's had the best season thus far out of any Banijan club, and remain the one with the best shot of hitting the floor come Final Four time.

It is a pair of double digit wins, putting up 90 points against South Caddonia of Valanora, then 91 against Universitas Concordia Kasandora of Lisander, that has shown that their offense is among the best that the tournament has to offer. It's about scoring more points than the other team, of course, and this team is good at doing so. When they go small and put Calvin Amora at center, especially, this is a team that can absolutely turn on the jets. They run the floor extremely well, which is why they were able to get some gaudy point totals.

But next the pressure amps up, as this team, unlike Northern Moravica, has what feels like a legitimate opportunity to make the flight to Newmanistan. But first, of course, they must play against Tundra Falls. It will be quite the matchup, an entertaining one for people at the Ring. It will be tense. It will be back and forth. It'll be a fun watch. Can they win that one? We'd recommend, for those who gamble, to bet on one surviving Banijan team, not both. An All-Moravican match in the Elite 8 would be unlikely, even if fans and television partners across the country wait for it to happen.

[Cassadaigua]

I only have one game for the next round, and it's result is coming soon.

[Newmanistan]

Another Sweet 16 Cutoff
Results

[Drawkland]

Grrr, meant to RP but ran out of time! Here's a song btw

[Drawkland]

HALFWAY TO A CHAMPIONSHIP
Written By: Nick Fleming and Niccolo Dee

---

We're back in the saddle, y'all!

As we're sure you're aware, the NSCAA Ultra 64 tournament has been underway for the last couple weeks. Finally, we've reached the halfway point round-wise, the Elite Eight, and only 7 games separate us from crowning a new champion of the NSCAA. 8 competitors remain, but how exactly did they get here?

We'll get to that later. Since there's so many games and storylines happening across this tournament, it'd be impossible to accurately cover them all. Instead, we'll give you the quick recap of the teams we know you care about - the Drawkian ones!

DRAWKLAND'S FARE
Coming into the beginning of the season, there was some shadows of doubt laid upon the Drawkian set of schools for NSCAA 10. The previous edition, NSCAA 9, had been an utter disaster by Drawkian standards. Only one team, Drawk Corps University, managed to make the Elite Eight as most Drawkian schools were massacred in the second round. The weight of the nation was placed on Corps U's shoulders, and they crumbled. They lost by 20 points to the eventual runners-up of Farrer University (a Quebecois school).

This substandard run, compared to the more dominant performances of NSCAA 7 and 8, was treated by pundits everywhere as proof of Drawkland's fall from grace and the harbinger of Drawkland's likely return to irrelevance. It was the NSCAA, after all, that kickstarted Drawkland's reputation in the basketball world (which was only heightened after their IBC victory). Thus, the outlook for Drawkian schools before NSCAA 10 was not one of high regard. They'd, once again, have to prove their place in the NSCAA world. And boy did they ever!

Every Drawkian school except Old Mountain University managed to qualify for the Ultra 64 outright, by either winning their conference tournament or regular season record. Old Mountain still automatically qualified too, thanks to the #1 seed in their Five Star Conference, University of Tundra Falls, winning the tournament and OMU being second in the regular season. This marked the first season of NSCAA basketball where no Drawkian teams needed to be voted in via the At-Large listing, a remarkable feat in and of itself. Couple this with the fact that the most regular-season losses of any Drawkian school was 4 (that of OMU), it was safe to say that Drawkland was back in the championship running.

Now how did the teams actually fare in the tournament? Once again, we've had a better showing than ever before, so let's see how each individual team fared.

DRAWK CORPS UNIVERSITY
The best Drawkian outfit from last edition in the tournament qualified, once again, in the 9th seed. This time, unfortunately, there would be no Elite Eight berth in their future. Despite losing the Royal Conference tournament title to Cassadaigua's New Lakeland University, the Corps was still highly favored going into this tournament. Their first-round matchup was supposed to be easy, as they were facing the 56th-ranked University of Western Filindostan - Bandaroon.

The Corps' cracks had already begun to show, however, as they barely scraped by on a single point lead, 70-69. The game was low-scoring, hallmarked by heavy defense and a fair amount of poor shot selection. The game had a Corps lead at the half, with both teams heading into the locker room at a score of 38-30. The second half had a bit more fire behind it, as Bandaroon came back with a renewed energy and drive to take the game. Clearly, the Corps was caught complacent, their core carelessly killing the lead they'd constructed. It's hard, as the team leading at halftime, to come back and hold a lead, as there's nothing to plan for. You're already winning after all, why change? This line of thinking nearly put the Corps to its end. With 5 seconds left, the Corps was down by two points. Kimmy Maxwell, the team captain, had taken the ball down the court and looked to drive to the basket and score. Bandaroon, their backs against the wall, pressed everything they had against the super senior with 30 points on the game, but she bounced passed at the last second across the paint to her taller and year-younger sister, Stella. With the defense adequately out of position, the tall senior hopped up and slammed the ball in a dunk just before time expired.

