IBC XXIX - Everything Thread

[TJUN-ia]

Riverside hosted its 4th game, the first of a doubleheader, as TJUN-ia played Nouveau Quebecois. The Hoops-Jags entered the game 3-4 after a loss on the road against Preiva but were still only a game back of the battle for 2nd between Xannaria and Sarzonia. With the last 2 games being against both of these teams, a win was needed here to keep the pressure on.

It was another tight game for the Jaguars with both offences racking up big numbers. DeMarcus Winston put up 25 points this game and that surely helped as the Jags managed to win by 6 points. 3-1 against the other unranked teams - not bad at all.

With Sarzonia beating Preiva and Xannaria pulling off the upset against Valanora, the situation remains the same: Jags back by one. We now host Xannaria in a game that has already been declared a "light-blue-out" by the Jungle Boyz. This game will be important and will decide if TJUN-ia's slim odds of making it to Equestria are actually viable. GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE
MD1: @Valanora (8) L 54-85 (6th [Point Differencial])
MD2: vs Preiva (UR) - Unity Center, Riverside W 79-77 (5th [Point Differencial])
MD3: @Nouveau Quebecois (UR) W 68-64 (3rd [Point Differencial])
MD4: @Xanneria (23) L 74-76 (3rd [H2H])
MD5: vs Sarzonia (82) - Unity Center, Riverside L 76-91 (4th [H2H])
---------------------Rest Day-------------------
MD6: vs Valanora (8) - Unity Center, Riverside W 93-75 (4th [H2H])
MD7: @Preiva L 75-79 (4th)
MD8: vs Nouveau Quebecois (UR) - Unity Center, Riverside W 90-84 (4th)
MD9: vs Xannaria (23) - Unity Center, Riverside
MD10: @Sarzonia (82) - The Palestra, Woodstock

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

REMEMBERING THE OLD GREATS- PART III

by Taylor Larson,

In the first two International Basketball Championships, we had the pleasure of having two champions that were great and loyal participants in their heyday, but neither would ever win another title. The tournament had been successful, and it was time once again for Dancougar to bring out his method of scoring games for the third such tournament. With this tournament, we would get our first nation that would become a force. While we wish we could say that was us, that is a distinction that goes to the nation of Sarzonia. Led by coach Henry West, that nation would make their debut in the tournament, and would become the third straight nation to win on debut. Helping the success of first time nations was the fact that “rankings” were only used to seed the groups, so teams once again could not rest on any past accolades.

Dancougar would host the tournament again, but for the first time, the floor was open to other bids. None would come, and we would find our way back to Dancougar once again. This tournament would have sixteen nations participating, and they would be assigned to two groups of eight instead of four groups of four that we would probably see. It would be the tournament where all games were not exclusively played in Dancougar, as a double round robin would allow for each team to have a home and away game against their groupmates. This led to a fourteen game group stage, something that was a lot different then the first two tournaments. It is interesting to note that for this tournament the sign up period was only open for a week, so perhaps there would have been a few more in the tournament if that period was as long as it is today. In the tournament, Newmanistan would obviously be back, and other familiar faces, such as Secristan, Myedvedeya, Arroza, Cafundeu, and Taeshan would take part. And once again, Lovisa would be in. Two first time nations in the tournament would be Sarzonia and Draistania. In the qualifying groups, Newmanistan would be present with Secristan and Taeshan, but also Sarzonia and Draistania. It was reported in the previous article that we had some different group mates, and I apologize that I what I had looked at, at that time, was the group draw for the second group stage, and not the first group stage. Yes, there were two.

The Rockets won their first two games before being tripped up by the Millionaires of Secristan in the third game. That team was looking to avenge their disappointment in the second tournament, and started fast at 3-0. They were tied with Sarzonia, a nation that was making quite a strong first impression. In the opening match for the Stars, they would defeat Draistania by the score of 92-86, a result that not many people outside of those two countries would have paid much attention to at the time it happened. Draistania would actually begin 0-2, as they fell to the Millionaires in the second matchday, but after beating one of the backmarkers in the third matchday, they would end up beating the Rockets, and sending a message to the group that they were for real. Both them and the Rockets were both 2-2, and each trailing the undefeated Millionaires and Stars, who were either shining bright or flashing their riches, whatever applied in their respective countries. A highly anticipated showdown between those countries would happen on the fifth matchday, and the Stars again opened eyes, defeating Secristan by 17, 102-85. Also, shockingly, Newmanistan lost to Taeshan 104-99, which was a confusing result, and fortunately we did not hold “Guaranteed Win Night, Part II”. The team was now 2-3, and there was a lot of confusion as to what was happening. There was nothing significantly different about this team, and our sources then at The Rocket Report were loyally covering the results on a day by day basis. Playing Oiseaui in matchday 6 helped the team stop the slide. Everyone was beating up on poor 0-6 Oiseaui at this point. The game also saw Sarzonia get beat for the first time, as Lovisa knocked them off. Newmanistan closed out the first half against Sarzonia, and were defeated 106-94. What was wrong with this team? At the midway point, Newmanistan was 3-4, and Sarzonia? Well, they were looking pretty darn good at this point. Secristan was 5-2, and Draistania still looking sharp at 4-3. In the other group, Dancougar was finally getting it together, and were tied at the top with the defending champions from Myedvedeya, at 5-2. The shock in this group was Arroza, who was in the cellar with a 2-5 mark. We noticed that their media coverage was not as strong in this tournament at that point.

Things were not improving for the Rockets in the second half, as 3-4 soon became 4-6 as they lost to both Lovisa and Secristan, and after ten games, Newmanistan was one game below the cut line, in serious jeopardy of not even making the playoffs. In our press coverage, there were a lot of questions about what was going on with this team, though the answers were not easy to come by. It seemed like all we were hearing from the coaches or the players was that it would be a long tournament and that they thought that we would be okay in the end. After ten games, time was beginning to become a factor. At the top, Sarzonia and Secristan continued to share the lead, those slowed the pace of their dominance a bit, as each were 7-3. Draistania continued to impress at 6-4. With one game to go, the Rockets had improved to 6-7, and at that time would have made it in at the very end of the playoffs, thanks in part to a log jam of teams around that part of the standings, and despite their record, Newmanistan had a +42 point differential, putting them at the top of the teams tied at 6-7. That point differential was even higher then Secristan’s, who was 8-5 and a game behind Sarzonia. The Stars would also be Newmanistan’s final opponent, and would prove to be too strong. Stunningly, there would be no playoffs for Newmanistan. Right? Well, at 6-8, and with that point differential in our favor, the Rockets somehow managed the very last wild card spot. It didn’t seem like they deserved it, but now they would have a second chance. Sarzonia won the group at 10-4, and Secristan faded a bit down the stretch to wind up 8-6. Draistania would be 9-5. In the other group, Myedvedyea continued their push to repeat, and won their group at 10-4. Dancougar was 9-5.

The playoffs? Well, we’d get another group stage actually. Ten teams were placed into two groups of five now, and these teams would move on to Dancougar. That generous allotment of ten teams from sixteen signups were the only reason we were still alive. Now, Newmanistan had Secristan, Myedvedeya, and Dancougar as group mates (plus Colbourne), while Sarzonia and Draistania played in the other group. Press coverage from other outlets started to wind down for a while as you had to wonder if this tournament was getting a little too long, as this would be matchdays 15-20, and that was before the playoffs. The Rockets, somehow, turned it around in a big way for this second group stage, and went 4-0. Quite a remarkable turnaround for the team, especially when you consider the quality of the group. They say you want to peak at the right time, and certainly Newmanistan was doing that. The purpose of the group stage was to get two teams from each, and they would advance to the playoffs. Newmanistan and Secristan did so in this group; while Sarzonia and Draistania did so in the other group. In a best of three, Newmanistan took on Draistania; while the Stars and Millionaires renewed acquaintances once again in the other series. Newmanistan was not able to carry their momentum, and were swept by Draistania; while Sarzonia did the same to Secristan.

Now, in the finals, Sarzonia and Draistania would meet again. They played either other in their first international game (at this level), and now they would compete for the title. Led by 45 points by Chris Draden in the decisive second game of the best of five, Sarzonia whipped Draistania 119-98 to take a commanding lead in the series, and they finished off the sweep in the next game. The Stars of Sarzonia were world champions, something that we would hear more of. This would be the first nation to have sustained success in the tournament after they won a title, but would they be the first team to win back to back titles?

Also, after the tournament, organizers from Dancougar felt that there needed to be some improvements made to the way games were scored and suggested that there could be a longer time period before the tournament was contested again. Also, for the first time, they declared that ranks “would matter” now. Which is something that many nations at the top were happy to hear. With many nations interested in basketball, and with the tournament happening at a certain point of year, it was wondered if college basketball could become a thing. After discussions between many, the NSCAA tournament would be born after the third IBC, and it would be run out of Newmanistan. We’ll continue our look at this tournament, because obviously we have to talk about the next one!

[Banija]

Demand for Banijan basketball talent abroad grows after sustained IBC success
The Banijan basketball talent pool grows deeper as Banijan talent attracts the attention of foreign scouts

AISSA, HANGAZA- Of course, there are only two games left in the International Basketball Championships. The group stage of international basketball's premier competition is drawing to a close, and the group of death is just about as entertaining as everybody said it would be. Banija's last 3 games are against three teams fighting for their playoff lives- Delaclava, Equestria, and Valladares. Of course, it is likely that one of those sides goes to the knockouts, along with Banija- although the Lions have not clinched anything yet, despite starting 7-0. Our game here in Aissa saw the first setback of the tournament, as the Lions lost the rematch with the Baptism of Fire co-host nation, by 11 points- 90-79. We were dug deep into a hole early, and never could really climb out of it, as Delaclava essentially led the entire matchup.

Not much to talk about- we were beaten, and the game was never really all that close. No, today we're going to talk more about the state of Banijan basketball, and particularly, the state of the talent pool. While we've had consistent success at the Quebecois Commonwealth Games, we've really started to build ourselves here at the IBCs ever since our return to this tournament in IBC 24. IBC 24 was a great one- we came in, unranked, hadn't been here in a crazy long time, and started 0-2 in a 10 game group stage. We rode the Savaneh twins to win 7 of our last 8 group games, and then kept winning, ultimately falling in the semifinals to a St. Kanye side that was on the back end of a three-peat.

And we all know how it's been since then. Going 10-0 on home soil in the silver anniversary of the IBCs, only to lose in the first knockout game to Drawkland. And we don't need to go through the other eliminations- too painful, and that's not the point here. The point is to show that Banijan basketball talent has shown itself capable of standing up among the multiverse's best competition, and holding our own. We've made the knockout stages in the last five consecutive editions of this tournament, and a victory over Valladares in our last home game of the tournament would put us into the knockouts for a sixth straight time. A second consecutive loss would see us have to put it all on the line against our fierce sporting rivals Equestria, on the road, and that's something we'd like to avoid if at all possible.

But we've been strongly consistent over the last few IBCs. And the multiverse is starting to take notice- there is plenty of basketball talent in Banija. And that extends beyond the IBCs- the University of Moravica, with a roster full of Banijan players, has navigated the NSCAA Ultra 64 and qualified for the NSCAA Championship game in back-to-back NSCAA seasons, although they lost the final game both times. Club basketball is like club soccer- becoming more international, players plying their trade in each other's countries. Of course, there is no pro basketball here- just regional amateur leagues. Not conducive to building a deep bench of basketball talent.

It would be the Savaneh twins who in the present era of Banijan basketball(IBC 24-present) would be the first to venture abroad, outside the Commonwealth, by signing contracts to play in Filindostan. And then it would be the then young Point Guard Amadou Secka who would take his place in Donnacona. And those were the only three, for a bit. Now, it's hard to say who made more of an impact. But know this- all three players starred abroad. The Savaneh twins were making an impact in Filindostan, competing for championships domestically. The original Banijan basketball stars- it can only be said that they paved the way, right?

Then we have Amadou Secka. Absolutely dominant in Donnacona. A true superstar. Let's take a look at his numbers the past 5 seasons playing in Donnacona. From 5 seasons ago, to his most recent season(age 33), his points per game are as follows- 22.9, 21.1, 19.4, 18.6, and 25.3. Absolutely revitalized this past season, age 33. He's a former league MVP. He's spent his entire professional career there, and has gone to new heights in Donnacona. This past season, he also went up to nearly 9 assists per game, and in the playoffs, was dominant, hitting the buzzer beater floater in Game 7 to take his side to the DBA Finals.

And although the Savaneh twins are retired, we see other Banijans starring in Donnacona. Labanzi Nabongo put up a stunning 36 points per game in Donnacona, being second in that league in scoring. Ibezimako Akabueze also plays in Donnacona, for Outremont, and plays decently for them as well. Akabueze, of course, first was introduced to the multiverse in the NSCAA 10 Tournament, leading a previously unheralded Univeristy of Moravica side on a series of upsets all the way to the NSCAA championship game, before they lost to a traditional power from Drawkland.

And that interest is now extending beyond that. Professional basketball is re-booting up in the Echani Republic, and three national teamers have announced their intent to start playing professionally there when this tournament is done- Ezekiel Bullo, Ebrahima Faye, who starred in NSCAA 11, and Antouman Ceesay, who played extremely well in NSCAA 11 as well. Furthermore, the Olympic Committee of Banija announced that 10 more players would be heading to Eshan as well. More mid-level prospects rather than big-time talent, but still, Banijans helping fill out rosters.

And now, that brings us to Equestria. Right across the Terrenean Sea, they've long been known as having one of the multiverse's elite basketball leagues. They've achieved consistent success in IUBC competition. The Crystal Empire and Equestria are currently ranked #1 and #2 in terms of the eliteness of their clubs. And now, they are finally opening the door to an influx of foreign talent. Expect Banijans to take part. The OCB said that they were certainly 'very appreciative' of the opportunity from next door. "We understand, the ability to continue this sport into adulthood, past college, will help build the sport in Banija and build our talent for the long-term. Don't have to worry about having a lucky good generation- this way, we'll be able to consistently crank out top-level talent."

