Down to the Wire
Here we are, one regular season week remaining, and 2 teams are going home, the top 4 advancing to the playoffs. Here’s a recap of the season:
Starting from the bottom and working our way up, we have the Indy Team. Like most Indy teams, they don’t have much team chemistry. But how could they? Most have never played with each other before. But, unlike many Indy teams, this team actually has loads of talent. I hope they stay together next season. If they learn each other just a little, they will be lots of fun to watch. They typically play with mostly ladies, but I have always preached that games in this league can be won by solid digging and passing. Spikes and blocks can bring cheers from the crowd, but a point scored from a long volley counts just the same as a booming spike. Anticipation is sometimes just as good as acceleration. I hate to see you guys go, but your stop is next. Your ticket isn’t punched for the post-season – this time.
Next up is Notorious D.I.G. This team had me fooled. I was certain they had changed the culture of the last few seasons and were going to be a contender. Great teams win even when they don’t play well, and good teams win when it counts the most. Then you have the not-so-good teams that occasionally play above their heads to pull out an upset, but then snatch defeat from the jaws of victory when all signs pointed to an easy win. I let the Indy Team off easy because it’s their first season together. But D.I.G. has been around for a while. There are some new faces, yes, but if anything, I saw potential. Yet when it really counted, in match-ups against their nearest rival in the standings, they *ahem* we couldn’t make it happen. And so, D.I.G. will play for our life this Friday against Nothing but Net, needing a 3-0 sweep.
Nothing but Net, at only 1 game under .500 had a respectable season. They play with vigor and compete for every game. They play within themselves, and don’t make the game harder than it need be. They don’t play bump-set-spike typically, but you better be ready to volley. Most of their points are won by mistakes from their opposition. Given that they currently sit in the final playoff spot, pending the last week, that’s not bad at all. In my opinion, more teams should follow their lead and simply play the game their players can play.
Hot and Spikey is a fun team to watch. They have some accomplished players on their squad, mixed in with some novices. You’ll see basic volleys, but don’t get lulled to sleep – they have a set + spike tandem that can electrify the gym. They sit at 1 game above .500 with one week to go. They draw a tough match against the #1 team this week, but they are only 1 game out of second place. While this doesn’t change who they play, it can definitely give them momentum going into the #2 vs #3 matchup. They could be #3 stinging from losses, or #2 flying high on wins. This week is big for them.
I made a statement above that more teams should “play the game their players can play.” The assumption I’m sure, was that lower-to-mid tier teams shouldn’t try to do cross-court passes or spike from the backcourt. But in the case of Chi-town Fusion, I feel they don’t play the game their players are capable of playing. This is an extremely athletic team, and they often use every ounce of it, just to get the third ball over. Instead of playing like chaos wrapped in elastic, a mass of confusion that snaps back into place at the last moment, this team should be methodically dissecting opponents. Their roles should be more clearly defined by now, this is a former champion team and they know each other well. They are in 2nd place by 1 game, only 3 games above .500. I think they’re better than that. But, I was fooled by another team this season. Maybe Chi-town isn’t what I think. Maybe they are just the best of the rest, without putting any pressure on the #1 spot.
Da Heavy Hitters are atop the standings, and have held control of the league pretty much from the beginning. Many familiar faces mean poise during the games. Lots of talent, lots of athleticism, and experience to boot, it’s not a surprise they are #1. What’s their secret? Crisp, accurate passing. I’ve seen this team win entire games with their players taking only a step or two in any direction. They don’t expend themselves chasing their own balls around the court. If you want to score against this team, you better score yourself; they won’t give you many points. The majority of their players are a vBall triple-threat. That is they are comfortable and effective digging, passing, or attacking. If they can do it all, how can they be beat? It’s an often repeated cliché, but their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. Because they excel at moving the ball and not their players, they can get caught by surprise if the pace of the game is torrid. Poise can become complacency, confidence can become arrogance. They have a team of athletes that can run, jump and dive. But they get spoiled sometimes by not having to play their best game to win. Then you have the intangible. The indoor title has eluded this team several times before. When the title was on the line, they have faltered in one way or another. I’m not predicting a fall from grace but Da Heavy Hitters have been here before, leading the standings all season long, and they have gone home without the hardware. What’s it gonna be this time guys?…