NSCAA 16 - Roleplays

[Ranoria]

Richardson University (RAN) 67–86 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)

Some people talk about generational trauma. You won't hear about it from your coach, or your team captains, because they're preaching optimism, drive, relentless pursuit, and all that other jargon. But sometimes, when you face the right team, you'll feel it.

Very few of the players who last faced Loyola-Istria were still on this roster. Just Björn Hennessy and Billiard Patson - but that was really all it took. Despite Björn's attempt at a rallying speech, it wasn't unlike a group of animals just following the programming they'd been assigned. Everyone else followed in their footsteps. They felt the tension associated with this game. Sure, they practiced harder, they locked in on film study, they showed up ready to play the game of their lives in Richardson Arena.

And then the buzzer went off, the Blue Thunder won the tip off, and before anyone knew what happened, the Governors were down nine to two.

When you put fleas in a jar, and put a lid on it, they become accustomed to only jumping at a certain height. Hennessy and Patson? They were accustomed to that height. The two men on this team with the most veterancy were falling apart. All their game experience, and they were locking up.

New coach. New roster. Years of successful college play to bolster their confidence - but what Loyola-Istria had done to them had seeped into their very bones. They didn't believe they could win. And the rest of the roster?

Monkeys are interesting you see. If you put a bunch of bananas at the top of a ladder, and spray all the monkeys with cold water every time one climbs to the top, the rest of the monkeys will start to attack any monkey that attempts the climb in fear of the punishment. But when you start to substitute all the monkeys out for new monkeys, monkeys that were never sprayed, they'll still attack any monkey that tries to climb - they don't know why, but they know they can't let it happen.

And not all the monkeys were gone.

The rest of the team picked up on the nervousness, no, the fear, and what happened would have been one of the most humiliating moments in the history of Richardson sports if everyone and their mother hadn't been expecting it. 86-67 - and only then because of a 10-2 run in the final few minutes when the Blue Thunder bench took the floor.

And this thing was, of course, over far earlier. Every timeout, every stoppage, the Governor squad looked broken. Hanging their heads, sometimes kneeling down, rubbing their eyes, and looking up at the scoreboard as if trying to convince themselves this was all some bad nightmare.

Richardson's athletic director of nearly thirty years, Greg Clemens, was seen exiting the Governor locker room with basketball head coach Billy Garrett at the end of the night. Ranoria's former IBC head coach, the man who spearheaded the Governors for six seasons? Social media - and Richardson University - was ablaze with rumors by the time the announcement was made the next morning - he was out as head coach.

---

Office of the Richardson University Athletic Director - Greg Clemens

Greg Clemens rubbed his eyes, trying to clear out the pressure behind them. He wasn't sure if it was his exhaustion or the early morning light. Or if it was the still chanting crowd of Richardson University students outside of the McNair Memorial Athletic Center. He'd hoped his post announcing the firing of Billy Garrett would calm them - shit, sacrificing a guy who'd gotten the Governors deep into the national basketball tournament a half dozen times in as many tries should have been enough to appearse them, right?

But the chants that routinely shook the massive glass panes of his windows the the ever-increasing number of discarded solo cups, disposable vapes, and candy wrappers littering the outskirts of the pride and joy of his department, Dietrich Stadium, said otherwise.

He leaned against the window, unflinching at the occasional crumpled soda can that got whipped towards the window.

This school hated Loyola-Istria - but they couldn't exactly take this out on the Blue Thunder - it was his job first and foremost to bring in a coach who could beat their boogeyman. His responsibility to give the program the resources to do it. But how the hell was he supposed to do that? Even if Richardson was made into a perennial title contender at home, it probably wouldn't be enough to compete with Banijan basketball.

"Greg."

He hadn't noticed the door open, but with what was going on outside, he wasn't taking chances, whipping around and immedietely reaching for his hip.

But when his tired eyes gained focus, on the man. For most, they might've finished the draw when they saw the mountain of a man - his shoulders and head both nearly brushing the frame of the door. But for Greg, tension in his shoulders eased a bit at his old friend. "Wendell."

Greg gestured to a seat, but Wendell Walker, president of the greatest university in the country, waved a hand to decline.

"This won't take long, Greg."

Wendell's massive form was a silhouette, no, a shadow seeming to absorb the light from behind him, the tips of his boots just inches away from the light of day finding them. He was always imposing, but right now, he looked downright ominous, and Greg audibly gulped, noticing that his focus, at least, was no longer registering the chanting outside as anything more than white noise.

"What's up Wendell?" Greg took his hand away from his hip, leaning down on his desk, "Been a long night, brother."

"You know the how the uh," he pointed up, "boosters feel about getting embarrassed."

Greg tilted his head, "Well, yeah, that's why I had to let Billy go, last night," he cursed and smacked the top of his desk, "Great coach too, runaway hire, hate it!"

"He wasn't a great coach." Wendell sharply countered, and Greg finally picked up on what was happening, "And the fact that you said that tells me all I need to know. He had one job, and he failed. Greg, you will find a replacement for that failure who will beat Loyola."

"What?" Greg stood up, arms outstretched, "Come on man! I'll try, but this season? With a replacement coach and these broken ass players!? What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"'Broken ass players' my ass," Wendell stepped forward into the light, his eye patch visible now, maybe even more imposing in the light, "Let me make this clear. You're on the chopping block, I've given you plenty of chances with this garbage, and I vouched for you to the boosters. No more mistakes, Greg."

Greg flinched, stepping back as Wendell approached, and managed a nod, at least.

"And whether I fire you or not, don't ever take that tone with me again, worm."

The chanting was suddenly audible again. Wendell stopped just in front of the desk, and Greg was pressed up against the glass window, the heat only adding to his perspiration, the inflamed crowd only re-invigorated at the sight of the athletic director.

"Yes sir."

---

McNair Memorial Indoor Facility

This was a downright star studded coaching staff. Kasen Harrowitz, defensive coordinator of a championship Felswyr State squad and for the Iron Legion - and he'd proven himself as head man of the Governors as well with his two NSCF championships to this point. Brad Manlio, a Sadeg State legend, had come on as offensive coordinator. Alton Kearse headed the defense, uncle of Gideon and brother to Justin Kearse. An RFL standout and former All-Ranorian in his own right with all the coaching pedigree you could ask for to lead a program, much less a defense.

"I still can't believe you let Yadav walk," Brad Manlio laughed as he and Kasen Harrowitz watched Dex Banka dice up a defense that was - allegedly - the reigning best in college football. "Can't tell you what I could've done with that kid." Banka's pass connected, and the quarterback couldn't help put pump his fist. "Dex!" Manlio shouted, and his superstar turned around, "Wrong read, you hit Mugisha there and we've got just as many yards, no defenders!" Dex flashed him a thumbs up and an apology, and the coach broke character for a second, "Helluva throw though."

"We didn't know either," Kasen groaned, still obviously pained from watching his Iron Legion give up three losses to his former passer, "That's why you're he-" suddenly, the music stopped. Practice continued, but the two turned to see the rare sight of Greg Clemens, dropping a cable in one hand and waving to the two men with the other.

"That's the AD right?" Brad looked back to Harrowitz, "The hell's he doing?"

"Gentlemen, I need you both, now. Wrap this thing up." Greg made a lasso with his finger.

"Excuse me? Greg, this is my team, what the hell are you talking about ending practice? LeBois Santura isn't calling off spring practice early. Loyola-Istria isn-"

"This is about Loyola-Istria. Shit! Please, I wouldn't ask if this wasn't urgent, but the basketball guys start their practice in twenty minutes, there's no time!"

Both of them let that hang in the air for a minute. Studied Greg's pleading form. Looked at each other, nodded, and Kasen Harrowitz turned to Alton Kearse, their defensive coordinator. "Alton! Go ahead and finish up practice! We've got urgent business, good work today men!"

---

Greg didn't wait long to start explaining the situation once they were outside of the facility.

"Listen fellas. We're in a tight spot. Right now the assistant coaches are co-heading the basketball team. We need a miracle, or we're going to have a repeat of last time - we cannot lose to Loyola again."

"And what do you want us to do about it?" Harrowitz shook his head, "Every day we're preparing to beat those guys! This basketball thing sucks, but we all know the Bowl is the game that matters! Pulling us out of practice isn't helping that! Why are you disrupting the football team?" Greg looked at the ground, the winter chill biting through their windbreakers, and Harrowitz got it. "Your job is on the line, isn't it?"

Greg nodded, "I know, you're probably the pick if they give me the outs, but I'm asking, no, begging you, let me borrow your offensive coordinator."

Brad balked, "What did you just say?"

Greg slung his backpack down his arm, unzipped it, and pulled out a comically oversized jacked bearing the Richardson University logo with basketball in fine print underneath it. "Listen, the Net Corps have done more in single seasons than the Ranorian team ever managed in its history. You're Drawkian, you're our best chance to turn this thing around! Please!"

Kasen Harrowitz snorted, and Manlio laughed almost maniacally, "Are you kidding me? Get out of here man. I came here to step back from head coaching, focus on what I'm best on, develop a potentially generational talent in that Banka kid. And you want me to toss all that aside? I don't know shit about basketball!"

"Please," Greg pleaded, holding the jacket out like a lifeline, "I'll make sure you're celebrated, win or lose, before they kick me to the curb. You have to try."

The wind howled its own protest as if nature itself knew this was a stupid ass idea, the bastard child of a potential caffeine overdose, two sleepless nights, and the aftertaste of desperation that led to regret the next morning. "Greg, I'm so-"

"I'll double your pay for the next month!"

"I don't need yo-"

"Hey," Kasen Harrowitz cut him off, "Look, our official spring practices are almost over anyway. What the hell Brad, let's give it a shot."

Greg's face came up, the faintest ghost of an open-mouthed smile forming on his cheeks, and the sun broke through the gray clouds for the first time in months. The glow illuminated the Drawkian in its golden light, an angel sent from heaven - maybe unironically, depending on what you classify as heaven.

Brad Manlio steeled himself, and in one arm took the jacket, swinging it around his shoulders and shooting one arm through in a single smooth motion. The wind caught the fabric, fluttering it behind him like the cape of a hero, and the sun glinted off his eyes.

Greg fell to his knees, then all fours, body wracked with sobs, "Thank you Brad, Kasen, thank you!"

"Morons," Brad Manlio shook his head, his own melancholy shattering the illusion of a heroic moment. The wind died down and the skies returned to gray. Kasen Harrowitz couldn't help but laugh.

"Where the hell's the gymnasium?"

[Juvencus]

Il Scudelliano is under new management, one that presents the news about la squadra as it should instead of being a third party newspaper that supports the team only when it wants, and will remain that way until further notice

NSCAA VIEWRATES SKYROCKET AS JUVEN INSTITUTIONS OUTPERFORM ALL EXPECTATIONS

NSCAA madness has very well and truly taken shape as younger sports viewers and basketball fans have taken to their televisions or the campuses to watch some of Juvencus' finest educational institutions go head-to-head with some of the multiverse's finest. Millions of fans have gotten behind the overperforming Juven colleges and are interested to see how far they could potentially be heading onto the middle of qualifications.

Agricultural University of Herona: The most underperforming of the bunch, despite a strong start, the infamous "Herona Attitude" has caught up to the players and frustration as well as nerves have been taking a good grip on the mentality of the team. Currently sitting in the middle of the pack of the Five Star Conference with a negative points difference, things may look grim, but with some attitude sorting from Georgi Saffaro, the team could be led to an even more respectable run.

Catholic University of Serone: Organised and consistent, the Catholics have come prepared for the competition. Despite the recent hiccups and more back-and-forth results the last few matchdays, they are a ferocious side when given the space and are easily a contender for topping the Flying Drawk Conference. A standout attribute of the team's playstyle is the cross formation, part of the philosophy of Father Pio Santini, giving the college its own Christian playstyle.

Revoda Sea College: A constant why as to the team's positioning into the Crownlands Conference instead of any of the Revoda Sea-centric ones has been in the team's as well as Juvencus' collective consciousness. However the Old Guard has been more or less one of the competition's best sides, giving most Cronwlands Conference teams a run for their money. A team full of talented athletes, its fast-paced basketball is the epitome of Juven-style athleticism and it has been translating exceptionally well onto the court. Until recently, group toppers, they could be contending for the top spot for the rest of the competition.

University of Tiscan: Decently performing despite the circumstances it has found itself in. The black-and-whites are experiencing intercommunal violence withing the bounds of the city of Tiscan and its surroundings, violence which has led to wide-scale demonstrations as well as debates within the limits of the university and even inside the team. Regardless of that, cooperation has been relatively sound. Still pushing strong on the upper side of the table and in good contention for the top spots of the Calania Conference.

With the afforementioned colleges' performances, interest in college basketball has sky-rocketed in what was once a niche sport and NSCAA is turning into a favorite past-time for many, with several universities expressing interest for the next college basketball season. Thus, the intent of the popularisation of college basketball has been given solid and fruitful ground as well as strong foundations for the seasons to come, regardless of the performance of the universities from now on.

[Valanora]

When you arrive in Sabine and Caddonia, you will immediately recognize that you are in a place that is not like any other in the Empire. Compared to the dense woodlands, gentle hills, and rolling plains in a fairly temperate setting for most of the Empire, outside the Spine of Arrosia mountain chain and the tropical feeling of both the islands of Capri and Vyinta, the island subcontinent of Sabine and Caddonia stands in stark contrast. The island that Sabine and Caddonia is on is a more arid than nearly anything else in the Empire, with a more golden surrounding than the brown and greens that you would find nearly anywhere else in Valanora. The beaches and along the rivers on the island do have a bit of greenery and help support the local farming that helps feed the island, but where you might see fields of wheat and various vegetables and fruits across the rest of the Empire, the fields on the eastern island subcontinent would be filled nearly to the brim with corn, a bit of cotton, and the odd bit of citrus orchards here and there where the water supply can feed those sort of trees.

Also standing in stark contrast is the more rural setting of the island, with only three real cities on the island and then several other medium to large towns dotting the landscape, almost entirely along the rivers or coast. Those three cities of course are the pair of regional capitals in Sabinal and Caddo, as well as the only true metroplex in the form of Bexar, the city with the largest population on the island. It is in the southeast of the island in Caddonia in the city of Caddo that South Caddonia is located, a university that primarily focuses on agriculture though does have a small business school as well as software development program. A student population of just over ten thousand students, South Caddonia serves mostly those local to Caddo and the surrounding area, with most people looking for education past high school or academies going towards the larger and more modern focused Sabinal State up on the north coast of the island. Regardless, South Caddonia provides an essential service for the local area and has served as a beacon of hope for many in the less developed southern half of the island, even if Caddonia has more towns than Sabine does.

