IBC 42 - Competition Thread

[Cardenao]

“Three…

“Two…

“One……”

The television screen blazed to life with a blue and gold Cardenaoan Sports Network logo that dissolved into the beaming smile of Cardenao’s darling.

“Good evening Cardenao and hello world, welcome to Crown Time with me, your host…Missy LeCrown! Tonight, we go hard in the paint because La Furia Azule is getting it done at the 42nd International Basketball Championship!”

Missy disappears, replaced by a highlight reel showing key moments in the games against Kalos Reigion2 and Foxterre. Raúl LeBlanc, the heart and scoring soul of the team, spun into view before knocking down a fadeaway, D’Angelo Fox throwing a slick no-look pass, Tom Parliamance looking like a man amongst boys down in the paint as the Cardenaoan crowd roars them on to victory.

“Let’s get straight into it, just like the boys in Blue and Gold wasted no time getting after Kalos Reigion2, 78 to 57. Sure, they’re coming into this tournament as an unranked side, but you can only beat the team in front of you and this time, the game was never close.

“Raúl LeBlanc, our fantastic small forward, was on fire as he shot 57% from the field in a dominating performance. He was both our top scorer and overall best player, it was a classic showing from the mid-range sniper.

“That’s not to take anything away from the rest of the team though, D’Angelo Fox was at his playmaking best as our point guard put up 11 assists while Tom Parliamance was an absolute monster on both sides of the ball, but especially so on defense where he was a brick wall. Kalos had no answers to the questions the Blue and Golds put in front of him. 78 to 57 says it all; it was only ever going to end up a Cardenaoan W…and we still have another game to review!”

The screen switched and started playing the highlight tape of the game against Foxterre. Mac Zoillinger draining a deep three, LeBlanc leading the charge on a fast break, D’Angelo Fox lobbing up a pass for Troy Vasquez to oop home. It was another one-sided affair and the video compilation certainly proved it.

“Yet another unranked team, yet another big victory for Team Nao, 79-61 against Foxterre, as we shoot out to lead Group D after the first two games. Once again, LeBlanc lead the side in scoring, big surprise right? But the game’s big story was Mac Zollinger, our 3-and-D stud out at the shooting guard position had a night to remember! Back-to-back-to-BACK threes in the third quarter to break Foxterre’s big run of the game as three of 8 three pointers he made over the course of the night. The team played great defensively to only allow 61 points as they squeezed the life out of the Foxterren team.

“What’s next for the Blue and Golds on the court? Two massive games against Drawkland, the sixth best team playing the game, and Tjun-ia, ranked 9th. If we’re to have any shot of topping Group D, these are the games we gotta win, if we want to be the best team in the game, these are the moments that define that. Any sporting event where you compete against Drawkland is going to be tough, they got some large lads over there, and Tjun-ia is led by the dynamic scoring Samantha Naylor at the small forward position, so these games will be must-watch television! Sure it’s only been two games, but it’s better to be two ahead than two behind as we head into these titanic matchups!”

Missy paused for a moment before heading into her next bit, one not on the script.

“Here at Crown Time, I’m here to bring you the news, the stories, and, occasionally, big freaking deals and this is one of those moments, this is a Crown Jewel! I have it on good authority…like…the top authority, that there are serious plans to tip-off a domestic basketball league right here in Cardenao! You heard that right, pro ball is coming to Cardenao! The plan is to start with a smaller, more manageable league before gradually expanding it to fit demand, key investors are the Cardenaoan Future Forward Fund and to be announced international partners.

“What’s the goal here? Pro basketball, baby! Year-round talent development, training facilities across the Nao, and bringing foreign eyes, dollars, and stars to Cardenao! Nothing is official just yet, but you can expect the ink to finish drying pretty soon here. Just remember, you heard it here first!

“Well I gotta send us to commercial for a couple minutes, stick around as I dive into U18 World Cup preparation as the Little Lads in Blue and Gold get ready to get after it!

And with that, the screen faded to black.

Not even 20 seconds later and Missy’s line was ringing. She answered with a smirk on her face.

“Luka Casales, thought I might hear from you,” she said to the president of the IBC and the man installed as figurehead commissioner of the fledgling Cardenaoan league.

The ball was definitely in her court.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Four Weddings and a Funeral

PART 2 - ALMA-ADA - The Reminder

It was a mostly solemn afternoon at the Prewett's Deck for those who stayed, but it was more than enough for the funeralgoers who booked off one half of what was the largest 'pub-restaurant' space in this city. Bonneville, being a city of 300,000 with temperance policies that lasted well into 1980s, was the heartland of neither the alcohol nor the nightlife, so for a group this big to book a space took some muscling through, especially in order to find space for security.

Not that this was much of a hassle for Alma-Ada anyway. Right now, the bigger concern for the 32-year old was to survive a conversation with Irene Kweon Binnington. The former Prime Minister, who had just announced her intention to resign as the Shinminjeon Party leader, was a familiar face. Like her father, she was a social democrat thorough to her bone, and even those who disagreed with her policies acknowledged that consistency was something she never lacked. Whether it's in her love of leather jackets, nightclub parties, or promoting national infrastructure projects that had won her a highly successful 2056 Summer Olympics or a literal Government, people loved her for the honesty and the consistency that led into competence both as the Greater Menagwes Mayor and the Prime Minister.

...if only she had won the second term.

Even right now, as they were chatting just outside the crowd, Irene was being true to her image wearing leather jacket, smoking a cigarette, and at least trying not to pay too much attention. For a federal leader, there's a bit of relaxed demeanour that Irene carried which also made her likeable enough to win a government, but not enough to sustain it, and after a half-dozen years, she was feeling like it's a good time to move on. No regrets, she would say to those around her, perhaps suggesting more in what was to come for the 57-year old.

'You know, your father was a good man, but your mother was an even greater woman,' said Irene, as two women were separated by the darkness. It was only around eight in the evening here in Downtown Bonneville, but the streets did not feature much traffic. Places like this was precisely the opposite of places where she would thrive upon, and coincidentally was also the reason why the Liberals have won twice here in the elections over last fifty years and Shinminjeon none. 'Lovely woman who was beyond the world of politics, and whom everybody loved. Not a single person would dispute that.'

'Thank you for kind words, Prime Minister,' answered Alma-Ada, as she tried her best not to be distracted. Not that she had reasons to - even when many had speculated for a half-decade for them to compete, the respect they shared were enough that he opted out against running against Kweon-Binnington, ten years junior, at the party convention thirteen years ago. 'I know that you had come out of your interest, especially this late in the year, but thanks to everybody Aline was able to leave the earth in peace, and said goodbye at this morning's ceremony.'

'It's our pleasure not mine.' She said, briefly turning to the right and moved up her chin, suggesting the rough location of his table. 'How's your husband doing? Must never be easy to raise the kids, certainly not in this climate.'

'No, but Isidore seems to have a fine hang of it really,' Alma-Ada answered, as she too turned briefly to look at them. The kids, for most part, were behaving fine. Churros seemed to work well enough for both Evan and Ava, who were six and five, and they were behaved well enough for her and Isidore to take them out on trips without worrying about table manners. 'Kinda lucky over there.'

'I feel that,' Irene sighed, being reminded of her divorce three years ago from her husband. The split, for what it's worth, was an amicable one and it mostly subsided into the background outside of a tabloid or two, but it still sucked. The weight of leading a party, or a government, was never going to be easy, and the break was bound to happen either way. Perhaps that was the reason why her engagement to the Greater Songak Mayor Nelson Boisclair-Cocteau last month made all the sense in the world. 'Are you still bitter over your father?'

'Excuse me?' Alma-Ada turned around, suggesting a slight surprise. She knew Irene was getting at, then-leader of opposite having been present for the funeral in a shellshock for the federal party and also the provincial politics, but there were details behind it that weren't talked about it in fear. Quebeco-Shingoryeoite media, unlike those abroad such as Eura or Tumbra, had a risk-averse climate that sought to avoid sensationalism and the circumstances of Amos Haneke's passing, combined with his immense popularity, had shrouded things quickly enough and for long. 'There is no bitterness, just the feeling of loss that's hard to replace. He was there one moment, next moment he was not. And not all that anger's gone to yearning.'

'Yearning, I remember that feeling. Most Prime Ministers do,' she answered with a light lift on her voice. This part was true - the last four Prime Ministers, Arsene Pineau Kim, Jacques Lee Ellington, Irene and of course, her successor Lucien Azagury-Zovaco all seemed to struggle with their daddy/mummy issues. For Irene, this came in the form of her parents, Ninette Kweon and Apollon Kirilovich Binnington. The absence of her mother, a Habpo Brahmin who had passed when she was six, and her workaholic father, who spent most of his life working with the Shinminjeon Party of Acadie, combined into a tricky combination that she still struggled to recover from. 'But we become great by overcoming our mothers and fathers.'

'I don't disagree,' Alma-Ada agreed, mostly in an effort to pass it by.

'Then why haven't you decided to come back? Or even to write back to the HQ?' Irene asked, trying to get much reaction out of her. 'You know, the party's always left a door open for you and your brother and your sister. And yet, none of you have taken up for it, a disappointing response to the legacies of your father-'

'You know the job took him away from us, Prime Minister,' Alma-Ada responded. 'And it took him away from himself too. It was something that my mother and all his friends came to regret. They still ask on what if he had kept staying on for Mayor, or had moved onto something bigger of a venture. Even my uncle lamented about him running for office because who doesn't love his sister?'

'No, he never stopped loving his wife and kids. But duty's something that comes calling, Alma,' Irene answered coldly. 'It's not meant to be taken away or ignored. Your father, who served in the Navy fighting against them Unfree Republicans in 2017 campaign, looked for a cause to fight for. He of course found it in public service, and that's why he ran for office. He wasn't going to be happy keep running GreGGs franchises or car dealerships.'

'And why does it matter, right at this moment?'

'Because it's time for you to run, for what is to come next in your life, Alma,' Irene answered. 'You gotta complete what your father might have wanted, and that is to maybe run for the Prime Minister.' She coughed then continued, 'I've always believed that your father had a shot, either in my place or after me, but that's not how it worked. He declined even when the cards were on his deck, and then went away like the wind. He never got to finish it, and I kinda stayed past the time that nowadays only viable name for time being is Menzies McConnell.'

Alma-Ada sighed. 'This was gonna happen, isn't it?' she said.

Irene tried to give much. Not that she needed to anyway - the news about the resignation of Asa Burrows, the longtime Bonneville Centre MP dating back to 2044 election, were going to come out by the following morning. 'Have a think about it, because you can't miss the opportunity to come home.'

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

MD3/4 CUTOFF.

Group 1A:

MD3
Juvencus (23) 57–85 Quebec and Shingoryeo (2 - HOST)
Equestria (43) 85–76 Saterun (UR)
Indusse (61) 72–78 Gyaromia (UR)
Wayoutstan (UR) 75–83 Chobotan (UR)

Group 1A                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Equestria                                  3    3   0   267  212  +55     —    —   98–71   —    —    —    —   85–76   — 
 2 Quebec and Shingoryeo                      2    2   0   164  128  +36       —    —    —   79–71   —    —    —    —    — 
 3 Chobotan                                   3    2   1   233  236   −3       —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —   79–63
 4 Banija                                     2    1   1   173  147  +26      —    —    —    —    —    —    —   102–68   — 
 5 Wayoutstan                                 2    1   1   148  144   +4       —    —   75–83   —    —    —    —    —    — 
 6 Juvencus                                   3    1   2   228  247  −19     —   57–85   —    —    —    —   88–71   —    — 
 7 Gyaromia                                   3    1   2   214  244  −30      65–84   —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 8 Saterun                                    3    1   2   235  270  −35       —    —    —    —    —   91–83   —    —    — 
 9 Indusse                                    3    0   3   196  230  −34     —    —    —    —   61–73   —   72–78   —    —

MD4
Gyaromia (UR) 75–79 Wayoutstan (UR)
Saterun (UR) 74–64 Indusse (61)
Quebec and Shingoryeo (2 - HOST) 92–66 Equestria (43)
Banija (7) 78–76 Juvencus (23)

 # Group 1A                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo                      3    3   0   256  194  +62     —   92–66  79–71   —    —    —    —    —    — 
 2 Equestria                                  4    3   1   333  304  +29     —    —    —    —   98–71  85–76   —    —    — 
 3 Banija                                     3    2   1   251  223  +28    —    —    —    —    —   102–68  78–76   —    — 
 4 Wayoutstan                                 3    2   1   227  219   +8       —    —    —    —   75–83   —    —    —    — 
 5 Chobotan                                   3    2   1   233  236   −3       —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —   79–63
 6 Saterun                                    4    2   2   309  334  −25     —    —    —    —    —    —   91–83   —   74–64
 7 Juvencus                                   4    1   3   304  325  −21    57–85   —    —    —    —    —    —   88–71   — 
 8 Gyaromia                                   4    1   3   289  323  −34     —   65–84   —   75–79   —    —    —    —    — 
 9 Indusse                                    4    0   4   260  304  −44     —    —    —   61–73   —    —    —   72–78   —

Group 1B:

MD3
Abanhfleft (16) 65–86 Ko-oren (4)
United States of Nova Calania (36) 76–59 Oriental of Rio de la Plata (UR)
Sea Peoples League (71) 78–67 Pritev (UR)
Sporting Justices (UR) 60–66 Kaumann (UR)

Group 1B                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 United States of Nova Calania              3    3   0   261  199  +62     —    —    —    —    —   92–68   —    —   76–59
 2 Sea Peoples League                         3    3   0   257  226  +31    —    —    —    —    —    —   78–67  100–83   — 
 3 Ko-oren                                    2    2   0   166  133  +33       —    —    —   80–68   —    —    —    —    — 
 4 Vaishnavaria                               2    1   1   157  155   +2       —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —   89–75
 5 Abanhfleft                                 3    1   2   218  224   −6     —    —   65–86   —    —    —   66–68   —    — 
 6 Kaumann                                    3    1   2   210  231  −21       —   76–79   —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 7 Pritev                                     3    1   2   207  237  −30      72–93   —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 8 Sporting Justices                          2    0   2   143  166  −23       —    —    —    —    —   60–66   —    —    — 
 9 Oriental of Rio de la Plata                3    0   3   204  252  −48       —    —    —    —   70–87   —    —    —    —

MD4
Pritev (UR) 78–74 Sporting Justices (UR)
Oriental of Rio de la Plata (UR) 74–92 Sea Peoples League (71)
Ko-oren (4) 83–57 United States of Nova Calania (36)
Vaishnavaria (11) 82–71 Abanhfleft (16)

