NSCAA 14 - Roleplays

[The NASCAR Cup Series]

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8 FOR 8!?
With 10 games to go in regular season, all eight NCS teams can realistically make NSCAA Tournament

For a country in only its third year of sending competition to college basketball's biggest showcase, edition 14 of the NationStates College Athletics Association basketball season looks like a boom era for the Cup Series. Granted, the field is smaller than it was in previous editions, but this year there's a good chance that all eight Cup Series schools taking part could enter the big dance and be only 4 steps away from the Final Four. Yes, we said it, an eighth of the NSCAA Tournament field could be made up of Cup Series institutions, giving them the best strength-in-numbers shot at making the coveted Final Four and, as we have seen throughout the first two thirds of the regular season, there's a possibility that this could be the year that a Cup Series school makes it to Championship Monday.

Of course, some schools have a better shot than others at making the tournament - Four are certain locks for the big dance, while there's a couple still hanging out in limbo, in between the lines separating the tournament 16 seeds from the DCIT darlings (If we do end up having another DCIT of course) - but in most timelines, you'd see at least 6 of them lace up for a run at the trickiest tournament to win in sports that isn't the World Cup or any of the major IFCF competitions. No, don't ask us how we know about soccer, we don't understand either. But the point remains the same - The Cup Series has come leaps and bounds from having basketball essentially being taboo within the schools, and if there was a year where the Cup Series joins the illustrious 8 team club for the first time, this could be it.

Here's how we would rank the Cup Series schools:

Certain Locks
Penske College (20-0, first in Shining Sun)
Auto Club Technical Institute (17-3, second in Pink 16)
University of Talladega (16-4, fourth in Flying Drawk)

While PC were one point away from losing their undefeated status against Osheana State, the Deuces, led by sophomore sensation Corntoter Langford, are not only locks for the NSCAA Tournament, they're in the mix for a potential 1 seed in whatever region they end up being placed in. Sure, they're not a Hangaza Tech (The only other 20-0 team) or a Loyola-Istria (Projected to be the #1 seed overall even with a loss to their name), but at this point last year they were under 500 and struggling to even be in the DCIT picture. Now, they are the most improved team in the NSCAA with a resume worthy of a 1 seed. Other than Penske, Auto Club have a 17-3 record to their name and barring any magnificent collapse in the Pink 16 will make their second and maybe last ever NSCAA Tournament appearance (Pending on if the team disbands due to school renovations), fighting for the Pink 16 title. While Dega are fourth in their conference, they're slotted here instead of The Legacy Institute because of their insane strength of schedule in a brutal conference containing not only the potential #1 overall seed, but Hondo and surprise packages RUN, who are all looking like tournament contenders.

More In than Out
The Legacy Institute (16-4, second in Shango)
Richmond Racing School (14-6, fifth in Salamantica)

TLI barely lose out on lock territory due to UoT's aforementioned superior strength of schedule, but there is still a lot to be raving about when talking about the Kings. This is their second straight season in the Shango (Remember, the first was when they were known as Petty University of Entrepreneurship), and even without Paulson they have been even better than last season, when they were 15-5 at the 2/3rds mark. If that team could make the Sweet 16, this team could... Make the Sweet 16. Yes, it has been one more win than last time, but last season's Shango had CAVSUX, Concord Heights, Dotivija City and Sabinal State with the Kings in the top 5. This season, it's Crown's College, MTI, Hongxai People's and Concord Heights... Beauty School. Compare it with Dega's top 5 mates and it isn't the same.

Richmond, on the other hand, do have some strong competition within the Salamantica. Sadeg State, Mar Sara Tech, Vricksinburg State, conference leaders University of Moravica... The problem is they have gone 1-4 against those teams, and even though they're up there with a 14-6 record, and with a good shot at making the Tournament, they need to step up against Mar Sara, Sadeg and Moravica in order to have any leeway with the Selection Committee.

On the Bubble
Universitade Eldora (13-7, fifth in Eternal)
Hendrick State University (13-7, sixth in Five Star)
College of Ware (13-7, sixth in Calania)

All of these teams are 13-7 and on the tournament bubble (Remember, Osheana State were 12-8 at this point last season and made the NSCAA Tournament as the last team in), but of all 3 of those, the Mudslingers of Universitade Eldora have the best shot at making the tournament. The Eternal Conference has been a complete bloodbath to the point where Eldora and the two other 13-7 teams (Alexandria and UoR) are 3 wins behind (Yes, only 3) from the top spot, meaning the conference is still technically anyone's game. Their record against the rest of the top 5 (EDU, Bunyoro A&M, Brattleboro Tech and Southern Coast) as well as Alexandria and UoR is 3-5, including a 3-0 stretch against the rest of the top 7 that contained knocking Southern Coast away from the undefeated club. If they can keep this winning form up, they could be in with a good shot at the Tournament.

Hendrick State's Tournament potential has been popping off as of late, and that was exemplified by beating Cold Hill at their house and immediately drubbing ol Cavsar by 18 points on game 20 of the regular season, adding yet another chapter to the illustrious history of CAVSUX. Sure, they're sixth in the Five Star, but they're dragged into a 3rd place battle against CAVSUX, Central State and Crimson Royal, which, as we know, greatly increases tournament potential. Those back-to-back big game wins, coupled with only losing by 6 against CSU, have seemingly offset their 101-84 loss to Kitara at the halfway point. And that was after HSU beat Crimson Royal at the Gordon. The gameplan for Hendrick State is to keep up that run and potentially get it close against Kitara and Crimson Royal heading into the Five Star Tournament. From there, a win in the first round of the conference tournament could be enough to seal a NSCAA Tournament spot.

College of Ware are the team that's closest to elimination, however. Even though they have gotten some close results against their top 5, losing to Eastern Starksville by 4 away from home being just one of their examples of cutting it decent against the very good teams. Their tournament stock, however, has been hampered by the sheer and utter embarrassment of losing to ESAA at home by 17, when they had only gotten 2 wins at that point. An embarrassment of that magnitude can be seen as rock bottom for a Tournament contending team, but if they continue to cut it close against the better teams and not stink the joint against the big ones, they could be in as a 14 or 15. If not, it's straight to the DCIT for the Big Red.

[Valanora]

Valanora Times
Assessment

We are set to enter the final month of conference play in this edition of the NSCAA, the stretch run where teams are jockeying hard for position in the conference tournament. Getting a favorable seed in the tournament can make a huge difference in the path and potential fortu es that a team might be able to achieve in the tournament. Both the conference record as well as that performance in the aforementioned conference tournament heavily effect the chances of a team ending up in an at large for a slot in the Ultra 64 postseason tournament that crowns the NSCAA champion for that season. A good example of seeding working to one's favor is the success that Hondo has had in the Ultra 64 the last two editions with a title and a final four appearance thanks in large part to good seeding.

In the Five Star conference the Rinaldi Navel Academy is sitting small dab in the middle of their conference standings. An eleven win and nine loss record is fairly respectable all things considered but most of the teams had entered into conference play truly believing that that had a shot at taking the regular season crown. This has not been the case for Rinaldi, as they sit seven wins behind the conference leaders, making it effectively impossible for them to mount a serious challenge for the conference. Yet for their own benefit to avoid playing the first seed in the second round of the conference tournament they need to get back to the basics of defense as thier poor defense is what has them currently looking quote unlikely to make the Ultra 64. The story is brighter for Everlin University over in the Pink 16, as theybsit two games behind the conference leaders. Some sharp shooting has helped Everlin keep within touching distance of thentwo teams ahead of them and they have a real chance to make a push for the regular season title if they can just fine tune some of the smaller details of their game here in the final stretch.

Things are more than a little grim for last editions darlings of South Caddonia in the Shango Conference with a ten win and ten loss record. They have been completely unable to put together a string of results so far, struggling mightily when having to travel outside of the Empire for their games. After such a wonderful performance in the Uktra 64 last season, hopes were high that they could replicate Hondo's success but that has not come to fruition. The team really needs to go on a good run here at the end of the season, likely needing to win eight of their last ten and a good showing in the conference tournament to really build a resume worth getting to the Ultra 64 once more. Things are not so bad in the Shining Sun conference where Raynor has been playing and they are doing well with a thirteen win record. Unfortunately the Rockets are also in a conference with o e of the few teams who have not suffered a defeat this season, making aby chances at the regular season title be null and void at this point. Raynor is the biggest university in the Empire and usually with the best players, having been eclipsed by Hondo and now having a good season mean nothing will have injured their pride. Harnessing that hurt and turning it into something productive will go a long way towards improving their seeding and a case for the Ultra 64 in six weeks time.

The Calania conference hosts one of the least supported of the NSCAA schools in the Empire in the form of Turbani Tech. Perhaps that feeling of us against the world is what has been helping the team along to a current third place standing with Sixteen wins on the record for Turbani. They sit a pair of games behind the conference leader and like Everlin have been near unstoppable on the offensive end to fuel their attempts at the regular season crown. There is not much to try and fix here, just do what can be done to mitigate bad shooting nights that do result in those close games that end up going either way. Salamantica is the home of the Raiders of Mar Sara Tech and they are doing well but not exceptionally so with their current fourth place standing. Fourteen win is impressive no doubt but four games back of the leaders feels lime it is probably asking too much of the Raiders to overcome in the last ten games. Like many of the Vanorian contingent, inconsistencies and struggles away from home seem to be the most difficult part of the season and some adjustments when playing road games to the game plan could end up in a few more wins and who knows from there.

In the Big Seven Nine Conference is perhaps the smallest of universities attended in the Empire that plays in international competition with Sabinal State. They are in a quite similar situation to Raynor with sitting fifth with thirteen wins from the first twenty games, but their conference leader is not undefeated though they do sit for games ahead of Sabinal. A few too many nights where State has failed to find their shot and be able to effectively and efficiently adjust have seen one or two games that should have been wins turn to losses. It is an all too common issue with Vanorian schools and a difficult nut to crack in trying to find the solution but find one they must if they want another Ultra 64 berth. Last but certainly not least is the University of Hondo in the Flying Drawk conference who with a seventeen win record would think they should be leading their conference. Unfortunately the Banija giant of Loyola-Istria is also in the conference and has suffered but a solitary defeat in their campaign and keeping Hondo from that top spot. Catching them is not out of the question, this is the best performing Vanorian team of the last three editions but that would require Loyola-Istria to lose some more games, which at the moment seems extremely unlikely.

[Cassadaigua]

It never ends,
by Ashley Slayton- SG, Freshman, New Lakeland University

The NSCAA competition is a special set of games that, at least within Cassadaigua, that one can partake in if their school has a good enough season and then subsequent performance in the CCAA Tournament. I will not pretend to be an expert on the topic, but this may be a very good reason that the "blue bloods" dominate the college ranks here in Cassadaigua, and as I look around at the other nations that have sent schools to this tournament, it's mostly the same set of schools with them as well. Is the NSCAA competition to blame for this? Would there be more parity in Cassadaigua if this tournament did not exist? Can you ask the same thing about college basketball in Drawkland, Banija, or Valanora, among others? I don't intently follow the regular seasons of those leagues, but I am sure with those countries having such a great sporting history, that there are hundreds of universities that could potentially win the title of their homeland. But, like we see in Cassadaigua, it is mostly the same group, perhaps with one or two differences, every year.