Amidst the backdrop of this situation, the university has shown that is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog when it has come to success in the NSCAA. In the past two editions of the tournament, despite being the smallest university from the Empire to take part by student population, even smaller than the Rinaldi Naval Academy, South Caddonia has been one of the must successful teams from the Empire. While a few games behind the leaders of the Calania Conference, it looks like for a third straight edition that the team from the southeastern part of Caddonia is going to be in and among the teams challenging for the conference and could make a huge presence come conference tournament time. What the team has lacked in pure physical skill and natural talent, as they have had the worst roster of Vanorian schools by evaluation of recruits in every edition they have taken part in, they make up for in a surprising high level of discipline and the ability to play nearly any style of game and come away with a victory, though like most good teams it is built off the back of attention to detail on the defensive side of the game.

Point guard Mathilde Frivold is the emotional leader of the team and you expect that from an upperclassmen who has been through the last two tournaments and seen what is required to have success in this competition. A native of Nueces, a small town west of Caddo and across the bay, she is a local like most of the roster and knows just how much the success that the team has found on the hardwood means to the community. It has helped revitalize the university when it seemed like they were going to continue to suffer plenty of student loss to either Sabinal State or to any number of the schools on the Vanorian homeland. Despite only being a junior is the leading voice for the team and as she goes, the team seems to go and that she is averaging nearly double digit assists through the first half of conference play shows how well things have been going for the team. However they are just third, like many of their Vanorian counterparts sitting around third in their conferences, and there is work to do if they are going to challenge Aksum State and Cavsar for the top of the conference. Yet as strong of performances as they have had in recent years, there is strength in the knowledge that they are capable of playing with the very best and only need a bit of luck to go their way to close that gap.

[Drawkland]

The NSCAA is well underway, with teams now past the first leg of the 4-part conference stage. Now is a good a time as any to evaluate who our current frontrunners are! Here are the Top 10 NSCAA teams by our very official and not-at-all cobbled-together ranking system through the first 15 games.

(10) Université du Saguenay (QUE)
Record: 13-2 PD: 1153/1041, +122 Conference: Flying Drawk
The Flying Drawk Conference is one of the more competitive conferences in the NSCAA through the first third. Five schools with double digit wins already, and the top six within four games of each other. Naturally, it's the only conference without a clear-cut frontrunner or two. The current kings of the Flying Drawk are the Fighting Irish out of Saguenay, the only team at 13-2. They aren't the most impressive of the 13-2 teams, but get a bump due to how tough the Flying Drawk is looking so far. Their spot on top of the conference was secured very recently - matchday 15 against Rinaldi Naval Academy. Both 12-2 teams tied for first met in Valanora for their second matchup. The first one ended 78-84 in Rinaldi Naval's favor at South Bend. This time, the Fighting Irish were incensed for revenge. In a tougher defensive bout, the Irish prevailed 64-70 to even the season series between them and secure the lone #1 spot in the conference. Whether they hang on to that position is another story. We're not convinced, hence the #10 ranking.

(9) Cavsar University (DRK)
Record: 13-2 PD: 1243/957, +286 Conference: Calania
Despite being only second in the Calania Conference, we regret to inform you that Cavsar is actually one of the better teams in the tournament at this point. Yes, they've got two losses, but they were both road losses to the other top contenders in the group. 1 point on the road against Aksum State, and 4 points on the road against South Caddonia, the only things keeping Cavsar from being on top of the conference. They still have the best defense in the conference and second-best in the tournament, at least by points allowed. The Gladiators even avenged one of their losses, beating Aksum State 73-69 in the most recent matchday at home. That knocked off the second-to-last undefeated team left in the tournament, and showed Cavsar's ability to beat one of the big contenders. Whether they can get revenge against South Caddo in the upcoming leg will say a lot about their chances going forward. For now, they're a solid #9.

(8) Cemmendy Tech (DRK)
Record: 14-1 PD: 1269/1018, +251 Conference: Five Star
Another second-place team makes it into the top ten. Cemmendy Tech is the only 1-loss school to not lead their conference, thanks to University of Moravica being a much better squad in the Five Star. Cemmendy Tech's only loss is to Moravica, but it was a brutal 80-96 loss at home. A blowout like that isn't necessarily a season-killer, especially as Tech's handled pretty much everybody else in their way, but it's a surefire way to show that you're not the class of the conference just yet. The Cyberpunks are good but not elite on either side of the ball. How they handle the away leg against Moravica will tell us a lot more about whether this team is actually worthy of climbing up the ranks or threatening for the conference title.

(7) University of Raikennax (DRK)
Record: 13-2 PD: 1303/993, +310 Conference: Shango
Similar to the Flying Drawk, it seems that the Shango Conference is more of a bloodbath up top than other conferences. The top six teams all have 10 or more wins, all within a 3-game margin of each other. On top of this fracas stands the Red Knights of Raikennax. Even though they only have a 1-game lead and losses to both Nideyinan and STI on their resume, their performance outside of those losses has been stellar. The three-horse race for second place consists of Nideyinan, Everlin, and Vricksinburg State. All three of these schools have pretty similar outputs both offensively and defensively, but Raikennax is noticeably a tier above them. One of six teams that hasn't allowed 1000 points scored through 15 games, the Red Knights defense has been very solid. Even with two losses, their point differential is comparable to the one-loss teams in the tournament. Even with the same record and similar conference strength as Saguenay at #10, Raikennax is a noticeably better team. That said, #7 seems to be their ceiling unless the teams above start tripping up.

(6) Aksum State University (BNJ)
Record: 14-1 PD: 1269/968, +301 Conference: Calania
The first Banijan school to appear on this list, Aksum State was the penultimate undefeated team left in this season's NSCAA. Their 14-0 record was soiled by Cavsar of all schools, falling 4 points short at home. That's the first sign that this team may not be totally elite (they only beat Cavsar by 1 at home!) but still a solid contender nonetheless. They've handled the reasonably strong Calania Conference with the fourth-best defense in the tournament at this point ... but that's not even the best defense in their own conference. #6 seems like a pretty solid place to rank them, but there's gonna be a lot riding on their neutral-site matchup against Cavsar.

(5) Ducentu State University (DRK)
Record: 14-1 PD: 1361/1018, +343 Conference: Triceratops
Ducentu State's Eagles currently stand atop the Triceratops Conference, but it hasn't been a totally smooth ride. Fittingly enough, the Triceratops Conference features a three-school race of actual contenders. Funnily enough, all of them are schools with a [7 character location] State University name, and Ducentu State happens to be the best among them. Led by contentious Drawkian star prospect Basil Thorne in his senior year, the Eagles boast the third-best offense in the entire tournament. Their only slip-up so far was a 5-point loss to Sabinal State at home, but since Sabinal State's taken some lumps before and since then, Ducentu State remains ahead. Ultimately their offense is fantastic to watch thanks to Thorne coming into his own as a scorer, but besides the top three, the Triceratops Conference is less than impressive. That's what knocks Ducentu down to #5 for us.

(4) Sadeg State University (DRK)
Record: 14-1 PD: 1252/949, +303 Conference: North Coast
Last cycle's runners-up clearly have their eyes on running it back. Supposedly. Whatever the case, they lead the reasonably-strong North Coast Conference through 15 games. Lake Alexandre State University out of Banija gave them their first loss on the second matchday, losing 65-80 in their first home game of the NSCAA season. Since then, though, the Skyhawks have been a force. That 80-point defensive failure was actually a fluke: the next time Sadeg State allowed more than 70 points in a game was their return leg against LASU. The Skyhawks got revenge in kind that game, winning 89-71 to take back the season series for the time being. On the topic of defense, Sadeg State's squad is currently best in the tournament in that regard, allowing a mere 63.2 points per game. Their offense does leave a little to be desired, but it's nitpicking at this point. SSU could be a top three team, but each of the teams above them have something they don't. For now, they'll have to be happy with #4.

(3) University of Bunyoro (BNJ)
Record: 14-1 PD: 1354/989, +365 Conference: Hyeolhae
The fourth-best offense in the tournament. The fifth-best defense. The third-best point differential. A relatively strong conference. Why is this team not at least #2? Bunyoro has had a pretty impressive run so far, especially considering the fact that they weren't one of the highly-regarded Banijan squads going in. With a similar record and better team output, plus an arguably stronger conference than Moravica at #2, the key to Bunyoro's ranking is their loss. While pretty much all of the teams in the top 10 lost to other contenders in their conference, or at least teams in the top half of the conference, Bunyoro's sole loss came recently against Korya State University. Yeah, it was a 1-point road loss, arguably a trap game. It's still hard to justify a loss to a 4-8 team, especially when the other two conference contenders laid belt to ass against that same team in the next few days. Speaking of conference contenders, there's an argument to be made that Bunyoro isn't even the best team in their conference. Notice how the top ten is missing the top scoring and second-highest PD team? That's because it belongs to Drawk Corps University in the Hyeolhae Conference, boasting 1391 points scored and a +402 differential. Yeah, Corps U has 3 losses and are sitting 3rd in the conference, but it's a fearsome team that Bunyoro barely beat at home (86-80). Ultimately it's hard to rate them any higher than #3 given these circumstances.

(2) University of Moravica (BNJ)
Record: 14-1 PD: 1328/1005, +323 Conference: Five Star
Some may disagree with Moravica being #2 in the tournament so far, and we can understand the hesitancy. The Five Star Conference is extremely top-heavy, and not very deep talent-wise. Their only loss came against University of Rouyoutte, which isn't a high-quality loss. Rouyoutte is barely over .500 with a PD of exactly 0, though they are 5th in the conference thanks to the Five Star not being terribly impressive. To be fair, that game against Rouyoutte was early in the tournament and on the road, when lots of teams are vulnerable. The main pieces here? Moravica has handed 14-1 Cemmendy Tech their only loss, plus they managed to beat Rouyoutte in the home leg last matchday. Cemmendy Tech is currently #8 on our rankings, and Moravica beat them by 16 points on their home court. It's a higher-quality win than most teams on this list can claim, and that's just enough to put them up to #2. Their offense is also pretty damn good. That being said, if Moravica loses another game, especially to Cemmendy, they'll likely tumble down more spots than most teams here would.

(1) University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)
Record: 15-0 PD: 1383/967, +416 Conference: Big Seven Seven
In a move that surprises absolutely nobody, undefeated Loyola is #1. The only team without a loss left, NSCAA 13's champions look hungry to return to the top of the Ultra 64. Not all undefeated teams are created equal, but nobody could deny Loyola's quality right now. They've got the second-best offense AND defense, combining for the best point differential. Now, there's a major caveat here. The Big Seven Seven appears to be one of the weaker conferences, and the two teams vying for second place, Richardson and Hondo, are not looking as good as pundits expected going into the season. If Loyola loses a game, they probably won't retain their #1 position. Top three, most likely, but their top spot currently is carried by name value, being undefeated, and having a complete roster. However, they do lead the tournament in Head Coach Firings Caused, which is a pretty nice accolade too.

rk school                                      gp    w   l    pf   pa   pd      conference
 1 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)           15   15   0  1383  967 +416	Big Seven Seven (1)
 2 University of Moravica (BNJ)                15   14   1  1328 1005 +323	Five Star (1)
 3 University of Bunyoro (BNJ)                 15   14   1  1354  989 +365	Hyeolhae (1)
 4 Sadeg State University (DRK)                15   14   1  1252  949 +303	North Coast (1)
 5 Ducentu State University (DRK)              15   14   1  1361 1018 +343	Triceratops (1)
 6 Aksum State University (BNJ)                15   14   1  1269  968 +301	Calania (1)
 7 University of Raikennax (DRK)               15   13   2  1303  993 +310	Shango (1)
 8 Cemmendy Tech (DRK)                         15   14   1  1269 1018 +251	Five Star (2)
 9 Cavsar University (DRK)                     15   13   2  1243  957 +286	Calania (2)
10 Université du Saguenay (QUE)                15   13   2  1153 1041 +112	Flying Drawk (1)

It's still pretty early. We'll see how things are going after we finish the second leg of the conference stage. Once the teams are playing on neutral ground in the conference stage, our true contenders will be fleshed out a little better.

[Cardenao]

There’s something special about college basketball, something that makes it joyfully intoxicating. Is it the mismatched battle between skill, passion, and heart? Could it be the frenzied cheering of a youthful crowd, students yelling and screaming to push their fellow classmates onto victory while cheerleaders twirled and dipped in the background? Maybe it was how so much of the on-court play was nearly professional in quality yet incredibly and endearingly amateur at the same time? Whatever it was, it certainly didn’t hurt that a Cardenaoan school had won the whole NSCAA, that alone was enough to pull in the majority of the country as casual views in the 16th edition, including one fella who desperately needed every sip of his cold beer as he watched the various Cardenaoan schools, still on the clock like he always was.

Mihaly sighed as he leaned back in his leather chair, eyes locked onto the screen in front of him where his Cardenaoan schools were not seeing nearly as much success as they had in NSCAA 15. This didn’t frustrate him as much as it normally would’ve, he was still enjoying Alexandria University’s status as the defending champion, but if results continued to slip, something might have to be done about that. He flipped between the different teams, the Sargaara Technical Institute Penetrators were leading Shanzhou University in a must win game if STI wanted to finish in the top four, while Küsbon College was absolutely giving it to Chobotanian National University in the Triceratops Conference. He couldn’t help but smile at the Triceratops Conference, it always reminded him of the deal he struck many years ago to bring the famous Banijan Triceratops to Cardenao, ‘Triceratops Diplomacy’ they’d coined it. At least the Miners were having a decent enough season, if this result held then they’d be in fourth though Ducentu State had opened up a nearly insurmountable five game lead. He flipped past LeBois Santura without much thought, everyone knew those damn Broncos were only good at football, I mean sixth in the Big Seven by the Gods that wouldn’t do.

