Megatron Basketball

2006-12-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

It's official!

The two contenders that will battle for the DVBA's ultimate prize have finally been decided. Megatron who finished on top of the regular season standings will play the fourth seeded T.H.E.M, who after a hard fought first round win over league heavies Pet's Paradise, were grated a reprieve from a semi final bout with the Plenty Hornets.

Unbeknown to the rest of league the Hornets have been under a private investigation from league officials for the past few months and while no official statement has been issued the Hornets have been fined by the DVBA for an undisclosed amount, but which onlookers suspect is due to the allegations of unregistered players and name changes, which surfaced this past June.

While the Megatron team has only faced two games this season where the score-line was below 10 points, the front office for the club has been anything but arrogant about their chances of victory this Sunday as Megatron G.M. Ryan McKenzie candidly told the press this morning that:

"We've had a great year. We've rarely fallen behind in a game and stayed confident throughout all of the controversies we've faced, but the team we're playing this coming week is a new obstacle all together...beside the pressures of playing in a game like this and the weight that the media has put on us all year to 3-peat, we're still to play our toughest game and even toughest opponent."

If you look back to that first game you'll immediately notice the reference made by Mr. McKenzie. In that game T.H.E.M. were harboring a greatly depleted roster as three of their starting five were out due to injury; and after the dog fight they survived in the first round T.H.E.M. is a team hungry for their first title.

Wherever your allegiances fall, Sunday is set to be fast paced game, which may only be decided by the will of the players on the court. Tickets went on sale this morning and are selling fast, so be sure to get yours while you still can.

2006-11-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

Record breaking and some inflamed appendix...

After staying vigilant in their silence for over a week now, the executives of Megatron Basketball finally lifted the veil from Viking Stadium today. What many anticipated to be a celebratory press conference by Megatron GM Ryan McKenzie for breaking the DVBA record for consecutive wins, turned out to be anything but. Onlookers and fans alike assumed that Mr. McKenzie’s closing of Viking Stadium over the last few days could be attributed to his unorthodox management method, a theory not all too far fetched given the GMs history. However, the President of the league’s most successful team began his statement with a socking revelation:

“While I’m sure you all are expecting me to gloat about my team’s record breaking efforts on Sunday night, I have some rather bad news to report…Mark Hewitt will sit out the remainder of the season.”

Asking the media to wait until the end of his statement in the wake of a barrage of questions, the GM continued to explain that Mark, who averaged 18.1 points per game for the 2006 season, had suffered an abrupt inflammation of the appendix and had to be rushed to hospital on Saturday night. Despite the success of the surgery, the GM further explained:

“Mark will be unable to continue the rest of the season; and with one game left before the Playoffs begin this is indeed a staggering blow to the franchise. However, while Mark will not be able to contribute on the court, I have asked as a personal favor to me that he take over the reigns as Head Coach. A position he has thankfully accepted and will hold as the play for their twentieth striaght victory on Sunday.”

When asked if the loss of his starting guard would greatly influence his chances on winning a third the title, the GM responded by stating that this week's coming game would be the greatest test his team has faced all season, as players Shannon 'the cannon' Sullivan and the McKenzie brothers would miss the bout, leaving Mark to further the winning streak while running with only four players, and if they could get past this hump the championship would be as good as won.

Already secured in the number one seed for the upcoming playoffs, this revalation will certainly have all eyes fixed on Viking Stadium for the last game of the season this week.

2006-11-16T02:11:00.000-08:00

Silence at Viking Stadium

After weeks of relative inactivity, with Megatron coasting to a string of uneventful victories, it seems something is brewing within the walls of Viking Stadium.

Neil McKie, a long time fan of Megatron basketball and co-founder of the team's official fan club The Viking Stadium Berserkers, informed the media this afternoon that several members of his fellowship were denied entry to view the team’s scheduled training, a ritual that has generally been open to fans and the Press alike.