While this had gotten the Corps to the second round, it was really too close for comfort. Their next match would not be easy either, as they had to face down Concord Heights Beauty School, who were second only to Sadeg State in the Sky Blue Conference. This match was much more even of a game, the score tied at 37 at halftime. The Corps seemed to once again be unable to make halftime adjustments, as the pink & gold of CHBS managed to get off to an early 4-point lead after the half and held it easily for the rest of the match. It would expand and contract, but the Corps simply didn't have the gumption to take the lead back whenever they got within one or two. Once again, poor shot selection by the outside shooters was the key that ultimately doomed them.

It's sad to see a Drawkian team go out so soon. There is a diamond in the rough here though, as a second-round loss by 4 points is actually the worst result of any Drawkian school - which isn't really that bad of a result. In the past, the Corps hasn't been the best of schools in any case, showing time and time again their futility on the international stage. Perhaps you could say their reputation doesn't precede them on the multiversal stage as much. In Drawkland, the Corps has sometimes been known as the harbingers of doom for many teams, and that could play in as a psychological effect.

Or maybe they just kinda suck.

CEMMENDY TECH
Speaking of just sucking in the NSCAA tournament, let's all say hello to Cemmendy Tech! Honestly, I feel bad for the Cyberpunks. Every time they've come to the NSCAA, they've absolutely dominated their conference, consistently earning top seeds in the tournament. In a twist of cruel fate, however, Cemmendy Tech had gone three tournaments without a win in Ultra 64 tournament. Even being in the Top 10 or Top 5 every tournament, they couldn't manage to beat the easiest of opponents in the first round. This NSCAA looked to be more of the same when they cruised to the easiest of conference titles, beating Seth Johnson College by 26 points to claim the Newlands Conference both in tournament and regular season. Garnering a 6th seed overall, everyone expected the Cyberpunks to fall out again and be memed to oblivion.

For once though, this was not the case. Cemmendy Tech finally managed to defeat their inner demons, as this generation of players, led by a couple NSCAA vets and other upperclassmen, seemed to be a cut above the rest. They went up against Nostsian University, the only entry from Natanians and Nosts that managed to make the tournament. The "official" bracket posted by the Natanian press seemed to predict them as "Drawk-slayers," with an abnormal Final Four containing no Drawkian schools. While, considering last season, this may have been a smart plan as a bracket that could win in case of an upset. Unfortunately, the cool-colored Nostsians were no match for the Cyberpunks, who put them away 82-64. The game may have been a bit close for comfort at halftime, a mere 40-38 lead for Cemmendy, but they really shut down the game and pulled away, especially late in the second half as the game winded down. There would be no memes tonight for Cemmendy.

Unfortunately, the "dream run" wouldn't last much longer. In the next round, against the far-more-formidable University of Concord Heights, Cemmendy's "magic" faltered, as expected, and they lost in crushing fashion, a 2-point loss to the NSCAA 5 champions. This match was another one fought to the wire, with the halftime score locked up 40-41 UCH. The Cyberpunks tried their damnedest to stay in the game, constantly trading blows and leads with Concord Heights, but eventually they went out on the wrong side of the ball. With 10 seconds left, Daniella Riggi put up a mid-range jumper to put Cemmendy up 83-82. This left much too much time on the clock. Even with no timeouts, Concord Heights launched directly into their offense. Kristen Clemens of UCH took the ball down the court, maneuvering around the Drawkian defense. She was covered heavily however, and had just enough time left to kick the ball back out to Brooke Sutton on the perimeter, who sank an open 3 from the corner as time expired. The Cyberpunks, once again, would come home empty-handed and the butt of many jokes.

Still, it's an improvement for how they've played in previous cycles. At this rate, we can expect the Cemmendy Tech championship to come in NSCAA 22!

OLD MOUNTAIN UNIVERSITY
Old Mountain has always been an interesting school to watch. Usually, they're sort of the one school you sometimes see break deep into the tournament as a semi-reliable bracket buster in Drawkland. While they have a football team, it's definitely not at the level their basketball team is, and even their basketball team isn't the most consistent. However, when they broke deep and ended up making the final to play against Elmanden District College in the championship of NSCAA 8 (their first NSCAA outing), they cemented their status as one of Drawkland's NSCAA elite. This season, they ended up being the caboose of the Drawkian train, having a nation-worst 4 losses in the regular season and losing the conference tournament, the only Drawkian team to not qualify in their own right.