There are a whole number of players in Banija who look particularly interested in heading west and getting their basketball careers to take off there. Who will go? It all depends. Bartaba of course is an option. Azmera Gulema seems like a likely candidate as well. We do imagine the REBL will be interested in a lot of our country's up and comers, though- look to the NSCAA 11 to see where a lot of players will be coming from. Banijan schools had a wondrous NSCAA 11, putting all 6 schools automatic bids into the Ultra 64, all the schools into the NSCAA 11 Sweet 16, and two schools into the Final Four- the first time we had ever accomplished any of those feats. Any number of those players could go. And any number of non-NSCAA players are certainly capable of going as well.

Some players will thrive, some will not. Hard to say. But know this- the demand for Banijan basketball talent grows, and finally, it seems as if we are capable of getting our players abroad, to develop professionally in some of Atlantian Oceania's and the rest of the multiverse's top basketball leagues. That, more than anything, can ensure the continued development of Banijan basketball, and assure Banija's place as a frequent contender for the IBCs, for a long, long time to come.

[Valanora]

"It is all a bit slipping away from the team isn't it? What looked to be quite solid footing and clearly the best team group has suddenly stumbled in the second half turn and has looked absolutely nothing like the team from the first half. Perhaps going too the well a few too many times for luck and being bailed out by the good shooting nights is starting to come back to bite the team in the backside?"

"Let us observe the pair of losses, both were not in the Eternal Empire, which those road matches have been huge stumbling blocks not only for the Dragons but a lot of the teams in this tournament so far. The team did well in their two road games in the first half of the group stage but let us not forget how narrowly they nearly lost in Sarzonia in the second match of the group stage. The road travel has been absolutely weary for the team and that is certainly a huge factor in the pair of losses. Also, in that match against TJUN-ia, their offense had one of the best shooting nights of their entire lives, they were simply heaving up crazy shots and still somehow finding the way to get it to go down, which they did again last night against Nouveau Quebecois, while our squad was having a difficult shooting night. Last night the Xannerians managed to hit a game winning shot at the buzzer in front of their home crowd in another night where the team was under fifty-percent from the field. It is not something that is going to happen all that often but these nights when the side struggles to hit those threes that they rely on, they find themselves in tight affairs and unfortunately they were not able to hold against Xanneria like they managed to against Sarzonia."

"Turns and roundabouts then, not that it is exactly a comforting feeling to know that the side is struggling quite heavily in these road affairs, as they have one more still go and it will likely decide if they team will win the group, finish second, or somehow miss out on the knockout rounds of the tournament altogether. It is a humbling situation, to be one of the best teams in the world and yet needing to win out in the group stage to ensure that the side will in fact be making the playoffs. It is strange that the first bit of media coverage that the side gets somehow then leads to some of their poorer performances of the last few years. Though the competition in this group and the tournament as a whole seems to be on a whole different level this year compared to some of the prior editions. I have a feeling that there will be no lucking into a semifinal appearance this tournament as there has been for some squads in recent editions, whoever will be getting into the deepest parts of the tournament will have definitely had to earn their right to be in that position to go after a title."

"These things ebb and flow like the tide, there are some years where the competition is absolutely fierce and stacked and other times where it feels like the talent pool from across the lands is actually very shallow. We happen to be in what appears to be a year where instead of a shallow talent pool it is instead very deep. What you say about earning the places is definitely true but I think one could go a step even further and attribute that to all those who will make the playoffs. This is a stiff competition and the Dragons will need to refocus their energies and efforts if they are to escape this group that has caught back up to them and show that they were deserving of their top ten rank and the punter's bet on taking home an IBC title back to the Eternal Empire. A strong showing to end the group could make this all just look like a blip in the radar or some growing pains of the squad learning how to best play off one another, while a poor showing could definitely switch up the talent being scouted for the next edition's team."

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

While all of this was happening out in Wick Castle and the Royal Train, the funeral proceedings began being prepared and run in Quebec City. As expected from a Royal funeral, there were about thousands of preparations and millions of anticipations in the nine days before the actual funeral. For the next nine days, the while the Royal House was still at Wick Castle, it went according to the Plan previously set many times in paper the previous decade.

Soldiers walked the processional route, a six kilometre one, from the Palais Royale to the Jongmyo. The prayers, coming from four major religions of the nation (Buddhism, Anglicanism, Catholicism and Orthodoxy), were quietly rehearsed en masse with thousands of citizens who came to their places of worship in the nation's capital. The Jongmyo was locked, cleaned and had its columns organised to prepare for the entrance of the masses. The candles, incenses, and the spirit tablets were brought from the Underground Halls right below. The streets around were quietly converted into ceremonial spaces, with enough rails and other barriers placed to prevent the streets from the overcrowding.

The unusual circumstances, highlighted by how beloved the late Monarch was abroad, had meant that there would be at least hundreds of high-profile guests of honour from abroad, so they knew they had to be even more careful administering the procedure. The measures, while unlikely to accommodate all the visitors, would at least be host about twelve thousand people on the Choongmooro Boulevard and another three thousand on the Commonwealth Avenue. The King's 10 pailbearers, with the remaining two being Prince Philippe and the Prime Minister himself, were chosen in immediate advance, and they were quietly moved to practice carrying their burden at a military base near Levis. Since those coffins were made of wood on the innermost layer, gold on the central and lead on the outer layer, it was going to be extremely heavy.

Of course, the Quebecois population was feeling sombre, most notably so in the alterations to the television schedule. Across all television channels, comedy programming was kept to minimum and satire was given a week off, in favour of historic dramas like the reruns of Henri VII (2014 megaseries of 148 episodes) and The Silver Age (1974-76 megaseries involving the reign of Queen Arlene from 1838 to 1901, that ran in 408 episodes). Of course, this wasn't what Jacques IX had intended- the late Monarch said in his life over and over again that he would rather not subject himself to the continuous stanza of endless maudlin music and the gloomy Monday clouds. Yet the schedule was going according to the traditions from the Centuries past, when the Commonwealth existed in different forms.

On D+3, after a day of quiet rest in home, came the Lying-In-State ceremony. Now, the coffin was to be moved to the Main Underground Hall of the Jongmyo, where it was to lie in state for six days. The procession from Palais Royale, as have been the case for past three Royal Funerals, crossed the Jubilee Bridge of the Fleuve Henri-II, and then straight past the cenotaph for 2 kilometres on the Choongmooro Boulevard, before coming to a full stop at the Jongmyo, the end of the Boulevard.

After going past about 986,000 citizens who witnessed the processions at some point, whether on their windows, roofs, or on streets, the procession finally reached the Jongmyo, just as the City Bell rang on the City's East End, at the same time as the Wendake Tower on the West End. And with it, marked the beginning of the six day period. Inside the Underground Hall, there would be recitations of Psalms and the Buddhist scriptures, as the Coffin was placed in a small, altar made of limestone, under the direction of Queen Christine II. With the Crown, the Orb, and the Jade Royal Seal placed over it, the soldiers stood guard and the lines formed.

With the period of lying-in-state being longer than the previous time, when it was done in three-day period per late Pierre Henri IV's wishes, around 580,000 was able to make their homage and thank the King. While the mournful vibe remained well and in place, it was quite an impressive sight nonetheless, as those from all of the nation and the Commonwealth's various socioeconomic milieu came with aids of canteen and portable toilets and conversations with strangers.

Something that was of course mentioned was the careful interventions of the police as necessary part, and hourly restrictions for some, out of safety. This applied on a group-by-group basis. The foreign delegations, which numbered well over twenty heads of state, were given about an hour each (even for small-ish Dawlatian or Caraqueno delegations), with twice as many soldiers placed out of security measures for those blocks. The likewise was done with royals, whom would make a traditional unexpected (but expected) watch to pay respect to the throne. Such exceptions were not really given to the MPs, whom were given specific hours to arrive in order to avoid crowd - 21:00 to 22:00 for those of the House of Commons and 07:00 to 08:00 for House of Lords - under heightened security, but still mixed with the crowd.

In case the police was to be present, all groups of the Quebecois military took part. The RQAF, Royal Quebecois Army, the Royal Navy, and the Quebecois Commonwealth Forces, all had their presence in the lying, with most senior officers by age standing at the foot and the most junior at head. Their rotations would alternate every four hours, making it six four-hour shifts they had to run the procedure. Regimented and simple.

Then, after six days of mourning, the actual proceedings were to be held upstairs, at Jeongjeon, its central courtyard...

[Equestrian States]

Petroslovania 74–126 Drawkland
North New South Wales 77–91 Lisander
Kriegiersien 77–71 Laeral

  Group A                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Drawkland                       9    7   2   792  628 +164    0.778   Q
2 Lisander                        9    7   2   741  615 +126    0.778   Q
3 North New South Wales           9    4   5   668  757  −89    0.444   E
4 Kriegiersien                    9    4   5   649  726  −77    0.444   E
5 Petroslovania                   9    3   6   665  736  −71    0.333   E
6 Laeral                          9    2   7   624  677  −53    0.222   E

---

Newmanistan 99–60 Nova Roma
Puppeted States 80–65 Trolleborg
Juvencus 61–90 Kita-Hinode

  Group B                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Newmanistan                     9    9   0   781  610 +171    1.000   Q
2 Kita-Hinode                     9    6   3   750  667  +83    0.667
3 Puppeted States                 9    5   4   663  680  −17    0.556
4 Trolleborg                      9    4   5   688  673  +15    0.444   E
5 Juvencus                        9    2   7   587  695 −108    0.222   E
6 Nova Roma                       9    1   8   602  746 −144    0.111   E

---

Northwest Kalactin 90–90 Gekkeom (101–97 OT)
Qasden 66–68 Pemecutan
Free Republics 68–51 Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka

  Group C                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Free Republics                  9    9   0   787  534 +253    1.000   Q
2 Pemecutan                       9    4   5   674  726  −52    0.444
3 Northwest Kalactin              9    4   5   699  729  −30    0.444
4 Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka        9    4   5   608  712 −104    0.444
5 Qasden                          9    4   5   658  648  +10    0.444
6 Gekkeom                         9    2   7   670  747  −77    0.222   E

---

ZSeparatists 91–84 Welzat
Quebec 84–70 Chinese Congo
Mkabia 57–66 Filindostan

  Group D                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Quebec                          9    9   0   773  602 +171    1.000   Q
2 Filindostan                     9    7   2   692  630  +62    0.778   Q
3 Chinese Congo                   9    4   5   669  689  −20    0.444   E
4 ZSeparatists                    9    3   6   642  705  −63    0.333   E
5 Welzat                          9    2   7   663  721  −58    0.222   E
6 Mkabia                          9    2   7   626  718  −92    0.222   E

---

Banija 98–85 Valladares
Delaclava 69–76 Equestria
Southwest Eastnorth 87–94 Donnacona

  Group E                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Banija                          9    8   1   737  631 +106    0.889   Q
2 Equestria                       9    7   2   727  620 +107    0.778   Q
3 Valladares                      9    5   4   668  680  −12    0.556   E
4 Delaclava                       9    4   5   660  651   +9    0.444   E
5 Donnacona                       9    3   6   645  699  −54    0.333   E
6 Southwest Eastnorth             9    0   9   615  771 −156    0.000   E

---

Vakolicci Haven & Celeria 78–65 Jeckland
Vangaziland 84–51 North Quadana
Andromeda Islands 83–61 Crystal Empire

  Group F                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Andromeda Islands               9    8   1   747  625 +122    0.889   Q
2 Vangaziland                     9    6   3   734  623 +111    0.667   Q
3 Vakolicci Haven & Celeria       9    4   5   638  698  −60    0.444   E
4 Jeckland                        9    4   5   659  715  −56    0.444   E
5 Crystal Empire                  9    4   5   648  684  −36    0.444   E
6 North Quadana                   9    1   8   625  706  −81    0.111   E

---

TJUN-ia 67–72 Xanneria
Nouveau Quebecois 52–88 Sarzonia
Preiva 68–83 Valanora

  Group G                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Valanora                        9    7   2   745  647  +98    0.778   Q
2 Sarzonia                        9    6   3   702  616  +86    0.667
3 Xanneria                        9    6   3   694  665  +29    0.667
4 TJUN-ia                         9    4   5   676  703  −27    0.444   E
5 Preiva                          9    2   7   655  737  −82    0.222   E
6 Nouveau Quebecois               9    2   7   621  725 −104    0.222   E

---

Cassadaigua 47–60 U.S. of Nuclear Weapons
Terre Septentrionale 59–59 Devonta (71–66 OT)
HUElavia 58–84 Abanhfleft

  Group H                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Abanhfleft                      9    8   1   729  605 +124    0.889   Q
2 Devonta                         9    5   4   676  658  +18    0.556
3 Cassadaigua                     9    5   4   688  686   +2    0.556
4 HUElavia                        9    4   5   684  705  −21    0.444   E
5 U.S. of Nuclear Weapons         9    3   6   668  698  −30    0.333   E
6 Terre Septentrionale            9    2   7   639  732  −93    0.222   E

---

Advance as Group Winners
Advance as Runners-up
Cannot Win Group
Eliminated

[The Andromeda Island Group]

Andromeda News Network
The Sports Hour
Outside of William Todd Memorial Stadium
After Game Day #9
10:40 pm

ANN Correspondent Cornell Prince reports from outside of Todd Memorial Stadium.

“The night ended with 12 of the 16 playoff spots secure and nine other teams with at least a mathematical possibility of making the IBC Playoffs. Thankfully, the Andromeda Eagles have already punched their ticket to Equestria in their previous win against North Quadana. One of the three teams in contention for the final playoff spot from Group F was the Crystal Empire, who visited the Eagles here tonight.”

Cut to pre-game highlights.

“Vice President James T. Kalla and his wife, Charlie Young, visited with the Eagles coaching staff before the game. Kalla, the presumptive Social Democrat nominee for President, played basketball at the Naval Academy.”

Cut to first half highlights.

“Odessa Paige proved a point in the paint tonight, scoring two of her 24 points against her Imperial Pony counterpart.”