Among the rejected was seven-year-old super fan Jimmy Olsen, who, after recently recovering from appendix surgery, flew 3,000 miles to watch his favorite team in action. Jimmy told our sources that he was disappointed that his team wasn’t there and hoped dearly to get a glimpse of his favorite player, Shannon Sullivan, “I hope Shannon the Cannon comes out, he's my bestest player” Jimmy said with an air of hope but a face a waiting disappointment.

As expected, The Cannon did not address the press today nor did any of the other players or administrative staff. In fact, the only welcome received by those standing in the snow-trodden carpark of Viking Stadium was heralded by hand written “closed to further notice” sign placed on the main lobby doors.

Naturally, questions of why the team has shut down without so much as foretelling have begun to rise in the various newspapers across the country; with the team closing in on a perfect season, both David and Mark being grated leave to be rested for the upcoming playoffs and because of the team's commanding divisional lead, it is baffling to all as to why the lights of gone down.

When asked to comment, the offices of General Manager Ryan McKenzie said that the executive had asked all concerned to please show patience and that the confidence in the team’s winning record should assure everyone that there is nothing to be overly concerned about and operations should be up and running in the immediate future.

2006-11-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

Due to technical difficulties Megatron Basketball Online has been out for service for the past six weeks. Both the IT staff and the organization apologize for this inconvenience, but want to assure all of the team's fans out there that the problems have been rectified and the site will up and running again soon.

Remember, the Playoffs start in 3 weeks!

2006-09-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

Hughes Wows Onlookers and Teammates alike

In only his second start since returning from a two-year hiatus, Megatron super-sub David Hughes showed the onlookers at Viking Stadium last Sunday that he still has what it takes to be considered one of the league's most dominate big men.

Playing strong in the post from the outset and hauling in a mass of rebounds, Hughes also stepped outside and provided some staggering on-ball defence, yielding a slew of fast break opportunities for Guards Mark Hewitt and Matt McKenzie. If all that isn't enough, the former league MVP showed those fans with short memories that he could still fill it up when called upon, shooting a season high 23 points, 20 of which that were scored in the latter half of the game.

One could call the game a return to form for the savvy veteran, but from the games we’ve seen so far in the season Hughes seems to be as healthy as ever. So, confident infact is the Megatron G.M. Ryan McKenzie in the physical abilities of his forward that he has signed a contract extension for another season, with the option to play further on if desired, a negotiating autonomy not often seen in the DVBA.

It would seem that the play of Hughes is infectous, as since the his return the play of his former teammate, Mark Hewitt, who has struggled scoring from long range all year, has improved greatly in only a handful of games, and is all compliments for his returned teammate:

"One of David's greatest talents is making the rest of us seem far better than we actually are. I don't know why, but it seems that the game becomes instantly easier when he is out there. David's return to this team is like Slash returning to Guns n Roses. We were alright without him, but having him on board all of sudden it feels like Use Your Illusion all over again...I love that album."

While only playing in five games so far this season David has been one of the team's leading scorers and rebounders, increasing his statisitics with every outing and boasting an impressive 16.6 points per game, which interestingly is almost an entire point more than he averaged when he lead the new defunct Breds franchise to the DVBA final and captured the league MVP award.

2006-09-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Judgement Day: League finally rules on Megatron case.

It's the ongoing drama that has stilted the basketball world of late: the disciplinary hearing of Megatron General Manager, Ryan McKenzie.

For those unaware, Mr. McKenzie has been awaiting judgment from DVBA League officials after claims of drunken and disorderly behavior in an Ivanhoe restaurant during the month of August. At first the complaints were solely concentrated to several of Megatron starting five, meaning that any disciplinary action could be confined within the organisation itself; however, with the revealing of certain photographic evidence that directly placed Mr. McKenzie in the controversy, the incident immediately became a matter for the DVBA board of directors. Finally, after weeks of deliberation, League commissioner Steve Mackie issued the following statement:

"The penalty issued today only deals with one aspect of this incident - that of misconduct unbecoming of a league representative. The actions of the other players involved widely exceeded the professionalism and self-control that should be fairly be expected from Diamond Valley players. We must affirm that the DVBA will strive to exemplify the best that can be offered by professional sports, and not allow out the sport of basketball to be debased by what seems to be declining expectations for behavior of fans and athletes alike.