 # Group 1B                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Sea Peoples League                         4    4   0   349  300  +49    —    —    —    —   78–67   —    —   100–83   — 
 2 Ko-oren                                    3    3   0   249  190  +59     —    —   83–57  80–68   —    —    —    —    — 
 3 United States of Nova Calania              4    3   1   318  282  +36     —    —    —    —    —    —   92–68   —   76–59
 4 Vaishnavaria                               3    2   1   239  226  +13     —    —    —    —    —   82–71   —    —   89–75
 5 Pritev                                     4    2   2   285  311  −26     —    —   72–93   —    —    —    —   78–74   — 
 6 Abanhfleft                                 4    1   3   289  306  −17     —   65–86   —    —   66–68   —    —    —    — 
 7 Kaumann                                    3    1   2   210  231  −21      76–79   —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 8 Sporting Justices                          3    0   3   217  244  −27       —    —    —    —    —    —   60–66   —    — 
 9 Oriental of Rio de la Plata                4    0   4   278  344  −66    74–92   —    —    —    —   70–87   —    —    —

Group 1C:

MD3
Golden Harp (17) 80–92 Valentine Z (1)
Kronbia (33) 66–71 The Kytler Peninsulae (UR)
Warkus (UR) 73–65 JaoAA (UR)
Andso Mangis (UR) 65–78 Epicly Amazing Giraffes (UR)

Group 1C                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Warkus                                     3    3   0   255  228  +27     —    —    —    —    —   73–65   —   83–78   — 
 2 The Kytler Peninsulae                      3    3   0   207  196  +11       —    —    —    —    —    —   72–70   —    — 
 3 Valentine Z                                2    2   0   190  155  +35       —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —   98–75
 4 Epicly Amazing Giraffes                    3    2   1   258  254   +4      85–99   —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 5 Kronbia                                    3    1   2   238  234   +4     —   66–71   —   90–95   —    —    —    —    — 
 6 JaoAA                                      3    1   2   203  222  −19       —    —    —    —   68–82   —    —    —    — 
 7 Golden Harp                                3    0   3   217  234  −17     —    —   80–92   —    —   67–70   —    —    — 
 8 Andso Mangis                               2    0   2   143  161  −18       —    —    —   65–78   —    —    —    —    — 
 9 New Umoja                                  2    0   2   135  162  −27       —   60–64   —    —    —    —    —    —    —

MD4
JaoAA (UR) 90–81 Andso Mangis (UR)
The Kytler Peninsulae (UR) 74–74 Warkus (UR) (92–95 OT)
Valentine Z (1) 71–70 Kronbia (33)
New Umoja (12) 69–67 Golden Harp (17)

 # Group 1C                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Warkus                                     4    4   0   350  320  +30     —    —    —    —   73–65   —    —    —   83–78
 2 Valentine Z                                3    3   0   261  225  +36     —    —    —    —    —   71–70  98–75   —    — 
 3 The Kytler Peninsulae                      4    3   1   299  291   +8    92–95   —    —    —    —    —    —   72–70   — 
 4 Epicly Amazing Giraffes                    3    2   1   258  254   +4      85–99   —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 5 JaoAA                                      4    2   2   293  303  −10     —    —    —    —    —   68–82   —    —   90–81
 6 Kronbia                                    4    1   3   308  305   +3     —    —   66–71  90–95   —    —    —    —    — 
 7 New Umoja                                  3    1   2   204  229  −25     —    —   60–64   —    —    —    —   69–67   — 
 8 Golden Harp                                4    0   4   284  303  −19     —   80–92   —    —   67–70   —    —    —    — 
 9 Andso Mangis                               3    0   3   224  251  −27       —    —    —   65–78   —    —    —    —    —

Group 1D:

MD3
Cardenao (13) 85–74 Drawkland (6)
Huelavia (51) 90–88 Foxterre (UR)
Tumbra (UR) 82–78 Kalos Reigion2 (UR)
Asukalia (UR) 91–53 West Barrack and East Obama (UR)

Group 1D                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Cardenao                                   3    3   0   242  192  +50     —    —    —    —    —    —   78–57  85–74   — 
 2 Tjun-ia                                    2    2   0   138  122  +16       —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —   74–62
 3 Tumbra                                     3    2   1   221  214   +7     —    —    —    —   65–60   —   82–78   —    — 
 4 West Barrack and East Obama                3    2   1   207  233  −26       —    —   76–74   —    —    —    —    —    — 
 5 Asukalia                                   2    1   1   151  118  +33       —    —    —   91–53   —    —    —    —    — 
 6 Huelavia                                   3    1   2   220  232  −12     —    —    —   68–78   —    —    —    —   90–88
 7 Kalos Reigion2                             3    1   2   201  222  −21       —    —    —    —    —   66–62   —    —    — 
 8 Drawkland                                  2    0   2   134  149  −15       —   60–64   —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 9 Foxterre                                   3    0   3   211  243  −32      61–79   —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —

MD4
Kalos Reigion2 (UR) 65–91 Asukalia (UR)
Foxterre (UR) 78–100 Tumbra (UR)
Drawkland (6) 94–63 Huelavia (51)
Tjun-ia (9) 67–75 Cardenao (13)

 # Group 1D                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Cardenao                                   4    4   0   317  259  +58     —    —    —    —    —   85–74   —   78–57   — 
 2 Tumbra                                     4    3   1   321  292  +29     —    —   65–60   —    —    —    —   82–78   — 
 3 Asukalia                                   3    2   1   242  183  +59       —    —    —    —   91–53   —    —    —    — 
 4 Tjun-ia                                    3    2   1   205  197   +8    67–75   —    —    —    —    —    —    —   74–62
 5 West Barrack and East Obama                3    2   1   207  233  −26       —   76–74   —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 6 Drawkland                                  3    1   2   228  212  +16     —    —    —   60–64   —    —   94–63   —    — 
 7 Huelavia                                   4    1   3   283  326  −43     —    —    —    —   68–78   —    —    —   90–88
 8 Kalos Reigion2                             4    1   3   266  313  −47     —    —   65–91   —    —    —   66–62   —    — 
 9 Foxterre                                   4    0   4   289  343  −54   61–79  78–100   —    —    —    —    —    —    —

Group 1E:

MD3
Visayas Islands (17) 77–74 Valanora (3)
Britonisea (25) 79–93 Riandera (UR)
Bohr (UR) 82–83 New Eastern Canada (UR)
The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories (UR) 59–72 Ophiuchus Region (UR)

Group 1E                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Visayas Islands                            3    3   0   263  207  +56     —    —   77–74   —    —    —   89–75   —    — 
 2 Ophiuchus Region                           3    3   0   249  200  +49      —    —    —    —    —   102–75   —    —    — 
 3 Valanora                                   2    1   1   157  133  +24       —    —    —   83–56   —    —    —    —    — 
 4 Aphrilia                                   2    1   1   139  144   −5       —    —    —    —    —    —    —   83–61   — 
 5 Britonisea                                 3    1   2   227  237  −10     —   66–75   —    —    —    —    —   79–93   — 
 6 Bohr                                       3    1   2   233  258  −25     —    —    —    —    —    —   82–83   —   76–73
 7 New Eastern Canada                         3    1   2   227  253  −26       —    —    —    —   69–82   —    —    —    — 
 8 Riandera                                   3    1   2   212  259  −47      58–97   —    —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 9 The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories         2    0   2   132  148  −16       —   59–72   —    —    —    —    —    —    —

MD4
New Eastern Canada (UR) 83–92 The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories (UR)
Riandera (UR) 86–58 Bohr (UR)
Valanora (3) 81–71 Britonisea (25)
Aphrilia (8) 69–68 Visayas Islands (17)

 # Group 1E                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Visayas Islands                            4    3   1   331  276  +55     —    —   77–74   —    —    —    —   89–75   — 
 2 Ophiuchus Region                           3    3   0   249  200  +49      —    —    —    —    —    —    —    —   102–75
 3 Valanora                                   3    2   1   238  204  +34     —    —    —   83–56   —    —   81–71   —    — 
 4 Aphrilia                                   3    2   1   208  212   −4    69–68   —    —    —   83–61   —    —    —    — 
 5 Riandera                                   4    2   2   298  317  −19    58–97   —    —    —    —    —    —    —   86–58
 6 The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories         3    1   2   224  231   −7       —   59–72   —    —    —    —    —    —    — 
 7 Britonisea                                 4    1   3   298  318  −20     —   66–75   —    —   79–93   —    —    —    — 
 8 New Eastern Canada                         4    1   3   310  345  −35     —    —    —    —    —   83–92  69–82   —    — 
 9 Bohr                                       4    1   3   291  344  −53     —    —    —    —    —   76–73   —   82–83   —

[Visayas Islands]

---

A WIN AT HOME, BUT DEFEATED IN SALLEND
Iloilo City, Metropolitan District and Sallend, Aphrilia

The Blue Suns are back in Iloilo to face the highest ranked Valanora. Experts say it's a "tough match" for the Double Blues, but it's actually a show of talent and skills made by the duo Diarra and Mondragón on the defense alongside Nobuhara's clutches from the 3-point line. Valanorans may keep up with the Visayan defense, but nobody beats the tactical genius of Arnaldo Ortega where he could take some ideas to make an open for the offense for Belmonte, Nobuhara, and Galarza. Especially in the second half when Diarra runs into Galarza, passes on to Nobuhara, faking it to pass over Belmonte and made Mondragón do the layup. But the hotshot came Darian Ebana, another African in the team and made the two Africans a "tower of power" to take out the Valanoran defense and made it the final score, 77-74. And their next opponent will be Aphrilia in its backyard in Sallend. It was a tough game for the boys in sky blue. As the Aphrilians made the Visayan tower of power crumble but not crumbling enough as Nobuhara went on to shoot more and slightly save the day for the Blue Suns. "It was a tough team to beat!", says Nobuhara. "They're too athletic for us but luckily, our Tower of Power saved us even though they're 'crumbling down' at that moment." But the hopes never gave up as they nearly upset the Aphrilians won, 69-68. "It was a tough game for the least.", says Ortega. "But we can still do our best to go to Quebec and Shingoryeo." The Blue Suns will face Britonisea at home and hopefully maintain their top 4 position to qualify for the actual World Cup. Will the Blue Suns made the Britoniseans dance to their knees at home?

[Tumbra]

Continued from here.

Gamaliel

Centrist premier Brendan Charlton has been swimming against the tide for the past six years now, but he still holds on to his role as Premier despite essentially being the top target for the People's Party each state election cycle. It is not difficult to understand why; Gamaliel, before Charlton took the state by storm, was trending reliably blue, but since Charlton took the reins of the state, the state Labour Party has seen something of a renaissance. Voters in Gamaliel love him, and there are consistent rumours in Straton that Prime Minister Sandra Campbell is constantly trying to recruit him for federal politics, while dangling the job of Finance Minister to entice him.

Yet his centrist attitude and willingness to abandon the furthest left elements of his party have not endeared him to the progressive wing of the party specifically, with many calling him a "People's Party candidate in disguise". Charlton, in between ignoring these accusations, has always pointed to the more conservative elements of his state outside of the two major cities of Readale and Bradesburgh as the reason why he tacks to the centre. He's also been called Teflon Brendan for his ability to avoid scandals, or come out of them minimally harmed; which is a large part of the reason why he has survived this long.

People's Party leader Doug Edwards has seemingly been at a loss as to how to counter Charlton's popularity, though the marginal nature of the state means that he will always be in with a chance. Allying himself closely to federal People's Party leader Alexander Morrison, Morrison has only been too happy to reciprocate the support given to him, having made several appearances on Edwards' behalf on the campaign trail. A Labour loss here would likely see Charlton depart politics entirely, and lose Labour a key member of its centrist faction; which are both outcomes that the Prime Minister wishes to avoid, as she navigates tricky intra-party factional dynamics.

Westmond

Daniel Fowler's first three years in the job haven't exactly been the smoothest, with several public infrastructure projects having ballooned in cost and adding to the deficit. The former federal Foreign Minister has constantly been under fire by the People's Party here, with leader Ada Blackwood campaigning on a reduction in scope of these public infrastructural projects to bring the state's deficit under control. But Fowler is personally popular, and a win for the People's Party is seen as unlikely.

Fowler, however, will have to contend with pressure from the left — the Social Democratic Party has made this state a key target of theirs in their quest to gain representation in the state legislature. With third parties expected to win a hefty proportion of seats in the Westmond legislature, Fowler has already hedged on which of the potential partners he will end up shacking with; but he has expressed a personal preference for a red-green-yellow "traffic light coalition" with the environmentalist Alliance and the liberal Moderates.

Nationally, a win for the People's Party here would mean a huge morale boost for them, as Fowler (and Brendan Charlton in neighbouring Gamaliel) are two of the biggest scalps up for taking on Labour's side. Yet the state is not seen as a high-value target for the centre-right; Gamaliel is seen as much more attainable, and the party is also heavily investing in its defence in neighbouring Grantfeldt.

Grantfeldt

Grantfeldt is the state on everybody's lips this election. On the presidential level, it is regarded as a key state to win; both People's Party nominee Melanie Coburn and Labour's vice-presidential pick, William Holman, are from here — and both got to their positions in some way thanks to their positions as Grantfeldt Senators. It's no different on the state level — People's Party premier George Killian and his challenger, Labour leader Alexis Cole, have been engaged in a fierce battle that has gone on even before the official starting gun for the election campaign started. It is, by all accounts on either side, a battle that has become relentlessly personal for both Killian and Cole; and both Alexander Morrison and Sandra Campbell, federal leaders of the People's and Labour parties, have urged both to tune it down and run on their records anyway.

The main issue at hand for the election is the question of manufacturing; Killian has campaigned relentlessly on his efforts to bring manufacturing back to the state, while Cole has instead spoken of a need to move the state towards a more service-based economy. These have lent themselves well to the predominant lines of attack used during the election campaign; Killian has said that Cole is an out-of-touch citydweller who does not understand the value of manufacturing to the economy of the state, while Cole has insisted that Killian is a backwards-looking conservative whose theories have no grounding in Tumbra's current economic reality. Cole has said that the money spent propping up Grantfeldt's manufacturing sector will instead be spent on making tuition at Northwestern University, the state's university, free for all Grantfeldt residents, in a bid to upskill students.