I was hotly recruited in high school, and I am not going to pretend that playing in the NSCAA's, not just in Cassadaigua, was at the forefront of my mind. Why would I not want to play in the world's greatest college basketball event? Not only is there the prestige associated with that, but the simple fact of being able to play against what the world has to offer, plus being able to travel to other countries during the conference stage makes it a no-brainer. For this reason, I told many schools that contacted me that I was not interested. I am aware of the move that Courtney Messier made with Brattleboro University, but that was a gamble on her part. Everyone has different things that are important to them, and Courtney made the decision she did based on her criteria. New Lakeland University was at the top of my list, as I knew the opening would be there to start away, plus they are a recent NSCAA champion. You can count on them not only playing in this, but doing well in it, and naturally, you do not want to just show up. I was pretty quick in my decision, even if it meant playing on the other side of the country. That part of it really didn't matter to me.

New Lakeland University is a very good academic school, as well. I knew with their course offerings, that I could find something that would appeal to me, and decided on a major in Business Insurance. There is some personal meaning to be for this decision, though I do not want to get into all of that now. There is a lot of learn here, and I am doing the best that I can even though my grades are not as high I would like them. My GPA is at 2.7 now, so, there is room for improvement while at the same time, I'm not flunking. I've never been a straight A student, and if not for basketball, I probably do not get into NLU, but with the opportunity I have, I want to make the most of it.

This is why it has been hard, because the professors do not let up. I don't think it is different at the other schools, but you are expected to do the same amount of course work as everyone else, with the only differences being that you can do more online or have a "one time" passcode to watch a lecture you might have missed within 24 hours of when it took place. Professors will grant an extension on projects, if they are so inclined, but other than that, you get treated like any other student. That is the way that it should be, many would say, and I am trying my best to make the most of it. But I think because of the fact that I have never been a genius (and not from a lack of effort), it's been a bit of a challenge for me. My teammates have been a great support blanket for me, and I hope that I only bring my GPA up. I intend on playing professionally, but I also want to learn and maybe open a business when I retire. If I get hurt, I want something to fall back on, so I am trying to take this seriously.

But it is very difficult. Especially with a couple of big exams over the next few weeks, before the conference tournaments even begin. We'll balance everything the best I can, and the coaches have a support staff to help with all of that. It's difficult, but the only thing worse would be not having the opportunity to face this challenge in the first place.

[TJUN-ia]

HPU
Results: Bt West Mountain by 2 and SDTAC by 11, bt by South Caddonia by 3, bt Marebrook by 38(!)
Standings: 5th in Shango (13-7, +94PD)
The Dragons of Hongxai looked to be back to their best in this cycle with only South Caddonia being a speedbump for Diamond City's finest. Yusuke Tokunaga can be a fucking warrior whenever he likes and with this conference being the way it is, HPU will have to be on their toes the rest of the way if they want a Top 8 seed.

Al-Hilal
Results: Bt by Anasb Central by 4 in OT, bt New Lakeland by 3, bt by Penske College by 15 and Jasper Technical by 8
Standings: 7th in Shining Sun (11-9, +112PD)
Oof...this was not fun for the Islanders of Al-Hilai at all and everyone knew it. Sayeed Abdulla was busy across these 4 games, but it wasn't fun this time.

Central State
Results: Bt Hendrick State by 6 and Al Hekmeh by 14, bt by Inteachan National by 2 and Crimson Royal by 6
Standings: 5th in Five Star (13-7, +182PD)
The Grizzlies of CenSta had a cycle of two halves here as two good wins were followed up by two close losses. Shamsiya Jumakhonzoda certainly feels like a good pickup for this program, but many feel they need to be better in clutch situations if they are to challenge the top order in the Five Star.

UC-Port Town
Results: Bt by Richmond Racing School by 19, bt APUFM by 12, bt by Imperial Pomena by 11 and Mar Sara Tech by 4
Standings: 8th in Salamantica (11-9, +36PD)
Yeah, the Green Flash didn't have fun here in this cycle...although only losing to Mar Sara Tech by 4 showed that they can certainly do better in the final 10 games of this campaign. Martin Rudderford is certainly the epicenter of this UCPT squad and if they want to move on to better things, everything will have to start clicking once more.

UW-Wollongmatta Bay
Results: Bt UPAM-Boca Rana by 24 and Plistel by 8, bt by Ducentu State by 7 and Hangaza Tech by 41(!)
Standings: 4th in Woodlands (14-6, +95PD)
The Wallabies from Wisdom on the Bay had an interesting cycle as they played two great wins, only for Ducentu State to beat them by 7 and Hangaza Tech to do what Hangaza Tech does in their quest for an unbeaten record. Emmanuel Kenyi certainly tried in these games, you can say that again, and they will need his efforts if UWWB wants to go deep this postseason.

UNCA
Results: Bt Northern N&N by 20 and Ezra by 1, bt by College of Ware by 9 in OT and Border Baptist by 9
Standings: 8th in Calania (10-10, -79PD)
Los Leones de Carlandas managed another 2-2 cycle, with the one 2 losses coming against teams ranked ahead of them in the table. Samantha Cruz may not be that experienced, but her play thus far has certainly made an impact and those in UAC will be hoping that a winning record may actually be on the potential cards.

UNPA
Results: Bt by Nostsian by 18 and Loyola-Istria by 10, bt Talladega by 15, bt by RUoN by 4
Standings: 10th in Flying Drawk (8-12, -87PD)
Los Surfistas del Pacifico seem to be falling down a bit, but that huge upset over Talladega certainly showed that UNPA has a lit more to offer than their 8-12 record would suggest. Vanessa Furman is certainly trying but everyone still has hopes that the best days for this team are still yet to be had.

CPortside
Results: Bt by Western Port by 14, bt Mount Ester by 10, bt by Everlin by 12, bt Natanian by 23
Standings: 4th in Pink 16 (15-5, +186PD)
The Mariners of the College of Portside had a mixed cycle here as two great wins were paired up with two tough losses as action in the Pink 16 continues to heat up. Jennifer Reagan is certainly a fighter no matter the final score, but can the M's continue their good form and not stumble into the dark?

[Schima Bas]

Three Basian Players to Highlight Through MD 20

Border Baptist University | Calania Conference: 16-4, W2
University of the Southern Coast | Eternal Conference: 16-4, W1
National College | Big Seven Nine Conference: 16-4, L1
Crown’s College | Shango Conference: 15-5, W1
Jasper Technological Institute | Shining Sun Conference : 14-6, W5
Crimson Royal University | Five Star Conference: 14-6, W2
Blue Crescent Technical College | Woodlands Conference: 14-6, W1
Morissland A&M | Pink 16 Conference: 14-6, W1

Well, we’re about two-thirds of the way through the NSCAA regular season, so it’s as good a time as any (except maybe following MD 30?) to highlight some of the best players in Basian college hoops. But first, let’s take a look at how the team’s have done compared to the same stretch of last season.

Performances of Schools in NSCAA 13 after MD 20, Difference in Record from NSCAA 13
University of the Southern Coast: (10-10 W1) +6
Border Baptist University: (11-9 W2) +5
Jasper Technological Institute: (11-9 W3) +3
Crimson Royal University: (12-8 W1) +2
Morissland A&M: (12-8 W6) +2
National College: (16-4 W7), +0
Crown’s College: (15-5 W7) +0
Blue Crescent Technical College: (15-5 W5) -1

Most schools have improved their records, with University of the Southern Coast finally living up to expectations, leaving behind their middle-of-the-road performance in NSCAA 13. Along with Border Baptist, UTSC leads Schima Bas in terms of overall record (16-4). Only Blue Crescent has a worse record than last year, likely a sign that they’re missing the talents of old star Shaquille Morris.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at some of these schools, and highlight the top three players in the country, with a list of honorable mentions.

Number Three: Jimmy Graves, Jr. (SG, University of the Southern Coast

Jimmy Graves came in at #15 in the country last season, and was the only underclassman listed. He's improved on that hype with a solid post-season transfer from Jasper Technical to one of the biggest basketball programs in the country. It's clear that he's improving with the coaches, but still has some room to improve in terms of team cooperation. His shooting, where he was near the top of the league last season, has only gotten better.

Number Two: Luxurious Rosa, Sr. (SG, Border Baptist)

The quiet guy last year, Rosa has opened up not only in speaking with his teammates, but also with improved shooting. He's scoring around more points a game than last year, and coach Tom Adler has been impressed with the player's ability to step up. "He's still not the most vocal guy, off the court, but he's really become a quiet leader for the team. With Jack Blosse gone, Rosa has become the heart of the Border Baptist Collies.

Number Three: Mohan “Mo” Qadiri, Sr. (PG, Crimson Royal University)

Ol' paranoid Mo! This season, he's left the sage and pre-game cleansing rituals behind, but he's been preoccupied with a different paranoia. He's been whispering weird beliefs to his teammates, apparently convinced that former Crown's College prankster Micah Zemarias is planning something big to take down Crimson Royal's basketball program once and for all. Publicly, Zemarias has been satisfied following graduation, and is keeping to himself. But could he be preparing something vile or destructive? Whatever happens, Mo will be prepared, having alluded to an "arsenal" of things he can use to defend the program. While other members of the team aren't sure what to think, his paranoia has transformed him into an even better player on the court, in preparation for his planned confrontation with Crimson Royal's old nemesis.

Honorable Mentions (Unordered)

Donald Christensen, Sr. (C, Jasper Technical Institute)
Marius Offte, Sr. (SF, Morissland A&M)
Trent Julianis, Sr. (SF, Crown’s College)
Derrick Lamere, Sr. (PF, Crown’s College)
Farris Di Arnhem, Sr. (SG, National College)
Brandon Halbsmann, Sr. (PG, University of the Southern Coast)
Izzie Floom, Sr. (SF, Border Baptist)

[South Newlandia]

“You know what, Kigonga? I’m fricking excited to show you some of Ranoria. It’s about time you visit it.”
“Hm, true. Yeah, I guess I’ve never been; it just didn’t seem like an appealing holiday target for my family – you know it tends to be cold there. But, Nik, it should be pretty interesting to see Ranoria, even though we’re only there for a short while.”
“And it’s only going to be Richardson, which is pretty far from where I’m from as the Egret flies – and also, we’re there mostly for business, of course.”
“First encounter with them went quite well, at home. It’s always nice to get a blowout win at home against a big-name school like Richardson, but I’m still surprised at how well that game went for us.”
“For us, and also for us in particular, Kig! I know it mattered to coach Volgelstein a lot that we had such a good game against Richardson, I know he’d have hated to lose to his old team. And we were a big part of that success; Didn’t you have like 22 points in that game?”
“Something in that ballpark, yeah. I’m pretty sure I got like five or six assists from you in that game, Nik, so you certainly played your part in that as well.”
“Haha, yeah, we had some great moments between us. I believe that game was when the media in South Newlandia generally first took notice. I mean, a South Newlandian college beating a Ranorian one, that’s certainly not something they’re going to get in college football any time soon.”
“Are you excited to play them again?”
“You bet I am! You know Richardson is probably the biggest school in Ranoria when it comes to sporting impact. Their players were the ones I grew up watching and idolizing. It’s kinda wild that I’m now competing with them, and even beating them, considering I didn’t get into Richardson when I applied.”
“Man, I never knew you were almost a governor. I bet beating them on the court has been a nice way to take revenge for you.”
“Well, I’m over it now, but it was pretty hard at the time, bro. I ended up at a small, local Ranorian college before transferring to Ratzupalfu for my senior year, as you know, Kig.”
“It’s really interesting how we basically had the same origin story. You’ve probably heard all about how the Banijan colleges didn’t want me on the team. Said I didn’t have the grades, didn’t have the maturity, and would be a distraction.”
“You’ve come a long way since then, bro, and you’ve proven them all wrong.”