There are other issues that the league must urgently focus on at this time. Foremost, we must redefine the bounds of acceptable conduct for players and representatives of the DVBA as a whole. Second, we must implement rules to assure the unavoidable confrontations likely to occur outside of the regimented world of the DVBA...It is therefore the ruling of this board that that Mr. MrKenzie be stripped of his responsibilities associated with the DVBA anti-drinking sub-committee; and furthermore, as the incident in question concerned several players of the team as well, the Megatron Franchise will forfeit their future draft picks for the forthcoming season."

The board's ruling today came as little surprise to those closely associated with the case. Yet, the removal of Megatron's draft picks as taken even the most unsupportive follower of Megatron's actions aback, as this is traditionally a punishment handed down for insider trades and illegal salary cap disputes.

However, true to his ever confident character, Mr. McKenzie told the DVBA Online after the hearing that, "the draft picks were never part of the team's plan. While it is a shame I lose that playing card for the post-season, I think everyone would agree that the team is young and healthy enough to take the blow; and while I respect the board's judgment, I don't think this will greatly affect our chances for a title."

The validity of Mr. McKenzie's optimism is yet to be seen, but with the case now behind him, his most immediate test waits for him tonight, as Megatron strive for there forteith straight victory.

2006-09-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

Megatron blow past Eltham North.

Critics have speculated of late, that the ongoing drama surrounding the Megatron Basketball team would certainly affect their on-court performance, especially in the wake of the revelation of the involvement of team General Manager, Ryan McKenzie. However, it seems that the drinking scandal involving several of the team’s stars has proven contrary to the popular skepticism, and the team looks stronger than ever.

On the eve of the team’s first bout since the story hit the headlines a week ago, several of the players called public training session as a show of team unity.

Despite the continuing troubles shown by several players from the foul line, the gathered troupe looked focused and alert as they ran drills and hustled for over two hours. Present was team G.M. and Point Guard, Ryan McKenzie, who, while still waiting for judgment from league officials was optimistic of his predicament:

“The recent weeks have been hard on everyone associated with Megatron: from the starting five down to ball boys. But I wanted to show everyone here today that all those troubles are behind us now, and my sole concern is winning that third title.”

Indeed if the performance in the practice gym is anything to go by, the team certainly hasn’t lost a step and is unfazed by it’s recent criticisms, as they proved last Sunday as Megatron blew past Eltham North in a game which looked easier than the prior training session.

Registering over four players in double figures and several clocking similar numbers in the rebound column, the game was typified by the long awaited return of Mark Hewitt to the 3-point line, who despite his league leading numbers last year, has struggling from long range throughout these early days of the season.

Another highlight of the night was the continual improvement of Shannon Sullivan, who scored a season high 18 points and showed fans on more than one occasion his ability to shoot from range, and who surmised both the victory and the teams current state of mind when interviewed in the post-game wrap-up:

“Like all the players on this team, I just wanted to play my role and play it well. When we’re running like this, I don’t think there’s a team out there that can beat us. I ‘know’ there’s not a team that can beat us. Yeah, baby!”

The victory marked the thirteenth straight win for the club and put them almost three games ahead of their nearest opponent.

2006-09-07T05:48:00.000-07:00

G.M. Speaks!

A little after 6pm yesterday evening, G.M. and point guard of the Megatron Basketball organisation, Ryan McKenzie, announced a press conference to face the allegations of his involvement in the drunken and disorderly charges that several of the leading players face from league authorities.

Mr. McKenzie had originally declared that the players involved in the incident were: Matthew, Shannon and Mark. However, the revealing of contrary photographic evidence in the past week has proven indifferent to Mr. MeKenzie's claims and has lead to many fans and members of the press calling for his resignation.

The following is a collected transcript of the G.M's official statement:

"The stories and rumours of my involvement with certain members of this organisation are unfortunately very true. I've come to realise that any attempt to hide my presence on the night in question was foolish and unbecomming of a man in my position.