With this being the most marginal of the states, Grantfeldt's swing will be eagerly analysed by almost everyone; firstly, a Labour win here would give insiders great relief as to the direction of their federal election campaign next June, as several marginal seats are located in key constituencies that Cole will have to win. A People's Party win would represent the opposite; and insiders are hoping that presidential nominee Melanie Coburn being from here means that they will have a natural advantage.

Marlsbruhe

Premier Amanda Rakestraw has staked her entire political future on this election. At just 38, the Premier has been in office for little over sixteen months, being hastily installed after the resignation of Claude Kerrigan in a wake of scandal. Her opponent in this election — political scion Brian Harris, who comes from a long line of Labour politicians — has since been relentlessly hitting her on her involvement in Kerrigan's insider trading scandals, but those attacks have failed to move the needle. Rakestraw, by contrast, has embarked on a barnstorming listening tour of the entire state, meaning that the Premier now holds an advantage in the preferred Premier polls against her opponent.

Yet she has had to deal with several rogue Cabinet members. Her deputy Premier, Joe Menzies, has come under fire for calling for a "wall" to be built on the western border between Tumbra and its neighbouring state; Menzies has subsequently been removed from all campaign meetings and is likely not to be named in Rakestraw's cabinet should she win. Other similar incidents have meant that there is a growing perception that Rakestraw is out of control of her own Cabinet; Harris, on the other hand, has gleefully insinuated that this means she will not be able to take control of a coalition after the election.

Despite the People's Party continually tripping over itself, Labour have done the same; they have been accused of failing to provide a real alternative to the People's Party in the state. The election is likely to see both major parties limping to the finish, with minor parties set to jostle for the spot of kingmaker. People's Party leader Alexander Morrison has perhaps dedicated the most time to this state in Rakestraw's defence; being both young and a woman, having her at the helm of Tumbra's sixth largest state means a lot to the leader personally as the party struggles on a federal level to reach out to women voters.

[Ko-oren]

Girizhesawa Daily

Badrick Corcay leads Navy consolidation

The budget restrictions of the current cabinet have spread to the armed forces. Minister of the Navy, Corcay, has been given the task to reorganise and consolidate, under senior minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Judson Shiduhthen. The news does not come as a surprise but it is remarkable, given the pivotal role the Ko-orenite navy played during the Calania War. During that war, the navy established itself as a valuable and capable ally to larger and more experienced navies associated with the Ochre Islands and nations on the continent of Nova Calania.

Public support for the Navy is large, though not at an all time high. Since the announcement of the establishment of a navy by prime minister Lauderinthen, support for having armed forces at all reached its top during the later stages of the Calania War, during which Ko-oren led disaster relief efforts while a few frigates and patrolboats continued the hunt for hostile forces. Afterwards, opinions about the navy have remained positive, far more so than before the War started.

The consolidations are expected to cut down on the number of ship classes currently in use. Simplification of material without giving up military and humanitarian capabilities. Problems for Corcay start where current material is far too young to be phased out naturally, so sales to allied nations are expected. As depreciation of the assets hasn't been completed, sales would almost naturally constitute a loss, which in turn would be a net loss to the national budget, hence Corcay's dilemma.

In the meantime, investment in defence capabilities continues, particularly in autonomous systems, drones, and other forms of digital and modern warfare. If prime minister Gelogathingun and minister Shiduhthen are really looking to make cuts while maintaining investment in these technologies, the navy is in for a few interesting years.

Girizhesawa Daily

Classified Documents Found on WarLightning Forums - Again

Ahead of navy restructuring, classified documents have been found on the WarLightning Forums, again. WarLightning is a popular free-to-play multiplayer combat game, the playerbase of which has proven time and time again to be on top of every new military advancement, pushing the developers of the game to include new details as soon as possible after each real-world army and navy discloses them... but more often than not, before their official disclosure.

A simple table shows seven classes for the new Ko-orenite navy, down from a current fifteen, organised by ship size and roughly by intended use, showing that Ko-oren intends on keeping its green-water navy while scaling back on its expensive blue-water force.

Class name	Class	# of ships	Roles
Helios	A	2	Flagship, communication
Erinye	B1	15	Light escort, defence/offence; EMP; recon, information
Argo	B2	11	Heavy defence/offence; Military; recon, information
Gaia	C1	2	Hospital/Life Ark
Gaia	C1	2	Power plant
Gaia	C1	2	Greenhouse food production
Athena	C2	4	Environmental repair
Athena	C2	4	Research
Hermes	C3	10	Logistics, resupply, disaster relief
Aurora	D	3	Drone carrier; communication, information
Echo	E	3	Submarine
Boreas	F1	15	Green-water patrolboat
Zephyr	F2	8	Rescue and recovery
Hecate	F3	6	Mine detection and clearing
Poseidon	G	4	Evacuation, relief, construction

The Erinye and Argo-class frigates have been indispensable, but the real force lies with the agile Boreas, Zephyr, and Hecate-class corvettes, which are used in conjunction with the coast guard close to coast. Interesting the use of Gaia-class ships for disaster relief, recon, and information gathering, while the creation of a new Aurora-class ship is supposed to be the backbone of a new, drone-oriented, force.

As always, investigations into the manner these documents were leaked are started soon by minister Lydia Vuhgehshen of Information and Security. The administrators behind the WarLightning forums were not available for contact, though boilerplate text on their website - as that is apparently how likely this is to happen - say they are working with law enforcement officers.

[HUElavia]

Blur

1.1 Prologue

For young Vinicius, it felt like Christmas came early this year. Seeing so many cars lined up in the parking lot, seeing all the beautiful liveries, cars with their hoods popped up to show off their motors, people walking around chatting with the car owners, taking photos of said cars. Some people playing video games from the back of some cars, beautiful women posing next to the cars, and some showing off their sound systems in their tricked out cars. Vinicius just felt an overwhelming sense of joy seeing all that was in front of him as they drove past looking for a parking spot.

"W-W-What is this place?"
"It's called a car meet son."
"This was your surprise for me?"
"Yep! And I have wanted to take you to one of these meets for some time now, but we could never get the plans to work out with school, my work and such."
"I see... But this is so cool! It's so amazing!"
"Hahahaha, I knew you'd love coming here."

The two eventually found a good parking spot and got out of the Guerilla.

"Hey, remember to stay close to me. It's easy to get lost in this place and I want to show you all the cool things these meets have to offer."
"Okay dad!"

Every car they passed seemed better than the next for Vinicius. Seeing so many unique designs like animals, anime characters, and some with creatures and sponsors that oozes of creativity that Vinicius hadn't seen or thought of before. Tents were set up of different companies, both from HUElavia and abroad, giving merchandise of their products, including some being energy drinks where Iago would take it away, saying:

"You're hyper enough as it is seeing all these cars, I don't need you blasting off like some of these cars running on Nitrous."

Taking photos of the cars, with other fellow car enthusiasts, Vinicius felt like he was in heaven with what he was experiencing. Eventually, his eye caught on a simple car that was lined up to the end of a lot of cars. it was a blue, sporty car, with smallish, round headlights, and a metalic bumper. Even as simple as it was, it called out to him, almost beckoning him to come inside the car. He put his hand on the car, feeling the curves, the craftmanship of the vehicle. From the back side came a 20-something Yamoto-HUElavian, with a smile on his face as he welcomed the son and father.

"Hello there kiddo! Like what you see?"
"Yeah... What kind of car is this?"
"It's a XXXX Sannis Z. It's an older model, but I still cherish and care for her as always."
"Does it go fast?"
"On stock equipment? Not particularly. But tune it with the right parts and this vehicle can really run down the streets."
"Could I sit in the driver's seat?"
"Certainly!"

The man let Vinicius get into the Z, and he felt the steering wheel, looking at the old design of the dashboard, the old A/C and Radio panels, and he noticed how comfortable the seats were. Something about the car was calling to him that he felt chills in his spine, seeing goosebumps cover his arms. Iago would take photos of his son in the car, as well as the car itself, and motioned for Vinicius to come out of the car.

"What's your name kiddo?"
"Vinicius."
"Well Vinicius, it seems like you enjoyed my car."
"Yes, I really did."
"Work hard to have your own car someday and come often to these meets. You'll meet plenty of great people in this community."
"Yes, of course. And what's your name sir?"
"Akio. Akio Hasegawa."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Hasegawa, thank you for letting me sit in your car."
"You're very welcome, glad to let you do it."

Vinicius walked away but eventually looked back and saw Akio talking to another people who came in. But that car was calling to him, and he felt very compelled to have a car like that. Something that speaks to his being, his very soul. He had seen many cars that night, but nothing stood out more than that simple, blue Sannis Z.

To Be Continued...

[Banija]

Part 1

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

Kabaka Mwanga, turning on the Banija v. Saterun game on MD4

Kabaka Mwanga was an old man. 97 years young, he had been through it all, seen it all. Personally, he had been through all sorts of pain imagineable. His father, Kabaka Albert III(may he rest in peace), shot dead in a successful assasination effort during World Cup 82. Ripped away suddenly. Mwanga was obviously ready for his time in the crown- but not in these painfuul hours. Not like this. But he stepped up to the plate, and has ruled admirably ever since. But then, the ultimate pain- his oldest son and heir, and his oldest son and heir, both dying in a plane crash over the Blood Sea.

"There is no pain like the pain of a parent burying a child." And when your grandchild is also included in that- well, parents are never meant to bury their children, let alone their grandchildren. It was a pain that, while faded a little bit, had never truly gone away for Kabaka Mwanga. He had loved basketball- and this family, with all of these 6 foot+ towering men, had all been huge fans of the sport. There was a reason that the Peerless Princes won back to back gold medals in men's Olympic 3x3 basketball- a near impossible task to do in any summer olympic sport. It was a sport that was in their blood, ran deep through their veins. Mwanga had been a pretty decent player himself, in his younger days- 78 years ago, he actually played in the BCSG National Championship game, for Loyola-Busukuma(the first and only national championship appearance for the Crusaders).

What a wild team that was. The future Kabaka, Mwanga. Lance Kabuye's now deceased uncle, Akello Kabuye(who woud be 99 if he was still alive today), scored 37 points for NMU to win the national championship on that day- a still-standing Banijan record for a national championship game. And in the days before the three point shot, as weell. So long ago, years before Banijan college hoops switched to playoff series, from the do-or-die KO tournament. But, of course- that was a story for another day.

But, with the passing of his son, and grandson(who was a Peerless Prince), basketball was no longer the source of unbridled joy it once was. He didn't watch for years after the accident- until, of course, the tournament came to Banija for IBC 40. Back in love with the sport- it both brought him sad memoies, and yet, happy memories, of how the sport brought so many different generations of this family together. He didn't religiously watch games as much anymore- although, with the new young roster Banija had, he had been making a point to tune for the early group stage games during IBC 42.

Of course, there was a second reason to tune into the Saterun visit to Busukuma- his own great-grandson, the heir to the throne, Isebantu Sekakama, was in the halftime show. Who knew- the 6 year old could juggle. Maybe not as much of a natural athlete as his father, but he had seen the boy juggle, and boy, did he have that s one of his special talents.

And the halftime show came, and there was a lot happening- and then boom. Sekakama juggling.

"The boy's a natural." Said Sekakama's uncle, and one of Mwanga's grandsons, Omugabe Ssemanda said. He had just walked into the room. "Who the heck taught the kid how to juggle anyways?"

"Not me." Chuckled the Kabaka. He went for like 30 seconds, as the home crowd roared their approval- the Banijans loved their royal family, especially the cute 6 year olds. They then watched the rest of the game, a close contest with Juvencus. It came down to the final possession, where Juvencus could not get a shot off due to stifling defense by the Lions, as Banija survived with a 78-76 home win.

They talked for a little while longer, and Omugabe Ssemanda decided that he was going to leave. "You good Gramps?"

"Yeah." The Kabaka stood up, and slipped- but bounced up rather quickly for a man of his age, especially one who used a cane.

"You fell Mzee!" The Omugabe Ssemanda. "Quick, let me get the-"

"I"M FINE YOUNG ONE." The Kabaka said. He had boomed it- Ssemanda simply looked at him, and nodded. The Kabaka was, of course, still in charge- his mind was all the way there. And then, he checked his watch. "I am old, though." He laughed to himself. "I'm gonna go to bed."

Ssemanda left, and he did his own bedtime routine. After about an hour, he had brushed his teeth and walked up to his bed. Just then, he felt it- a sharp pain to his chest. But not enough to worry him. "Eh, these things happen." He said to himself. "Guard!" One immediately opened his door. "Fetch me water!"

The water was fetched, and he felt mostly fine. He was sleepy. If he still felt chest pains in the morning, then he'd go and see the doctor. But on this night, he was determined to fall into a deep, deep sleep.

[Aphrilia]

They're once again on the winning track, for now.

Matchday Three saw The Brigadiers have heir bye day, which would definitely help with the overall mood of the team especially after the beating that Valanora gave them. To many, it was a time to reset and set their minds straight. For Stella Ronnie-Meyer, it was a good time to try and motivate a good part of her team. It was clear to everyone that they were out of the zone completely. And the days leading up to their game against the Visayas Islands certainly showed that at least some members of the team were getting their mood back.

It was Anthony Coultend and Bill Winston who seemed to turn back to normal first. Stella was able to re-ignite the spark within them quickly enough, though Anthony was a surprise to her due to the fact that despite his desire to play the game was back, he was still feeling somewhat down knowing that his time on the national team was coming to an end. But in that regards, there wasn't much that Stella could do. Though she convinced him to talk to the team manager, Kieran Vassal about it. Bill on the other hand didn't take much, he had never been the most sociable person on the team and the overall negative vibe in the team had indirectly affected him as well. But he was as good as he usually was now.

August Strecker meanwhile snapped Luka Megarhine out of her miserable state by, well... It was in a somewhat rude manner according to Stella, but what mattered is that she was also back to her relatively usual self, which would prove vital in the match against Visayas. Sebastian Gremoire decided that it would be best that in the match against Visayas, they would show to everyone else on the team that something was missing through their game. It was fortunate that the starting five for The Brigadiers were back to their usual selves.

And with that, they edged out on a victory for Matchday Four.

Though it definitely was a nailbiter, as Aphrilia only won by a single point. Hopefully they can continue with the good results. There were two objectives that The Brigadiers had to follow through now with the condition that the team was in. Get as deep of a tournament run as possible, and hopefully restore the passion and hope that the players of this team usually had. So far, they were gaining ground on both fronts but how long will that last? For Stella, hopefully they would be able to go all the way.