[Banija]

Ain't No River Wide Enough
A fan community supporting the sports teams of Hangaza Tech, the River Rats

Hey guys! I write to you today, knowing the singular fact that everybody's pumped about- Tech is 20-0. 2/3s of the way through the NSCAA season, and we've won all of our games. Even beyond that... We've got a legitimate shot at being the first team to win their conference, and punch our ticket to the Ultra 64 this year as well. There are just 2 unbeatens left, and nobody's ever gone through an entire season unbeaten to win the title. While that's thinking WAY beyond today''s scope, the fact that we're one of two undefeated teams left is an accomplishment in and of itself.

The question remains. Can we get to 30-0? A few Banijan teams have gone 29-1 before in the regular season. The best season(non-tourney) record is 33-1, when Banijan Star and Crescent went 29-1 in the regular season, and won their conference tournament last season- only to end up a #2 seed.

Going Undefeated- The Remaining Opponents

Here's the remaining schedule

MD21: Capuletta University of Sciences (JUE) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 1-19.
MD22: Hangaza Tech @ National University of Fort McKinley (FTM). Their record is 10-10.
MD23: The Carleton School (QUE) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 12-8.
MD24: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ Antioch Tech (ANT). Their record is 7-13.
MD25: Tsear Polytechnic Institute (SAT) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 8-12.
MD26: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ Brattleboro University (CDG). Their record is 13-7.
MD27: Arbea Academy for Science and Technology (KRB) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ) (83-82 win last time for Tech). Their record is 7-13.
MD28: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ University of Campo Belo (ARS). Their record is 10-10.
MD29: Universidad Politécnica Autónoma del Metro-Boca Rana (SGU) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 13-7.
MD30: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ Plistel University (KRK). Their record is 10-10.

We've grouped these three games into sections for you.

Easy Wins
MD21: Capuletta University of Sciences (JUE) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 1-19.

Only one game in this category! Remember, this isn't necessarily our individual probability of winning each game, but we're talking about winning all 10, the rest of the season, on the bounds. All respect to our opponents, but if we lose our next game to a squad that's 1-19, that's getting outscored by 11 every game... At home?? That'd be a disaster.

You'll also notice- there's only one game in the 'easy win' category. Yes, we do feel for the Juve school. But as you get closer to the mark, the games get bigger and bigger- and more teams want to take their shot at you. Behind Hangaza Tech, this may be the most competitive race for second place in a conference in all of college basketball. There are three teams tied for second place, all at 14-6. Just two games separate 7th place Carleton School, from second place Blue Crescent College, with 10 games to go. While it'd be nearly impossible for us to blow our six game lead atop the conference with 10 to go, there's going to be a TON of movement across the table throughout the remainder of the regular season.

Trap Games
Games where we're favorites... But they've flashed potential and are surely capable of springing an upset

MD22: Hangaza Tech @ National University of Fort McKinley (FTM). Their record is 10-10.
MD23: The Carleton School (QUE) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 12-8.
MD24: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ Antioch Tech (ANT). Their record is 7-13.
MD25: Tsear Polytechnic Institute (SAT) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 8-12.
MD28: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ University of Campo Belo (ARS). Their record is 10-10.

The end of the season seems to be increasing in difficulty, isn't it? The best part about this (if there is a "best part") is that all of these games line up to each other- in a row. Makes it an extremely low chance that Tech will be looking ahead towards the next game, although that visit to Cassadaigua to take on Brattleboro U is circled on just about everybody's calendars(more on that later).

The Revolutionists are not very large, with their starting center sitting at just 6 foot 5. But they are quick, and both guards sitting at 5'10 or smaller. We've got them sized out, significantly, at every single position. But they're quick and nimble- easily capable of an upset. Carleton School, on the other hand, is what many think are a sleeper within this conference. 12-8, they're just at the outside looking in- only two games out of first place. A win, and a road win, at that, in Aissa, would allow them to take a huge stride forward towards earning that #2 seed for the conference tournament.

Three more schools here. First, Antioch Tech. They just absolutely destroyed Arbea AST, whom we required a buzzer beater to beat the first time around. Meaning, although they generally have been pretty poor, they are capable of beating teams when they're on their day. And a team who's season is generally lost- beating the conference leaders, at home, can create a great memory. Tsear Polytech, on the other hand, have also struggled for large portions of the season. But they've got a quality, talented defense, which can certainly travel well.

And the last trap game, if we get through those 4, will be Campelo Belo. Here, it's a lot more about schedule, than anything. Games against Brattleboro U and Arbea AST that promise to go all the way down to the wire. The game after this one is Senior Day- against a high quality Metro-Boca Rana squad. Between tiredness from the two games prior, and looking forward to the next game ahead, wouldn't this be a perfect trap game? If we somehow reach 27-0 and get to this one undefeated, the coach will have his hands full focusing his players for this matchup.

50/50 Games
Where we're nothing but the betting favorite, and in some cases, on a day, it'd probably be smart for you to pick the other team. The true toss-ups.

MD26: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ Brattleboro University (CDG). Their record is 13-7.
MD27: Arbea Academy for Science and Technology (KRB) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ) (83-82 win last time for Tech). Their record is 7-13.
MD29: Universidad Politécnica Autónoma del Metro-Boca Rana (SGU) @ Hangaza Tech (BNJ). Their record is 13-7.
MD30: Hangaza Tech (BNJ) @ Plistel University (KRK). Their record is 10-10.

Out of any singular team, the one with the best chance to beat us- Brattleboro University, on Matchday 26. Banijans have heard of this large city, mostly through the RTC presence in the city- operating a world-class public transit system in one of the largest cities in Rushmore. They've got a stud PG in Courtney Messier, who's a fearless true freshman. Brattleboro U may not necessarily have the history of the other Dagan schools- but steeped in tradition regardless, they're more than eager to prove themselves on the world stage. Wouldn't ruining our unbeaten season be a perfect way to do so?

Next, of course, we've got Arbea AST. Not necessarily because they've had a great season- but because of our last contest against them. If you remember, we won by just a lone point, 83-82. And we got lucky- if you're going to go undefeated in this competition, you're going to get lucky at least once. Final play of the game, we absolutely blew our defensive coverage, as their point guard got the ball essentially under the basket for a wide open layup to win the game as time expired. But Despite being wide open at the rim, the point guard somehow, shockingly, missed the layup, and then the buzzer sounded- somehow, we survived. They know how to play with us, and how to take it to us.

Imagine if we actually got to 28-0? Just two games left? The pressure would really ramp up. And we've got quality teams to close out the season with. First, it would be Metro-Boca Rana(better known as UPAM). UPAM have a high-quality roster, shown sitting at 13-7 in a conference that has become a true dogfight. They're absolutely capable. And then, the final game of the season- at Plistel. It'd be basically a NCAA tournament atmosphere. The last time a team finished the regular season undefeated? Frostvale Tech, out of St. Kanye, all the way back in NSCAA 11. 28-0 regular season, 31-0 after the conference tournaments. Would be a potential history-making moment(especially if Penske College were right beside them!)

Pro Watch - A section where we talk about some of our favorite Hangaza Tech alumni who are in pro sports!

- As you all know, we're all fans here of our favorite Hangaza Tech alumnus- Jelan Ozoemena, the AOCAR driver. This school is just 15 minutes away from Ruwani, where Banija's only major racetrack sits. He's a former gridiron player (now many years ago) at the school, and is a big-time sports booster for the school. He currently, through 4 races, sits in sixth place in AOCAR- although, of course, we're early through the season.

Ozoemena told reporters(not us) at a press conference that he 'sincerely' hopes to get his second career AOCAR win- after winning the VISIT TI 200 last season was the highlight of his AOCAR career. His sixth place start(in what is an EXTREMELY young season) already represents serious improvement over where he's been, as he's been improving as he continues to expose himself to international competition. "The key is to continue to finish- and hopefully get another win this season. The Top 10 this year is the goal- but we can get even beyond that."

[Cassadaigua]

This will be the opening cutoff for the MD21-24 period!

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

The Mathletes - Scientific, Literary Venue of Sports Journalism

Positivity Always, One step at a time: Emerging coach Hannah Ray-Yeom positive, on right trajectory during year 4 of her Univ. College Jolbonopolis experiment

Noh Gwang-Gook

JOLBONOPOLIS, YOSEO-MANITOBA - Hannah Ray-Yeom likes to stay as optimistic as possible. Perhaps to the very excesses of his own. So, it was no wonder that when her University College Jolbonopolis Javelins won their fourteen game of the regular season, defeating Universidade de Soria 76-61, in front of sellout crowd at Alumni Hall in the far west Metropolis, that he didn't choose to say much more than 'on right track'.

'Of course we are on the right track,' he said. 'Even very much on our trajectory. Aren't we still the best Quebecois school in the summer ball (referring to the NSCAA tournament -e.d.-)?'

Not untrue for the coach who had brought UCJ to SAL-10 Conference title and back-to-back Final Four appearance, a feat that is considered historic. Ray-Yeom, while not a west coast native and didn't live in Yoseo-Manitoba province until her appointment, holds connection to the state. Growing up to children of parents who hail from a town just outside of the metropolis, Ray-Yeom would go onto play as an all-Quebecois forward at the Hanbat State University before going onto embark on a well-heralded coaching career.

After retirement she would decide that a playing career's not it for her after a couple of injuries, and begin her coaching career as assistant with the Hanbat State. After four seasons as assistant there, she would join the famous women's program at the Universite du Saguenay program. During her decade there she had won two nationals, made it to five Final Fours and seven QIS National Championships, a perennial mark for the national contender under coaches Elodie Binaisa and Mark Koo-Kweon.

