Bloggin' and Ballin'

OU Tattoos Millwall

2012-01-28T07:21:00.006-05:00

Reading, MA - Millwall was in town for a Thursday night battle with Origins Unknown - fresh off their trans-Atlantic flight from London - Millwall FC. A little background before we get started... Led by Demos K, the Millwall Reading YMCA Man's basketball team, is his latest business venture in the world of high-level professional athletics.

Well, maybe not exactly. The game was less about high-level athletics and more about aging warriors who look forward to Budweiser as much as they do the tip-off. On this night, the OU 'athletes' took it to Millwall most of the game, and cruised to a 88-55 win.

OU and Millwall have been playing for years, and some of the long-time players are still on hand to hoop it up on Thursday nights. For Millwall, there's the feisty point guard, the solid swing-man, and Demos. OU original gangstas Cap'n Mike and Shu-ter Patel were on the court, with help from other veteran OUrs - KBex and "2-point" Pat Murray. In addition, OU had the extra help from Nothing But Net's Nate and Pistol Pete's son Danny - whose presence was felt throughout.

The game was a bit sleepy to start for OU, as Millwall started out of the gates solidly leading 7-2. But OU soon found the range, and the crew started spreading the ball around. After short bursts of offense, OU would sub in their new bodies to keep the pressure squarely on Millwall. And, as they ran and ran, OU quickly caught Millwall, and then built a lead that wouldn't be relinquished.

Millwall's Leroy played a gritty game, but was hampered by a very gimpy calf. He wasn't able to free himself for his 'typical' array of shots, and the lack of scoring punch hurt Millwall's ability to keep it close. OU, meanwhile, was grabbing rebounds, hitting the breaks, and finding the open jumpers that they needed to sustain.

As the lead hit 10, 20 and eventually 30 - OU found scorers from all positions. "Scoretable Pete" would later say that OU had multiple double-digit scorers and no one with more than 16 or 18 (although no one is quite sure that the scoring is ever accurate).

For the game, Cap'n Mike was 2-2 from the line and now sits at 4-6 for the session. More importantly, the loss led to the feisty point guard getting the Millwall Lion tattooed on his leg (picture below) to show his loyalty to the squad.

OU Survives...Barely

2012-01-20T22:10:00.005-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown was able to put together a great first half of basketball Thursday night at the Reading YMCA, and held on tight during a crazy second half to win by three over a un-killable Midnight Express team, 82-79.

The game saw OU get off to a scorching offensive start, as they built a double digit lead in the first 5 minutes. Cap'n Mike kicked off the game with a put-back rebound while flying in from the weak side, and after another 15 quick points it looked like OU was on their way to a blow-out. Midnight Express was unable to find their range, while Pistol Pete Gray, Shu-ter Patel and K-Baller Bekier knocked down shot after shot. After seemingly shooting 80% in the first 20 minutes - OU was "only" up 18 at the half.

They would need that 18 point lead (and could have used a bigger lead) as the second half would be like a scene out of Hoosiers for Midnight Express. Midnight Express came out guns a blazin and quickly started knocking down shots. With 12 minutes left in the game, OU's lead had shrunk to 10, and Midnight Express had a guard that was borderline unconscious at this point, making everything that he put up. OU meanwhile, was relying on one on one play too often, and they started missing many of the shots that were going earlier in the game. Cap'n Mike in particular, had several open looks, but was unable to knock them down (slamming head against the keyboard right now).

As the game wore on, OU battled hard and Pistol Pete kept them slightly ahead as Midnight Express continued to apply pressure. As the game neared the end, Midnight Express was still trailing by a few points and started to foul. Unfortunately for OU, even their good free throw shooters were unable to convert and left the door slightly ajar. Leading by 2, Cap'n Mike was fouled with just 2 seconds left. He calmly knocked down the first free throw, but missed the second as Midnight Express cleared the rebound and called an immediate timeout. This set up their final play, which ended up being an oh-so-close heave from half court, which ended up rimming out. In fact, I had seen this shot before, with almost the same exact outcome...Where was it... Oh yes, that's right! The missed Butler shot that gave Duke their most recent championship!

The win gets OU to 1-1. Cap'n Mike was a measly 1-2 from the line in the game, and now sits at 2-4 on the season. Cue the boos.

OU Stumbles In First Test

2012-01-14T07:20:00.005-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown was back on the court this past week at the Reading Superduper Dome for their first game of the winter session. Unfortunately, they were matched up against a gritty Muskets team that is no longer quite as 'crusty', but are certainly still able to get under OU's skin.

The game felt competitive throughout, even as the Muskets pulled away by 20+ points for the win. The combination of 3 big Musket bodies, and some cold shooting by the OU bunch ultimately led to the loss. It was the first game back for Pat "toe the line" Murray, who didn't disappoint as he came off the bench to drain his first shot... which was OF COURSE a long 2 with his right toe on the three-point line! Poetic, theatrical, ironic? All of the above!

The game itself was a bit of a slugfest, which saw OU - a more finesse team - taken to town on the blocks. For their part, OU was able to keep the game tight in the first half, but was relying on jumpshots too often. The Muskets on the other end, had a balanced inside/outside attack that allowed them to slowly build the lead to double-digits at the end of the first half.

The second half saw OU keeping it close through some nice shooting by Pistol Pete Gray, even though he seemed to have Musket defenders draped on him at all times. When Pete wasn't able to find his range, the other OUrs contributed sporadically, but not consistently enough to get it under 10.

For the first game back after a month off, the OU bunch didn't leave too distraught as they ease their way back into league play. Next week they will get the services of new Dad Kevin Bekier back, and consistency should start to return as the weekly 'grind' of the season continues. As Danger Dan Fisher said after the loss over a cold one at Chili's, "It's early. We'll be fine." It isn't known, however, if he was referring to the team's progress - or the amount of beers they were attempting to consume that night.

Cap'n Mike was 1-2 from the line.

Allllmost There

2012-01-05T21:41:00.003-05:00

Newburyport, MA - Origins Unknown is one short week from being back to business in the Reading YMCA league. The OU schedule can be found in the links to the right, and you can follow our success (or failure) all session right here. I'll give you the game by game report, my free throw shooting success, and hopefully a little bit more.

Please check back soon!

Cap'n Mike

Ho Ho HOrigins Unknown!

2011-12-18T08:14:00.008-05:00

Newburyport, MA - Well, I know there are droves of you that come to this site every day looking for an update on Origins Unknown, and leave disappointed every time the page loads and you see "naked Santa" staring back at you. Well, I have heard your voices and decided it was time to get this blog back up and running - and get everyone up to speed on OU.

You know how I can tell that it has been a while since I updated Bloggin' and Ballin'? My profile says that I am 34 years old. Ah... nope.

Current Roster (left to right): Cap'n Mike, "Danger" Dan Fisher, Shu-ter Patel, "2-Point" Pat Murray, Kevin "KBex" Bekier, and "Pistol" Pete Gray.

So, the short story is that OU has still been hitting the court every Thursday over at the Reading YMCA for the past couple years. We've always ended up with winning records, but haven't captured a title since I stopped posting. We've been searching for the right squad since the departure of James "Stretch" Hogan IV, but might finally have the right pieces to make some noise. That being said - Stretch, if you are reading this... Please come home.

The fall session of 2011, which just concluded for us, was overall successful. We finished the regular season tied for first place with a 7-3 record, and had a chance to get to the finals this week, only to fall short to Stiffler's Mom by 2 points. The fall session saw the addition of Pete Gray to the roster. Pete is a scorer in every sense of the word, and led OU (and probably the league) in PPG for the session. We also saw our first major injury ever, as Pat Murray dislocated his shoulder in the second to last regular season game and was forced to miss the playoffs, as he recovers.

The game against Stiffler's Mom was epic, as OU was forced to play with only 4 players, and minus any real inside presence. The mismatch worked to our advantage in the first half, as we hit shot after shot, and built a 20 point lead early on. Both Cap'n Mike and Pistol Pete took turns knocking down long range bombs, while KBex and Danger Dan locked down defensively on their bigger opponents.

The torrid shooting percentage wasn't sustainable though, and the veteran SM team slowly reeled us back in through their own mismatches on the low block. It took almost the entire game for them to get back to even with us, but they stuck to their strengths as we battled to maintain the lead. Ultimately, we were locked in a tied game in the last seconds, but SM found a way to squeeze in a shot with only 2 seconds left on the clock for the victory. It was a bitter end to a game that slipped out of our hands, but sets us up well for next session when we work to get everyone back out on the court.

The session also saw OU sporting new jerseys, thanks to Shu-ter Patel. The Jordan-brand jerseys (modeled by my 2-year old daughter above) are the first cohesive uniform worn by OU since 2006, and a pleasant departure from the rag-tag look that OU had become known for.

Happy Holidays!

Ho Ho Hoops

2010-10-02T07:38:00.005-04:00

Newburyport, MA - Happy Hoopidays All! Did you see that comment on that post from July? That's right baby - It's a real comment from an actual reader asking for something new!

So here it is... It's been a long time since my digits hit the keyboard with the purpose of a Bloggin' and Ballin' update. Alas, I have returned. Perhaps not for the weekly recaps that you all yearn for, but I think I can get back on here once and a while and let everyone know that Origins Unknown HASN'T hung up the Creamsicles and Chuck Taylors (for the most part). We are still going strong in what is our 8th season in the 'NBA of the Reading/Wakefield area'.

The summer brought some major changes to the team. OU OB (Originial Brother) James "Stretch" Hogan IV decided to move to the beautiful state of Colorado. "I am sure Thursday's are going to be a bit strange out there," said Hogan. "Not really because I'm missing the games... but more because I'll really miss Chilis." Hogan's 7 years of dedication and service did not go unnoticed on the court or at Chilis. Once a game folks would ask where the lanky red-head was... and we even had the Chilis waitresses bummed out that he wasn't around.

But, OU marched on... to a 5-5 record in the fall. The number of close games lost was staggering, and we ultimately stumbled down the stretch to miss the playoffs by a game. The highlight of the session was a head to head win versus the eventual league champs Howse Corp. But, I digress.

Next session starts up in January, and I promise to keep the blog a little more alive.

Merry Christmas!

Gone Fishin'

2010-07-11T20:35:00.004-04:00

Newburyport, MA - Oh where, oh where, can the Cap'n be? I have no idea where the last 3 months went, but let me apologize to all of you for the delay - I know your summer's have been void of quality bloggin' since we last caught up.

What have we been up to? Well, since I can't remember much past a couple days at this point - I'm not 100% sure. I do know that we finished the last session on a bit of a slide - losing 3 out of the last 4 and then bowing out of the first round of the playoffs. Then, the YMCA shut down the summer session to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the owners. So... there hasn't been much Ballin' lately.

We'll be back in September, and the blog will keep rolling with an eye towards a Pulitzer or whatever they hand out to Bloggers. Until then, enjoy the summer.

OUt and About

2010-05-18T10:43:00.008-04:00

The last time you heard from us was when Danger Dan Fisher was sporting this haircut…

But, fear not faithful readers, Origins Unknown is still in action on and off the court.

In Reading, OU has gone 2-1 in the last 3 weeks. After an embarrassing loss to Intervale in April, OU has reeled off two impressive wins, capped by a solid 12-point victory over Kickin’ Time on Thursday.

In the Intervale loss, OU never really showed up and ended up being blown out in the second half. Strapped with only Shu down low, OU had a tough time matching up with Jim Murphy. Meanwhile, there was zero offensive flow on the other end of the court, as OU shot their way into an insurmountable hole. The second half was lackluster as well, as OU never mounted a comeback and could only watch as the Vale continued to grow the lead into bolivian.

I missed the middle game against Brian R, but have it on good authority that James “Stretch” Hogan IV scored a career high 42 en route to a 20-point win.

The Kickin’ Time game, which resulted in a free round of beer for OU, was evenly matched from a personnel standpoint. But, OU was clicking on offense and playing solid defense on the younger KT bunch. The lead was 10 in the first half, and though KT tried, there was never a serious dent made as OU hung on down the stretch.

Off the court, a couple OU players took some time to battle the elements in the Hoppin Mad Mud Run in Amesbury this past weekend. Hogan IV and Danger Dan took up the challenge and ended up muddied and bloodied, and eventually sud-ied (get it it?).

Cap’n Mike and Lil’ Cap’n Max were there to witness the tomfoolery, including the crawl through a mud pit at the end of the run - and here’s photographic evidence of the before, during and after.

OU Let's One Slip Away

2010-04-17T10:21:00.007-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown did almost everything right this past Thursday at the Readingbowl when they took on Howse Corp. They played hard... fought tooth and nail for loose balls... made big shots... and built a lead that should have got them the win. But, in heart-breaking fashion, OU squandered a 7 point lead with less than 1:30 remaining and gave up a 3-pointer at the buzzer which forced overtime. In the OT, OU ran out of time and ultimately succumbed to fatigue, losing 71-67. But, of course - win or lose, we booze.

The loss followed an earlier 24-point victory over the Warriors in the previous week. In that game, OU didn't play their most fluid basketball, but did enough to beat the veteran Warriors bunch by a safe margin despite another unbelievable effort by their scrappy veteran point guard, and twin towers in the middle.

But this Howse loss will sting the OU crew for a bit. Howse put a deep team together for the game, which was in stark contrast to OU who waited until just after 7:00 for their fourth player to arrive.

The shorthandedness didn't seem to effect OU during most of the game though, and they battled on every possession. All four OUrs were able to score when the opportunity presented itself, and though the game wasn't pretty - it was great competition. There were good matchups all over the court, as James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Jay Howse matched up, Danger Dan Fisher and Cap'n Mike chased Nick and Rusty all over the court (and vice versa), and Shu battled Howse big man Gage on both ends.

As the game wore on, OU actually asserted themselves better without the bench and seemed to have a better pace overall. But, that pace did finally catch up to them as the game wore on and their offensive sets started to slow. Luckily, OU was still finding ways to score either through the air, or with Hogan cutting.

After building the 7 point lead, they were looking good for the win, but it wasn't meant to be... They quickly chopped down the lead, and even though Cap'n made 2 free throws with 8 seconds left, Howse created enough room for Nick to nail a 3 from the top of the key and force the OT.

The ending was crazy, but not quite like this game - and if you think the white team is celebrating their win - they were... for a moment.

New OU

2010-04-14T10:19:00.007-04:00

Reading, MA - A new season is here, and with it comes a slightly new look from the old OU bunch. Gone for the moment is the middle-eating court presence of big man Dan Rasanen, and inserted into the line-up in his place is sniper Paul "Z" Zermani. So, while OU now goes to battle with no one over 6'3", we also have the team speed to make games uncomfortable for certain opponents, as we usher in a new Loyola Marymount 1990-style run-and-gun offense.

The team's guidelines are simple:

1. The first 5 minutes of the game don't matter. There is a good chance we'll be down early as the other team pounds the ball into the post, and we take off our warm-ups and loosen up the old bones.
2. We don't care if the opponents score.... well, we do care, but it won't deter us from the way we want to play. It doesn't matter if the ball goes in, because our goal is to collect the ball after a make or on a rebound, and push it back up the court in almost every situation. At the end of most games, we'll hit more threes, and get more fast breaks than our opponents - which should make up for any defensive lapses.
3. There are no bad open shots. If you have a look, and you're in range - you have the green light (Who's got two thumbs and the green light to shoot when they cross half court?? THIS GUY! And YOU TOO!) That being said, with a team that can shoot and slash and score like this, the extra pass will usually lead to an even MORE open shot for someone else.