Speaking of Stella, as The Brigadiers rest and prepare for the upcoming matches, she was currently in a restaurant. It was a local one, the food wasn't fancy nor was it the most delicious out there, but the cheap price and cozy location had placed this spot into it's own category. As always alone she was, the abnormal mindset she has didn't exactly equal to many friends.

Though the thoughts didn't stay in her mind for long, as she was already done eating. Having paid for what she had ordered, Stella quickly got up and left the place. As she was walking to wherever her destination was, a thought struck her mind. A few individuals within the team (Including herself) have constantly been focused on trying to get the other players back to their normal state, but they've never questioned why everyone was dull in the first place. She pondered and pondered on it, how it even happened in the first place.

"Surely it won't be anything abnormal." Stella muttered to herself.

[Warkus]

OOC: Efa II image created using makowka character maker II.

Efa II

---

Efa II

Portrait of Efa II (Kalon-Haul)

Queen of East Warkus

Reign: 1704-1732
Predecessor: Karadog IV
Successor: Siôr I
Born: July 4 1687
Caer Lloer, Dinas Wen
Died: February 24th 1732
Caer Lloer, Dinas Wen
Spouse: Llywelyn VII (married 1709)
Issue: Siôr I, Anne
House: Kalon (1704-1709), Kalon-Haul (1709-)

Efa II (4 July 1687 – February 24 1732) was Queen of East Warkus from 1704 until her death in 1732. Efa II was the eldest child of Karadog IV of East Warkus and Evelyn of Verdanforest. She was proclaimed Queen of East Warkus following Karadog IV's assassination at Caer Lloer in 1704 amidst a power struggle between supporters of House Kalon's bid to restore political power to the throne and supporters of Arglwydd Raglaw (Lord Regent) Mordaf Kynfyn. The day following her father's assassination she ordered the arrest of Kynfyn and his supporters at court. The Trail of Kynfyn ended in his execution and the effective abolition of the Arglwydd Raglaw title. These events later became known as the Royal Reassertion.

Efa inherited the incredibly costly Two Centuries War between East Warkus and West Warcus [Note: In West Warcusian orthography, 'k' is replaced with 'c'.]. While her kingdom was very much on the 'winning' side at this stage, there was considerable debate over whether they would be able to press their advantage much further and, if so, how long it could take to end the war.

Efa, whose grandfather and father had long been in secret negotiations with House Haul of West Warcus, was able to successfully negotiate the Treaty of Two Hundred Years with King Llywelyn VII. This treaty pledged both nations to two hundred years of peace and a pathway to the unification of Warkus. This included specific agreements on rebuilding the towns and cities along the border, which also involved the building of the future Warkusian capital Nyareth Newydd. It also resulted in the marriage of Efa and Llywelyn and with it the unification of Warkus's two great houses.

The Treaty of Two Hundred Years was incredibly controversial at the time. Many lords on both sides of Warkus felt like they and their houses would be sidelined if the kingdoms of Warkus were unified and some of them harboured ambitions of independence. The end of the Two Centuries War gave rise to the Two Centuries Cold War, a period where pro- and anti-unification sides campaigned for political power. Despite the name, this power struggle only lasted a brief period as the failed assassination attempt made on Efa and Llywelyn in 1729 made it possible for them to sideline and in some cases revoke titles from prominent anti-unification lords.

Efa gave birth to two children: Siôr I (who became the first historically verifiable King of a unified Warkus) and Anne Protheroe. In the 1720s, Efa lost a considerable amount of weight and developed symptoms consistent with inflammatory bowel disease although it is not entirely clear to us what stomach disease she may have had. She passed away in 1732 due to complications from the disease, with her husband Llywelyn remaining as the King of West Warcus and their son Siôr I being crowned the King of East Warkus.

[Kronbia]

Lucas Sanchez and a new problem, did Sanchez escape from the national team camp? It seems that the player sneaked out of the camp at night before the first match to visit some friends in Montana Verde, as he was born in Montana Verde. Later, one of the coach's assistants discovered the player's departure, who in turn informed Coach Hector Mendoza, who summoned Sanchez, reprimanded him, and informed him of his removal from the Kronbia national team roster, and that the Kronbian basketball Federation would impose a fine on him as an appropriate punishment to prevent the recurrence of such an incident. Lucas Sanchez remains one of the best players in Kronbia, but his mischievous and irresponsible behavior always affects his sports career. Currently, Coach Mendoza and the Kronbian basketball Federation officials are studying the possibility of replacing Sanchez with another player on the Kronbia national team roster participating in International Basketball Championships 42. Coach Hector Mendoza is known for his firmness with the players and his strict decisions.

---

After the third loss for the Kronbia national team in four matches, the fans comments on social media began to be sharp and offensive, with the statements of coach Mendoza before the tournament about preparations to qualify for the second round and achieve an advanced position, which made the fans feeling of frustration greater, and with the spread of the news of the scandal of Lucas Sanchez’s escape from the national team camp, the fans became more angry, as the hashtag #3-1 was created, and the fans started to criticize and attack the performance and the coach. When some basketball coaches and experts responded that the chances are still there to qualify, do you think there is hope or will the IBC 42 not be different from every IBC and the Kronbia national team will be eliminated from the first round?

---

Olympus Network has made an offer to purchase the international broadcast rights to the LKB. The offer is for a five-year contract worth $455 million. The Kronbian basketball Federation has announced that it is currently studying the offer. Olympus Network is a sports network founded two years ago and owned by the Sultan of Tanah Hijau, Sultan Ahmed Shah Mahfouz. The network is seeking to expand its fan base by adding exclusive tournaments, as it is currently seeking to add a number of international tournaments.

[TJUN-ia]

After opening this IBC First Group Stage with two wins out of two, the Hoops-Jaguars of TJUN-ia were starting to feel more confident in the abilities of this new-look roster after all the off-season departures. This is because while the pieces we have left are certainly good players, losing 12 players across the squad is never good for IBC experience. But so far, so good for Bao Zhou and his team...let's see if this lasts.

After a quick bye on MD3, we would be back in the Unity Centre in Riverside for our 3rd game of this campaign as the #13 Cardenao Blue and Golds came to town in a battle of the unbeaten teams - 2-0 vs 3-0. When it comes to games like this, like Drawkland on MD2, this was between two teams expected to make Top 4 looking for a key win early in this campiagn...but unile that last game, the visitors were ready to fight. For the first three quarters, this one was tight with Samantha Naylor and Raúl LeBlanc engaged in battle for most of it...but the in the 4th, D’Angelo Fox became more and more clutch and he helped the Blue and Gold claim a famous win on TJUN-ian soil, 75-67.

The first setback always sucks, but we have plenty of time to fix things. Off to HUElavia next before Tumbra come to town.
GO HOOPS-JAGS!

---

SCHEDULE (Group 1D)
MD1: vs Foxterre (UR) - Unity Centre, Riverside W 74-62 (1-0)
MD2: @Drawkland (6) W 64-60 (2nd/2-0)
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD3: BYE (2nd)
MD4: vs Cardenao (13) - Unity Centre, Riverside L 67-75 (4th/2-1)
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD5: @HUElavia (51)
MD6: vs Tumbra (UR) - Unity Centre, Riverside
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD7: @Asukalia (UR)
MD8: vs West Barack and East Obama (UR) - Unity Centre, Riverside
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD9: @Kalos reigion2 (UR)
MD10: @Foxterre (UR)
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD11: vs Drawkland (6) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington
MD12: BYE
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD13: @Cardenao (13)
MD14: vs HUElavia (51) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD15: @Tumbra (UR) - Straton Indoor Stadium, Straton
MD16: vs Asukalia (UR) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD17: @West Barack and East Obama (UR)
MD18: vs Kalos reigion2 (UR) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington

[The Kytler Peninsulae]

Of course the beginners' luck had to end against... another set of beginners.

But amidst the disappointment of a painful defeat to Warkus courtesy of an overtime buzzer-beater from Ffion Magnussen - and Bunsars Hesaramba having a would-be regulation buzzer-beater blocked by Robin Conway - there was absolutely pride in the Kytlerian camp. They'd exceeded expectations already, beating three ranked opponents on the spin - two of them on their travels, which is highly notable for any Kytlerian team post-Flight 134 - and losing only in OT to the team who now stand alone at 4-0 atop Group 1C was a fine showing in its own right.

And, above all, this was a historic night regardless of the outcome; the first time ever that a Kytlerian national team had played a competitive fixture in Bitternea. (Two more await later in this group, against JaoAA and Kronbia - the latter the last of the three ranked sides to fall to the debutant Kytlerians, 71-66 in their own building with Magnus Eriksson dominating inside for 26 of those points as Pablo Candelario literally burned out against him.) For the local hero Hesaramba - known as the "Bitternean Bomber" - that was something to lean on amidst the agony of defeat.

"Just being out here in Cobden, having a Kytlerian team play at the BBA (Bitternea Bank Arena) in front of a sellout crowd up those steep stands, hearing the roars - it's like that was special enough already, and Margaret said it was too much for me to hit the game-winner at the buzzer and that's how that shot got blocked! In all seriousness, great game, so much of that was us getting what we thought were good looks and then suddenly there's a hand in our face, and I think it was honestly the same for them a lot of the time because we were scrambling a bit defensively but our team speed bailed us out a few times, and honestly it was just a brilliant occasion and we want plenty more of those in the future."

There will be more challenges to come - and if this team does convert on this strong start by finishing in the top four of Group 1C to advance to the second phase, a trip across the Blood Sea to Quebec and Shingoryeo is absolutely one of them - but the goal for this team out of the gates was to show they could learn fast. That goal may already have been met.

[Pritrev]

Bekzar Sports Network
By Vjeko Murgbagakhn, Senior Sports Correspondent

International Basketball Championship 42: Pritrev’s Shocking International Debut
Game 1: Pritrev 68, Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft 66
Location: The Stivan Ralekukhn Center, Bekzar
In a nail-biting opener, the Bison stunned the seasoned Fleftic powerhouse Abanhfleft 68-66 at home, ending with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from captain Danir Vralkukhn that sent the Stivan Ralekukhn Center into a frenzy.
Abanhfleft, participating for the 26th time under their new head coach Royal McElhannon, brought a Run and Gun offense but were unable to overcome Pritrev’s suffocating defense. Sam De Arias, the towering 7’2” center, led the Fleftics with 22 points and 11 rebounds, but it was Pritrev’s Mrusl Polukhn who anchored the paint with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Ilor Purandj’s lockdown defense forced Norberto White into several contested shots leading to a poor field goal percentage of 20% for the small forward.
Danir Vralkukhn exploded for 26 points, including the game-winning three, and dished out 7 assists. Orseni Radugan contributed 14 points and 9 assists, orchestrating the offense with poise. The gritty Bison defense was evident as Pritrev forced 17 turnovers.
This victory put Pritrev on the map as a team to watch going forward.

Game 2: United States of Nova Calania 93, Pritrev 72
Location: Colisée DeBellefeuille, Vieux-Saint-Jean-Jacques, Saint-Jean-Jacques-sur-Mer
The Bison hit a harsh reality check on the road against the 36th-ranked Nova Calania Tapirs. The experienced Nova Calanian squad showcased a strong offense and defense to secure a convincing 93-72 win.
Nova Calania’s Louis-Frédéric Sigouin dominated inside with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Olivia Keefe’s added 19 points and 6 assists. Pritrev struggled to keep pace, with Danir Vralkukhn again leading the Bison effort with 21 points and 8 rebounds, but inconsistent shooting from the supporting cast hampered their chances.
Despite the loss, Pritrev’s young bench showed flashes of promise, particularly bench forward Parlan Vanadakhn, who added a solid 12 points off the bench.

Game 3: Sea Dome Lemon Sharks 78, Pritrev 67
Location: The Stivan Ralekukhn Center, Bekzar
Back on home court, the Bison faced the formidable Sea Dome Lemon Sharks and fell 78-67 in a physical and intense contest. The Sharks’ balanced attack proved too much for Pritrev’s defense, despite the home crowd’s support.
The Sharks’ captain, Jorit, led all scorers with 23 points, while Millie and R.D. Pak contributed crucial buckets down the stretch. Pritrev’s Mrusl Polukhn battled valiantly with 15 points and 12 rebounds, but the Bison struggled offensively beyond the arc, shooting just 29%.
Orseni Radugan and Egregor Ustafukn combined for 24 points, but Pritrev was undone by 18 turnovers and 22 fouls.

Game 4: Pritrev 78, Sporting Justices 74
Location: Sporting Justices Arena
In a tightly contested matchup between two unranked squads, Pritrev edged out Sporting Justices 78-74 in a display of relentless defense and clutch scoring.
Danir Vralkukhn delivered another standout performance with 28 points and 9 rebounds, while Ilor Purandj’s defensive tenacity held Sporting Justices’ best scorer to under 15 points. The Bison’s collective effort on the boards and timely three-point shooting, including key contributions from bench guard Minkar Pušakhn (11 points), sealed the victory.

Looking Ahead
As the championship progresses, the Bison will continue to rely on their signature defense and improve the performance off the bench. Head Coach Juraš Istokhn and his staff emphasize a continued bruising defense and rebounding as the foundation for future success.
The journey has only just begun for Pritrev’s national basketball team, but their debut has already energized the nation. The Bison have shown they are here not only to compete but to make history.

[Drawkland]

DRAWKLAND NATIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM (NET CORPS)

CHAMPIONS, International Basketball Championships 25
Runners-Up, International Basketball Championships 27
CHAMPIONS, International Basketball Championships 28

Name: Net Corps
Colors: Black with Crimson trim
Denonyms: Drawkian or Drawkish, personal preference
TWENTY-FOURTH IBC, Rank #6

---

Basketball is one of Drawkland's "Big Four" sports, with huge cheering crowds and near-constantly playing pep bands the norm. If you've never been to a basketball game in Drawkland, you may want to bring a pair of earplugs. Or two. You'll need them.

As you may notice, the Drawkian team is pretty tall, as far as height goes. This is perfectly natural for Drawkians, as the national height average is 7'5" (they're not related to humans evolutionarily besides the shape and proportions and such). They also may seem like they're "middle-aged," but most professional Drawkian athletes don't retire until around the age of 50, since Drawkians can live to 120-150 years of age.

After having their best group stage in their history in IBC 24, the Net Corps went on to get annihilated in the Round of 16 for the fifth straight time (once by Royal Kingdom of Quebec, once by Vangaziland, once Abaja, once by Ceni, and once by Banija). Finally, they decided they weren't going to take no for an answer. A decade of playoff disappointment took a heel-turn as the Corps made an unprecedented run to the championship game. Drawkland won the game in convincing fashion to Royal Kingdom of Quebec, and finally claimed the title of IBC Champions.