In a recent sit-down with us, Ray-Yeom said that in her quick emergence as a young, highly-detailed assistant with Saguenay, she was learning quickly, and also to be able to 'control expectations, especially as a young coach, it's important to be able to coach different teams under different expectations, situations and of course, the environments.' Ray-Yeom has no doubt felt this too, always seeking out in additional coaching opportunities with local elite and school programs back in Hanbat State and Saguenay, whether as a guest coach or an assistant. 'These opportunities no doubt helped me to develop, and to be patient.' She said. 'In order to get to coach in the peaks, you have to keep yourself involved in other tasks that will set your foundation as a coach on the levels leading up to it too.'

Words from mouth do deliver, and by the end of her decade-long stay in South Bend the offers would come calling. She would receive several offers from time to time, but felt that she wasn't there to coach yet. 'I've attended interviews and been on visits, don't get me wrong,' she said, trying to remember the long-past days of hesitation as secondary and then lead assistant for the Fighting Irish. 'But there was always that sense of hesitation in me where I was like "Am I really ready for all this? Or am I setting myself up for failure?" and that feeling did linger for a number of years until I ended up there.' She did not specify the school names, but it is well known that out of about eleven offers in her last four years, they reportedly included a couple of major programs, reportedly Queen's College (women) and University of Yoseo-Montevicio (men), two blue-blood programs.

Eventually, however, Ray-Yeom knew that it was time for her to head. Three and a half years ago, right in middle of the Fighting Irish's national championship run, University College Jolbonopolis athletic director Ghislain de Siches contacted Ray-Yeom for the head coach opening at the women's program. Having already refused their advance once before, six years prior to that, Ray-Yeom decided that 'it was time, and that all's going to go well'. Having family there, and also close members there who attended university, this was something that she had relatively less hesitation over. 'Building a new program, that's a solid idea,' Ray-Yeom said.

When she arrived in Jolbonopolis, Ray-Yeom knew that she had to try things differently as a coordinator than with the Fighting Irish, where she would still have plenty of helping hands and support of the administration. For twenty years the program had made six playoff appearances, but had failed to reach SAL-10 conference semifinals, and had hosted the nationals once, where they were bowed out in the consolation semifinals (tied for 7th). 'Not a problem,' she said when first arriving at the gym, which had barely seen the attendance figures go past 1,000, abysmal figure for an university population of 47,000 undergraduate students. 'We will build this place up.'

This would eventually happen, with the ascent happening lot quicker than expected. Having recruited a strong, four-woman recruiting class of Sandra Wood-Aiello, Kim Ye-Jeong, all-Quebecois centre Estelle Younes-Tardif and current Northwestern small forward Jenny Hart-Will, they would make the conference semifinals and west regional her first year, before making the eight-team nationals the second year. 'It was a journey, but one that saw us getting stronger each passing year,' said Estelle Younes-Tardif, who was named second-team all-Quebecois and is considered a top-10 selection in this year's QWBL draft.

With this year's graduating seniors being the first class she had recruited, Ray-Yeom has focused on instilling a certain sense of community and duty into her program. This, no doubt, was part of being more of a coordinator than her past duty as technician. 'I had to do things differently, that's for sure,' Ray-Yeom said. 'We had to run our own practice drills differently with our players, defensive schemes changed, et cetera. You have to prescribe our girls, who have potential, different moves to make sure they could use them, and also to give them right confidence.'

This sense of focus, one that has no doubt put her in the radar as one of more promising young women's basketball coaches out there in the world, was what worked out well. 'Have faith, have faith, and have faith in whatever you do, because that's what people will remember us for when out there on the bigger lights,' Ray-Yeom said to her players on locker room, just minutes after their 68-70 loss to eventual national champions and rivals Keewatinook Huskies at the Final Four. 'This isn't over yet guys.'

And that still rings true as well. With ten games to go, and the opportunity to decide their faith, UCJ squad with Hannah Ray-Yeom in charge could very much make a difference once the road gets tough down the line.

[The NASCAR Cup Series]

||||||NASCAR SCENE

---

SMALL BUT PASSIONATE
Even though College of Ware isn't performing on the court, off the court, the school is one of a kind

Nestled in the racing mad city of Concord, the second largest city in the Cup Series, is the College of Ware. The student body inside the Ware walls hasn't gone above 5,000 ever since it opened operations (The first class had only 80 students and the body now sits at 4,500) and, compared to Hendrick State and the other schools in the area, is seen as a minnow within their own city, Ware has seen a unique, one of a kind culture spring up on campus. To be a member of College of Ware is to be a member of the outcasts, no-goods who haven't got any other shot in the world to get their education. This attitude, enshrined in the College of Ware campus as "The Ware Experience", is practically the only thing keeping the school relevant to possible recruits.

Ever since the start of the entire school, College of Ware has been seen as backmarkers in the college racing scene. College of Ware races aren't just seen as any ol-fashioned, knuckle-dragging short track racing between students of a school, they are seen as high brow, or shall we say "slow and steady", experiences. A single Saturday night, 150 lap race at the 3rd of a mile Smithley Oval on campus can last a good 10 minutes longer on average than a Hendrick State race. No joke, we actually had someone at NASCAR Scene see the Hendrick State race before barely catching the finish of the College of Ware race immediately afterwards, and it took him 12 minutes to get to the Ware campus. As a result, when the College's racing champion is crowned, they don't do much in the collegiate racing championship down in Daytona. 9 out of the past 10 years, the lone Ware representative in the field of 80 hasn't made it past the qualifying duels. The one time that a Ware champion made the 42 car main event? He finished 39th.

Naturally, the school was attracted to other sports when racing wouldn't do. Futsal remains popular in the halls of the College, even if it's facing strict regulation due to the construction of a special futsal court right by the Jacobs Center. Some Ware students do actual collegiate wrestling, not the scripted, almost theatre club-esque form that can be found on television. And then there's the elephant in the room, that being, well, basketball. Everybody in College of Ware has at least a soft spot for basketball when times are rough during their studies or their racing, and it was enough to put them at the right place at the right time to play NSCAA basketball, the best basketball, well, that they could get.

This season, however, has not been kind to the College when it comes to basketball. Shut inside the good ol Calania Conference, they're firmly on the NSCAA bubble at a startling 15-9 record heading into the final 6 games of the Calania regular season. Even the Roberts brothers, Jamey and Goku, haven't been enough to firmly plant themselves in the Calania title battle, as they are struggling to win against the teams up the table. Fans at the tightly packed Jacobs Center were treated to their team losing by a dozen points to current 3rd place Cemmendy Tech 2 games ago, before immediately following it up by losing by 4 against Zakuta State in a game that, at times, looked like a win that could keep them relevant in the Calania title picture. Sure, they're beating the smaller teams, but come selection committee time, they can be overlooked when it comes to the NSCAA Tournament.

After a somehow close win against Portura State, St. John Devin chimed in on the state of this Big Red team. "We absolutely need to win out a good chunk of this final stretch if we want to go into the conference tournament with a decent shot at the Tournament. The Selection Committee is no joke, they think we're not good enough because we lose against the better teams and win tightly against teams we should be winning by 10, 12, 14 or more. I don't think we'll pull a Richardson and somehow win the conference tournament. I don't think we will. We have to turn this run around if we want to have a shot at the Ultra 64 and beyond. Don't get me wrong, winning the DCIT is great, but making the NSCAA Tournament is better."

Regardless of what happens from here, College of Ware is in for a bumpy ride.

[Kharakia]

"So, any new developments at home with your family?" Santiago asks me.
"No, not really," I tell him. Our connection was on the court, not off it. Team lunches are always really awkward for me. I'm good at playing basketball, but I don't have any friends still. I've always been more of a lone wolf. But once I'm on the court with the ball in my hands, I get really into the game and it feels like I'm friends with everyone.
"Yo," I hear a voice behind me. I turn around. It's Sekoya Farkas, the point guard on Plistel.
"What the hell are you doing here, Dany?" I hear my coach say.
"I'm just trying to have lunch with Sekoya and Piers, Zak," Dany Jons, Plistel's coach responds.
"You're supposed to be in Valanora," My coach tells him.
"Valanora, Valashmora. I think we're in the right spot," Jons responds.
"Did you come here just to annoy me, or are you actually gonna have lunch?" My coach asks.
"Alright, you caught me," Jons admits. "We heard from Ranoria State y'all were having a team lunch. We though we could drop in and hear some of your tactics."
"That makes no sense, idiots," Daren Bulovan, our center says. "We can't even play until the tournament, and you know neither of us are making it there." I left the restaurant, I couldn't take the arguing. The last thing I saw was Daren and Piers Farkas, Plistel's center, comparing heights with each other, and the coaches talking about a game next college season.


I go into my hotel room, pop in a film tape, and start studying it. If I have any chance of overtaking Lavern as the point, I need to know how to beat these teams I think to myself. I look over at Lavern, who's our star point guard, despite being a year younger than me. He's dead asleep. He left our team lunch early, and nobody saw him for the rest of the day. I'll ask him what's wrong in the morning. I think. I don't want to deal with him if I wake him up too early.
After a while, the films start to mold together. I know that that means that I have to go to sleep now. I fall asleep, dreaming of X's and O's, and how we're gonna stay in the 8 spot in the Pink 16 conference.

[South Newlandia]

"Man, losing sucks. It's the worst."
"True, bro. Especially when it’s a blowout like this, I was really hoping we'd at least be competitive against Richardson again."
"We gotta work on getting back into these games when we're down."
"True, Kig. Both of us gotta work on that. I've always been prone to starting to overthink shit when I'm losing, and I think you saw it in this game."
"It's not your fault we lost, Nik."
"I think I went, like, 1 for 8 shooting in the final quarter or something? I know I had two wide-open threes and I bricked them both, that was our chance to make it a game."
"Wasn't a really good game for any of us. I know I gotta work on remaining calm too, there were some reckless fouls, like the one against Billy Patterson in there. Coach Volgelstein was right to bench for a bit when I got in foul trouble."
"Did you see his face towards the end, Kig? I know he would never say so publicly, he respects us too much to make us pawns in his personal revenge feud. But you could tell, he really, really wanted to win this game, and losing like that wasn't easy for him."
"Yeah, it was tough to watch. We didn't really talk while I was on the bench."
"Yeah, sometimes, it's just that kind of game. We gotta make sure to bounce back next matchday against Victoriaville Medical Institute. We also gotta make sure to get some studying in on the way there - you brought your study materials, right, Kig?"
"Nik, my man, you can let me have like 5 minutes after a game to unwind and relax, please."
"Sure, bro. I didn't mean immediately, but we gotta stay on top of this, and the trip back from Ranoria is a long one, we don't want to let that time go to waste. What did you bring with you for the trip?"
"Some stuff from my Management 101 class, but that should be a pretty manageable one in general. The prof used to play baseball way back, so I think he's pretty sympathetic to us student-athletes having to do two things at once."
"Yeah, that's always helpful when that works out that way, but you can't really count on it all the way. He can't just give you the class for free, he's got a job to keep."
"She, actually. I like her, she's a pretty good professor, clearly knows her stuff and how to teach it."
"That's good, Kig, that really tends to help. But you still gotta keep on top of things with it, I can help you study a little later."
"Yeah, I have an assignment to complete, was hoping to do that on the way back."
"That sounds like a plan, broskie!"