‘Maybe halftime will see them grow some balls,’ he probably thought to himself as the final seconds of the first half came to an end. He flipped over to New Cardonia State, the Thunderhawks were having a pretty shit go at it, he couldn’t help feeling a little responsible but that’s just how things are when your business is statecraft. This game was looking like another spanking for New Cardonia State and a 4-11 record seemed inevitable, the program was a husk of its former self, gutted and left to rot with all the meat going to Alexandria University in the wake of their international championship. He and the nation barely gave the Thunderhawks any thought these days, which was unfortunate given this was the capital city’s university, it should reflect the relative grandeur Cardenao’s growth should have brought. As it stands, they were irrelevant.

As halftime came in the game between NCS and Mar Sara Tech, the feed didn’t cut to analysis because…there wasn’t any, it was New Cardonia State after all, so the feed stayed live, transmitting live to the world for whoever might be tuned in. As the camera was subtly repositioned to track a horde of students stepping onto the hardwood and zoomed in to frame them perfectly, he started to feel a chill run down his back as he instinctually sensed something was coming. Well not, maybe it was some sort of overzealous tradition, something leftover from the glory days when NCS mattered.

But then he saw the banners and the posters.

WHERE’D NCS GO?? ALEXANDRIA IS BLACK AND YELLOW!!!

EDUCATION, NOT EXPLOITATION!!!

MY VOICE NOT MIHALY’S!!!

MIHALY KILLED NEW CARDONIA STATE!!!

……

……

What……the fuck?

A deep burning anger started brewing in his gut. What the hell was this? What the fuck?

Then the chants started, unified, loud as fuck, powerful in their defiance. “BRING OUR SCHOOL BACK–KEEP MIHALY OUT OF OUR SCHOOL!”

Mihaly slammed his glass down hard enough to smash it to pieces, sending a spray of beer everywhere but he didn’t notice as he clenched his hands so tight he almost drew blood. What the shit was this? Why the fuck hadn’t CSN cut away yet?? Where the fuck was the control? He’d spent years working with them, training them to report and act the way he wanted, he had a tight grip on them and all media so this sort of shit should not happen.

“Get me Anastasia,” he announced to the room with a pissed off voice.

An aide materialized out of nowhere with a phone ready to go.

---

CSN Broadcasting Room

1:27 seconds after broadcasting began

“Jesus God……aren’t we going to cut?”

“John what the fuck is going on, why aren’t we cutting away?”

“Everybody shut the fuck up, we’re not cutting away from this. This is fucking history, we’re rolling. We can always say some student commandeered the fucking camera but we’re rolling and that’s that.”

The CSN broadcasting room was a hot mess of nerves and confusion as the student protest blared out on the screens with the viewership numbers steadily increasing. Some wanted to cut away, some wanted to watch, some didn’t know what to do, but everyone knew Mihaly would be coming.

One minute and 27 seconds after the broadcast began, he made his weight known.

The doors flung open as Anastasia LeMont strode into the room. Everybody knew who she was, special assistant to Mihaly himself, with a primary focus of translating his will and directives into media action. Or in this case, inaction.

“What the hell are you doing here–” John began before he was quickly cut off.

“Shut the fuck up and sit down. Here’s what’s happening and it’s going to happen quickly.” Mihaly’s representative said as she glared at everyone in equal measure

“Cut the feed now.”

“No. No way, people need to see this!”

“John…sit down and shut up, small man. Cut the feed or you are going to have some real personal problems.”

John hung his head down, he wanted to defy her, tell Mihaly sod off let the people at least have television to themselves……but he knew he wouldn’t. Here he was, shying away from the moment like his mother always said he did. He was a nobody, just a pawn in this story, and he did what he was told and killed the live feed, though he slyly ensured the cameras continued recording and saving what they saw.

“Good. Now get some shit up instead. Other college games, highlight, interviews, but nothing to do with New Cardonia, nothing to do with Alexandria, and nothing to do with Mihaly. This was a small group of misguided radicals, you know how college kids are. That’s all this is, do you understand?”

The air in the room, you could feel the weight of the tension on your shoulders. It had been one thing for Mihaly to organize the media according to his preferences, it was another for him to be intervening in a matter like this as heavily as he had been. This was a change from the normal order of business.

“I……maybe, what do you want exactly?”

“Please, don’t be naive. You’re not gonna say shit about dick without me telling you what to say. For now, you’ll tell the truth…which is a small group of unruly, misguided radicals brought a great game of college basketball to a standstill with their shit slinging antics. Nobody likes them, nobody cares what they stand for. Beyond that, nothing. Understand?”

“Yeah……yes, I understand,” John meekly responded, desperately hoping for the ground to swallow him whole.

“Good, that’s good for you,” Anastasia said with a false sense of security carried on her voice. “Oh, before I go, one more thing.”

She turned to face John before handing him an official looking note. He looked down, turned the paper over to see it was one-sided, and began reading. The note was short, only a couple lines, but it was enough for him to look up at Mihaly’s representative with confusion and fear on his face.

“Are you serious?” He asked incredulously. “This is……this is insane!”

Which prompted Anastasia to close the distance between them in a second before smacking the shit out of poor John.

“You watch what you say about Mihaly, just get this done and you should get through this alright,” and with that, she took her leave, leaving behind a confused broadcasting room, a shattered and smarting John, and a note that threatened to change everything.

“Well……what does the note say John?” One of the junior producers dared to ask after a few minutes of total silence.

“It’s……He wants names…faces…addresses for the ones leading the chants, for the organizers.”

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Cutoff for tonight's RPs starts here.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Introduction, Men's nationals
Women's nationals

So far, having just turned around the halfway mark of the NSCAA basketball's regular season, it's been every bit of an unusual year for the Lennoxville Marymount University Jodhpurs.

Being the first-time participant to the competition is one thing, a rare example in the QIS women's basketball where a select few programs tended to remain dominant over the years, but especially in the Big Ten conference. The conference that, year after another, were considered the most dominant conference in women's division that most years would see no less than four teams qualifying into it. And that usually meant the so-called big five - Queen's College, Nideyinan, Farrer, Saguenay and Northwestern, all programs that had won no less than two nationals to their name - taking up the spots, making it difficult for the others to break through outside of an occasional run that would build up over time. Unlike in the men's division, where talent parity and greater individual plays give way for more even playing ground (nevermind the fact Nideyinan hasn't missed the nationals in last 45 years!), upsets rarely happen here when discrepancies are that big, and when each program (at least those that would not fall off, Northwestern *cough cough*) would have a gamebreaker or two over the course of last 25 years, games kinda settle themselves.

This is also why the LMU Jodhpurs' run earlier, even if it came short against the hand of eventual champions Nideyinan, was impressive. The state of basketball in LMU, a small, liberal-arts college of only 5,500 undergraduates and 600 postgraduate students, was a complicated one to say the least. There once was a time, mostly the current students' grandparents' generation, when they were among the country's best. The first quarter of the 21st century was that, and while they had failed to win the nationals, they had won three B1G titles in the days when Northwestern, Farrer and increasingly Nideyinan were becoming the big names.

Unfortunately, the second half of it was also marked by the Great 2013 Realignment of QIS when Saguenay and Queen's College would cross the waters from the RSECQ and the SWUA. While that had come with additional profile, most notably with television money and steady attendance that's grown since, both men and women's team suffered a bit on competitiveness to the point where they would make nationals every few years, but otherwise finding themselves in middle of a lull. An awkward spot where they were nowhere near the bottom of the megaconference, but a decent gap away from the big five.

Perhaps that was the reason why their run this year surprised many, even more than usual. After a 13-23 season and quarterfinals exit at the B1G championship tournament, their longtime coach, 70-year old Maude Baird-Einbinder, had quietly announced her retirement after 21 years manning the ship. The opportunity to right the ship had come at last for Athletic Director Benedict Kim-Hodgkinson, nephew of former Prime Minister Arsene Pineau Kim, one that he especially appreciated considering increasingly frosty relationship he had been undergoing with Baird-Einbinder.

Fortunately for him, the search had turned out to be a straightforward one. Hong Ye-Ri, longtime assistant of Joanna Youngblood-Parker, wanted out at Queen's College after sixteen years, including the last decade as an assistant. As with Youngblood-Parker, Hong carried a risk of being a head coach only after serving as lead assistant to a renowned coach, but her resume, having served the Golden Gaels to three nationals title, was hard to ignore. Sooner than later, Kim-Hodgkinson made a quick round of calls to three candidates, and from it Hong was selected, beating out veteran Hannah Ray-Yeom of UC-Jolbonopolis and Jean-Marc Joncras at QBL club Levis Athletic.

Bringing in one of the best assistants in the scenes, especially a known recruiter, had its own pros and cons. One of them was on possible transfers they might bring, and in doing so Hong made immediate effect, bringing first-team all-B1G guard Cassidy Donatello and frontcourt sixth player Maja Bouteflika from her old program, while adding another conference all-star with Judith McNairn from UPRI. This was then followed by adding a quartet of freshmen, including nationally-ranked Hong twins from Hanbat's Lithgow CI, as well as backup point guard Abengo Abengo Bryant from Wansan Technical, all to set for a competitive tournament.

With a huge squad turnover and high number of underclassmen on board, most had considered to be a three-year project where year one's aim would be to reach the B1G semifinals, secure QWBL output, and aim for the QIS championships by year three. To great surprise, however, Hong's squad has come away with something even better as they, propelled by explosive scoring of Donatello in her QIS MVP run, would record 32-4 finish including seven top 10 wins, and win both Big Ten conference titles, as well as three all-conference honours and QIS women's MVP for Donatello, even as Nideyinan's Elodie Byeon-Graham had finished ahead of her in the B1G women's MVP award.

But then, they had fallen apart in the nationals, almost allowing a comeback to MUS champions Dongnae University on a remarkably weak year for that conference, while coming up short to, you know it, Nideyinan. Even as they had already met their objectives, making their first nationals appearance in 12 years, the heartbreak faced by the Jodhpurs' squad and the fans were still hard to ignore. They were so close one moment, and then next moment they had found themselves on the awkward spot, a semifinals finish that could have been better.

Fortunately for them, they were back in the court sooner than later, as the NSCAA competition would call them in an opportune year. Placed in the Five Star Conference that had moved its location from a longstanding Quebecois ally in Cassadaigua to to another in Valanora, the Jodhpurs had found themselves in the thick of a competitive conference that, so far, had been a two-horse competition from Moravica and Cemmendy Tech. After two-thirds, the Jodhpurs were standing fourth with a 13-7 record, but the race was anything but over, especially with a very long schedule the NSCAA tends to have. Most seasoned programs, Quebecois or abroad, tend to take a longue duree approach to it, and Hong's program, while off to strong start on the back of Donatello and McNairn, were still up in the air as to if they could sustain it.

'It's certainly a question we hope to answer in the coming months,' head coach Hong Ye-Ri said on the press conference at the Alumni Hall, the day before their departure. 'It's certainly an added challenge with the neutral-site, third leg of the regular season followed by the conference championships, but it also brings hope and possibility to fight off and fight on against the best. We'll see if the challenge holds.'

Unlike in the past seasons, where larger conference size had afforded just a simple home-and-away group stage, this season's triple round-robin had brought out additional uncertainties for all programs, both established and emerging, over what was to come. But for a smaller program like the LMU, that was going to be more pronounced especially with limited travel budget and booster presence. Already Kim-Hodgkinson, and the booster's club back there, had pledged to use this opportunity as a way to secure additional NIL, recruiting and other expenses budget for this NSCAA season and the future QIS seasons. But how long and how much will they be able to sustain it? Would they be able to make it deeper into the competition?

Those were other questions that nobody had an answer, even as every QIS programs but Yoseo-Montevicio looked likely to make the NSCAA Ultra 64 at the current point of competition. Ball still has to be played out in the court.

[Banija]

Yaya Senou, Loyola-Istria's head coach, the day before Richardson v. Loyola

Yaya Senou was, without a doubt, in a great mood. His team was 17-0, the last undefeated team in college basketball. And there was a huge rivalry game coming up- Richardson was traveling to Franklin Indoor, to take on the Blue Thunder. While on the gridiron, Richardson had won more matchups, in hoops, there was only one answer- and that was Loyola. Between NSCAA 13, NSCAA 14, and this season, the Blue Thunder had simply dominated this rivalry on the hardwood. And it went far beyond the 5-0 record the Blue Thunder currently held over the Governors.

Loyola didn't just win games in this rivalry. Loyola took souls in this rivalry. They broke spirits. They crushed dreams. They stole hope. It was simply how it worked on the hardwood- these two schools hated each other more than you could ever know, and it was the job of Blue Thunder hoops to show up and deliver the body blows. Yaya Senou, of course, was in his second year as the team's head coach- and therefore, in his first season in the NSCAA.

Now, he had been what many had called an 'unorthodox' hire. Not unorthodox in the fact that he didn't know the game- no, he knew the game inside and out. Had success at all sorts of levels in Banija, going on a tear in the lower leagues, even winning a Busogan national championship with Desert Sands U, before getting the call from Isaiah Lavaga to come up to the big leagues. Two Division II national championships with the Northwest Moravica College of Arts, situated in a small town that you've never heard of, kicking ass against schools you've never heard of. Balling out at Desert Sands, kicking ass in the Busoga Islands(now, the level of play is POOR there, but you get it). Give him big time resources, and he could have big time success. That was how the theory went, anyways. And hey, in year 2, that was undeniable- the school was 17-0, balling throughout the NSCAA. Was an unbeaten season possible?

So what was unorthodox about the hire- coaches that win tend to get promoted in college sports. No, what was unorthodox about the hire was that Lavaga had hired an outsider. What does that mean? In the big sports- specifically gridiron, basketball, and baseball, Loyola tended to hire 'Loyola people' as their coaches. Keep it insular. Not quite a family run operation like their rivals, Northern Moravica, where seemingly every other person in a suit was some sort of third cousin, twice removed, of Lance Kabuye. But, Loyola alumni. Look at Dennis Zervos, as the football coach- the ultimate Loyola man. His father was a player and AD. He was a NSCF champion QB, and a NSCF champion offensive coordinator. Look at the baseball manager. Kato Bodongo. Who was his grandfather-in-law? That's right, Alastair Jobs- the NSCF 14 and 17 championship winning coach at Loyola-Istria.

So Yaya Senou was a risky hire. And while year 1 was solid, they were really hitting their stride in the NSCAA. Which, of course, was always the goal- they wanted national championships, but they were built for success in the NSCAA years, and so far, that success was coming. But the flip side of hiring a non-Loyola guy, is that sometimes, they would have to learn exactly how the school worked. How deep these rivalries ran.