As the figurehead of this dynasty, I believe it is my responsibility to set an example for the franchise as a whole, and in doing this I should be prepared to take the good with the bad; therefore, while there were other players involved, I will be taking sole responsibility for any punishment the league wishes to pass down.

To my teammates, my friends and family, but most importantly the Megatron fans, I say wholeheartedly that I am sorry for my actions. I have let you all down. And while we are still winning at the moment, I hope to use this adversity to propel the club to even greater heights."

Before closing his statement, Mr. McKenzie was asked why he placed Shannon Sullivan as the third player involved in the incident. To which he replied:

"It was Shannon's idea to take the hit; he is, above and beyond the call of duty, a team player. He felt it would hurt the team more if I was directly connected to the controversy, and I ashamedly agreed to go along with his plan. I guess it was his way of protecting my name, but by accepting his kind nature, I have betrayed a teammate and a friend, so I am sorry for that."

As of yet, the league has yet to pass any judgment on Mr. McKenzie, but is predicted to suspend Mr. McKenzie from his responsibilities as the league's chairmen of the DVBA anti youth drinking campaigns.

2006-08-27T01:50:00.000-07:00

Megatron GM not happy with players!

In the wake of last week’s 30 blow out of forth seeded Plenty, the Megatron Basketball fraternity has been rocked by accusations of unsportsmanlike behavior of several of its starting players.

Sources have said that Guards Mark Hewitt, Matt Mckenzie, and Power Forward Shannon Sullivan were seen causing a disturbance in downtown Ivanhoe in the early hours of Sunday morning, mere hours before their clash with the Hornets.

Local barmaid, Danielle Davis, said, “They started off just having a quite meal, enjoying a few drinks in the restaurant; but soon, the empty glasses started to mount on their table – we knew who they were and we didn’t want to bother them, we just thought we would let them enjoy their night, but things got kinda out of control and the players were asked to leave.” While reports are circumspect, the reasons why the three players were ejected for the restaurant are said to be due to the actions of McKenzie, who, after drinking at an accelerated rate than the other players, was apparently witnessed sending inappropriate photographs of himself via Bluetooth, “the first few we received were very funny, but I have a boyfriend and I can’t let him see these kind of things,” Ms. Davis continued.

After the teams 25 point win over the Plenty Hornets, General Manager of Megatron Basketball, Ryan Mckenzie, answered questions earlier today in regards to the controversy:

Jackson (Slamm Magazine): “Sources have said that Mr. McKenzie was sending inappropriate pictures of himself to 18 year old girls, and Mark Hewitt had an altercation with the guitarist that was playing at the bar in question, your thoughts please.”

RM: “We are going to look into these accusations very closely and I am sure that I will hand out punishment, but I first want to hear from Mark, Matt and Shan, and let them tell me their side of the story. But I will also be checking camera footage from the night in question, but I am very disappointed.”

Ron Finkle (107.2am Sports Radio): “Mr. McKenzie, Ron Finkle 107.2 Sports Radio. What about the story of Mr. Matt McKenzie, playing basketball at 3am and playing Peter Gabrielle’s “shock the monkey” so loud it woke several elderly people in the neighborhood, is Mr. McKenzie an alcoholic?”

RM: “Well, thank you for you questions, good day.”

...and just like that Mr. McKenzie unplugged his mictophone and lefy the press conference.

It's now been two days since the story first surfaced online and the only thing certain for the organisation is that accompaning stories continue to surface in the press.

Only yesterday this photograph, apprently taken of the players on a patron's mobile phone was printed in the Sun newspaper, and it appears that Shannon Sullivan is nowhere to be seen in the picture, but the character in the sailors' hat seems to be none other than Ryan McKenzie himself. Of course, the quality of the photograph makes a positive ID almost impossible, but speculation is certainly abound by league officals as to whether or not Ryan McKenzie was out with the players last weekend.

