IBC37 - Everything Thread [Fin]

[Atheara]

OFF THE BALL: Haru Sabagiri

Haru Sabagiri is one of the more well known players for The Guardians as of so far in Atheara's International Basketball Championship run. On the ball, he is calm and intelligent as he plays to control tempo. Being one of the tallest players on the team at 210 centimeters, with his rather slim body and long arms, Sabagiri is always a recognizable face amongst the crowd of players and sea of fans that came to watch him play. Sabagiri also has quite the reputation for being an accurate and tricky type of player. So, we know him on the ball, what about off it?

Well to start things off when it comes to Haru, he is one of the many shy players on the team. He doesn't speak too much and would rather let his plays and actions define himself to the fans on who he is. He is also one of the many kind and friendly players, meaning that he'll of course treat you nicely. There is a lot more about him that just that though, as Haru had a lot of power for himself when growing up. Originally he wasn't as thin as he is as of now, but rather he was more of a bulkier and stronger player in his younger years. It's not what many expected, mainly for those who have watched him play ball since a young age, but it's quite the nice addition for Atheara's basketball team to have.

The reason for his change however, is more darker. You see, many people actually judged him a lot when he was younger for his body build and play style of charging through the field with the ball, dribbling at hand and smashing a lot of dunks. It's mainly due to Atheara's somewhat more conservative playstyle amongst a lot of the youth and veteran players. Haru Sabagiri was a bit of a rare breed. He never let the words of many people get to him, but he also kind of wanted to fit in. So he got himself to be thinner, not as thin as a stick but rather as thin as he needed to try and somewhat fit in. Sabagiri still holds a lot of his former strength, which has helped him from time to time within sticky situations.

"Originally I didn't trust myself nor what people say about me. But now, I trust myself far more. When I kind of gave in to their expectations, I proved them wrong and added a twist of my own to a somewhat pressured decision." Sabagiri has once commented about what he decided to do to himself. Although quite shy, he is confident in himself when he does need to step up. And speaking of being confident and stepping up, Sabagiri often volunteers to help cleaning duty back at his neighbourhood, as his height really helps the people there at times. He doesn't credit himself too much, but many of the citizens he grew up with and got to know him are always thankful for his kindness and ability to care and help others.

A strong, thin center player and quite the gentle person, Haru Sabagiri really gets that to make him stand out among the team. Surprisingly, depending on how you see it, this helps him be a fan favourite amongst many Athearans who watch basketball. And so far within the IBC, he's done his best to help the team within his own capabilities, making sure not to over exhaust himself too much.

Next up? Exidia Lutrapevka.

[Valanora]

Blazing glory for the impetus change
Whirlwind gale that spins us through
Brick taken and relay again
Forward march into that glorious end
Or whisper secret into the dark
As the spectres of a bygone era reunite
Is it madness or the isolation plight?

[PotatoFarmers]

Poafmer Times
In a surprise twist, GPL and GPLM decides to pool resources to host a combined GPL festival
Mancodas - It seems that battle lines were drawn the moment the Sporting Daily released an article calling out the PBA for trying to steal the younger fanbase from the GPL. While the official agencies (presumbly, under official orders from the government) never really admitted that there was a turf war ongoing, both sides have been organising lots and lots of activities to woo Poafmers to watch the matches.

Under a standard schedule, the GPLM would have been scheduled to play their games a five weeks later, which would be after the conclusion of the IBC. However, the GPLM instead decided to push ahead with a schedule starting this week, with lots of exciting matches involving top teams being scheduled for the late-evening "golden timeslots". The Mancodas Major schedule have also been modified to slot in GPLM Summer season fixtures, so the entire day is pack with alternating matches between the GPL and the GPLM. The GPL community also managed to get a number of their star players, such as ACG's Orion, and EGC's CatGod, to come down to have solo matches against the public.

The GPL-GPLM combined event will be held in over the 2 main weekends, where the Poafmersian national basketball team will be scheduled to play at the Mancodas Sports Complex just 2km away from the Mancodas Exhibition Centre.

[PotatoFarmers]

RP Cutoff.

Today's prompt is about numbers. Life is often full of different numbers, in different aspects of the things we do. Talk about a number that you would like to talk about, and why you insist on choosing that number to answer this prompt.

Note: If you are RPing match reports, note that the venues should have changed for some of you either in MD6, if not in MD7.

Group A

Table as at MD5

 # Group A                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo       5    5   0   436  336 +100
 2 TJUN-ia                     5    4   1   347  324  +23
 3 Ko-oren                     4    3   1   318  271  +47
 4 Katterimunk                 5    3   2   359  388  −29
 5 Indusse                     5    2   3   409  387  +22
 6 Mytanija                    5    2   3   337  359  −22
 7 Rastopochje                 5    2   3   357  336  +21
 8 Benjium                     4    1   3   264  293  −29
 9 Gatchingerrak Union         4    1   3   288  332  −44
10 Lisander                    4    1   3   297  326  −29
11 Aristian Republic           4    1   3   262  322  −60

Matchday 5
Mytanija 74–72 Lisander
Indusse 60–91 Ko-oren
Katterimunk 69–67 Rastopochje
Aristian Republic 64–61 TJUN-ia
Gatchingerrak Union 59–66 Quebec and Shingoryeo

Matchday 6
TJUN-ia 79–57 Gatchingerrak Union
Rastopochje 98–84 Aristian Republic
Ko-oren 80–69 Katterimunk
Lisander 69–79 Indusse
Benjium 81–96 Mytanija

 # Group A                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo       5    5   0   436  336 +100
 2 TJUN-ia                     6    5   1   426  381  +45
 3 Ko-oren                     5    4   1   398  340  +58
 4 Indusse                     6    3   3   488  456  +32
 5 Mytanija                    6    3   3   433  440   −7
 6 Katterimunk                 6    3   3   428  468  −40
 7 Rastopochje                 6    3   3   455  420  +35
 8 Benjium                     5    1   4   345  389  −44
 9 Gatchingerrak Union         5    1   4   345  411  −66
10 Lisander                    5    1   4   366  405  −39
11 Aristian Republic           5    1   4   346  420  −74

Group B

Table as at MD5

 # Group B               Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Valanora                4    4   0   344  264  +80
 2 Banija                  4    4   0   314  277  +37
 3 Tjorl                   4    3   1   331  276  +55
 4 Pemecutan               5    3   2   402  344  +58
 5 Abanhfleft              4    2   2   333  294  +39
 6 Poafmersia              5    2   3   365  354  +11
 7 Atheara                 4    2   2   282  305  −23
 8 Cassadaigua             5    2   3   343  414  −71
 9 StrayaRoos              5    1   4   357  418  −61
10 Melbergia               5    1   4   363  433  −70
11 Eire Agus Albion        5    1   4   335  390  −55

Matchday 5
Poafmersia 67–72 Atheara (Scored by Eshialand)
Cassadaigua 64–93 Abanhfleft
Melbergia 77–67 Eire Agus Albion
Tjorl 88–62 StrayaRoos
Banija 70–67 Pemecutan

Matchday 6
StrayaRoos 88–80 Banija
Eire Agus Albion 61–77 Tjorl
Abanhfleft 89–63 Melbergia
Atheara 85–69 Cassadaigua
Valanora 83–57 Poafmersia (Scored by Eshialand)

 # Group B               Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Valanora                5    5   0   427  321 +106
 2 Banija                  5    4   1   394  365  +29
 3 Tjorl                   5    4   1   408  337  +71
 4 Abanhfleft              5    3   2   422  357  +65
 5 Pemecutan               5    3   2   402  344  +58
 6 Atheara                 5    3   2   367  374   −7
 7 Poafmersia              6    2   4   422  437  −15
 8 Cassadaigua             6    2   4   412  499  −87
 9 StrayaRoos              6    2   4   445  498  −53
10 Melbergia               6    1   5   426  522  −96
11 Eire Agus Albion        6    1   5   396  467  −71

Group C

Table as at MD5

 # Group C                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Drawkland                   5    5   0   458  343 +115
 2 Hannasea                    5    4   1   411  313  +98
 3 Valentine Z                 4    4   0   358  266  +92
 4 Gran Saguaro                5    3   2   399  386  +13
 5 Juvencus                    4    3   1   291  267  +24
 6 Dod Rava                    5    3   2   374  381   −7
 7 Trolleborg                  4    3   1   316  342  −26
 8 Geektopia                   4    0   4   276  322  −46
 9 Southwest Eastnorth         5    0   5   330  399  −69
10 HUElavia                    5    0   5   351  448  −97
   United Adaikes              4    0   4   262  359  −97

Matchday 5
HUElavia 84–101 Trolleborg
Southwest Eastnorth 63–65 Valentine Z
Gran Saguaro 63–78 Hannasea
Geektopia 78–84 Drawkland
Juvencus 68–61 Dod Rava

Matchday 6
Drawkland 70–73 Juvencus
Hannasea 89–61 Geektopia
Valentine Z 87–84 Gran Saguaro
Trolleborg 90–68 Southwest Eastnorth
United Adaikes 65–66 HUElavia

 # Group C                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Hannasea                    6    5   1   500  374 +126
 2 Drawkland                   6    5   1   528  416 +112
 3 Valentine Z                 5    5   0   445  350  +95
 4 Juvencus                    5    4   1   364  337  +27
 5 Trolleborg                  5    4   1   406  410   −4
 6 Gran Saguaro                6    3   3   483  473  +10
 7 Dod Rava                    5    3   2   374  381   −7
 8 HUElavia                    6    1   5   417  513  −96
 9 Geektopia                   5    0   5   337  411  −74
10 Southwest Eastnorth (E)     6    0   6   398  489  −91
11 United Adaikes              5    0   5   327  425  −98

*Southwest Eastnorth has been eliminated because 4th and 5th-placed Juvencus/Trolleborg will need to play each other on MD8, therefore at least 5 wins is needed for mathematical chance of progression and the team can only win 4 games at maximum.

Group D

Table as at MD5

 # Group D                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Nova Anglicana              5    5   0   415  327  +88
 2 Græntfjall                  5    4   1   417  333  +84
 3 Cardenao                    5    3   2   366  336  +30
 4 Qasden                      4    3   1   331  316  +15
 5 Macbon                      4    2   2   307  287  +20
 6 Srednjaci                   4    2   2   309  317   −8
 7 Diarcesia                   5    2   3   362  424  −62
 8 Chromatika                  5    2   3   387  391   −4
 9 Magnecia                    4    1   3   293  320  −27
10 Islerum                     4    1   3   281  344  −63
11 Sky Reavers                 5    0   5   351  424  −73

Matchday 5
Diarcesia 82–73 Srednjaci
Cardenao 64–69 Macbon
Chromatika 87–69 Sky Reavers
Magnecia 60–80 Nova Anglicana
Islerum 70–94 Græntfjall

Matchday 6
Nova Anglicana 75–60 Islerum
Sky Reavers 70–85 Magnecia
Macbon 66–93 Chromatika
Srednjaci 59–74 Cardenao
Qasden 89–89 Diarcesia (99–97 OT)

 # Group D                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Nova Anglicana              6    6   0   490  387 +103
 2 Cardenao                    6    4   2   440  395  +45
 3 Græntfjall                  5    4   1   417  333  +84
 4 Qasden                      5    4   1   430  413  +17
 5 Chromatika                  6    3   3   480  457  +23
 6 Macbon                      5    2   3   373  380   −7
 7 Srednjaci                   5    2   3   368  391  −23
 8 Diarcesia                   6    2   4   459  523  −64
 9 Magnecia                    5    2   3   378  390  −12
10 Islerum                     5    1   4   341  419  −78
11 Sky Reavers                 6    0   6   421  509  −88

[TJUN-ia]

After our 1st doubleheader ended up with 2 good wins in our hands, the Hoops-Jaguars of TJUN-ia were 4-0 and looking like an old but consistent unit in Group A of this IBC. Despite all the starters in this team being no younger than 32 years old, Bao Zhou's Dynasty was seemingly playing some of their best basketball in a while and he couldn't be any happier. But he also knew that things certainly weren't done at all and that anything could happen in this wacky IBC and with in mind, he urged a bit of caution for the 2nd of the double-headers despite the apparent strength of the opposition.