[Ranoria]

Loyola Istria @ Richardson University
4th quarter

Billy Garrett watched with intent as the clock ticked down. Thanks in part one of the best shooting performances in program history from Franklin Jones, they were somehow up 76-62 on the Blue Thunder, the reigning NSCAA champions and the thorn in the side of Richardson sports. Last go round, the Blue Thunder had swept the Governors completely, 2-0 on the court and ending a 4 year winning streak in the Rebel’s Cannon Bowl.

This time, Billy Garrett’s squad has them in a vice. They were milking the shot clock, possession after possession, until finally, with just a couple seconds left, Franklin launched the ball clear into the stands with a triumphant shout that was drowned out by the buzz of the game clock and the roar of a fanbase that had never been so fired up for a basketball game.

Some measure of vindication for the boys on the gridiron. Rising back up to being socially acceptable in school. No more professors deeming his boys unworthy of instruction. It was all over. A lot of basketball left to play, but tonight, they could celebrate.

He whipped his clipboard over his shoulder - he’d receive a one game fine for it smacking an onlooker on the head later, but he could care less. He’d had a lot of crazy, incredibly triumphant games in his IBC tenure, but this? This one was up there.

Senior Tony Bjornnson hadn’t gotten a lot of playing time, sitting behind a talented Franklin Jones - but he’d gone 2/2 and scored 4 points. He was part of the biggest win in program history. He was one of few survivors of this team from the infamous NSCAA 13 sweep, after which the freshman’s girlfriend had left him on the spot.

Tony basked in the praise and the court that had been flooded with red-clad fanatics, the tears running as he finally took it in - they had won. They had beaten their boogeyman. And for all it was worth, this was the game he’d hang his hat on. This was the best day of his basketball career.

Across the court though, Clarence Georges had better reason to cry.

“D-dad!?” He sputtered, immediately wading through the crowd to a man whom hadn’t spoken to him in years. “You came!?”

He remembered the day he spoke to his father, a Richardson football alumni, after that sweep. No son of mine would lose to Loyola-Istria. I never did.

One could forgive him for not bringing up that his washed-up athlete and allegedly alcoholic father had never played Loyola-Istria. But I digress.

Clarence practically tackled his old man, “I can’t believe you came! I was starting to think I’d never see you again!”

His father grunted and pried him off, nodding, “I figured you had one more chance to right your wrongs, and you did, in the greatest stadium basketball’s ever known, one of the biggest victories in the history of the sport. I’m proud of you, and tonight I’m proud to be your father.”

Franklin Jones, meanwhile, rolled his eyes at the pair, his eyes drifting until he saw a pale girl whose jet black hair and attire stood out amid a crimson crowd. She offered little more than a tight lipped smile and just a little wave, but he made his way over to Edda, knowing that was about as much enthusiasm as she could muster. For anything.

---

Later that night…

“You were amazing out there,” Franklin squinted at her - was genuine enthusiasm he detected? Edda whipped out her phone, pulling up the score of the game with a smile, “My older sister’s gonna be so jealous. Who cares how much money her husband has if he isn’t famous like you,” she tapped his forehead a couple times, “I’m so proud of you.”

“Uh, famous?” He scratched his head and looked away, “I don’t know about all that…”

“Not yet, but you are trending on twi.turr,” she showed him the feed that was just exploding with his name, “don’t worry honey, I’m not dating you for who you are now! You’re a long term investment, and I’d say your stock is set to explode!” She almost squealed there, eyes going back to the social media feed, where his profile picture featured a photo of the two of them.

“You…have a really weird way of saying I love you?” He offered.

Edda’s nose crinkled at that, giving him a side-eye, her excitement immediately dying down a bit.. “Never implied that.”

[Cassadaigua]

This is the opening cutoff for MD25-28!

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Bask4One - Your Basketball Magazine!

Elliot Doku, 7-foot-1 centre prospect to watch for the future, commits to Inteachan National Lynx

Emilie Lafreniere

EQUINOX HILL, INTEACHAN - In the last four years, Elliot Doku has made the dotted hills of Equinox Hill that were dominated by old, painted houses of chromatic colours. Having made through his high school days here, he looked comfortable with the city and unsurprisingly, will be staying at the northeastern city.

Doku, the number one prospect in the top basketball recruiting metrics of Olivares Top50 and Bask4One Top 100, announced his college decision by signing with the Inteachan National University (INU), a recent national power under former Grim Reaper, coach Daniel Ibaniyama. In front of a full-capacity crowd in June, that was busy preparing for promenade and convocation with Inteachanian schools having completed their Higher School Certificate (HSC) in late May, the 7-foot centre from Nogojiwanong, Mahan, made his decision with the True North TV Plus (TNT+).

'It is my pleasure to announce that I will be attending the Inteachan National University,' said Doku, who committed for the Lynx over Mount Ester, Farrer and UY-Montevicio. At the time of his commitment, Doku was one of three undeclared top 100 prospect from this year's graduating high school class - Jaremy Woo-Watkins and Jean-Antoine Crepeau remain uncommitted, still deciding between college and the pros. 'I do not come from here, but I have lived in the province of Inteachan for four years now, and will be looking forward to extending it on a four-year residency agreement! Go Lynx baby!'

At Inteachan National, Doku will become part of the nation's top-ranked recruiting class. The four-player class will include Gargamel's all-Quebecois Chae Min-Jong, Bernard Wilton, and fellow Team Inteachan U-19 national team member Park Doo-Jong.

During his four years with the St. Stanislas' College, he has averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals a season. As a four-year starter Doku has won last three Inteachan AAA titles with Sabres. This includes his final match of the career, when Doku scored 35 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds to secure a 72-70 win in last February's Championship Game.

His skills were noticed from very early age. Considered the number one prospect in his recruiting class, he's the recipient of this year's Inteachan & National High School Player of the Year awards, and was selected as an honourable mention on the Gargamel's All-Quebecois roster his sophomore and junior year. The mention, considering that the Gargamel's All-Quebecois teams only put the seniors on their roster, is a good testament to the calibre of player with talent that is Doku.

'I am beyond thrilled to be part of Elliot's next journey in basketball as he joins the Lynx Squad,' Ibaniyama said on team press conference. 'While not from the province, Elliot has lived in this province for his high school days and has made the most out of his formative years which are very important when you are growing into a player you want to be. We are glad the entire island will be able to see him continue his journey here, and further establish his career. Always a great day to be a Lynx.'

At the Gargamel's Game in Montevicio last April, Doku was named the Team Gargamel (Blue) Player of the Game after scoring 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and one steal in 22 minutes.

Also thrilled were St. Stanislas's coach Jean-Maurice Boissy, who pointed out that Doku had an all-time potential in college and pros. 'Not often you see a centre who has the athleticism, but also all the necessary fundamentals to succeed,' Boissy said. 'He's tough, knows how to guard the paint, and also to score on floaters or post-ups. Not all the centres could do it at such high level. Adjustments at higher levels will give him the level to contend at heights once seen by Noh Seung-Hoon, Austin Muhumuza and Pierre-Ian MacArthur, all great national team and QBL centres in the past.'

In his time with St. Stanislas, Doku has stayed flexible with his interests as well. He currently holds school and region record in shot put and hammer throw, while also making all-state during his sophomore and junior seasons in volleyball. He has received interests from the coaches of St. John's Spiritair Jumbos, local volleyball powerhouse famous for legendary team setter Jin Chang-Wook, as well.

Elliot, whose father Emile-Francois and mother Amanda are immigrants from Banija to Quebec thirty years ago, grew up in rural city of Nogojiwanong, halfway on the road between Hanbat and Kingston, two inland cities with the Heartlands Highway, one of two highways connecting the nation's dual metropolises of Songak and Joongyeong to the province of Mahan. He began playing basketball at age 6, and would eventually receive scholarship interests from various independent schools across the country. Eventually he, after a visit to the St. Stanislas' campus and meeting Boissy, had decided to attend it.

'It was a right match for both of us, I'd think,' Boissy said. 'He loves the game but doesn't want to just be out there for athletic sake. As someone who have coached in independents for over twenty years, I do feel that quite a lot of independents do get that wrong with athletic scholarship recipients and what expectations they hold over them. So we made it clear from the beginning that we will focus on everything else, and naturally the game will come along.'

Turns out Boissy was correct. Doku has also excelled outside of the court, finishing with 92 ATAR on the year-end HSCs this year, and was academically eligible for all the schools' admissions requirement by grades (interviewing process was still required for Farrer). During the school year Doku volunteers on the local Koreana Society chapters, while being involved in student and athletics council positions. In the summers he volunteers as a summer camp instructor for the Under-8 and Under-10 teams under St. John's Arsenal.

'He's someone who could represent either country well on international stage, and also not make a big deal about it.' Boissy said. 'Sky's the limit when you have right mindset.'

[Ranoria]

Northern Ranoria, Mt Reinhold National Park
TV series Big Fluffy Diary, with wildlife conservationist Kari Eriksen

Eriksen normally kept a good amount of distance between herself and the wild mammoths she was known for watching - but she just couldn’t help but get a bit closer, to get a bit better of a view, of the two calves she’d been paying the most attention - much to the chagrin of the camera crew.

“Look there,” she pointed to Pyi Mai and Chaba, arbitrary names she’d given the two little mammoths, but they helped her and the viewers get a little more attached, “Pyi Mai’s been following their mother around all day - most likely because she’s very young and has no idea what’s going on, but now you can see she’s spinning her head in almost violent fashion to wave her trunk around. When mammoths are this young, they often don’t quite understand how to work their trunks quite yet.”

As she said, the baby mammoth was doing just that - with wide eyes and an expression that, while probably meaningless, most people would probably interpret as shock - why was this thing attached to the front of its face? But all of a sudden, Pyi Mai stopped and spun to meet her brother, Chaba.

“Ooh, Chana’s been trying to play with his sister all day. These two like to bump heads and wrestle,” she commentated on their altercation as it went, although it was about as gentle as could be, they were, after all, still very small babies. Chaba eventually got the better of Pyi Mai though, and the smaller elephant rolled on her belly - after which her eyes made direct contact with Eriksen.

Now you have to understand, most baby mammoths have never seen a person before. So even if these things that walk on two legs aren’t very big, they can be very scary. So Pyi Mai scuttled to her feet and ran behind her mother with Chaba not far behind.

Kari Eriksen immediately began to lead the crew away from the edge of the clearing they’d been staked out at, and the older, mother mammoth swung her head around gradually, sweeping the evergreen tree line for any threats. She spotted them - gave a little snort, then a stomp - and then went about her business. As she should.

“Just a little warning,” Kari explained, “She knows we’re not a threat though, illegal mammoth poaching has been sniffed out in Ranoria for decades, and big Amber there and I have become well acquainted the last few years, but we should still give these ones some space. She’ll protect her babies if she thinks she has to.”