And so, Senou was on the phone with Lavaga, his boss. Lavaga could be an intimidating man- not because he was a screamer, or off his rocker. But his boss was clearly better than him at what he did. Not in a bad way- Lavaga was a four-time IBC champion as a head coach of the Banija national hoops team. So he tended to have opinions on how Senou's hoops team was running. Sometimes would micromanage- so Senou always had to push back, just a little back.

"You got a good strat to beat those bastards from Ranoria?" Lavaga asked him on the phone.

"Hey, don't you worry." Senou said. "We're locked in for this game." And the two went over the gameplan- not super far in depth, but just a little bit. Lavaga offered his own pieces of advice- Senou said he'd think about it. But he didn't need the AD getting in his way like that- he just needed to win games, his way.

"Ok, good." Lavaga said after about a half hour of strategizing. "Look- I know we smoked them in their gym last time. But that was last time- throw out records, throw out the history. This is fucking RU v. Loyola- we've got to continue owning them on the hardwood."

"Sir, don't worry about it- I've got the coaching of this team handled." Senou responded. "I don't need you going over game by game strategy, that's what the coaching staff is for."

Lavaga sighed. "You're right- I trust you. We are top of the conference. But you cannot lose this game. At home? Look, everybody's coming- Isaka Jawara is gonna be there, Patrick Zervos is gonna be there, Chibuzo, Abram Fairbanks, etc... all sorts of superstar alumni. We're honoring Isaka Jawara after the game, he's making a big donation to the Archaeology School. They've got to be there for a party- not a funeral."

"I mean, not to be disrespectful- but aren't we coaching against a football coach?" Senou asked.

"Hey, don't underestimate-"

"I got this." Senou said. "I'll be damned if a football coach outcoaches us, at our house, in hoops...."

---

Isaiah Lavaga, Loyola-Istria Athletic Director, sitting in his box at the seconds wind down on Richardson v. Loyola

Diango Telly raced up the court, and hit a three as time expired- but nobody was paying the Loyola player any sort of attention. You might have been able to hear a pin drop at Franklin Indoor- if it wasn't for the fact that the set of traveling Richardson fans, plus their band, were celebrating wildly. Their first ever win in NSCAA competition over the Blue Thunder, and they could feel it. The fans in blue were shell shocked- nobody left early because, genuinely, nobody had seen this coming. The Blue Thunder's run at an unbeaten season was over- but nobody was thinking about any of that. Isaiah Lavaga had been supposed to walk out with 2 minutes left, to try and reach the court to do the ceremony for Isaka Jawara- and he had simply been staring, shellshocked, at the floor.

He glanced up at the TV in the room, which had been panning around to some of Loyola's famous fans who were in the building room. Isaka Jawara had an 1,000 yard stare on his face. Sadio Bartaba, the HC of the NSCAA 13 championship winning team, had been caught slamming his hat on the ground. Patrick Zervos, the former player and AD, had covered his face with one of the white rally towels that the school had given out. Even all four members of the Cycle of Blitz, the boy band behind Banija's currently #1 selling album, two of whom were known Loyola superfans, looked as if they'd rather be literally anywhere else.

Some idiot in planning had mixed up the boxes for the game, and the visiting team's luxury box was right next to Isaiah Lavaga's. He had heard the celebrations going on over there, and when he finally got out of his box, even the small glimpse he caught, with their door swung wide open, was absolutely crazy. He saw Richardson AD Greg Clemens chest bump the Richardson school President, Wendell Walker, and then Clemens went flying backwards. Walker was a huge man, he had seen him at NSCAA meetings prior to the season- so chest bumping the University President was not going to go well for most people. He even paused and peered into the room- hugs everywhere, and even somebody was spraying champagne at people.

After pausing briefly, he continued walking. He was going to go down an elevator, straight to the locker rooms. An aide ran up to him. "Sir, don't you need to go down to the courts? Isaka Jawara's ceremony was supposed to start 2 minutes ago..."

"Ceremony?? After THAT game?" Lavaga snapped. "I doubt Jawara even stuck around. Cancel that shit, we'll do it some other time." He had no idea of knowing, of course, but Isaka Jawara hadn't stuck around. The loss had made him forget all about that ceremony- he did not want to stick around for a funeral atmosphere in Istria. As for himself, Lavaga made the long ride down the elevator, and made the long walk straight to the home locker room. He had to walk past the visitor's locker room to get there- and he heard the party that was going on in there. He tried not to think about it.

He walked straight into the home locker room, in the middle of Senou's speech. "Yaya." He said with one word- the head coach looked at him, and then shut up. Lavaga had an aura that nobody in Banijan hoops could match- that was what being a 4-time IBC champion did for you. Everybody knew who he was- he was idolized by so many within the room, and many more outside of it. "Losing to Richardson University, in basketball, is absolutely unacceptable." He paused, and then continued. "To let those bastards come in here, and deliver us our first loss of the season- us!- is something that will haunt me for the rest of my days. And it should haunt the rest of you too. These opportunities don't come around often, and we need to take advantage."

"See, we need to do better at fundemant-"

"Shut the hell up, Yaya." Lavaga interrupted the team's head coach. He wasn't a yeller right now, but his eyes were blazing. "Look- every single one of you needs to dig deep. A loss here and there happens- I wasn't riding on an undefeated season. But losses to Richardson, in hoops, do not happen. The Ranorians don't play basketball. They were just coached BY THE DAMN ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" He paused, and then continued- get his rage in check. "This shit better not happen again. When's the next time we play them?"

"Uhhhh... Matchday 29? in Drawkland?"

"Someone give me a schedule." An aide ran up to him, and gave him the daily schedule. They had two practices scheduled between MD28 and MD29. "There are two practices right before the next Richardson game. I'm gonna run them, personally." The room was shell shocked- the Athletic Director, retired championship coach, was gonna set the gameplan himself? Who was gonna stop him?

"But... Uh... Coach." Yaya Senou. "You know NSCAA regulations. You can only have so many on court coaches. We'd be in violation of having too big a coaching staff if you run a practice..."

"Alright, fine." Lavaga said. He knew this team's coaching staff by heart. He looked around. "Hey you." He pointed at the Deputy Scout, Lionel Medengo. "Come with me. The rest of you- you heard me. I'll see you bastards in Drawkland." He walked out, and Lionel Medengo followed him out- essentially fired in front of the whole team. The message had been sent- they were going to make things right in this rivalry, no matter what it took. And Lavaga would do whatever it took to make sure it got done.

[Valanora]

Five Star and Woodlands Matchday 21-25 Cutoff

[Valanora]

Twenty games into the season and the Rockets of Raynor University are looking at once again having to play their way into a better standing for the conference tournament and hoping that a good performance there can change their fortunes and get them a favorable seeding for the Ultra 64. Unlike last edition of the tournament where heading into the final stretch run of the season where they needed to go on a tear to have a chance of making the championship tournament once conference play and the conference tournaments come to close, that is not the case this season. A large reason for that is a decrease in participation in this edition of the tournament where over half of those who entered into the competition will be making the big dance, which essentially means that any winning record should see you into the tournament fairly comfortably. However like last edition of the tournament, despite being the biggest school in the Empire and having the most wealth of talent on their roster, the Rockets are nowhere near the top of their conference and following a three game losing streak were sitting on a record that was solitary win over five hundred.

Fortunately the team in the last week managed to string together a pair of victories, first on the road at Korya State University, where their defense played exceptionally well and their offense shot around sixty percent in the seventeen point victory. Coming off losses with eleven point defeat in Ranorian to University of Berlin where the team shot less than thirty percent from the field with only fifty-six points, a two point nail biter and heartbreaking loss in Cardenao to Niccostrato Naval Academy, before the steamroller of University of Bunyoro edged them out at home by five points, getting a dominant win was a big boost to morale. However the seven and six record before then did mean that there had to be a change as for a second straight edition of the tournament the most talent laden roster in all of the Empire was laying a dud and not being competitive with the best of the conference and were too often being upset by even the low rungs. Head coach Michal Gramstad was relieved of his duties after the loss to Bunyoro and Marius Flaten was hired in his stead to lead the team through the rest of this edition of the competition.

Flaten is a graduate from Raynor University and was born in Mar Sara but chose to go to Raynor over Tech thanks to the excellent academic reputation that the nation's capital university has. While Mar Sara Tech also has a fairly solid academic reputation, there is little doubt that Raynor University is still the premier school in the Empire to attend if you value your academics, which was something that the Mar Sara native did. Getting a degree physiology and then getting his masters degree right after, Flaten has been acting as an assistant coach for the Rinaldi Golden Hurricane of the EBA for the last three seasons. With the tenacious defense and stellar offense by the team, Flaten was the number one choice for the board of Raynor to replace the outgoing Gramstad, with him being successful as an assistant in the professional league and being a graduate of the school. Winning both of his first games in charge will be a sign to the board that they made the right decision to making a coaching change during the middle of the season, something they were averse to do but the results on the hardwood were not good enough for a team of this caliber.

His second game in charge would be a second of consecutive road games for the Rockets as they were traveling to Dhemexia to take on University of Columbus-Riverside, a team that had been struggling through the first half of the season, putting up ninety-five points in a blowout win. The offense was starting to hum under the new leadership as the team put up eighty-two against Universidad del Pacifico in Flaten's first home game, a thirteen point victory. Back on the road, the team hit eight straight free throws in the final two minutes to secure a four point win against Karke University, with guard Julia Hansen hitting six of those eight shots to ensure the victory. Eclipsing the ninety point mark in his second home game, Flaten was showing the offensive brilliance that had made him such an attractive candidate for the board of regents with a twenty-seven point triumph against Natkrian University of Skyhold. Being excellent at home is one thing but to do on the road was another yet a ninety-three to eighty-two victory at Joshuyo Technological Institute with Hansen scoring a game high twenty-eight showed Flaten was the right person for the job.

However now will be the time that Flaten will have to show if he has the chops for it as the team is coming off an excruciating one point loss at home to the Drawk Corps, the first game in charge for Flaten that they lost and did not eclipse the eighty point mark, in the seventy-nine to eighty loss to the Drawkian powerhouse. Thirteen wins and seven losses is not the greatest record but it is a huge step up from where the team was at when Flaten took over, sitting at seven and six and not being at all competitive with the best teams. While losing at home against Drawk Corps is a blow, the fact that it was close shows the improvements the team has made in just a few short weeks with the new coaching staff. Bunyoro has run away with the conference with only a single loss, but as the teams play their last few game at home before moving to port of Zarubino to play their remaining eleven games on an aircraft carrier, the team could still look to finish second or third in the standings just three games back. While three games is still a lot to overcome, it is not as bad as the six it would take to catch Bunyoro and with the way the team has been performing under Flaten, there is the belief once more this team could come good with the abundance of talent all up and down their roster.

[Drawkland]

"With their 97-90 victory in Game 6, the Bellator Redmanes won their second consecutive DBO title. Now the eyes of Drawkland's basketball fanatics turn back to the collegiate stage to watch the proceedings of NSCAA's 16th international season, where Drawkland once again has 8 teams competing for ultimate multiversal glory. For those who don't care for the college game or international tournaments, these next few months will be spent in anticipation for the next DBO draft. The Cove Port Icebreakers secured the first overall pick from the draft lottery, followed by the Intersak Sea Drawks and the league-worst Darae-Sagut Dragons landing the third pick. The biggest story of this draft is the inclusion of Basil Thorne, who refused early entry to the draft to complete his college career at Ducentu State, and is expected to be the first overall pick. Thorne is currently competing in NSCAA 16 alongside the Eagles basketball program, hoping to surpass their appearance in the Elite Eight from last cycle ..."

Basil's attention had been piqued. He had been almost exclusively focused on either his studies (not like there was much studying necessary for his last few classes) or training for the team. Basil having little care for his future beyond a week or two in advance wasn't really uncommon. If it weren't for the basketball recruiting drive, the thought of what to do after high school might not have crossed Basil's mind for a year or so after graduating. Once he decided after his freshman year at Ducentu State that he didn't want to declare for the draft, the idea of what he'd do in the DBO had hardly crossed his mind.

Hearing the opening lines of the local news story regarding the draft, those thoughts were reactivated in Basil's mind. He looked around at the rest of the room. There were a couple teammates sitting in the dorm building lounge. Ducentu State had a separate dorm building specifically for the basketball team (plus one unit for regular students to comply with regulation), which included a small lounge, a small gym with a half court and hoop included, and a private cafeteria open for a couple hours each day during meal times. In the hour or so downtime between the average afternoon class ending time and the beginning of practice, several team members would sit in the lounge with their teammates and carpool to practice afterwards.

Basil looked over at fellow senior Dustin Leigh, who was looking over junior Mark Weaver's shoulder to watch some video on Mark's phone. Basil pursed his lips, considering how to approach the topic, but his brain wasn't built for long-term tactical considerations.

"Do y'all think I'm gunna git picked ferst in that draft?" Basil asked vaguely.

"Huh?" Mark and Dustin looked up at Basil. The question caught them by surprise, but Basil bringing up random and seemingly self-explanatory questions out of the blue wasn't out of the ordinary. They'd known him for years at this point, they knew the drill.

"It certainly looks like it," Mark chuckled after a moment. "If you listen to any draft analysis on the sports networks you're half of what they talk about."

"So I figgered," Basil shrugged. "Who'd they say had the first pick? Cove Port sumthin'?"

"Yeah, the Icebreakers," Mark confirmed.

"Huh." Basil slouched back on the couch with a small thump. "Cove Port's way up north, ain't it?"

"Yeah, like, as far north as you can go without being constantly frozen." Dustin confirmed. He cracked a small smile. "What, are you not excited about the idea of moving up there?"

"Hail no! Only thing I like in winter is the ice fishin' and even that's a pain. Too damn cold." Dustin crossed his arms and sighed. "You sure they ain't gonna change their minds?"

"They might. Some people don't think you have what it takes to be a real DBO star, even with your talent." Mark gave a knowing look. "I'm sure you understand that."

"I know 'bout all that."

"It's not a guarantee, y'know." Dustin replied quickly. "There's plenty of guys who were the presumptive first pick that ended up bombing at the combine and fell down on the draft boards. Maybe Cove Port won't care much for you after talking with you for a little bit."