However, this didn't stop them from getting a respectable 17 seed in the tournament. Going against Rajendragadh College (Pratapgadh) isn't exactly a picnic, but it was a match the Northerners were absolutely favored in. This favor was not misplaced, either. OMU went off, dropping 95 points on the heads of Rajendragadh while allowing only 63. Both sides of the ball were ticking, and it was looking like Old Mountain were one of the more solid outfits coming out of the first round.

This is where Old Mountain met their match, however. The Commonwealth of Baker Park's entry in Belle Haven State were the 16 seed to OMU's 17, so the match was guaranteed to be a close one. The winner of this game would win the chance to face the #1 seeded Ducentu State in the next round, so without a fair amount of luck, the road was bound to end soon for either team. The first half did not go the way OMU was hoping, as the Belle State Bobcats jumped out to an early lead and intended to keep it. They went into the locker rooms at halftime with the score 45-36, the Northerners suffering a 9 point deficit. For a team used to playing ahead for most games, this was obviously not the best place to be in. This wouldn't last long though. They came storming out of the gate in the second half, going on a 14-2 run in the first 8 minutes of the half. The Bobcats eventually got back in and responded in kind, and the match was close for the rest of its duration. Old Mountain had a chance to close out the game and win at the very end, losing 86-85. Alessia Coburn took a shot with time elapsing, a fadeaway shot from mid-distance in the face of pressure from Quinn Butcher. The shot, unfortunately, was errant, and bricked off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

Old Mountain had fallen early. This second round exit is the earliest the Northerners have ever lost in the tournament out of three tries, so maybe this will just prove to be a minor bump in the road in their NSCAA legacy. Or, considering their exits have been happening earlier and earlier in the tournament with each new edition, this could just be one of the last stops on the road before their fall from grace is complete. Only time will tell, but unfortunately they're out of the tournament in any case.

CAVSAR UNIVERSITY
Cavsar University were the newcomers this time around. A Drawkian university known more for football than basketball, the Gladiators just recently made a splash in the Drawkian basketball scene. This was enough to earn them a spot in the NSCAA for this edition. With no prior history to lean on, it was definitely going to be on them to make a name for themselves and prove their worth. That they did, winning the Pink 15 Conference outright and beating Belle Haven State in the conference tournament to cement their place at the top of NSCAA 10's rankings. Being the 11th seed was a bit lower than they expected, but they still were in a good position to have a good run in the Ultra 64.

Their campaign began against the University of Santa Magdalena, one of the few Fleftic colleges to make it into the bracket. It was, like most Drawkian first-round games, expected to be a blowout in favor of the Drawkians. The Gladiators made good on that promise, beating them cleanly by 12 points in a match which showcased both their offensive and defensive prowess. The doubts have been quelled; at least they did better than Cemmendy in their first few outings. However, the tournament is long, and many of the schools are skilled. It would not be a cakewalk to do something at the level of Old Mountain and make a deep run in their first NSCAA cycle.

This path would not be easy, however. In their way in the next round was Rutland College, a lower-ranked Cassadaigua college. While Cavsar was still favored in the match, it wasn't going to be handed to them. They needed to come out and play, and that they did. Rutland didn't make it easy for the Gladiators. With Cavsar in their black/gold/red jerseys and Rutland in their white/purple, the two powers clashed in an ugly defensive slugfest. Shots were being bricked all over the place, and the defense was showing out. The first half ended 38-35 and the second half featured even slower scoring. Thanks to the one-shot lead they'd built right before halftime thanks to a clutch 3-pointer by Dionn O'Leary to break the tie as the half expired, Cavsar managed to stay just out of reach for Rutland. Throughout the second half, Rutland had their chances to bring the game back and even take the lead, but Cavsar's defense was always just barely there ... and when it came to the end of the game, and Rutland began fouling, Cavsar sank their throws and kept the pressure on. They won it 69-62, and further proved their place in the ranks of Drawkian NSCAA stalwarts.

The third round (spoiler alert) is where the Gladiators would finally be bested in the arena. Going against the 27th-ranked University of Concord Heights may look on the surface like a difficult but manageable opponent, but UCH was hungry and were pegged by many pundits to be a good pick for an upset run. In fact, they'd just finished beating Cemmendy Tech in the previous round. While it was a close game and came to a buzzer-beater, a win is a win, and it certainly wouldn't be easy to defeat them. Unlike the Rutland game, this one was much more high-scoring, with the offenses of both teams playing with a fire and desire to win.