Cut to Paige in a post-game interview.

“Coach told us that we should make a statement in this game. Whether we win the tournament or don’t win another game, we should show basketball fans in Andromeda and across the NS Universe that we came to play.”

Cut to halftime highlights.

“During half-time, Vice President Kalla awarded the 2020 Andromeda Ultimate Frisbee League Champions, the East Portsmouth Whooping Cranes with the Randall P. Byrne McPherson Trophy. Awarded to the Ultimate team that wins both the Regular Season and Tournament titles, the Whooping Cranes are only the second team in the 9-year history of the Frisbee league to win the McPherson Trophy.”

Cut to fourth quarter highlights.

“The highlight of the game occurred with less than 20 seconds left in the third. With the Eagles up 58-44, Peg Harper attempts a three that nearly rolls in, but starts to fall out when Russell reaches up and… SENDS it home, dunking the basketball over two defenders.”

Cut to Prince’s interview with Paige.

“First of all, Jane is deceptively agile, especially for someone with her build.”

Cut to the dunk. The Paige interview voices over Russell’s highlight.

“Second, Jane HAD to hold on to the rim. There were two defenders down there. She waited for them to move before she came down.”

Cut back to Prince outside of the stadium.

“The Eagles will leave Portsmouth early tomorrow morning to take on the Jeckland National Team. The Eagles won a narrow victory over the Spuds in Andromeda City. With their spot in Equestria already secure, the Eagles will face a Jeckland Spuds team with nothing to lose in their final IBC contest. Cornell Prince. Andromeda News Network.”

----------

FINAL SCORE: Andromeda Eagles 83, Crystal Ponies 61

PLAYER OF THE GAME

#20 Odessa Paige

Age: 23
Height: 6’3”
Team: Syracuse Lady Commodores
2020 Stats: 14.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg

After graduating with Honors from the University of Portsmouth, rookie power forward Odessa Paige helped the Syracuse Lady Commodores win their first Andromeda Women’s League title last spring. Paige has started in all but two games this season.

Paige played volleyball and basketball for the University of Portsmouth. She led them to the collegiate basketball title in her senior season.

[Kriegiersien]

Lisander 75–60 Kriegiersien
They think it's all over... it is now.


a sad fan after the loss

After the loss of the women in Lisander, the last small hope for the play-offs were gone. No travel to Equestria for the united Basketballteam.

When the men won against Laeral, it was also the farewell to games in "The dome", 333 fans watched the team having an acceptable finish.

Record:
In the at home games the men's team was able to beat the weaker nations, with this results the internal qualification for the Olympics should be done, a medal contender they will be not.

The Kriegiersien girls have one last chance to anger Drawkland again and show if they are able to be more than an ordinary team in the future.

[Sarzonia]

If Sarzonia advance to the knockout rounds of the International Basketball Championships, they will do so on the strength of a stingy defence.

That defence clamped down on Nouveau Quebecois and the Stars easily earned revenge for their earlier defeat at t
The Palestra with an 88-52 victory in their final away match of Group G qualifying. Sarzonia's 616 points conceded are the fewest in Group G, ahead of the 647 points Valanora have allowed. Sarzonia have scored 702 points, second in the group behind Valanora's 745.

Sarzonia improve to 6-3, level with Xanneria, which kept pace with a 72-67 win over the next opponent for the Stars, TJUN-ia. Both teams are one game behind Valanora for the group title, but Valanora win tiebreakers against both sides.

The Dragons knocked off Prieva 83-68 to improve to 7-2, and would win the group in a tiebreaker against the Stars by virtue of a head-to-head sweep of the Stars. They split the series against Xanneria, winning the first match at home 93-76 on Matchday 3, but losing in Xanneria 78-77. The Vanorians would win on the second tiebreaker, point differential in head-to-head results.

If the three ranked teams somehow finished level, No. 23 Xanneria would be on the outside looking in whilst No. 8 Valanora and No. 82 Sarzonia are through to the knockout rounds.

As for the match against Nouveau Quebecois, Sarzonia jumped out to a 14-0 lead, forcing the home team's head coach to burn a timeout early in an effort to stop the bleeding. The unranked team never got closer than 10 points from there on out as the Stars emptied their bench and gave everyone a chance to play.

Mike West's 20 points led the way for the Stars, but he spent most of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter on the bench watching the reserves. The Stars finished their away schedule 4-1 with their 90-78 defeat against Valanora the only blemish.

The Stars return to The Palestra for the final match of qualifying, and will play in front of a crowd of up to 2,000 fans as the city of Woodstock further relaxed restrictions on crowds gathering with a steady reduction in hospitalisations and "positive outcomes" of the vaccine and treatment protocols to both prevent and aid recovery from the SARS 2 novel Coronavirus infection that has wreacked havoc on Sarzonian life.

Woodstock mayor Claudia Alta said the city was "cautiously optimistic" that more relaxation of social distancing restrictions would arrive in time for Sarzonia's first World Cup qualifying match.

"We're pleased to see the trend of new infections and hospitalisations continues to decrease, and both surgeons general are pleased with the results of the vaccination and treatment protocols and we thank our Delaclav neighbours for their assistance and their help in managing this infection," she said. "We will keep those who tragically lost their lives to this virus in our thoughts," she added.

"We are saddened by the loss of even one person to this virus," Alta said. "While I am the mayor of Woodstock, I recognise that viruses don't have borders. I join all the families in remembering the loved ones they lost."

Should Sarzonia advance, the matches would be played in Equestria, and a spokesman for Surgeon General Linda Carswell said that Sarzonian public health officials were not yet ready to clear Sarzonian travelers to visit Equestria.

"Right now, we're only in the early stages of developing contact tracing methods that would allow for any non-essential international travel outside Cyanea," Health and Wellness Division spokesman Taylor Porcello said. "We have protocols in place and the requisite agreements with Delaclav health officials to allow Sarzonians to cross the southern border or Delaclav citizens to make the trip north, but we haven't fleshed out a plan that allows non-emergency travel yet."

Carswell said in a written statement that she was in preliminary discussions with her Delaclav counterpart on Sarzonia's efforts to establish a universal health care system, and was unavailable to comment on possible travel to Equestria for Stars supporters.

"Right now, our greater priority is ensuring the health and safety of Sarzonians, and putting the appropriate mechanisms in place to allow for essential visits and travel," Carswell said. "Unfortunately for sport fans, travel to watch our teams compete for international glory does not constitute essential travel."

[TJUN-ia]

It just wasn't to be in Riverside. The 2nd "light-blue-out" in our history failed to waiver Xannaria, as the (officially) knocked us out of contention by 5 points.

We may not make it to Equestria, but we still played well. We're 4-5 in our first tournament and looking to go 500 dead on. Our final opponents will be the Stars of Sarzonia, who need to win in order to reach the knockouts. The Hoops-Jags, then, could act as stumbling blocks or tumbleweeds in a slightly-revived Palestra. We're off to Woodstock (LSD not included) and personal hygiene will be just as important as what happens on the court. GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE
MD1: @Valanora (8) L 54-85 (6th [Point Differencial])
MD2: vs Preiva (UR) - Unity Center, Riverside W 79-77 (5th [Point Differencial])
MD3: @Nouveau Quebecois (UR) W 68-64 (3rd [Point Differencial])
MD4: @Xanneria (23) L 74-76 (3rd [H2H])
MD5: vs Sarzonia (82) - Unity Center, Riverside L 76-91 (4th [H2H])
---------------------Rest Day-------------------
MD6: vs Valanora (8) - Unity Center, Riverside W 93-75 (4th [H2H])
MD7: @Preiva L 75-79 (4th)
MD8: vs Nouveau Quebecois (UR) - Unity Center, Riverside W 90-84 (4th)
MD9: vs Xannaria (23) - Unity Center, Riverside L 67-72 (4th)
MD10: @Sarzonia (82) - The Palestra, Woodstock

[The United States of Nuclear Weapons]

"It's been fun. Although we've been eliminated, but what mattered was how our nation found possible great allies. And congratulations to our Puppeted Nation on making it through."

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

REMEMBER THE OLD GREATS- PART IV

by Taylor Larson,

It is easier for many to go back and retrieve what happened in the fourth International Basketball Championships, as this competition was not jolted away but any Newmanistanian knows why we must include it. Foreign readers either know as well, or can probably take the hint. However, if you have read the first three editions of this series, hopefully the origins of the competition has been brought out well enough. If anyone has learned anything about where this tournament once was, then I have accomplished what I set out to do. During the first three tournaments, there were no ranks associated with anything. That should not matter, as a ranking is just a number and you still have to go out there and execute, but if you are reading this, chances are you know why that ranking would relevant, and for it to be applied to a nation. With them being applied now, there were the chances for some legacies to be built, and for rivalries to truly be born. Newmanistan had built a good rivalry with Secristan, but that was always going to be there with them, at the time, bordering us to the east. They had built one with Arroza briefly, but that would die off in the third tournament when the Arrozan media went silent. A rivalry with Dancougar never really happened in basketball to this point, since we didn’t play them all that much. Perhaps new rivalries could be built, and while I can’t speak for other nations and who they considered rivals, I’m sure there were some great ones. Secristan’s nature, in their heyday, made them a natural for others to have a rivalry with. Rankings, though, help rivalries, and we’d start to see one between Newmanistan and Sarzonia blossom, beginning with this tournament.

The fourth International Basketball Championships saw some turnover in terms of participation. There were some accomplished nations that were no longer a part of it, and some new nations that were very accomplished, or becoming that way, were entering. Dancougar also unveiled a new method of scoring games, something that they had worked very hard on and tested for others to see. We would have 24 nations, but lose Arroza and Myedvedeya. Draistania, who were defeated by Sarzonia in the last tournament proved to be a one-hit wonder. We’d get some new giants, future champions, or otherwise successful nations. There will be recognizable names here, so I want to start with one that might not be as well known to all, and that is Sibirsky. They would end up winning two titles, and also played in the championship a third time, likely having their own rivalry with Sarzonia. You can also enter Qazox, a one-time champion. In the current International Basketball Championships, both Cassadaigua and Delaclava returned after a long hiatus. In the fourth IBC, both Cassadaigua and Delaclava entered for the first time. Cassadaigua would win a title, though that has eluded Delaclava. You can also enter the storied nation of Valanora, a successful nation on the hardwood that is still looking for their first title. Valladares would also make their debut. You have to think that the presence of all of these respected sporting nations were a further blessing that the tournament had become a sense and moved away from its infancy period. We could officially declare it a staple on the international world, and before I begin talking about what happened in this tournament, let’s take another moment to appreciate what Dancougar did for this competition. There are a lot of kids out there who don’t know anything about that nation, and it is a shame. But if any of those kids are a fan of this tournament, please realize how they were critical for us here. Would we have played basketball eventually? Of course, but they laid the foundation for what we enjoy today. Thank you, Dancougar. We see a lot of other nations reappear from time to time, perhaps one day, we can see your nation do that, as unlikely as it probably is at this point.

Newmanistanian fans were hoping that their day would come. They had been close, and some nations were beginning to nag us for not having a title yet. We would have six groups of four in the tournament, which was again hosted by Dancougar, and the double round robin would see twelve teams advance into a second group stage. That stage would have two groups of six, with the top two teams in each of those groups advancing to the semifinals. This is not a style that is used today, but it is a pretty interesting format. Newmanistan once again had Taeshan in the group, and many fans hoped that would lead to a pair of victories. Also present were Qazox and Valladares as the most notable opponents. The nations of Reilly Richardson and Harlesburg would presumably provide fodder for the stronger teams to get wins against. The Rockets began the tournament with a 100-94 win over Taeshan, then beat Qazox by eleven. A good looking 2-0 start, knocking off the top teams, presumably, in the group. That progress continued, as at the midway point, Newmanistan had a 5-0 record, immediately putting the rest of the competition on notice that the team that struggled to a 6-8 record in the opening stage of the last tournament was not messing around this time. They were the only 5-0 team at this time, Secristan was 4-1 and Sarzonia 3-2. Dancougar sported a 4-1 record, as did newcomer Quintessence of Dust. Cassadaigua, Valanora, and Sibirsky were all off to productive 3-2 starts in their first tournament.

In the second half of the first group stage, the Rockets continued to play well, beginning with a 78-73 victory in Taeshan to improve to 6-0. They would then top Valladares, and officially qualify into the next group stage with still three games to be played. In matchday nine, the perfect record was spoiled as Qazox got the better of them, but the Rockets would still advance into the next stage with a record of 9-1. It would be the best record in the tournament, as the next best would be a 7-3 mark, shared by Secristan and that pesky side from Lovisa. Sarzonia only managed a 6-4 record, but it was enough to qualify. Delaclava and Sibirsky advanced, but teams like Valanora, Cassadaigua, and Qazox would not. They did not go home, as Dancougar held their “best of the rest tournament” once again to not as much fanfare.

The second group stage was held within Dancougar, with the Rockets opponents now becoming Sarzonia, Delaclava, Taeshan, Lovisa, and Quintessence of Dust. At this point only the best nations advanced, and that represented a challenge for the Rockets, but there was a lot of optimism that they probably should be able to crack the top two in the group, especially with the mastery they always seemed to have on Taeshan. In fairness, I may have been a little too critical of Taeshan in this series, since the mentions of them always include my mentioning of our history against them. When not playing Newmanistan, Taeshan was indeed very successful against other opponents, and that should be acknowledged. In Dancougar, Newmanistan continued to play well, topping Lovisa (remember they were a 7-3 team going in) in the first game by 21 points. Delaclava was defeated, but perhaps Newmanistan was too complacent against their next opponent, Taeshan. In the third meeting between the sides, Taeshan picked up a win, which again shows that they were still good in this tournament. And really, our dominance of them was not as much a basketball thing as it was baseball. Newmanistan then suffered a big loss to Sarzonia, 118-92. This put them a game behind the Stars with one game remaining, but as the top two teams advanced to the semifinals, the Rockets were still part of a four way tie at 2-2, with head to head potentially looking favorable. The final game was against the last place team, Quintessence of Dust, so if we took care of business in that game, we’d probably be okay. We barely did, winning 87-86, but it was enough as we prevailed in the eventual tiebreaker for the second spot.