In OU's first game back for the session - Z, Cap'n Mike, Shuter Patel, Danger Dan Fisher and Jonesy took on a new Ravens team, which was put together with a 6'5" big, very large man, a decent 6'4" wing player and 3 competent guards. OU was tested early as the Ravens jumped out to an early lead behind strong post-play and some cold OU shooting. But, in the blink of an eye - and about 12 threes later - OU was in control and the new run-and-gun strategy was on full display. Each OU member made it difficult for their Ravens counterpart to guard them effectively and OU ended up cruising to their first win of the year, 93-77.

Next week, OU will take on the Warriors in their second test of the session.

OT Win for OU = Five In A Row

2010-03-14T16:25:00.012-04:00

Reading, MA – Origins Unknown reeled off their fifth straight win in exciting fashion Thursday night, nipping a strong Howse team 87-85 in overtime. The game was one of the toughest fought battles of the year, with both teams scratching and clawing on every possession, and could have gone either way. The win splits the season series for the two teams, and also moves them (along with the Muskets) into a tie for the final two playoff spots at 6-4.

The biggest challenge for OU was the play of Howse big man, Chris Pizzotti, who currently spends time off the court as a back-up NFL quarterback for the Green Bay Packers - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Pizzotti

Yep, you read that right. The Harvard star (and a nice kid), goes 6'5" and was the best athlete out there by a bunch. But, it was the last play in overtime where James "Stretch" Hogan IV's out-jumped Pizzotti to steal the ball (and prevent a game-tying attempt) that ended up being the most athletic play of the game.

Howse was playing without a few regulars, but used two of the old Hustlers players to fill the void - including their former big man. OU was without Big Dan again, so it was up to Hogan, Patel and Cap'n Mike to guard both Howse bigs - even though they gave up a ton of size. The first half started out at a frantic pace, with the teams both using effort to score. OU started out a bit slow, as Howse pounded the offensive glass, and contained them defensively. But, Shu-ter Patel landed a couple jumpers, and Hogan found his spots in the paint to keep OU within range. Meanwhile, Danger Dan Fisher and Jonesy were up and down the court at blurring speed - only to be matched by the Howse guards. As the half came to a close, and the teams locked in a two-point battle, it was clear that the game would come down to the wire.

Howse opened the second half with a strong run, and OU's typical second half slide in tight games seemed inevitable. Howse had built a double-digit lead, but with about ten minutes left in the game, OU went on a run of their own, spurred Hogan and Cap'n Mike and the lead for Howse quickly vanished.

As the game wore on, the defense got tougher, and baskets became harder to come by. With under 30 seconds left, a behind the back pass from Cap'n barely found Hogan streaking down the court, and Red found a way to score, giving two-point lead with six seconds remaining. With their defense set, Howse went right to Pizzotti, who came down and missed but followed his own shot for the put-back and foul as the buzzer sounded. He went to the line with a chance to win, but due to the presence of the Creamsicles, he back-rimmed the shot to force OT.

Howse scored the first basket in OT, but OU and Hogan controlled the rest of the three-minute session through tough-nosed D and opportunistic O.

Playoff scenarios are still being determined, and Bloggin' and Ballin' will update you as soon as I have new information.

Creamsicles Help Get 4th Straight Win

2010-03-06T12:17:00.007-05:00

Reading, MA - Two teams headed in opposite directions met at the Reading YMCA "Theatre of Hoops" this Thursday, as Origins Unknown continued their dominance of Stiffler's Mom 56-36. Keys to the game included an amazing defensive effort by OU, and the follow-up performance by the Creamsicles.

Neither team was able to get much of a rhythm going over the course of the night, but OU is clearly playing better at this point in the season, and owned both ends for much of the game. With all six OU'rs suited up, there were plenty of line-up options. Each member did their part and stepped up offensively, while playing lock down defense and rebounding consistently. In fact, SM only managed 16 first half points and found themselves in an early 8-point hole, which they blamed on the flaming orange shoes (and several empty trips up the court).

Brian Jones once again made halftime adjustments from the bench, and OU jumpshots started falling a little more consistently, leading to a double-digit lead. The game would have been a complete blowout if OU had made even half of their free thows. Luckily, the numerous misqueues didn't affect the outcome, as OU cruised to an easy win.

The victory was OU's 4th in 4 games and moved them back into playoff contention with one week remaining on the schedule. The final week match-up will be a rematch with a strong Howse Corp team.

Cap'n Mike is working on getting the entire OU bunch suited up the KDII Creamsicles.

Creamsicles Spark Win

2010-03-02T07:26:00.004-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown used the momentum of Cap'n Mike's new Creamsicles to blast a short-handed Kickin' Time 76-56 last week at the Reading YMCA, and move back to .500 on the session.

The "Creamsicles" are the Cap's new Nike shoes - specifically the KDII in bright orange (And, I mean bright).

The shoes caused a stir before the game even started, as some of the Warriors players gawked at the sheer brilliance of their glow - while still playing their own game. And, as Jonesy and Danger Dan Fisher walked in the gym, they simply stared and shook their heads.

Once the game got underway, Kickin' Time faced an uphill fight due to the loss of their big man, and one of their slick guards. They may have also been in awe of the Creamsicles as they bounded up and down the court like a neon gazelle.

OU was able to run a lead of 5 to 12 points throughout much of the half. Birthday Boy James Stretch Hogan IV and Jonesy seemed to simply outpace KT. OU rebounded well, and was able to push the pace enough to knock KT onto their heels as the half wound down. If not for a quick run to end the half, and some hard luck misses by OU - the damage could have been much worse.

Big Dan Rasanen went to work in the second half, and immediately asserted himself on the low block. After 7 straight points by Big Dan, the game started to spiral out of reach for KT. Meanwhile, OU didn't let up and the attack left no doubt in the outcome.

The win sets OU up with an outside chance at the playoffs, as they take on an always-stingy Stiffler's Mom next week.

OU WINS!

2010-02-19T13:57:00.002-05:00

Reading, MA – Origins Unknown finally ended their three-game skid with two wins in the past two weeks. This first victory saw OU take out the Warriors 78-52, and the second saw them stomp The Replacements by 30+ points (which is hard to verify, since the scorer stopped keeping score when it was 46-16). The wins keep OU well out of the league cellar, but leaves much work to be done if a playoff spot is to be attained.

Neither game was much to write home about, but here are the highlights, in no particular order:

1. OU storms out to a 15-2 lead against the Warriors, using solid defense and lightning quick offensive pressure by Brian Jones.
2. Shu-ter Patel shows he’s more than a shooter when he uses all his dribbling skills to bring the ball up the court against The Replacements, but subsequently turns it over.
3. Against The Replacements, Cap’n Mike throws 3 straight passes over the head or out of the reach of James “Stretch” Hogan IV, but makes up for it with 3 straight blocks on the defensive end.
4. Jonesy and Hogan execute a fast break which ends in a 18 foot-high alley-oop pass that finally comes down after 3 defenders rush to break it up like a Hail Mary.
5. Big Dan Rasanen returns to action, bringing wife and his newest addition to cheer on the OU bunch.

Around the rest of the league, Intervale continues to dominate the regular season after strong wins over the Muskets and Kickin' Time in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Howse has moved into a tie for second place after a solid win over Kickin' Time and Stiffler's Mom in consecutive weeks.

OU's victories give them a 3-4 record, as they get ready to start a must-win stretch of games with a rematch against Kickin’ Time next week.

No Shame In This Game

2010-02-07T16:08:00.009-05:00

Reading, MA -This past Thursday, at the ArthurBLordDome, Origins Unknown lost a wickedly-close game to the Crusty Muskets that they seemed to have no business being in. The chips were stacked against them in almost every area. They only had 4 players, while the Muskets had 6. The 4 OUr's included exactly ZERO post players. One of the Crusty Musket pickups for the game was a player who played D1 ball, and who had worked out for the Philadelphia 76ers D League team. And, did I mention that we had 4 guys and no post players?

But in true heart-breaking OU fashion, the guys played one of the gutsiest games in their franchise's history - almost pulling off a gigantic shocker - only to lose the game in the final minute.

CM's line-up was solid throughout, led by post up menace Tommy and the inside/outside game of their big-baller sub, Mike Lush originally from Saugus (home of the Sachems AND the Lanzillis!). The first 5 minutes seem to go according to script, as CM pounded the ball down low and OU struggled to find the early range. Danger Dan Fisher wisely piped up that we could not keep up the same pace and expect to stay in the game. So, OU slowed it down a bit and the more methodical approach started to pay dividends. Cap'n Mike dialed in some long-distance doozies, Jonesy found open air where he made slashing drives, Fisher worked the mid-range, and Shu-ter Patel showed his freakish arm length while anchoring the paint. Things were going well, and OU turned the deficit into a 2-point lead at the half as Fisher found Cap'n Mike for a three-ball with less than two seconds left. CM was stunned, but it certainly would not be for long.

Braced for a certain CM run in the second half, OU did their best to stay close, and actually put a little cushion in their lead midway through the half when Patel drained a top-of-the-key three pointer. CM was frustrated, but it was clear that their slashing sub Lush could get to the hole at will - and he continued to assert himself - including a nifty up and under double pump going under the basket left to right. CM clawed back into the game after one of the only Musket regulars, Leroy Johnson, nailed his own three pointers in succession.

With the lead gone, the game became a defensive battle, and after Jones found Nolan for a wide-open three to give OU their last lead, there were no more bullets in their gun. CM's Mike once again drove to the hoop, drawing contact and nailing his free throws - while OU dealt with two unforced turnovers on their final two trips up the court.

The loss drops OU to a disappointing 1-4 record, with five games left on the slate. Big congrats to the NOLA Saints!!

Friendly Fire

2010-01-22T13:27:00.016-05:00

Reading, MA - In soccer, there is a phrase for a less-meaningful match between two countries that typically get along - It's called a "friendly". Such was the case last night at the Burbank YMCA, as Origins Unknown took on Howse Corp in early season play. The game, however, turned chippy in the second half and marred an otherwise competitive match up that Howse prevailed in.

As most readers (Hi Mom) know, the Howse and OU relationship goes back several years, with both teams enjoying success at different stages. James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Cap'n Mike have even played for Howse on different occasions and consider several of their players good friends. The games are typically well-played, hard fought, and close.

The game started out cordially enough, and OU ran out to an early lead thanks to fantastic pace and ball-movement. Howse brought 8 strong to the game, which in a 4 on 4 league is often too many, and struggled to find the right mix and rotation on the court. Meanwhile Hogan, Danger Dan and Cap'n were dicing the defense for buckets and leaving frustrated Howse players in their wake. With less than three minutes in the half, OU had opened up an eight point lead and seemed to be in control. But, after a timeout, Howse regrouped and went on a quick run to pull back within two as the half came to a close.

The second half saw Howse wisely change up the defensive assignments, and a fatigued OU team started to wither under the up-tempo style being played. Once-open shots for Cap'n disappeared, and OU started to panic and force themselves offensively. OU was working hard, but out of rhythm shots and too many one-and-done trips started to unravel the ol' bunch. Costly turnovers, and Howse capitalization (mainly by Nick, Dennis, and a smooth new guard), left OU in a hole 10 minutes in.

As the game wore on, both teams started to tire and at some point, the teams started directing their frustrations at each other. Words were exchanged between a Howse newcomer (a 275 lb offensive lineman from Boston College) and Hogan, and quite frankly, that is when things started to get a little fuzzy. I can say, with absolute certainty, that the BC big fella and I exchanged some words in the heat of the moment on the next trip up the court, that his girlfriend told me to shut up from the sidelines, that I made a shot and kindly dedicated it to her, and that I then was given a technical foul when I was trying to tell the guy to put the whole thing behind us.

As you can see from the photo snapped at the game, Cap'n Mike was ceremoniously thrown off the court by his opponent, as Pete the scorekeeper looked on.

With only minutes remaining though, OU had lost whatever was left of their composure, and never made a big dent in the lead even though Hogan (Jim Friggin Hogan IV) knocked down a three from the top of the key. This could be the new weapon in future games!!

The loss leaves OU 1-2 on the season with an upcoming game against the top team, Intervale. It also marked the end of a three-year run for Cap'n Mike's Nike Air Jordan 9.5's, which broke down for good at halftime, and are now resting in peace.

OU Splits First 2 Games in 2010

2010-01-13T13:53:00.008-05:00

Reading, MA - It's been an exciting off-season for Origins Unknown since they were last seen shuffling around the hardwood at the Burbank YMCA. Cap'n Mike and Doubleteam Dan Rasanen both added baby girls to their respective families. And, of course, the team enjoyed a six-week break where they tirelessly worked on their stamina and hoops skills.

In their return to the court, OU squared off against their recent nemesis - Kickin' Time. Not much about the teams had changed since KT ended OU's season last year with a 10 point win. In fact, that's pretty much exactly how this game went as well, as OU was downed once again by the well-rounded KT team.

OU played decently at times, and was always within 5 points - but was never able to quite get over the hump. Each OU player made key mistakes as the game wore on, and KT capitalized on some late turnovers to keep control and get the win. "We played pretty sloppy tonight," said Cap'n Mike. "But, the it's a long season and we'll continue to improve."

OU's second test came against Stiffler's Mom, who provides an interesting match-up for OU. Minus Big Dan, OU's front line looks a little meek compared to the 6'3", 6'5", 6'6" group that SM trots out. But, this deficiency is also an advantage in OU's case. While SM was able to abuse the good guys on the blocks from time to time, they also had a difficult time matching the speed and inside-outside game that OU threw at them.

Although the stats would show that OU gave up too many offensive rebounds, they also converted on many of the forced turnovers by their ball-handlerless opponents. SM's very capable big-man was kept in check by James "Stretch" Hogan IV, who played a possessed game on both ends and OU gained ground by trading threes for twos at certain points, also shooting well from the charity stripe. The game was physical and no picnic for the refs, as the teams seemed to take issue with many of the calls.

After building an eight point lead in the second half, and seeing it evaporate with less then 4 minutes remaining, OU dug in their heels and willed their way to victory. A key jumper at the top of the key by Danger Dan Fisher, followed by Brian Jonesy and Cap'n Mike going 4-4 from the line down the stretch, led to the three point win.

The split gives OU a 1-1 start in the league, which is stacked top to bottom yet again with talent.

OUt Performed

2009-11-20T16:09:00.007-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown, winners of five or six Reading Men's League Championships ended the fall session the way they started it - with a loss to Kickin Time. This time around, there are no playoffs though, and OU finishes with - gulp - a sub-.500 record. All is not lost this session, however. The boys reunited after taking a summer off, and also added two new important pieces to the puzzle for next session - which should lead to more success next year.

In their final game, OU was sent to their fate by a solid, yet unspectacular, Kickin Time team. OU once again brought only 4 to the court, and this time their lack of gas at the end of the game sealed their fate. The teams were pretty even through the first 35 minutes as OU seemed to outwork KT, but saw their opponents keep the game close through well-balanced scoring.

After falling behind by a couple early, OU scraped together a small lead in the first half by playing solid team defense, and making just enough shots. As the second half commenced however, open looks became harder to come by and OU started to lose their fluidity. Cap'n Mike, who made several first half three pointers, suddenly got cold. Danger Dan Fisher, who created space with his dribble-drive in the first half started to suffocate in the corners. And, some of the passes that were on the money to James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Shu-ter Patel in the first half bounced off their hands, or flew over their heads when it mattered most.