Up first would be the 0-3 Aristian Republic in Wolves Arena, a team that probably didn't deserve to be 0-3 at this point but was just not having a good time entering the contest against us. We certainly tried our best in what ended up being a defensive struggle, with Peter Klivert trying his best with Mohammad Alawi putting up numbers from the bench, but you could certainly feel like AR didn't want to be winless anymore and they certainly put all they fucking effort and grit into this game and you could certainly admire them for that. A late 3 would end up breaking their duck but while we fell, we didn't really mind...AR earned it and that was fine by us. There will be better opportunities for wins down the line.

That would prove to be the case over at Katerine Hall up against the 1-3 Gatchingerrak Union as clearly we wanted to get right back to the good times and decided to do just that by simply destroying the poor GU and turning them into dust with no regard for human life. They did try of course and their 57 points certainly weren't for nought, but we were simply in bounce-back mode and there was practically nothing that they could really do in the end. Edmund Williamson and Matvei Dzhanayev both ended up with 20+ points in this 79-57 win and the margin of 22 points is all that needs to be said about this one.

So we have indeed lost a game for the first time this IBC, but we still have 4 more to go before we truly take stock of where we are on the IBC ladder. Next time will see us play one more game before our MD8 bye - a huge Top 2 showdown against undefeated Quebec and Shingoryeo. The Grim Reapers are always going to be a difficult foe to face and so, we will hope to put on a show no matter what the final score is. This game may be big for the bigger picture if we get to that point...so this will be a big game no matter what. GO HOOPS-JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group A, all games in Poafmersia)
MD1: vs Benjium (UR) - Wolves Arena W 70-60
MD2: vs Mytanija (13) - Katerine Hall W 69-66 (4th)
MD3: vs Indusse (27) - Katerine Hall W 68-64 (2nd)
MD4: vs Katterimunk (UR) - Wolves Arena W 79-70 (2nd)
MD5: vs Aristian Republic (46) - Wolves Arena L 61-64 (2nd)
MD6: vs Gatchingerrak Union (41) - Katerine Hall W 79-57 (2nd)
MD7: vs Quebec and Shingoryeo (4) - Katerine Hall
MD8: BYE
MD9: vs Rastopochje (55) - Katerine Hall
MD10: vs Ko-oren (15) - Katerine Hall
MD11: vs Lisander (31) - Wolves Arena

[Nova Anglicana]

Number of the Day: 3

3 is the Number of the Day, for the number of times that the Græntfjall Snow Wolves and Nova Anglicana Lions have met in the International Basketball Championship. So far, Græntfjall has the edge, winning two matchups to Nova Anglicana's one. The Lions will be looking to even the score, but will have to do it at the Hagejoki Play Park in Græntfjall itself. Not an easy task. Now on to the history!

Game 1 (IBC 33 group stage): Græntfjall 78-77 Nova Anglicana

Nova Anglicana and Græntfjall both were unranked in IBC 30, the Snow Wolves as a debutante and the Lions as a nation returning to basketball after a hiatus. From there, they pursued relatively similar courses, though Græntfjall had a stronger run from 30-32, resulting in them entering IBC 30 as the 10th-ranked team, while Nova Anglicana held down the 15th spot. The teams would occupy the top two spots in their group by rank and meet twice in Quebec & Shingoryeo. The very first game these two teams played against each other is infamous as the "Benjamin Iirosson game." In the second game of the group stage, the two teams battled back and forth all game before the Lions turned their last ten possessions into just five points. Somehow, they incredibly still had an opportunity to win the game, but Iirosson swatted Reggie LaPointe's attempt at a game-winning layup into the stands as time expired, symbolically demonstrating the Snow Wolves' dominance as the top seed. It was a crushing defeat and one that would sting for a long time to come.

Game 2 (IBC 33 group stage): Græntfjall 78-64 Nova Anglicana

The second game of that group stage saw the Lions spoiling for a chance to get revenge on the Snow Wolves. Not only would a victory salve the wounds of the devastating first loss, but the Lions had a chance to tie the Snow Wolves atop the group and put themselves in a position for a better playoff seed. However, it was not to be, as Græntfjaller point guard and captain Tom Farmansson returned from injury with 26 points and 10 rebounds to lead his team to a shockingly easy victory over the Lions. Farmansson effortlessly dissected whatever defense the Lions threw at him: 2-3 matchup zone, man-to-man, box-and-one. Even bringing on Rex McKinney solely for defense had little effect. Small wonder, then, that the Snow Wolves outpaced the Lions in every quarter, leading by six at half-time and using a big third quarter to push the lead out to twelve points. This game stung too, though in a different way. It's hard to say what's worse, seeing your dreams of victory emphatically swatted away at the buzzer or seeing them wither on the vine as a consistently better team slowly asphyxiates you.

Game 3 (IBC 35 semifinal): Græntfjall 81–87 Nova Anglicana

The third and final game that the Snow Wolves and Lions have played would come on a much bigger stage. Coming into IBC 35, the Rushmori squad was ranked fourth to Nova Anglicana's eighth, and they played like the superior team in the tournament up to the semifinals. They cruised into the semis with a 10-1 overall record, including a perfect 4-0 in the second group stage against difficult foes like Drawkland, Mytanija, and Valentine Z. They would have been heavily favored, but injuries to players like Afolabi and Herfinnursson loomed in the background. As it turned out, the game would largely be a duel between Iirosson and Simon Moran. Moran's 26 points would prove to be the difference, though Iirosson's monster game of 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks cannot be overlooked. Late in the game, Moran hit a stepback 3 over the outstretched arm of Iirosson, pushing the Lions back up to a four-point lead with two minutes to go, quashing a Græntfjaller rally. Moran later admitted that he'd watched the "Benjamin Iirosson game" on repeat, and that it felt amazing to hit that big shot over a Nova Anglican nemesis. However, just as key was Duncan Muir's defense on point guard Tjörfi Ásason, short-circuiting the Snow Wolves' offense and resulting in four turnovers. The Lions would go on to defeat Hannasea 91-83 in the championship game and claim their first-ever IBC crown.

Now, the Lions look to pull even in the all-time series. Iirosson, though much older, is still on the Græntfjaller squad and is indeed the captain. He'll be looking to play his best, hand the Lions their first defeat in this IBC so far, and maybe, just maybe, shut up Simon Moran. We'll see what happens, but with the bench getting plenty of run against Islerum and a day off afterwards, the Lions will ride their starters hard and play their hearts out to try to defeat the Snow Wolves.

Nova Anglicana 80-60 Magnecia

Stats: 33-67 FG (49.3%) 11-26 3-Pt FG (42.3%), 3-4 FT (75.0%)

Key Players: Julian Thornton - 4-9/3-7/0-0 (11 pts) 3 rbds, 2 ast, Simon Moran - 8-15/4-8/0-0 (20 pts), 4 rbds, 2 ast, 1 stl, Marc-Antoine Bolduc - 5-10/1-3/2-2 (13 pts), 7 rbds, 2 ast

Nova Anglicana 75-60 Islerum

Stats: 30-64 FG (46.9%) 8-21 3-Pt FG (38.1%), 7-9 FT (77.8%)

Key Players: Philip Meyer - 5-9/0-0/2-2 (11 pts), 12 rbds, 1 ast, 1 blk, David Beck - 7-13/3-6/0-0 (17 pts) 4 rbds, 3 ast, 1 stl, Félix Dedeaux - 3-7/0-1/3-4 (9 pts), 4 rbds, 7 ast

[Hannasea]

       Melody Courts, Nexitros Stratuss
 GRAN SAGUARO 63 – 78 HANNASEA
    (19–19, 13–24, 17–17, 14–18)
   Pts: Tamovalo 21   Pts: Powell 18
            Rbds: Tamovalo, Obajiwe 6   Rbds: Powell, Collins, Griffin 6
Asts: Tamovalo 4   Asts: May 3


           Melody Courts, Nexitros Stratuss
          HANNASEA 89 – 61 GEEKTOPIA
         (18–19, 21–10, 23–20, 27–12)
          Pts: Rubin 21   Pts: Ruyuṟs 19
Rbds: Powell, Cunningham 4   Rbds: Malbaheak 9
     Asts: Cunningham 7   Asts: Ruyuṟs 6

Team update: Just as they're set to leave Mars for Trolleborg, the Sardines are finally on top of the group, although that's only because the Angels have had a bye, and were helped by Juvencus taking down their Revoda Sea rivals. It possibly reflects (unrealistically) high expectations of the team that a 5-1 record, with their starting point guard in-and-out with injuries, is seen as barely par for the course, but the truth is the Sardines' schedule has been unbalanced, weighted towards the lower ranked teams in Valentine Z, with the sterner test to come in Trolleborg: three of their final four games are against the group's other top three seeded teams, including both those Revoda Sea neighbours. Not that ranking on paper is always a fair guide: all the pre-match stats suggested Gran Saguaro should have been small fry for the Sardines, but they proved a worthy test, battling to scores level through the first quarter and only falling behind when their talismanic captain, Judah Tamovalo, was off the court. He led all scorers with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, but had little support from the rest of his team, while the Sardines' height advantage repeatedly paid off. Tom Powell had 18 points and 6 rebounds, and Parker Collins 11 points, 6 rebounds. Geektopia similarly made life tough in the first quarter but couldn't live with the Sardines' pace over the full 40 minutes as they pulled away to an 89-61 win courtesy 21 points off the bench for Nathaniel Rubin and 19 for starting center Justin Griffin. Sţanju Ruyuṟs's 19 point, 6 assist game led Geektopia but it was a game that was effectively over at the half and saw the Sardines' starters sit, save for Cunningham, on his return, who was pleased to put in some work, finishing with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and a team high 7 assists.

Injury update: Cunningham missed the Gran Saguaro game and Kaplan the Geektopia game but both were fit again for Geektopia. Connell has rejoined the team, meaning the squad is back to full fitness.