With 2 minutes left in the game, Cavsar and Concord Heights were tied up at 81. Cavsar went down the court and went for a 3, which bounced off the back rim and rebounded by UCH, who went down the court quickly and scored a three of their own. Cavsar, now with a minute and a half left, took yet another deep shot to tie it back up. This shot was a bit short, and once again was rebounded by UCH, who took their sweet time this time. Cavsar had resorted to a full-court pressure, trying to force UCH to the perimeter to force a less likely shot. This was working to perfection, until Katie Miller made a desperation heave as the shot clock expired which somehow made it in. Very suddenly, the score was 87-81 with only a minute to play. Cavsar went down to make another three-pointer shot, which missed. They got the offensive rebound, but their next shot somehow also fell off the mark and into the hands of UCH. With just around 30 seconds to play, UCH held onto the ball for as long as possible before Kylie Holmstromm dropped a layup in at the last possible second. With 10 seconds left, Cavsar was reasonably doomed, and the errant deep shot (the fifth missed shot in a row) capped the win for Concord Heights, looking more and more like the giant-slayers some predicted them to be.

Such a cold streak shooting at the end of a game is sure to kill off any team, and it sucks that Cavsar's maiden run had to end in such a crushing fashion. Still, their performance was admirable throughout the course of the season. It's highly likely they'll return in NSCAA 11, and we'd bet they'll only build on what they started this time around.

CORINTH CITY UNIVERSITY
Corinth City University's reputation in Drawkland, as the NSCAA is concerned, is the team that just barely couldn't pull it out. The first two seasons of the NSCAA that Drawkland entered, the Chargers managed to make the Final Four two consecutive times, a feat not repeated by any other Drawkian school. NSCAA 7 featured a loss to UCenial, those bastards that went on to beat Sadeg State, and NSCAA 8 a close loss to Old Mountain (less annoying than losing to a Cenian school). NSCAA 9 they once again lost to Old Mountain. This was only in the second round though, thanks to a rather shitty seeding draw that ultimately left Drawkland high and dry overall. This time though, there would be no excuses. The Chargers have it all on their shoulders now.

Thanks to their superior record and title in the United 15 conference, their first-round draw was definitely going to be easy. Going against University of Malifornia - El Fierro, one of the few Republican outfits making the tournament, all they had to do is hold serve and win as the superior team. This was exactly what they did, winning by an entire 35 points. This performance obviously wouldn't continue for the rest of the tournament, but it was ultimately a huge spirit-lifter for the fans and optimistic for the future.

CCU's next matchup would be against Brat Tech, the Dagan school which had been much-maligned until the latter quarter of the conference stage. They had just managed to sneak into the tournament and barely edged over Universidade de Soria (Lisander) in the first round. This would not be the case against Corinth, who's been one of Drawkland's heaviest consistent powerhouses in the NSCAA. Similar to Mal-El Fierro, Corinth easily managed the Brat Tech offense while breezing past their defense. This win was only by a 27-point margin, but by tournament standards that's an enormous gap. Corinth was looking more and more like a team that would go on to capture the championship by storm at long last.

That is, until they took the court against Coolville State University. The Vikings were more than prepared to take on the Chargers, as the expected matchup of #7 vs #10 was shaking out to be a close and high-scoring affair. The former was true, the latter not necessarily as much. Both teams traded blows back and forth. Coolville State had a 15-0 run in the first half which put them up by a large margin by halftime, but Corinth responded right out of the gate in the second half with a 17-1 run of their own to bring the game back to being neck and neck. The last minute of the game was absolutely bonkers, with the crowd, announcers, and fans at home all losing their minds. With a tick under 90 seconds to go, the game was tied up at 66 all. Both teams then exploded offensively (or rather collapsed defensively, depending on which you prefer analyzing).

Luke Boyle made a free throw to tie the game up, then Corinth City got the ball back on offense. They went down the court and scored a 3. Coolville got the ball right back, moving into an up-tempo offense to quickly slide down the court. They responded with a 3, so Corinth City went back down the court and scored a 3. Coolville got the ball back and went with their own 3, tying the game at 72 with 30 seconds to go. Corinth City went down, everyone assuming the hot hand would deal another score. This time, Peter Belle banked the shot off the backboard where it fell into the waiting hands of the Vikings. With the game still tied and the shot clock nearly matching the game clock, Coolville was in no hurry but still made an effort to score quickly. And that they did, with Willie Watts draining another straight three to put Coolville State up by as much. With the time draining down, Trinity Pim of Corinth City got the inbound and sprinted down the court to catch the Vikings before they'd finished setting up their defense. She did indeed catch them off guard, scooping in and headfaking before taking the stepback 3 and draining it to tie the game as the clock expired!