[The NASCAR Cup Series]

||||||NASCAR SCENE

---

25-1
Penske's sudden loss to Raynor removes them from undefeated contention, still lock up Shining Sun regular season title

Trygve Kristiansen and the Raynor University basketball team were practically the only ones celebrating in Mooresville at the conclusion of what was, hopefully for Deuces fans, a chance for their Penske College to stay unbeaten in the confines of the Rusty Tires Court. Instead, as a Theo Hutchinson heave missed the court, it was only silence for the sold-out 22,000 arena, except for maybe a couple of Raynor fans and the Raynor players themselves. It was been heralded as "The Streak", Penske's one true shot at basketball immortality in Corntoter Langford's perhaps only season with the team, and in one instant it was wiped away.

At that time, that only left Eternal Conference runaways Hangaza Tech as the only ones who could go 30-0 in conference regular season play. But the River Rats, like Penske, dramatically broke their streak in gut-wrenching fashion. The Dueces lost to a Raynor team coming off the back of beating Penske's only other Shining Sun challengers in New Lakeland. Tech lost to Campo god-damn Belo. You could argue that Hangaza Tech, like Penske, Kitara and Moravica, had already clinched their regular season title by the end of the 28th slate of games, gaining automatic entry into the NSCAA Tournament in the process, but they were the only undefeated team left. To quote Corntoter Langford, "You put more into the season when you have a chicken egg next to your win column."

Langford, PC's best player as a sophomore with a shot of turning pro outside of the Cup Series, had this look of winning... But at what cost. Ever since losing to Raynor at home, Penske added another loss to their record, again at home, against Katrina Pavlova and New Lakeland. The hot prospect who turned around the fortunes of an entire program when he stepped into Rusty Tires Court for the first time felt emotionless speaking to the NSCAA media after the conference regular season title was clinched against Anasb Central and was emotionless again in front of the cameras after the second loss of the campaign. "I just feel like we lost steam after losing to Raynor. I get that we have to rest up to compete for the conference tourney and then the big one at the end, but that record meant everything to us at PC. It was something we strived for once we hit 14-0. We didn't want to win fourteen games. We barely won seventeen last campaign. We wanted FOURTY. We wanted to win all the way up to the title game. I'd still be glad if we won the title with this team, but there is no more sheer immortality we can go for besides the temporary immortality of winning the title. Who's going to remember me in two hundred years when we have 200 more NSCAA champions, each one with their own unique story? If I didn't go 40-0, nobody would remember me."

Penske is still focused on resting their legs for the Shining Sun Tournament in Banija, opting to give Langford and other starters limited minutes against Nahda Academy and Jasper Technical, but for other Cup Series teams, resting is not an option. The Legacy Institute in the Shango Conference and ACTI in the Pink 16 are the only Cup Series teams still mathematically eligible to win their respective conference titles and join Penske as Cup Series teams in the Ultra 64. The Club are in what could be their final season in Fontana, if not the final season of their entire program, as renovations and downsizing mean that, in a best case scenario, they will have to play somewhere else and represent Auto Club on a different court. They are one game behind Kizza I due to them beating the Club at Auto Club Arena and, should the Cubs win the Pink 16 title or make the Final with ACTI as their opponent, Auto Club would make the NSCAA Tournament as an automatic bid. The problem is that both teams have easy games to close off their schedule - For AC, Morissland A&M will be the final opponents to step into the Auto Club Arena on matchday 29, while they face the magical Madoka State away to close out their final regular season campaign. Kizza I travel to 13-15 Iskwat State on Matchday 29 before closing out their regular season, with conference regular season title celebrations prepared on Senior Night, against 2-26 cupcake of all cupcakes Torona Catalan Language University from Juvencus, one of the worst teams in the entire NSCAA this season. It's going to take a miracle for Kizza I to NOT walk away with an automatic Tournament spot.

For the Kings, looking to head back to the Tournament after turning heads and making the Sweet 16 last time around as Petty, they have an easy slate against Marebrook and Hanbat slate to close the regular season, but are up against tough competition for the conference 1 seed and Tournament spot, specifically CCBS and MPI. Both are 23-5, one back of Legacy's 24-4, but only one can face TLI for the Shango regular season title. Concord Heights Beauty have to face lowly Flanelis on matchday 29 for Senior Night while Matthensville head up the mountain against Old Mountain. Matchday 30, however, is the big one - MPI at home. Against Concord Heights Beauty School. If TLI drop the ball in both matches and both of them win on 29, the winner of this match gets the Shango Conference regular season title and a Tournament spot. If all goes to plan, expect this match to be the match of the regular season and a preview of what the NSCAA Tournament can become and behold.

In addition, Hendrick State could be in the same position ACTI finds itself in now if they win both of their remaining games (Against UCK and a resting Kitara) in the Five Star and if Central and Cold Hill drop their remaining games. Talladega could also find itself in 2nd in the Flying Drawk if they beat Montesur on Senior Night and an unfavorable task in Ratzupalfu away from home while hoping Hondo lose against UCJ and Aleppo A&M. For College of Ware, Richmond Racing and Eldora, all teams on the tournament bubble, their focus is solely on the conference tournament to boost their resumes once the Selection Committee comes knocking. Wins in the regular season could be nice, especially Ware and Richmond away at Border Baptist and Grande Mountain respectively, but the conference tournament is the main way that the rest of the field gets filled. A good run there could be enough to snatch tournament spots for those unlucky three.

[Banija]

Hippogriff Nation
A fan community supporting the sports teams of the University of Kitara

Hey hey amigos! Look at that winning streak- we're sitting at 19 games in a row won! One of, if not, the longest in the entire NSCAA- certainly the longest of any of the Banijan teams. And boy, that success has brought us accolades already. Talk about building upon past success. Saihou Uster, our head coach, has taken us to brand new heights never thought possible. He came in, and immediately took us to the national semifinals- just pure insanity. Uster has been, low-key, an elite HC in his short stint here at the University of Kitara. We've just got to make sure that this dude stays here- rather than seek the riches of pro ball elsewhere, as we're sure foreign countries are knocking at his door.

The build towards something great continues. We've not only sitting at 26-2, and looking at an inside track to a one seed- we've won a stunning 19 consecutive games. Our two losses are by a combined four points, both on the road. A 63-60 loss to Universitas Concordia Kasandora (LIS) on Matchday 4, and an 82-81 road loss against Cold Hill- a game where we had a chance to win it at the buzzer. Tech blew their own chance at an undefeated season. Could we be potentially saying words that one would never think we'd say- could the University of Kitara be the best college basketball team in all of Banija?

The inside look at this historic season

The players- experienced, hard-nose defenders

So often in this sport, you're hearing about the fabulous freshman who go to school for a year or two, then go pro to make big money. All's fair to them- can't deny a man for wanting to get paid! But Uster's built his squad differently. It's a grind it out, physical, in your face kind of squad. Players all with a chip on their shoulder, experienced players, ballers who play pissed off, who have an us against the world kind of mentality. They'll talk all sorts of trash, and they're probably the most physical team in the game. Their defense is nasty, and everybody's an on-ball defender.

They're the only Banijan team where all 5 of the starters are upperclassmen- and 4 of them are seniors. It all starts with the Guwanya twins on the block. Sylvester and Mamadi Guwanya are both old as hell- both seniors, at 24 years old. Their 25th birthday is on the day of the conference tournament semifinal, as well. Why so old? They took a year off to go on two years of LDS mission before playing college ball. Mission certainly is not required for Banijan Mormons, but they went on mission anyways.

The results? Fantastic. As freshman & sophomores, they couldn't find the court. Out goes the old coach, in comes Saihou Uster. He makes them the centerpoint. Mamadi's interior moves, in particular, make the 7 footer elite. His hook shot his nearly unstoppable. He's grown leaps & bounds passing out of the double team. He's athletic enough to stay on the floor when opponents go small. His twin, Sylvestor, is also an elite player, especially defender. Can guard 4 of 5 positions(anyone but a PG). He can switch like crazy, an elite spot shooter.

Keylon Nash, out of Hannasea, wraps it all together. The Hannasean 3 is the closest thing they have to a guy who can consistently create their own shot. Can't really hit the 3, but a mid-range assasin.

Home Cooking

We're 14-0 on our home floor- an elite record. The last home game of the year won't be easy- Senior Day, MD30, against Hendrick State. A win would give us a perfect 15-0 home record for the year. Not a bad record, all things considering, eh? The home crowd has been a huge part of it. The city has fully bought into this team. Every single game has been soldout. Decibel levels are at record amounts. Attendance, noise, etc... And fans are traveling as well. Decent contingents of Kitara fans showing up across the multiverse. And that's not because U of K has fans in all these random countries.

We need a complete takeover of whatever Cassadaigua city we will play our conference tournament in. We're dreaming- if we win out, our chances at getting one of the four #1 seeds for the Ultra 64 are probably quite high. We want that- so it'll be on us to try and make that happen. There are already fundraisers going out, to try and help students make it out to Cassadaigua for the four day conference tournament.

Transition Basketball

This team is known as a hard-nosed, defensive team. Which, yes, is true. But what matters the most? Tempo. This team, thanks to Uster's tempo offense, is actually leading all of college basketball in scoring- averaging an eye-popping 89.57 points per game. And so much of that comes from the transition game. Turning defense into offense is really a killer. The offense is really crazy from that perspective- forcing an almost insane 21 turnovers per game, turning that into 19 fast-break points per game. We're able to get out running- steals, long rebounds, etc.. And teams cannot run with us.

Grinding our offense into a solely half-court offense is the way to really defeat us. But when we're able to take the ball as consistently as we have been... That's how you win 19 games in a row to win a conference title. LFG.

What's next?

We've got two games left after we've already won the Five Star Conference- both tough games against quality opponents. Teams that are borderline on the bubble, a chance to further impress the committee as we chase the #1 seed.

MD29: @ Rinaldi Naval Academy(VAL). 16-12.
MD30: v. Hendrick State(NCS). 20-8.

And then, of course, the conference tournament. We'll be the #1 seed for that, naturally, but you know how much that means- the chaos with conference tournaments is always unbelievable. But if we can close out the season with two more wins... Well, anything is possible, eh??

[Schima Bas]

Two Games to Go!

(2) Blue Crescent Technical College | Woodlands Conference: 22-6, W9
(4) Jasper Technological Institute | Shining Sun Conference : 21-7, W1
(3) National College | Big Seven Nine Conference: 21-7, L1
(4) Crown’s College | Shango Conference: 21-7, L1
(2) University of the Southern Coast | Eternal Conference: 21-7, L2
(5) Border Baptist University | Calania Conference: 20-8, L2
(5) Crimson Royal University | Five Star Conference: 19-9, L1
(7) Morissland A&M | Pink 16 Conference: 17-11, W1

Well, it’s the twilight hour of the NSCAA regular season, with only two games remaining before conference tournaments begin. With that said, there’s only really one team playing for more than seeding. That team is Max Morgan’s University of the Southern Coast Stallions, who sit second in the Eternal Conference, one game behind Bunyoro A&M, and one ahead of trailing Elmanden District University and Alexandria University.