News update: Nova Anglican politicians have introduced dueling bills on the Brenecian situation to the Assembly of Esportiva. The Federation Council is thought to favour the approach of Melody Savoy, whose bill offers a larger amount of aid but only in return to commitments on FDI and trade, as well as with restrictions on how the money can be spent. Megan McKenzie's bill, offering smaller aid amounts but without the concessions on trade, has met with the approval so far of only the 2 Hannasean delegates sitting with the ULEG grouping. Their leader, The Workers AM Nathan Black, criticized the "cynical neoliberal opportunism" of the Savoy bill. Emily Dreyfus, the Hannasean People's Party's only Assembly member, said she opposed both bills and said they illustrated that the "entire EU project is nothing but a forced wealth transfer from Hannasean taxpayers to the grasping developing world". "Why do you hate the global poor?" shot back Liberal Party AM Lara Moss in a heated exchange.

Environmental update: Desertification has overtaken coral reef degradation as the environmental issue scientists are most concerned about in the annual survey of the nation. The Federation Council, responding to the report, emphasised that concerted action to protect the Coral Coast reefs means that, rather representing a concerning rise in desertification, the poll result actually reflects substantial environmental progress, but nonetheless said that action was ongoing to combat expanding desertification in the Guild Federation's heartland. Despite the temperate climate and generally cool weather, a combination of intensive agriculture and diversion of the water table to feed new urban growth has seen desertification accelerate to unprecedented rates in the last five years.

Military update: As war breaks out in Farfadillis, the Hannasean Chair Force has been dispatched to Atlantian Oceania. Overnight bomber raids saw both Farolera and Rülândéá struck by Mk. IV Tactical Muffin Baskets, before close air support fighters were sent in, their automatic cannons spraying thousands of rounds of #thoughtsandprayers hashtags per second. In addition to these actions, the Guild Federation has committed zero resources to military assistance, aid, or diplomatic pressure on the conflict, with 81% of Hannaseans polled believing Farfadillis to be a kind of fungal rash.

[Pemecutan]

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3

---

Chapter 4

Shock, surprise, confused. These expressions are easily seen on the faces of these youngsters. None of in their wild fantasy that they dreamed to be having a dinner in private with the Patih Agung, the second in command of Pemecutan government. They are still frozen until Lord Bongkasa's voice snap them to reality.

"Please have a seat," says Lord Bongkasa. The youngsters each taking their seat. Handayana seated to the left of Patih Agung while Kusumajati is on his right side. Next to them are the girls and Diatmika seated at the far end of the table. Face to face with Lord Bongkasa. The atmosphere becomes awkward as no one is dare to talk. The servers then come in with the meals that have been pre-ordered before.

"I hope my menu selections are in line with your taste. Honestly, my wife use to do this when we invited a guests over. Hahaha," Lord Bongkasa try to break the silence.
"Your selections are great, My Lord," comment Handayana with a trembling voice.
"Ah. You flattered me. Please enjoy the appetizer first before we start to talks."
Kusumajati glancing at Handayana. Both seems to sends signal. Well, not just them. But in the youngsters minds they are questioning what's the purpose of this dinner meeting. They are not accustomed to this.

The fish head soup is really lifted their appetize. Diatmika seems to enjoy the meal that he doesn't look around and concentrate with his bowl of soup. Guess he is starving.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, My Lord. But what exactly do you want to talk about?" ask Kusumajati breaking the silence. He can't wait until the first meal is done. The other youngsters stop their meal and staring at their leader. Handayana glare at him. He afraid that Lord Bongkasa would feel insulted. But Lord Bongkasa still sipping his soup before he put down the soup spoon. He take the napkin and pampered his lips. Then he is straighten his back and looking at the youngsters in front of him one by one. He still look calm.
"I understand that my invitation is surprising and your curiousity build up as we taking our meal," start Lord Bongkasa. "Well, I think we can't wait until the next meal is ready," he added.
He once again looks at the youngsters one by one. "Honestly, I'm admiring your bravery. Facing the higher authority could shrinking your guts. But that's not why I'm inviting you all here," he says.
"Then what's the matter, My Lord?" cuts Handayana. Now Kusumajati who's glaring at him.
Lord Bongkasa give a simple smile. "It's been quite a long time for Kanginan and also Petang Islands struggling to be more independent. The creation of United Pemecutan was a fraud. And everyone knows it. It's a just a scheme by Pemecutan's royal family to reasserted their influence to us," he started.
"Everyone knows it?" murmur Widiyanti.
"Yes, the authorities at the time," Lord Bongkasa explain. "As everything was controlled by Pemecutan government. They were also ask the Terranean government to give them Soracana Islands. But luckily, Soracana held their own referendum and decided to stay under Terranean government until they are ready. But for Kanginan and Petang Islands, it was a clear message that both will be merge with Pemecutan to create United Pemecutan. The country we are living today," he added.

Lord Bongkasa sipping his drink. "So, what does that have to do with us?" ask Kusumajati.
"This is the time we're breaking away from this union. Something that we've never think would happened. The incident. The protests have lead us all to what's our ancestors hope before," Lord Bongkasa answer it calmly.
"I thought we were willingly agree to unite," comment Diatmika.
"It was diplomatically forced. With Pemecutan have the biggest economy and military back then, we can't argue much. Persuasion from Terranean government was also massive. United makes you stronger. That's what they were always said to our predecessors. But you can see that everything is control by Pemecutan. It's not until recently that we have this devolved government," explain Lord Bongkasa.
"But what can we do? We're just students," argue Sekarini.
Everyone is looking at the Lord. Waiting for the answer. But they are interrupted by the guards. He approached Lord Bongkasa and whispering sometimes to his ear. Kusumajati try to eavesdropping but he can't hear anything. The guard then leave immediately.

"I'm sorry everyone. I believe we can't continue this meeting right now," inform Lord Bongkasa.
"What's going on?" ask Diatmika.
"It's better that you don't know about it. Please leave the restaurant immediately. The guards will escorted you back to your hotel," answer Lord Bongkasa.
Everyone become panic and immediately standing up. The room's door is open and the guards are ready for them.
"We'll have another talk when you are all back to Mengwi," say Lord Bongkasa before the guards take the five youngsters out of there.

The situation has excalate into a horror. The car that drive them to the hotel run so fast. It's not a limousine. So it is safe to drive it madly. Arrived at the hotel, the five youngsters still look confused.
"What's just happened?" ask Widiyanti as she looks into all of her friends faces. Everyone also don't know the answers. Only shock and horror that printed on their faces.

[Cardenao]

Blake D’Aquino was feeling good, real good. He was a baller and he was balling out. He was leading the Cardenao men’s basketball team in the 37th International Basketball Championship and had been getting it done.

Buckets, that’s what they should call him Buckets D’Aquino. Buckets D’Buckets. Buckets Buckets’Buckets, that’s what people needed to call him. He was the man, always getting it DONE!

From three? Splash.

Eurostepping past Grænt defenders for an easy bucket? Buckets.

Single handedly leading the team to a big wub against the Sky Reavers? Born to be done.

Dunking all over that Nova Anglicanan in an emphatic 70–80 loss? BUCKETS.

Blake D’Aquino. Team leader.

Other teams were starting to pay him more attention now and it was annoying, a mosquito to one of the greatest players of all time. Just last game, the opposing point guard had been physical with him the entire time. Putting his dirty hands on him, HIM! D’Aquino. Putting his hands on him. Snatching at his jersey, pathetically pulling at his side to try and inconvenience him. Sad. Putting his weirdly small hands on his chest. HIS CHEST. HOW? HOW CAN HE DO THAT? To him.

Blake D’Aquino.

Blake D’Aquino looked down at his distorted image in the mirror and started laughing.

“SIUUUUUU!!!” He said, flexing his muscles and putting his nose down for another line of CAD-E. This shit super charged him, turned him into SIUperman. He was the fucking man.

He was just pissed. Too many nobodies touching him during games, setting screens, trying to body him. Who were they? Who did they know huh? Blake D’Aquino knows. Blake D’Aquino plays.

Who was he playing next? It did not matter.

This team, that team. The only team he cared about was Team Cardenao.

Apparently a professional Cardenao basketball league was going to start. He would care about his team there too, for both Team Cardenao and Team Basketball League would be playing for Team Blake D’Aquino.

Next person to put his hands on him, they are getting slapped, BIG SLAP!

No more of this disrespect, no more of this…this…THIS…this weak little man way to try and win a game of BASKETBALL.

Blake D’Aquino.

That was him and he was here.

Time to win.

[Chromatika]

A piece of good news
Merkoff is playing okay
Penguins claw two back..

Lia Xiu will return
By the end of the Group Stage
Likely nine or ten

Every game matters
Four make it out of five teams
A spirited chase.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

The Taegukgi: The Korean-language voice of the Quebecois Commonwealth

Former Quebecois opposition leader dies by suicide while detained for 62 corruption, hate crime and sex trafficking charges

Kim Seok-Ho

JOONGYEONG, JOONGYEONG - They say that the cats have nine lives, but nine months apparently cannot save a cat.

Former opposition leader Pierre 'Peepee' Pointon-Grey, a disgraced far-right politician who was facing over sixty federal charges for corruption, hate crime and sex trafficking charges, has died at 52.

The authorities said that Pointon-Grey was found unresponsible in his cell at Sainte-Agathe Institution, Abitibi-Agawa, at one in the morning. After attempts to revive him have failed, he was declared dead on site shortly after. The Royal Quebecois Police (RQP) is currently investigating the incident, according to the Her Majesty's Penintentiary Service (HMPS). Sources have told The Taegukgi that Pointon-Grey was not put on suicide watch during his time at the prison.

Pointon-Grey was arrested in April for 24 charges involving alleged sex trafficking of minors at four locations in Songak, Terre-Aux-Oiseaux and Nord-Est provinces. They were already added in addition to pre-existing 10 hate crime and 28 corruption and money laundering charges, on which he was out on bail on various conditions. The trials for all his charges, combined to amount to 62 charges, were scheduled for January next year.

Pointon-Grey pleaded not guilty to the charges. If guilty, he would have faced death penalty, likely on public setting due to Pointon-Grey's status as a public individual and the serious nature of the crimes.

The news of Pointon-Grey's death so far has led to a wide range of emotions and reactions coming from it. The parliament, where he once held the role of opposition leader for five years until his catastrophic election defeat in 2053, has remained calm on the matter, with relatively has seen relatively little words said.

Current opposition leader, Lucien Azagury-Zovaco of Moogoongwha Party, left a short remark at the starting of today's Parliamentary Session. He said that 'Today, a former leader of the opposition, who was once part of the Moogoongwha Party, has passed.'

'Pierre Pointon-Grey was a challenging man who was able to draw people's attention, and accordingly generate a reaction out of it,' Azaguary-Zovaco, who has expressed his disagreements with the party leadership in Pointon-Grey era as opposition leader, continued. 'What is not welcomed, however, is his hateful rhetoric against many of the people he had intended to serve. Hate has no place in the parliament and we will let the world carry on without it.'

The Quebecois prime minister, Jacques Lee Ellington, was in agreement with his opponent's stance as he described Lee Ellington as a 'man whose ideals differed from that of the service of our country.

'Whether we will miss him or not is another story, but his constant manifestations of false and/or mistorted claims, as well as repeated threats against other parliamentarians whom he had shared space with, suggests that a waste of space is no longer.'

