Fighting For Respect

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown finally returned to the W column last week with a solid, and hard-fought battle over a no-name team. Seriously, they literally never gave the commissioner a name. The win, after a previous forfeit, vaults OU into SECOND TO LAST PLACE in the Reading YMCA Men's League, with a record of 2-4. OUch. OU has a lot of work to do to gain back the respect of their league peers, the refs - and even their families.

We'll focus for the moment on the most recent game, an all-around team victory against team "I'll Let You Know" or ILYN for the purpose of the write-up. ILYN is made up of former Gordon College kids and players, and included a rangy big-man who stretched the defense with his inside/outside game.

OU started out slowly out of the blocks, and after missing several shots - were down 10-2 only minutes into the game. Cap'n Mike finally let loose on a couple threes (which went in!!) to keep the game tight in the first half, and once OU got their legs under them - the score stayed close. James "Stretch" Hogan IV and "Doubleteam" Dan Rasanen were able to find gaps in the defense during their set offense, and eventually OU got the lead down to a couple after Hogan nailed a end-of half baseline jumper.

The second half saw OU start to pass their young grasshoppers, as Brian "Speedy" Jones turned on the defensive pressure and harassed the ILYN guards into a mumbling bunch of fools. Eventually, Shu-ter Patel shook off the first half cobwebs to knock down a huge trifecta which spread the lead to double-digits. As the game wound down, it was ILYN who lost their cool - generally acting like a bunch of babies. It started to get a bit heated, but no punches were thrown as the game was called.

OU takes on league champ, and current holders of first place - Intervale - Thursday night at the Y.