"There's no way Basil falls that far, even with a bad combine showing," Mark countered. "There's too many desperate teams in the top five. Cove Port would probably still take the risk. Plus Darae-Sagut was terrible last season, there's no way they'd pass up on Basil no matter what. His ceiling is too high."

"True. But they're almost as far as Cove Port, so that doesn't help Basil much, does it?" Dustin scoffed.

"Oh yeah, that combine thang." Basil screwed up his face trying to remember. "When's that agin?"

"It's in like three weeks, Basil." Dustin cocked his head a bit. "Did you not make travel plans? It's during the last few games of the conference phase when the rest of the team is in Banija. Remember how Coach Irving said the seniors invited to the combine would be exempt for a few games?"

"Oh yeah," Basil said as comprehension dawned on him. "Damn. I didn't realize that was for the DBO thang, I thought it was somethin' else."

"Dude!" Mark nearly slammed his phone on the table in shock. "You gotta get that figured out! You can't just skip the combine, man."

"Sure I can." Basil shrugged. "B'sides, ain't the team goin' on a safari in Banija 'round that time? I 'member Coach talkin' 'bout it. I been hankerin' to do that since I didn't git to when we were there fer the IBC. I don't wanna miss that agin."

"You're gonna blow off the combine to go on a safari in between games?" Dustin's jaw dropped. "You are insane!"

"Cain't be that bad," Basil looked up at the TV. "Way I see it, if it makes Cove Port or whoever not wanna pick me, that's better for me. Ain't the second pick the team in Intersak? That's less than a 2 hour drive from my family farm. That'd be perfect."

"If you skip the combine then Intersak probably won't draft you either," Mark warned. "And like I said, Darae-Sagut are desperate. They'll probably get you with the third pick no matter what. Cove Port sucks but at least it's on the mainland and not that tiny island."

"That wouldn't do." Basil nodded in agreement. "Ah well. S'pose I'll just let it ride."

"You're seriously skipping the combine." Dustin facepalmed. "You are the most insane person I know."

"I ain't missin' the trip!" Basil insisted. "Y'all know in Banija they got these things called a tri-serry-tops? I needta see one a'them live and in person."

"Dude. We literally have dragons here." Mark laughed incredulously.

"But no tri-serry-tops. And I never seen a dragon anyhow."



The next day was a home game for Ducentu State, taking on fringe conference contender Küsbon College at Two River Court. This isn't to say the Miners were a bad squad, but at 12-6 and 4th in the conference, this was an important game to win for Ducentu State to reiterate their ownership of the Triceratops Conference. After losing their second game of the season the game before against Ranoria State on the road, it was even more vital for the Eagles to rebound. Heh. Rebound.

The obscene offense blowouts that Ducentu State pulled off during the first leg of conference play seemed to tamper down. Now that everybody in the conference had seen Basil and the Eagles once, they had a better idea on how to approach them. Most teams (with the exception of Ranoria State) still weren't able to make the games close, but at least they weren't getting fully embarrassed on the court. Naturally, Küsbon's coaching staff had their players prepared. Even though Drawkians have the height advantage to dominate inside, Küsbon's interior defense stood strong as it usually did against other opponents. This forced Ducentu State to try more from the perimeter, which was a little more difficult but still doable. Basil himself had been working on making his long-range game consistent, and this game provided an excellent challenge to put it to the test.

Kuuper Copp of Küsbon was doing a lot of work for the Miners, putting down 9 three-pointers over the course of the back-and-forth game in regulation. The most crucial of them came with just seconds left in the 4th quarter. Ducentu State had managed to put together a 5-point lead with a minute to go (77-72), but a two-pointer from Jacob Shawkraft got Küsbon back within one possession. Everybody knew that Basil would be getting the ball by the end of Ducentu State's next possession, and he did. Unfortunately, he had an uncharacteristic miss, trying to drive to the interior and getting boxed out. His desperate lob as the shot clock expired did no go in, and the door stayed open for Küsbon. Kuuper Copp called his own number again, and with the clock about to expire, he heaved a deep three-pointer. The Ducentu crowd was stunned as the ball banked off the glass and buried itself through the hoop. The game was tied at 77-77, and now they were headed to overtime.

With momentum now on their side, Küsbon got out to a quick 4-point lead to begin overtime, and held a lead consistently as time waned. Ducentu State fought back valiantly, but they missed several opportunities to tie the game. Basil, whether by scheme or by personal decision, only took a couple shots and was mostly dishing the ball out. Was he scared off by his miss that would've iced the game in regulation? Did he have the jitters? Or was he just trying to keep the Miners from zeroing in on him every possession?

It might've been the latter answer to the question. Holding on to a slim 85-86 lead, Küsbon's chance to ice the game also missed. Copp's 3-point attempt went wide, and it was easily gobbled up by Rita Jerome off the board. With the game clock now under the shot clock, it was now or never for Ducentu State. It was only a 1-point deficit. The smart plan would be to take the ball inside and try for easy points in the paint ... but those points had been hard to come by all game. Even Basil knew that once Kenny Masters dished him the ball. Basil was starting to understand the more tactical side of the game, and he knew that Küsbon wanted to force a shot on the perimeter. Shawkraft was defending Basil tightly, perhaps the best defender on Küsbon's roster going against one of the best college scorers in Drawkland. The seconds were ticking by. Basil passed the ball off to Mark Weaver, but he knew he'd be getting the ball back. With the help of Frannie Reed, the Eagles pulled an off-ball screen that gave Basil just an ounce of room. Weaver had the timing perfect, passing the ball back to Basil with three seconds left on the clock. Basil received it, instinctively took a step back to give him an extra foot of space, eyes never leaving the hoop. He launched the ball from an inch beyond the three-point line as Shawkraft desperately dove to tip the ball away.

The arc was perfect. Basil's follow-through was ugly as ever. The ball slipped directly through the net for three as the buzzer blared. Two River Court erupted in cheers as Basil's teammates mobbed him at the line. The refs checked just in case, but everybody knew the shot was good. Whether it was 87-86 or 88-86, Ducentu State had stormed back at just the right time, and thanks to Küsbon getting a big home win against Ranoria State the next day, the Eagles were back to being the sole leaders of the Triceratops Conference.

As the band launched into the fight song and the Eagles bounced around the floor in glee, Basil thought to himself. Maybe it'll be alright. No matter where I end up going.

Thorne I - II - III - IV / V - VI - VII - VIII - IX / X - XI / XII - XIII - XIV - XV - XVI - XVII / XVIII

[Ranoria]

Richardson University

When the buzzer went off, so did the entire Richardson dining hall.

Loyola-Istria's dream of an undefeated season was dead. For all the pain they'd inflicted on Governors basketball, finally, the team had landed a solid, decisive blow for perhaps the first time in the rivalry's tenure on the court.

Trays went flying, drinks splashed across the tile floor, students roared in triumph, and the dining staff cowered in fear. Everyone was going ballistic as the team beat Loyola-Istria for the second time in program history, and when the screen panned to the football team's offensive coordinator Brad Manlio, now 8-2 as head coach of the Governors basketball team, he was pretty blunt.

"Just gotta get out of the way and let these kids play ball, I got no idea what I'm doing," he snorted. In an arena that had just gotten the axe brought down on its head, they could hear every word, and it made it all the more humiliating to take such a devastating loss. Manlio looked pretty unphased by the whole ordeal - sure, he was happy to stick it to the Blue Thunder, but when he looked over to see his basketball team huddled up on the ground, most of them crying, and one of them trying to sob through a grateful prayer, he couldn't help but wonder how long he'd have to wait until he was coaching real men again.

There are a lot of legends of Governors sports. Scott Yadav. Ifeatu Chineze. Gideon Kearse. Rylan Rodgers Junior.

But Brad Manlio? He's already carving his name into the institution's history with this wild ride.

---

The next week only got better - the team moved to 10-3 under Brad Manlio's tenure, and 15-5 overall. They had virtually locked up a spot in the Ultra 64, and while the Blue Thunder had run away with the regular season auto berth, Richardson's momentum gave them a legitimate shot in the Big Seven Seven tournament, hosted in, where else, Drawkland.

Sure, there was the upcoming football game against the Skyhawks, but he'd envisioned his return to Drawkland a bit differently.

Oh well.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Cutoff for tonight's RPs starts here.

[Drawkland]

25 games down, a mere 8 to go in the NSCAA 16 regular season. Teams have now traveled to the conference hosting nations for the neutral ground third leg of the conference stage. Each squad is now guaranteed 9 games in their season. The dregs of the league will say farewell after their first-round conference exits and underwhelming regular season finishes. The bubble teams with losing records will be making their final cases, praying to win a couple conference tournament games to sneak into the Ultra 64. The fringe conference contenders will be fighting to get a top half seed in the bracket to dodge the big dogs as long as possible. The big dogs, however, are battling remotely against the future conference title winners in the other conferences. Every win puts them in a better position in Ultra 64 seeding. Every game is an opportunity to show why they should be the ones lifting the NSCAA trophy at the end of the season.

For now, we rank the Top 10 of these teams hungry to make a statement. There's been some slight shuffling in the rankings since the last time we compiled them, especially due to our reevaluation of conference strength. Remember that these ranks will not necessarily match whatever seedings end up being used for the actual Ultra 64 bracket. Also, condolences to Saguenay and Cemmendy Tech, who dropped out of the top ten this time.

(10) Old Mountain University (DRK) ⯅ --
Record: 22-3 PD: 2141/1698, +443 Conference: Woodlands
Old Mountain University led the Woodlands Conference the last time ranks were compiled, but at a 13-2 record, they just missed the cut for the last top ten. They've only lost one game since then, a 2-point home loss to the second-placed team in their conference, the Islamic University of Busoga. Thanks to their superior point differential, Old Mountain has retained their lead over the Woodlands conference, but it's close. Some may wonder why OMU gets the nod despite being 0-2 against IUB so far, but that lies in the fact that OMU only has one upset loss, a road stumble against Université-Saint-Gabriel-Richard. Meanwhile, all three of IUB's losses have been upsets from much lower-ranked teams. This is compounded by the fact that the Woodlands Conference is arguably the weakest in the tournament right now; third-placed defending champions Alexandria University are 5 games out of conference title contention with 8 left to play. At least OMU has been taking care of business against the chaff. In any case, we consider #10 to be Old Mountain's peak potential. Haha.

(9) Ducentu State University (DRK) ⯆ 4
Record: 22-3 PD: 2158/1691, +467 Conference: Triceratops
When we last checked on Ducentu State, they had one of the best offenses in the tournament with only one loss to a conference contender on their resume. After a round of each opposing team getting familiar with the Eagles offense, however, Ducentu State has come back down to earth. Their offensive production is still good, but nothing special compared to the other teams on this list. They actually have a 2-game lead in the Triceratops Conference now, but they've lost games to Ranoria State and Yoseo at Montevicio, meaning they've dropped one to each of the top four. They're only comfortable in the conference still because all the other contenders have been dropping games very frequently. This all adds up to a noticeably weaker conference since the last time we checked in. Unfortunately for Ducentu, they've been a victim of this same downfall rather than taking advantage of it. They're still a top ten team, but they're not the upper echelon contenders they looked like earlier in the season.

(8) Elmanden District University (DRK) ⯅ --
Record: 22-3 PD: 2109/1624, +485 Conference: Crownlands
Last time we compiled these ranked, Elmanden District wasn't even on the radar. They were third in a three-way tie for first in the Crownlands Conference, ranked behind 12-3 Kizza I and Turbani Tech on point differential. 3 losses certainly wasn't enough to slip into the top ten at that time, but EDU has been on fire since that point. Huge wins over Kizza I and Turbani Tech to start the neutral site leg were the highlights of this recent 10-0 run. Unlike Ducentu, which took lumps at the same time as their competitors, EDU surged ahead as their conference rivals lagged behind. Now they have a 2-game lead and a point differential comparable to the other teams in the top ten. The Crownlands Conference is one of the more competitive conferences (in a good way), so this windfall blows EDU into the top ten for the first time. We'll need to see additional improvement before we start calling them real title contenders, though.

(7) University of Raikennax (DRK) ⯈ --
Record: 23-2 PD: 2211/1661, +550 Conference: Shango
Raikennax is another school that's done nothing but win since our last check-in. Last time we looked at the Shango Conference, it was very tight at the top. Raikennax only had a 1-game lead over 2nd, and a 3-game lead over 6th. Since then, the Shango has shaken out a little bit. This is actually a bit of a downer for Raikennax. Yes, they've been excellent in the second leg, moving up to the top three offensively and putting more strong showings on the court. However, now that they've got a 2-game lead over Nideyinan in 2nd and a 5-game lead over STI in 3rd, it's obvious that the Shango Conference isn't as competitive as we thought it was. This leads to Raikennax breaking even in the rankings: they've looked stronger, but their competition has looked weaker. Overall, their performance hasn't been impressive enough to warrant any bump in the ranks.

(6) Cavsar University (DRK) ⯅ 3
Record: 23-2 PD: 2131/1615, +516 Conference: Calania
So Cavsar is still second in the Calania Conference. They're still a game behind Aksum State. They've shown improvement, especially on defense, but do they really deserve to slide up in the rankings? We think yes. First of all, the Calania Conference currently looks to be the strongest in the league right now. They're the only conference besides the Five Star to have two teams with two losses or less, and unlike the Five Star, they've got some pretty good teams behind the top two competitors. South Caddonia, Dietrich, and Tiscan may not be rankworthy, but they're a better 3-4-5 than most conferences. The fact that Cavsar hasn't broken their pace and remains hot on Aksum State's tail is a testament to this squad's tenacity and skill. If they were in any other conference they'd probably be running away with it. I know it's bizarre we're talking about Cavsar here, but trust us.

(5) University of Moravica (BNJ) ⯆ 3
Record: 24-1 PD: 2152/1654, +498 Conference: Five Star
"What did Moravica do wrong?" you may ask. The Golden Bears are on a 20-game win streak, haven't lost to the team trailing them by a game in second place, and are solid on both sides of the ball. Why did they drop three spots? Simply put, the Five Star Conference is pretty weak. It's the same reason Cemmendy Tech, despite being 23-2, didn't make the cut on the list. Besides Moravica and Cemmendy, the Five Star is bone dry. Besides the top two, Lennoxville Marymount is the only other team that hasn't already taken double digit losses. The Five Star is simply super top-heavy, and while it's impressive that Moravica has yet to lose to the only other good team in the conference, it's less impressive for their other 22 wins. The team they lost to early in the season, Rouyoutte, doesn't even have a winning record right now! This means Moravica is unlikely to move back up in the rankings unless some other teams fall off, but they're still likely to be a serious contender come bracket time.