Until further review, that is, which the officials took as they had to. Close camera footage, zooming in on Pim's toes, proved that she was actually not behind the 3-point line, meaning the shot actually only counted for 2 and the game was over, Coolville State taking the win. As the boos came flying in from the crowd in a cacophony, the officials left the court and the teams shuffled into the locker rooms. For what had been such a good run all season, Corinth City had gotten totally boned when it came to their campaign's end. Maybe next season they'll rebound, but this will leave an especially bitter taste in the mouth of Charger fans, especially if Coolville State goes much further in the tournament.

SADEG STATE UNIVERSITY
Sadeg State, the infamous 31-1 team of NSCAA 7, have always been a force to be reckoned with since the beginning of Drawkland's involvement in the NSCAA, and this season has been no exception. They'd handily beat Concord Heights Beauty School in the Sky Blue Conference tournament, while posting one of the best records in the league. Officially garnering the 5 seed in the tournament, they were a safe pick to have in your final four and even championship game.

Sadeg State's matchup against the barely-eligible Agricultural Academy of Čuržnja was the first to tip off in the Ultra 64, and those that tuned in were treated to a spectacular offensive showcase, where all of the Skyhawk starters scored over 15 points, balancing the ball perfectly and managing to rotate their backups in even better. The defensive side of the ball was no different, as they stymied AAC with what seemed to be little sweat at all. The final score was 93-66, and Sadeg State told everyone that could hear that they're back once again, and still hungry for the title-shaped hole they've had in their stomachs since NSCAA 7.

Their second-round matchup against Trinity College of Lisander was going to be different, predicted every sports analyst ever. Lisander's schools were the up-and-coming powers, and were likely to make a huge splash in the tournament. They would not be pushed over so easily. Sadeg State was going to have to grind this one out and ... wait, they're up by 20 points at the half? They're winning 50-29 with still 20 minutes to play? Okay, never mind. Sadeg State handed Trinity College a whipping they would not soon forget, with a showing even more impressive than their first round matchup against shoddier competition. They scored 11 more and allowed 5 less, a massive 43-point margin that only further proved the Skyhawk's hunger for a title.

Many would expect these two massive blowouts to simply be outliers, and now that Sadeg State would have to face real competition in 12-ranked Pocono City University, it would all come crashing down. The culture shock could probably be enough to even take them all the way down, some expected. Pocono City U runs a really off-the-cuff, get-open-and-take-chances offense, one that resembles Sadeg State's fast-paced quick-pass offense. The game was close for the first half, in a tightly-fought affair that had both teams tied at 35. The second half was even more productive, as both teams improved their offensive production. Unfortunately for PCU, Lawrence Carlock, their tall Small Forward, went down with an awful-looking ankle injury with 10 minutes in the second half. At 6'10", he was one of the best at defending and shooting on the Drawkians, and as a junior, he was the only upperclassman on the starting roster. With their captain down, Pocono City started to crumble, and Sadeg State simply laid their foot on the gas. While it was too late in the game to jump out to a huge double-digit lead the Skyhawks had enjoyed in the previous two rounds, they still came out winning by 9, making a few key shots in the last couple minutes to prevent a comeback.

And just like that, Sadeg State is once again the Elite Eight, a position they often enjoy. While they don't have the undefeated record monkey riding their backs like they did so many seasons ago, they still have that chip on their shoulder and a position to take a charge into the final. Their next matchup, against the powerful 4-seed University of Endover, is sure to be a barnburner in what could be a matchup to guarantee a Drawkian finalist (pending Ducentu State's matchup, of course).

ELMANDEN DISTRICT COLLEGE
Ah yes, the NSCAA 8 champions. With the fallout of NSCAA 9 that affected all Drawkian schools, it was expected that Elmanden would be one of the better Drawkian schools to bounce back in NSCAA 10. And that they did. The Mechanors made quick and easy work the Woodlands Conference, slipping into the Ultra 64 with few kinks along the way. They managed the #3 seed, the second-highest Drawkian school in the tournament. With this achievement also comes a fair amount of expectations though, and now all eyes are on them.