While they lost in the semifinals of IBC 26 to the team they defeated in the previous semifinals, Newmanistan, they still had the skill to make a deep playoff run. And that they did, by making it to the finals of IBC 27 against Vangaziland. Unfortunately, Vangaziland was the outright better squad and took the series in two straight games. The Net Corps was far from out of the mix, though. Despite the short format and taking a loss in the group stage, Drawkland stormed through the IBC 28 playoffs and defeated Vangaziland by 30 points in the final to capture their second title. Drawkland hoped to go back-to-back with IBC 29, but fell short in overtime to Banija in the semifinals.

The IBC 30 campaign featured a first for the Net Corps ... a quarterfinal loss. This kicked off a new era in Net Corps history, one of floundering in the playoffs. In IBC 31, Drawkland went 2-2 in the second group stage, and had to settle for a "13th place win" against Quebec in the consolation playoffs. IBC 32 was yet another quarterfinal loss, this one against Valanora. Finally, in IBC 33, the Corps did something they hadn't done since their first tournament in IBC 19 ... miss the playoffs entirely. With that, longtime coach Cody Morgan and his staff was shown the door, and the aging Net Corps was collectively given the boot.

Originally, DISC was going to hire a new coach and assemble a new squad from scratch. Then, some "genius" came up with a "better" idea: let the Elite Eleven have a shot! Their IBC 34 campaign went decently. They made it to the playoffs and won a game in the Round of 24 before falling in the next round to Hannasea. Still, their performance was decent enough, and DISC was satisfied. The Elite didn't want to return to a playing position, but a few of them said they'd be willing to stick around as coaches.

The "Elite Eleven as coaches" experiment somehow went better than expected. The new-look Corps didn't have a perfect return cycle, needing last-matchday miracles against Ranoria and Mytanija to advance from the first and second group stages, respectively. The Corps had finally returned to the quarterfinals, thanks in part to the second group stage "skipping" earlier playoff rounds. Once again the Corps would face Hannasea, and once again they would fall, this time by a heartbreaking last-second shot. With their hopes for a surprising playoff push dashed, they slid into 7th place in the classification playoff. All things considered, not a bad performance, but improvement, especially in the group stage, is a necessity going forward. DISC had enough of the Elite Eleven, and kicked them out of the basketball wing of the building.

However, the post-Elite coaching staff led by Vince Donaldson didn't make the steps that fans were hoping for. Sure, the Net Corps made the playoffs relatively consistently, and even won a couple games, but ultimately this is not a squad that inspired confidence in fans or fear in opponents. With four straight cycles without even sniffing a semifinal, there was no reason to keep Donaldson and his staff around.

After another near-decade of mediocrity, DISC once again cleaned house in the Net Corps coaching staff, and are tackling this with another Drawkian coach willing to tank their reputation for the sake of maybe having a miracle run into relevance. In this case, it's the eccentric Domingo Abbott of the Bellator Redmanes, known for his unorthodox approach to coaching. In his first cycle at the helm of the Corps, Abbott led the team to a shock group win in IBC 41 and even advanced in the playoffs - only to lose in extreme upset fashion to Vaishnavaria in the quarterfinals. The QF mini-curse may still be alive, but there's hope for the future.

---

---

INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 42; DRAWKLAND NET CORPS ROSTER

STARTERS

##  Pos   Player              Height  Age  XP  Domestic Team           Best Feature
 4    C   Terri Blackwood^    8'4"    33   0   Krakon Bears            Excellent all-around underneath
55   PF   Basil Thorne*       8'0"    26   2   Intersak Sea Drawks     Fully tooled rookie prospect
24   SF   Natalie Endgard*(C) 7'6"    35   5   Quinnaber Vultures      Good passing and accuracy
33   SG   Catalina Daywasson* 7'4"    36   5   Raikennax Lions         Great playmaker
00   PG   Ruth Cookson*       8'0"    36   3   Sadeg Wasps             Incredible shot accuracy


BENCH

##  Pos   Player              Height  Age  XP                          Best Feature
 1    C   Harry Casper        8'2"    29   1   Hessport Dockmen        Dunk specialist
 8    C   Sebastian Earls     8'6"    31   2   Corinth City Burners    Great defender in the paint

12    F   Patrick Nevin       8'5"    34   3   Bellator Redmanes       Great shooter underneath, former captain
11    F   Delta Adams*        8'0"    35   3   Drawk City Sentinels    Versatile "sixth man"
 6    F   Jorah Douglas       8'2"    37   3   Owabrok Arrowheads      Defensive wizard
 2    F   Georgia Bass        7'5"    28   1   Cemmendy Coyotes        Fights through contact

 9    G   Quinn Flowers       8'0"    27   1   Kayo Painters           Excellent perimeter defender
 7    G   Benjamin Moss       7'7"    32   3   Metropolon Towers       Nimble and agile
19    G   Cayden Sovanna      8'4"    38   2   Drawk Corps             Great accuracy from long range
22    G   Silvia Irving^      7'10"   30   0   Hessport Dockmen        Good passer and director


* indicates NSCAA experience
^ indicates Net Corps rookie


COACHING STAFF

Coach Name          Position           Domestic Team       Role
Domingo Abbott      Head Coach         Bellator Redmanes   Manager, Tactics        
Peter Fenn          Assistant Coach    Metropolon Towers   Offensive Coordinator
Hayley Wolfe        Assistant Coach    Raikennax Lions     Defensive Coordinator
Gerald Madison      Assistant Coach    Drawk Corps         Scouting, Preparation
Nicholas Kingston   Athletic Trainer   Elite Eleven        Strength & Conditioning

---

My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:
Choose my Scorers:                                Yes.
Choose Scoring Events:                            Yes.
Godmod Scoring Events:                            Yes.
RP Injuries to my Players:     Nothing tourney-ending.
Godmod Injuries to my Players: Nothing tourney-ending.
Godmod Other Events:                   Yeah, go ahead.

Style Modifier (for RP purposes): +4

[Valanora]

The Dragons had come firing out of the gate with a complete demolition of what was supposed to be the stiffest competition of the group in eighth ranked Aphrilia, but the emotional high of the wind seemed to take a bit too much out of the team. The road trip to the Visayas Islands saw the team get upset by the seventeenth ranked team, a loss that while close was deemed unacceptable by a lot the public here in the Empire. Perhaps the dominant style of victory the team had over the strongest oppositon in the group put a bit of a high bar to clear for the team with this team, especially with their publicly stated intentions of making it to the semifinals at least of the tournament. It apparently rattled some of the cages of the players to as there was apparently a team meeting the day before the team was set to take on Britonisea in Stormguard, a players only meeting that had been organized by captain Balder Hauge, looking to showcase the leadership that earned him the captaincy of this edition of the team with all of its high hopes.

"Listen guys, we can not simply allow that to stand, even if we were on the road against the third seed, we were not good enough myself included. We have to commit to coach Nags system if we are going to be one of the best teams in the world and live up to the moniker of Dragons and the history of success in sport that Valanora has. Everyone has to be committed on the defense end, no one should be walking back to get into position or taking a play off even if it is a turnover. We are all in this together and we are only as strongest as the weakest link in the team. If you are not giving your best effort, if you are not boxing out or running back to prevent an easy bucket then everything we are trying to do is put in to jeopardy. You are not just letting yourself down by not playing up to the standard that Nags expects from you, but you are letting each and every person on this team down as they are relying on you to give the same effort they are giving. That is how we win games against teams who might be stronger or taller than us, that is how we rattle the teams who think they can run up and down the court with us."

The rest of the team was nodding and giving approving looks as the captain was speaking to them. "I know I could have pulled down another two or three rebounds last game but I did not get the leverage I needed on those contested jumps. Maybe those two boards change the whole game, maybe they do not, but I can admit that I did not do enough. This is not just me calling out the rest of the team to do better, I know I can do better and we are going to have to with this marathon and unconventional format that this tournament is using. It is going to be a long, grueling first group stage to earn our way into the second one and we still have that road trip to Aphrilia to worry about in a few weeks. Right now we have to concentrate on simply doing better the next time out and then the next time after that. We are Dragons, every game for us we need to be giving championship effort, every visit by opponents to the Stormvalen needs to be a war that they are walking into, and every possession a battle that we will fight with blood, sweat, and tears to win for the cause. Britonisea is up next, let's give the hell!"

Whatever might have been said during that player's only meeting seemed to a light a fire under the team as they battled to a quick twelve to two lead in the first three minutes of the game, Malin Lien going three from three from the floor as the veteran guard was the recipient of some good passing moves from the Dragons. Malin Holm was showing wisdom beyond her age with her passing skills at the point position and kept finding open looks for the team on the offensive end, the team shooting sixty-two percent from the field for the game. It would be the point guard who would seal the game in the last two minutes of the game, shooting six from six from the charity stripe as the team maintained a ten point lead for most of the game and would end with the win in their last game of the first half of the first group stage against ranked opponents. With unranked Ophichus Region undefeated through three games though, it is clear that even those games could prove testy for the Dragons if they fail to play on the road as they have at home. A trip to Rushmore to take on Bohr will be a good sign to see if the Dragons will have taken true flight or are still trying to find the right updraft to rise to the occasion.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

Four Weddings and a Funeral

PART 3 - ALMA-ADA - The Drive

The following morning couldn't have come sooner for Ada-Alma, as the decision weighed down on her. The news of an incoming Bonneville Centre by-election, one that was to replace an outgoing Liberal incumbent, did present itself a rare opportunity that both Ada-Alma and especially the federal party couldn't ignore. Thirteen years on, her late father was still the most high-profile of a politician the Yoseo Tablelands, a mid-north region that's known for its agriculture, altitude and agrarian-conservatism, had produced. Whether it was going to be her or her younger siblings, who held even less of political inclination than her, Haneke name brand was going to be enough to swallow most liberal and some Moogoongwha votes to win.

Even then, however, she needed more confident advice. Alma felt that the encouragement she had gotten from outgoing Irene Kweon Binnington, who had earlier admitted she owed plenty from her late father for opting against a leadership campaign in 2056, wasn't enough. It could have been lip service, for what it's worth, and the fact both her and her mother tended to vote for liberals federally only added to how Alma-Ada had spent her time mostly away from politics. She wanted more assurance, from somebody more reliable.

'Took you a decade longer than needed,' Dr. Heo Dong-Soo asked his former student, Alma-Ada, as he sat on the front passenger seat of her grey Rykers-Rhyce Bodach. It was one that the 78-year-old lord President of the Privy Council would sometimes say to his students, especially those who were member of the Soongdeok Society's chapters at Queen's College and Universite St. Croix. Over the years, the list of his students would come to increase with known pupils such as the Queen and late Lord Lundrigan being best-known names, while his political influence too would grow with a former pupil of his in late 2030s, and PMs Arsene Pineau Kim and Lucien Azagury-Zovaco would seek advice from time to time. 'It's never good to see talents being wasted, especially not when you are so sure of them. Haven't I asked you to seriously consider the offer while Amos was around?'

This part, for what it's worth, was true. Amos, a Royal Navy veteran with degrees from Royal Naval Academy and Northwestern, didn't share much overlap on path with Dr. Heo, but the latter's earlier-life affiliation to the party was enough for him to receive advice, mostly on campaigning and practical governance. He didn't offer much advice, being a natural historian busy enough with his official duties above more ad-hoc ones, but Amos did find them useful enough to recommend her daughter later in life. 'You did,' she said, alluding to a possibility of working as then-PM Arsene Pineau Kim's staffer. 'Must have been my junior year.'

'Well, let's leave that behind for now and focus on the future,' Dr. Heo answered, as he looked outside the side window. They were somewhere in middle of the rural roads, almost near the halfway point of a circular one that touched past Bonneville Provincial Forest. 'Let's cut to the chase: Do you think you could win this byelection? At home, as opposed to running at Queensway and Swangard-Central?'

'Why wouldn't I run at home?' Alma-Ada answered, finding the question a bit of surprise. The question of running on what district was something that had not crossed her mind yet, but now there's a separate question that loomed above her that she didn't think about beforehand. 'I live in Prince Eric now, but I was born here, I grew up here, and my kids seem to love it here. Why wouldn't I, professor?'

'Because if you think that you are going to run here, win a seat, and then run back at Swangard or Queensway or another Prince Eric riding, I will tell you to not run,' Dr. Heo looked back at Alma-Ada. While his shades helped hiding the look in his eyes, the way his mouth moved suggested nothing less than a man whose seriousness permeated even the most casual of spaces. This aura, while making him a perfectly suitable individual for Royal Archives of Shingoryeo or St. Croix, was something that he had issues easing when with his family. 'As I've told this to Arsene Pineau Kim before, the decision comes down to the electorate, those who you wish to serve. They, more often than not, notice when the budding star is willing to run away from his fears by not running, because nobody wants to be slighted in this country. Do you understand that?'

'Of course, professor,' Alma-Ada answered. 'You always reminded us to respect those who we wish to serve. If anything, those were the words you said to me when I graduated the second time around.'

'Good,' Dr. Heo answered. The car had just turned around a corner, blowing past a row of leaves on the two-lane road. 'Because to bring your father's base back, you'll have to remember less of those out in Prince Eric and focus on those out here. People will be suspicious of your intent deciding to run at home. Some will suspect that's because the Mayor Surratt considered your mother a sister, some will suspect that to be an easy way into federal ambitions.'

'What do you mean?' Alma-Ada asked, as she slowed down her car. For next 500m, the rate of climb and descent was going to be smaller.

'You are in Bonneville, not Swangard County, young lady. You being friends with Lord Swangard and half the city's elite should matter as little as possible. Run your own campaign, run on Amos's little girl ready to carry on his legacy,' he said. 'You gotta think differently, live your own life here. Be your own independent.'

'I see,' she answered. 'Do you think they will appreciate me back after so long? The people I mean.'

'Why wouldn't they?' he said lightheartedly. A rare moment of optimism. 'The people here want hope, last I checked. And the people here need hope, even more than ever. 'I don't think you are that much different from Amos after all. I remember your father being equally nervous when he ran for provincial office. Those were the days when I still held the orange card, and not the red, keep in mind.'