Yet in spite of the last sunday's controversies, the team managed to secure one of their most convincing victories of the season. One has to ask, is this the same team that began the season ten weeks ago, or is this a team who's winning streak has gone to their heads? Will G.M. McKenzie risk his winning record and hand out punishment accordingly, without damaging his own status? The fact that this this is not the first time such allegations have surrounded Mr. McKenzie's team shows either his total disregard for league standards, or perhaps highlights his often unconventional methods which have helped him earn the number one seed in the D.V.B.A. Whatever the case may be, Mr. McKenzie is expected to answer these questions in the coming days.

2006-08-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

Megatron too strong...

Viking Stadium, Diamond Valley Aug 20 – Confident from the opening tip off, the forth seeded Plenty Hornets squared off against league leaders Megatron with high hopes last Sunday. The game was viewed by critics as the first real test the new look BSR franchise has faced all season, and after the first five minutes onlookers were witness to a competitive 10-6 scoreline.

The game maintained a heated back-and-forth struggle throughout the first half, as the Hornets Plenty showed a spirited effort on the offensive boards and as well the fast break, while do-all Megatron player Matt McKenzie waged a verbal wrestling match with the Hornets oversized backcourt. Warned by the referees on multiple occasions for aggressive behavior, McKenzie was unyielding to the Plenty Guard rotation, taunting and harassing the Plenty guards into multiple mistakes time and time again, eventually elevating Megatron a commanding lead at the end of the half.

Coming out in the second half the Hornets looked all but defeated, as Megatron center Steven Hunter pounded the both ends of the glass to a season high 14 rebounds, while rising star Ryan McKenzie laced four three pointers to take Megatron out by as many as 35 with only minutes to go.

The win solidified the dominance Megatron have showed all season, and despite a season low of a mere 4 points from team scoring leader Mark Hewitt, Megatron never looked out of control, spreading the scoring responsibilities across the team towards their twelfth straight victory.

2006-08-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

New publicity campaign launched.

Viking stadium was a buzz today as Megatron’s Head of Basketball Operations and Marketing, Ryan McKenzie, unveiled his new marketing campaign for the 2006 DVBA basketball season. Geared by the return of former superstar David Hughes, Mr. McKenzie stated that new the “Got Megatron?” line “is one you can expect to see everywhere from bus terminals to milk cartons.”

The following are examples of what we can expect to see in the coming months:

2006-08-13T21:21:00.000-07:00

GM Interview 002

The Following is a post game interview conducted by R. J. Dio with Megatron Gm Ryan McKenzie.

...................................................................

RJ: "What did you think of tonight's game, were you satisfied?"

RM: “Well a 30 plus point win is very satisfying to take away, but we made a lot of bad choices, especially with our passing, but that’s the game of basketball, we got the points, so I am pleased.”

Ron: “Now Dave Hughes was in uniform tonight, were you pleased with his performance, and does this mean he is fully signed to the Megatron Basketball club?”

RM: “Well seeing Dave out there was unbelievable, and it brought an unbelievable presence to the team’s attitude going into tonight’s game. He had so many great plays: defensively and offensively, rebounding, passing, dribbling. Of course, he was going to be a little rusty, but we saw MVP qualities out there from him, and he will grow more in his game as the next few weeks come by. As for signing, we are glad to inform everyone that David Hughes has officially signed with the Megatron Basketball Club.

RJ: “Wow. Congratulations on the signing, where you nervous giving Mr Hughes a jersey for tonight’s game, considering you only annouced his playing a matter of hours ago?”

RM: “At the start I was, but I told myself 'this is Dave Hughes', and he will always be one of the greatest players to play in Diamond Valley, and I can understand why people would be nervous about this signing, he hasn’t played in 2 years, he just got over that horrible stomach bug a few weeks ago, but after seeing him play tonight, I believe he is only going to get better, if that's possible, and he will show that MVP quality he has. But I won't lie, I had a lot of sleepless nights, deciding whether to sign the younger, fitter Scott McConell, or sign a past finals MVP veteran in Dave Hughes, and with all respect to Scott I just beliebed Dave was the better choice in our quest for a third consecutive title, but as I mentioned in the press conference earlier today, Scott still has a valuable role to play with this franchise."