The University of Suryapur, another one of the few Pratapgadh schools that made it in, faced Elmanden in the first round. Like nearly every other Drawkian team's first match, this was going to be seen as a tune-up game before the real competition began. This is exactly what happened, as the Mechanors put on a clinic on how to break down and defeat a team. The final score, 99-63, was remarkably reminiscent of Corinth City University's 98-63 first-round win that had concluded a few hours prior.

With their expected first-round win done and dusted, the next item on the docket was to defeat Universidade do Sudoeste, another Lisander school in the middling rankings which were pretty universally expected to be sleeper picks. The Cavaliers came to play against the Mechanors, determined to not fall so easily to the Drawkian menace. Despite their best efforts though, it wasn't enough. Sudoeste had managed to make the game competitive for 75% of the time, but their endurance fell short against the quick-paced Elmanden attack towards the end. What had been a back-and-forth affair with the Cavaliers fighting for a lead became a gassed group of players desperately trying to prevent a full-on blowout from ending their campaign. Elmanden never took their foot off the gas, though, slowly placing a higher and higher lead over Sudoeste, until the final buzzer rang out with a 12-point win at hand. While it's unfortunate the Lisanderians had to fall out so early, they did have a lot of heart and showed up for a majority of the match.

But life stops for nobody, and certainly not for champions. Elmanden had to deal with a quick turnaround from round 1 to round 2, but got to enjoy a slightly longer-than-normal break before their Sweet Sixteen matchup against Seth Johnson College, that all-male school from Cassadaigua. If seeding had held up, Elmanden would be playing Universidade Portia from Lisander, but an early upset had led Seth Johnson College to slip into the third round. I'm sure they were absolutely thrilled to have to face the former champions and top-seeded Mechanors, but making it that far was at least an achievement in itself, which they could probably use to make fun of the 4 normal majority-female schools in Cassadaigua that fell in the second and first round. Unfortunately, like several of the Dagan brethren, Seth Johnson fell to Elmanden, and by a considerable scoreline. Once again, the Mechanors put on a show that ended in a 95-68 victory.

Once again, Elmanden find themselves within striking distance of a title. They are the lone Drawkian school left in their region of the bracket, so if they wish to ensure a Drawkian victory in the championship, the burden mainly falls on them. Their work is cut out for them though, the giant-slaying 27 seed University of Concord Heights, who defeated both Cemmendy and Cavsar in the previous rounds, awaits them. But if they can beat UCH, they can beat anyone.

DUCENTU STATE UNIVERSITY
Ducentu State came in and replaced Notamill College in NSCAA 8, to the relief of Drawkian fans everywhere. They had an immediate impact, making it to the Elite 8 before losing to the eventual champions in rival Elmanden. NSCAA 9 was nearly a similar story - they lost in the second round to Newmanistan's Southport University, who went on to lose in the Final Four to the runners-up Farrer University. In NSCAA 10, Ducentu was determined to make a truly big splash. They managed to finish the first half of conference play undefeated, going 17-0 until a solitary home loss to North Charlotte Empire University ended their streak. This didn't stop their momentum at all though, as they finished the rest of the season including the Eternal Conference tournament undefeated. The only team to endure but a single loss, they managed to nab the #1 seed spot in the entire tournament, only the second team to do so since Sadeg State University. Hmm ... maybe this isn't a good thing after all.

If you've somehow read the article up to here without blowing your brains out from boredom, then you've likely read this story before. Žuraž Malšagov University of Gržla, the last team into the tournament, was set to play Ducentu State in the first round. While the Eagles weren't putting up numbers like Corinth City or Elmanden were around this time, they still managed a very impressive 80-59 win over the clearly outmatched college, one of the better defensive showings from the first round of games.

With their next match coming against Northern Natanians and Nosts University, it was expected the Eagles would once again have no problems taking care of business. The pundits were right on this one, as Ducentu State only improved their performance from the previous match. The 90-61 scoreline was standard. The defense had once again made sure to contest shooters and force the ball into places the Northern Natties didn't want to shoot from to force misses. The offensive shot selection, on the other hand, was absolutely excellent. The Eagles spread the ball around with ruthless efficiency and nearly always had a man or woman open.

Belle Haven State, hot off a close win against Old Mountain, were coming with momentum and motivation to kill yet another Drawkian squad off. Ducentu State weren't so fazed. This game would not be as easy to win, though. The lesser competition crumbling against the ruthless efficiency would not be happening today. Belle Haven not only were a better squad than the previous Ducentu State foes, but they had experience going against Drawkian teams. Playing against Cavsar University thrice and losing twice (one at home in a gutwrenching buzzer beating shot), the Bobcats were more than ready to face Drawkian teams in the tourney. Their strategy had been drawn up excellently and had perfectly managed to take down Old Mountain in a close, exciting matchup.