The elderly man's switch from the Shinminjeon to the Shingoryeoite Liberals was, of course, quiet and natural. Those aware of the longtime personal relationship shared by Arsene Pineau Kim and his old mentor, whose doctoral supervisor was also Arsene's late father at St. Croix, understood why that happened. Even then, however, his long tenure there and a shaky relationship with Irene Kweon Binnington, whom he never got along well due to disagreements on various stances, had meant that his Shinminjeon ties were more familial than anything else.

The car kept driving, and upon seeing that there's a heavy hill above, she pressed the pedals heavily. 'Right as the bells rang, and everybody waited for the results at the Ramda Hotel, I had to tell him, Aline and James Surratt to shut the fuck up and dance because this city's going to turn orange!' A light chuckle followed.

[Quebec and Shingoryeo]

MD5/6 CUTOFF.

Group 1A:

MD5
Equestria (43) 63–73 Banija (7)
Indusse (61) 67–82 Quebec and Shingoryeo (2 - HOST)
Wayoutstan (UR) 82–85 Saterun (UR)
Chobotan (UR) 92–81 Gyaromia (UR)

Group 1A                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo                      4    4   0   338  261  +77     —   79–71  92–66   —    —    —    —    —    — 
 2 Banija                                     4    3   1   324  286  +38    —    —    —    —   102–68   —   78–76   —    — 
 3 Equestria                                  5    3   2   396  377  +19   —   63–73   —   98–71  85–76   —    —    —    — 
 4 Chobotan                                   4    3   1   325  317   +8     —    —    —    —    —    —    —   92–81  79–63
 5 Saterun                                    5    3   2   394  416  −22     —    —    —    —    —    —   91–83   —   74–64
 6 Wayoutstan                                 4    2   2   309  304   +5     —    —    —   75–83  82–85   —    —    —    — 
 7 Juvencus                                   4    1   3   304  325  −21    57–85   —    —    —    —    —    —   88–71   — 
 8 Gyaromia                                   5    1   4   370  415  −45     —    —   65–84   —    —   75–79   —    —    — 
 9 Indusse                                    5    0   5   327  386  −59  67–82   —    —    —    —   61–73   —   72–78   —

MD4
Saterun (UR) 61–82 Chobotan (UR)
Quebec and Shingoryeo (2 - HOST) 79–40 Wayoutstan (UR)
Banija (7) 85–66 Indusse (61)
Juvencus (23) 72–67 Equestria (43)

 # Group 1A                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Quebec and Shingoryeo                      5    5   0   417  301 +116   —   79–71   —   92–66   —    —   79–40   —    — 
 2 Banija                                     5    4   1   409  352  +57  —    —    —    —   102–68  78–76   —    —   85–66
 3 Chobotan                                   5    4   1   407  378  +29     —    —    —    —    —    —    —   92–81  79–63
 4 Equestria                                  6    3   3   463  449  +14   —   63–73  98–71   —   85–76   —    —    —    — 
 5 Saterun                                    6    3   3   455  498  −43   —    —   61–82   —    —   91–83   —    —   74–64
 6 Juvencus                                   5    2   3   376  392  −16  57–85   —    —   72–67   —    —    —   88–71   — 
 7 Wayoutstan                                 5    2   3   349  383  −34     —    —   75–83   —   82–85   —    —    —    — 
 8 Gyaromia                                   5    1   4   370  415  −45     —    —    —   65–84   —    —   75–79   —    — 
 9 Indusse                                    6    0   6   393  471  −78  67–82   —    —    —    —    —   61–73  72–78   —

Group 1B:

MD5
United States of Nova Calania (36) 84–83 Vaishnavaria (11)
Sea Peoples League (71) 58–101 Ko-oren (4)
Sporting Justices (UR) 78–93 Oriental of Rio de la Plata (UR)
Kaumann (UR) 73–86 Pritev (UR)

Group 1B                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Ko-oren                                    4    4   0   350  248 +102     —   83–57   —    —   80–68   —    —    —    — 
 2 United States of Nova Calania              5    4   1   402  365  +37   —    —    —    —   84–83   —   92–68  76–59   — 
 3 Sea Peoples League                         5    4   1   407  401   +6 58–101   —    —   78–67   —    —    —    —   100–83
 4 Pritev                                     5    3   2   371  384  −13     —   72–93   —    —    —    —    —    —   78–74
 5 Vaishnavaria                               4    2   2   322  310  +12     —    —    —    —    —   82–71   —   89–75   — 
 6 Abanhfleft                                 4    1   3   289  306  −17    65–86   —    —   66–68   —    —    —    —    — 
 7 Kaumann                                    4    1   3   283  317  −34     —    —   76–79  73–86   —    —    —    —    — 
 8 Oriental of Rio de la Plata                5    1   4   371  422  −51     —    —   74–92   —    —   70–87   —    —    — 
 9 Sporting Justices                          4    0   4   295  337  −42     —    —    —    —    —    —   60–66  78–93   —

MD6
Oriental of Rio de la Plata (UR) 83–97 Kaumann (UR)
Ko-oren (4) 97–56 Sporting Justices (UR)
Vaishnavaria (11) 72–71 Sea Peoples League (71)
Abanhfleft (16) 99–56 United States of Nova Calania (36)

 # Group 1B                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Ko-oren                                    5    5   0   447  304 +143   —    —   83–57  80–68   —    —    —    —   97–56
 2 Sea Peoples League                         6    4   2   478  473   +5 58–101   —    —    —   78–67   —    —    —   100–83
 3 United States of Nova Calania              6    4   2   458  464   −6   —    —    —   84–83   —    —   92–68  76–59   — 
 4 Vaishnavaria                               5    3   2   394  381  +13   —   72–71   —    —    —   82–71   —   89–75   — 
 5 Pritev                                     5    3   2   371  384  −13     —    —   72–93   —    —    —    —    —   78–74
 6 Abanhfleft                                 5    2   3   388  362  +26  65–86   —   99–56   —   66–68   —    —    —    — 
 7 Kaumann                                    5    2   3   380  400  −20     —   76–79   —    —   73–86   —    —    —    — 
 8 Oriental of Rio de la Plata                6    1   5   454  519  −65   —   74–92   —    —    —   70–87  83–97   —    — 
 9 Sporting Justices                          5    0   5   351  434  −83     —    —    —    —    —    —   60–66  78–93   —

Group 1C:

MD5
Kronbia (33) 86–77 New Umoja (12)
Warkus (UR) 75–67 Valentine Z (1)
Andso Mangis (UR) 71–88 The Kytler Peninsulae (UR)
Epicly Amazing Giraffes (UR) 76–67 JaoAA (UR)

Group 1C                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Warkus                                     5    5   0   425  387  +38   —    —   75–67   —    —   73–65   —    —   83–78
 2 The Kytler Peninsulae                      5    4   1   387  362  +25    92–95   —    —    —    —    —    —   72–70   — 
 3 Valentine Z                                4    3   1   328  300  +28     —    —    —    —   71–70   —   98–75   —    — 
 4 Epicly Amazing Giraffes                    4    3   1   334  321  +13    85–99   —    —    —    —   76–67   —    —    — 
 5 Kronbia                                    5    2   3   394  382  +12   —   66–71   —   90–95   —    —   86–77   —    — 
 6 JaoAA                                      5    2   3   360  379  −19     —    —    —    —   68–82   —    —    —   90–81
 7 New Umoja                                  4    1   3   281  315  −34     —   60–64   —    —    —    —    —   69–67   — 
 8 Golden Harp                                4    0   4   284  303  −19     —    —   80–92   —    —   67–70   —    —    — 
 9 Andso Mangis                               4    0   4   295  339  −44     —   71–88   —   65–78   —    —    —    —    —

MD6
The Kytler Peninsulae (UR) 93–58 Epicly Amazing Giraffes (UR)
Valentine Z (1) 82–66 Andso Mangis (UR)
New Umoja (12) 91–71 Warkus (UR)
Golden Harp (17) 88–64 Kronbia (33)

 # Group 1C                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 The Kytler Peninsulae                      6    5   1   480  420  +60   —   92–95   —   93–58   —    —    —   72–70   — 
 2 Warkus                                     6    5   1   496  478  +18   —    —   75–67   —    —    —   73–65   —   83–78
 3 Valentine Z                                5    4   1   410  366  +44   —    —    —    —   71–70  98–75   —    —   82–66
 4 Epicly Amazing Giraffes                    5    3   2   392  414  −22     —   85–99   —    —    —    —   76–67   —    — 
 5 Kronbia                                    6    2   4   458  470  −12  66–71   —    —   90–95   —   86–77   —    —    — 
 6 New Umoja                                  5    2   3   372  386  −14  60–64  91–71   —    —    —    —    —   69–67   — 
 7 JaoAA                                      5    2   3   360  379  −19     —    —    —    —   68–82   —    —    —   90–81
 8 Golden Harp                                5    1   4   372  367   +5   —    —   80–92   —   88–64   —   67–70   —    — 
 9 Andso Mangis                               5    0   5   361  421  −60    71–88   —    —   65–78   —    —    —    —    —

Group 1D:

MD5
Huelavia (51) 76–80 Tjun-ia (9)
Tumbra (UR) 82–74 Drawkland (6)
Asukalia (UR) 73–66 Foxterre (UR)
West Barrack and East Obama (UR) 62–69 Kalos Reigion2 (UR)

Group 1D                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Cardenao                                   4    4   0   317  259  +58     —    —    —    —    —   78–57  85–74   —    — 
 2 Tumbra                                     5    4   1   403  366  +37   —    —   65–60   —    —   82–78  82–74   —    — 
 3 Asukalia                                   4    3   1   315  249  +66     —    —    —    —   91–53   —    —    —   73–66
 4 Tjun-ia                                    4    3   1   285  273  +12    67–75   —    —    —    —    —    —    —   74–62
 5 West Barrack and East Obama                4    2   2   269  302  −33     —   76–74   —    —    —   62–69   —    —    — 
 6 Kalos Reigion2                             5    2   3   335  375  −40     —    —   65–91   —    —    —    —   66–62   — 
 7 Drawkland                                  4    1   3   302  294   +8     —    —    —   60–64   —    —    —   94–63   — 
 8 Huelavia                                   5    1   4   359  406  −47   —    —    —   76–80  68–78   —    —    —   90–88
 9 Foxterre                                   5    0   5   355  416  −61   61–79  78–100   —    —    —    —    —    —    —

MD6
Foxterre (UR) 68–62 West Barrack and East Obama (UR)
Drawkland (6) 66–52 Asukalia (UR)
Tjun-ia (9) 83–84 Tumbra (UR)
Cardenao (13) 96–79 Huelavia (51)

 # Group 1D                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Cardenao                                   5    5   0   413  338  +75   —    —    —    —   85–74   —   78–57   —   96–79
 2 Tumbra                                     6    5   1   487  449  +38   —    —   65–60   —   82–74   —   82–78   —    — 
 3 Asukalia                                   5    3   2   367  315  +52     —    —    —    —    —   91–53   —   73–66   — 
 4 Tjun-ia                                    5    3   2   368  357  +11  67–75  83–84   —    —    —    —    —   74–62   — 
 5 Drawkland                                  5    2   3   368  346  +22   —    —   66–52  60–64   —    —    —    —   94–63
 6 West Barrack and East Obama                5    2   3   331  370  −39     —   76–74   —    —    —    —   62–69   —    — 
 7 Kalos Reigion2                             5    2   3   335  375  −40     —    —   65–91   —    —    —    —    —   66–62
 8 Foxterre                                   6    1   5   423  478  −55 61–79  78–100   —    —    —   68–62   —    —    — 
 9 Huelavia                                   6    1   5   438  502  −64   —    —    —   76–80   —   68–78   —   90–88   —

Group 1E:

MD5
Britonisea (25) 74–90 Aphrilia (8)
Bohr (UR) 59–77 Valanora (3)
The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories (UR) 73–74 Riandera (UR)
Ophiuchus Region (UR) 75–67 New Eastern Canada (UR)

Group 1E                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Ophiuchus Region                           4    4   0   324  267  +57    —    —    —    —    —    —    —   75–67  102–75
 2 Visayas Islands                            4    3   1   331  276  +55     —    —   77–74   —    —    —    —   89–75   — 
 3 Valanora                                   4    3   1   315  263  +52     —    —    —   83–56   —    —   81–71   —    — 
 4 Aphrilia                                   4    3   1   298  286  +12     —   69–68   —    —   83–61   —    —    —    — 
 5 Riandera                                   5    3   2   372  390  −18     —   58–97   —    —    —    —    —    —   86–58
 6 The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories         4    1   3   297  305   −8    59–72   —    —    —   73–74   —    —    —    — 
 7 Britonisea                                 5    1   4   372  408  −36  66–75   —    —   74–90  79–93   —    —    —    — 
 8 New Eastern Canada                         5    1   4   377  420  −43     —    —    —    —    —   83–92  69–82   —    — 
 9 Bohr                                       5    1   4   350  421  −71   —    —   59–77   —    —   76–73   —   82–83   —

MD6
Riandera (UR) 78–81 Ophiuchus Region (UR)
Valanora (3) 68–52 The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories (UR)
Aphrilia (8) 79–77 Bohr (UR)
Visayas Islands (17) 88–70 Britonisea (25)

 # Group 1E                                 Pld    W   L    PF   PA   PD                                                    
 1 Ophiuchus Region                           5    5   0   405  345  +60    —    —    —    —    —    —   75–67   —   102–75
 2 Visayas Islands                            5    4   1   419  346  +73   —    —   77–74   —    —    —   89–75  88–70   — 
 3 Valanora                                   5    4   1   383  315  +68   —    —    —   83–56   —   68–52   —   81–71   — 
 4 Aphrilia                                   5    4   1   377  363  +14   —   69–68   —    —   83–61   —    —    —   79–77
 5 Riandera                                   6    3   3   450  471  −21  78–81  58–97   —    —    —    —    —    —   86–58
 6 The Enqab Archipelago Laboratories         5    1   4   349  373  −24    59–72   —    —    —   73–74   —    —    —    — 
 7 New Eastern Canada                         5    1   4   377  420  −43     —    —    —    —    —   83–92   —   69–82   — 
 8 Britonisea                                 6    1   5   442  496  −54  66–75   —    —   74–90  79–93   —    —    —    — 
 9 Bohr                                       6    1   5   427  500  −73   —    —   59–77   —    —   76–73  82–83   —    —

[Valentine Z]

Part 4 [3] – Close calls and losses. // The Legend of the Rapid Flintlock: If it fires rapidly, was it nothing more than a modern pistol?