With less than three minutes to play, OU scraped to within 2 points - but could get no closer. More off target shots, and missed connections sealed their fate as KT rallied to win 76-67. With Doubleteam Dan Rasanen and Brian Buzz Jones, the outcome would have been far different - but OU will have to wait until next session to find out for sure.

On another note, big ups to Howse Corp who pulled off a major upset in the 8:00 game, knocking off previously undefeated Intervale. Intervale had not lost in a few sessions (since their winless inaugural season with a different lineup?), and Howse pulled out a 2 point win to end their own season.

OU Goes Old School

2009-11-15T17:33:00.010-05:00

Reading, MA - The year was 2004. And, on the slippery YMCA court was a scrappy bunch of 20-something year old guys from all over the map running and gunning. It was a team patch worked together from as close as Nantucket (backwards 4 muscle), and as far away as India. But, at the center of the group were four guys who would stay together for six more years, countless Budweiser drafts, some hair loss, and some really good wins.

This past Thursday, Origins Unknown - a team made up of now full-blown-middle-aged buddies won a game reminiscent of 2004. With only four suited up including the original four horseman (Hogan, Fisher, Patel and Cap'n Mike), OU was matched up against a big Nothing Buy Net team, which had been terrorizing folks with their three low post offensive set. And, while OU started out a bit slow - they certainly finished strong.

After matching NBN hoop for hoop for the first 10 minutes (and taking some shots down low), OU went on an old-school run that vaulted them into a double digit lead. The run was complete with steals, fast breaks, offensive rebounds, and more than a few long range bombs. Feeding off their own energy, OU took the lead to 12, then with under five seconds to play in the half - Cap'n Mike hit a 24-foot pull up dagger to exasperate the point. OU was rolling.

It wasn't that NBN was having a particularly bad game. It was just that OU was working like a well-oiled group of veterans...

OU expected an NBN run to open the second half, and it came in the form of patient post isolation. While the small run came quick, it was over just as quickly. It was simply OU's night, as they continued to pile on and spread the lead - frustrating the NBN team to no end. The lead swelled to almost 20 with less than five minutes left, and eventually NBN threw in the towel.

With their third win in four games, OU moves to 4-5 on the session with one week remaining in the regular season.

Warriors Knocked Off By OU

2009-11-09T21:40:00.006-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown and The Warriors, led by a fiery point guard who plays like a cross between Chauncey Billups and Chris Paul, played for what felt like the 23rd time in the league's history this week at the Burbank Coliseum.

The teams haven't changed much in the past several years. OU still has the core of James "Stretch" Hogan IV, Danger Dan Fisher, Shu-ter Patel and Cap'n Mike. The Warriors still have the feisty point gaurd, the mid-range specialist, the long-range lefty, and at least one of the big guys from the original team is still patrolling the paint.

As any faithful Bloggin' and Ballin' reader knows, OU has also added Brian Buzz Jones and Doubleteam Dan Rasanen to the mix, and the sum of the OU parts proved to be too much for the veteran Warriors bunch, as they fell 66-55.

Both teams are near the bottom of the standings this session, but each plays hard every game - as was the case this night. OU came out cold as ice - correction, Cap'n Mike came out as cold as ice - and their slow start allowed the Warriors to jump out to a quick lead. After Cap'n missed his 4th or 5th straight shot to start the game, he dragged his butt to the bench for a sub and hung (or is it 'hanged') his head in disgust. If you're following this session, you're aware that this has been a 'tough' shooting session for Cap'n - and this game was no different.

Of course, while the Cap'n struggles - everyone else picks up his slack. Patel played great defense on the perimeter and down low, while spreading the court offensively. Hogan was his usual two-way self shutting down their mid-range specialist. And, Fisher and Jones were all over the court with defensive and offensive pressure. Meanwhile, Rasanen was expertly trailing the transition offense and knocking down three-pointers where needed to build the lead.

After their early issues, OU played a strong second 10 minutes in the first half, and started to pull away a bit. The second half was similar to the first, and OU kept a 10 point cushion throughout most of the game. The Warriors kept it close, as their lefty gunner made several contested hands-in-yo-face three pointers, but it never got much closer than 6.

OU moves to a paltry 3-5 with the win, with two games remaining.

OU Misses Upset Chance

2009-10-31T09:42:00.005-04:00

Reading, MA - You are reading a blog dedicated to the best 2-5 men's league basketball team in organized sports history. Origins Unknown and Intervale played one of the most competitive and well-played games in recent memory, but unfortunately OU came up just short of pulling off the upset and lost in the final minute, yet again.

Intervale brought a sparkling 6-0 record into the game, and with a line-up that has every spot on the floor covered, they are a difficult match-up for any team. OU showed with five out of six full-timers there, missing Danger Dan Fisher - who was sunning his backside in FL.

No one was tired at the tip (even with the 10:00 pm start time) and both teams came out aggressive. Unfortunately for OU, Cap'n Mike was nursing a sore ankle and seemed to be slightly out of sync with the rest of the team. While the Cap'n sputtered, Doubleteam Dan Rasanen and James "Stretch" Hogan IV were on their offensive games. Dan's inside/outside repertoire and Hogan's continual movement around the basket kept OU close throughout the first half, even as Intervale worked their own spread out scoring attack - led by their own power forward and center. Between them, they seemed to hit shots from all angles of the floor and challeneged OU to choose the lesser of two evils all half.

The second half was equally competitive, as OU scrapped minute to minute to keep the game close. Both teams were starting to tire, but Brian Buzz Jonesy was still all over the court, and his pressure kept OU in front. Shu-ter Patel and Cap'n Mike both hit some three pointers, and OU had a big five-point swing when Cap'n got fouled on the way to the basket, and his frustrated defender punched the ball to half court which earned him a technical foul. The three free throws tied the game with ten minutes left, and the teams then continued to punch and counter-punch all the way down to the 2:00 mark.

Down one point, Intervale made their final push and overtook OU in the closing minutes through sheer will. The loss was disappointing for the hard-luck OU bunch, but it was undoubtedly the stiffest test that Intervale had faced all year.

The loss drops OU to 2-5 with three games remaining.

**Fact that might only interest the Cap'n - The Cap'n shot three free throws, three different times - having been fouled shooting three pointers twice, and once for the and-one plus technical foul shots. This might have been a first... I am now done writing in the third person about myself.

Fighting For Respect

2009-10-23T09:24:00.008-04:00

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.

Cap'n, OU Stumbling Lately

2009-10-10T11:54:00.004-04:00

Reading, MA - The blog and the team seem to be falling apart. Bloggin' and Ballin', once a highly regarded weekly stop on the blog roll, now gets updated less frequently than Jason Varitek hitting a home run. And, Origins Unknown, the team at the center of the basketball blog universe is now crawling along at a alarmingly-crappy pace.

Over the past two weeks, OU was able to get themselves into the win column after destroying an out-manned Hustlers team by 33. But, just as quickly as the good vibrations returned to Reading - they were sucked away by a dreadful performance against the Bostonville Grill, losing 67-53.

The loss was especially painful for Cap'n Mike and Big Dan Rasanen - who combined to go 5 for 353 from the field. Cap'n Mike was at a loss for words after the game. "Uhh...ahh...sucky shooting...no idea... don't understand... tough year so far," he said when asked why the shots weren't falling. For their part, BG played well with good inside outside balance, and some bruisers down low. OU played well in the first half, and even took a solid eight point lead in the first few minutes of the second half thanks to some hot shooting by Shu-ter Patel. But, BG hit some big threes to close the gap, and as Cap'n continued to misfire, the gap grew.

The loss moves OU to 1-3 in the league, and makes nearly all games must-win moving forward, if they ever plan to sneak into the playoffs. "Playoffs?!... Playoffs??!" screamed Danger Dan Fisher. "We're just trying to get a win right now! If you ask me a question like that again, I will go Bobby Knight on your ass with this chair."

And..... We're Back!

2009-09-25T17:20:00.005-04:00

Reading, MA - After a summer that saw Origins Unknown lose one player to medical school, another to school in Maine, and others who just lost their mojo - We're back! That's right, after a quiet off-season which OU took off for the first time in the team's six-year history, we've laced them up for another run at the Reading YMCA Men's League Fall Session Title. The team has undergone a few changes, but the OU aura is still in tact (although slightly balding).

Since July, OU lost key contributors Jay "Magic" Wand-tke and Nick "The Human Frigging Wreckingball" Dutton-Swain from the low blocks. Both were important pieces in title runs in the past, but have decided to take time away from the team due to other commitments. Meanwhile, James "Stretch" Hogan IV, Danger Dan Fisher, Shu-ter Patel and Cap'n Mike have returned to keep the OU core in place. This fearless foursome has a combined 24 years of Reading YMCA league experience (I am not even making that up).

OU also used the off-season to acquire the rights to Brian "Jonesy" Jones, who became a free agent of sorts after the old Chili's team disbanded. Jonesy brings an electric energy and pace to the game, while also giving OU some additional ball handling and fast break experience. Jonesy then made a call to his friend Dan "Big Dan" Rasanen, who agreed to join OU and fill out the roster. Big Dan is an imposing hoopster, with an excellent inside-outside repertoire that gives his defenders fits (just ask Hogan).

With the team set, the season began two weeks ago. And, let's just say that things haven't gotten off on the best foot so far. OU is O and 2. There, I said it.

All is not lost though, as the team played together for the first time in week two, and is still working on getting their legs back after the long summer layoff. The first game was a loss to a young upstart team, without Big Dan... The second loss was to The Muskets, who had nearly all their full-time players - plus added a standout guard to the roster who dismantled the OU defense in the second half. The game was close, but OU struggled offensively in the second frame and ended up losing in the late minutes. There were some positives to take away from the contest, including a very well played first half that saw OU take a one-point lead into intermission.

Another positive note has been the discovery of $1.99 drafts at Chili's for the post-game recap...

OU looks to get in the win column next week, against a 1-1 Hustlers team.

Where You At?

2009-07-28T20:40:00.004-04:00

Newburyport, MA - I know what you're thinking. You've been checking the blog, hoping for wit and wisdom (as well as stupid player nicknames and game recaps). But, there's been no updates from the Cap'n. Well, fear not - for OU is simply on a mini-hiatus in an effort to regroup and re-energize.

"We've been playing back to back sessions for almost 5 years," said Shu-ter Patel. "The summer is a good time to take a break, and we'll be back in the fall with 6-pack abs and dead-eye jumpers". Word on the street is that Danger Dan Fisher has been running courts 3 hours a day in the D (Dorchester), and James "Stretch" Hogan IV has been named mid-summer MVP of the mid-coast Maine pick-up league.

This year's summer session is a shortened 9 week season, without playoffs. OU has been promised a spot in the always-competitive fall session - and should return to near full roster at that point.

Look for an update in September... Enjoy the rest of the summer.

Intervention: Intervale Ends OU's Rough Spring

2009-07-03T12:04:00.008-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown finished the 2009 Reading YMCA Spring 4 on 4 Basketball league Thursday night with a playoff loss to top seed Intervale at the Palace in Reading Hills. And, while the game was a blow out for the last 25 minutes, OU should keep their heads held high after battling through a tough season without a consistent line up.

Big props to the three OU battlers who were able to make the game: Cap'n, Danger Dan Fisher and Danger Derek Chicarilli. The three, along with Jeff Yeakley-bombs, took on the challenge of facing an Intervale team that had all six of their horses.

For Intervale, their guard play is top-notch, with Mark Mulvey throwing daggers from all over the court. Mulvey is a former St. Mike's standout baller and buddy of Cap'n Mike, James "Stretch" Hogan, and Jay Wandtke. He and his stellar back court mate (who I am told played at Suffolk) are a handful, and tough to contain on the perimeter. Matched with versatile big man Jim Murphy down low, and a core of other solid players, Intervale will be the favorite to win it all again this session.

OU did their best out of the gate and actually kept the game close for most of the first half. Cap'n Mike struggled to find consistency with his outside shot, but everyone else kept scrappin' to keep things tight. OU was within 4 with less than 5 minutes to play, but a quick Intervale run - spurred by torrid shooting by their guards - ballooned the lead to 14 in short order.

Things got f-ugly in the second half, as Intervale decided to make about 10 three pointers in a row, from all over the court. OU was fatigued, and it showed as their opponents picked apart their poor excuse for defense and lowered the boom. As the lead continued to grow, Yeakley attempted to keep the game from getting out of hand by hitting several late threes of his own.

In the end, the game was never in doubt, and the OU players (or at least me) are left to wonder how close it would be if we had all of our big guns available. Perhaps in a session down the road, we will find out.

Lucky Losers

2009-06-30T16:10:00.004-04:00

Reading, MA – In the final game of the spring session, Origins Unknown took on first place Intervale with a chance to lock-up a playoff spot but stumbled in the final 10 minutes, losing 91-77. Luckily, Howse Corp also lost later in the night, leaving OU in sole possession of 4th place, with a ticket to the REAL Final 4 (March Madness-schmadness)… Perhaps the second time will be a charm, as the OU bunch will take on the #1 seed….Intervale!

The final regular season game followed a similar pattern of other recent games against top-tier teams, as OU was competitive for the first 25-30 minutes– only to have a bad stretch of play derail things. OU played Intervale even in the first half, as the bunch shot the ball well, and kept pace offensively. Intervale’s top two scorers were also having a great night from the inside and outside, and the teams stayed within 2-3 points of each other from the tip.

The second half started with promise, as OU fought their way to a 5 point lead after several minutes. Things turned quickly though, and after some Intervale three point bombs and some OU missed shots – they were staring at a small deficit. OU missed several chances from then on out, and Intervale didn’t let up. A few turnovers later, OU was staring at a 14 point gap – without the energy to make a run.

OU finishes the season at a mediocre 6-4, which is somewhat remarkable based on the lack of team depth this session. Intervale wound up with the #1 seed, followed by NE Finest in the #2 seed, and The Muskets wrapped up the #3 seed.

Tale of Two Halves

2009-06-14T09:54:00.009-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown outplayed New England's Finest for one half, and seemed to be in the thick of a tight game when the second half commenced at the Readingdome. But, NEF went on an impressive second half run, and a five point lead quickly turned to a fifteen point deficit in a matter of minutes. With OU's spirit on the ropes, NEF never let off the gas. As OU proceeded to play a style that resembled "a comedy of errors" (according to Cap'n Wife Deanna) - NEF finished strong and ran away with the win, 80-64.

OU DID put together a solid first half against their younger and quicker opponent. Cap'n Mike was able to put up a strong shooting performance - knocking down long three after long three which helped match the quick offensive pace of the NEF bunch. Meanwhile, Jay "5 Minutes Late" Wandtke came out without any time to warm up and had a solid half on the low block and defensively. His presence allowed OU to pressure the shooters, but NEF boasts an athletic line-up which still found ways to score. OU seemed up to the task - with Danger Dan Fisher leading the way against Finest's best player - a very solid guard with a deadly shot and a quick first step. As the half wore on, OU battled their way to a five point lead at the half - 42-37. While OU held the lead, it was clear that legs were starting to tire against the team with what seemed like unending energy.

The second half was flat-out brutal - there isn't another way to explain it. NEF started trapping OU guards at half-court, and it seemed that every time OU got the ball out of pressure a turnover or missed shot was the result. NEF was still running at full throttle and when OU did turn it over, they paid on nearly every trip. NEF's own Cap'n and loudest talker let his game do the talking in the second half, as he nailed several long three pointers after being held mostly silent in the first half. The only second frame highlight was Shu-ter Patel's 14-inch Jordanesque shot captured in the below picture (no word on whether the shot went in)!