Ducentu State were a cut above Old Mountain, however. The Bobcats and the Eagles fought long and hard, nearly even with a halftime score of 37-36. The game remained a back-and-forth affair for the second half as well, until the action came to a head in the final seconds. Ducentu was barely up, 73-71, with a couple ticks over 20 left on the clock. With the shot clock still a factor and Belle Haven having a timeout in their pocket, they had to score to keep the game out of reach. Kaighley Small had the ball as the shot clock was about to expire, but lost it on the dribble. With no time left to think, she recovered the ball outside of the arc and instantly stood up and shot it to beat the buzzer. It arced high and into the air, before falling straight down into the basket to make it 76-71 with 5 seconds remaining. Belle Haven used their timeout, but it was too late. Their last-ditch shot was off the mark and the Eagles would fly on to the Elite Eight.

The only thing left between Ducentu State and a Final Four appearance now is Concord Heights Beauty School, a slightly lower-ranked Dagan outfit who upended both the #9 Corps U and #8 New Lakeland University. Similarly to the University of Concord Heights and Elmanden, this is not a matchup the Eagles can take lightly.

SEVEN GAMES REMAINING
Whew, so with all that out of the way, what do our ""experts"" think about the coming Elite Eight and Final Four matchups? Who's got the advantage? Who's the underdog? Who is playing for what? Am I done asking rhetorical questions yet?

There are 4 matchups in the Elite Eight. #1 Ducentu State University (DRK) vs #24 Concord Height Beauty School (CDG), #4 University of Endover (CBP) vs #5 Sadeg State University (DRK), #18 University of Moravica (BNJ) vs #7 Coolville State University (CBP), and #3 Elmanden District College (DRK) vs #27 University of Concord Heights (CDG).

Of these 8 remaining, three are Drawkian, two are Dagan, two are Baker Parkers, and one is Banijan. Thanks to the seed spread, it's possible for an all-Dagan, all-Parker, or all-Drawkian final. UMoravica will be fighting it out as the last bastion of Banija. The most interesting thing to look at is how the Drawkian schools will perform in this situation. When Drawkland won NSCAA 8, three of the four semifinalists were Drawkian, out of 4 that were in the Elite 8. Interestingly, one of the Elite 8 matchups there (Ducentu vs Elmanden) was all Drawkian, meaning that 3/4 was the best possible Drawkian representation in the semis. This same spread is possible this time, but with no all-Drawkian Elite 8 matchup, it'll have to be totally earned. For an all-Drawkian final repeat of NSCAA 8, it falls on Elmanden to navigate their next two matches safely, while the other side of the bracket has the safety net of both Ducentu and Sadeg.

As far as individual matchups go, we think the closest match will be Sadeg State vs Endover. These two powers are the only standard seed matchup in the Elite 8, and neither have faced another school from the opposing nation yet in the tournament. Both teams, while skilled, will be going in somewhat blind to their opponent's capabilities. This one has the potential to either be a total barnburner or a slugfest, but in any case we expect it to be a nailbiting affair.

The toughest matchup for a Drawkian school has got to be the Elmanden vs Concord Heights matchup. Concord Heights is fresh off of two straight impressive victories over Drawkian schools. To be fair, it was Cemmendy Tech in their first-ever second round game, and Cavsar in their first-ever NSCAA ever. Still, the gravity of their wins cannot be understated. The Mechanors will have a tough matchup awaiting them, and it's not too unreasonable to think that UCH has a chance to ruin Elmanden's dreams of a second NSCAA championship (from one former champion to another).

While this matchup is by no means easy, Ducentu State seem to have the least stressful of all the matchups in the Elite Eight from a Drawkian standpoint. Concord Heights Beauty School may not be the most impressive Dagan school, but they did make it this far. However, their victories against Corps U and New Lakeland University (the highest-ranked Dagan school this tournament) were by razor-thin margins and were both a shot away from the opposite result. Ducentu State is skilled enough to put up 20-point victories over their opponents but they also solidly came out on top against Belle Haven in a match that came down to the wire. They've done it both, so CHBS is unlikely to catch them off guard. They're just going to have to win over them with some ballsy play, and we don't know if they have it in them to pull it off.

If you're tired of watching all this Drawkian BS, then we suggest you tune into the University of Moravica vs Coolville State game. Coolville has victories against both Dagan and Drawkian schools, and the lone Banijan entry left may not be enough to topple them. Don't discount the Bears though - they did beat the second-best team in the tournament in Tundra Falls, by a hefty margin. Coolville may be the favored team but they by no means have it easy.