Chief Aviator Eveline Gwen Tracer Hepburn “Fate of Existence and the Omniverse” Ellen Trixie Caitlin Foxworthy Avril Verlene Celinda Sammy Doris T-Rev Oxton Arielle Lindall Leslie Vitesse Allison gave herself 20 minutes before waking up and coming back to her senses. Her eyes slowly opened up to the sight of a contingent of men, looking at her with a mixture of awe and caution. While they are still wearing an assortment of pirate outfits, one thing she immediately caught on was that they were at least relatively shaven, and clean. “Ye’re a long way from whichever hole you live in, lass,” one of them piped up with a grunt. “Your blue metal plate, it be unlike anything we’ve seen.” Eveline slowly nodded, making sure that whatever she said next would not get her into trouble. After a few seconds, she started off slowly, “Ahhh, yes. I am not from around here, actually. I am from, some other part of the world!”

That resulted in her having swords and other weapons drawn and pointed against her. Eveline was shocked for a total of one second before composing herself. “I knew it! Inglatera. You be sent to watch on us, lass? You can tell yer boss that we’re not going to submit to you lot!” That name of the place, it was a little familiar. “England?” she thought to herself, “Right, the British Empire. At least, their version of it.” Acknowledging that matter-of-fact, she then pretended to choke out a couple more words, “Hey hey, wait! I am not with those people. Err… those landlubbers and dirty rats, I was running away from them as well.” They looked at each other for a little bit more once again, followed by some murmurs. “Arr… well, yer plate armor be somethin' we’ve not set our eyes on afore. You did not look like an Inglatera navy dog for sure.” The eyes, Eveline thought. They are relatively normal pairs of normal eyes, it is not that they are some creatures in disguise. Rather, they have been studying her, watching intensely with weapons gripped in their hands as they wondered who or what exactly is she, and whether or not she might be threat to them all. Eveline relished in the moment, giving a small smirk as she looked around. “Well, so I will take it that you are not going to kill me,” she voiced out. “We barely knew ye, it would be a waste. But ahh, you better talk fast.”

Standing up by herself, Eveline was lead to the nearby cavern, her hands still bounded by the thick ropes and with four men walking together with her. They didn’t have an idea of who the lass is, but they are certain as all hell that she is going to be a dangerous one if left to her own devices. In a way, they are correct, but such scenarios and events are extremely reliant on the volatile nature of Eveline. In this case, they are particularly lucky that Eveline has ran out of the drive to show off her power in the most destructive of manners, and instead she is content with letting such adventures play through; if she did use her powers, then mostly it’s none the wiser. She walked slowly and carefully towards the cavern, much to her being watched by everyone around. Her suit of armor complemented her height – both of which contributed to the whole lot of them quizzing about on who she was, and what she wants.

The cavern was cold and humid, droplets of water erratically dripping from its ceiling. There are fire torches lining the walls on a regular interval, a definite indication of this being used as some sort of a base and hideout. This was further amplified as Eveline soon heard voices coming from a distance. Suddenly, one of them stopped talking and then shouted out, “Oi, that be d’ lass?” “Aye, sir!” one of the four men around Eveline shouted. Eveline, in her usual mood, joked at the man’s expense, “Sir? Don’t you mean captain?” With a tsk from a man behind, Eveline was shoved hard from the back – or she would have, had the guy not slightly hurt his arms from the heaviness. “Heyy!” she exclaimed and turned around at the man rubbing his arm, “Yeah, don’t do that.” Few more seconds passed, and they soon stopped, in turn signaling Eveline to do so as well. “Inglatera-sounding lass, sir,” another man spoke out.

“Of course, I heard of her making a wave. You may all go. Leave the lass to me,” the somewhat gruff voice replied back, to which the men then walked back out to the exit. As Eveline made her way to the end of the cavern, she saw what is effectively a typical lounging for a pirate captain. Desks placed haphazardly with tools and weapons on them, a treasure chest or two, and a hammock that was slacked between junk. In the middle of it was a man – pretty clean-shaven, and certainly does not smell that bad. As he finished a piece of what appeared to be a prawn from his plate, he shifted his gaze at Eveline with quite an intensity. Still, he neither has his pistols nor his sword at ready. Indeed, it seems like he was more curious than any burning desire to kill her. “Sit down, lass,” he partially commanded, to which Eveline sat down. “Ye don’t seem like trouble kind – just fir now. Let’s start with a name first, lassy.”

“Eveline,” she said simply, “I believe that is all I would like to say – other than that, yes, I am not going to stab you in the back, and I am not with the Bri- Inglatera Empire. Is that the place? It’s been so long, sorry.”

“That be more than enough for now. Long as you are not with them. You picked up their tongue, however.”

“I grew up in one of their territories.”

”Which it might be?”

“Can’t remember. It’s been so long for me.”

“You are not saying much. But again – I did say your name do be enough. Allow me to introduce myself – Sir Ivo, lost 84th Expedition.”

“Not captain?”

“No. We be a little bit more than those thugs.”

“Right, so you are not pirates, that’s quite interesting. But you have something against the Inglatera as well. You are like, an expedition force that broke up?”

“Perceptive, Lass Eeveelin,” the man chuckled, downing his beverage before fixating his eyes back onto her, “Yes – we set sail to seek something only told in hushed legends and fables. Or the raving words of lunatics, if those dogs are hounding constantly at you. It goes like so: We in this era of flintlocks and muskets, know to carry many of them because you can’t be loading them up in a fight. The enemy will give you no quarter or rest to do so. That, is how it be. However, there are tales of a distant land, with weaponry that we have never seen before. There be the usual plinky plonky treasures as well, but we are more interested in the legend of weapons. The one that is called: The Legend of the Rapid Flintlock. It truly is a marvel of ingenuity; instead of having to load it every time it fires, you can put multiple charges in it. Can’t you see, lass? A single one of it – if the legends are true, can change a lot!”

“So – what are you saying?”

“Eveline, me lass… would you like to set sail on an adventure with us? I know we sound too trusting of a new sea mate such as yerself, but if the fables are true…”

With a bright and happy smile, she gave a little wink followed by a swing of her arm. “Count me in, Sir Ivo!”

<< RWD | FF >>

---

The close call that we have had against Kronbia already had us on edge, but now at the 5th and 6th Matchdays, we got defeated! Ahh, there goes our goal of wanting a perfect qualification, but the consolation is that there’re a lot of other teams who are also more or less suffering the same fate. Unknown teams just tearing us apart, as in the ones that are new to this international event, simply winning against the long-time veterans. Of course, as always, unknown does NOT necessarily mean that they have no idea about the sports itself. After all, if they are a national team, that means it is the best of the best. Their domestics very well could have been some of the most grueling things to have ever existed, or that they have even done unkind things to the teams that have lost. Hey – it’s not all the time that they treated their teams with dignity. Sometimes they even get killed in some systems! Not saying that the ones in this IBC competition are doing it, I’m just sharing my own personal experience. Either way, we will simply practice a little bit more and yeah, the URs are the ones we will have to deal with. If you know an opponent, you have a much better chance. The ones that are the unknowns are the ones that will either turn out to be the new underdogs… or the ones that we can- well, we can get a free pass upon them. I hope this IBC will be good to us.

[Visayas Islands]

---

HOPES STILL ALIVE AS THE BLUE SUNS WON OVER BRITONISEA
Iloilo City, Metropolitan District

After a narrow defeat to Aphrilia, Ortega and the boys are taking a plan to take out the Britonisean team at home to revive their hopes up to go to Quebec and Shingoryeo. "Even though we're still at the top 4, we worry about getting out already but we still have plans to revive our hopes up.", says Ebana, about the situation the team is in. The Blue Suns of basketball trained hard to maintain their top 4 position to go to Shingoryeo. And it's time for them to prove it in front of the home crowd. The Diarra-Ebana duo took out the Britonisean defense to get their game up with some lethal 3s from Nobuhara and some of Mondragón and the captain Belmonte. But Galarza came in after Ebana starting for the first time and proved his defensive efforts are "not that weak as before", and then he did to keep up the score until it's now 88-70. The boys celebrated the win with the patriotic ballad with the fans and the barra bravas. "It's a relief that we've won again after losing to Aphrilia.", says Ortega. "But we still have hopes to go to the World Cup against 3 nations left." The basketballing Blue Suns will face Bohr away, Enqab Archipelago Services, and lastly Ophiuchus Region, both home and away. Will the Blue Suns of Visayan basketball could conquer these nations and go to the next round to prove that they're worth it?

[Tumbra]

ELECTION 2044: Elections Tumbra launches how-to-vote TV ads in six languages

STRATON: In the lead-up to the 2044 elections, the Federal Elections Department (also known as Elections Tumbra) has decided to reach voters across Tumbra through the medium of television to inform voters of how to vote. The upcoming nationwide elections will see voters at polling stations be handed up to four voting slips, which Chairman Amanda Moss has acknowledged "is quite a lot of information for voters to be processing at once."

To address this, Elections Tumbra has announced that it will be airing advertisments on television every hour on most free-to-air channels in Tumbra to advise voters on how to vote. Narrating the English version — and playing the role of a voter in the ad — will be television actor Dane Hewlett-Smith, who plays Sergeant Will Townley on the TBC police procedural Cloverdale Ten-Four. Hewlett-Smith, 40, said he was "extremely happy" to help in the role at a press conference. "Doing an ad like this, to me, is part of my civic duty. If I can help even one voter become less confused as to which voting slip goes into which box at the polling booth, then I think we've all done our job."

The three-minute long advertisment covers a variety of topics, including what voters need to bring to their polling booth, what the various voting papers are actually for, and early voting arrangements, which have been heavily pushed by Elections Tumbra after voting hours were shortened to twelve hours from the previous fourteen. Polling booths on Election Day will be open from 8am to 8pm, instead of 8am to 10pm.

Hewlett-Smith was not the only actor at the press conference. Chairman Amanda Moss also announced that the advertisement was also produced in five other languages, noting that nearly a bit more than a seventh of Tumbran households do not speak English at home. Versions of the How To Vote advertisement will also be produced in Licentian Dutch (starring respected thespian Henri Rasenberg), Juven (with actress Sally Bianchi), Yue (with actress Marie Jin), Shingoryeoite (with singer Jenny Kwon), and Riennese (with comedian Josh Asakawa). The non-English versions of the advertisements will be broadcast on the National Broadcasting Network, the other free-to-air broadcasting network in Tumbra that specialises in non-English content.

Surprise Red Wolves Run In International Basketball Tournament Draws Crowds

With the country's World Cup love-in officially over — marked by a quick departure from the ranks of the World Cup Committee over exorbitant member's fees — the dearth of international sporting competition has seen Tumbrans shift their interest to other sports where relationships with international governing bodies aren't as fraught with complications and mutual dislike. One of these sports has been basketball, where a shift in interest has been generated by a surprisingly good run from the national team, also known as the Red Wolves, in the 42nd International Basketball Championship (IBC).

"We're very happy at the level of attention our run has received," said point guard Ennis Fox after the game against TJUN-ia, in which small forward Chris Way hit a three-point buzzer-beater from the halfway line to come out on top against the United Nations at their arena. "Ah, we've been told that the remainder of our home games are close to selling out, especially after our start in the tournament. Beating countries like Drawkland and this, the Tjun-ians, it's above what we well expected, and we're very happy to be here."

Tumbra's previous foray into the competition, in the 36th edition of the IBC, saw a surprise round-of-24 appearance in a group containing Drawkland and Nephara. The same man, Vernon Howard, was at the helm of that team as well. "We're certainly getting along a lot better than we did last time out, I reckon," the Red Wolves' coach said in a doorstop interview conducted at Straton International Airport. "This year's run was only possible because of increased funding we're getting." The decision by the Tumbran Football Federation to pull out of the World Cup Committee permanently has meant that the federal Ministry of Culture and Communication has spread funding more evenly throughout the various sports, allowing for lesser-funded national teams to attempt runs in top-level international tournaments more often.

Interest in basketball in Tumbra has picked up as a result of the Red Wolves' surprise run in the IBC, with lessons conducted at neighbourhood community centres seeing increased enrolment rates. Straton-based basketball coach Malcolm Glastonbury, himself a former basketball player in the semi-professional Tumbran National Basketball League, said in an interview with Buzzer Beater that he's "very happy" to see his sport gain traction in the country, and that he's had to add an additional Sunday class to keep up with demand. "I worry that it's seasonal, that after the IBC ends it'll go away — but with more equitable federal funding for more sports, I can see us try to become regulars in this tournament."

[Ko-oren]

Basketball
Season 6/30

Results

First of all, there's the usual story about how to read a table involving 48 teams, some of which are from the same city and have nicknames that sound very alike. Every team is - semi-officially - in a geographic division (central, southeast, west, north, east - about 8 to 10 teams per division) and - very unofficially - in an affiliation (Originals, Guardians, Vanguards, Gilded, Challengers, Prospectors, Mavericks, Pioneers - exactly 6 teams per group). What's important to know is that divisions only roughly tell you where a team is located, but the affiliation tells you in more detail what kind of team you're dealing with.

The Originals and Guardians are (supposed to be) title contenders most years. They have the funds and the fanbase to attract the best players from the other six groups, and it takes a very headstrong player (and a team that's willing to give out a contract that's a little above responsible finances) to stay at a club below it. That means that the twelve combined teams of these two affiliations tend to have some squad turnover whenever the rest of Ko-oren produces a decent player. For fans, it means that your favourite rivalries are with the teams that are in your division and in your affiliation - teams close by and with similar aspirations and quality to yours. That also means that these teams float up and find each other in the playoffs more often as well, only adding to the vitriol. What's more is that these twelve teams are nearly all in the Central and Southeast divisions.

A step below are the Vanguards and the Gilded. These teams have the funds, or the fanbase, and in rare cases both, to hold on to one or two star players and fill the rest of the roster with replacement level players, unproven talents, and so on. These teams can hang with the greats on their good days, with the right coach and vision, but in a bad year, things can get ugly. That said, it's these twelve teams that benefit the most from growing budgets, attendances, and exposure: these are the teams that saw the biggest increase in each. The Originals and Guardians already had it all, and the teams below still struggle to hold on. And so the Vanguards and the Gilded are quietly building teams that rely on a single star player less and less.

Below that are the Challengers, Prospectors, Mavericks, and Pioneers. Some split these into two groups, but to any fan of one of the 'top 24' teams, these four groups are near indistinguishable. These are the teams from places where basketball's still a smaller sport, or where they haven't been lucky to land a national team-tier player, or where owners just don't give a rat's behind. That doesn't mean these teams are universally bad, but they do tend to make up 90% of the non-playoff teams - hard to do, in a field where half the teams make it to the postseason.