In the semifinals, the nations that advanced were us, Sarzonia, Secristan, and Tocrowkia. Ah, that last one, another name from the past. They didn’t really have a big history in basketball, so I have not mentioned Tocrowkia all that much. This tournament was the highlight of their stay in the International Basketball Championships. That would be the opponent for the Rockets while the Millionaires and Stars would have at it, again. Newmanistan swept Tocrowkia in the best of three, and Sarzonia needed the full three games to beat Secristan, and head to Yuki City, Dancougar for the championship series.

Here, finally, were the Rockets. This would be their chance to get that first title, and to avenge their loss in the finals of the very first IBC. Both potential opponents would have been fantastic, as if it were Secristan, it would be against that very team that had beaten them for that title. However, against Sarzonia, they were playing the defending champions, and it was time to keep the Stars from winning it again. The series would be a best of three, and Sarzonia drew first blood, winning 106-97. Maybe then, that was a good thing in disguise for the Rockets, because they always seemed to lose a playoff series when they won the first game of it. Now, their backs would be against the wall right from the start. In the second game, Newmanistan scored 97 again, but this time it was enough to win, 97-90. The result was seen then as a business like performance, setting up the all important game. It was a battle, and a truly heroic effort by Corey Ostroff, playing hurt, after it seemed like he would not return to the game. With the game tied at 107, and seven seconds left, the Rockets would have enough time, but they could not blow it. Ostroff would not, hitting the game winning jumper at the buzzer. Finally, Newmanistan was a champion! It’s a shot that should never be forgotten throughout the Empire. Our next piece in this series will also be the conclusion of the series. Would we get a two-time champion in it?

[Cassadaigua]

Mailbag After a loss,
by Chelsea Dufresne, Concord Heights

Yeah, so that happened. You know what I am talking about, 60-47 in basketball to the United States of Nuclear Weapons. Not good at all, and you can feel free to check out detailed game analysis elsewhere on the website if you really wish to do so.

But how about some questions from readers about it.

“Maybe if Cassadaigua had a mascot we would have done a better!” Zoey Z, Grande Mountain

A mascot is something that we have never had, and for good reason. I know, maybe the kids will appreciate it, and sometimes you will get the mascot from domestic clubs wandering around a stadium, but dressing someone up in a costume is not going to affect the play on the court. Or maybe you are on to something, and it could have boosted morale.

“Maybe Cassadaigua was intimidated by the nation’s name and scared of nuclear weapons?” Donna C, New Lakeland

Nuclear weapons are something to be concerned about if you are in a wartime situation, which we are not. We did survive our trip to that nation earlier in the campaign, and there seems to be no concern about that nations stockpile of nuclear weapons. We have some, too, but hope there will never be a day that comes where we have to use them.

“Daniella Thiess getting hurt didn’t help. Then Ericka Kinney got hurt. Not good.” Franklin F, Concord Heights.

It did seem like there was some random minor injuries taking place in the game, but I don’t want to dwell on that. This is an experienced team with a deep bench and they should have been able to overcome them.

“Perhaps they spent too much time partying?” Muriel D, Starksville

They are young, so that will always be on the back of people’s minds, but for all I know they are a disciplined group. However, they might just be good at hiding their indiscretions. I don’t think this was an issue, but perhaps the freak minor injuries that they dealt with played a part.

“Maybe they were thinking about the afterlife too much?” Ashton G, Victoriaville

I would hope not, but I guess that could go into play with the concerns about nuclear weapons. Regardless, let’s just beat Devonta.

[Pemecutan]

---

---

Shocking Number Second

Campuhan - After a narrow win in their 9th match against Qasden, Pemecutan shockingly placed as runner up of Group C under Free Republics. But their position is rather unstable because they shared the same accomplishment with 3 other team. They are Northwest Kalactin, Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka and Qasden. Pemecutan needs a win to secure their position and open a possibility to enter the knockout stage. In the last match of Group Stage, they will meet again with Northwest Kalactin. In previous match, they surprisingly defeated Northwest Kalactin by 82-75.

"We still have a high hope for the next match. We had won previously and hopefully we can make the same happen again. Just stay focus and play the best," says Agus Pambudi, Head Coach of Pemecutan team.

The fact that the match will be playing on the home ground is another advantage for Pemecutan. As the old one says, supporters are the addition player. The team might get a surge of confidence when the supporters backing them. Aside from focus on the match against Northwest Kalactin, they also have to keep an eye for Qasden vs Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka match. Both match are very crucial for the end result of Group C. The matches also will determine who will accompany Free Republics to the knockout stage. Free Republics have secure one spot in knockout stage after a 9 wins strike.

---

Group C Leaderboard

  Group C                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Free Republics                  9    9   0   787  534 +253    1.000   Q
2 Pemecutan                       9    4   5   674  726  −52    0.444
3 Northwest Kalactin              9    4   5   699  729  −30    0.444
4 Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka        9    4   5   608  712 −104    0.444
5 Qasden                          9    4   5   658  648  +10    0.444
6 Gekkeom                         9    2   7   670  747  −77    0.222   E

---

Pemecutan Match Result

MD1: Sunday, May 3rd, 2020; vs Gekkeom (79-90); Loss
MD2: Monday, May 4th, 2020; vs Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka (78-70); Win
MD3: Tuesday, May 5th, 2020; vs Free Republics (58-93); Loss
MD4: Wednesday, May 6th, 2020: vs Qasden (70-70 (82-86 OT)); Loss
MD5: Thursday, May 7th, 2020: vs Northwest Kalactin (82-75); Win
MD6: Saturday, May 9th, 2020: vs Gekkeom (91-69): Win
MD7: Sunday, May 10th, 2020: vs Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka (73-73 (83-86 OT)): Loss
MD8: Monday, May 11th, 2020: vs Free Republics (53-91): Loss
MD9: Tuesday, May 12th, 2020: vs Qasden (68-66): Win

[Drawkland]

IBC 29 GROUP STAGE FIRST HALF
Written By: Andrew Miller and Jimmy Fisher

---

IBC 29 is nearing the conclusion of the group stage, and Drawkland has thankfully punched its ticket to the playoffs of the IBC already. Our media coverage has been lacking in light of preparing for other events, but we absolutely still need to cover the progress of the reigning champions as our quest to actually defend a title in something for once continues. For this segment, we'll be taking a quick look at the first half of the group stage, where we got off to a great start and suddenly lost at the drop of a hat.

@ LISANDER
There are no days off! The path to IBC 29's championship would certainly not be easy, and this was exemplified with the very first game of the campaign. The Pot 2 team for our group was the #9 ranked Lisander, arguably the best Pot 2 team in the tournament. Our first game would be against them, on the road in Lerna. Olympia Pavillion wasn't exactly unfriendly confines though, as this was the exact stadium where the Net Corps had played their last game - the IBC 28 championship. Aw, it's like reverse bookends! Anyway, despite the familiar backdrop, it was definitely the hardest game on paper for the Corps, being the away game against the best team in the group that wasn't us.

Coach Cody Morgan and the rest of the experienced Corps weren't fazed though. It's clear they'd had the time and practice to get ready for this game in particular; it showed as soon as the starting tipoff. After a 3-pointer from Autumn Trallen opened up the scoring, the momentum was heavily rolling in Drawkland's favor. It was by no means an easy game, and there was plenty of defensive effort on both sides. However, Lisander could never seem to really close the gap that Drawkland created early in the first quarter. Lisander tied and even took a 1-point lead a couple times in the second and third quarter, but by the fourth their tanks had run dry and the Net Corps took care of business.

The final score was 73-83, a solid 10-point win against the biggest competitor in the group to start off the IBC with a bang. There were still 9 (and theoretically, 13) more games to get through though, so the work was far from over.

vs NORTH NEW SOUTH WALES
The first Drawkland home game of this tournament (and the first hosted in Drawkland in many years) was set against unranked North New South Wales. This was always going to be an easy win, provided the Net Corps went out and executed their usual game. Fortunately for all the fans in attendance at The Ring and the millions watching on TV and other media, the Corps did exactly that. North New South Wales, as we said, is an unranked squad playing their first IBC. They did have a somewhat promising squad, and it showed flashes during the game. Small Forward Noa Makana put up 25 points in the game, almost half of his team's points in this match.

Drawkland's scorers were having a blast though, and it was clear the Drawkian height advantage was simply too much for the newbie squad to handle. Later in the game, Morgan cycled through the bench players to get their feet wet in the tournament. Despite being a veteran bench player and only playing for a quarter and a half total, Anne Russell managed to put up a solid 30 bomb for the night. Unlike last IBC, the more "normal" schedule of this IBC lends itself to needing a team with solid depth, so it'll be good to have more bench players to draw from if the going gets tough later on. The scoreline of 96-59 at The Ring was promising for Drawkland, if nothing else.

@ LAERAL
Laeral is another one of the three unranked squads in Group A, but judging by the media coverage thus far, the least promising of the three. Even with the game being a road trip for the Drawkians, it was expected to be an easy cruise control win. That it was, and like with the North New South Wales game, the reserves got a lot of rotation in this game. This didn't present any issues though, as Drawkland was up 30-40 at halftime and kept the momentum up so the score was 63-83 at the final buzzer.

vs PETROSLOVANIA
The second home tilt for the Net Corps was set to be against Petroslovania, the Pot 3 team in Group A. As much as one could complain about getting the best Pot 2 team in the game in our group, we also lucked out in getting one of the lowest-ranked squads in Pot 3. Petroslovania may not be a newcoming team, but they haven't participated since IBC 26. In that ill-fated IBC, they only managed to get 1 win, hence why they're ranked 80th. The only teams below them in the ranks are nations like HUElavia and Sarzonia, those who participated but didn't win a game last IBC. Usually no nations go winless in the IBC (there weren't any in IBC 27 or 26), but there were actually seven nations in IBC 28 to accomplish this "feat". Only one of them had a prior rank, so the six that didn't are the ones lower than Petroslovania in the ranks. Fun facts!

As far as the game itself, the Net Corps once again took care of business. With the strength of the home crowd at The Ring fueling them, and the now-stronger reserves getting even more playing time, it was no surprise that Drawkland ended up winning the game by 21 points by the final buzzer. 87-66 was the final score, and by now analysts & fans were starting to look at second half predictions and potential playoff matchups. This thinking may have been a little premature.

@ KRIEGIERSIEN
Then came the match against Kriegiersien. Up to this point, Drawkland was undefeated, and the unranked Kriegiersien was winless. Even being on the road, it was expected to be another rollover win while attention was focused on the upcoming home tilt against Lisander. Cody Morgan even went far enough to rest the starting five after only a single quarter of play. Before the game, Morgan claimed he wanted to rest the starters for the higher-stakes single-elimination playoffs in our future, and figured it wouldn't hurt to have the reserves battle for most of the game.

This turned out to be a massive error in judgement. Kriegiersien's roster featured both a men's and women's team lineup, which they appeared to be alternating games with. The woman's team was set to play Drawkland in Schoenwetter. "The Dome", normally a 100,003 seater meant for Killerwaterball (we're assuming Kriegiersien's national sport), was modified slightly for basketball. This was going to be the biggest home match of the tournament for the home squad, so the crowd was absolutely packed. The first half of the game went fine, but Kriegiersien's team did a remarkable job of keeping up with the big boys of the Net Corps. In fact, the game was tied 40-40 at halftime.

Despite the alarming circumstance of being tied with an unranked nation at halftime, Morgan insisted on keeping the reserves in the game to finish it. In the post-game interview, he said that he was hoping to put the pressure on the reserves to get them more used to potentially having to finish and win a game against a stronger opponent, perhaps in the playoffs. This stubbornness meant the downfall of Drawkland, and Kriegiersien pulled away towards the end of the fourth quarter. A 9-0 run in the final three minutes of the game and impeccable defense killed off the game and the undefeated streak for the Net Corps.

At the very least, Kriegiersien's squad got a signature win at home to hang their hats on, even though they had no real chance of advancing to the playoffs, even at this point. Beating the defending champs 89-78? Anybody would love to get away with that.

SECOND HALF
Going into the second half after the loss to Kriegiersien, the atmosphere for the Net Corps was no longer one of ease and enjoyment. The team, no matter the player rotation circumstance, had lost to an unranked team. With the home game against Lisander now right on the horizon, another loss could easily sink our hopes of a favorable playoff seed (or worse - lead to a downward spiral resulting in missing the playoffs entirely). Fortunately for us (spoilers!) we have punched our ticket to the playoffs after a decent second half.

Next episode, we'll go over the second half of the group stage, as well as looking at our playoff outlook (which will just be set by then). Until then though, we have to have our revenge match at home against Kriegiersien. Let's hope we can take care of business one more time, and take the top spot in the group. You know what to say. On Corps!