As far as match predictions go, we're going to be sending Ducentu State to the Final Four to play against Endover. On the other side, Elmanden will bring their A game and advance to the next round, while Moravica manages to pull off yet another upset to make it to the semis.

From there, we expect Elmanden to finally knock off the Banijans and Ducentu State to avenge the loss of Sadeg State (similarly to what we had in our pre-tournament bracket). And, like our bracket, we expect Ducentu State to bring home a title of their own against Elmanden in the championship game. For those that don't know, Ducentu vs Elmanden (and Cemmendy, too) is a rivalry that transcends on all sports, both professional and collegiate in these cities. These two teams meeting in the championship game would be the rivalry matchup to end all rivalry matchups.

We can only hope that's what we get. Well, we'll hope that. We're sure any non-Drawkians not reading this aren't, but we're not too concerned about them. We're only concerned with our teams balling their hearts out and letting the result decide how it ends, win or lose. May the best team win, after all. For those playing in these remaining games ... good luck! But you probably know who we're rooting for. See you in the Final Four!

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

© Sporting Times Weekend 2019
BP teams in with a shout at NSCAA
by Mark Van Winkle, College Basketball Writer

The 10th edition of the NSCAA competition began with the UAC nominating 4 schools to take part, one from each conference. Aside from the inclusion of the defending National Champions, Belle Haven State, critics wondered if the other selections would put college basketball in Baker Park in the most positive light.

The results of all four schools have borne out the confidence the UAC had in its selections; they were all among the most consistent teams throughout the season and all were among the top 25 from the earliest days.

The Bobcats came in with the biggest target on their collective backs, as a result of their domestic success, yet they finished 3rd in their 15 team conference and advanced to the final of the conference tourney, which earned a respectable seed at 16 in the 64 team final tourney. State contested 3 of the closest and most exciting contests--an opening round 74-70 victory over the University of Ankole, from Banija; the first overtime game of the knockout as they defeated Old Mountain University from Drawkland by a single point; and the subsequent face to face with the tournament's overall #1 seed, Ducentu State University, also hailing from Drawkland.
Although they pushed the one-loss Eagles to the limit, there was to be no double trophy celebration in West County; State finished at 28-7, setting a record for most games played in a single season.

The most curious selection of the group, Osheana State, turned out to be the revelation of the quartet. They lost only 4 games--swept by Seth Johnson University of Cassidaigua and splitting with Cemmendy Tech from, you guessed it, Drawkland--but managed to finish 2nd in their conference, having closed out the regular season with 11 consecutive wins.
Although they were upset in the second game of the Newlands Tournament, they comfortably qualified for the NSCAA finals. After dispatching University of Wanda Islands in the opener, they pushed #12 Pocono City University of Newmanistan to the limit, succumbing by a 75-73 final score. The Falcons ended up 26-6, surprising themselves and most pundits.

Two Commonwealth teams remain alive as the season reaches its endgame--the Elite Eight, followed by the Semi-Finals and Finals. Only 4 nations are represented in the group of schools that are just 3 victories from claiming the trophy--Drawkland (3), Cassidaigua (2), and Banija (1) comprise the opposition for Coolville State and University of Endover.

CSU ended up having the best record of the BP Four after the regular season and conference tournaments concluded. They had a 25 game winning streak during the campaign after losing 2 of the first 8 games and split the season series with Elmander District U--yet another Drawkian school--losing the rubber match in the Woodland Conference Final. Seeded #7, they have overcome the University of Republica, Grande Mountain and Corinth City University to reach last hurdle between themselves and another meeting with Elmander--which would've been against 2nd ranked University of Tundra Falls, had they not been upended by Banija's University of Moravica. The Viking's 36th game (which will set an all-time UAC single season mark) will put them on the doorstep of the multiverse's greatest college basketball prize, as well as endcap the schools's most successful 30 game stretch in school history.

We close out with the historically most successful team out of the group, and the only one who actually won their conference. Endover had the best offense and defense among the Commonwealth's entrants, and equaled Coolville State's 26-2 mark, on the back of 23 consecutive wins to close the season. But they succumbed to the upset after a bye curse, losing their opening game in the Big 7/8 tournament; nonetheless they secured the 4th overall seed on the strength of their regular season resume and have dispatched their 3 opponents in the last 64 by an average of 18 ppg. A win against 5th seeded Sadeg State would mean that there would be no guarantee of an all-Drawkian Final.