RJ: “Well, 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists for a guy who hasn’t played in 2 years is very good, I must say. Can you explain the role David will play: are you planning to make him a number 1 player in the team?”

RM: “We have won 2 titles without him, we are not a team that has to depend on one player's performance. We are a team, remember, we have a team full of stars, not just one. We are going to put David down low with Simon Hunter, freeing Matt to play guard more often - and that will make a dominating back court! But with the size our team now boasts, and the defence and rebounding of Matt McKenzie, we are going to be able to play David as part of our guard rotation too, a postion he hasn't played since his rookie year, which should make for some interesting basketball.

RJ: That is certianly true. Many people have stated though, that the new look team has been placed in the wrong grade and should be advanced to A-Grade to ensure an even competition. Can you comment on that?"

RM: That's not going to happen. I'd love to see my team advance to A-Grade. I believe we could compete for the crown in any grade we're placed in, but the league has made it clear that we are to stay where we are for the remainder of the season, which gives thoses boys up there plenty of time to get ready for us, so I don't want to hear any complaints when we get there.

RJ: What do you think the other teams of in the league will do to combat your new lineup?

RM: What can they do? I think teams respected us before, but now that we have David Hughes, they fear us.” (laughs out loud)

...................................................................

The return of David Hughes was the fifth consecutive for Megatron, who upheld their league leading 70 points per game, and were lead by Mark Hewitt who scored 18 points and 14 from Matt Mckenzie, including 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

2006-08-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

"We've got him!"

With only hours to go before the fifth game of the DVBA season, Megatron General Manager Ryan Mckenzie called an abrupt press conference at Viking stadium.

The room was full of anticipation as reporters from all around the country speculated what would be announced. Making his way past the two championship banners to the podium, Mr. McKenzie, without greeting or preamble, and the biggest grin I've ever seen on a GM, eagerly announced "we've got him." The room was instantly abuzz with cheer.

The him Mr. McKenzie refers to is of course no other than former league MVP David Hughes, who has been in negotiations with the team since March, and who many had thought had left the game forever. Many will remember Hughes from when he lead the now defunct Breds franchise to a series of finals appearances at the turn of the century. Famous for being undersized for a center against league standards, Hughes was one of the league's highest scorers and rebounders in his many years as a Bred.

After a series of congratulations, the questions of the signing were posed to Mr. McKenzie. The following is a brief account of the Q & A session:

R. J. Dio: "Mr. McKenzie, we all know what a great player David was in the past, but do you really think he can perform today, especially considering the fast pace of the league?"

RM: "I know it's been a while since we've seen David out there, but remember this is a guy who dominated the league not so long ago, and while the the style of play certainly has changed, becoming more fast break orientated, I think it was you yourself, Ronny, who praised David's ball handling and running ability."

R. J. Dio: "That's true. But what can you tell us of his health. It's no secret that Mr. Hughes has suffered from an ongoing back injury throughout his career?"

RM: Indeed, David has faced back problems in the past, but his time away from the game hasn't been idle, as he's been strengthening his back for some time, and from what our trainer Ivy Spoljaric tells me, he’s fitter than ever before. He's actually 5kgs lighter than when he last played, and while I'd rather let his performance speak for itself, I can tell you now that he's in the best shape of his career and I have to emphasize that we're talking about a former MVP here."

D. Dasario (DVBA Online Press): Many people have praised you for your efforts regarding the new additions to the team this season, especially in the adversity of losing the Spoljaric brothers, but I have to ask, what will happen to the roster now that David is entering the team; and how did you manage to make the signing almost five games in the season?"

RM: "Always the cynic, Daniel. Well, to begin with, there are no allusions that the signing of David Hughes will result in one of our players being bumped from our roster, and unfortunately this would mean that Scott McConnell would be leaving our franchise, but after negotiations with both Scott and his Agent, he has agreed to stay on for the league minimum and help us in our quest for a third championship. And while losing both the Spoljaric brothers at the start of the season was a tremendous and unforeseen blow, it did free up a lot of cap space. And as for the signing of David, the deadline for signing free agents is indeed week five of the regular season, so I guess you could say we're making some pretty drastic decisions at the eleventh hour."