The public, however, has expressed their outward condemnation at the Her Majesty's Prison Service and the Lee Ellington government for their incompetence had allowed Pointon-Grey to escape the arms of the law, thereby preventing appropriate measures of justice from taking place.

'This is beyond insulting for those who have suffered at the hands of him and his cronies, who have found their way around to abuse those who had trusted them, whether they be women, children, or the people of colour,' said Adelle Thibault, 46, a former parliamentary staffer who was one of 26 victims who had come forward as victim of Martin Ruel, former Shadow Secretary of Justice, whose conviction would come to see Pointon-Grey's part in attempting to silence the victims. 'The calls of justice left unanswered by allowing a heinous individual to die on his own volition.'

Paul-Loic Bakumbu, 24, whose house and family were murdered by intruding Pee-Pee supporters who had targetted public housings involving refugees, was no short of fury as well. 'In this country, we expect justice to come for all those who go against our laws,' said the Songak resident. 'And yet, the opposition leader who called for the murder of many families, not just mine but also others as well, is allowed to die of his volition?'

Her Majesty's Attorney General Lisette Hong said in a press conference this morning that the investigation of the deceased will continue. Hong, in particular, noted that the charges themselves 'involved a complex case', and that the deceased's passing shall not impede the investigation or possible charges of others involved in the 62 charges.

'I am beyond appalled at the news and what had happened, that's for sure,' she said. 'Mr. Pointon-Grey's death, while an unfortunate incident, is, further determinates our will that his passing shall not be the end of us raising, developing and answering serious questions that have to be answered at all cost.'

The Royal Quebecois Police, as well as the Royal Shingoryeoite Office for the Protection of the Constitution, also announced that it will be opening a separate case on the incident.

Read this article in:

English | Français | The Taegukgi Indigenous

[Trolleborg]

Greetings, compatriots!
It’s TTV with a summary of recent games in the group stage of International Basketball Championship.
The tournament has just passed the middle of the first stage, and our team will play all the remaining matches at home, although it remains to be seen how this will affect the result.

The final match of the series which our basketball players played in Valentine Z, happened to be played with HUElavia, our old football acquaintances. All of us, to be honest, had fears for the result, and not without foundation, but, fortunately, they are not justified at the end. The team performed the way we have become accustomed to in recent years. If only we could learn how to play like this with all the opponents who are superior in experience, and we could count on progress in the world of basketball. The guests, however, also showed a high-quality and competent game, several times before and after the break they could turn the tide of the game, the gap in score was usually not much more than 3-4 points, and only in the last five or six minutes it became clear that our lads would most likely won another victory. And so, fortunately for us, it happened. Victory with a score 100-84.

After this, our basketball players left Valentine Z and moved under the roof of the sports palace in Murnau, with the Southwest Eastnorth team became the first opponent. Another team, it must be said, which was known for us from the football games. For opponents, the tournament is developing rather unsuccessfully, and the defeat meant for them the loss of even theoretical chances for the playoffs, so they fought bravely and decisively on the court, even despite the situation: the fans of our team supported it without ceasing, and the sports palace is arranged in such a way that one gets the impression from the parquet that the fans are at arm's length. Although the guests were able to take the lead only twice in the entire match, they did not let our team go far ahead in the score either. By the break score was 38:36, i.е. one successful throw from afar could turn everything differently. Only in the second half of the game, after several successful long-range shots, our lads were able to run away to a comfortable distance, and, fortunately, did not relax further. 90-68 and the opponents are (unfortunately) out of the fight for playoff berths.

In another of the championship game in Murnau, HUElavia defeated United Adaikes 65-66 in a dramatic match. After six rounds, our lads are in an fifth place, which was not give a ticket to playoff, and, despite four victories have not brought the goal difference so far to plus after a terrible defeat in the second round. And there is a very difficult section of the road ahead - some of the opponents which are lower than we are in ranks while retain chances for the playoffs and have desire to fight for this, and some of them are stronger and more experienced than our team, so let’s prepare to tough fights.

[Valentine Z]

Part 3 – Benevolent Dictatorship for Life, that is no longer confined to software anymore!

For someone like Valentijn “De Sierlijke en Vrij Valkyrie General ov Valentine Z” Samantha Maxwell Delta Weston Stijn Angelus Tracey Mitchell Tristian Marnix Basilisk Lewis Hyatt X. Constantine Sein Lin Zaw Naing, and the power and position that she is in, one would have expected her to be rather extravagant, living in a large mansion that is worth millions of international currency, and several that of some of the poorest nations’ GDP. The reality, however, is, perhaps, close enough. Without adverting the trope entirely, it is indeed true that Valentijn lives in a rather large house, one that would need the journalists and reporters alike to be escorted and driven to her home, as well as around the home itself. This is all owing to the fact that Valentijn is 117 meters tall, and someone as big as her obviously needs a large house. If the house was indeed shrunk down to more human proportions, then it would have been a relatively normal – even smaller – house for two, with a simple living room, bedroom, kitchen and shower, and her office space and leisure room. The house is situated on a hill, perhaps around 50 meters off the ground, in turn giving Valentijn a pretty nice view of the capital, of the country that she and many other Valentians have built. For someone with a bit of obsession on “Valentian” and “Valkyrie” in place names, Valentijn is no doubt humble.

The news crew, consisting of both the Valentians and the non-Valentians, entered Valentijn’s office through the slightly open door, with her looking at the immediate floor area near the door and letting out a soft smile on her face, along with her signature handwave. “Well, hello, everyone! And welcome, haha, you are all just in time for this interview! I heard that it will be today so,” she then stood up from her chair and walked slowly and gently towards the group, lifting up the small cars as she then put them on her desk, “Don’t mind if I do that later,” she remarked with a small chuckle. “Okay, so seems that we are on live, yes? Splendid! All right, so please – do allow me to introduce myself once again. My name is Valkyrie Valentijn Samantha Constantine, and I am the leader of Valentine Z itself. Of course, I do have my other friends and Valentian personnel helping me out, no doubt on those. I reckon you guys will have a lot of questions regarding myself, and I understand that politics in general are not always the smoothest of things, even in the reams of Valentine Z. Both positive and negative, please do ask away, I won’t crush, haha!”

Valkyrie Valentijn was bombarded with several questions, particularly on the history of The Sixty, the difficulties that she faced as a leader, and finally, the big several-elephants in the room – any particular bouts of corruption, the setbacks, and the like. After all, it would seem like the press wanted the juicy bits, and of course, even in places like Valentine Z, there used to be some degrees of corruption. “Hmm, of course! I shall give you all the rundown of the history of The Sixty! So, even before its very first day of its inception, Valentine Z had and always have been ruled by The Sixty, a group consisting mostly of folks from the Pre-Valentian Era, those who have worked on the key aspects and contributions of Project Resolute. We are quite a ragtag of folks back then – with extraordinary powers, knowledge, abilities, and of course, the most important aspect of all: wanting to save the world from doom. Of course, we could not make this project public, and on top of that, not many of the people around the world believed in me, and understandably so. Me, just a general and then a President of Burma – not even a superpower, trying to save a world from the nuclear fire, when all of the world’s a battlefield and someone is going to die within the 10 minutes of the negotiation? It was a laughable idea, and I myself am aware of that. Of course, Project Resolute still went on, in part because I still believed in it, on top of the couple of others around the world. Jolyn Maxine Caulfield Ceeta, she was a tremendous help with her network of informants and spies, along with routes and the like so that we can save a great diversity of people from around the world. That, of course, was the reasoning as to why there are a lot of indigenous and natives living more freely in Valentine Z, along with many more other cultures.”

She took a sip of water from the nearby glass, gently putting it down which would still cause a small bit of tremors on the desk. The reporters (especially the foreigners) were a little unsettled, but quickly recovered. Valentians, naturally, have gotten used to such things when it involves Valentijn in her full size. “All right, moving on, that was the establishment of Valentine Z and The Sixty. A lot are from the Pre-Valentian Era, but a few of them, Adriana for example, are from Valentian Era, made as a backup and little sister of our lovely Clarissa Alanis Star Samantha, of course. As for why 60 instead of 61 – with the addition of Anastasia, it just sounds a bit more catchy. On top of that, there was also the fact that 60 is a lot more divisible, at first. Like, you can divide a team of 60 in any way you want. I know it’s not 60 anymore, but ehh, semantics.” Valentijn casually and gently waved her hand, then smiled.

“To quote my biography, even for someone who has saved the world, he would find himself in the troubles for exploiting both his stature and the power he has. He got into a bit of hot water when it comes to corrupt practices, or by leading with an iron fist (literally and metaphorically). While he did manage to run the world just fine for 20 years, he went on and on and surround himself with his friends. Valentijn became more power-hungry, sought and wanting to control the entire nation (that is, the entirety of Valentine Z) by himself. He also has implemented a few too many policies that didn't really make much sense, such as the long names that spans up to 20+ words. Eventually, even for someone who saved the world, Valentijn was forced to step down for a good few years after one of his decisions forced the nation into a state of disrepair, undoing several years of scientific advancement due to his careless nature and being rash with the devices he was presented with and believing himself to be the authority. Valentijn then pardoned himself and made his way to the oversized home that would be used for his house arrest, much to the relief of his people and his friends who were thinking of ways to curb and tame a giant in case Valentijn showed resistance. So there you have it on the subject of corruption and well, abusing my powers, to be quite honest. I put myself under house arrest and happily spent my years there until I behaved myself, of course. Now, I know what you are thinking, is this not nepotism with extra steps? I mean, why was Marcus then leading?”

“The people absolutely voted for him. He is my best friend, and that has not changed back then and it has not changed for the worse now. He is also very capable, and I will not hesitate to admit that both in front of him or behind him. People wanted to give him a chance, and he did a great job at it. As a result of all of this, when I then volunteered to get back into leading the world, Marcus then stepped down to rule a smaller part of Valentine Z, but still having the equal amount of power. Now of course, you might all be thinking again – isn’t this an oligarchy or an autocracy? Just a small of power within the small group of people? To be absolutely clear, yes. We are an oligarchy. There is no denying that, and I mean, I will admit, I just would like to rule the world, you know what I mean? It can be a bit callous, especially hindering the ways of democracy, except maybe that time we voted Marcus in as an emergency thing. For us, however, it just works. I have learned my lessons throughout the decades, and I promised that I would do my best to help everyone and I really do mean everyone in Valentine Z. We have not had a civil war and internal conflicts for the entirety history of Valentine Z of 90+ years, and the only recent war we had was a defensive one because we got invaded by the outside forces. In short, yes, after what we have went through, I also would not like to bring humanity as a whole to a halt, and thus is why we are committed to doing our very best right here. We are definitely a Benevolent Dictatorship for Life, with me having the powers. In the meantime, of course, the rest of The Sixty – goodness help them that they don’t get corrupted as well – are also around with me to stop and help each other in the case of anything. And for the 90+ years so far, it has worked, and people approved.”

At the end of the interview, Valentijn gently put her arm on the desk, fiddling around with an equally oversized pen, signing her name on a blank of paper, after she was asked by the reporters on if they could get her autograph. “Sorry it’s a little too big, haha! Well, I mean, you can hang it on your newsroom or something like that, I would be honoured.” Valentijn combed her hair and then smiled a lot more this time, “And hey, thank you for the interview and this session, I appreciate it.” She bowed and then gently lifted up the car again, putting it on the floor as she then walked slowly alongside said car to the entrance of her home, “Enjoy your time at Mars, and of our IBC games!”