OU super-fans Lil' Cap'n Max and Deanna agreed that OU looked old in the second half... The 43-22 scoring difference certainly didn't help anyone's confidence either - although the team agreed in the post game interview that OU regulars James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Nick Dominator-Swain would have changed the outcome drastically.

OU now sits at 5-3 in league play, and is currently on the outside looking in, for one of the four available playoff spots.

Meanwhile, Lil' Cap'n Max continues to work on his game in an effort to join Origins Unknown as soon as possible.

OU Bowl Over Warriors

2009-06-06T09:39:00.011-04:00

Reading, MA - In the fast-paced, high pressure world of being a YMCA Men's League Team Cap'n - things can often change in a matter of minutes. One minute, you think the team is down to three available players for a game that night... The next, you not only have enough guys, but you also have an extra player who you've never played with that turns out to be an absolute motor on the court. Such is the life I have chosen.

So, when I got a call from Nick Destroyer-Swain saying he didn't think he could make it for the game Thursday - I was concerned. Then, when Nick called back an hour later and told me that he would be able to make the game AND had another buddy who could play with us... Well, I was just a tad relieved.

Nick would put in one of his more dominating performances of the session, dropping 34 in his last game before heading south to Connecticut to continue his career in medicine. And, his buddy Derek - a Roomba-like energy player - fit in with the existing OU crew perfectly.

On the other end of the court, the Warriors showed up game-ready, but unfortunately had to take the brunt of Nick's presence. They were missing several key players, and after starting out the game 3 for 3 from behind the three-point line - they were overwhelmed by OUs speed and tenacity. OU pushed the pace and remained tenacious on the defensive end for all 40 minutes. By the end of the first half, OU had already built a 20 point lead, and was cruising towards the W. Threes were droppin', post play was poppin', and OU wasn't stoppin' (That sentence has to put me in the running for a Pulitzer).

The second half was a simple continuation of the first... Derek and Danger Dan Fisher continued to run all over the court, and Cap'n and Shu-ter Patel simply spotted up wherever there was open space. On top of all the points he scored, Nick also had about 20 rebounds, 20 free-throws and 20 collisions where he was a bus and an unlucky Warrior's player was a Mini Cooper.

The final score of 97-62 didn't really do the Warriors justice, as they battled with a less-than full line-up. OU, meanwhile, moves to 5-2 on the session - with three games remaining.

Turkoglu and The Gang Get W

2009-05-24T09:05:00.006-04:00

Reading, MA - Maybe it was Shu-ter Patel doing his best Eddie House impersonation when he scored seven straight points off the bench in the second half. Maybe it was Jay Wandtke putting in a Hedo Turkoglu-ish performance that saw him handle the ball at the high post, dish assists and score from the mid-range and in close. Danger Dan Fisher certainly showed up, and fired off some second-half daggers of his own against their Anderson opponents, as well. Whatever it was, it worked as OU battled, and then cruised, to an 81-65 win to get back above .500 on the season.

OU started the game on fire, as their passing and floor spacing was on full display. They kicked the game off with a ball-reversal to James "Stretch" Hogan IV for a slashing deuce. It was Hogan's first game back after missing a couple weeks with back spasms.

Anderson kept the game fairly close throughout the first half. After OU made their initial run to open the game, they then proceeded to turn the ball over like a bunch of 3rd graders on the playground and let Anderson back in. There were missed connections on ally-oops, 3 on 2's, and everything in between. But OU also sprinkled in some open three pointers and fast breaks to maintain a small lead.

Anderson wasn't able to sustain the second half offensive pressure, and Patel and Fisher helped catapult OU to the double digit lead, which they never relinquished.

OU moves to 3-2 on the season, with an upcoming match up with The Hustlers.

Howse of Pain

2009-05-17T21:51:00.004-04:00

Reading, MA - Howse Corp. joked coming out to the tip that the Origins Unknown players were 'licking their chops' when they saw only four out-sized players suited up in gold. But, when the game ended with OU losing 85-84 in overtime, OU was simply licking their wounds.

Howse played a great game, and withstood every run that OU was able to put together. The height advantage worked for OU at certain points, but the Howse team also scrapped together some nice defense and outworked OU on many possessions. The game was a tight affair throughout, with both teams building 5-point leads in the last 10 minutes and neither team seeming to be able to take control.

OU had a chance to seal the win with 13 seconds left and Cap'n Mike shooting a one and one, but the Cap'n didn't come through - and 2 free throws later from the younger Howse sent the game into OT. In overtime, the teams traded punches and when Jay Wandtke made an 'and-one' to give OU the lead with only six seconds left - things were looking good.

Unfortunately for OU, the Howse point guard made quick work of pushing it up the court and when he got near the basket, OU was forced to commit. When the defenders collapsed, he kicked it out to Young Howse - who calmly sunk a 12-footer for the win.

OU drops to 2-2 on the season, with an upcoming match-up with Anderson.

Round Two Goes To OU

2009-05-08T20:41:00.003-04:00

Reading, MA – For the third time in the past four games, Origins Unknown and The Muskets tangled like Kobe and Ron Artest in a battle for supremacy at the Reading YMCA. In this latest installment of their rivalry, OU outplayed their nemesis' and held on for an impressive five-point victory.

OU was without the services of James “Stretch” Hogan IV, who proved to be less stretchy than usual when he threw out his back a day earlier. Without the fiery red-head, OU went to battle with the rest of the regulars – but faced a 7-man-deep Muskets team with plenty of size and speed.

The Muskets came out on a mission, and with their bigger lineup opened up a quick lead on OU. The game had plenty of energy, as the Muskets seemed to be on point with their drives and posts ups. Their big-bodied small forward worked his way around the hoop for hard-earned baskets, and OU was forced to weather a storm that saw the Muskets start out nearly perfect from the field. OU was hanging tough, through excellent post-play by Jay “WhateverIlike” Wandtke (Cause he can do whatever he likes) and Nick “Downlow”-Swain, as well as some timely long range bombs by Cap’n Mike. As the game progressed, the teams proved to be an even match. OU eventually caught up to take a six point lead – only to lose the lead in the final 3 minutes of the half. With the clock down to 8 seconds in the half, Wandtke made a strong move to his left from the three point line and finished a sweeping drive with only seconds left. The Muskets turned and pushed the ball up quickly though, and hit a lay-up to respond and keep it a one-point game.

There were several highlight plays for the OU bunch in the second half. Danger Dan Fisher making some tough pull-up jumpers in the thick of the defense. Shu-ter Patel finishing off a tough fast-break over a defender. Cap’n Mike getting to show off some post and mid-range skills (not to mention a soaring rebound in the paint where he looked a little like Rajon Rondo – ok, maybe not). Dutton-Swain punishing whoever guarded him on the block and going 4-4 from the line in the process. Or, Wandtke directing traffic on defense and hitting turnarounds/jumpers all over the place. It all added up to a 5-8 point lead that the Muskets could never quite penetrate.

As the game came down to the wire, the Muskets tightened the clamps – but OU responded with deft passing and stellar team defense. Even with the Cap’n missing three straight free throws - an event that is about as likely as Manny Ramirez being a steroid user… um… never mind – OU refused to give up open looks and kept the Muskets at bay.

The win, and a blowout win last week which didn’t warrant a write-up, pushes OU to 2-1 on the season.

OU Loses First Game (Still Champs Though)

2009-04-28T20:34:00.004-04:00

Reading, MA - The spring session of the Reading YMCA Men's league kicked off with Origins Unknown (Winter League Champs) matched up against their finals foe, the Muskets (NOT the Winter League Champs). While the game was a battle from start to finish, and OU did their best to hang with the Musket's big bodies, OU ultimately fell 67-57 in a defensive battle.

OU took the court without 1/2 of their 'meat in the middle', Nick Dutton-Swain. And, with Jay "The J is for Jumper" Wandtdke running behind on the 8:00 tip off, OU had a difficult time matching up with the rugged Muskets to begin the game. While battling immediate foul trouble, OU was able to hang tough until Wandtke laced them up, through solid play down low by James "Stretch" Hogan IV. Offensively, OU had trouble with the intense defensive pressure as well - as Cap'n Mike really struggled to beat his man off the dribble and create space to operate. This lead to too many turnovers, and well contested shots that were not falling consistently until late in the game.

The Muskets also added another young, solid guard to their rotation, which helped spread the floor. But, it was three straight three-point baskets by Crusty Musket original Ralphie which took a four point Musket lead and pushed it to double digits at the half.

OU battled valiantly in the second half, as Danger Dan Fisher made some tough hoops to keep it close. The tired teams counter punched for the better part of the half, with OU making small runs - only to give back points defensively. OU cut the lead to seven with four minutes left, but excellent free throws and dead legs ultimately finished them off.

With a perfect season now out of the question, OU can now focus on getting victory number one against Northwestern Mutual in their next game.

Champions Again

2009-04-13T21:42:00.005-04:00

Reading, MA – Weeeee are the Champions, my friends (my 5 loyal readers). That’s right, after 10 regular season games, and 2 playoff games, Origins Unknown is once again back on top of the ever-competitive YMCA Thursday Night Men’s Basketball League. It took a well-rounded effort by the OU crew to take down the Crusty Muskets, but when the game was finished – OU stood victorious with a 76-63 victory that brought them a 4th (I think) overall championship.

The MVP of the game? Could have been Danger Dan Fisher, who battled through foul trouble to have a near-perfect shooting game from the floor and free throw line. Might have been Nick Dominator-Swaggernator, with his bruising low post offensive display. Jay “The Difference” Wandtke certainly changed the game on the defensive end, stymieing the Crusty Mustket bigs all over the court. James “Stretch” Hogan IV and his well rounded game (and 17 foot jumper?) were on display and worthy of inclusion. Heck, even Cap’n Mike and Shu-ter Patel had their moments in the sun, when guarded by the right CM defender!

This was one of those classic all-around team wins. Let’s leave it at that…

As for the game, the first half was the OU team vs. the Muskets one-man show. The solid CM guard was a load to handle on the drive, while he also gave Cap’n Mike fits defensively. When you have 6 players (out of 8) on the floor at 6’3”-6’7”, there isn’t much room to create – and it took the Cap’n a little time to figure this out. Meanwhile, the rest of the OU bunch was doing all the right things offensively and defensively. The CM big guys had their hands full with Wandtke, Dutton-Swain and Hogan on the blocks. And Fisher, Patel and Nolan did enough spreading the court and locking down defensively to help OU to a 36-30 lead at the end of the half.

The second half started with some quick whistles against OU on some ticky-tack fouls, but it was clear the referees wanted to maintain control of the game. As play settled down, OU extended the lead and maintained their cushion – as everyone was making the right plays. Cap’n Mike got to the hole for a hoop and harm, and then Patel drove with a purpose to score over a smaller Muskets guard. Meanwhile, every time OU needed a bucket, they were able to dump the ball into Dutton-Swain or Wandtke in the post, and get one. As time ticked down, CM started to foul, but OU made most of their free-throws down the stretch and started to pull away. The game was called with under a minute left, as both teams congratulated each other and then made their way to Chili’s for post game munchies and tall boys.

OU finishes the season 10-2 overall, winning both playoff games by double digits. They will take a one-week hiatus, and then start their “Drive for 5” the following week. The next session will see some changes and instability as both Hogan and Dutton-Swain will miss some time due to other obligations (This might call for another article).

OU Crushes Dreams.... Of Dream Team...

2009-04-04T21:55:00.005-04:00

Reading, MA – Reading ain’t Detroit… Origins Unknown ain’t Michigan State… But, the teams do have a trip to their respective “Finals” to look forward to.

Origins Unknown dominated an outsized (and outworked) Dream Team Thursday night to earn their way to the YMCA Winter League Finals. The game showcased OU’s strength down low, and also proved that they could win when some players didn’t have their “A” game (i.e. Cap’n Mike).

OU’s height advantage forced the Dream Team into some unfavorable match-ups, and allowed Nick Destroyer-Swain the chance to churn his way to an easy double-double, as he consistently punished his defenders on the block. One sequence saw the Destroyer rebound his own shot at least 4 times before powering it back in over a couple defenders.

OU jumped out to a quick double digit lead within the first few minutes, but saw the Dream Team keep the game close. OU’s defense was also in good form, as the Dream Team’s guard never quite got off the way he wanted to. He was able to make some circus drives here and there, but wasn’t able to get good looks constantly through an excellent rotation of defenders including Danger Dan Fisher, James “Stretch” Hogan IV, and Cap’n Mike. Under the glass Jay “Air Accountant” Wandtke patrolled the lane like Dikembe Mutumbo, keeping his counterpart in check and deterring any others from attacking the rim.

As the Cap’n mis-fired shot after shot, OU kept pressure on the DREAM TEAM on both ends of the court, and a last second turnaround jumper in the lane by Wandtke pushed them to a six-point lead at the half. The second half was all OU, however, and the lead moved to double digits when OU put together a nice 8 point run through excellent patience, cutting and passing. OU braced for a final run by their younger opponent, but the run never came and with four minutes left, it was clear the game was over. Things got a little chippy towards the end of the game, as OU built the lead to 20 and the DREAM TEAM felt like yapping a bit, but it was all good at that point.

OU will meet the Muskets in the league finals for what feels like the 10th time in the past five years. The game will feature some great match-ups and battles, both down low and on the perimeter.

Steal Seals Deal - For Real

2009-03-17T16:10:00.004-04:00

Reading, MA – Origins Unknown survived a torrid shooting night by Howse Corp sharpshooters Nicky and Rusty to win the second greatest game of the day (slightly behind the Syracuse vs. UConn six overtime game) by three points, 85-82. The win, combined with a Muskets win over Northwestern Mutual in the late game moved OU into a three-team tie for first place.

OU took the court with 6, COUNT ‘EM SIX, players and everyone contributed to the win, which showcased OU’s depth and diversity – but also exposed some weak perimeter defense as Nicky lit up the Reading sky like bombs over Baghdad. Post play dominance was OU’s true advantage in the game, as the front-line of James “Stretch” Hogan IV, Nick “Destroyer” DS, and Jay “Wunderkind” Wandtke all boast 6’3”-6’7” frames. Howse, meanwhile plays physical, but relies more on speed and a solid nose for the ball to hang down low.

OU built a solid single-digit lead in the first half. Scoring was balanced, and the buckets came from a good mixture of their inside and outside games. On the other side of the ball, Nicky started by making some quick release three pointers, and rode the hot streak all the way through the end of the first half when he drained a trifecta over Cap’n Mike’s outstretched hand.

As the second half got underway, OU was never quite able to shake the pesky Howse bunch. The teams would trade buckets, and OU would build a small lead, only to see it erased by Rusty squeezing a three-pointer off between two OU trees. With the clock running down, and a close game inevitable, OU watched as Howse swing forward Dennis Curran sank two free throws to cut the lead to one point. On the ensuing possession, OU was called for a very questionable three second call after just crossing half court, which gave the ball back to Howse.

Nicky brought the ball across the timeline, but was stripped towards half-court by Cap’n Mike - who then released and waltzed in for an uncontested layup to stretch the lead to 3. A last second heave bounced off the back iron, and the win was in the books.

OU holds the tie-breaker over the other teams locked at 6-2, and faces the Warriors in their final regular season game on Thursday. A win looks to lock up the #1 overall seed for March Madness (The Reading MA version).