R. J. Dio: "so does this mean that Scott will retain his position as sixth man, or will he be relegated to the sidelines?"

RM: "It's a doubled edged sword, Ronny: on one hand we're losing a player of great energy and enthusiasm, and a player who was definitely in the running for the sixth man award this year, but on the other hand we've signed a player who can dominate a basketball court on both ends. Unfortunately, this does mean that the role of Scott McConnell will be diminished somewhat, but I wouldn't count him out just yet."

D. Dasario: "So, when can we expect to see the new changes take place?"

RM: "(grinning) You'll have to wait two hours"

Following Mr. Mckenzie's final statement the GM was bombarded with an avalanche of questions referring to the fitness of Mr. Hughes and his role on the team, but would yield no answers and left the conference room smiling and repeating his final comments.

2006-08-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Round Four...

Many of us knew that the Megatron were going to be competitive this season, especially with the addition of center Steven Hunter into the starting lineup, but it seems that after four games played in the regular season, the new look BSR are already on track to win their third consecutive title.

Boasting four straight wins in their division (and a grand winning streak of over 10, including grading games) many are calling for a re-grading of the boys in black. Last night's victory over the struggling Telstars, a team whom many are saying have the second best lineup in the league, seemed all but over with the first half's siren, as Megatron lead by a margin no less than fifteen points. However, league officials are steadfast in their decision to place the team in B-Grade, stating that "no team has jumped directly to A-Grade in the history of Diamond Valley Basketball" and that "Megatron will have prove themselves this season to be considered a candidate next year." But if the season so far is any indication, it would seem to even the most cynical hoops fan that Megatron are ready for Division One now, a prospect which Team GM Ryan Mckenzie laughing admits, "if the league wishes to keep us in this grade all year then I guess I can extend my trophy cabinet now."

The optimism of Mr. McKenzie may be somewhat ambitious, seeing his team are not yet even at the All-star break, but given the franchise's start to the season his words seem well placed.

If there is anything playing against Megatron it is the ongoing negotiations with former league MVP David Hughes, who has been playing in South America for the last three months. But it seems Mr. McKenzie even has an answer for this, as 6th man Scott McConnell has been to asked to fill the void and has done so was gusto, impressing fans last night with an array of aggressive drives to the basket and receiving a standing ovation from onlookers and teammates alike when he caught a backdoor ally-oop in traffic; and despite his temporary contract has managed to establish himself as the third leading scorer on the team, averaging 13.5 PPG.

The second half in last night's victory over the Telstars was reflective of both the first and the previous nine games this season, as Megatron closed out the game winning by over 20 and securing their league leading average of 70 points a night.

While the team was lead by 18 points from both guard Mark Hewitt and center Steven Hunter, it was point guard Ryan McKenzie that surprised onlookers, equaling a season high with 14, including two 3-pointers and a onslaught of drives and pin-point asissts, reminding fans of his Most Improved Player award from last season.

If this game was any indication of the season to come (and one would have to think it was given the previous victories) then it may prove savvy to buy your throwback Megatron jerseys while you can.

2006-08-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

A new season, a new look.

As many of you know, after sailing to back-to-back championships over the tumultuous waters of the DVBA, BSR, the league's most fiercesome team of six, has, to the chagrin of thier fans, finally disbanded.

The decision however, has come as a surprise to only a few. Many knew the dynasty was coming to its inevitable end, especially after the registration scandal of last season and the lose of the relentless Spoljaric brothers, yet most dreamt management would hold on for one more season. Sadly, it was never meant to be. With the playing roster dropping to four, one less than is needed to field a team, let alone win a third title, distraught fans feared their beloved players would be scattered across the league like autumn leaves in the wind, and when the Lakers signed the older of Spoljarics, it looked as if the team was all but defeated.

Enter point guard and team G.M. Ryan McKenzie. Facing a season on the sidelines, McKenzie quickly hit the street courts, European leagues and free agency pool in a desperate search to keep the team afloat. However, with the league registration date drawing near, McKenzie was running out of time to save his beloved franchise.