Southwest Eastnorth 63–65 Valentine Z for MD5, then Valentine Z 87–84 Gran Saguaro for MD6. Gwen’s Angels were absolutely ecstatic, what with them getting a good head start for these 4 matches. Yuri Anastasia Catherine Moire Mok Jung-Won, the tallest out of the 5 players, was on the interview with the press, sitting down on the bench as the only way to reach out to these reporters, lest their heights outside of the court absolutely dwarfed them. “Well, that was pretty damn good! And hey, I am just happy with myself for not like, you know, hitting and slipping the others. Oh, that was a bit embarrassing, I will admit that, but this time, all of us did pretty well without hurting each other by accident! The games against both teams were pretty damn close, like wow! One by two-pointer, and another by three-pointer. I hope it won’t get that close soon, but you know what, they did amazing, and GG to the opponents as always! Geektopia and Juvencus, here we come! We will be playing our very best as always, and I am happy to work with the rest of the 4 ladies that are on the front of it all. I hope the rest won’t feel bored, though!”

[Sky Reavers]

-"On basketball field
Six battles we have fought.
We lost each of them."-Green tried to make a haiku about the outcome of the games, while meditating on every mistake he made. A serie of bad luck events? Or perhaps, basketball requires something more than capable, battle hardened body and natural cunning? Turns out, that if one can lob a grenade in a window, it doesn't mean, that he will always hit a basket with a ball.

-"Maybe, I should have stayed a pest exterminator and occassionally a stalker, seeking and scavending for anomalious items and sellling them to Neoners... Still, an adventure is adventure. Not everytime, we are supposed to win. Even more, perhaps, these defeats gonna make us a dark horse and make our next opponetns relax. And from there, we use that to our advantage and win! What do ya' think, Xan? Shall we use apply Sun Tzu to basketball?"-Liam Graham

-"Well, whatever will work, man... Whatever will work. Even if we lose another time, it won't be worse. And if we win, this'll be just awesome! Still, there is a chance, we can pull this off! After all, we won't surrender! Even if all matches went sour."-Xan takes a sip from a flask. And another one too. He is willing to try the "Drunken Master" style, and hopes it will work this time.

-"And I don't understand, why does this happen. As far as I know, for some reason, Sky Reavers have been cursed with almost absolute ineptitude as football... I mean, that with black n' white ball, not giant coffee bean. But from what we showed to the world... Did the curse also spread to basketball?"-Cassandra takes a deep breath and meditates.

-"Well, actually no. After all, it's different. In football, we show ineptitude and here, we fought well, but were just outmatched and outclased six times in a row. A huge difference even if the outcome is just the same. Let's just say, that we still gave the teams a run for their money and showed the famous tenacity! Some others would have withdrawn, but we gonna fight the odds till we get kicked out! Although, we are likely to get kicked out if we are not extremely lucky. I mean, lucky as if we all wore garlands made of four leaf clovers."-Liam Graham giggles, as he imagines himself and the team wearing clover garlands.

After a small talk, the Reaver team would prepare metnally for another matches, thinking about their shortcomings and analysing them. Perhaps, if Liam and Xan wouldn't always play so offensively, they would be able to be less predictable and manage to keep the opponents from slipping past them. In the meantime, Cassandra deicded to train her intuition as she remembers misjudging the distances and opponent movements. Meditation and keeping track on everything she senses with all five senses, that was her way. Either way, the team has many things to work on and improve if they seek to win or at least lose the tournament not so embarrassingly.

[PotatoFarmers]

Cutting off.

Prompt: Tempo. How much does your people value tempo? In day-to-day lives, do your people prefer a faster tempo and more efficiency, or a slower tempo which gives a more enjoyable life? Or try applying it to your basketball team's play style - how does your team dictate tempo? Does your team prefer a slower-paced game or a fast-paced game?

NB: Banija's RP below was counted for this MD. Also, from next cutoff onwards, we are back to 1 MD per cutoff.

Group A

Table as at MD7

 # Group A                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo       6    6   0   523  408 +115
 2 Ko-oren                     6    5   1   490  415  +75
 3 TJUN-ia                     7    5   2   498  468  +30
 4 Indusse                     7    4   3   564  518  +46
 5 Katterimunk                 7    4   3   503  542  −39
 6 Mytanija                    6    3   3   433  440   −7
 7 Rastopochje                 7    3   4   529  496  +33
 8 Gatchingerrak Union         6    2   4   421  485  −64
 9 Benjium                     6    1   5   407  465  −58
10 Lisander                    6    1   5   440  480  −40
11 Aristian Republic           6    1   5   421  512  −91

Matchday 7
Indusse 76–62 Benjium
Katterimunk 67–67 Lisander (75–74 OT)
Aristian Republic 75–92 Ko-oren
Gatchingerrak Union 76–74 Rastopochje
Quebec and Shingoryeo 87–72 TJUN-ia

Matchday 8
Rastopochje 67–75 Quebec and Shingoryeo
Ko-oren 66–59 Gatchingerrak Union
Lisander 82–63 Aristian Republic
Benjium 75–77 Katterimunk
Mytanija 79–73 Indusse

 # Group A                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo       7    7   0   598  475 +123
 2 Ko-oren                     7    6   1   556  474  +82
 3 TJUN-ia                     7    5   2   498  468  +30
 4 Katterimunk                 8    5   3   580  617  −37
 5 Mytanija                    7    4   3   512  513   −1
 6 Indusse                     8    4   4   637  597  +40
 7 Rastopochje                 8    3   5   596  571  +25
 8 Lisander                    7    2   5   522  543  −21
 9 Gatchingerrak Union         7    2   5   480  551  −71
10 Benjium (E)                 7    1   6   482  542  −60
11 Aristian Republic (E)       7    1   6   484  594 −110

Group B

Table as at MD7

 # Group B               Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Valanora                6    6   0   526  381 +145
 2 Banija                  6    5   1   477  442  +35
 3 Abanhfleft              6    4   2   497  420  +77
 4 Pemecutan               6    4   2   470  409  +61
 5 Tjorl                   6    4   2   471  412  +59
 6 Atheara                 6    4   2   450  448   +2
 7 Poafmersia              6    2   4   422  437  −15
 8 Cassadaigua             7    2   5   472  598 −126
 9 StrayaRoos              7    2   5   510  566  −56
10 Melbergia               7    1   6   500  605 −105
11 Eire Agus Albion        7    1   6   473  550  −77

Matchday 7
Cassadaigua 60–99 Valanora
Melbergia 74–83 Atheara
Tjorl 63–75 Abanhfleft
Banija 83–77 Eire Agus Albion
Pemecutan 60–60 StrayaRoos (68–65 OT)

Matchday 8
Eire Agus Albion 63–81 Pemecutan
Abanhfleft 61–88 Banija
Atheara 78–74 Tjorl
Valanora 65–71 Melbergia
Poafmersia 78–65 Cassadaigua (Scored by Tumbra)

 # Group B                Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Valanora                7    6   1   591  452 +139
 2 Banija                  7    6   1   565  503  +62
 3 Pemecutan               7    5   2   551  472  +79
 4 Atheara                 7    5   2   528  522   +6
 5 Abanhfleft              7    4   3   558  508  +50
 6 Tjorl                   7    4   3   545  490  +55
 7 Poafmersia              7    3   4   500  502   −2
 8 StrayaRoos              7    2   5   510  566  −56
 9 Cassadaigua (E)         8    2   6   537  676 −139
10 Melbergia (E)           8    2   6   571  670  −99
11 Eire Agus Albion (E)    8    1   7   536  631  −95

Group C

Table as at MD7

 # Group C                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Hannasea                    7    6   1   594  432 +162
 2 Valentine Z                 6    6   0   547  406 +141
 3 Drawkland                   7    6   1   603  482 +121
 4 Trolleborg                  6    5   1   491  477  +14
 5 Juvencus                    6    4   2   422  431   −9
 6 Gran Saguaro                7    3   4   550  558   −8
 7 Dod Rava                    6    3   3   440  456  −16
 8 HUElavia                    6    1   5   417  513  −96
 9 United Adaikes              6    1   5   428  500  −72
10 Southwest Eastnorth         7    0   7   473  590 −117
11 Geektopia                   6    0   6   393  513 −120

Matchday 7
Southwest Eastnorth 75–101 United Adaikes
Gran Saguaro 67–85 Trolleborg
Geektopia 56–102 Valentine Z
Juvencus 58–94 Hannasea
Dod Rava 66–75 Drawkland

Matchday 8
Hannasea 95–73 Dod Rava
Valentine Z 76–57 Juvencus
Trolleborg 69–65 Geektopia
United Adaikes 79–83 Gran Saguaro
HUElavia 67–92 Southwest Eastnorth

 # Group C                  Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Hannasea                    8    7   1   689  505 +184
 2 Valentine Z                 7    7   0   623  463 +160
 3 Drawkland                   7    6   1   603  482 +121
 4 Trolleborg                  7    6   1   560  542  +18
 5 Gran Saguaro                8    4   4   633  637   −4
 6 Juvencus                    7    4   3   479  507  −28
 7 Dod Rava                    7    3   4   513  551  −38
 8 United Adaikes (E)          7    1   6   507  583  −76
 9 Southwest Eastnorth (E)     8    1   7   565  657  −92
10 HUElavia (E)                7    1   6   484  605 −121
11 Geektopia (E)               7    0   7   458  582 −124

NB: There is no qualification here for Valentine Z and Hannasea because apparently Drawkland holds all the cards here, having not played either of them.

Group D

Table as at MD7

 # Group D                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Nova Anglicana              7    7   0   580  462 +118
 2 Cardenao                    7    5   2   519  455  +64
 3 Græntfjall                  6    4   2   492  423  +69
 4 Qasden                      6    4   2   490  492   −2
 5 Srednjaci                   6    3   3   449  467  −18
 6 Chromatika                  7    3   4   556  538  +18
 7 Macbon                      6    3   3   452  447   +5
 8 Magnecia                    6    2   4   445  469  −24
 9 Diarcesia                   6    2   4   459  523  −64
10 Islerum                     6    2   4   434  503  −69
11 Sky Reavers                 7    0   7   505  602  −97

Matchday 7
Cardenao 79–60 Qasden
Chromatika 76–81 Srednjaci
Magnecia 67–79 Macbon
Islerum 93–84 Sky Reavers
Græntfjall 75–90 Nova Anglicana

Matchday 8
Sky Reavers 79–75 Græntfjall
Macbon 84–79 Islerum
Srednjaci 68–79 Magnecia
Qasden 65–103 Chromatika
Diarcesia 70–80 Cardenao

 # Group D                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Nova Anglicana (Q)          7    7   0   580  462 +118
 2 Cardenao                    8    6   2   599  525  +74
 3 Chromatika                  8    4   4   659  603  +56
 4 Græntfjall                  7    4   3   567  502  +65
 5 Qasden                      7    4   3   555  595  −40
 6 Macbon                      7    4   3   536  526  +10
 7 Magnecia                    7    3   4   524  537  −13
 8 Srednjaci                   7    3   4   517  546  −29
 9 Diarcesia                   7    2   5   529  603  −74
   Islerum                     7    2   5   513  587  −74
11 Sky Reavers (E)             8    1   7   584  677  −93

NB: Nova Anglicana is through because only 4 teams can get at least 7 wins - Cardenao, and 2 of Græntfjall, Qasden, and Macbon. For the latter 3, its because Græntfjall has games against Qasden and Macbon to come. I might review the 4-way tie and its impact down the table sometime tomorrow (I mean today, since its past midnight when I write this) my time.