[Equestrian States]

Drawkland 83–53 Kriegiersien
Laeral 71–76 North New South Wales
Lisander 84–53 Petroslovania

  Group A                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Drawkland                      10    8   2   875  681 +194    0.800   Q
2 Lisander                       10    8   2   825  668 +157    0.800   Q
3 North New South Wales          10    5   5   744  828  −84    0.500
4 Kriegiersien                   10    4   6   702  809 −107    0.400
5 Petroslovania                  10    3   7   718  820 −102    0.300
6 Laeral                         10    2   8   695  753  −58    0.200
  Drawkland (+8) ahead of Lisander (−8) on head-to-head point difference

---

Nova Roma 66–76 Juvencus
Kita-Hinode 83–62 Puppeted States
Trolleborg 61–66 Newmanistan

  Group B                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Newmanistan                    10   10   0   847  671 +176    1.000   Q
2 Kita-Hinode                    10    7   3   833  729 +104    0.700   Q
3 Puppeted States                10    5   5   725  763  −38    0.500
4 Trolleborg                     10    4   6   749  739  +10    0.400
5 Juvencus                       10    3   7   663  761  −98    0.300
6 Nova Roma                      10    1   9   668  822 −154    0.100

---

Gekkeom 67–77 Free Republics
Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka 81–88 Qasden
Pemecutan 90–94 Northwest Kalactin

  Group C                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Free Republics                 10   10   0   864  601 +263    1.000   Q
2 Qasden                         10    5   5   746  729  +17    0.500   Q
3 Northwest Kalactin             10    5   5   793  819  −26    0.500
4 Pemecutan                      10    4   6   764  820  −56    0.400
5 Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka       10    4   6   689  800 −111    0.400
6 Gekkeom                        10    2   8   737  824  −87    0.200
  Qasden (+3) ahead of Northwest Kalactin (−3) on head-to-head point difference
  Pemecutan (+5) ahead of Wielka Rzesza Sealandzka (−5) on head-to-head point difference

---

Welzat 70–73 Mkabia
Filindostan 66–76 Quebec
Chinese Congo 94–68 ZSeparatists

  Group D                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Quebec                         10   10   0   849  668 +181    1.000   Q
2 Filindostan                    10    7   3   758  706  +52    0.700   Q
3 Chinese Congo                  10    5   5   763  757   +6    0.500
4 Mkabia                         10    3   7   699  788  −89    0.300
5 ZSeparatists                   10    3   7   710  799  −89    0.300
6 Welzat                         10    2   8   733  794  −61    0.200
  Mkabia (+2) ahead of ZSeparatists (−2) on head-to-head point difference

---

Valladares 85–57 Southwest Eastnorth
Donnacona 70–90 Delaclava
Equestria 68–59 Banija

  Group E                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Equestria                      10    8   2   795  679 +116    0.800   Q
2 Banija                         10    8   2   796  699  +97    0.800   Q
3 Valladares                     10    6   4   753  737  +16    0.600
4 Delaclava                      10    5   5   750  721  +29    0.500
5 Donnacona                      10    3   7   715  789  −74    0.300
6 Southwest Eastnorth            10    0  10   672  856 −184    0.000
  Equestria (+6) ahead of Banija (−6) on head-to-head point difference

---

Jeckland 67–85 Andromeda Islands
Crystal Empire 64–72 Vangaziland
North Quadana 70–83 Vakolicci Haven & Celeria

  Group F                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Andromeda Islands              10    9   1   832  692 +140    0.900   Q
2 Vangaziland                    10    7   3   806  687 +119    0.700   Q
3 Vakolicci Haven & Celeria      10    5   5   721  768  −47    0.500
4 Jeckland                       10    4   6   726  800  −74    0.400
5 Crystal Empire                 10    4   6   712  756  −44    0.400
6 North Quadana                  10    1   9   695  789  −94    0.100
  Jeckland (2-0) ahead of Crystal Empire (0-2) on head-to-head record

---

Xanneria 69–80 Preiva
Valanora 78–56 Nouveau Quebecois
Sarzonia 95–81 TJUN-ia

  Group G                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Valanora                       10    8   2   823  703 +120    0.800   Q
2 Sarzonia                       10    7   3   797  697 +100    0.700   Q
3 Xanneria                       10    6   4   763  745  +18    0.600
4 TJUN-ia                        10    4   6   757  798  −41    0.400
5 Preiva                         10    3   7   735  806  −71    0.300
6 Nouveau Quebecois              10    2   8   677  803 −126    0.200

---

U.S. of Nuclear Weapons 84–75 HUElavia
Abanhfleft 60–68 Terre Septentrionale
Devonta 66–76 Cassadaigua

  Group H                       Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
1 Abanhfleft                     10    8   2   789  673 +116    0.800   Q
2 Cassadaigua                    10    6   4   764  752  +12    0.600   Q
3 Devonta                        10    5   5   742  734   +8    0.500
4 HUElavia                       10    4   6   759  789  −30    0.400
5 U.S. of Nuclear Weapons        10    4   6   752  773  −21    0.400
6 Terre Septentrionale           10    3   7   707  792  −85    0.300
  HUElavia (+5) ahead of U.S.N.W. (−5) on head-to-head point difference

---

   Playoff Seeding               Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD    Win %
 1 Free Republics (C1)            10   10   0   864  601 +263    1.000
 2 Quebec (D1)                    10   10   0   849  668 +181    1.000
 3 Newmanistan (B1)               10   10   0   847  671 +176    1.000
 4 Andromeda Islands (F1)         10    9   1   832  692 +140    0.900
 5 Drawkland (A1)                 10    8   2   875  681 +194    0.800
 6 Valanora (G1)                  10    8   2   823  703 +120    0.800
 7 Equestria (E1)                 10    8   2   795  679 +116    0.800
 8 Abanhfleft (H1)                10    8   2   789  673 +116    0.800
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 9 Banija (E2)                    10    8   2   796  699  +97    0.800 *
10 Lisander (A2)                  10    8   2   825  668 +157    0.800 *
11 Vangaziland (F2)               10    7   3   806  687 +119    0.700
12 Kita-Hinode (B2)               10    7   3   833  729 +104    0.700
13 Sarzonia (G2)                  10    7   3   797  697 +100    0.700
14 Filindostan (D2)               10    7   3   758  706  +52    0.700
15 Qasden (C2)                    10    5   5   746  729  +17    0.500 *
16 Cassadaigua (H2)               10    6   4   764  752  +12    0.600 *
   Banija and Lisander switched to avoid Group E rematch
   Qasden and Cassadaigua switched to avoid Group C rematch

---

#1 Free Republics vs. #16 Cassadaigua
at Mountainside Arena (cap. 6,800) in Stalliongrad

#8 Abanhfleft vs. #9 Banija
at Mountainside Arena (cap. 6,800) in Stalliongrad

#4 Andromeda Islands vs. #13 Sarzonia
at Seaddle Arena (cap. 7,750) in Seaddle

#5 Drawkland vs. #12 Kita-Hinode
at Seaddle Arena (cap. 7,750) in Seaddle

#2 Quebec vs. #15 Qasden
at New Indigo Arena (cap. 8,610) in Everfree

#7 Equestria vs. #10 Lisander
at New Indigo Arena (cap. 8,610) in Everfree

#3 Newmanistan vs. #14 Filindostan
at Ponyville Sports Palace (cap. 6,880) in Ponyville

#6 Valanora vs. #11 Vangaziland
at Ponyville Sports Palace (cap. 6,880) in Ponyville

---

Host Note: The playoffs will begin scorination on Sunday evening (EDT), see OP for full playoffs schedule.

[The Andromeda Island Group]

The Eagles Team Airplane
En Route to Canterlot, Equestria
The afternoon after Match Day 10

The Andromeda Eagles Team Airplane is en route to Seaddle in the Equestrian States after winning 85-67 in Jeckland to conclude. At this point, the Eagles will either be the 4th or 5th seed. The only question now is who they will play in the ICB Playoff Round. As of that morning, the final four playoff spots were still conceivably in reach for nine teams.

Coach Payton decided to have the Cassadaigua/Devonta game play during their trip to Equestria. In essence, their tournament begins today. For these two nations, it’s simple: The winner is in. The loser is out.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Andromeda Basketball History, the Andromeda Eagles and Cassadaigua faced each other in the Championship Series of IBC 12 & 13. The Eagles won IBC 12 while the Daigans won IBC 13. The Daigans have also fielded all female teams in the past.

Neither Ruby Jordan nor Abby Salliewhite have seen much playing time in the tournament, but both were having the time of their lives. Jordan was the sole member of the Eagles from East Portsmouth while Salliewhite was the sole member from the Andromeda Senators.

“They say that the best Women’s Basketball Players in the world come from Cassadaigua,” Jordan commented.

Salliewhite, who is sitting in an aisle seats yells over to Peg Harper.

“Peg, aren’t you from Cassadaigua?”

“No, but you know Becky Westchester?”

“The one who played in IBC 19?”

“Both of her parents were from there. She coaches at one of their colleges. She recruits a lot of her players from Andromeda.”

The halftime buzzer sounds. Keith Olds reports from the Andromeda News Network Sports desk.

“With the final games of IBC Preliminaries underway, it looks like Sarzonia has earned one of the four remaining spots, leading 92-79 with two minutes left.

“And the Jiangshi looks to jump into the playoffs. Kita-Hinode could lose by as much as 16 and still more than a dozen and still qualify by virtue of their 17-point win earlier in Group play. They’re currently up by 12 early in the 4th Quarter.”

Sadie Smith decides to take a seat across from Salliewhite. Smith had also been watching the game intently.

“You know, my dad still watches those game where Andromeda played Cassadaigua in IBC 12 & 13. Watching those games inspired me to play.”

“Sadie, I’m just curious. You burst onto the scene last fall. Were you that good in high school and college?”

“I got in a lot of trouble in High School. My grades weren’t so good. I tried out for the basketball team my junior year. Coach Recht really straightened me out and helped me get into ACWC (Angeles City Woman’s College).

“You played THERE?”

“I didn’t just play. I focused on my studies. Being a student is harder than being a baller. I love basketball, but my goal was to graduate. It took me five years, but I earned my degree.”

“And why are you so good now?”

“Pro ballers don’t have to worry about final exams and thesis papers. I wasn’t the best student. Took lots of tutors and I changed my major a couple of times, but I got that paper. First one in my family to graduate from college.”

Both Salliewhite and Jordan are surprised to hear that Smith earned her degree.

“I may be from the wrong side of the tracks. But it ain’t about where you’re from. It’s where you’re at.”

“Amen to that.”

----------

PLAYER PROFILE

#43 Ruby Jordan

Age: 24
Height: 5’9
Team: East Portsmouth Lady Admirals
2020 Stats: 14.9 apg, 4.5 apg, 2.1 spg

A native of East Portsmouth, Ruby Louise Jordan helped the East Portsmouth Lady Admirals make the Women’s League playoff team in her rookie season. Jordan’s clutch shooting elevated East Portsmouth to the Playoffs in their Regular Season Finale against the Portsmouth Lady Pirates.

Jordan played basketball for the University of East Portsmouth. She also played in the Big Island Ultimate Frisbee League during 2019 off-season.

PLAYER PROFILE

#53 Abby Salliewhite

Age: 23
Height: 5’4”
Team: Andromeda Lady Senators
2020 Stats: 11.9 ppg, 8.8 apg, 2.0 spg

One of the most versatile athletes in the Allied States, Abigail Salliewhite played for the Andromeda Eagles Soccer Team in World Cup Qualifying last year. As a basketball player, she led the Lady Senators to the AWBL playoffs in her rookie season.

A graduate of the University of Todd’s Cove, Salliewhite loves to travel during the off-season. She is fluent in four languages.

[Sarzonia]

The smattering of applause and the nearly empty Palestra would have demoralised some teams, in particular given the fact that the Sarzonian national basketball team still needed to win to ensure its trip to Equestria for the knockout rounds.

That would be the case in normal times. These aren't normal times. Not with social distancing restrictions that led to the area in Sarzonia's capital city being empty during matches that meant something.

A crowd of 2,000, including a tiny contingent of TJUN-ia supporters who somehow accessed the StarTicketCo.srz website in spite of heavy traffic, saw Sarzonia play a much more up tempo game than it was used to, but still watched the Stars defeat the Jaguars 95-81 behind 36 points from Mike West to clinch a spot in the knockout rounds.

They will join Valanora as Group G representatives and bring a 7-3 record into the Round of 16. They are the 13th seed and will face fourth seeded The Andromeda Island Group, which won Group F with a 9-1 record. The only blemish on the Eagles record came on the first matchday as they lost 78-74 to Vangaziland, rattling off nine consecutive wins since then.

Thomas Manningham's squad, meanwhile, carry a much more modest three-match win streak, although they have won five of their last six games. The only defeat during that stretch was a 12-point away loss in Valanora, so the Stars appear to be peaking at the right time.

"Everything is different from here on out," Manningham said. "We're not worrying about playing in front of an empty arena now. We're now going to get strong teams from here on out. The Eagles are certainly a more explosive offence than any we've faced thus far, and they're also tough defensively. We're going to have our work cut out for us."

Xanneria lost their group stage finale to Prieva 80-69 at home, so the Stars would have qualified even if they'd lost to TJUN-ia, but West said the team wanted to ensure they didn't need the unexpected help from the second worst team in the group.

"We controlled our own destiny," he said. "Good teams have that killer instinct, and we need to start showing the multiverse that we're at least a good team."

After a brief celebration on the court, the Stars returned to the locker room, showered, did interviews in the media room whilst continuing to maintain social distancing, then watched Delaclava's 90-70 victory over Donnacona to finish their return to international competition at 5-5.

The Stars were cheering on their Cyanea brethren wildly, almost as wildly as approximately 1,950 of the 2,000 souls in The Palestra did for the Stars on the night when Sarzonia returned to basketball prominence.

[Drawkland]

IBC 29 GROUP STAGE SECOND HALF
Written By: Andrew Miller and Jimmy Fisher

---

Going into the last match of the group stage, we quickly recapped Drawkland's performance in the first half of this IBC's group stage. With the group stage now concluded following the game against Kriegiersien, we're gonna recap the second half of the stage in similar fashion. As we noted in the last article, we've already qualified for the playoffs, and now it's official that Drawkland is on to the next stage of IBC 29. Whether or not this will be another iconic run to the final or an abysmal early playoff exit remains to be seen, but we'll get to that in a moment.

vs LISANDER
Once again, the match against Lisander was going to be crucial, but for different reasons. In the MD1 matchup, a win wasn't necessarily expected, but would absolutely be appreciated. After all, it's the best possible Pot 2 team at home when both teams are cold. The home crowd could've helped will the Lisander squad to victory over the Corps, and they'd be in the driver's seat for most of the group stage from there. However, the Net Corps pulled off the "upset" (despite technically being favored) and left Lerna with a 1-0 record.

Things would not stay rosy for our Corps forever though. The bungling in Kriegiersien suddenly put Drawkland in a precarious position going into the home tilt against Lisander - if they lost at home (a perfectly reasonable result), they'd suddenly be tied in the group with Lisander. If we lost by more than 10 points, we'd not only be tied on record, but losing in head to head goal difference, which could be the difference between playing the top half or the bottom half of the bracket.