Hero Returns

2009-03-11T16:48:00.001-04:00

Reading, MA – He didn’t have to hobble back onto the court... There wasn’t even a noticeable limp when James “Stretch” Hogan IV returned from missing four games with a badly bruised knee. Big Red didn’t miss a beat, and contributed mightily in Origins Unknown’s 78-58 victory over Andersen in YMCA league play. Other than his return, the game was forgettable as OU built a 15 point lead out of the gates… only to see the lead disappear… only to build the lead back up in the final 10 minutes.

OU came out with good energy, possibly due to the fact that they finally had a sub!! Hogan came out of the gate and tested the knee right away, driving through the lane and tossing up a runner. Meanwhile, Jay “Touch The Sky (with his jumper)” Wandtke was getting good looks from every angle, and Danger Dan Fisher and Cap’n Mike ran around making plays here and there. While things started at a quick pace, they got even quicker when Nick DS “DeStroyer” came in off the bench and proceeded to pound the Anderson crew senseless on both ends.

Anderson made a comeback after the initial spurt, and cut the lead to a tie at the beginning of the second half. OU regrouped, however, and made a nice run to open things back up. The entire team was in on the scoring, and the substitute certainly allowed them to have more energy at the end of the game. Anderson was cooked, and OU had plenty left in the tank to finish them off.

The win moves OU to 6-2 on the session, with just two games remaining and a match-up against a rejuvenated Howse Corp team on Thursday.

Nightmare Ending Against Dream Team

2009-03-02T16:03:00.007-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown had the Dream Team (no relation to the original Olympic Dream Team) down four with less than 40 seconds left in the game Thursday, and while OU may have deserved the win, they couldn't hold the lead and ended up on the wrong end of a disappointing 88-86 loss.

Other than the classy Warriors point guard offering to stand in as OU waited for Jay Wandtke's arrival, I cannot recall much in particular about this game. I know that it was a four-man OU crew battling against an athletic team with a couple fresh legs on their bench... I remember Shu-ter Patel banking in a huge three with under five to play... and I think that I had a half-court shot to win bounce off the rim right before the buzzer. But, all in all, it felt like a bad dream. So, my mind is erasing the nightmare.

The loss knocks OU down to second place in the standings with a 5-2 record. They look to take on Anderson in their next match-up, in hopes to get back to their winning ways.

Muskets Jammed By OU - Hogan Bruised But Not Broken

2009-02-15T08:28:00.011-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown and the Muskets locked horns for another epic battle in the fiercest basketball rivalry this side of Duke/Carolina and Celtics/Lakers. Yet again, the game came down to the wire with both teams having a shot to win - but this time, OU came out on top with the 73-69 victory.

The game would include one of the hottest shooting halves of Cap'n Mike's career, as he torched the Musket defenders for three pointer after three pointer (Unofficially, 8 in the game). But, this isn't about the greatest shooter to ever hail from Hillside St. in Newport, VT... This is about T-E-A-M O-U. And, the entire OU bunch was resilient and tough in their win.

The first half saw OU establish their offense early, as Jay "Tooeazy (cause the sh*t is too easy)" Wandtke had his post game going. His mid-range jumper was spot-on, and he controlled the block by keeping Big Doug off balance and unsure what to expect.

The Muskets countered with three bullish offensive players on their end, a wiggly point guard, and Ralph. The three Muskets big men accounted for most of their points, and rarely took shots outside ten feet from the hoop. With OU banging back defensively, the three big men had their moments, but were ultimately kept in check by Nick DS, Shu-ter Patel and Wandtke. With Cap'n Mike hitting almost everything he threw up, OU raced out to a 15 point lead at the half.

Of course, the lead evaporated in the first six minutes of the second half, as the Muskets clamped down defensively, and focused all of their energy on taking the ball to the hole. OU wasn't getting many open looks, but Nick DS came to the rescue by continuing to attack and finding baskets when needed most.

The game went back and forth for the remainder of the half until OU took the lead and held on for good with under a minute left. It was a another solid win for the OU crew, and one that proved they could handle not only the quicker teams, but the bigger teams as well.

The win pushes OU to 5-0 in the session, and matches their best league start in the past two years.

UPDATE - James "Stretch" Hogan IV has been diagnosed with a deep bone bruise in his knee, and will not require surgery, as initially feared. Recovery is, however, expected to take 1-3 months. When reached for comment, Hogan rejoiced saying, "This is good news. The knee is still sore, but I'll be back sooner rather than later."

OU Makes Sweet Music In Win

2009-02-07T09:44:00.011-05:00

Welcome to the 100th blog post here at the award-winning Bloggin' and Ballin'. It's been a great ride... "Sweet music", if you will. Sweet, like the music this band/group must have made back in the day. Recognize anyone? Is that an accordion, Big Country?

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown made sure the 100th blog post was a positive one, with a fantastic Thursday night win over the very game Northwestern Mutual team, 78-70. What made the win special was that this was a four on four battle of wills, and OU outlasted the younger NM bunch.

NM nearly forfeited the game before it started, as only 3 guys were present at 8:00. The clock started, and their fourth showed up to get things going with the clock at the 16:00 minute mark. Sufficiently warmed up at this point, OU went to work on the offensive end. Jay "The Devens Destroyer" Wandtke had a size/height advantage and went to work on the low block - using his strength to overpower his NM defensive counterpart. Cap'n Mike was also able to effectively drive to the hoop, and knock down some three pointers to help OU off to a solid start.

Meanwhile, Danger "Dan" Fisher was in lock-down defensive mode, and limiting their solid point guard to difficult shots and drives. The energy worked for the first 10 minutes, as OU built a 12-point lead. NM then made their own run, as their wing players started making some shots and OU ran into their own offensive drought. As the half wound down, the teams found themselves locked in a battle.

OU started the second half with solid, yet unspectacular, play. Buckets were hard to come buy, but the team scraped and clawed the NM team to a virtual dead heat. OU made a strategic second half defensive switch, which allowed Wandtke to stay closer to the hoop and keep HIS lane on lock-down for the remainder of the game. Both teams struggled to keep their legs on the defensive end, but found moments to make big shots and keep the fans on the edge of their seats. OU found themselves down a couple points with five minutes left in the game, when NM called a timeout. From there, it was all OU.

Up until that point, Shu-ter Patel had played great defense and hit some shots here and there - but his next two buckets would prove to be his biggest contribution, as he helped OU regain the lead for good. Another huge play followed, as after another defensive stop, Fisher tight-roped the baseline under the OU hoop and hit Cap'n Mike for a three pointer which had the Cap'n running up the court doing the Sam Cassell dance.

After a few more stops, and a couple of free throws, the game was over and OU basked in the adrenaline of victory. The win moves OU into sole possession of first place, with a 4-0 record and a big game against old foes The Muskets next week.

No official word on the James "Stretch" Hogan IV injury, but Bloggin' and Ballin' will keep you posted.

Stretched Thin

2009-01-31T15:48:00.006-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown easily captured their third straight win Thursday night at the Reading YMCA, as they clobbered Alliance Exteriors 78-49. But, the victory came with a price as James "Stretch" Hogan IV, sustained a knee injury early in the second half and had to be helped off the court to the cheers and well-wishes of his adoring fans.

The game itself was a bit of a snooze-fest. AE had four thickly fellas to start the game, but not a ball-handler in sight. OU easily jumped out to a lead, as the first four found a bountiful amount of open shots and breakaway layups. The lead quickly moved to 14 with less than 6 minutes remaining in the half, through Nick Dutton-Swain's hard work and relentless attack of the glass, and Hogan's constant defensive pressure. There was a lot of this going on.

AE made a run to cut the lead to under 10, with less than 2 minutes in the half, but after a quick time out to regroup, OU hit two more shots before the half to extend the lead, once again.

The second half was much more of the same. OU got shots where and when they wanted, and absorbed some damage down low - but nothing major. A few minutes into the half, a play (just like hundreds of other plays of the same kind over the past few years) unfolded when AE chucked up another missed shot, and players started flying towards the ball to gather the rebound. As usual, Hogan was around the ball and got to it first, but as he grabbed the ball, he collapsed to the ground in pain - clutching his knee. OU is a team familiar with knee injuries. Jay "The Hamel Hall Hammer" Wandtke and Cap'n Mike have both gone under the knife with knee issues, and a couple sessions ago OU lost Shu-ter Patel to a knee injury sustained during a game. I think everyone was thinking that it didn't look good.

Hogan made his way to the sideline, and got ice applied immediately. Instead of heading straight to the hospital, Hogan did what any true OU'r would do. He watched the rest of the game in pain, and then headed to Chili's for a couple beers.

The final score was indicative of how lopsided this game was. Wandtke, Danger Dan Fisher and Patel all had their way with the out-classed AE team. Nick DS was the game's MVP however, as he flew all over the court from tip to buzzer.

OU takes on 3-0 Northwestern Mutual next week, in a battle of undefeated teams.

After several hours at the hospital the day after the game, Hogan is awaiting an knee MRI to get an accurate diagnosis, but seems to be in good spirits. "Hell, half the Muskets play on one good leg these days, so I am sure I can too," said Hogan.

Welcome Back - 09' OU Crew Kicks of Season

2009-01-24T08:00:00.013-05:00

NOTE: As I found out this week, Bloggin' and Ballin' has made it's way through the series of tubes to other people associated with the league (players/refs/etc). If you are reading this blog - I hope you can see that the content is written tongue in cheek for the most part, and no one should take any offense to anything written in my past posts.

Cap'n Mike is hopeful that he will be back to writing weekly updates for all his faithful readers. "It's been a busy winter," said Cap'n. "But, now that my reader count is up to 6 or 7 people - I think it's time for me to step it back up."

With that being said... Let's get this party started!

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown, fresh off a month long hiatus, has returned to YMCA league play with a different look - and things look gooooood (so far).

Several changes have taken place since last session, including the departure of Chris "Big Country" Johnson, the long term signing of Jay "The McQuaid Monster" Wandtke, and the addition of another workhorse down low - Nick Dutton-Swain.

Two games have been played thus far in the winter session, and OU now has mostly comfortable victories over the Warriors and the Hustlers.

The Warriors game was all over the place for the OU crew, as they returned to the court after the long break. Both teams struggled to find their legs in the game, but OU built a double digit lead in the first half, and although the Warriors made a small run towards the end of the game - things never got too tight. Cap'n Mike was lucky to find his stroke early and with the attention needed to be paid to OU's big three down low (James "Stretch" Hogan IV, Wandtke and DS), he and Danger Dan Fisher had a much easier time finding space for shots.

The second game of the session pitted 1-0 OU vs. 1-0 Hustlers team. Heading into the game, it appeared that it would be an interesting contrast in styles, but the Hustlers couldn't keep pace with OU - and the good ol' boys built a 20 point lead before the first half was even over. Offensively, everyone was chipping in for OU. Wandtke and DS over-powered their opponents, and made it very difficult to for the Hustlers big man to get anything easy. Hogan too was having his way with the Hustlers defenders, including this ridiculous play in the second half.

The win keeps OU in first place, and finishes the early season run of 10:00 pm games.

Big Country Makes Big Decision

2008-12-19T16:02:00.007-05:00

Reading, MA - After more than 2 years roaming the middle for Origins Unknown, Chris "Big Country" Johnson is hanging up the sneakers (at least for now). Johnson, a two time Origins Unknown Session MVP, made the announcement at a small press conference last week held in the front seat of his Honda Accord.

"I really enjoyed playing with everyone and wish you guys the best of luck in the future," said Johnson - who will focus more of his time on work and volleyball.

When reached by phone for comment, OU original James "Stretch" Hogan IV was obviously upset. "He was a great teammate, a great player, and a great guy," said Hogan between sobs of "whhhhhyyyy?".

According to the award-winning Bloggin' and Ballin' blog, Johnson's OU career started in September of 2006 after a stint with Nice Left, and included multiple finals appearances, numerous double-doubles, one missed dunk, 126 "bucket and the foul" plays, 244 blocked shots, and 48 bowls of chips and salsa from Chilis.

The OU crew wished Chris the best of luck in the future, and hopes to see him back in blue someday soon (we'll un-retire your number).

Muskets Ruin OU's Holidays

2008-12-11T09:16:00.010-05:00

Reading, MA - Wielding strong defense instead of guns... a relentless offensive attack instead of flak jackets... The Muskets took down OU convincingly in their semi-final match up at the Reading Garden, 77-61. Origins Unknown came into their final four match up with the Muskets riding high. They had won five straight games after adding Jay "The Rochester Rock" Wandtke to the roster. They had survived a tough first round game against a hot-shooting Howse Corp team. And, they had lost to the Muskets by only one point in their meeting earlier in the session. Unfortunately, all of that came unravelled in a 15 minute second-half stretch Thursday, dooming the OU bunch and ruining the holiday spirit.

For the first half, it seemed that this was a classic game in the making, as both teams exchanged body blows - neither team building a substantial lead. The Muskets had picked up a ringer of their own this session, and he made Cap'n Mike work for everything on both ends of the court. Cap'n was able to shake free for some open jumpers here and there, but three pointers were hard to come by as the lanky defender blanketed him around the court. He also took over as the Muskets main offensive weapon, taking a majority of their shots outside and on drives. Down low, Wandtke and Chris "Big Country" Johnson kept pace with the Muskets big men, as James "Stretch" Hogan IV flew around the court like a pinball. The first half saw some nice buckets on both ends, and OU trailed by only 1 heading into the break after Cap'n made a nice turnaround jumper at the buzzer.

The second half also showed promise, as OU built a quick 4-point lead after Danger Dan Fisher rattled in a negative-arching three pointer from the top of the key. But, four minutes in, the reindeer veered off course, and the Muskets made a serious run. Everyone was in on the action for the Muskets, including Ralphy as he drove past the OU defense for an old-fashioned three pointer. The strong guard continued to push the tempo, and the Muskets often isolated him for one on one drives, which OU found difficult to defend. Down double-digits quickly, OU couldn't find an answer and the season and the clocked ticked away.

OU gets started again next year, as they look to improve on their 4th place finish.

OU Cleans Howse

2008-11-21T21:28:00.005-05:00

Reading, MA - The first round of the YMCA Fall League Playoffs is in the books, and Origins Unknown survived a great effort by the Howse Corp team to advance to the second round. OU had all six active players suited up for the game, and they needed every ounce of effort to get past HC, who torched the nets for much of the game behind the ridiculous shot making of their captain, Rusty Howse.

OU got the job done however, and their confidence was set in place early by strong play off the tip. The OU tap play worked like a charm this time around as James "Stretch" Hogan IV won the jump to Cap'n Mike on the offensive end of the circle. Immediately streaking down the far side of the court was Danger Dan Fisher for a quick two and they were off to the races.

Cap'n Mike and Chris "Big Country" Johnson both had strong first halves on the offensive end of the court. Johnson, returning from one of his rougher outings, played with more confidence and aggressiveness around the hoop and had a lot more success with other hustle hoops. Off the bench, OU benefited from the immediate impact that Jay "The German Highlight Film" Wandtke provided at both the offensive and defensive end. While OU was playing well, Rusty and the boys started making some shots and drives to keep the game close. There were several highlight plays on both sides of the court during the first half. Double-pump drives by the HC squad over and over... OU shotmaking and an exciting missed follow up dunk by Hogan. The game seemed to have it all.

Up single digits at the half, OU had their hands full with an en fuego Howse Corp in the second half. They threw every defender on Rusty at some point, with little luck in stopping the streaky shooter as he creatively dumped in shot after shot. Finally, OU made a small run with minutes left in the game. Shu-ter Patel nailed a huge three and then Cap'n Mike threw a half-court alley oop to a high-flying Wandtke, which woke up the small crowd.