[Banija]

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Kabaka - King
Luguba - Queen Consort
Sarauniya - Queen Mother
Isebantu - Crown Prince
Omugabe/Omugaba - Prince/Princess
Omulangira/Kyabazinga - Duke/Duchess
Kagere/Kiweewa - Lord/Lady
Katikkiro - Prime Minister
Waziri - Foreign Minister
Lukiiko- Parliament
Kiongozi- Leader of the Opposition

The Busukuma Post
Covering All of Banija, All of our News, All of the Time

Why go for Union? Why the Territories wanted to become part of the Kingdom of Banija


District Map of the Banijan Esportivan Territories

ZANSASI, BANIJAN ESPORTIVAN TERRITORY OF NJAZA- So, we are here for Part 5 of this issue. What was the process for getting bipartisan support for this back home, in Banija? How did they build consensus, across the political sectors, to make this a relatively simply push over the line?

#4 - What pushed it over the line- why Banija said yes, how it garnered bipartisan support in the Lukiiko?

We talked about, in the last issue, why the tribes ended up signing up for this. In an ever globalizing world, this can be seen as a lifeline, as a desperate attempt to exert influence over oil and everything else in Njaza. But why are we here? What are the reasons politically- both the ones that politicans said out loud, and the ones that we think are the real reasons?

Oil

One cannot get around this- the reasons that Banijans are out here in Njaza, more than anything, is oil. "If it wasn't for the oil reserves, Banijans would be doing what they have largely been doing to this territory for well over a century- just ignoring it. Sure, there'd be some cultural connections and what not, but full blown political connections, especially what amounts to annexation in this way? It simply could not happen." Said a political scientist who works at Northern Moravica University. And this political scientist would be correct. After a very public, and very massive, foreign policy failure in Nyowani Kitara out in Rushmore, the Banijans ended up with egg in their face- a position are determined never to repeat.

So the big wigs at home were always bound to support this. And what better way to protect the petroleum rights of PetroBan, than if Banija had very direct control over the territory itself? But let's see what arguments politicans stuck to in public- of course, you can't simply say out loud that 'we wanted access to that oil'....

And look- we apologize for the length, but that's all there is to it, really. The right mostly talked about their arguments about 'reuniting God's people', and how Banijans in Njaza, who loved this country, wanted to be a part of it, and how could we say no? The left talked about how standard of living could be jacked up dramatically in Njaza, and how Banija could be a 'positive force for good in the diverse land'- particularly towards the uncontacted peoples, living deep within the territory's rainforest.

Other Sports News
- Banija improved to 4-1 at IBC 37, after splitting there last two games here at this tournament. They had a dramatic, 70-67 win over Pemecutan at the buzzer on Matchday 5. Pemecutan had a buzzer-beating corner three attempt in the final moments to try and force overtime, but the ball rimmed in and out of the net as the final buzzer sounded. They could not build on their momentum, however. They came out slow and sloppy against StrayaRoos, who are near the bottom of the basketball standings.
- Laboto called the defensive performance against StrayaRoos 'unacceptable'. "Look- this is what happens if you ever take an opponent loosely- they'll rock your socks off. We had some emotional wins over Tjorl and Pemecutan, so it makes sense that we would have a comedown game." He reminded players how this wasn't a sprint, and one group stage game isn't going to knock you out of contention, by itself. It's easy for things to go well when you're winning- but throw losing in there, and it could be a powder keg. We'll find out what these kids are made of soon enough."
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[TJUN-ia]

After we split our 2nd double-header, the Hoops-Jaguars of TJUN-ia were now 5-1 entering the final double-header of IBC37 - which was, in effect, a single game as MD8 would be our well-earned bye. This team has undoubtedly worked hard to be in the position it was and getting the bye late was seen as a good way to rest up before the real work began in this race for Basketball immortality. Bao Zhou was certainly happy with how well his team had performed despite their advanced years and all that jazz but he also knew that the final 4 games of this IBC would decide the fate of the entire team and so he wanted to make sure losses were kept to a minimum no matter what.

Our only game would be back at Katerine Hall as we faced the #4 and undefeated Grim Reapers of Quebec and Shingoryeo, fielding both Men's and Women's teams as always. This game between 2 Top 10 programs was expected to be an epic showdown, but in the end, that wasn't where this matchup was headed. On any other day, our 72 points would've been enough to be at least competitive in this contest and both Edmund Williamson and Pedro Alavez were certainly firing on all cylinders, but the Grim Reapers were just firing on all cylinders across the board and we simply couldn't stop them at all. Bahng Se-Woong and Helene Dion-Kweon simply took over the fucking game and there was simply nothing we could do. It finished 87-72 and we certainly couldn't be too mad about that at all.

3rd is where we now lie in this group, knowing full well that falling out of the Top 4 would see us eliminated. Raspotochje is up next at 3-5 and we know that they will be fighting for their very lives in that game. We're almost there...but it's not secured yet. GO HOOPS-JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group A, all games in Poafmersia)
MD1: vs Benjium (UR) - Wolves Arena W 70-60
MD2: vs Mytanija (13) - Katerine Hall W 69-66 (4th)
MD3: vs Indusse (27) - Katerine Hall W 68-64 (2nd)
MD4: vs Katterimunk (UR) - Wolves Arena W 79-70 (2nd)
MD5: vs Aristian Republic (46) - Wolves Arena L 61-64 (2nd)
MD6: vs Gatchingerrak Union (41) - Katerine Hall W 79-57 (2nd)
MD7: vs Quebec and Shingoryeo (4) - Katerine Hall L 87-72 (3rd)
MD8: BYE (3rd)
MD9: vs Rastopochje (55) - Katerine Hall
MD10: vs Ko-oren (15) - Katerine Hall
MD11: vs Lisander (31) - Wolves Arena

[Gran Saguaro]

The Altiplano Pimería — a lawless place, as we've intimately discovered. The endless, dry badlands of Gran Saguaro's easternmost frontier seem to be unsuitable for life; yet they've been inhabited for millennia, with each generation somehow willing to eke out a hardscrabble existence ranching or mining or growing agave. The region's fortunes rose in the 1950s, with the discovery of new copper and gold deposits — but the mines have since run dry and the region has emptied, leaving startling ghost towns and pristine wilderness; and giving birth to a whole new industry, that of the desperados...

Yavier and Jordi Camo had the worst role in the robbery — they were stuck on "guard", their truck parked in the middle of the highway, scanning for oncoming cars that could be witnesses. Yavier paced outside of the truck, trying to light up in the face of the wind; Jordi Camo (who goes by his rapper name) sat inside, his feet on the dashboard, watching the Saguaro-Hannasea basketball match.

"Yo," Jordi Camo called out, "is the Blue Lemon flavor good?"

Yavier had not managed to begin smoking his Blue Lemon-flavored cigarette. "Nah, the wind. It keeps blowing out my lighter." Yavier looked through the windshield. "Oye, Jordi, feet off the dash, man!"

"It's Jordi Camo, bitch," said Jordi Camo as he lowered his feet. "I'm trying to build a brand. Jordi cause it's my name, camo cause, y'know, I'm a bandit. It's bandit rap."

"Wey there's no such thing as 'bandit rap'. Rap’s a—" Yavier finally managed to light his cig. "—ah, shit. Finally."

They stood in silence for a bit. Yavier took a drag on his cigarette, and grimaced at the taste. Then he froze — a wavy shape appeared in the distance.

"Jordi."

Jordi Camo didn't look up from his phone. "Yo, I told you—"

"Hey, get up. There's somebody coming. Wey, get your feet off the dashboard, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Yavier jumped in the driver's seat and gunned the engine. The truck raced down the empty road and stopped diagonally in front of the oncoming car, a raspy station wagon with luggage strapped to the roof and a family of six tucked into the back. Yavier grabbed his gun out of the glove compartment and tucked it into his jacket. The bandits pulled their bandanas over their faces and got out of the truck.

“Hey man,” said Yavier, “How’s it going? How are you?”

The poor, startled family looked at the two gangsters with gaping mouths. “Nah, nah, don’t be scared, man. We’re just — unfortunately, you’ll have to take another route to wherever you’re going, I’m sorry. Wahuai, that’s the town, right?”

“Yeah, there’s a blockage on the road. They’re trying to get it fixed, but it’ll take the whole day,” added Jordi Camo. “Real annoying for us too.”

“A bus crashed.”

“Yeah, it just — like, rolled over or something.”

“What? No —”

“Yeah, man. It took a turn too hard, rolled on its side. Everyone’s okay, but, like, someone might have broken their arm. It’s blocking the whole street.”

“That definitely did not happen, because it’s totally ridiculous.”

“It isn’t ridiculous!” Jordi Camo yelled. “It’s true! It really happened! Want me to take you back there, to show you? I’ll show you, man!”

“Okay. Whatever. Oye, señora, what’s your name?”

The mom slowly responded. “Guzman.”

“Alright, Guzman. I’m sorry about this delay,” said Yavier. “Really…we’re part of the road crew, you know, we were sent to, uh, we need to direct you the other way. Go back the way you came — and take a right or something. Onto another road. Alright. You get it?”

The entire family slowly nodded. “Great, man. Just go back that way. Cool. Nice. Have a good day, Guzman.” Yavier tapped the roof of the station wagon, and the two bandits walked slowly backwards to their car.

“Yo!” cried Jordi Camo, as the Guzmans’ car turned around. “Follow me, man! Jordi Camo! You can get my CDs. Pioneer of bandit rap, wey!”

After the car drove away, Yavier smacked Jordi Camo in the back of the head. “What the fuck is wrong with you.”

“What’d I do?”

“We’re trying to be inconspicuous, dumbass! Shit. We’re trying to act normal, man, and you’re out there telling the motherfuckers your name? ‘The bus rolled over’, the fuck is wrong with you.”

Jordi Camo shook his head and leaned on the side of his car. “Whatever man.”

[Pemecutan]

Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4

---

Chapter 5

It's good to be back home. That's what surrounds the mind of these five youngsters. They finally arrived back in Kanginan. It was indeed a short travel to the capital with lack of result. They still need to wait until this Friday or after that to restart the meeting. The taxi come and take Handayana to his home. He is the last to leave the airport as his other friends were picked up by their family. Kusumajati was try to ask Handayana to come with his family so they can take him home. But he refuse. Handayana prefer to take a taxi on his own.

Handayana is an independent student. He is only staying with her mother after his father runing away with another woman. He already used to do daily chores from early age and rarely complaining. He used to be left alone at home as his mother work hard to support the family. This situation that make him become more independent. He try his best not to bother his mother. But this attitude is taken into his social life. He always try to work his best on his own. Although his friends often took pity on him because of his high independent attitude. However, Handayana never take it personally. He can't change his attitude.