(4) University of Bunyoro (BNJ) ⯆ 1
Record: 23-2 PD: 2268/1694, +574 Conference: Hyeolhae
Currently sporting the most points scored in the tournament and leading a both competitive and talented conference, Bunyoro remains a big threat in their second-ever NSCAA appearance. The only thing dropping them in the rankings is the game they dropped recently. In their last home game of the season, Bunyoro lost in late heartbreaking fashion to Niccostrato Naval, 73-76. Losing to the 4th-best team in a contentious conference like Hyeolhae isn't the worst loss in the world, but it does mean that Bunyoro drops a bit in the rankings. The strength of the conference is really what's keeping Bunyoro not just in the top five, but above 1-loss Moravica.

(3) Sadeg State University (DRK) ⯅ 1
Record: 24-1 PD: 2191/1606, +585 Conference: North Coast
Sadeg State has really just held serve in the stretch since the rankings were last published. They no longer have the tournament-best defense, but their points allowed per game has only ticked up from 63.2 to 64.2 since we last checked. It's less about the Skyhawks defense being worse and more like another team's defense getting better. The offense is still great, not incredibly elite, but solid. They've continued to run the North Coast Conference, which is a few games away from being totally clinched. The NCC is looking to be a pretty middle ground conference, but State has looked quite impressive regardless. It looks like this #3 seed will be the ceiling for the Skyhawks unless one of these Banijan schools implodes, but we doubt Sadeg State fans care about the rankings. They just want back into the title game.

(2) Aksum State University (BNJ) ⯅ 4
Record: 24-1 PD: 2118/1584, +534 Conference: Calania
Okay, it seems a little absurd that Aksum State rocketed up this high since last ranks. Consider this more a failing of our first set of rankings. In the matchdays since it's become clear that the Calania Conference may be the best in the tournament at this point in time. Even with that fact, Aksum State has managed to wrestle the tournament-best defense title away from Sadeg State. The Stars have held over half of their last ten opponents to less than 60 points - and that includes the 3rd place team in the conference South Caddonia. Their offense still needs a little work, but it's understandable considering the strength of the Calania Conference right now. The run of form and strength of schedule makes Aksum State deserving of the #2 spot in the rankings ... yet they still have zero room for error. With Cavsar a game behind and one blowout over a bottom-feeder away from matching their point differential, the Stars NEED to beat the Gladiators in Quebec to secure the conference title and retain top five rank status.

(1) University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ) ⯈ --
Record: 24-1 PD: 2254/1610, +644 Conference: Big Seven Seven
Once again, there will be no undefeated champion of the NSCAA. Even though Loyola-Istria lost to their hated rivals Richardson (at home) for the first time in ages, even though the Big Seven Seven is a rather middling conference by overall strength, we just can't knock Loyola down. The team is simply too good right now. They're complete on both sides of the ball. They still have the third-best defense. They still have the second-best offense. They still have the best point differential by far. The one thing they don't have? A Drawkian team in their conference. Loyola looks incredible now, but how will they fare once they meet a fellow blue blood school in the Ultra 64? Still, they can only play the schedule in front of them, and Loyola has done that better than anyone else thus far this season. They'll keep that number one spot, and likely hold onto it into the conference tournaments.

rk school                                      gp    w   l    pf   pa   pd  conference (placement)
 1 University of Loyola-Istria (BNJ)           25   24   1  2254 1610 +644  Big Seven Seven (1)
 2 Aksum State University (BNJ)                25   24   1  2118 1584 +534  Calania (1)
 3 Sadeg State University (DRK)                25   24   1  2191 1606 +585  North Coast (1)
 4 University of Bunyoro (BNJ)                 25   23   2  2268 1694 +574  Hyeolhae (1)
 5 University of Moravica (BNJ)                25   24   1  2152 1654 +498  Five Star (1)
 6 Cavsar University (DRK)                     25   23   2  2131 1615 +516  Calania (2)
 7 University of Raikennax (DRK)               25   23   2  2211 1661 +550  Shango (1)
 8 Elmanden District University (DRK)          25   22   3  2109 1624 +485  Crownlands (1)
 9 Ducentu State University (DRK)              25   22   3  2158 1691 +467  Triceratops (1)
10 Old Mountain University (DRK)               25   22   3  2141 1698 +443  Woodlands (1)

We will compile these ranks one more time, after the conclusion of the conference regular season. There's no reason to compile them once the conference tournaments conclude, since the actual bracket seeds will be released sometime after that.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Was there a crisis awaiting in the minds of Coloratura State Cardinals' co-coaches, Oh Jae-Hyeong and Noemi Courcieres? Perhaps.

The situation looked less than ideal for the Cardinals after a strong performance in the QIS season during winter, when both men and women's teams won their nationals berth and finished with a Final Four appearance each. While neither men nor women had won nationals since then, they had combined for four Final Four appearances in six years since, giving the SWUA powerhouse fairly reliable resume on the QIS basketball circuit that's usually dominated by the Big Ten schools.

But the results haven't exactly translated at the NSCAA level, where they secured their berth with almost no trouble. The Cardinals, for better or worse, were close to being considered atrocious at 12-13 mark, still the worst in eight QIS programs that have been participating. While they were increasingly getting better at not sucking, something that's also helped by the St-Gabriel-Richard Wolverines's slip that would see the Erielhonden Free State's school only ahead of them by a game, the optics behind it were less than ideal. It was just only six years ago that Oh and Courcieres, a husband-wife pair who barely lost a step upon their hirings, had been praised for their Final Four run to Drawkland under the dominant form of Grim Reapers' star Julianne Ottavino. So with heightened expectations, most had expected them to follow up with decent performances, not to risk the shame of being left out of a NSCAA tournament berth in a lighter year of competition.

Of course, all of this had certainly brought out no shortage of words, including rumours, among the group of journalists surrounding the Cardinals' campaign in Drawk City. Among those there were signs of disgruntlement among the team's veterans - disproven by the men's team captain Normand Hwang - as well as the chance team manager's girlfriend were openly having a uh-uh with his father - also discredited but became a major OMGWTFBBQ story among Mahan province's fraternities and sororities - but most of the team had ignored it along.

What they had not been aware, however, was the distinct possibility Oh might step down in possibility of running for office in a possible federal election set to happen in about a year's time. Neither Oh nor Courcieres were from southwestern Mahan, let alone Coloratura Peninsula where they had spent last decade, but by this point their winning reputation and positive profile, combined with mostly being able to not piss others off in ways somebody like Johanna Youngblood-Parker wouldn't be able to, so it had made sense. But the question now was whether he was ready to take up the offer presented to him from either Moogoongwha or PJLQ parties.

It was something that Oh was finding himself on phone with his old mentor, former Queen's College men's coach Giancarlo Avola. Since announcing his retirement, the old man had found himself mostly at a fishing lodge in the cottage county just outside Nogojiwanong, about an hour northwest of Cornwall. And while Avola had rarely answered the phone on time, leaving a voice message at 5:00 a.m. local time had worked out well for him to call shortly after, right as he was about to head into dinner.

'What are your intuitions on this?' said Giancarlo, as the 69-year old tried his best to ask nicely and not so cryptically. Whether that had worked out was another story. 'I see that both the PJLQ and the Moogoongwha had called you for Coloratura Falls. You know it's a bellwether just as well as anyone else.'

'Of course, I do,' Oh answered with slight hesitation. 'It's also why I'm asking you for advice since you are usually better identifying the trends. You have always been.'

'I suppose, but it comes and goes by the way of the wind, Jae-Hyeong,' Giancarlo responded. 'A single mistake higher up and your chances might be gone the next moment. Whatever goodwill you can accumulate is one thing, but many tend to vote with national signs, policies and preferences in mind. Can you persuade people that?'

'Possibly, I think I have what the electorate seems to want, especially as the borders once again have become porous since the Quebeco-Semar section of the borders have gone evaporated, alongside the illusions of a Semar state once again,' he said, reminded of an incident his first year there when the gigantic stretch of Quebecois border to Huayramarca and Semarland had been shut outside of a few. Both nations, to no surprise, have gone dark since, and most had moved on with accepting the closure.

'It's half security, half schrodinger,' he answered. 'Squornshelous isn't always the most peaceful of neighbour, let's be honest here, and foreign interference concerns would be raised by some now and then. Would you be able to address so quickly as to how local youth need to find a foray to address.'

A brief silence followed. 'Yes, but I do feel like there needs a bit more time before I could really articulate my thoughts in alignment with party lines,' Jae-Hyeong resumed. 'You know just as well as anyone that I grew up with stuttering and had to get that fixed while at Farrer.'

Another brief silence followed, this time from his mentor's end. 'I think it's a great idea you wait, at least for a couple of weeks until you come back,' Giancarlo said, this time with uncertainty on his end. 'You still have one year away, so finishing out the conference slate strong should come first. How's your Noemi doing? And the kids?'

Thank god he switched the subject, he thought. 'Still the same. Obviously not as easy coaching without a player like Ottavino, but Kim Ye-Rin's still an all-Quebecois and all that,' he said. 'Kids are thirteen, have the effort but not the shooting touch needed.'

'They are both forwards right? At least one of them's a centre,' Giancarlo lifted the tone of his voice, his interest piqued. 'At least the older one seems to know how to box out very well. That's always an asset, especially if he's gonna max out defensively. Do you see him going as centre, or forward?'

'Ji-Weon? Probably power forward. If he improves his handle, maybe move down to a three, but that's easier said than done. You know this too well.' This part was true.

'Well, keep them shooting is the least I could say to you,' he said. 'If they are like how you were at Farrer, I'm sure both will have a good time in the pros. I always thought that you should have committed to us, but why pick a rival?'

'I did end up coaching there, just that Noemi stayed in Songak. Never easy living apart in two different cities, especially with two boys in that household. Her mum and pops did me a favour there.'

'So have a think about it,' Giancarlo went back to the original query. 'You are not in rush, but think about it past just yourself. Coaching college basketball isn't for everybody, and neither is being a parliamentarian. Just remember that before hurriedly making a decision.'

He then hung up, as Jae-Hyeong looked back into the outside view of his Drawk City hotel room. It was time for dinner.

[Banija]

Will all roads lead to Herzegovina City? The Moravican capitol launches bid to host the NSCAA 16 Final Four

HERZEGOVINA CITY, MORAVICA- Today, the Herzegovina City Events Commission, joined by the Banijan Collegiate Sports Group, with Northern Moravica University as the sponsoring institution, are officially launching their bid to bring the NSCAA Final Four to Banijan soil for a second time- since the former Liberty Stadium, in Istria, hosted the final four all the way back in NSCAA 11. You know that was a long time ago- that event was indeed the last major event Liberty Stadium hosted, before it was torn down in favor of building the Istria Olympic Stadium- which, as the primary Banijan stadium for the XIV Summer Olympiad, was an open-air, outdoor stadium. There has been talk about bringing it to Banija, and with the country on a string of hosting major events, it makes sense that they'd attempt to bring an event like this to the Kingdom.

"Banija is a nation that loves hoops, and loves college hoops." Said the Banijan Minister for Culture, Media, and Sport, Akello Kyegara. "We saw this when Kavuma Field hosted the Semifinals, and the Final, of IBC 40- it was a tremendous experience. 78,000 packed into this gridiron stadium for what was a tremendous basketball watching experience, and we are excited for a similar setup to happen within the country for the Final Four. It's been many years since it was in Banija, as NSCAA 11 was a while ago- we feel as if it is time for this tournament to return in its full glory. We have everything that we need in place- passionate fans, tremendous facilities, plenty of hotels, and a city capable of throwing a party."

Despite most finals in Banija going to Busukuma, Herzegovina has still hosted its fair share of major events. This very stadium has hosted the NSCF 29 Championship Game, as well as hosting both the semifinals and final of IBC 40- a Final Four setup, just for the IBC instead of the NSCAAs. "Herzegovina City has proven, time and time again, that we are a world class city, that can bring the party for events such as this one." Said the city's Mayor, Balinda Nalikka. "We are Banija's oldest city, and are the cultural heartbeat of this nation- so we believe thoroughly that we are capable of putting on a party that the whole entire world can enjoy. We are expecting to have a week of great events in the leadup, and it is going to be a wonderful experience for both fans and players."

With the lack of winter in Banija, there is not a huge need for domed stadia in the country- and so, for gridiron and soccer stadia, there are only two roofed stadiums in the entire country- Kavuma Field, which has a basketball capacity of 78,000, and the Watering Hole in Lwanga, which has a basketball capacity of 62,000. So with the BCSG behind bidding, all 72 schools voted between one of those two cities. Kavuma Field was the obvious- a much newer, larger stadium, in a much more glitzy and glamorous coastal city. Lwanga would have truly been a bold choice- besides being a smaller venue, it is a much older venue, and Lwanga is a much smaller city. They are not a small city, but with a population under a million, this would easily be the biggest event they've ever hosted.

The BCSG vote happened via what was called a 'double majority'. The winning bid needed a majority of the 72 schools, and at least 4 of the 8 BCSG schools competing in the NSCAAs. 7 of 8 of those schools voted for Kavuma Field, and 64 of 72 total BCSG schools voted for Herzegovina City. The ones against? The 7 Buganda schools voted for Lwanga- makes sense they'd vote for the city in their own state, however much of a longshot bid it was. The other school to support Lwanga? Aksum State. While nobody will speak on the record, people assumed that Loyola-Istria would support Lwanga. However, rumor has it that Isaiah Lavaga told his own staffers that 'he would love to see a Blue Thunder fan invasion of Herzegovina City', and that he 'wants the Cougars to bear witness, up close and personal, to the Blue Thunder winning another Ultra 64 tournament'.

Bold words for an AD of a school who can't beat RU. Aksum State, however, was a surprise. Aksum State staffers, off the record, said that giving the bid to Herzegovina City would simply contribute to the 'arrogance' of Northern Moravica University. But hey- the bid is here, and it is expected to be competitive. Let's dig deeper into this, shall we?

The Teams: How will they be treated?