With a 6-point lead and the game seemingly in hand, OU managed to miss four straight free-throws to give HC a chance to stay close. After a huge three by the HC side, OU finally sealed the game with two free-throws and a steal and lay-up.

The win sends OU into the second round, following a one week layoff for the Thanksgiving Holiday. It is unknown whether OU will face the Muskets or Intervale next round, after an upset by Evans over Nothing But Net.

Howse No Match For New OU

2008-11-07T10:30:00.004-05:00

Reading, MA - Two teams with contrasting styles got together for another friendly (but exhausting) game of hoops Thursday night at the Burbank Metrodome. Howse Corp, with their fiery effort and endless energy took the court against the slightly out of shape, but long and gritty Origins Unknown squad. In the end, the much improved OU team led wire to wire and pulled off the double-digit victory.

OU again used a spread out attack to take the early lead. After Cap'n Mike airmailed his first three off of the tip, he settled in to drop two quick threes with a little help from his friends. With a decent size advantage, OUr's J-Dub Wandtke and James "Stretch" Hogan IV controlled the post play early and often. Hogan with his traditional slashing game, and J-Dub with his post-face-destroy moves helped OU build a quick 10-point lead to which Howse could never quite dent. Once Chris "Big Country" Johnson got in the game, there were times when Howse had a hard time seeing the basket over OU's outstretched arms. As the clock ticked down towards halftime, OU worked the ball around for a last shot which resulted in an open jumper for Danger Dan Fisher (which he calmly drained to send the teams to the half).

Howse somehow kept the game competitive through sheer will and scrappiness. Even with a 12 point lead at the half, the game felt much closer. Howse may have only had 2 players in double figures, but they never seem to give an inch even when the game's outcome is clear. OU continued to work through the second half, and even as their shooting percentage dropped a bit - a post move here - another three there - kept OU in control.

The win improves OU's record to 5-4 as they head into their final regular season game against China Cuisine. Another win will likely lead to a 4 or 5 seed in the upcoming playoffs, which they are much better positioned for with the new rotation.

We're Back... and We're Better!

2008-10-26T08:10:00.009-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown has had a rough session as their record stood at 2-4 heading into Thursday night's match-up with 5-1 Nothing But Net. One of the major issues with this OU squad has been lack of depth. Since the loss of Dr. J Greg Robinson to a torn quad, OU has played the majority of games with only four players, which left little room for error when playing good teams.

On Monday, Cap'n Mike addressed this very issue, with the signing of free agent (and Cap'n Mike/James "Stretch" Hogan IV buddy) Jay Wandtke. Wandtke, a 4 year starter at St. Michael's College who ranks 3rd in career blocks and 7th in field goal percentage, hadn't laced up the high tops for several years, but agreed to give his legs and lungs a test by joining the OU bunch for Thursday night's match-up.

As J-Dub came off the bench five minutes into the game, it was clear that this was a new look and a very dangerous OU team. Wandtke proceeded to immediately impact both the offensive and defensive ends of the court and gave OU a dynamic presence that had been lacking recently. The floor opened up for the OU gunners and slashers, and his defensive prowess let the perimeter defenders pressure the ball with limited damage if their opponent got by them.

The rest of the OU crew did their part as well. Shu-ter Patel banged down some jumpers, and Hogan matched Wandtke's versatility as he flew all over the court. Danger Dan Fisher and Cap'n Mike also did their part, as the OU team built a quick 10-point lead in the first half. First half highlights included some great blocks by OU's new addition, as well as optimally timed three-point bombs to match the Nothing Buy Net gunners.

Nothing But Net is a dangerous team with two dead-eye shooters, but even as they drained some long three pointers in the second half, the OU team kept the pressure on and never relinquished the lead. The final of 84-70 showed that OU would be a dangerous team down the stretch, even with the lackluster record of 3-4.

OU Just Misses Big Upset

2008-10-03T21:01:00.008-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown and the Crusty Muskets got together for a memorable battle Thursday night at the Burbank YMCA. OU's fearless foursome of players brought their best efforts but came up two points short, losing on two free throws with only four seconds left.

The game was a match of size vs. speed, power vs. movement, and evil vs. all that is good in the world. The Crusty Muskets came into the game with an impressive 3-0 record, with all victories being 20 points or more. OU has also started strong at 2-1, with only a 1-point fluke loss to Evans as a blemish.

The first half belonged to OU... Although mismatched down low, OU held their own in the paint. Shu-ter Patel and James "Stretch" Hogan IV were tasked with shutting down big Doug and his thick cousin. While this allowed CM to get to the bucket on offense, it also opened up the floor for OU on the other end of the court. Hogan slashed to the bucket trip after trip, and also stepped out to the perimeter to screen for Cap'n Mike to pop and pull some jumpers.

As the clock moved, so did OU's lead. Defensively, they were only giving up tough buckets to the Muskets, while sharing the ball and running to a 5 point lead at the half.

The second half started slow for OU, and a five-minute drought left them down two with 15 minutes left. At that point, Chris "Big Country" Johnson sauntered into the gym after his work function. Unfortunately, he was wearing a shirt and tie, and not his OU uniform. While OU could have used Big Country's help, they tightened their sneaker laces and kept at work.

There was nothing pretty about the game's final 10 minutes, but OU managed to keep the game tight. After starting slow, Shu-ter Patel nailed two giant three-pointers to give OU the lead. On the other end, Leroy Johnson was struggling and the offensive load was back squarely on Doug and cousin's shoulders. They proved to be tough to handle, and after some free throws with under a minute left, took a three point lead.

OU came down and worked the ball around to eventually find an open Cap'n Mike beyond the three point line. For the first time in the second half, he finally buried the shot and tied the game with under 20 seconds left. The Muskets came down and moved the ball around, eventually deciding that brute force was the only way to go. The big cousin drove the lane, and as Hogan jumped in front of him, he was fouled and headed to the line. He calmly sank both free throws and after a last second heave by Hogan, the game was over.

OU looks to bounce back next week against league newcomers, Stiffler's Mom.

2008-10-01T10:03:00.003-04:00

Reading, MA - The Hustlers and Origins Unknown hooked up in the late game battle Thursday night, with OU at full strength for the first time this session. OU's balance and excellent defense led to an impressive 61-40 win, moving them to 2-1 on the season.

The 40 point effort by the Hustlers is the second lowest point total of the session, and with solid offensive weapons - this can be attested OU contesting every shot and severely out-rebounding their opponents. Meanwhile, OU used sporadic, but balanced, scoring to wear down the Hustlers on the offensive end. All five players were at or above double figures, as no one player dominated.

The teams were locked in a fairly close game for most of the first half. The Hustlers worked the ball to their big man, who used a nice mid range game to keep Chris "Big Country" Johnson on his toes. Johnson returned the favor in the post on the other end, finding his way to the hoop and establishing the post presence. Meanwhile James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Danger Dan Fisher motored around the court like bumper cars - bouncing and spinning their way to buckets.

The second half was when the clamps went down on the Hustlers, and OU held them to only 13 points. OU never made a huge run, but steadily built the lead until the game was no longer in doubt. It was a decent effort by the OU crew, and one they hope to build on as the leaves start to change. "I feel like we're coming together," said Cap'n Mike. "The summer was disappointing for us, but we usually play better and more consistently in the fall and winter."

OU takes on the first place Crusty Muskets in their next match up.

OU puts Off-Season Behind Them

2008-09-13T09:16:00.003-04:00

Reading, MA - (In Brent Musberger's voice) "Folks, you're looking LIIIIIVE at the NEW Burbank Gymnasium Reading, Massachusetts"

After the longest off-season layoff ever, Origins Unknown returned to the court Thursday to face Chili's in the YMCA Fall League kick-off game. It's safe to say that (after OU's first ever golf outing where the guys tore up a local course) the guys should stick to men's league basketball.

Back in action, OU dominated the contest, with Danger Dan Fisher leading the way scoring a solid 25 points. Chili's showed up with four players, to match OU's foursome of Cap'n Mike, Danger Dan, James "Stretch" Hogan IV, and Craig "Kid Rainmaker" Andrews. OU fell behind early, as Chili's came out of the gate a bit quicker. But, midway through the first half, OU went on a 15-2 type of run, which gave them a 8 point lead heading into the half.

The key to their success was the ball movement and spacing on the court. Danger Dan and Hogan worked fluidly cutting and hitting each other for baskets near the hoop. Meanwhile, Andrews and Cap'n helped spread the court towards the three-point line by knocking down some threes to keep everything spread out.

The second half saw OU continue their run, as Fisher once again found his stroke from every angle on the court. The lead swelled to 20, before OU ran out of gas and let Chili's make a small run.

OU is back next week at 8:00 for a match-up with Evans, who lost their opener to Intervale.

OU O-U-T

2008-08-10T15:13:00.005-04:00

Reading, Ma - For the first time in the storied history of the franchise, Origins Unknown was knocked out of the playoffs in round 1 by the patch-worked Hustlers, 68-65. OU had their chances to move on, but were undone by an early deficit and a flurry of late mistakes and missed opportunities.

Two weeks prior, OU had dismantled the Hustlers by nearly 20 points - and did so with only four players. But, the Hustlers brought a slightly different team to this game, highlighted by a slashing Stretchy-esque figure, with some serious wheels and hops. OU had issues with their new addition's quickness out of the gate, and quickly fell behind.

The game was back and forth, but the Hustlers clearly had things going their way, as even their thick-necked captain was hitting running half-hooks and jumpers. OU, meanwhile, was off the mark. Jump shots were streaky, and none of the OU bunch seemed to find their rhythm as the half came to an end. With the clock winding down, the Hustler slasher stole a pass and covered 3/4 court in less than 3 seconds to give the underdogs an 8 point lead at the half.

OU made their run in the second half. Cap'n Mike connected on some long jumpers, and the OU defense clamped down and neutralized the Hustler's new runner. While he was somewhat-taken out of the game, however, the other Hustlers lanky guard worked OU over for an impressive four minute stretch. He knocked down a three in transition, and then drove for an and-1, keeping OU on their toes. A gritty comeback in the making, the OU crew tied the game with less than two minutes left, but two quick fouls by Cap'n Mike would be his last, and he was forced out of the game with five total fouls. OU had a chance to tie, as Shu-ter Patel went to the line for two free-throws, but both shots bounced off the rim. A turnover by OU on their next trip up the court was another missed opportunity. OU quickly fouled, and the Hustlers went to the line to build the lead to 2. Danger Dan Fisher drove the ball hard on the next trip up the court, but just missed a pull-up. He appeared to get fouled as he corralled his own rebound, but there was no whistle. The Hustlers ended up with the ball, and after a foul, headed to the line for the third time in less than a minute. Once again, they missed, and James "Stretch" Hogan IV snatched the rebound and quickly passed the ball up to Fisher for a last second three-point attempt. The ball looked good in the air, but front-rimmed and the upset was complete.

OU will attempt to rebound from the disappointing end to the session, after a few weeks of golf...

It's The Little Things That Count

2008-08-01T22:36:00.005-04:00

Reading, MA – Little things sometimes make a big difference… As was the case Thursday night at the Burbank Coliseum when first place Origins Unknown took on second place Intervale. This time around, Intervale got the best of OU, 78-73. And, if a few little things played out differently, the game could have had a different outcome.

The game was expected to re-unite old college buddies, with Intervale’s Mark Mulvey taking the court against OU’s Cap’n Mike and James “Stretch” Hogan IV. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) Mulvey, who won the 1997 Bob Cousy Award for being the top college player in New England under 6'0", regardless of division (6th in career points, 5th in assists, 1st in free throws, and 5th in three-point percentage in St. Mike’s history), didn’t make the game. But Intervale still trotted out a stellar squad including one of the league’s best guards, a solid small forward, and a solid big man.

OU countered with the usual suspects, minus Shu-ter Patel, but with Craig Andrews in his place. Intervale has a completely revamped team – and one which went from worst to first in the span of one session. This was OU’s first look at the new team, and Intervale’s athleticism out of the gate took some time to get used to. A flurry of three-pointers by Intervale helped propel them to an early lead. Intervale’s point guard used some quick crossovers and pull-ups to frustrate OU’s defenders. On the other end, OU was struggling with turnovers and pace, and didn’t establish Chris “Big Country” Johnson the way they had in recent weeks. The combination of these things had OU down double digits within the first ten minutes. Once OU got their legs underneath them, the teams battled evenly, but the early gap remained 9 at the half.

The second half belonged to OU almost entirely. Cap’n and Andrews nailed several three pointers and pull-ups, and OU seemed to sense that the momentum was shifting. Intervale looked haggard, and unwilling to commit on the defensive end. Danger Dan Fisher continued to feed off the positive energy, as he came off the bench to hit a pull up jumper and a fast break three-pointer. Intervale called a timeout, and just like that, OU had climbed back within 1 point of theie suddenly vulnerable opponents.

Out of the timeout, Intervale went back to their big man and their point guard offensively. But defensively, they were having trouble keeping up with the movement of OU. OU used several picks and slides to find gaps and eventually take a lead with under 5 minutes to play. “I really felt that was our game to win and that they were on the ropes… unfortunately we made some mistakes down the stretch which ended up being the difference,” said Cap’n in his post-game media session. The teams went back and forth until Intervale took a small lead, with under a minute left. OU missed their opportunity next trip up the court, and after a foul and two made free-throws by Intervale, OU was on the ropes. OU missed another three on the next trip up the court, and that was... just...about... all she wrote... Like Manny, they were gone.

The loss knocks OU down to second place, headed into the playoffs. Now that they have seen every opponent, OU is optimistic about their chances for success in the postseason. "I know we can play with any team in the league," said General Manager Max Nolan, "It's about guts, and I know we have what it takes to win it all".

Untouchables Get Touched Up by OU

2008-07-30T12:25:00.006-04:00

Reading, MA – Last week, Origins Unknown took on the Untouchables in a thoroughly forgetful, meaningless and boring game. How forgetful, meaningless and boring was it? So much so that I forgot to write my Pulitzer-nominated blog column!

The details of the game are fuzzy. I know the final score was a 72-48 (thanks YMCA), but other than that – there isn’t much that comes to mind.

I remember the Untouchables coming out in a 2-2 zone, which OU quickly dismantled and destroyed. I remember guarding the one guy on their team that could score, and running into 146 picks during the game. I remember a guy on their team who had Basketball A.D.D., and ran around the court like a lunatic for 39 minutes. I think I recall us playing ok basketball for most of the game... who knows.

Other than that? Not much sticks out... I think the game looked something like this though… (Game Highlights Click Here).

"Hustlers, - how my a$$ taste?!"

2008-07-22T12:31:00.004-04:00

Reading, MA – Ok, the column title is a little aggresive, but Shaq created the line, and it makes me laugh for some reason. Origins Unknown put on another dizzying display of teamwork (in a good way) Thursday night at the Reading YMCA, beating an energetic Hustlers team by 20+ points. Impressive? Yes indeedy.

More impressive? It was done with four OU guys against a team of six 20-somethings from the Hustlers. No subs? No problem. OU had a faithful crew of supporters at the game (Max and Deanna) - and with stellar play and the fans, it ended up being all they needed.