With only a matter of hours left, McKenzie was in close negotiations to sign former finals MVP Steven 'Hunts' Hunter. McKenzie's efforts in signing the center were successful, but sadly only too late, missing the registration deadline by the smallest of margins.

Not one to be overcome by dismay, McKenzie quickly filed for a proposition 82: a league bylaw which allows franchises to relocate, but still retain it's membership in the league. The result, the team was to change its identity.

BSR was dead, but soon to reborn.

Announcing in a June press conference that the colours of BSR would finally hang in the rafters of Viking stadium, McKenzie passed on his sympathies of the team's devote fans, but wished they would all welcome the new look Megatron.

Bombarded by questions, Mr. McKenzie said he hoped "the transition between teams would be an easy one, and promised a few surprises for the future." A future that would come sooner than most believed. In a unbelievable turn of fate and a series of savvy deals, the GM sealed the contract of a new center, extended the details of Defensive Player of the Year Matt McKenzie, and signed swingman Scott McConnell, who spent last season playing in the army, to a 10-day-contract. The fortunes of franchise that had seemed so grim before the season, had returned to heights of last seasons victory, a point cemented by the GM himself, who, at ending the press conference announced in passing, "don't look surprised if you see us in the finals again this year."

We won't.

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D. Dasario

2006-08-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

While you were sleeping...

It's never easy starting a season with grand expectations, for those of you unaware of last season, the BSR basketball fraternity won its designated grade and was promoted to the more rigorous demands of B-Grade basketball.

From the outset, nothing had seemingly changed in the advancement of the competition: while the opponents grew tougher, the undersized BSR still managed to win week in and week out; and by week seven, were way in front of their nearest competitor. That is, of course, until realisation that the boys in black hadn’t paid their registration money, and thus laid forfeit to all wins. Kaplunk! The team's ranking suddenly plunged from first place to a closely fought fourth position. The defending champs were on the brink of elimination.

However, over the last four weeks of the season, BSR waged back and forth with the teams on either side of the standings, until eventually they qualified for the finals by one measly point.

During the next two rounds of finals competition, and largely due due to the efforts of the brothers’ McKenzie, BSR haphazardly held victories over the third and first placed teams, coming down to last second foul shots in the semi-final, which was almost lost in a series of technical fouls, some of which belong to an amplified “F@&K” from the BSR bench.

While boasting a staggering 115 points in a single game this year, the team poised to do immortal battle with the boys also harbored a center no older than 25 but who appeared the aged of a man forty years or more, and perhaps half that time spent playing hoops in correctional facilities with the underworld’s finest. Clearly the strongest team in the league, even the most faithful fans doubts about a victory.

…but Matt “the junk yard” Dog would have none of it.

From the get go, the junk yard dog played as his name would suggest, prompting great efforts from all of our players and hounding the opposition with his unnerving NYPD Blue type taunts. While it was close for a while, nothing would stand between the Dog and his ceremonial B-Grade championship beer mug, eventually closing out the game by 10 points.

When all was said and done, BSR had done the impossible, well, perhaps I'm indulging a little...perhaps, they had won back to back championships. A feat not done in the barn of Diamond Valley for nearly a decade.

However, much like a cheesy sporting melodrama, the team disbanded after the victory with several players moving on to greener pastures, but the perhaps the greenest pasture of all rests in the upcoming season, as the remaining players have formed like Voltron to create a new team under the banner MEGATRON. The team will of course be promoted yet again in grade, which at first glance would seem unnerving especially given the recent loses of talent, yet rumors are abuzz throughout the sporting world of the possible return to the hard-court of one Mitchell Hughes. Indeed, the dragon does awake. Whether or not he comes back to the sport he once dominated so effortlessly is yet to be seen, but with a bombardment of pleas and maybe even a scrifice or two, we may see the Hero of the Hoops yet dominate the paint for another season.

D. Dasario.

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this article can be found by request in the Spots Illustrated archieves.