They’ve got a big game ahead in MD 29 against group leaders Bunyoro A&M, followed by what should be an easier game against 12th-placed Mediterranean University of Pomena.

MD 29: UTSC @ Bunyoro A&M
Prior meeting (MD 14): University of the Southern Coast 60–81 Bunyoro A&M University

This is the big game that fans from every school in the Eternal Conference will be keeping an eye on. The waterbucks caught the Stallions floundering, dropping a 21-point victory in a statement performance. Well, now both of these teams are facing each other down one more time before the conference tournament. USTC and Bunyoro had different hot streaks during the regular season. The stallions shot off to a hot start with a 12-game winning streak, but have lost some of that dominance in the second half of the competition. On the opposite side, Bunyoro A&M struggled in the beginning of the season, but found their fire quickly as the season progressed. It’s a battle between two teams that likely will determine who takes home the regular season title. Obama Fieldhouse won’t be welcoming to the Stallions, that’s for sure, but they’ll have to hope to pull off a victory in their opponent’s house to set a good tone for the final game of the season.

MD 30: UTSC v. Mediterranean University of Pomena
Prior meeting (MD 15): Mediterranean University of Pomena 77–74 University of the Southern Coast

While winning this game should be an easier ask then the previous one, the team struggled in their first contest against Pomena. Jimmy Graves couldn’t overcome the double-team that he was forced into, and the Stallions were a team in disarray at points. The team lost possession more than usual, and ended up losing the game in a close contest.

“It was a blip in the season, but the losing stretch from MD 13-15 had a big impact,” Max Morgan said. “I think these next contests will show how much we’ve grown as a squad. We’re better at retaining the ball and spreading the court, and I think our guys have been looking forward to the challenge. It’s really put-up or shut-up time and I think the players get that as much as we do.”

[South Newlandia]

What seeding will the Flying Drawk bring us?

With two matchdays remaining, Loyola-Istria has locked up the conference thanks to holding the H2H and a two-win lead over Hondo. Behind them, there are four colleges all vying for spots two through 5. Let’s take a look at all of them and try to predict who comes up with what! Considering that there are 64 scenarios left, let’s try to take a look at some of them.

In 2nd: University of Hondo (VAL), 23-5
Remaining: v 21-7 UC Jolbonopolis, @ 5-23 Aleppo A&M
Hold TB over: University of Talladega (2-0)
TB TBD: UC Jolbonopolis (current: 1-0)
Lose TB against: Ratzupalfu University of Nature (0-2)

Hondo, the Vanorian squad around senior Point Guard Nikolaisen, has the best starting situation to grab the 2nd spot. Realistically, if they manage not to mess up at minnows Aleppo, they’ll manage the second spot even if they drop their matchup with Jolbonopolis.

In 3rd: University of Talladega, 22-6
Remaining: v 10-18 Tecnológico de Montesur, @ 22-6 Ratzupalfu University of Nature
Hold TB over: UC Jolbonopolis (2-0)
TB TBD: Ratzupalfu University of Nature (current: 1-0)
Lose TB against: University of Hondo (0-2)

Talladega would have the best situation to take second away from Hondo, if it were not for their H2H record. The Big Ones have a favourable 29th game, before travelling to a huge 30th game at direct competitors Ratzupalfu.

In 4th: Ratzupalfu University of Nature (SNL), 22-6
Remaining: @ 25-3 University of Loyola-Istria, v 22-6 University of Talladega
Hold TB over: University of Hondo (2-0)
TB TBD: University of Talladega (current: 0-1)
Lose TB against: UC Jolbonopolis (0-2)

The Egrets currently sit in fourth, but with their tough schedule, the team round the two forwards might drop all the way to fifth. Both of their games are extremely tough, and a win can’t reasonably be expected in either of them; however, a home win against Talladega might just catapult them into 3rd.

In 5th: University College Jolbonopolis, 21-7
Remaining: @ 23-5 University of Hondo, v 6-22 Nostsian University
Hold TB over: Ratzupalfu University of Nature (2-0)
TB TBD: University of Hondo (current: 0-1)
Lose TB against: University of Talladega (0-2)

Jolbonopolis starts out in fifth, and they have the toughest road to clinch at least the 3rd spot, which is the minimum to avoid any of these teams in the second round. They’ll need to win at Hondo for that, which is a substantial ask; but the team from Equinox Hill will at least have a favourable matchup to close out the season.

[Valanora]

Not everything that glitters is gold and not every triumph is so easily identified in the grand world of sport that we so desperately love to throw ourselves into. Addressing the fact that many of the Vanorian schools had high belief that they could capture their conference title before the start of the NSCAA season meant that there was a lot of hope and a lot of confidence abound for the eight schools that were entering into the arena and representing the Empire. Who could blame them though, given the relative metoric rise in success in the likes of Hondo as well as several other schools not just making the Ultra 64 in the last two editions of the tournament but also getting a few wins as well, not to mention the fact that Hondo literally won the tournament in the twelfth edition of the tournament. It was seen as the turnaround in fortune and that Vanorian collegiate basketball was here to stay and be among the blue bloods of the sport that they had struggled against for all these many years, like Drawkland, Banija, and Cassadaigua. It was time to step into the light as equals and be the formidable challenge rather than the challenger looking to swipe the crown.

Sometime though, you have to fall to get up the stronger, to get your hands bloodied and realize the lengths you have to go to in order to not just achieve success put to sustain it from one era to another. Let's be frank, barring a minor miracle in the conference tournament, Valanora will not be sending all eight of her schools into the Ultra 64 as she did in recent times, one or more of the teams will be hoping for an invitation into the DCIT. It is a noble goal but it is not assured, nor is the idea that there will be an invitation waiting for those teams who have failed to live up to expectation and/or failed to bounce back in the face of adversity that has plagued all but Hondo and Everlin in this season of competition for the schools from the Empire. Even those two well to do schools have had their shortcomings this season, there will be no regular season champion for any Vanorian team and that should be a stern wake up call to all of the players and staffs of these teams that success still must be earned through hard work, discipline, and most of all a pinch of good fortune.

It is not all dire though, there is still hope where there might not seem so, the conference tournament offers a second chance to all teams and if you find the right vein of form through that gauntlet of a week, you are richly rewarded for doing so with that berth into the Ultra 64. Raynor beating the then undefeated Penske school to end their streak is proof positive that the talent is there and on any given day, that talent can more than rise to occasion and get victories over teams that have had better regular seasons that our schools have had for the most part. Hope is a spring that runs eternal, you but need to dip the ladle into the well and drink from its pool, but that requires that you still have the belief in yourself that you can get the job done when you are called upon. Self belief is as much of a factor in the success of these athletes as is their raw talent and skill in the game and these teams are still out there putting on tremendous effort, as has been seen by the fight back here in the second half of the season by most of the Vanorian schools. Though regular season success may no longer be on the cards, there is still a queue for that eternal well of hope and belief.

[Cassadaigua]

This is the opening cutoff for MD29-30!

[The NASCAR Cup Series]

Auto Club Technical Institute
1 University Drive, Fontana, Western Region, NASCAR Cup Series

Official Communication
Auto Club basketball team will be deactivated at end of NSCAA season

Dear Auto Club community,

We, like you, have fallen in love with the Auto Club Technical Institute basketball team, which formed to take part in NSCAA competition two seasons ago. This basketball team can pride itself on being the best the Western Region of the Cup Series can provide, enough to the point where competition against the best schools in other countries isn't an option, but instead is a necessity. This season, your Club were a few lucky bounces away from walking away with the Pink 16 Conference regular season title and an automatic NSCAA Tournament berth, just like Penske College and The Legacy Institute, two of the finest Cup Series basketball institutions. We are confident to say that the team will once again make it to the Ultra 64.

Unfortunately, the major, multi-year long renovations to be undertaken at ACTI, with the aim of downsizing the school and shifting focus to online studying, meant that we had to make the tough decision to close Auto Club Arena at the end of the conference regular season, before the team goes to Cassadaigua for the conference tournament. As a result, the game against Morissland A&M on matchday 29 of the Pink 16 regular season was the final game in the history of Auto Club Arena. After consulting Fontana officials, businesses that may move into the land formerly occupied by the school and other Cup Series institutions, we have made the even tougher decision to deactivate the Auto Club Technical Institute basketball team at the end of the NSCAA season, regardless of if they become champions or not.

This was not a decision that we wanted to make, but our options left us with no choice. With Auto Club Arena closed and being demolished and hesitancy by the Fontana city government to build an arena outside the Auto Club for something as trivial as college basketball, the only other option for the Club to stay around was to have the team play at another college's venue. Auto Club Technical Institute wasn't meant to be a traveling circus of the brightest technological, scientific, mathematical and engineering minds in the Cup Series, and it should not also be a traveling circus of the brightest basketball minds in the Cup Series. It does not fit our hands-on, Fontana-focused philosophy, even in the shift to online learning, and it will never will.

To the players on the Auto Club basketball team, you are left with your own destiny. Athletic director Axel Marsh will guide you through your sporting future after the curtains close on the Club, and he will get in contact with you about where to go from here. For the seniors on the team, you are free to graduate as a member of Auto Club Technical Institute. For all other players, when Marsh calls, he will give you one of three options - Stay with Auto Club and finish your educational career, transfer to a school with a basketball program in the NSCAA, or drop out and focus on a career elsewhere. You are free to make your own mind once the time comes.

For fans of the Club, you have plenty more chances to cheer on your basketball team one last time. Ticket packages are available for not only the Pink 16 Tournament, but the NSCAA Tournament as well. These include transportation to and from the site of the tournaments and tickets to any Auto Club Technical Institute games. These packages can be found on our website, acti.edu.ncs. Fan watch-alongs will also be scheduled for the NSCAA Tournament and, should the Club get there, the Pink 16 Tournament Final, inside the Auto Club Theater on campus. Tickets cost NC$5 and a bucket of popcorn is included.

Thanks for the memories, Club. We won't ever forget them.

Minke Tipton
School President, Auto Club Technical Institute

[Drawkland]

BIG SEVEN NINE

Venue: The Ring / City: Metropolon / Capacity: 50,000

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The Big Seven Nine Conference is headquartered in Metropolon for NSCAA 14. Metropolon is the actual capital of Drawkland, housing the political offices of the federal government. Drawk City and Metropolon are similar, in that they were both planned cities, rather than grown purely organically throughout history. The similarity ends there, though. Drawk City was "preplanned" as in a spot was deliberately chosen for the capital in the early history of Drawkland, and it grew haphazardly from there. Metropolon was built in the modern era, with the entire road and transport network built intentionally, and even most buildings designed at once from the ground up. What resulted was a massive circular city, a perfect grid, made on an artificial island in a lake. Today it's home to many millions of people, and arguably the focal point of Sonnel's most important nation.