There will be hotel blocks for the teams that are participating in the Final Four. With the costs split between the Final Four school and Herzegovina City, each final four team will be assigned a different hotel from each other- and a block of rooms shall be reserved for players, coaches, university personnel, etc... and families. While different schools will choose to travel according to whatever fits their schedule, rooms will be available as soon as the Elite 8 ends.

Furthermore, there will be transportation, via bus, provided by Herzegovina City for the team to attend whatever events they need to within the city. As for practice venues, there are four separate high schools within the city that have been designated as NSCAA practice venues. Each school will be assigned a practice venue, as well as guaranteed one shootaround practice at Kavuma Field, to ensure that they are able to practice without the hassle of cameras and running into other teams.

As a gift, each player and coach will be gifted a luxury watch, as a congratulations for earning a trip to the Final Four. Lastly, the winning team, and related staff, family, etc.. Whatever VIPs the winning team designates, will be taken to a rented out club in Herzegovina City, and be treated to a concert and party by Banijan rapper Lil Akiki.

There will also be a 'life after basketball' seminar given to each team by Ezekiel Bullo, who is a former 4-time IBC winner as a player, and now is a successful businessman, becoming a restaurant mogul within Banija.

The Fans: What will the party be like?

As is traditional, with the Final Four on a Saturday and the title game on a Monday, the party is going to be poppin. What exactly will be going on?

First, there will be a 'festival of hoops' for the three days leading up to the game- Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. At the convention center just 2 miles from the stadium, it will be a hoops festival- with all sorts of basketball related games and party tricks and what not to entertain the fans. Famous alumni from every NSCAA school will be invited to participate in celebrity events throughout the festival as well.

There will also be featured tailgates on Saturday for all 4 featured schools- four separate high schools, each within a 1.5 mile walk of Kavuma Field, will be chosen for fans to tailgate with other fans of their school. Each school's sponsored tailgate will have alumni invited to play prominent roles, and the Commission will work with participating schools to ensure that culturally-specific tailgating materials are available at each specific school.

Those are the features- go read the bid book for the technical details. It will be a landmark moment for Herzegovina City if they can land this- we shall see!

[Cardenao]

Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in! This is Miss LeCrown, and today we’re talking about the LeBois Santura U Broncos basketball team that went viral this weekend in the wake of their upset victory against the University of Hondo by a score of 60 to 53. The Broncos sit behind Hondo in Big Seven Seven, so this was a huge win that gives them a small chance to snag the #3 position from the school from Valanora despite being three games behind them. While the result was certainly a surprise and newsworthy in its own right, it was the post-game celebrations involving student reporter Ted Turner that spread across social media like wildfire.

Let’s run the clip!

“So Leroy, a great result out there and it feels like the Broncos are peaking at just the right time heading into the home stretch of the season. You guys went on that massive 13-nothing run in the second half, what’s happening on the court when you’re playing like that?”

And this is where things pretty much immediately started going a little sideways for Mr. Turner as it became clear the four Broncos not being interviewed were interested in having some fun of their own. Sophomore Justice Monrovia, the player of the game with his 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, walked up and draped his comically oversized LeBois player’s hoodie on Ted’s shoulders as he interviewed Leroy McAllister. Let’s roll the clip.

“Um man we were just playing together as a team uhhh we got the energy, we play hard, we play for each other, that’s the difference to success tonight and we’re gonna keep rolling that way, executing coach’s gameplan.”

Let’s pause it here. As you can see, the situation has further deteriorated for Ted Turner as the rest of the Broncos quickly get in on Justice’s antics and quickly decide to one-up each other. In the ten or so seconds it takes Leroy to answer, Turner is increasingly unrecognizable. It starts with junior point guard Zeb Clinton putting the hoodie over Ted’s head before fellow junior power forward King Allypoor realizes the sleeves are rolled inside out so he puts his long arms through them to unroll it. You can see the exact moment Ted figures out what’s going on and, to his credit, he decides to roll with it and push his arm through the sleeve to try and get it unrolled, all while maintaining composure to fire off his next question. Let’s give it a watch.

“Three threes for you tonight and you just had a way of getting yourself open for some long bombs out there, I gotta ask how you’ve managed to increase your range like we saw tonight?”

At this point in the conversation, he’s got one sleeve on, one sleeve off and we just can’t have that can we! Watch as King Allypoor is gracious enough to hold Ted Turner’s mic so the student reporter can wiggle his left hand through, a scene made doubly funny by King standing a solid foot and a half taller than Ted. King is having a great time, the rest of the boys are having a right laugh at the scene, even Leroy is smiling as he tries to answer as César Salomo wanders over and slips his game worn jersey over Ted’s head.

“Awww hell, guys nah come on,”

Leroy starts his answer off trying to calm down César and the boys but Ted shoots him a smile so he knows he’s cool with it as he put his right arm through the jersey. King is nearly crying laughing at this point and goes to zip the hoodie up as Leroy starts speaking again.

“Hey I mean, just gotta go with the flow, play with the team and the playstyle and uhhh, yeah just hit the shot when I knew I had it…just doing what I’m supposed to do.”

At this point they’re putting towels on poor Ted, they got him putting the jersey on fully, they put his hoodie up too, he looks like a blue and orange blueberry out there on the court as he tried to wrap it up.

“Great win out there to give yourselves a shot to catch the University of Hondo in the rankings. What’s it feel like out there on the floor, on the bench, when you’re playing like you are?”

Ted’s got so many towels on him it’s hard to pickout where they stop and where man begins! Everybody looks like they’re having fun out there and Leroy had to shout that out in his answer.

“Hey when the bench got energy cheering us on, that makes gives us energy to play on the court and that gives the bench their energy right back. We just having fun man, no matter where you’re at, we love this man, we enjoy this so much, we do this every single day so we might as well enjoy it!”

Here, finally Ted’s professional demeanor cracks as he starts laughing at the absurdity of the whole thing as he ends the interview with a heartfelt, “Well you guys clearly do enjoy it! Thanks so much man!”

The rest of the Broncos couldn’t help themselves as they yelled out “Yeahhhh you look good man!”

Which sent the players, the fans, Ted, and me myself into absolute hysterics watching it. The vibes are definitely good on this Broncos team, if they can keep up this level of play, they might be able to make a run in the tournament.

And with that, that’s our program! This has been Missy LeCrown, thanks for tuning in!

[Valanora]

Five Star and Woodlands MDs 26-30 Cutoff

[Valanora]

Valanora Times
What is in A Name?

Across the sporting world, we see all of the teams have names or have nicknames sometimes called monikers that they have to represent their team. In Valanora Raynor City United, the most prestigious football club in the nation, is often referred to as simply United or the Rockers or less commonly the Navymen, all nicknames that the team is associated as. National teams or local club teams and franchises all have them but the question is where do they come from, how are they formed, and why do some teams have multiple nicknames when others struggle to even have one? For instance it was only recently that the national team representing the Empire in the sport of baseball got a nickname, which came from an internal team vote that resulted in the players choosing to be called the Hawks. Our attention then turns to our universities, where the collegiate team also are known for nicknames even if some of them are not as well known as others, especially with the bigger schools like Raynor University, Mar Sara Tech, and the University of Hondo all having their nicknames fairly well known.

So let us start there and ask why Raynor University is known as the Rockets when the school is primarily a business and engineering school and not one that would normally be associated with rocketry? Well that has more to deal with the capital than the school itself, with it being in Raynor City that the first Vanorian scientists developed the first rockets in the Empire several hundred years ago at this point. While modern rocketry sees us being able to create craft that can traverse space itself, the first rockets made were more primitive fireworks and later used as weapons of war. In honor of that history, the University decided it would call its sporting teams the Rockets when they were created and is a source of enormous local pride to this day. Mar Sara Tech on the other hand is a fairly agriculture based school, with even its prestigious engineering school being more geared towards the agriculture side of things, so why the Raiders? Well it is a bit more simple, as Mar Sara was a fringe town at one point during the early period of the nation and often had to fend off bandits and the like, with the local militia calling themselves the Raiders and so the teams of Tech took on this identity thinking to protect their home field or court.

As we move on, the theme becomes a bit clearer, with teams generally taking in their surroundings or the history of the places to help shape their identities. There is a large swathe of woods outside of Hondo that is home to a large owl population and so both the university as well as the local football club, Hondo FC, have taken on the Owls as their nickname and mascot. At home games for the University of Hondo, one of the on campus falconeers brings in a domesticated brown owl for the pregame ceremonies, the current one is a young female named Neena who has been with the university for two years now. Going north by northeast from Hondo you wind up in Everlin, a small city by Vanorian standards that sits at the base of the Spine of Arrosia mountain chain that takes up a large chunk of the eastern portion of the mainland. For a long time the population there has had to deal with ever adventurous big cats who come down from the mountains seeking food, and despite there being many names for these sort of cats they are known locally as cougars. The fierceness and bravery of these impressive animals is the sort of spirit Everlin University is hoping to invoke and why they chose them as the mascot and nickname for their teams.

Then you have Turbani Tech, a university who is largely disliked around most of the rest of the Empire, though no one is entirely sure why. Something about Turbani itself is just offputting to most Vanorians, which might be because the city used to be a heavily militarized city when the Empire was in its infancy and dealing with raiders and would be invaders. That military history is likely what lead the board of regents and athletic director to decide to give the sports teams the name of the Slayers, which also just does not seem to fit well with the usual Vanorian pysche but it must work to unnerve opponents given their usual stellar defensive record. Then of course there is the last of the universities which compete in the NSCAA and are located on the mainland, the Rinaldi Naval Academy, the team who has the best odds of any Vanorian university to actually winning their regular season conference title, though it is going to be difficult still. As for the name of the Midshipmen, it is no surprise given it was what the instructors used to call the new personnel as they were not yet officers, only upon completion of their schooling and graduating would they earn their officer stripes.

Lastly but not leastly we travel to Sabine and Caddonia, the island subcontinent west of the mainland and whose history is a very interesting tale. Nonetheless the two schools there have taken to giving their sports teams names as well and have generally followed the same sort of logic that the other schools have shown. Sabinal State, located in the city of the same name and the regional capital of Sabine, could have had its share of different inspirations with the sea or some of the local history. Yet instead they are like Everlin, choosing to name themselves after the local big cat in the Panthers, which are known to prowl the plains and hills surrounding the city. Like Mar Sara Tech, South Caddonia is predominantly an university that caters towards agricultural studies, with the rich farming tradition that is part of Caddonia's history as a whole. Most of the locals in Caddonia call farmers and ranchers Rancheros, using the native tongue to the region and being a more community based university that celebrates the history and traditions of the region, South Caddonia decided it was an apt mascot and nickname for their squads.

Now you know the how and why the eight schools from the Empire got their nicknames, whether or not they can embrace them and finish out conference play strongly will be seen. Just two of the squads look like they have any real chance of winning the regular season, with just how impressive teams from Drawkland and Banija have been in yet another edition of this magnificent competition. Neverthless, most of the teams can still finish in the top four of their conference and secure that first round bye that should help them be rested and ready to win at least one round in their respective conference tournaments. Most of the teams will be hoping that they can catch fire in the first of the postseason competitions if they are to pick up an automatic berth into the big dance, as well as trying to position themselves for better seeding in the Ultra 64. As the last two editions of the Ulra 64 have shown, seeding can play a huge role in how far you can actually progress as the teams will want to try and avoid those 8 or 9 seeds that give you that second round matchup with one of the favorites for the tournament.

[Ranoria]

All-Ranoria
Sneak Peak At Ranoria's Most Electric Star on the Court

Mike Landry. Sophomore point guard. First-team All Ranoria last season. National Champion. Leader of the class of Ranorian college basketball - the Wolfhounds of Ranoria State.

Averaging nearly twenty points per game for the 17-3 Wolfhounds, Landry has proven to be a nightmare to defend even at this level. His combination of short area quickness and accuracy under duress - especially from mid range - make him a puzzle for defenses and generally have given his Wolfhounds the edge when they've needed it. So when Küsbon College came to Ranoria City, he was expected to do what he usually does and put on one hell of a show.

The Wolfhounds were hot, coming off a victory over Basil Thorne's Ducentu State Eagles, shutting down Drawkland's top prospect with a 66-58 score. The victory drew them even with the team they've been nipping on the heels of all season, a win over Küsbon would let them keep pace.

But rather than do what they had to do, they got torched. The Miners did what you'd expect the Cascade Tradesmen to do - they came in scrappy, though, and generally just outmuscled, outplayed, out-testosteroned, and emasculated the Ranoria State team when they went scorched earth, leaving Ranoria City in ruins to the tune of an 89-61 score.

"We got a diagnosis on him, really glad we took that X-Ray," a member of Ranoria State fraternity Sigma Alpha Chad commented on Mike Landry's performance, "We gonna have to put a missing poster out for that dawg in him because it is long gone Sally!"

The frat boy proceeded to vomit all over our live reporter and we had to cut the broadcast.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Cutoff for tonight's RPs starts here.

[Ranoria]

@GoGovsGo Has the Manlio Magic run out? The coaches strategy of telling the team to "Just get good" has resulted in winning just 2 of their last five games. After a 10-3 start, Brad Manlio has fallen to 12-6 as interim head coach, including yet another loss to Loyola-Istria. Is this indicative of his offensive coaching on the football field being too simplistic and easy to diagnose for opposing defenses? #GoGovs

---

@RichardsonsFinestReject Losing to Loyola is NOT ACCEPTABLE. If he'll do it on the court, he'll do it on the gridiron!#GoGovs #FireManlio #RichardsonvsLoyola #RebelsCannonRim

@RichardsonGhostRiderCoach trying it ain't his fault our basketball team just kinda trash smh

---

Brad Manlio was procrastinating. The room was dark, illuminated only with the shifting light of the monitor he was using to watch film.

He should have been watching film on the basketball team. Instead, he was breaking down film on his running backs. It was much more fun to watch Cardenaon Malik Starcevich smash people and Jack Archer do...whatever the hell it was Jack Archer did than it was figuring out this whole basketball deal. Like, just shoot the ball, it's not that hard. As a matter of fact, it was starting to remind him of a kicker. You've got legitimately one thing you're supposed to do, put a ball through the net...just do it? He wasn't sure what had gone wrong in their last game against the Blue Thunder, but to be fair he wasn't sure what had gone right in the second matchup, either. At 29-1, maybe they were just better at putting the ball through the hoop.