While the match on MD1 was always in the Net Corps' grasp from the first score, this game would not be the same. The crowd at The Ring was packed, since this was the highest-profile home game of the group stage. Still, Lisander braved the storm and put forth an incredible defensive effort. It was clear they'd learned their lesson from the first time around, and their gameplan was executed to perfection. The Corps' offense was severely lacking because of this, considering they'd scored at least 80 points in every game of the group stage so far (except the Kriegiersien loss - which was a 78-point affair).

Fortunately for us, the Corps switched to a more defensive mindset following the 30-35 halftime score. It was clear that Lisander was expecting Drawkland to be taking more chances and be reckless with the ball, as they usually are. Under a more conservative plan, the Corps managed to get the game a bit more under control. By the time the fourth quarter began, Lisander was no longer leading by a multiple-score margin, and the lead started to flip-flop between the two teams.

Even with the less action-packed defensive battle happening, the final minutes were still filled with tension. The time was winding down for both teams as the clock hit 30 seconds remaining, and Lisander had the ball with a dwindling shot clock. The score was locked at 67-67, and Lisander was attempting to be the last team to have a shot. After all, you don't want to give Drawkland a chance to hit a last-second shot to win. Henrique Conti had the ball as the shot clock was about to hit zero, and threw up a shot from outside the arc. The idea was to either miss and get a rebound to reset the shot clock, or hit a three to at least force the Corps to hit their own three to tie the game back up. The issue with that plan is that Drawkians always have the height advantage in the paint and really, everywhere. Jazmin Madison came down with the rebound, and things were looking bad for Lisander. Drawkland would have a chance to end the game with no time left ... but wait! Jazmin Madison's pass to Taveon Holland was errant, and instead it was poked away and corralled by Lisander's Tiago Howells.

With both teams already halfway down the court already, Howells was on his own against Madison. Since there were no teammates nearby and Drawkian players were streaming back to play defense, he had no chance but to at least get some points to break the tie, to hell with the clock! Howells outmaneuvered J Madison for just long enough to get a shot off, and he drained it. Lisander had just taken the lead, 67-69. The Drawkian crowd was far from silenced though, all they seemed to do is become more agitated and ravenous as Cody Morgan called his last time out of the game.

There were now only 19 seconds left on the clock, down 2, and needing a score to keep the game alive. The plan was obvious and simple ... the Corps would bide their time until the last few seconds and throw up a shot so Lisander didn't have a chance to get back in. No room for error, but could potentially be the dagger to put the game away. Once time resumed and the ball was inbounded (way easier when your whole squad has a head or more over the opponent), it seemed to be working fine. Holland was maneuvering around and flirting with the arc, and the ball was passed around. The crowd continued to mount in its frenzy, demanding the game-ender. With 4 seconds left, Holland fed the ball to Autumn Trallen outside the arc. She was open, had the time to make a proper windup and shot from behind the three-point line .... and the shot was bricked.

The crowd was certainly quelled after that, once the realization sunk in that Lisander had just come away with the 67-69 win. It was hard to swallow. The last few cycles had shown Drawkian skill and dominance in close games and tense shootouts at the end of regulation. This match was sobering. The back-to-back losses showed that the Corps was far from invincible, and things won't be coming easily from here on out.

@ NORTH NEW SOUTH WALES
The back-to-back losses had firmly thrown Drawkland out of a premium playoff seeding position, barring some really ridiculous losses for the remaining undefeated teams. Being tied with Lisander now, it was crucial to win every match and stay ahead to protect the top spot in the group. Luckily, Lisander only managed to win by 2 points, so the 10 point win on MD1 put Drawkland ahead on H2H point differential. As long as Drawkland didn't lose and fall behind Lisander, they'd be safely ahead by tiebreakers.

This made the away game against North New South Wales way more pressurized than it perhaps should've been. The back-to-back losses had killed a lot of the "Drawkland will steamroll everyone" takes, and instilled the fear of doubt in many fans. This fear was not present in the team itself, however. The first half game against North New South Wales had been a rout, with the Corps lighting fires and ending the game with 96 points. Even on the road in NNSW, they scored the exact same amount. All the home field advantage did was help the Wales team a bit on offense. They improved from last game, scoring 69 rather than 59.

vs LAERAL
So the apocalyptic "Drawkland is about to lose 3-4 straight games and fail to make it past the first round of the playoffs if they get there at all" takes were proven wrong with the second rout against North New South Wales, so now it came to the Corps to defeat another unranked team again - this time the squad from Laeral. Cody Morgan, despite pleading from assistants, upper management, fans, and literally anybody that watched the game against Kriegiersien, decided to feature a reserve-heavy rotation in this game again. It would be the first time the reserve-heavy rotation was featured at home in Drawkland, and it would be the last.

We're not saying we're mad or disappointed with a win, but only winning by a 10 point margin at home while we beat the same team on the road earlier by twice as much is not reassuring. This was also the lowest output of the Drawkian offense in the entire group stage. The 76-66 win (ironically) was the last straw in making Morgan unwilling to feature the reserve-heavy rotation again.

@ PETROSLOVANIA
After braving a media hailstorm from yet another match barely featuring Drawkland's starting five, Cody Morgan retaliated by going with a playoff rotation (i.e. as many minutes for the starting five as they can handle) for the last away game of the group stage. The result was an absolute riot of a game that resulted in the dismantling, melting down, reforming, then exploding of the Petroslovania squad. It was perhaps a bit rude for the Net Corps to go full strength against a lowly-ranked squad, especially in their stadium, but it was really necessary in reaffirming to fans of Drawkland and fans of other nations looking to make deep playoff runs that the Corps still means business when it needs to.

Even so, this game was a little bit lucky. Several of Petroslovania's starters were injured in recent matches or got injured during the game, especially their defensive specialists. I don't know if it was something in the water there or whatever, but the Corps was shooting solid all night. The 74-126 final score is perhaps one of the biggest positive blowouts in Drawkian history, and most likely one of the best in Net Corps history (though I don't exactly have well-organized notes to confirm that fact right now).

vs KRIEGIERSIEN
Drawkland finally had its confidence back going into the last game of the group stage. With the home court advantage, and the hot hand, there was little chance Kriegiersien would get a repeat upset. And unfortunately for them, that was exactly the case. Being the last "easy" game of the tournament before a potentially grueling deep playoff run, Morgan once again decided to feature a lot of reserves in this game, though nowhere near the amount of minutes they got against Kriegiersien the first time, or Laeral in the second home tilt. This actually played to our favor: the bench players were rightfully mad about being beaten by the newcomer nation, and being held as scapegoats for putting Drawkland in a tough situation to begin with.

It was a revenge match, with great results for the Net Corps. The 30-point margin of the 83-53 scoreline was enough to put The final IBC 29 match on home soil at The Ring was a great parting gift to the fans that wouldn't be able to make it to Equestria for the playoffs. This is a good thing too, as it's unclear when the next time teams will be playing home/away matches in the IBC again, so at least our last home game in an indefinite amount of time was on a high note. Now the trick is to make this entire IBC 29 campaign end on a high note.

THE PLAYOFF SITUATION
Thanks to the solid performance in the second half of the group stage, Drawkland managed to finish as the 5th seed, even with their 8-2 record. The only better team with a loss was the Andromeda Islands, who were 9-1 and lost to Vangaziland by only 4 points on the first matchday of the group stage. The top three teams, still undefeated, are Free Republics, Quebec, and Newmanistan. Here's the deal: even at 8-2, we still have the second-best point differential in the tournament right now at +194. The only team beating us in that department are the scarily-good Free Republics at +263.

Even if we had beaten Kriegiersien, for example, we'd only hop one spot (over Andromeda Islands) to the #4 seed. This doesn't actually change our playoff outlook much, since due to the standard seeded playoff bracket, we'd be playing the #5 seed (barring upsets) in the quarterfinals. So basically, by losing two games, we really just changed who our Round of 16 opponent is, and who would have to upset Andromeda Islands to play us in the quarterfinals. At this point, we've been drawn against Kita-Hinode in the first round.

There's a whole ton of possibilities in the playoffs at this point. Eight matches, sixteen teams, and hundreds of combinations of what the exact quarterfinal matches could be. In my opinion, it's a bit useless to try and speculate things right now. For the most part, you could just assume that the top seeded teams will win. They are, after all, the stronger teams (at least as far as their group record shows). Following the Round of 16 results (God willing we're still in the tournament at this point), we'll be able to make way more accurate predictions at who has a chance of making a title run in this IBC.

GAMES TO WATCH
As far as games to focus on (besides us of course!), we have a few suggestions. First off, we need to see Free Republics vs Cassadaigua. The Grand Slam winners have finally returned to the IBC, and barely scraped into the playoffs following a do-or-die game against Devonta where they got the job done. Their reward? Facing the supposedly unstoppable #1 seeded, #2 ranked Free Republics. This will either be a blowout that reaffirms the FFR's ability to beat teams that aren't mediocre, or it will be an exciting neck-and-neck match that could really be the Dagan's signature win in their return to pro basketball.

Abanhfleft vs Banija is another match to watch - the #8 and #9 seeds doing battle. Both are solid squads with great talent, and either one will likely have the insurmountable task of defeating the Free Republics in the next match. They're both in the Top 10 of the IBC ranks, and both had solid but slightly disappointing group stages with 8-2 finishes. It's likely to be a close game and entertaining for IBC fans.

Finally, we'd suggest looking at the battle of the V's - Valanora vs Vangaziland. Everybody knows Vangaziland, the back-to-back championships, floating around the Top 5 for many IBCs now. However, these last couple tournaments have been relatively disappointing for them. Obviously they got blown out in the last championship courtesy of yours truly, but the tournament as it stood wasn't a complete failure. After all, they maintained the #1 ranking. This IBC has been different though. They went 7-3 and only got second in their group, all of those losses coming to unranked teams in Jeckland and Crystal Empire (and of course, The Andromeda Islands who took the group title for themselves). Valanora, on the other hand, have always been floating around the top of the IBC ranks, but never able to break that final glass ceiling to win it all. This game, being both a high seed in the playoffs and against a former champion or even dynasty on its last legs, could be Valanora's ticket to proving they deserve to be considered among the IBC's elite contenders. Or, it'll be a game to show Vangaziland is still able to dominate the best competition on command. I would say this might be the best match of the Round of 16, but we still need to see if it follows through.

#PACKTHEPONYPOCKETS
Now, I don't want to jinx anything, but remember what happened last time we played Kita-Hinode in the first round of a single-elimination IBC playoff? Oh right ... that was last IBC. I like our chances in this matchup, there's not much else I can say about that. Sure, they're a good team. They're ranked 12th in the IBC rankings, and they got the 12th seed in this playoff draw. They are who you'd expect them to be, and they're the team we beat last cycle in a similar position. It was by no means an easy game, but we won it and went on from that.

Attention among Drawkian fans has been drawn to the size of the Equestrian venues, or rather, the lack thereof. It was known going into this tournament that Equestria's basketball scene is not exactly a big-ticket sporting scene, and their venues really show it. None of the Round of 16 venues have a capacity over 10,000 (the average size of a low-end Drawkian college basketball stadium), which is not only going to make for an intimate atmosphere, it's going to make it hard for the usually large following of Drawkian fans to make it out to the playoff matches.

This started a movement on social media, following the quote by Cody Morgan in a post-playoff draw press conference where he called the Equestrian venues "pocket-sized." #PackThePonyPockets, as it's been dubbed, has sparked a fire under devoted Drawkian fans of the Net Corps to buy as many tickets to the IBC matches as possible. The idea has been to pack the venues as full as the EQS authorities will allow, creating a false home court advantage for the Net Corps no matter how far they progress in the tournament. Whether the fans pull it off and whether the Net Corps actually makes it far enough to justify this level of fandom remains to be seen, but teams playing us beware - the Drawkians will be hawking the tickets en masse ASAP.

While I'm still thinking of the playoff bracket, I'm starting to get a bit of deja-vu to last IBC. It's single elimination. We're playing Kita-Hinode in the Round of 16. There's a chance of a Banija vs Free Republics quarterfinal ... and provided we all get that far, we'd face the winner in the semifinals. Vangaziland is on the other side of the bracket, etc., etc. If Newmanistan had lost a game by a large margin and gotten the #4 seed, our side of the bracket could've been identical to our side of the bracket in IBC 28.

That's all fun and games, especially to think we'll get the same result as last IBC. There's no promises here, and our group stage proved that. No matter what, the Net Corps needs to keep driving if they expect to reach the promised land again. As far as fans, there's not much else we can do. Just remember, everyone ... #PackThePonyPockets ... and On Corps.

[Delaclava]

DelSport.com

An IBC XXIX retrospective: How the Phoenixes fared, and what's next
by Aaron Renaldi

The Delaclava national basketball team capped off their return to international play at the 29th International Basketball Championships yesterday with an emphatic 90-70 over fellow unranked side Donnacona, finishing off a tournament record of 5-5, good for fourth place in the group. The Phoenixes landed three games behind top seeds Equestria and Banija, and thus are headed home while the top 16 teams in the competition moved on to the knockout round.

It's always disappointing to get eliminated from a tournament before the competition really heats up. But the Delaclava squad nearly always looked competitive, and rarely found themselves embarrassed. They don't continue on in this edition of the IBC, but they undoubtedly left their mark on the tournament. The highlight was undoubtedly an 11-point road win over fourth-ranked Banija, which contributed to Banija, Group E's top seed, losing the group to Equestria, and which will surely nag at the Lions' psyche as they try to find their A-game for the home stretch of the tournament after dropping two of their past three games.

We take a look back at the Phoenixes' successes and failures in this competition, and examine the steps this team can take to keep improving.

How did the Phoenixes do?

At the beginning of this tournament, a .500 record seemed like the best case scenario. Delaclava entered Group E alongside two of the top 11 teams in the world (Banija and 11th-ranked Equestria), a respectable squad in Valladares (ranked 34th), and two fellow unranked squads in Donnacona and Southwest Northeast (SWEN). A realistic path to that 5-5 record would have required being the best of the three unranked squads and picking up one or two more wins elsewhere.