He arrive at his house. A small two-storey building. It looks empty because his mother is at her workplace. He is not bother to called his mother to pick him up. He can go home by himself. He goes into his room. Place the bag on the floor and then jump right into the bed. He felt exhausted. The trip and what happened in the capital really drain his energy. All he wants for now is a lot of sleep. And it doesn't took long for him to fall asleep.

---

A loud voice from the phone wake him up. Handayana check the caller ID before pick it up.

"Yana, have you checked the message?" ask the caller before he able to say hello.
"Mika?" he try to remember the voice of his friend, Diatmika.
"Yeah. Who else? Are you waiting for someone else call?" ask Diatmika.
"No. Not at all!" answer Handayana fast. "Wait. What do you mean with message?" he finally asking.
"Check your phone. The others also got the message," informed Diatmika.

Handayana check his phone. And yes there's one unopen message from unknown number. He open it and read the message. It looks like coming from government officials.

"What does it means?" say Handayana in a rhetoric.
"No one's know. But we have to go there," answer Diatmika.
Handayana roll his eyes. He forgot that Diatmika is still on the other line.
"Jati's suggestion I guess," guess Handayana.
"Bingo! He insist that we must go there," say Diatmika. "He believe it has connection with our meeting with Patih Agung," he added.
Handayana sighing. "Why is he always so bossy?" complaint him.
"Hey, I can hear that," interrupt Kusumajati which makes Handayana jump in shock. While Diatmika laughing loudly.
"Sorry, Yana. I forgot to tell you that Jati is here," informed Diatmika.
Handayana grunts. "Well, I'll just joined in as usual I guess," he confirmed.
"Great," answer Diatmika.
"We can meet before the meeting to make a strategy for it," say Kusumajati who seems to already took the phone from Diatmika's hand.
"What strategy?" ask Handayana confused.
"In case anything happened just like before," answer Kusumajati.
"Hhmm. Alright. I'll just follow the leader," say Handayana with uninterested tone.
"Why are you always like this?" ask Kusumajati in a whispering tone.
"Like what?" Handayana ask.
Kusumajati let out a heavy breath. "Nevermind. I'll see you soon," closed Kusumajati.

Handayana look at his phone. He is so confused with what's going on. And why Kusumajati is so eager to follow the message for them to meet this misterious person. While he, Kusumajati, is also afraid that something might come up. Can't they just reject it? Handayana sighing and looking at the clock on his side table. It already 4pm. He get up from bed and goes downstairs. He will prepare a meal for his mother who will be coming home soon. About the meeting, he can think about it later.

[Chromatika]

Lia Xiu Returns Early, Paces Penguins Past Qasden

Without Lia Xiu, Chromatika had fallen into a hole - dropping four games in their first seven. Miraculous, with their leading scorer returning to the court, the Penguins finally played per their reputation, taking down Qasden 103-65.

Xiu, in her first game back, led all scorers with 37 - but Kristie Shaddon-Ysenov also contributed with 22 points, 19 assists, and 9 rebounds. Maude Zwaheil had 21 rebounds, and Chromatika played its best defense in the last six games, holding Qasden to under 35% shooting for the game while almost shooting 50% themselves.

"It's a huge deal to have her back," admitted Jaudin Nagore, the Penguins' Head Coach, "Try beating opponents with one hand tied behind your back."

Chromatika finishes with games against Diarcesia and Cardenao, with the Cardenao match looming.

Cardenao have shocked the group by sporting a 6-2 record so far.

The Penguins will likely have to win out to have a shot at the Top Four, but will at least have the services of their star back to make that run.

"It felt good to get back out there," remarked Xiu when asked, "We're down but not out - and anyone who thinks we are has another thing coming."

[Atheara]

OFF THE BALL: Exidia Lutrapevka

Exidia Lutrapevka is one of the three point guards for Atheara in the International Basketball Championship. Whenever the ball is at her hands, immediately she becomes a priority threat for the enemy team. And she has proven that several times as she dribbled gracefully and shot accurately with the minutes she got on the basketball court. At 204 centimeters in height, she's quite the task to defend against, and black hair combined with her rather dark red eyes only makes it more difficult to defend against. Whether it was against her ability or her beauty. So, now we know her on the ball, what about off of it?

For starters, Exidia doesn't fit the typical Athearan stereotype for a sports player. She's quite the egoist when on the court, but the players on the term doesn't seem to mind it. She's also rather honest and brash with whatever she says, being the trashtalker of the team. However, more often than not she has proven that she has the quality to back up her own words. And there is quite the reason that she acts the way she is. Lutrapevka even said it once in an interview, "I'm a fuckin selfish player, why not? Winning is my value of interest and if I have to cooperate to do so then so fucking be it. I won't be like my mother, who all she could do is talk and flaunt while she runs like a coward, unable to prove her own words."

Growing up, Exidia didn't really have the best of childhoods. She and her family were part of Atheara's lower income society, often times barely having things ready for ends meet in taxes. One of the biggest reasons as to why was her mother, who was an addict and a gambler, often times cheating to win her bets. One of the reasons why was because Exidia's mother had a massive ego that she wants to fulfill, so winning in bets filled that desire. But the moment she was asked to play fair, she ran. Even as willing as to abandon Exidia and her father. Ever since then, Exidia rarely ever lived the chill and slow life, as often times she was always busy. Whether it was helping her father, doing her homework, or even playing basketball.

That's the main reason why Exidia has grown to getting used to quick and fast tempo, whether on the court or off of it. The reason she played basketball was to also not think of her mother, but she didn't realize that she was great at it before a scout from a high school team wanted her to transfer. They were even willing to fund her study and help her father with dealing against the issues of life. And that was the moment her life turned around for the better. It's also the reason why despite her outer personality being as it is, inside her heart, she is rather grateful and nice enough whenever she is helped.

A rather selfish player due to the enviroment she grew up in, but is able to back up her own words without the help of others most of the time while still a nice soul at heart. Exidia Lutrapevka has sealed her status as a part of the national team by racking up numbers throughout the past few games.

Next up? Keyton Hacherid - Yoroshven

[Srednjaci]

INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 37 -Poafmersia

THE FLU SPOILED THE MOOD BUT ALSO THE RESULTS!
BY
Danijel Grlić

Our basketball team had a great start to the competition with two initial victories and everything looked great and in the best order. However, it all started with the match against Diarcersio. A slight cough from Paradinović turned into a fever before the start of the match.
Our doctors in the team immediately isolated him from the rest of the team, but it was too late. The flu began to circulate among our ranks and one by one they began to feel the symptoms. Defeat was inevitable.
On the way back from that match, both Matković and Hana Belulović began to feel the symptoms. Their temperature skyrocketed and their bodies could not function.
panic reigned in our professional staff. The players were not allowed to stay in the same rooms, and only those who were checked to be healthy and whose health situation was closely monitored could train.
Slowly but surely, decimated, we also lost the next game, this time to Cardenao with a high score of 74-59! Half of our team is already sick and we simply did not have a healthy staff that could cope with the challenges of the match.
As soon as the flu came, it left its mark, but slowly the first patients are getting busy with training. However, given that their strength did not return to the highest level, we were also defeated by Magnecia 79-68.
A hint of better days and a return to the game was hinted at by the match against Chromatik. Finally stopped the black streak with an 81-76 victory!
We do hope that our team will be in a better mood in the next two matches.

THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE REGISTERED THE OLYMPIANS FOR UPCOMING THE WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES

We have just received a notification that our Olympic Committee has sent a list of athletes who will perform at the upcoming Winter Olympic Games.
Let us remind you that the hosts of the Winter Olympic Games are GLOBEFLOWER and TRETHANTON, New Gelderland and JOONGYEONG, Quebec and Shingoryeo.
Our delegation has a total of 288 entries, there will be many famous names and sports stars, such as Lucijan Matković and the Mandarić sisters in biathlon, Tvrtko and Zrinka Ljutić in alpine skiing, and Ana Turkulja and Ivan Čučić in ski jumping.

But there will also be some new names, especially in skiing and skating.Of course, hockey will also attract a lot of attention. We are defending silver in women's hockey. It will be interesting to see how we perform in Curling.

DID YOU KNOW ?!

Did you know that at our first winter games in Clayuot, Kelssek, we won 5 medals, 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze, and that at the following games in Liventia we already won 27 medals?!
Our most successful athlete at one Games is Lucijan Matković with three gold medals! He won everything in Liventia, two of them in individual competition and one in the men's biathlon relay. Lucijan has won a total of 4 Olympic medals in his career, 3 golds from Liventia and 1 bronze from Clayquot. He is our most successful Olympian.
It is interesting that Ana Trukulja also won 4 medals in two Olympics, but she won 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze in ski jumping.
Tvrtko Ljutić is the most successful in alpine skiing. Tvrtko won 3 medals in Liventia, 1 gold and 2 silver, and the Mutavdžić sisters are sensational winners in the bobsleigh.

[Hannasea]

       Torfinn Arena, Murnau
       JUVENCUS 58 – 94 HANNASEA
       (17–24, 20–23, 11–26, 10–21)
         Pts: Maradona 15   Pts: Cunningham 17
            Rbds: Tomàs 5   Rbds: Cunningham 5
Asts: Maradona, Plourde 3   Asts: Cunningham 6


   Torfinn Arena, Murnau
   HANNASEA 95 – 73 DOD RAVA
   (21–27, 26–17, 26–16, 22–13)
Pts: Cunningham 28   Pts: Szałwia 15
   Rbds: Griffin 9   Rbds: Harcerz 5
   Asts: Griffin 6   Asts: Szałwia 6

Team update: Késhaun Cunningham didn't play much in Valentine Z as he nursed and recovered from injury, but he made his impact felt straight away in Trolleborg. The Sardines' first game in Murnau saw them blow out Juvencus. The Sonnelians entered with just one defeat to their name, and a big win over arch rivals Drawkland, but Cunningham's pace, seemingly back to 100%, and the Sardines' size advantage across the court, meant it was never close. A 10 point half time lead turned into a 36 point winning margin. Cunningham led with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists on his full strength return, Justin Griffin had 16 points, and Parker Collins and Nate Connell, who was also returning off a lengthy absence, 13 apiece, as captain Tom Powell was given a day's rest by coach Markus Volgelstein. Though the team shot just .455 from the field, they crashed the glass aggressively and won the offensive boards battle 14-4 to generate lots of second chance opportunities. Dod Rava proved more of a shock to the system, putting up a big 27 point first quarter that set the Powell-less Sardines back on their heels. Cunningham once again shot them back in, however, with a tournament-high 28 points, helped by going 10/10 from the free-throw line, and his chemistry with Griffin, who continues to put up consistent numbers, this time helping with 15 points, 9 rebounds and a team high 6 assists, looked locked in as they ran the pick-and-roll to good effect. "None of our three point shooters have really hit their stride yet," admitted Volgelstein, "But given that a 7-1 record is very solid."

Injury update: Powell was rested for the first round of games in Trolleborg but through load management, not injury concern. No other injuries are reported.