The venue for the B79 Conference Tournament is The Ring, which is the main basketball venue in the city. It was planned and built with the rest of the city, though at the time Metropolon didn't exist and thus couldn't have any sports teams. When the city was built, people moved in, and it became a bustling hive of activity. When the pro basketball league expanded next, the moguls of Metropolon jumped on the chance, and the Metropolon Towers were created. The name was both a reference to the huge skycrapers in the center of town, as well as a cheeky reference to the fact that basketball players are tall. Since their inception, the Towers made a name for themselves, eventually becoming one of the basketball powerhouses in the DBO.

The Ring itself is one of the four big venues towards the center of Metropolon. Built in tandem with the city and the other venues, it's very convenient to get to, and despite the crowds, it's simple to navigate and doesn't get too congested. Its amenities are top notch, as it was recently refurbished, and that's on top of its intentionally futuristic design. It could end up being a little bit of a culture shock for foreigners, especially due to the city it's surrounded by, but it's definitely a fun attraction. The Big Seven Nine Conference teams and fans will absolutely have a good time at The Ring.

FLYING DRAWK

Venue: Sentinel Indoor Stadium / City: Drawk City / Capacity: 51,000

---

The Flying Drawk Conference is headquartered in Drawk City for NSCAA 14. Drawk City, if you don't know, is the "cultural capital" of Drawkland, as well as its largest population center. It's an old, sprawling city with a huge urban center and an even larger suburban region surrounding it. Being an inland city along the banks of a major river and with plenty of suitable land, there's been few geographical barriers limiting its size, which lent itself to the population well into the 20 millions. More importantly, it's a major sports town, being in the northern territory of Drawkland which is traditionally filled with sports fans.

The venue for the Flying Drawk Conference Tournament is Sentinel Stadium (formally "Sentinel Indoor Stadium"). This is the home of the Drawk City Sentinels, one of the oldest teams in Drawkland's professional basketball league. Throughout their storied history, the Sentinels have had several dynasties. Their success, combined with being in the largest sports market in the country, results in the team always making a lot of money, as well as attracting a lot of talent. They've had a great history, and they needed an arena that matched it.

Sentinel Stadium remains one of Drawkland's premier basketball arenas. Built several decades ago, it was missing some of the ultra-modern features that more recently constructed stadiums boasted. The name change came along with a facelift ... the Sentinels made a large investment in refitting the exterior and updating the scoreboards, concessions, and fan amenities to bring it up to par with Drawkland's other top-of-the-line arenas. For the conference tournament, it'll certainly check all the boxes for a comfortable and convenient venue. It's also located in downtown Drawk City, so it'll be very conveniently located nearby many hotspots for players, fans, and tourists alike.

[Banija]

OOC Note: While this is not true for most Banijan sports fans, this writer is certainly in the "my team's the only team that matters" camp, and therefore regularly disparages the other Banijans in the NSCAA

Home of the Crocs
Fan community supporting Zakuta State University Athletics!

And off to Inverness we go! For the Calania Conference tournament. We sit at 24-6, having had an excellent regular season. Yes, of course, our other Banijan counterparts might have made fun of us- we're the only Banijan team that did not win its conference. Extremely true, yes, but this is a season that absolutely should end in a tournament bid. 24-6 is winning 80% of your games, and if the bars most seasons is sitting somewhere right around 20 wins.. We've definitely done more than enough to find our way to the Ultra 64.

Now, where we land within those final 64, of course, is completely up for grabs.

It's been a tough season, to say the least. But the bracket is looking fascinating. There are 6 teams in the Calania Conference who've hit that 20 win mark so far. And, beyond that, there are currently 52 teams that have hit the 20 win mark- aka, having won 2/3s of their games. Without non-conference games in the NSCAA, it's a decent benchmark to use. We can probably assume all the teams that have already hit 20 wins, after all 30 regular season games, are going to make the tournament. What does that mean for seeding and what not? We aren't sure.

What do we need to do if we want to improve our seed? More teams will cross that threshold as the conference tournaments start being played, and then, of course, you've got to account for bid stealers- those not so great teams that catch fire across 4 games to force the Ultra 64. Why we love college ball, eh?

Zakuta State Conference Tourney Preview

The first game of the Calania Conference tournament for us will be against 14th seeded Brusnia State. We beat them on the final day of the regular season, so it'll be an immediate rematch. We pounded them at their house to end the regular season, with the 38 point victory allowing us to finish the regular season on a high note. Now, we'll get a rematch. "Getting an immediate rematch in the conference tournament certainly is not ideal, especially when you just won by a margin like we did." Said ZSU's head coach, Karwana Kirulu. "Obviously, we know what it works- but I expect them to throw the entire gameplan away and attack us in a completely new way. We'll have to be prepared."

The Crocs are certainly unconventional. They love to go small, basically playing without a true center- our center is Okoth Katenda, who's 6'7. And he's the second tallest dude on the time. It's certainly not about size here in Ankole. This is an extremely analytics based team if we ever saw one. Anyone can get the rebound and push. They LOVE to bomb away from three. Jaramogi Raila was 6/10 from deep on Matchday 30, when we beat Brusnia State by 38. How do we get away with it against bigger teams? Katenda's just tough as shit. He looks like a truck. He's only 6'7, but he's 291 pounds. He was actually a national top 100 prospect as an OL, but simply decided he wanted to hoop instead.

So you may have height on him. But strength? Muscle? Unlikely. The way our guards can move the ball, and the way BSU has struggled this season, we should roll through them rather easily. It's the second round where the festivities in Inverness will get interesting. We'll likely get the College of Ware in round 2- a game that could honestly be the game of the day, in round 2 of conference tournament season. The small school's got great passion- our fans should outnumber them in Quebec, but who knows?

Banijan Conference Tourney Previews- Which Banijan squads will go down early?

The other 7 schools, of course, are all #1 seeds. We're the righteous ones- humble, well aware of our place in things. Confident, but understand how deep this competition is. Not the other schools. Give 'em a conference title and they're all dreaming of crazy things. Tech was talking about going undefeated for forever- yet lost 2 of their last 3. The conference tournaments, in particular, are chaotic. I'm not going to predict our own fortunes- you know I don't wish karma against my own school! But I'm going to predict everybody else's fortunes. Our rivals.

All of 'em arrogant- some of them, of course, more arrogant than others(everyone NMU fans thinks that they themselves are Lance Kabuye, the most ANNOYING shit ever)

First Round Upset
None

Quarterfinal Loss
#1 Hangaza Tech FALLS to #9 National University of Fort McKinley(FTM)- Woodlands Conference
#1 Loyola-Istria FALLS To #8 Cascade Tradesmen College(CAD)- Flying Drawk Conference
#1 Kizza I College FALLS to #8 Mount Ester University(QUE)- Pink 16 Conference

Semifinal Loss
#1 University of Moravica FALLS to #5 Richmond Racing School(NCS)- Salamantica Conference

Final Loss
#1 Bunyoro A&M FALLS to #6 Brat Tech(CDG)- Eternal Conference

Conference Tournament Champion
#1 Northern Moravica WINS the Big Seven Nine Conference Tourney. Beats #16 Anapolis, #9 Endover, #5 Sabinal State, and then #3 University of Dietrich to win their conference tourney and lock up a #1 seed
#1 University of Kitara WINS the FIve Star conference Tourney. Beats #16 Al Hamrah City, #8 Inteachan National U, #4 Cold Hill U, and #3 Hendrick State University to also lock up a #1 seed

So I'm sure you're looking at this. No first round upsets... But yet, predicting only 2 of the 7 Banijan conference champions to win their conference tournaments. The Q I'm sure you're all looking for is- why?

It's all about matchups. Let's go through the three teams I expect to lose in round 2. Hangaza Tech, after starting 27-0, is currently on a run of bad form. What did they do? They peaked too early. Went 27-0, ran out of gas- lost 2 of their last 3, both to opponents who are either at or below .500. They might have a bitterly disappointing finish after such a strong, high-quality start- I don't think they get out of the first weekend either of the Ultra 64, although that's another question. Combine that with an eager National U of Fort McKinley? Upset alert. As for Loyola-Istria and Kizza I College, I think both are resting on their laurels against high-quality opposition. Both of their opponents are very much 'any given day' type of squads- especially Mount Ester. So I think both go down in round 2.

As for the semifinal loss. This would leave four of Banija's champions in the conference tourneys, after two rounds. I think Moravica would be the only one of the four to lose in the semifinals. Again, it's about matchup. Richmond Racing School has a rich history in this competition, and they are currently looking at an underseed for the Big Dance according to their talent level. A conference tournament W, with a couple of upsets thrown in there, would mean their resume would better reflect what they've done on paper- and we expect them to take it to Moravica.

That leaves three teams competing for the conference tournament titles. We think Bunyoro A&M would fall to Brat Tech in a final. Brat Tech, similar to Richmond Racing School- their record doesn't reflect their skill level. But a series of upsets to get that auto bid would see their seeding shoot skywards. That leaves us with just two conference tourney winners- NMU & Kitara. They're the only two who have shown the mental toughness, and consistency, in my opinion, to get through these four games scrape free- which would probably be enough to net both #1 seeds for the Ultra 64.

Of course, knowing this sport, I might be using these predictions as a rag next week because they were so wrong, but it's no fun if you don't try, am I right?

Power Rankings

Why not release some power rankings? We're going to do a Top 16- from across the entire NSCAA! No bias in here, I promise

#1 Zakuta State Crocs(BNJ). Record: 24-6, conference champs. I've drank the kool-aid, I've got full faith. Best team in college ball. No home team bias AT ALL.
#2 Northern Moravica Cougars(BNJ). Record: 27-3, conference champs.
#3 Penske College(NCS). Record: 28-2, conference champs
#4 University of Hondo(VAL). Record: 25-5. A blue blood's blue blood, am I right?
#5 Hangaza Tech(BNJ). Record: 28-2, conference champs
#6 Loyola-Istria(BNJ). Record: 26-4, conference champs
#7 New Lakeland(CDG). Record: 25-5
#8 The Legacy Institute(NCS). Record: 26-4, conference champs
#9 University of Moravica(BNJ). Record: 27-3, conference champs
#10 Matthensville Polytech(RAN). Record: 24-6
#11 University of Kitara(BNJ). Record: 27-3, conference champs
#12 Eastern Starksville(CDG). Record: 26-4, conference champs
#13 Auto Club Tech(NCS). Record: 26-4, conference champs
#14 Kizza I College(BNJ). Record: 26-4, conference champs
#15 Ratzupalfu University of Nature(SNL). Record: 24-6
#16 Mar Sara Tech(VAL). Record: 24-6
......
#161 University of Ankole(BNJ). Guess what YOU AIN"T EVEN HERE I CAN"T RANK YOU EVEN IF I WANTED TO LMAO 161 OUT OF 160 GO AND GET F*#&@!
#162 Ankole Tech(BNJ). Trash school, trash program. Their chances of EVER qualifying for the NSCAAs (not even the Ultra 64- but NSCAA competition in general), are about as likely as Banija ever leading the medal podium at the Winter Olympiad. Which is to say- NEVER!