OU and the Hustlers both started out a little slow. OU missed their first several shots, including some lay ups, but managed to get into the scoring column after a long Cap’n Mike three. That seemed to get the wheels rolling, and OU played the Hustlers even as the first half continued. OU had better control over the offense, as they distributed the ball evenly, and rarely forced any shots. OU showed a nice offensive patience lacking in recent games, as they continually focused on post up match ups, and watching Big Country Johnson dismantle his athletic defender. When Johnson wasn’t working the post, James “Stretch” Hogan IV, Shu-ter Patel and Cap’n Mike were hitting their strides. Hogan used a wallet full of moves to get to the hoop, and when all else failed, the kick out to Patel and Cap’n Mike always seemed to work as well. The Hustlers, meanwhile, kept the game somewhat close for the first 10 minutes by launching threes, and keeping fresh legs in the game.

After the first ten minutes, however, OU started to click. The low post game was working… The long ball was working… and the defense and rebounding was certainly working. The lead swelled to double digits before the half, and OU felt great headed into the break.

The second half really started to get out of hand when Cap’n Mike nailed a 25 foot bomb, and was then fouled on the subsequent play while launching another long-distance shot. The air was slowly coming out of the Hustler bunch as they realized that the lead wasn’t going to be cut easily. Big Country and Hogan continued to pound the paint offensively, and the defense never let down (even with no subs).

The highlight of the game was a breakaway opportunity for Big Country when he went up strong and back rimmed a two-handed dunk attempt. The effort was applauded throughout the gym, even as OU let the Hustlers big man throw down his own one-handed baseline dunk before the game was called.

OU moves to 7-1 on the session, and takes on the Untouchables this week. With only two games remaining, it looks like OU is headed for the 1st or 2nd seed.

After the game, OU broke out the chips and salsa to further diagram their unstoppable out of bounds play. Big Country = Phil Jackson?

We're Back...In Throwbacks!

2008-07-11T10:39:00.003-04:00

Reading, MA - We're back - reporting live from the war room here in Newburyport!!

It was 'Throwback Jersey Night' last night at the Reading YMCA, and OU trotted out on the court with an interesting assembly of outfits and looks. There was Cap'n Mike and James "Stretch" Hogan IV's inagural light blue (slightly ripped and stained) shirts from the 2003-2005 seasons; Danger Dan's muscle-enhancing dark blue sleeveless shirt (which wasn't ever an OU uniform); Chris "Big Country" Johnson's Vandalee Industries (specializing in Latex manufacturing and sale) tee-shirt; And Shu-ter Patel's solid ensemble, which included Umbro soccer shorts from his mid-90's UMass days, a headband, and the OU jersey circa-2006.

All this nostalgia and fun loosened up the OU crew, and helped them get by a depleted China Cuisine 65-50. Overall, the game was competitive, but OU never felt like the outcome was in any doubt. China Cuisine was strapped with only four players, including two guards with good range, a decent mid-range player, and the league's version of "the round mound of rebound". The match-ups were clearly in OU's favor, and the extra sub helped them keep the tempo of the game up and eventually wear out their opponents.

The first half saw both teams getting back into the basketball groove after a bye last week. OU jumped out to a quick lead, only to see China Cuisine players get quickly back into the game with three pointers. OU appeared patient to start the game, moving the ball quickly and finding open shots. Not all the shots were falling, but it was still a good sign for the veteran bunch.

The game started to change with the entrance of Shu-ter "The Microwave" Patel. Patel entered the game and found himself consistently open at the top of the key, where he sank several long range three pointers. This, along with well-spread offense from Danger Dan and Hogan was enough to build the lead to double digits. Also proving to be effective was the low post play of Big Country. When OU was able to get him the ball in the right position, he was easily able to spin and shoot over his thick, yet smaller, defender.

After another Patel three pointer with seconds to play, OU led by ten heading into the half. The second half was evenly played as OU let off the gas just a bit, and China Cuisine tried to keep things interesting. The lead ballooned up to 18 as Fisher became a floor general; driving through crowds and picking out open OU cutters for lay-ups. Several of the passes were highlight reel material. "I bet you had 15 assists tonight," said Big Country to Fisher after the game.

The lead was cut to 10 with about four minutes remaining, but Cap'n Mike finally got his shot together with less than three minutes to play, and sank two dagger long-range jumpers to solidify the win.

With the victory, OU moves to 6-1 on the season. Next up is the Hustlers, who have had an up and down season, but are only two sessions removed from a league championship.

Stinker

2008-06-20T11:51:00.002-04:00

The Celtics they ain’t…

Origins Unknown came into last night’s game against Alliance Exteriors with a sparkling 4-0 record, and some really great overall performances - They left the game with their heads down, and with a few players openly wondering if retirement should be their next move. The game was a dud in every possible way. Offensively – Defensively – Scrappiness… Yuck. The result was their lowest point output in memory (48), and a pimp-slap by their AE opponents.

From the outset, the game was not a typical OU effort. Cap’n Mike showed up after tip-off due to a hellish hour-long ride from 6 miles down the road. And, both teams struggled to get their legs underneath them – scoring a combined 6 points in the first 4 minutes. Alliance Exteriors is a throw-back team with very little team speed, but good size, as well as a gritty disposition. The grittiness ended up being the difference on this night.

The first half was a slop-fest from every possible angle. The only people playing decently for OU seemed to be James “Stretch” Hogan IV and Chris “Big Country” Johnson. Meanwhile, the guard-play for OU was flat out stinky. There were missed lay-ups, forced shots, air-balls, turnovers and lots of other head-shaking issues for Danger Dan Fisher and Cap’n Mike. The game highlights certainly aren’t going to be on any Hall of Fame induction videos…

Alliance Exteriors, on the other end, was getting the job done. They spread the floor well, and didn’t force shots often. It seemed as if OU could create no momentum, and even when Big Country or Stretch scored down low, AE was always making a shot back up the other end of the court to diffuse any run. The lead stretched to double digits, and OU never really made a dent in that gap. The second half was much of the same… Jumpers continued to clank off the rim, seemingly mocking the OU shooters as the clocked continued to roll. Even as OU committed to getting to the hoop (and drawing fouls), the foul-shots bounced left, right, short and long.

It was just one of those nights that good teams quickly put behind them… And that is what OU will do, as they prepare for next week’s game against the Warriors.

Last week – OU used a great comeback to down Howse Corp in the final minutes…

Muskets lose...Lose cool.

2008-06-06T21:47:00.004-04:00

Reading, MA - Unlike after their Winter finals win, I don’t think the Muskets were sending any “great job, the world is wonderful, the refs were fair and didn’t influence the game” emails to the league commissioner after last night’s slug-fest with Origins Unknown. Especially since they came out 70-58 losers and clearly thought the refs played a big part in the loss.

It was a game that had a "lil bit of everything". Danger Dan Fisher and Chris "Big" Johnson were suiting up for their first full game of the session. The Muskets had two new athletic faces, who are taking over for two solid low post players who are out for the summer. Cap'n Mike showed up clearly not himself, battling a stomach bug that was as messy as his jumpshot. Plus the intensity was as high as ever between these two teams - which is always fun.

From the tip, OU needed a few minutes to figure out the "new" Muskets. The two new guards certainly increased the overall team speed, but after getting their legs underneath them, OU was able to match their speed and find other areas to exploit. While Cap'n Mike was sluggish and missing jumpers left and right, the rest of the OU crew was solid as a rock.

Johnson checked into the game after Mike lost his legs in the first four minutes, and immediately used his size and strength to power his way to the bucket. Fisher and Shu-ter Patel were also doing their part. Fisher made some very difficult shots and Patel made them pay for collapsing the post. James "Stretch" Hogan did his part as usual, playing excellent defense on the elusive Leroy Johnson and cleaning the glass like the Windex man.

The first half was a blur, but OU held a small lead at the end. In the second half, things got a little testy between the teams. First, Cap'n Mike was in the middle of a little back and forth discussion between him and the Muskets about a foul called on him. A tad delirious, Cap'n thought Ralphie had a little more to say than he wanted to hear. Then, the Cap'n found himself in the middle of a questionable technical foul call on Leroy Johnson - that perhaps shouldn't have been called at all. But, the Muskets were clearly rattled. They started arguing, and also voicing their displeasure with the refs. OU capitalized and went on a run that they were able to maintain until the buzzer. A run that included solid free throw shooting, and agressive offense.

The post-game situation was equally intense as both Johnson brothers argued with each other as they tried to argue their case to the ref. Leroy was clearly heard saying some questionable things to the big ref ("You're a the biggest trouble maker out here" was one such thing), and it will be interesting to see if any penalties come from the incident.

Cap'n Mike was happy to put the game behind him in which he finished 7-8 from the line, but about 1-10 from behind the three-point stripe. But the other signs are all positive for the OU crew, and they were once again ecstatic with their performance. The offense is spread out... Each player is contributing... They are contesting shots... And they are playing hard in every contest. The win pushed OU to 3-0 with a pending match-up with the other undefeated team - Howse - next week.

Fab Four

2008-05-31T22:24:00.002-04:00

Reading, MA – When Origins Unknown sauntered out to mid court for the tip-off of their match-up with Me and the Revolution (MATR) Thursday night at the Readingdome, it was unclear whether they were going to be able to overcome some obvious disadvantages. Their opponents had eight players, a taller line-up and a few more athletic looking dudes. OU had… well… four guys and a knee brace.

But OU brought their 'A' game, and put together a spectacular 40 minutes of hoops to pull away from MATR 83-70. Shu-ter Patel, Cap'n Mike, James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Craig "Kid Rainmaker" Andrews were the only players available for the game - and that combination was a deadly one. No subs? No problem... OU stayed with their younger opponents, took their best shots and came out victorious.

There was cause for concern early, as Hogan has been hobbled by a lingering knee injury since last session's finals match up with the Muskets. And, he drew the task of guarding a versatile left-handed big man right off the bat. But Hogan was up for the task as usual, and showed his toughness as he still spun and worked his way around the hoop on offense and defense. MATR has several solid hoopsters for this session, led by their big man and two small forwards with excellent strength and skills. This combination will certainly be tough for many opponents as the season progresses. Meanwhile, while Cap'n Mike and Andrews were being hounded by some aggressive defenders, they still found a way to score and keep the collective OU head above water.

Patel started the game struggling from the field in the first half, but easily made up for it by snatching every single missed MATR shot. As MATR pushed the pace on both ends of the court, OU didn't back down one bit. Hogan was spinning, Cap'n Mike was 'gettin his' and all of the OU bunch was playing lock-down D. The score went back and forth, but ultimately OU held a small lead heading into the half.

The second half started with MATR putting the clamp down defensively. They pressed OU into some early turnovers, until the crew figured out that the easiest way to beat the pressure was the simplest - let Andrews go get the ball by himself and get out of the way. This lead to a nice OU run, as they built the lead to 6 midway through the half. Patel also found his groove, banging home some low block buckets, while still using his positioning to rebound. With time winding down, MATR was forced to foul, but Cap'n Mike and Andrews calmly stepped up and made eight straight free throws to doom their chances.

The game was called with a minute left, and MATR clearly frustrated by the veterans. Next up for OU is a rematch with their final's opponents - The very Crusty Muskets (and their revamped team?)...

Muskets "Big Two" Too Much

2008-05-17T13:43:00.005-04:00

Newburyport, MA - Well, it's been a whirlwind up and down 9 days for Cap'n Mike... I've seen the side of a boat, while puking my brains out during a Cod fishing trip in Plymouth... I've seen the sunset from the top of Mandalay Bay's The Hotel Mix Lounge in Las Vegas... And, I've played (and lost) in an overtime battle with the Crusty Muskets - a battle that no one will soon forget.

Since this is a blog about ballin', let's focus on the hoops! Just be forewarned that the championship game was BEFORE guffing off the "Andy Lynn", or three and a half days in Vegas (including a red eye flight home) - so I might be "misremembering" some things.

Origins Unknown has been riding a recent wave of good play, having dispatched of their two playoff opponents by an average of 22 points. The Crusty Muskets have had an equally impressive run, that included a 10-0 regular season and two playoffs victories. The game matched two distinctive styles, OU with a short bench and a frantic style, versus CM with their low post towers and deliberate movement.

The game played out the way many others in the history of the rivalry have - back and forth. OU shut down the outside weapons of CM, but did have their hands full on the low blocks. The CM big men were relentless, and skilled as they pounded the ball into the posts. OU meanwhile was using motion offense and scrappiness to keep the game tight. A special appearance by Dr. J Greg Robinson before the half had everyone excited, and provided a nice lift. At the end of the first half, the game was even.

The second half became your typical knock-down, drag-out fight as both teams put incredible effort into each trip up the court. OU would build a small lead, only to have CM get it right back with an offensive put back. As the game clock ticked down, here's what I do remember... OU was up 1 with less than 30 seconds left. Cap'n Mike got fouled and went to the line for two free throws. "Boink" - front rimmed the first one. "Swish" - made the second one. Unfortunately, CM came right back down the court and, needing only a two to tie, pounded it down low again to even the game. A timeout was called, and OU did have a chance with less than 10 seconds left, but the ball didn't bounce their way and the game went to overtime.

Overtime was a blur... literally. The three minute period went by extremely fast, and with OU just about out of gas, CM worked the blocks some more to take a small lead and eventually take home the championship.

It was a good effort by both teams and one heck of a turnaround for OU. Until next session... Work on those free throws.

OU Intensity Buries Howse Corpse

2008-05-02T20:59:00.006-04:00

Reading, MA – Three weeks ago, Origins Unknown looked beat up and washed up. A major injury to an OU crew veteran and a 15-point loss to the Warriors capped a disappointing winter session, as the team limped into the crowded YMCA league playoffs with a record of 6-4. All of the uncertainty swirling around the team changed after their 74-49 dismantling of the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs last week. And, if you wondered whether OU could top that effort… they could - and they did.

Last night at the Reading Civic Center, Origins Unknown took on the #2 seed, 9-1 Howse Corp, in the semi-finals and dominated from tip to buzzer, winning 80-61. The game was a physically draining affair, as Howse Corp is known for their intensity and never-say-die attitude. OU, however, matched the intensity and also countered with a very balanced offensive and defensive effort.

The game started with OU making a quick run, with scoring spread amongst Danger Dan Fisher, James "Stretch" Hogan IV, Chris "Big" Johnson, and Cap'n Mike. The key to the early success was constant movement, as well as the team members not forcing their shots. Cap'n Mike and Fisher were able to use screens to find holes in the man to man defense, while Hogan and Johnson had their way on the low block. As Hogan slashed to the bucket and shut down the top Howse weapon, Johnson was the consummate low post threat, and once he caught the ball on the block, you could pretty much count it as two points. The offensive flow allowed OU to jump out to a 15 point lead early - a lead that they would never really relinquish.

One of the main reasons for the maintained consistency was the play of Shu-ter Patel off the bench. Patel was able to enter the game early on and fit in seamlessly to the existing offensive success - nailing two huge three pointers halfway through the half. Meanwhile, Fisher was definitely on his game, as he hit pull ups, lay-ups and thread the needle on multiple occasions. On defense OU was playing one of their best games in recent memory. Each player took personal ownership of their opponent, and forced Howse into difficult shots and turnovers - which typically ended with OU corralling the rebounds or loose balls. As the first half wound down, OU was able to maintain a 15 point cushion, even with a Howse jumper at the buzzer.

Knowing that Howse would make a run, OU spent the first five minutes of the second half with solid defensive focus. The teams went back and forth, but OU seemed to weather any small run that Howse was able to put together. For Howse, only Rusty "The Ageless Wonder" Howse seemed to be able to get to the basket and score. The Curran brothers, Richie and Dennis, also had their moments, but a redheaded defensive machine, foul trouble, and Richie's hot temper seemed to keep the dangerous duo in check. Hogan's (the redhead) defensive work on Richie Curran will go down as one of the best shut-down performances in OU history.