The melancholy was broken with a buzzing phone and, and the old timer couldn't help but pick up, "Manlio speaking, how can I help you?"

"Brad, this is Greg Clemens, good to hear from you." Weird to get a call from the athletic director of the university - but whatever. "Wanted to speak with you about your recent results."

"Uh," Brad paused his film study and leaned back in his chair, "With the basketball team? Sure, what's up?"

The offensive coordinator rubbed his eyes - too many hours watching film on a screen the last few days, "You started off great Brad, but your performance has really fallen off the last couple of weeks." Brad dragged his hands down his face with a muffled groan, "2-3 and a loss to Loyola? What are we doing here?"

Brad shook his head, looked to the sky, and paused the film before continuing - lip twitching into something resembling a scowl. "Excuse me?"

"A loss to Loyola is a loss to Loyola, Brad." Manlio leaned onto his free hand as the man who had been literally on his knees begging him for help just weeks ago changed tune, "It's completely unacceptable. If these kind of results continue we're going to have to put you on a personal improvement program."

Now Brad Manlio had taken a lot of shit from a certain someone back at Sadeg State. Someone he didn't feel he should've been taking shit from. And he'd come here, partially, in order to get away from this kind of garbage and pressure.

This was going to get nipped in the bud right here, right now.

So he stood up from his chair, started pacing, and let Greg have it, "Greg, the way I see it, I saved your damn job a week ago with that win over Loyola. Hands and damn knees begging me to save this program. I'm not a basketball coach. I told your dumbass I'm not a basketball coach. But I am a football coach, and a valuable one. If you want a championship next season, you need me, and for God's sake, if you've got an issue, you take it up with with Coach Kasen. If I hear another word about the damn basketball team's performance, I will drop this damn team and go back to my day job. How's that sound?"

Silence.

Brad's sped up breathing was the only thing to break it, and Greg cleared his throat on the other line.

"No, no you're right. That's my bad, thanks a lot Coach."

Click

"The nerve of these ingrates."

---

Richardson University
Office of Athletic Director Greg Clemens

What Brad didn't know was that Greg was already moving to revolutionize Richardson University basketball.

He'd identified the problem. This wasn't football. Ranoria didn't have the culture, the history, tradition, or the talent in this sport. That would always prevent them from consistently competing with the true heavyweights. And most importantly - Loyola-Istria. Hell, even on the gridiron, Richardson heavily relied on supplementing its ranks with top end talent from abroad. It wasn't uncommon for the Governors' biggest stars to hail from places like Banija, Valanora, Quebec and Shingoryeo, Kohnhead, or even Cardenao. And that was where Ranorian talent was at its best! Four World Bowl championships now, Ranorian football had proven itself to be the class of the gridiron world. And still they were aggressively pursuing foreign recruits!

So why shouldn't the basketball team do the same?

Wendell Walker had already given his approval for unprecedented funding to the coaching staff. The boosters had agreed to commit a significant amount of NIL funds to revolutionize the program. They had opened the floodgates to a nation that had dominated international basketball in their heyday. A country familiar with Ranorian sports, one that had its fair share of clashes against the Krauts and had several players among the Ranorian Football League's elite. They'd shaken hands. He'd made a strong effort bringing on a small, dedicated staff of scouts and recruits with a relationship to certain top high school programs, programs where legacy players of IBC champions were playing.

The Manlio Miracle had saved Greg Clemens' job once. He would not allow himself to be put in a position where that had to happen again. He was no longer looking at domestic competition, that didn't matter. He didn't need to win national championships. He needed to beat the filth of the city of Istria. And he would stop at nothing to catapult this team to a level where they could do just that.

[Banija]

Ocak Sumer, the Islamic University of Busoga's athletic director, at the event celebrating the opening of the University's new gridiron practice facility

... "And this facility, the Ozge T. Pasa practice facility, is a state-of-the-art football facility, even by NSCF standards." Ocak Sumer, the athletic director, told the audience. It wasn't a big one- all the players were here, of course. And then maybe 100 or so alumni- mostly donors to the project who helped make this happen. "When we embarked on a project to return to the NSCF, it wasn't so we could collect a bunch of checks just to get smoked by bigger schools abroad. No- we had a plan when we came, and we are seeing the fruits of that success everywhere. We hired Julian Aigo, he brought on Kohan Ersoy, and we've won back-to-back Celestia Conference championships, as well as made it to two consecutive NSCF Semifinals. We pretty quickly have built a pretty damn good program here. And who can't forget about the double sweep over Loyola-Istria and Northern Moravica a couple of years back?" The crowd laughed. "A beautiful, beautiful moment."

"It wasn't just a flash in the pan. We are better than the big 2 Banijan schools, and we are built for success. But to do that, we must invest in success. Success in a competition like this can be fleeting. One day, you can be on top, while the next, you can be wondering if you'll ever make another playoff game. This team is going to be built to have 5, 6, 7 cracks at the apple- success breeds success. And this facility proves that we are ready for it. It was not unexpected that, in the first year of competition, we would be behind on certain aspects. But now, when recruits come here- you'll start to see the type of infrastructure that breeds success at the biggest programs. This is a facility that can rival the USCs, the Loyolas, the Richardson, the Mar Sara Techs of the world."

He paused, and then continued. "And of course- success breeds success in a school. A rising tide lifts all boats. Look at the basketball program! The defending BCSG national champions in men's hoops- our fourth, by the way." The crowd started cheering at that. "And that wasn't just a flash in the pan either. Think about what this nation has done in sport over the past few years. Our national soccer team just played in the freaking World Cup. We won a national championship in hoops. And now, we're deep into the NSCAA season- and we are tied with an experience Drawkian school Old Mountain U, for first place in the Woodlands with three games to go. And tell those Northerners fans to ask Loyola, or NMU, or USC, or even Cold Hill or Richardson football- when the Islamic U gets going, there's absolutely nothing that gets in our way."

The crowd starting chanting "BU-SO-GA" after that. "Our boys in hoops- First Banija- check. Then the Woodlands- next. And then what's to stop us from the ultimate goal!" A bold statement from the Athletic Director. But hey- this was the exact type of event to get your homerism in there, wasn't it?

After the event, he confirmed he was off to Valanora for the final three games of the season- with the Islamic University set to take on the Revolutionary Inistitute of Kagaon, the University of Aberstadt, and Central State University in succession. The Caracals would not only need to win three games- they would likely need to make up a 20 point gap in point differential to the Northerners. Could they do it? Was it possible? Who knew? Regardless- a hell of a position for the Caracals to be in, as they chased their first ever NSCAA conference championship.

---

The Blue Thundercloud
A Loyola-Istria Fan Community



Loyola beats RU in hoops- all is right in the world

Everyone knows the pain of currently being a Loyola-Istria football fan right now. Our favorite son, Dennis Zervos, has certainly a top 5 moment in Loyola history- going on the road, to Ranoria, and beating Richardson University in a playoff game. That was way back in NSCF 29, however. With another son of a favorite son, Sebowa Jawara(nephew, technically), Loyola hasn't been back to the NSCF Playoffs since then. 3 straight seasons of missing the playoffs at Loyola-Istria- that's a five alarm fire. It's a testament to the fact that Dennis Zervos has built up so much cred here, over the years, from his days as a player and an OC, that he's still sticking around as head coach. But I don't want to think about football right now. That stresses me out.

Right now, it's basketball season. And what has this team brought me? Anything but stress- in fact, it's brought about a historical dominance in this competition that no Banijan team has ever achieved. Of course, that's simply what Loyola does- we go out, we kick ass, and we leave bodies and jobs lying in our wake. But it's a glorious season- and the fact that we're the first team in the competition to punch our tickets to the Big Dance, proves that. But our game against RU, the other day, and players reactions to it... showed the beauty of this game.

Revenge on the Mind

Nobody can forget Loyola's only loss of the season so far- Richardson coming to our house and pulling off the upset, 75-68. We smoked them in Ranoria, and they came to our house and punched us straight in the mouth. unorthodox strategies- they fired their hoops coach, and hired their gridiron offensive coordinator to be the head coach. And hey- it worked. But we didn't take that lying down. Everybody knows our Athletic Director is a 4-time IBC winner as a basketball head coach- and a hoops champions league winner with the Cal City Lakers, as well. He ran the practices against of the Richardson game, helping implement purpose-built strategy. Some people might not like it- and I can't imagine our head coach, Yaya Senou, was the biggest fan- but hey, it's a plan that worked.

You saw how much it meant to the players on the court. With Corps Central Court spilled to the brim for this occasion, fans from both teams were high energy- and the Loyola players fed off of the blue half of the stadium. When Sory Niangaly slammed home an alley-oop on an early fastbreak for the Banijans, and high-fived a member of the Loyola student section right after, you could tell how amped up, and locked in, these players were. Of course, Niangaly's a showboater, and in a game like this, that energy is only going to be amplified. And when Yahaya Sarro rejected RU star Drake Milton at the rim, he flexed his muscles right in front of the Governors center- earning himself a technical foul. Probably well deserved.

It's not that the Governors didn't have their chances- they absolutely did. But this team was able to fight, and battle, and ultimately pull away towards the end, for a well-earned 77-66 victory. And hey- just listen to a few of the quotes from the people involved.

Best quotes from postgame media availability

"I'm a senior. Chances are, this my last ever game against RU. My legacy was never going to be having 2 losses to RU. Winning record against RU- that can never be taken away." - Senior PG Dialla Boubacar, when asked how this game effects his legacy as ULI player.

"The last game we had against RU, at home, pissed me the fuck off." Said PF Sory Niangaly. "This team has incredible drive- that's why we were able to recover from the loss. But if we want to be the best in anything- in Moravica, in the country, in the Conference, in the entire damn competition- first, we have to be the best at our own rivalry. First Richardson, then the Big Seven Seven."

"I hope they enjoyed their win over us at Franklin Indoor. Because I PROMISE you- that's the last time they are EVER beating us in this sport." Said star SG Diango Telly.

"Like football, like basketball." Dennis Zervos, the gridiron HC, said. We're not sure how he even found his way into the hoops press room- but nobody stopped him. "Hope Manilo's ready- if he thinks hoops kicked his ass, in 273 days in Ranoria, our team and fans will be celebrating like our basketball team and fans were celebrating here tonight."

Conference Champions

And not only was that a well-earned victory, but we followed up two days later, with a victory that was juiced up on the drama. A buzzer-beating corner 3, by Hamed Dabo, off the bench, to not only beat LeBois Santura on MD30- but to win the conference outright. Does it get better than that? Certainly not more dramatic. And in a game where it looked as if for sure we'd pick up our second loss. LeBois had us on the ropes- we were trailing 65-59 with 1:17 left in the game. But we were able to play elite defense, move with the ball quickly, and shoot the daylights out of the basketball. Conference championship- earned. #1 seed in the Big Seven Seven- check. And we've got our nose ahead in the race for the #1 overall seed in the Ultra 64.

What more could you ask for?

[Valanora]

Five Star and Woodlands MDs 31-33 Cutoff

[Valanora]

Well, this is certainly not where we expected to be with three remaining games in the regular season of the conference schedule and yet here we are all the same, thirty games in the books and a single team from the Empire stands on the verge of being able to be crowned a conference champion. The remaining seven teams are going to have to hope to find their shots and a bit of good fortune in the conference tournaments if they are going to be able to secure an automatic bid into the Ultra 64. Though if we are going to be completely honestly, every team from the Empire has more or less secured their spot in the championship tournament at this point with most schools over twenty wins so far in their regular season. There is a second school who still has an outside chance of winning their conference, though with Ducentu State University two wins clear of Sabinal State in the Triceratops Conference, we are not expecting the Panthers to be able to overcome their Drawkian opposition in Banija, though you can never truly say never. Aksum could produce a small miracle but it stands to reason that Sabinal is going to finish second or third, tied with Ranoria State but currently holding the edge in the tiebreakers.

However, that team who has the inside track to winning their conferenced is none other than the Rinaldi Naval Academy, the school with the second lowest enrollment in the Empire of the teams who compete in the NSCAA, with only South Caddonia University having a small student population than the academy. Currently sitting atop the Flying Drawk conference, the Midshipmen have the inside track towards being the only Vanorian school to win a conference and they are one of the last teams you would have picked from the Vanorian contingent to be able to accomplish that goal this season. Owning the head to head tiebreaker against both Northern Moravica University of Banija and Université du Saguenay of Quebec who are tied with the Midshipmen on a twenty-five win and five loss record is a huge deal entering these last three games of the conference. Should the the Naval Academy manage to win all three games, then they would win the conference and not have to sweat too much during the conference tournament, besides ever so slightly trying to influence the seeding that they might get.

The first of those games is against Jozan Inistitute Of Technnology, the eleventh placed team in the conference and a team that Rinaldi handled fairly easily in their first meeting in the Empire. Whether or not the team might have some good support in Drawkland for the games could be well a tipping point as they attempt to keep the advantage that they have. It is imperative that the team is able to stay focused and if there is enough support in the crowd to feed off of it to have whatever edge they need to win, especially as the last two games of the group stage are by no means any sort of easy fixture. The penultimate game of the group for the team is against Cold Hill University from Ranoria, a school most known for the ferocity on the gridiron, though they have been fairly decent on the hardwood. Sitting in fifth with eighteeen wins and won back of fourth place, Cold Hill will be playing for the right to have a first round bye in the conference tournament. Rinaldi had a sixteen point win in Ranoria over them in the first meeting and they are hoping to translate that into this neutral site and win, though Cold Hill has definitely improved since that meeting.

Should the team win those first two games then it comes to down to massive final matchday matchup against Costa Alto Military Academy of Cardenao. They are the team sitting in fourth and who are competing with Cold Hill to secure the fourth and final first round bye in the conference tournament, currently with a nineteen and eleven record. A twelve point victory for the Midshipmen in Cardenao seems to suggest that they are capable of pulling off a full sweep of the three teams that are in front of them, though we know with such high stakes and pressure put upon all three schools tied at the top that a slip up would not come to anyone's surprise. Those final two games are about as difficult as Rinaldi could have had without facing the other two teams that they are competing with for the conference title. The other two contestants face each other in the first of the last three games and that game will likely eliminate one from contention, with neither of the other sides facing top five opposition the rest of the way. It does feel like Rinaldi has the most difficult road to winning the conference but for a team built on discipline, needing it to prosper in their post graduate career, you would be wise to not bet against them.