Given how this team eventually arrived at the mark, it's no surprise that it feels like a small letdown in hindsight. But let's remember that at the beginning of this tournament looking forward, picking up five wins looked like a stretch, and three or even two seemed more likely. This team found themselves wanting more, but they undoubtedly exceeded expectations.

What went right

Taking care of business: A reasonable goal for Delaclava, as an unranked squad, was simply to beat the other unranked squads, Donnacona and SWEN. And they did it largely with ease. At home against Donnacona, they escaped with a three-point win, which was still a massive recovery from the 43-point loss they suffered in Equestria. Delaclava won the road game against Donnacona and both games against SWEN by a combined 74 points. They always looked like the more talented squad in these games, took command of the games early, and either continued to widen the gap or at least managed to hold on.

Team chemistry: Given that most of the players on the squad were more accustomed to being opponents than teammates, it would have made sense if the team struggled for a few games to find their collective rhythm.

That was no concern - their first match was a 70-66 exhibition loss to Sarzonia, who went 7-3 in Group G and thus is still alive in the Round of 16. After a routine win over SWEN, they were ready to go in a tough battle in Valladares, and while they lost that game, the fight galvanized the Delaclav squad for the rest of the tournament.

The Phoenixes always looked upbeat, played with effort, and supported each other. During games, they communicated well, ran offensive and defensive sets efficiently, and didn't make very errors as a team. Off the court, they celebrated victories, consoled each other after losses, and were frequently seen socializing together on off days.

All this team was required to do was figure out how to play basketball together. They did much more than that: they built a foundation for future success.

Star power: One of the big questions was how, simply on individual skill, the Phoenixes would measure up against other teams. All of the players on the team had only faced other Delaclavs, in intercollegiate ball and in the DBA. Were the Phoenixes' skill players good enough to go one-on-one with the world's best and lead the team to victory?

Rick Jones and Đorđe Zubić said yes. The reigning DBA MVP, Jones got an opportunity to showcase himself against stiffer opposition, and he delivered, He averaged 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, but more importantly was the de facto captain of the squad, leading them into battle. He never looked flustered and was aggressive on both ends of the floor, at times slashing and scoring at will.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Zubić played beyond his years and size. The young center regularly matched up against 7-footers, but refused to get physically overpowered and held his own on the way to tournament averages of 13.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. We could highlight other individual efforts, but any plans for the growth of the national team are going to center around Jones and Zubić.

Carly Davis - and the mission for equality: Coach Jim Levins ruffled a lot of feathers when he selected Carly Davis as one of the twelve players to participate in the group stage. Davis had won mutiple women's basketball national championships at St. James University, and when she sought a new challenge by entering the draft for the DBA, an all-men's league (although not by rule), she defied the critics with a breakout season with the Sardo Storm.

Still, it was not generally thought that Davis was one of the twelve best players in the league, leading to accusations of social-justice pandering. The backlash intensified when Davis replaced a struggling Evan Galliano in the starting lineup, and grew louder still after Davis' turnover ended the 72-70 loss against Banija in her first start. But despite the social media hate storm that ensued, Davis kept her head down and stayed the course, eventually finishing the tournament with averages of 8.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, highlighted by her finale performance against Donnacona, where she scored 18 points and tallied 12 assists.

Davis herself, Levins, and numerous Delaclav legends and pundits had believed that a female player's ball skills and game IQ could overcome any physical disadvantages, whether real or hypothetical. Levins may have given the opportunity (and by the way, also deserves a lot of praise for fostering the previously discussed team chemistry), but Davis alone gets the credit for bringing his vision into reality. It's too soon to tell if Davis will be a trailblazing legend in her own right, or if she's merely opened the door for others to go through. What is for certain is that Davis' inclusion on the team was not a mistake.

Where the Phoenixes went wrong

Consistently finding a higher level: While Delaclava did well to dispatch Donnacona and SWEN for four straightforward victories, a realistic path to advancement would have seen the Phoenixes defeat Valladares at least once, perhaps twice.

It didn't happen - Delaclava went down on the road 67-64, with a late comeback thwarted by a Rick Jones turnover, then the Valladars came in to Vana Beach and stole a 64-60 win. It would be one thing if the Phoenixes simply weren't good enough. But in two games against the No. 4 team in the world, the Phoenixes lost by 2 and then won by 11. Admittedly, Banija's fast transition style plays right into how the Phoenixes operate, but that doesn't really cover the discrepancy - all of Delaclava's game against Banija and Valladares were rather grinding, physical affairs.

Delaclava simply found a higher level in their upset of Banija, and it's understandable that they haven't figured out how to access it more frequently - but they do need to do so in future tournaments.

Winning the close ones: When analyzing the Phoenixes' failures, it's easy to point to the blowout loss in Equestria. The 103-60 blowout in Everfree emphatically put the Phoenixes at a 1-3 record, and a three-game losing streak threatened to grow much longer. Frankly, that's the wrong place to look - the Phoenixes were understandably hung over from a two-point home loss to Banija, never had traction in this game, and coach Jim Levins packed it in after Rick Jones was knocked out with an injury and the Equestrians blew the game wide open.

The real cause for concern was the much closer losses. In addition to the affairs against Valladares, Delaclava lost the home match against Banija by 2 and then the home rematch against Equestria by 7. The close margins indicate that Delaclava had a chance at victory in all four games - and that was none clearer than when Delaclava had the ball in hand for the last shot and turned it over, twice in a row. In total, the Phoenixes played five games decided by seven points or fewer, and went 1-4.

In perspective, the Phoenixes performed well to get to 5-5, but when you realize that they lost four games by a total of 16 points, and thus were about twenty points away from a 9-1 record... it leaves a sour aftertaste.

Strength throughout the depth chart: We lauded the performances of Rick Jones and Đorđe Zubić above, and maintained that Carly Davis had also been a reliable member of the lineup. But beyond that, there was not a lot of talent who could keep up with the competition.

Davis got her shot when Evan Galliano blew his. Galliano was expected to be a bright spot and a sharp shooter for this squad, but he couldn't find his touch in his two starts, and only got worse as the tournament went on. Further down the depth chart, Mily Turgenev was at times a suitable replacement to give Zubić some rest, and could one day see more active with more physical development and agility. Veteran guard Dave Savage could be counted on to inject energy and hustle, but simply doesn't have international starter skills.

Other than that, the rest of the bench - Simon Rybakov, Jacob Puskedra, Alex Mnatsakanian, and Didimo Debka - looked overmatched even when they saw action in routine wins, simply not big or athletic enough to hang on; Levins thus rarely turned to them in the contests against the ranked squads. This meant the starters played at least most of the game and sometimes struggled to keep up by the time the fourth quarter rolled around.

This is a tough issue to fix - you can't make a talent pool deeper overnight. But I'd say if Levins had one flaw with the squad he put together, he didn't give enough thought to which players would fit the style of play. The Phoenixes wanted to play fast transition offense and physical, banging defense. There are definitely twelve players in Delaclava who can do that - but Levins and the DOC didn't pick those twelve.

Final thoughts

Make no mistake, IBC 29 was a success - not just for the players, but for the spectators in Vana Beach and Manchester who cheered on their team, and fans all around the country who watched with increasing interest. Despite closing with an emphatic victory, bitterness still lingers as the Phoenixes will watch the rest of the tournament, perhaps wondering what could've been if a few possessions here and there had gone differently. In time, I have no doubt the players will look back at what they accomplished with pride, and convert their disappointment into hunger when they enter IBC 30.

The Phoenixes need to keep this momentum going - start the national team development camp earlier, find international friendlies and domestic scrimmages to keep sharp, and open up the domestic leagues to increase Delaclav players' exposure to a more diverse group of players, both at home and abroad. But if the Phoenixes can take these steps, their best days are up the road, not in the rearview mirror.

[Banija]

Banijans to stay in Equestria for the IBC knockout stages; to face Abanhfleft in Round 1


Wassa Itraba celebrating a basket during the IBC XXIX Group Stages

STALLIONGRAD, EQUESTRIA- "What matters is not how we got here- what matters is that we have arrived, and we have games in front of us." Those were the opening words of Isaiah Lavaga in his opening press conference after the Equestria game. The 68-59 loss to the host nation was just about as ugly as the final score makes it look. It was a fiercely competitive, and physical, defensive battle, and the Banijans simply were not prepared for it. Equestria was the better team in every phase of the game, and they put the clamps down on what had largely been a high-flying Banijan offense for the duration of the tournament. On Matchday 9, when the Banijans punched their tickets to the knockout stages in a home win over Valladares, they scored 98 points. Here? They scored 59 points, with a field goal percentage in the lower 30s.

It was an ugly performance from the Lions all-around, and Lavaga did not seem to want to dwell on the game too much. The Banijans were flying high to start the group stages, starting 7-0, defeating each of their group stage opponents the first time around, and then defeating both Donnacona and Southweast Eastnorth to start the second half of group play. They had a series of close wins in the first half, but they could not sustain the momentum. We lost 2 of our last 3 games, although the 7-0 start was strong enough to ensure that they'd get to the knockouts. Their ticket was punched when they downed Valladares in their Final home game of the group stages.

When he was asked about the team backing their way into the knockout stages, Isaiah Lavaga hesitated, and then started speaking. "Look, basketball is a sport that can go like that sometimes." He told reporters. "Sometimes, you have a couple of off nights. But to say that we backed our way in, because we lost 2 of our last 3, is an unfair characterization, and simply incorrect. To those who think we simply 'backed' our way into the knockout stages, and we won't be ready, you will receive an unpleasant surprise when we're rearing up and ready to go whenever we get to Stalliongrad. This was the group of death coming into the tournament, and all the high-level talent on the floor in our group games showed why it got that designation. Going 10-0 would've been an unrealistic expectation. But the toughness of our group and our opponents will prepare us effectively for the challenges that the knockout stages will bring."

That's the other part of the equation. Which is it- the team is on the downswing and on the way to an early exit from the IBCs? Or we simply played a series of tough games, were bound to lose a couple, and now we're locked and loaded to make a run? Everyone in this country, naturally, is hoping its the latter. Some of the team's veteran players spoke about that as well. Former DBA MVP and team leader Amadou Secka spoke about that. "This sport is all about its ups and downs. Of course, we would have loved to go 10-0, and we would have loved to win the group. But that would've simply been nice- it wasn't essential. But the overarching goal was this- get to the knockout stages, and do it early- make sure we aren't playing for all the marbles on the road against a regional rival. And we were able to do that. Now it's the fun part. Four and won, or one and done."

Four and won, of course, referencing the amount of wins a team would need in the knockout stages to lift the trophy. Everything is going to be tighter for the Lions. The rotation is going to be shorter. The starters are going to get longer minutes, they are going to have to be fresh and last in closer, more physical games. And of course, there is pressure because of the venue. Stalliongrad is where most Banijans would've wanted to play this match. There is a decent-sized Banijan community in the city, with a LDS temple and everything. Means, even at the arena that sits less than 7,000, there should be a slight home-court advantage for the Lions.

Can this team do it? This isn't the place where we envisioned ourselves after starting 7-0, and yet, we are where we need to be- in control of our own destiny. It's a tough road ahead, being a #9 seed in a particularly tough quadrant of the bracket, but this team feels like it's good enough to run it with anybody at the tournament. Whether they actually are good enough to run it with anybody, remains to be seen. But know this- they are certainly preparing to leave it all out on the floor when they take on Abanhfleft in the opening game of these knockout stages.

[Newmanistan]

THE ROCKET REPORT

REMEMBERING THE OLD GREATS- PART V

by Taylor Larson,

This will be the final look at the tournaments of the formative years because it can be considered the last tournament of that era. Dancougar would host this tournament for the final time, as starting with the sixth International Basketball Championships, the floor was open to other bids and would be hosted by another nation. Also, we began to see the same general core of nations returning to the tournament now. In total, there would be 28 nations in the tournament, with the established powers of Newmanistan, Sarzonia, and Secristan all hoping to be the first nation to win two titles. Also back were Taeshan and Cafundeu, a couple of long time participants. For the first time, however, Lovisa was not in. Sibirsky, Valanora, Qazox, Cassadaigua, Delaclava, and Valladares were some more returning nations hoping to build their basketball programs even further. There were some new nations, but with the amount of accomplished first timers that were back in the fourth edition, most of the nations that wanted to play on the court were already here. However, The Fanboyists, later known as the Allamunnic States would make their debut here and hope to become as good as this as they were beginning to become on the gridiron.

With 28 signups, the nations would be placed into four groups of seven. Today, the group mates that Newmanistan had then would have seemed like a group of death as they had to deal with Dancougar, Cassadaigua, and Valladares, but at that point in time the latter two were just beginning their programs and were not the powers that we know of today. Sarzonia also had an interesting group, being paired with Delaclava, Qazox, and Cafundeu. For the Rockets, the title defense was on, but what other stories would develop in the tournament, if any? After a bye on matchday one, Newmanistan would play their first game against the ladies in pink from Cassadaigua. The Dagans fired off an impressive opening shot in the tournament, knocking off Dancougar in their opener, and they would stun the Rockets, 96-84 in our first meeting. Following this loss, the Rocket Report had a nice quote that I want to repeat, “The players, our players that is, did not use any excuses for this defeat in their verbal words, but if you look at their non-verbal mannerisms you could see that there were a few things they were thinking and holding back, not wanting to speak about. They came here like high school gridiron players who just won a state championship, sneaking into the cheerleader’s locker room and expecting them to grovel over their accomplishments or being in awe in them. What they found were not cheerleaders, but professional athletes. Professional sportswomen with a goal and a mission, a mission not to party with state champions, but to win that state championship at your expense.” There would have been no excuse for Newmanistan not to have taken the nation of Cassadaigua seriously at that point, as after all, the timeline of this tournament was right before World Baseball Classic 14 and World Cup 50 (which Cassadaigua won).