Postseason, while we're at it, is a strange place. There is a short-ish 47-game regular season, after which half of the teams play 7 more games, and it's those games that land every team in their knockout spot. It's basically a second group stage. The top eight teams (Elite Tier) play their seven games among themselves and they will all receive a bye - but they will receive their seeding for the rest of the knockouts so you can't sit these games out. The next eight (Premier Tier) play for two byes, with the rest receiving various places in the play-in tournament, and the next eight (Challenge Tier) fight for just four play-in tickets.

Regular season

So where did the regular top 12 teams end up? Well, they populated seven of the top eight spots, for one. The Banshees, Diamonds, Silvers, Tazers, Lions, Blues, and the Energie. The five teams that didn't end up in the Elite Tier? The Snipers, Castles, Argonauts, Centurions, and the Sapphires. That's a pretty fast way to sum up the first 47 games - usually. Normally it suffices to just say where those twelve ended up and you've pretty much summarised the entire thing. And hey, seven of the top eight spots still went to these silver spooned clubs? Where's the catch?

Well... the team in first were the Katashi Asahi.

They already weren't ignored in the preseason standings, with guard Kazusa Jorasen leading the charge, but all in all not a team to be slept on, with one of the forwards being Albrecht Heidedal. The Asahi had shelled out good money to keep both on board - they could've gone to a number of teams, if they wanted, with the Centurions, Sapphires, Snipers all actively looking for their services and a few more teams definitely not passing up the chance to put either under contract. And yet, they believed in what the Asahi were building, and they contributed more than their fair share, to the tune of 37 wins and 10 losses, one win clear of the next best teams.

And so it's happened. For the first time in these six seasons, a team not from the 'old boys' network' has burst through the glass ceiling. Not a team from the Originals or Guardians, not a team from the Central or Southeast division. No, the humble Eastern division, from the Vanguards, the Asahi got things done.

Of the five big teams unaccounted for, two appear in our second tier - the Premier Tier - which would be the Snipers and Castles. For the Snipers, it seems to be just an unlucky streak given they were projected top five at first, but fluctuations of 3, 4, or even 5 spots isn't unheard of, actually, it's quite normal. The Castles were projected to go around eighth, so ninth and a spot in the Premier Tier rather than the Elite Tier isn't too crazy.

The three remaining teams? The Argonauts were 22nd and as such get a chance in the postseason, not with a great shot, but they will be at the table somewhere. The other two... didn't make the postseason. If you wanted another argument to support that the big old twelve don't run this joint anymore? If you had said that two clubs wouldn't make the postseason at all as recently as three years ago, you'd be laughed out of the room. And yet, the Centurions finished 26th, one win (and a few points) short of 24th, and the Sapphires got a dreadful 21-26. Still good for 31st - that's in the top two-thirds - but for a team of their size and standing, it's not just 'failing to match the expectations', it's full on crashing through the floor and then keeping the gravity going for a few more minutes. It's bad.

That said, if you wanted to pin any big teams for missing the postseason, it most likely would've been them. The Sapphires entered the season at 15th, the Centurions at 11th, which suggests that realistically you should be able to secure something in the top 24, but once you're beyond the contenders (Diamonds and Tazers, for this season), that's just how close things have gotten.

Some teams that usually don't generate hype but have reason for optimism anyway: Willowbourne Centrals (12th), Idyllwild Circle (13th), Arakura Tower (14th), three teams that have been building towards something good for a while. The Arakura Tower once looked like the best team from the East, but then Asahi came along.

For every team overperforming there's a team underperforming: the Vurusen Floramancers looked like regular postseason candidates but they sunk to 28th at 22-25. Anarcourt Railway thought they could do something too, and then towards the bottom we find pretty much the entire Northern division: Straudum, Sterrenwolde (twice), Rozenvoorde, Laringen, and one of the Schemerdrecht teams.

[Warkus]

OOC: The image is AI generated.

uh, editors? is this fixable?
Siôr I (did you know we beat valentine z the other day!?)

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Siôr I ‘Tha Balla’

Portrait of this huge W

King of the IBC

Reign: right now!!
Predecessor: valentine z (womp womp)
Successor: no one
Born: ibc 42
arwr arena in new nyaky baybeee!
Died: never!!
Spouse: the game, he's married to the game
Issue: we’re everyone’s daddy now
House: the arwr arena

Siôr I (‘tha balla’) was King of the IBC and King of Dunking on Y’all from IBC 42 to forever.
Siôr was some guy from Warkus, the nation that just beat the number 1 ranked IBC side Valentine Z, which makes us the real number 1! He was proclaimed tha most balla guy to ever live when he dunked on those super tall ballas from Valentinze Z in the 5th matchday of IBC 42.

He was born in the game, he was moulded by the game, he was married to the game. He was really, really good at basketball. It is rumoured that he was a sick child, as in he was really sick at scoring three-pointers. He was close to his mother in his childhood and was able to spend a lot of time dunking on n00bs with her when she became the illest in the late 1720s. Following his mother's death from complications related to dunking on y'all too hard,

In the early years of his reign, he was known to travel frequently and shoot hoops with his dad Llywelyn VII. Llywelyn had effectively been ruling both sides of the basketball court by the time Siôr was permitted to rule on his own and it was unclear whether he was would be made the heir apparent to tha west sideee or whether his sister Anne would become a baller too. Anne, however, was largely uninterested in ruling and instead

blah blah blah blah blah who cares about this history stuff bro, you're here cos we, an unranked side, just beat the number 1 ranked team in the world! yeah, they didn't win the final in the last IBC but who cares man, we're basically the best team ever!! let us have this gargantuan W!

did y'all see ffion magnussen's three-pointers? and her indomitable defence? isabella koxlyn's unyielding attack? gareth eriksen bossing as the centre? we're so back, we're more back than we've ever been before. the only historical fact you need to know is that this is the day that warkus's golden era of basketball begun. fear us.

WAR ULTRAS 4 LYF

[Banija]

Lions off to a strong 4-1 start as they are 1/3^rd of the way through the opening group stage at IBC 42

MYNDA, AKSUM- "IBC 41, largely, was a disappointment in Ranoria. But that is firmly behind us- this is a new team, in a new year, chasing goals that are all our own. We are our own team, and this year we firmly intend on forging our own legacy." Those were the strong words of the head coach, Sadio Bartaba, after Banija's MD2 loss against the host and tournament favorites, Quebec & Shingoyreo. It was, all in all, a solid game in what was an extemely difficult matchup- a road game in Quebec. The team largely played decently well, keeping the margins razor-thin for the first three quarters, before les Quebecois pulled away in the fourth quarter for an 8 point win. And with Banija winning its others games so far, they seem well on their way to reaching the second group stage- which is the primary goal of the first group stage. They need to be top 4 in this group of 9, and so far, this team is well on its way to that point.

Let's talk about their last three games, and then, their stretch of upcoming ones- their next 4 are against unranked teams, so a great time to officially turn this group into a two horse race, between the Commonwealth duo, for who will finish on top.

MD4: Banija (7) 78–76 Juvencus (23)

The Lions, fresh off of a MD3 bye, welcomed a rising Juvencus team into town. Hailing from Sonnel, they are a nation that is budding in a few sports- becoming a legitimate contender to win the World Cup in soccer, and fast rising in a number of other sports as well, including basketball. While Banija were 7.5 point favorites, many thought that number was ludicrous, a line infused with homerism- and those fans were correct. It was a tight, back and forth battle the entire game. Both teams went after each other, battled physically in a slow paced game that relied a lot on good coaching, and great execution.

On the offensive end, it was Uchea who the most consistent player- scoring 25 on the night to lead all scorers. But the team relied significantly on bench contributions- with Malkom Yrisuéniho(11 points & 4 assists), as well as Mori Bitalo(14 points) both contributing significantly in place of some struggling starters. Ultimately, this gaem came down to the final possesion, when Juvencus got a stop, and a rebound, to get the ball down 2, with just 7 seconds left. But the Banijan defense stepped up tremendously there. Juvencus went to their starman, Xavier Iniesta- and Uchea, with help from Danjuma, trapped him in the corner. He tried to heave a pass to a open man across the court, but it was tipped by Mori Bitalo, and ultimately Juvencus could not get a shot off before the final buzzer.

A close, exciting game- and ultimately, a win for team Banija, to get this squad to 2-1 in the group. A good way to respond to the bye. And the battles kept ramping up, as a battle for 2nd was next, between Banija and Equestria- who each only had 1 loss so far.

MD5: Equestria (43) 63–73 Banija (7)

Making the short trip to Canterlot, Banija wanted to take the game to the Equestrians- which they did so, in style. Not in style as the Banijans blew them away, as that did not happen by any means- but the Lions picked up their first road win of the campaign in good fashion, with an elite defensive performance to beat Equestria by 10, 73-63. The game wasn't really in doubt after the first quarter- a 16-15 game after one was blown wide open in the second quarter, where a 12-0 Banijan run sparked a large 41-28 halftime lead. The closest the game woud get after that was a 6 point Banijan lead, as the Lions simply outclassed their hosts. It was very much a push the pace kind of game, where they forced a lot of turnovers to get into the fast break.

Diango Telly led all scorers with 19 points, while Uchea(16), Kayode(10 off the bench), and Danjuma(12) were also double digit point scorers for the Banijans. It was an important game, showing the gulf in class between Banija and the non-Quebecois members of the group.

MD6: Banija (7) 85–66 Indusse (61)

Another struggling opponent- and another dominating win by Banija. It's been an IBC from hell for Indusse so far- as they find themselves all alone, at the bottom of the table in Group A, entering this matchup with an 0-5 record. The Lions surely were not going to be the team that allowed them to notch one in the win column for the first time, as the team came out like gangbusters in the first half. They led by as much as 27 points in the third quarter, as the starters took the entire fourth quarter off, while the Banijans settled for a 19 point win.

Not much to write about- we pounded an 0-6 team that's already counting down the days until MD18. So let's look at Banija's upcoming games.

Upcoming games
Matchday 7: Wayoutstan (UR) v Banija (7). Opponent current group record and position: 2-3. 7th.
Matchday 8: Banija (7) v Chobotan (UR). Opponent current group record and position: 4-1. 3rd.
Matchday 9: Gyaromia (UR) v Banija (7). Opponent current group record and position: 1-4. 8th.
Matchday 10: Saterun (UR) v Banija (7). Opponent current group record and position: 3-3. 5th.

Going into the tournament, this looked to be the softest portion of Banija's schedule. Four unranked opponents in a row, should be four straightforward wins, right? Well... Not exactly. New team and all, but many people remembered Banija's struggles against unranked opponents last cycle. And while we beat the brakes off of Saterun on MD1, that's just one game. So nothing can be taken for granted. Especially since 3 of these 4 games are on the road.

The most challenging, surely, is the home game- Chobotan's trip to Sisonke on MD8. They are punching well above their weight, sitting level with Banija in the group, as both teams are 4-1. "They've done a lot well so far, and they've got the second group stage in their sights." Bartaba, the HC, told reporters. "Considering both of our records, and spot in the group, it's a huge game- and we expect the home crowd at EvEv.tmb arena to be absolutely bumping. There's no such thing as an easy win at this level, and winning here will be important in our goal to give ourselves the best possible positioning for the second group stage- when the margin of error suddenly becomes far less forgiving."

Banija will be big favorites in both Wayoutstan and Gyaromia, while Saterun will be an interesting one on MD10. "Saterun have recovered nicely from that opening loss, as they are now .500 and sit right in the thick of the race for the KO stages. Plus, they're looking for revenge- they could be a desperate team then, which makes them dangerous." Said a Banijan TV analyst. "Expect them to be a particular challenge for the Banijans."

All said and done, however, the Banijans are building themselves some wiggle- currently two games ahead of fourth place, continued wins build thicker cushions, which will allow them to turn their eyes towards the second group stage sooner.

[TJUN-ia]

After a bye led all the way to a defeat at home, the Hoops-Jaguars of TJUN-ia were 2-1 on the campaign...but certainly not worrying at this point. Sure, taking an L in our second home game and third game overall wasn't exactly fun, but that defeat was in game 3 of 16 against the #13 side in the IBC Rankings. It sucks to lose that one, but Bao Zhou knew it wasn't a bad loss at all. We just had to pick ourselves up and move on, because we still had 13 games to go and plenty of time to rebound. There was no crisis to talk about...so let's talk about basketball.

Up first, a road trip to #51HUElavia in a game that many expected us to win...but the margin would end up being the cause for concern. Now HUElavia are a good team, that cannnot be denied, and Mohammad Al Rayyan was certainly busy on defense, but we still managed to pull away with the win...by 4 points, 80-76. Not as good as some might expect, but a win is a win.

Then it was time to bring some light back to home territory as The Red Wolves of Tumbra, an unranked team, were our next opponent. "Tumbra" and "unranked" being in the same sentence was weird to say and while Samantha Naylor wanted to take full advantage of this rare opportunity to get a good win on the board, that simply did not happen. Instead, Jim Hawkins shut us the fuck down and Patrick O'Rourke hit the winner with 3 seconds on the clock. 83-84, we are now 3-2.

Yikes. But calm down, we still have time. Asukalia and West Barack and East Obama, hoping for better there.
GO HOOPS-JAGS!

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SCHEDULE (Group 1D)
MD1: vs Foxterre (UR) - Unity Centre, Riverside W 74-62 (1-0)
MD2: @Drawkland (6) W 64-60 (2nd/2-0)
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD3: BYE (2nd)
MD4: vs Cardenao (13) - Unity Centre, Riverside L 67-75 (4th/2-1)
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD5: @HUElavia (51) W 80-76 (4th/3-1)
MD6: vs Tumbra (UR) - Unity Centre, Riverside L 83-84 (4th/3-2)
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD7: @Asukalia (UR)
MD8: vs West Barack and East Obama (UR) - Unity Centre, Riverside
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD9: @Kalos reigion2 (UR)
MD10: @Foxterre (UR)
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD11: vs Drawkland (6) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington
MD12: BYE
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD13: @Cardenao (13)
MD14: vs HUElavia (51) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD15: @Tumbra (UR) - Straton Indoor Stadium, Straton
MD16: vs Asukalia (UR) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington
-----------------------------DROP IT DOWN!-----------------------------
MD17: @West Barack and East Obama (UR)
MD18: vs Kalos reigion2 (UR) - Liberty Arena in The Gardens, New Washington