[Raspotochje]

BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION OF RASPOTOCHJE - official site

Our basketball team started with two wins at IBC 37 but then spoiled the total score.
Tough task vs TJUN-ia!

We had almost everything in our hands. Great game, we controlled the situation in the group and then incredible shocks! defeat after defeat brought us to a situation where we have to pull ourselves out of the shit!
From 2-0 in victories, we reached 3-5! First Mytania 65–61 and then Indus (61–77) beat us. Then we lost the game in the closing seconds to Katterimunk with 69-67!
With a great game, we still managed to stop the black streak of defeats. We beat Aristian Republic with 98–84!
when we thought we finally got our rhythm back, we suffered two more defeats, Gatchingerrak Union 76–74 again in the last seconds of the game and Quebec and Shingoryeo with 75 - 67!
A lot of things don't fit in our game, but most of them don't fit in the glam of our players. It's incredible that we lost two games in the last moments of the match. Our next opponent is TJUNI-ia.
We assume it will be another defeat. At this rate, we will never see a big basketball scene.

There is total confusion in our group, so all is not lost. Quebec and Shingoryeo is the leading team with 7 clear wins, and two teams have already been eliminated from the competition. We are on the verge of elimination or passing. TJUNI-ia has already collected 2 defeats, so we are happy with the fact that they are not invincible.

# Group A                   Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD 
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo       7    7   0   598  475 +123
 2 Ko-oren                     7    6   1   556  474  +82
 3 TJUN-ia                     7    5   2   498  468  +30
 4 Katterimunk                 8    5   3   580  617  −37
 5 Mytanija                    7    4   3   512  513   −1
 6 Indusse                     8    4   4   637  597  +40
 7 Raspotochje                 8    3   5   596  571  +25
 8 Lisander                    7    2   5   522  543  −21
 9 Gatchingerrak Union         7    2   5   480  551  −71
10 Benjium (E)                 7    1   6   482  542  −60
11 Aristian Republic (E)       7    1   6   484  594 −110

[Valentine Z]

Part 4 – A Day in the Life of Yuri Anastasia Catherine Moire Mok Jung-Won.

Perhaps one of the topic that is paramount to Valentine Z – and yet, not as talked – is the idea of tempo, and the pace of life itself for them. It was not so much because it is a taboo subject; it has never been one, after all. Instead, it is just something that people does not often need to talk about, perhaps save for some occasional moments here and there as small chat. Case in point, we shall look at one Yuri Anastasia Catherine Moire Mok Jung-Won, one that is familiar to most, we are assuming. For those unaware, she is the main Center player of Gwen’s Angels, right after the unanimous decision to have an all-female team play for this particular season, perhaps apart from the injuries that they might have along the way. So far, no such injuries have happened yet, and it is definitely for the best. Without further ado, on the topic of pace and to get a glimpse of the Valentian lifestyle, here’s the life of Yuri!

Brought up in the city of Daejeon in the region of Hoseo, South Korea, Vostrov Autonomous Territory of Valentine Z, Yuri lead a relatively normal and friendship-filled life just like with the rest of the Valentians. She was definitely fond of her school days of old, and remembered about how she was able to make friends with everyone in the school, just like how everyone else has at least 5 to 6 friends that they could rely on in their social circles. Eventually, right after her studies and the like, Yuri took up a job; after all, IBC is only her side gig that, while she enjoys doing, would also rather be somewhere else working and contributing to the Valentian society – in non-stressful ways.

With the ring of an alarm clock, it was time for Yuri to wake up for yet another day at work – one that she absolutely does not mind going for, but the morning routine even for a Valentian, is something that can be put as rather tiring. It is currently 9 AM, with Yuri changing into her bathrobe to take a warm and steamy shower, accommodating for the cold temperatures at this time of the year in Daejeon. A relatively simple task, that is for sure. With the shower done, she got out to get into her change of clothing – a bright yellow dress, to be worn underneath the dark purple synthetic fur coat that she has, all of them hanging in her wardrobe, fresh and clean. Quickly slipping into her “work outfit”, Yuri made her way to the kitchen to fix up some breakfast – colourful and multigrain cereal with synthetic milk which has hit the shelf for a few years all thanks to Sunny Side Farms’ works and efforts of making sure that it is the closest thing ever to actual milk. 20 minutes passed while she was eating her breakfast and watching one of the many news channels of Valentine Z, Yuri grabbed her bag (equally as colourful) and made her way out of the apartment, an one-step lock that needs a simple one-step turn from her key, without the need for double doors or any more security than anyone else. Most Valentians don’t even bother locking their doors even at night.

“Good morning! And have a good day! 좋은아침이에요! 좋은 하루 보내세요,” the pristine and clean metro station’s PA rang out, with Yuri taking a seat just with the rest of the Valentians, with only a few of them standing up here and there, but the train is by no means packed like a sardine. “Hmm, a fair lot more people today,” she thought to herself, hugging her bag as she plugged in her earphones to the tune and the rhythm of the metro train going to the destination swiftly and gently. It’s by no means groundbreaking or as far as the Valentian Transcontinental Network, but it certainly took people where they needed to be in a clean, efficient, and friendly manner. There are, of course, road networks for private cars, taxis, and buses throughout Daejeon just like with the rest of Valentine Z, but the cars only stopped for traffic lights once every 5-10 minutes, and jams are still rare save for road works.

It’s 9.25 AM by the time Yuri arrived at her workplace, everyone around her also in their brightly coloured smart causal setting, along with a few others wearing the usual business suits just because they feel much more comfort in it. Otherwise, only the weather is the deciding factor in most of these workplaces, along with safety factors such as no loose pieces of jewellery, and the standard affair. For Yuri, however, she does not really need to be behind the works of heavy machinery, at least for the 3 years of her time working there. “Hello, and Good Morning, Yuri Anastasia Catherine Moire Mok Jung-Won!” the electronic voice of her office beeped, a simple employee’s card as proof of employment and nothing more. 9.29 AM with a minute to spare, Yuri thought to herself, as she sat down and turned on her work computer from sleep, her co-workers, managers and her boss all walking around and also doing their own things. “Morning, Yuri!” her boss greeted her – a 50 year old gentleman still in his prime and has his young looks. Friendly but not to the point of being creepy, lenient but not to the point of being unfair and harbouring nepotism, he took the time to greet his staff and engaged in small talk for most of the time, except in occasions whereby he has a staff or higher-up meeting to attend to. “Hope you all have been well, yeah? All the best,” he then bowed and walked back into his office, with Yuri then free to do her work at any pace she wanted to, so long as she gets the results that she or her company needs. Her job is not the most extraordinary in the eyes of the visitors of Valentine Z, but just like every other Valentian, she takes pride in her job – writing Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) for client companies, with a fair amount of NDA and other privacy matters going swimmingly in backstage.

The current document she was working for is the 4th edition of a manual for an architect, titled “Calculating Stress, Dead Load, and Live Load for the Valentian Building System that uses Permanent Force Fields as Load-Bearers,” for one Sobre-Casa, a Valentian Construction Company that houses and designs most of the housing estates and projects of Valentine Z; the other projects are naturally delegated to other companies. Yuri’s job, in essence, is to make sure that the SOP is well-written, elaborate, articulate, and grammatically perfect for all of the stakeholders and those who will get involved in reading through it; the technical parts are not part of her job, which she can do if she does not mind and can comment and put it in the writing of the email, but for the most parts, she does her job alone and trusts the engineers and architects to be correct with their numbers without her interfering them. On top of that, her job also involves translation work now and then, and this one is no exception. “Valentine Z’s lingua franca is English, but there are definitely thousands of other languages involved. Naturally, there’s a Korean edition.”

Soon it was 12 PM – an hour of it which Yuri was able to relax and take a short nap on her elaborately decorated office cubicle, she got up and went over to her colleagues’ work cubicles – some of them like it simple, others could very well turn it into a mini jungle and complete with its own ecosystem of flora (and no fauna, unfortunately) if they like to. “Hey, you guys want to go for lunch now?” Yuri asked casually, much to the smiles and greetings from her colleagues. One of them in particular, Janice Annette Hoshino Hazuki Ryoko, whom Yuri has known for 2 years at this point at their work, cheerfully accepted, along with the rest of the co-workers here and there. “Now, the big question of all: Where shall we eat today?” Yuri immediately thought of Lhotse Love, “It has been a while since I last ate from them. Was wondering if we can go there again?” Janice nodded enthusiastically, “Sure, why not! Hey, you can’t go wrong with their fried chickens!” And so they went, the lunch taking 30 minutes and no waiting needed at the nearby mall, and then the group (Yuri and her co-workers) spent the rest of the lunch break of 30 minutes to go around the shopping mall for a quick break. This was then followed by going back to the office and taking another 30 minutes nap, including the CTO himself who has a safari bed in his office. Of course, the entire company cannot be on standstill during this duration, so it’s not that every Valentian dropped and slept. Instead, the other employees picked up the slack for their sleeping colleagues, and vice versa later as the CTO takes over for the CEO.

Yuri went along with the rest of the day casually and slowly, appreciating the day outside and even going up to the balcony to take a picture of the nice scenery. “60 meters above ground! #Today #Weather” Yuri captioned on her social networks, and then continuing on with her work until she was more than confident that she could publish and send the 4th edition of the SOP by that evening. “Please see the latest attached and don’t hesitate to comment for any errors or feedback that you have regarding this edition,” she wrote on her email, a job well done, a job without a lot of stress on her mind and head. “Oooh, nice one, Yuri!” Janice gave a thumbs-up and waved from her own cubicle, to which Yuri then returned the same exchange. “Any plans for later?” she added, to which Janice replied back that she might be going out with her boyfriend, or that the two are just going to spend some time watching a binge of a random series they picked, “He said something about one of those Pre-Valentian shows, it’s going to be interesting, haha!” Yuri nodded and agreed, “Sounds great!” she said back in return, happy for her close friend.

And then it’s time. 5 PM. It was time to go home, or to do whatever else the Valentians fancy themselves doing after work hours. Clocking out in an orderly manner, Yuri then made her way back to her home, hanging her bright clothes on the hanger right next to a radiator. “Laundry day tomorrow,” she thought, then changing to her sports outfit (long-sleeved and long track pants, to accommodate for the weather) in order to go for an evening run. And that is perhaps it for our Yuri Anastasia Catherine Moire Mok Jung-Won, eventually to have a dinner and to sleep as well. She could choose to work remotely from home the next day, which is in line with the work regulations of Valentine Z two-planets-wide – 4 days work week (one can choose when to take the day off, so long as at least 80% of the workforce of a company is working on that day to prevent understaffing), with 2 days of choice for WFH.

That is, perhaps, the working tempo of Valentine Z in just about everywhere else. Granted, there are a lot of jobs out there to which Valentians understand that they cannot take off-days anytime they want to (i.e.: Civil servants and Civil Defense Forces such as firefighters), or that their work does not really allow for remote working (i.e. doctors and surgeons). For the most part, and for what is worth, Valentine Z definitely has a relaxed work culture, one that may be admittedly impossible for a Modern Day society, and the Valentians are indeed aware that their way of working will not work (pun intended) for everyone. For them, however, that is the perfect and happy life for all.