Newmanistan would recover, but would not have their first official home game in the tournament until matchday 4, when they battled the last place side from Kalasion (not to be confused with Kalactin, the Northwest version). The Rockets only won by three, which may have felt less then impressive, but it was a win, and the team was now 2-1, trailing the first place Dagans, who were undefeated. However, the team lost their next game to the unheralded squad from Bisgea, and you had to wonder what was going on with this team. Visions of International Basketball Championships 2 were beginning to float in the heads of many. Recall, that after losing in the title series in the first IBC, that the Rockets struggled in the second, going 6-8 in the first group stage, and somehow still advanced to the playoffs on the point differential tiebreaker. Then, they would go on a run. Here, after four games, the Rockets were looking vulnerable and not as a dominant returning champion.

After the 2-2 start, Newmanistan would win their next two to look a little better at the halfway point, however they would lose to Cassadaigua once again as play in the second half began. This put them a game and a half behind first place Dancougar, and a half game behind Cassadaigua, but otherwise were looking like a team that was still going to advance to the next round even if they were not impressing many along the way. Following a road win in Kalasion, three Rocket Report employees were taken hostage by (assumed at the time) Kalasion thugs. This then became the focus of our coverage, and I can’t imagine the horror that Joe Loggins, Brittany Allison, and Nick Cashman were under at that time if this were to happen today. Meanwhile, the Rockets were unbeaten in the group after the loss to Cassadaigua, and ended up with a 9-3 record. Peak at the right time, so they say, and the team was. They would win the group, with both Dancougar and Cassadaigua qualifying out of it. Sarzonia and Taeshan would have the best overall record at 10-2, and the most notable team not to advance to the playoffs was Secristan, as 7-5 was not good enough.

As was becoming the regular format of the tournament in the early years, a second group stage would played with two groups sending their top two teams to the semifinals. Newmanistan would once again have to deal with Dancougar and Cassadaigua; plus now meet Delaclava and Tocrowkia, as well as Shivat. This group stage began well for the sky blue, and it included a 105-78 win over the Dagans, who were beginning to struggle. Newmanistan would go 5-0 during this group stage while the nation, and especially The Rocket Report, wondered if we would ever see our three staff members again. After the first game of the semifinal series, won by Sibirsky against us, the hostages were finally freed and the news came out of what had really happened. It turned out that Nick Cashman, perceived as a hostage was actually working with the abductors the whole time, and the whole thing centered around gambling debts and a gang known as the Dover Bloodhounds (originating out of Dover City). The abductors were not from Kalasion, but were Newmanistanian. Cashman was initially treated as a freed hostage by law enforcement, so was not taken into custody at the time. However, both Joe Loggins and Brittany Allison, they other two people involved, were quick to point out to authorities that Cashman was working with the abductors, and Cashman was soon apprehended as well and brought to justice along with the other abductors. This would not be the last we would hear of the Dover Bloodhounds, and even the actual abductors were apprehended, the gang itself continued to be active and continued to send a message to those that were held hostage. It was not going to be over. Today, we don’t what has happened to the Dover Bloodhounds. It’s been a long time, and gambling gangs are always going to be out there. We have not heard much about them, and hopefully it stays that way. Sarzonian authorities were instrumental in their assistance to sniff out the Bloodhounds, and we are thankful of their cooperation during this stressful time.

Back on the court, Newmanistan defeated Sibirsky, a budding power, in three games and would meet up with Sarzonia once again in the championship. Now, there would be a two-time champion for the first time, but who would lay claim to the honor? The games were close, but the Rockets would take them both to sweep the first two games. The second game was won 121-120, with Corey Ostroff, once again, hitting a jumper at the buzzer to seal the title.

That concludes our look at the early tournaments. The sixth such tournament would be the first one not hosted by Dancougar, and it would be hosted by Secristan. Sibirsky took home the title in that tournament, beating Sarzonia in the finals. The Stars would rebound from the three consecutive championship series losses by winning the 7th and 8th editions. Perhaps, if we’re talking about dynasties, the best one of all time is Sarzonia from IBC 3 until 8, as they made it to the championship every year. When not playing the Rockets, they were able to have success. Sibirsky took the title in IBC 9, and soon it would be The Andromeda Islands becoming the next great nation. It’s been a great tournament, and once again, thank you, Dancougar, for all you did.

[Sarzonia]

A day in Seaddle was not something Thomas Manningham was necessarily expecting on his first go-round as manager of Sarzonia's national basketball team.

With the 0-3 flameout in the previous edition that cost Matt Walton his job, even though Chris Draden wasn't part of the team, fresh in everyone's minds, Manningham made a decision to turn away from the veteran-laden squad that looked two steps too slow and certainly didn't have the energy or the chemistry without Draden to make things work.

Thus, the only link to Sarzonian basketball's glory days of the past was the youngest son of legendary Stars coach Henry West as starting shooting guard, even though Manningham proudly confided to his cousin Cory, who was the scout who lobbied Manningham to include Mike West on the squad, that West could simply be referred to as 'basketball player,' since he played every position for the Stars except the five.

And Manningham was willing to let Mike West play the five if another team ran out a small lineup that allowed the Stars to remain competitive in the paint.

Regardless, the Stars were in Seaddle and were preparing for their Round of 16 battle against Andromeda Islands. He'd given the team the first night and day off to recover from jet lag and to take in the sights. Now was the time to scout their favoured opponents to find any edge they could.

Thus far, Sarzonia looked to have a decisive advantage in height and weight against the Eagles, much like they had for their friendly against Delaclava. The Stars would have to rely on establishing inside presence early and would have to rely on their defence to set the tempo with physical play. Offensively, they would play the half-court sets they used for the bulk of the first half of qualifying.

They adopted more of a transition offence in the second half and used a run-and-gun style against the three unranked sides in Group G. Regardless of style, Sarzonia went 5-1 against the three unranked teams with only a 65-62 defeat to Nouveau Quebecois.

On paper, that would have spelled trouble for Sarzonian qualifying chances with the four matches against the highest-ranked teams in the group. However, Sarzonia swept the 23rd ranked Xannerians, with a crushing 90-66 away victory for Sarzonia essentially sealing the fates of both teams. The one-point buzzer-beater 62-61 victory in an empty Palestra in Woodstock could have been dismissed as a fluke or the fickle nature of Margaret. The rout on Xanneria's home court was a statement.

As for Valanora, the Stars lost their home match against the eighth ranked team because they couldn't get a buzzer-beater off due to a turnover. The Vanorians won the away match by 12, 90-78, but the Stars were justified in feeling that they weren't blown out of the arena by their highly regarded opponents.

The Andromeda Island Group would pose a different challenge, even though they entered the competition as an unranked side, from any challenge the Sarzonians have faced in their recent history. The Stars were facing a team currently on a nine-match winning streak, and the Group F champions, so there would be no padding their resume with easy wins against cannon fodder now.

"I'm pleased that we were able to give our depth players a chance during the group stage," Manningham told reporters. "We don't have to worry about fatigue as much as we might have."

Note: Woodstock Mayor Claudia Alta announced that hospitalisations have continued a downward trend and the vaccine and cure developed by Delaclav and Sarzonian scientists and medical professionals were working "far greater than our most optimistic projections.

"We have been able to curtail activity in our surge facilities and have begun allowing the retirement reserve medical staff to return home," she said. "We're still working all hands on deck and we're still monitoring the situation nationally and locally to ensure that we don't rush things as we seek normalcy."

A spokesman for Alta's office said The Palestra could have opened to an audience of up to 5,000 spectators if the Round of 16 match were played there. The Palestra seats 21,730 at capacity.

"That's about the limit for the arena to hold whilst still practicing social distancing," he said.

[Lisander]

The Morpheus Hall.

---

The room was round, with white floors and ceilings, and transparent glass instead of walls. Outside, starry night as far as the eye could see. That was what was called the Morpheus Hall. Inside it, two figures of high nobility discussed an unusual subject: Magic.

"This is becoming more and more difficult, Your Highness. LSiD control makes things a little easier, but still. It requires a great deal of energy. Mount Titan seems to be running out, and you know Lake Valerian is unstable. There have been no new sacrifices for two hundred years. Our ancestors warned, but your ancestors didn't listen."

"Kevna, you know our efforts more than anyone. We need to keep that information safe from the mundane, from those who don't know magic. My ancestors did not imagine that these doors would open, or that there would be this type of civilization, and with this level of technological advance. Sentient horses?"

"Ponies, Your Highness. Sentient ponies."

Johannes had never been a sceptic. All those possibilities were applicable. But it was not as if Lisander, a state based on the power of reason and technology, was ready to accept that these things actually existed. So he turned to Kevna, the fourteenth Baroness Casterwill and Leader of the Magi of the Principality.

Kevna was a powerful woman, heir to Tarsilla, the thirteenth baroness, and the nineteenth generation of Casterwill women with a vocation for magic.

Unlike the reigning lineage of Harmin, a family of magical craftsmen who evolved into technocrats, those of the Casterwill lineage were high-class sorcerers, master conjurers, owners of great power and magical knowledge. And being among the founding families of the kingdom, they guaranteed to the lineage of Lisander's sovereigns, magic blood a little stronger. In exchange for marriage, they gained many rights and lands, but also duties, among them that of protecting the magical creatures.

"I regret every day since I allowed them to go to Equestria. We should have made clones, like at the time of the World Cup."

"Yes, you should. That's gonna cause us a big problem. An illusion spell this big? Make 12 million people believe that Lysanderians are playing basketball against humans and not ponies?"

"Thank Jah we created the LSiD. He'll be useful for that, yes? His resonance ability will serve to dispel the doubts of any worldly people about what television shows or tells them..."

"Craftsmen and their bragging mania for everything they do. Do not forget that in the end, it will still be the energy that we, the sorcerers, can channel, that will keep that secret safe. A reasonably unnecessary secret even."

"You've achieved greater things. You've managed to turn that Harpy, Novax..."

"She was a Falcanian, you silly craftsman..."

"You shouldn't talk to your sovereign like that."

A woman with golden hair and purplish-blue eyes appeared.

"Your highness Armine... I don't understand how a powerful sorceress could decide to marry a foolish craftsman like this..."

"This foolish craftsman is your sovereign" - said the Princess of Lisander. - "and he must leave now. He has a meeting with the mundane Prime-Minister next. Don't worry. This time, we ourselves will be helping to provide magical energy to maintain the illusion. TVs predict one to two million homes watching the game. If this doesn't change, we'll be able to handle everything."

"I hope so". - Said Kevna, with an angry expression, closing her eyes and disappearing from the Hall.

"You, my husband, should avoid entering the salon without me. You're an artifex, not a conjuring wizard. You may have problems. The Prime Minister is already waiting. We're leaving."

"Right. I totally forgot this meeting with Ecker."

The two of them closed their eyes, and when they opened again, they were back in the prince's office. The princess picked up the phone and ordered whoever was outside.

"You can let him in."

The door opened and the Prime Minister, Fernand Ecker, entered. Rising, Johannes extended his hand in a formal greeting and straightening his messy hair, spoke.

"Your Honor, I apologize for receiving you in this condition. I must admit I fell asleep."

"Your Highness, this is normal, please don't worry... We are human and have physical limits to respect. If I may, Your Highness: Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes, I did. I had a rather strange dream... I dreamt that Lisander's next basketball game would be against a team of ponies."

"Well... The country is called Equestria, in fact. But as far as I know, they're all human, aren't they? There are no real talking ponies... Only in cartoons."

"Ah, that must have been it. Earlier we visited an orphanage and they were watching a cartoon with ponies. Was it, Armine?"

[Abanhfleft]

"I don't wanna jinx us, but I think we're through," Jan Harris said to Jazz Higgs as the final buzzer sounded to mark the end of the game between HUElavia and Abanhfleft, the second such meeting betweent the two sides in the group stage of the 29th International Basketball Championships. It had been complete and utter domination on the part of the Rebolusyonaryos, the visitors romping to an 84-58 victory and all but securing the Rebs' passage to the playoffs, or the knockout stages as it was called by the hosts Equestrian States. Strictly speaking, Abanhfleft had already qualified for the playoffs way back in their second game against the United States of Nuclear Weapons. But Abanhfleft had always had a reputation of bungling successful qualifications by losing the remaining games and putting themselves in a disadvantageous position in the seedings. But finally, finally, the Rebs could celebrate. They were through to the next stage of the IBC as group winners. Surely they would be able to get a good draw to start off their knockout stage.

And then Terre Septentrionale, the perennial party crashers for the nation in blue, orange and green, had to go and do it again. And in front of the Fleftic fans as well, in the Fleftic Arena no less. So instead of finishing the groups with a 9-1 record and potentially getting themselves an easy draw, Abanhfleft ended up going 8-2, making them the group winner with the worst record. Their record for their last-second slip-up? A matchup with Banija.

There had been a feeling within the country in the past few years that the rivalry between Abanhfleft and Banija was beginning to grow out of its lacrosse roots. Everyone knows the story of Banija's great rivalry with Abanhfleft, although it has to be said that the Fleftics have had the advantage in that particular fixture in the World Lacrosse Championships. But recently, things have started to pick up between the two nations in terms of domestic gridiron football. The last two finals in the Champions' Bowl have been Fleftic and Banijan. And both times it was the Banijan team that won.

Was this the start of yet another chapter in the story of the seemingly intertwined fates of the Lions of Banija and the Rebolusyonaryos of Abanhfleft? Certainly it was, but it was the result of the match itself that would determine if this chapter will grow into a massive volume or if it would only remain a few paragraphs long.

"Are we ready, men?" Jan Harris asked his team in the locker room just before they were due to come out to the hardcourt.

"As ready as we'll ever be, Coach," Jazz Higgs replied in his role as team captain.

"Good to hear," Harris nodded. "Now, there's no more time to waste. Destiny beckons. But after that, it's in our hands to perform. The eyes of our whole country are on us. 460 million people. That's a helluva lotta people by anyone's book. And it's in our hands if we inspire them or disappoint them. And I sure would rather inspire our countrymen. All right, men. On three. One, two, three. Puso! Vyievra!"