OU hit a bit of a wall with 10 minutes left in the game, and the offensive movement became more difficult. Perhaps the mental and physical exhaustion crept into Cap'n Mike's psyche at that point, as he threw up a three pointer from 4-5 feet behind the three point line... It was old school Cap'n Mike and just like everything else for OU - it worked - swishing through the net and taking a little wind out of the Howse sail.

Even as Howse desperately pressed and chased them defensively, and the game never got any closer. The lead swelled to 20+ when Johnson stepped out and nailed a late three pointer, capping a nearly perfect night.

OU now heads to the finals to face the #1 seed Crusty Muskets. Even after the big win, the OU bunch is far from satisfied and knows that they need maximum effort for one more week in order to reach their goal of a league championship.

OU Update

2008-04-28T08:30:00.003-04:00

Newburyport, MA - To all of my faithful readers... My apologies for not updating the blog with a story on our resounding first round win last week. You see, I spilled coffee on my keyboard Saturday morning, and the darn thing only wants to type "qqqqqqqqqqqqqqq". So, it wasn't possible to type up how we dominated the Warriors en route to a 74-49 thumping. All anyone needs to know is that the team came together and played hard for 40 minutes. It was a balanced offensive and defensive attack which left the once "Ultimate Warriors" slammed to the proverbial mat.

Next up is #2 Howse Corp on Thursday night...

Ultimate Warriors

2008-04-04T16:20:00.003-04:00

Reading, MA – Cap’n Mike left the Reading YMCA Super Dome after Thursday night’s game with a bruised underarm, a bruised butt, and a bruised ego. And, it was safe to say that the rest of the Origins Unknown crew was feeling equally beat up – even though none were in the same amount of ‘pain’ as Dr. J Robinson. OU was able to withstand the torrid first half shooting of the Warriors during the early match-up, but they couldn’t keep pace in the second half, falling to their opponents by double digits. It was a frustrating game for all, as the shots simply were not falling for one team – but dropping like rain from their opponents.

Here is a video of the Warriors practicing before the game.

OU started out neck and neck with the Warriors, as Cap’n Mike had a hot start to begin the game. He was able to create space with the help of screens and find his range early, knocking down a few three pointers, before setting up his defender for a sweet back-door lay-up combination with Danger Dan Fisher. The lead changed hands often, but the Warriors seemed to be having the shooting game of their careers, and it just... didn’t… let…. up. One player in particular made multiple jumpers and three pointers with defenders bearing down on him and hands waiving in his face. And when he wasn’t hitting, their feisty point guard or other mid-range guy were stepping up. OU was hanging tough with the help of James “Stretch” Hogan IV, Fisher, and the return of Chris “Big” Johnson. Hogan found his way to the hole often, as all players tried to break the shooting streak. The first half ended with the teams in a virtual dead lock at 39-38.

Something strange happened in the second half… OU kept the game close for the first 13 minutes, but cannot quite recall how. Shots were not dropping across the board. Cap’n Mike had a nice out of bounds play result in a three pointer, Johnson had a nice spot up jumper, and a nice post play, but no other offensive plays stick out. Cap’n Mike, Fisher and Shu-ter Patel simply could not find the range on their jump shots, and as the game went on – the shots became more and more forced and out of flow. OU seemed to fall into a scenario where they lacked patience on just about every trip up the court, while on the other end; the Warriors continued their ridiculous shooting from the field AND the line. With less than 2 minutes left, the lead had grown to 10, and OU would get no closer – eventually calling the game with a minute left, and a 13 point defecit.

It was agreed afterwards that the Warriors had probably shot 65% from the field, which dooms just about anyone not named North Carolina.

The crushing loss sends OU back to the middle of the pack at 5-4 with one game remaining on the schedule. Next week, they have a bye before a make-up game the following week.

Dr. Headed To The Doctor

2008-04-03T13:22:00.003-04:00

Wilmington, MA - Origins Unknown lost a soldier this week. Veteran sharp shooter and sneaky up-and-under finger-roller, Dr. J Greg Robinson is out indefinitely with a torn quadriceps muscle. "I am bummed out, but will recover. Keep winning," said Dr. J.

The injury will require surgery this week, and weeks/months of recovery. Always the consummate pro, Dr. J promised to attend some of the games and root on the squad when time permits.

Makin' Moves

2008-03-30T18:14:00.007-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown equalled Wilt's 100 point output Thursday night at the YMCA, blowing out the Hustlers 100-78 in a game that featured more offense than defense. The game was a running affair, as OU took the court with a slight, but energetic foursome - and their "shoot-first, ask-questions-later" mentality certainly worked to their benefit.

The Hustlers, the defending league champs, were missing their lock down defenders - but OU, was missing their own "big 3" (Shu-ter Patel, Dr. J Robinson, and Chris "big" Johnson). So, while the Hustlers bested OU in their finals match-up last session, this game would be a different story. To fill in, OU picked up Craig "flow-motion" Andrews, a quick guard with a tendency to unleash highlight-reel plays when he shows up.

OU started out a bit cold, but maintained a small lead for the first 10 minutes, as both teams traded punches. As OU started to take control through running and ball-sharing, it seemed the only thing that could derail them was potential foul trouble. And, with eight minutes left, that's exactly what happened as James "Stretch" Hogan IV picked up his third foul defending the Hustlers big man. But, OU adjusted, and as Cap'n Mike moved over in Hogan's place - OU didn't really miss a beat. Nearing the end of the half, Andrews had one of the hardest blocks in recent memory, as he sent a hustler's drive flying into the gym's tin siding 15 feet away. On the other end, the constant offensive pressure by all four players allowed OU to build a double-digit halftime lead.

The Hustlers made a small run to start the second half, as their big man established himself against Cap'n Mike. But OU stayed on top, and continued to push the ball and find the open players. Danger Dan Fisher abused his defender trip after trip, and the Hustlers had a hard time settling on defensive match-ups that didn't leave them vulnerable. With 100 points in sight, OU decided not to let up and hit the century mark with plenty of time to spare. Scoring was equally spread, with each player dropping about 20 points over the course of the game.

The win gives OU a more-respectable 5-3 record for the session with two games remaining on the schedule.

China Cuisine's Fortune: Go Home

2008-03-24T17:04:00.002-04:00

Reading, MA – It was an old fashioned offense party Thursday night at the Reading YMCA, as OU returned to form with a 85-58 butt whoopin of China Cuisine. The OU Crew had a bounce in their step and pressed the tempo offensively, while also picking up the energy on the defensive end.

China Cuisine, formerly Chili’s, was without some of their key players, but suited up with a solid bunch and certainly must have anticipated a much closer game then what they got. The offensive explosion was keyed by a double digit three pointer total between Shu-ter Patel and Cap’n Mike. With the long range game in full swing, CC had a difficult time keeping their spirits up. After the first few minutes of the second half, it was clear that their will was broken.

Dr. J Greg Robinson lit up his own version of the victory cigar, when he drove baseline for his signature up and under scoop shot. The move was cheered throughout the ‘arena’, as OU was enjoying the show.

Five teams are now locked up at 4-3 on the session, and next up, OU faces one of those teams, Hustler. The game will help move one of the teams out of the log jam in the standings.

Twin Towers Too Much for OU

2008-03-15T14:02:00.002-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown was undermanned and over-matched by a veteran Crusty Muskets team Thursday night, but still managed to battle their old rivals to the bitter end, losing a hard fought contest 75-60.

Without the services of James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Danger Dan Fisher, OU came to play with just four players, each of whom gave it their all for 40 minutes. Unfortunately, the Muskets had a nearly full compliment of their own crew, including their own version of the "twin towers", which gave OU fits all night down low.

From the outset, OU did all they could to sabotage any chance that they had of keeping the game tight. An icy cold start dropped them in an early 15-1 hole out of the gate. Cap'n Mike was forcing some offense, while the Muskets countered with patience - establishing a low post presence immediately. A new addition to the Muskets is a rather athletic and wide 6'3" power forward. He seems to be having no trouble getting shots when needed, and kept Dr. J Greg Robinson and Shu-ter Patel on their toes defensively. Finally, OU got their game legs underneath them, and started to play the Muskets more evenly. The unorthodox line-up led to some interesting defensive match-ups that OU tried and tried to exploit. Chris "Big" Johnson had his hands full with the Muskets excellent big man Doug Diesel, which typically left Ralphie Numbnuts or Scrappy McMustache guarding Cap'n Mike or Patel. With the mismatches in place, OU made a conscious effort to get these two in the post for one on one action. The strategy seemed to work, as both players had their way with the shorter Muskets on the low blocks. As the half wound down, OU tried to get the lead to single digits, but a tough pass led to a turnover and the difference stayed at 10.

The second half was something to be proud of for the OU bunch. The fantastic four came out determined to keep the game close and get back in it basket by basket. The plan worked as Johnson, Robinson and Patel each made huge shots to cut into the deficit. After a series of defensive stops, Cap'n Mike drained a long three to cut the lead to three with 12 minutes remaining. Another steal a few seconds later had OU rushing up the court with a chance to cut it to one, or tie, but a Cap'n Mike three rimmed out. The Muskets seized the chance to gain back control and after a fortuitous bounce off of a missed jump shot, Ralphie Numbnuts found himself staring at a wide open three pointer which rattled around and found the bottom of the net.

That would be the closest OU would get, as the Muskets again went to work down low and get the lead back up with minutes remaining.

The loss leaves OU standing at a mediocre 3-3 on the season with some tough games remaining on the schedule. Next up is China Cuisine (formerly Chili's) at 7:00 next Thursday. The Muskets, meanwhile, remain perfect on the season with a 6-0 record and appear to be the team to beat in the league.

A** Kickin

2008-03-08T21:34:00.008-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown used a balanced attack and some sweet twine-tickling by Shu-ter Patel to overwhelm an undermanned Evans team Thursday night 90-67.

It wasn't the prettiest match-up that these storied teams have had over the years. OU was blessed with all six players suited up, while Evans only showed with four players. Evans did have a great shooter to help keep the OU bunch on their toes, but the game was never in question after the tip - Patel made sure of that. With seven threes in the game, Patel was lights out from the perimeter, helping to spread the floor and balance the attack for the rest of the team.

With OU cruising, James "Stretch" Hogan IV had a memorable fast break turn funny when he coiled, then exploded for a dunk...ish attempt. The effort came up just short (maybe six inches), and gave everyone involved a chuckle. This video will give you an idea of what happened... (Click Here)

While OU was getting offensive contributions from everyone, Evans was busy setting a modern-day record for three point attempts. Unfortunately, if that is your strategy and you only have one shooter (and he is getting smothered by Danger Dan Fisher), then your chances ain't good. OU meanwhile, saw Dr. J Greg Robinson's signature baseline scoop shot... Cap'n Mike's screen and pops...plus, Chris "Big" Johnson's pu-pu platter of post moves. Throw in Fisher's mid range game and Hogan's typical production around the rim, and you get a blow out.

OU moves to 3-2 on the season with next week's much-anticipated game against The Crusty Muskets. The Muskets lead the league with a perfect 5-0 record but have had a tough time with OU in the past.

OU Dogged In Ugly Loss

2008-02-23T16:33:00.001-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown dropped their second straight game in the winter session Thursday night, losing 68-64 to a re-shaped and re-named Basket Brawlers team. The game was hard-fought, but OU took the Brawlers best punches and came up just short at the end.

The Brawlers are last sessions Free Agents team, with three stellar additions to the roster. To put the improvement in context, OU beat the Free Agents 103-59 in their last match up. This Brawlers team was much different, however. While they still suited up a couple back-yard legends, they also added two younger athletic guard/forwards, as well as a big man who had the night of his life shooting the ball.

For the second time, OU was able to get the entire team together for the game, and the first half showed some encouraging signs as their ball movement and energy was up to task. Cap'n Mike started off the game with one of the best 10-minute stretches of his YMCA league career hitting his first four or five shots, including three "and 1s" - one of which was a four point play. The rest of OU was playing much better team basketball as well. Danger Dan Fisher was able to create space on the drive and find an open James "Stretch" Hogan IV cutting when defenders attempted to help out. Even with some missed shots here and there towards the end of the half, OU was able to stay slightly ahead of the Brawlers. The Brawlers were leaning heavily on a younger slasher and their big man to keep the game tight. The big man was absolutely unconscious from the floor, hitting all-types of shots, including a end-of-the-half fade-away from the foul line.

As seems to be the trend in the last few games, OU slowly started to sputter once the second half got underway. Whether it is fatigue, or just bad luck, the crisp passing and movement stopped, and baskets became harder and harder to come by. On top of this, OU wasn't getting many calls and the Brawlers were in the double bonus with 10 minutes left to play. The frustration continued as OU started turning the ball over in uncharacteristic situations, giving the brawlers a small cushion. Down six with under 1:15 left, OU had a chance when Shu-ter Patel hit a long three to cut the lead in half. OU fouled with under a minute left and the Brawlers missed the free throws. OU came down with a chance to inch closer but an errant three missed and they were once again forced to foul. The Brawlers missed their free throws yet again, and Cap'n Mike drove and got fouled hard slashing across the baseline. Unforgivably, he missed BOTH free throws (after making all four previous chances). The Brawlers big man corralled the ball, and was fouled where he calmly made the free throws, building the lead back to five. Cap'n Mike drove quickly down the court and hit a lay-up, but after another made free throw, it was too little too late.

The loss drops OU to 2-2 on the session with an upcoming game against Intervale.

Heart Breaker

2008-02-15T15:26:00.003-05:00

Reading, MA – It wasn’t quite a Valentine’s Day massacre, but the annual battle between Howse Corp and Origins Unknown certainly left OU bruised and heartbroken, suffering a 74-66 loss.

Howse Corp and OU go back years on the court, and several players from both teams actually play together in other leagues and tourneys. This familiarity can be a good thing for both teams, as they tend to know each others strengths and weaknesses. Howse Corp, however, seemed to take better advantage of this last night; as they defended, rebounded, chased and pushed their way to victory. OU didn’t play as bad as the previous week, but they didn’t do quite enough to win either – and still have some work in the gym and on both ends of the floor.

The first half encompassed a good energy from both teams, but Howse was finding their way to most loose balls, as well as several second chance rebounds. Too often, OU was not aggressively boxing out or going towards the ball for rebounds - and against a scrappy team like Howse, that doesn’t work. Offensively, OU was certainly under pressure while trying to create for themselves. Meanwhile, Rich Curran from Howse was having a stellar game from the inside and outside, and proved to be a tough match-up for any of the OU bunch.

After a quick Howse run, a Cap’n Mike technical (that makes two this session for folks counting at home), and the subsequent free throws, OU was down 14 points quickly. Chris “Big” Johnson arrived a little late, but came into the game to stop the bleeding before even getting a chance to stretch out. But, the point spread didn’t change much as the half wound down, and OU went into the break down double digits.

Clearly frustrated, OU made a medium run to open the second half. Slippery James “Stretch” Hogan IV made back to back post moves, and Dr. J Greg Robinson made a runner to cut the lead to eight. Howse held their ground however, and kept the lead through some more great play by Curran. With time running out, OU made one final push. It was a typical OU effort – as they refused to give up even though it was clearly not their night. Cap’n Mike knocked down two three pointers, but then blew a drive that would have chopped the lead to four. From there, Howse made their free throws and OU flat ran out of steam.

The loss drops OU to 2-1 on the session, with an upcoming match up against league newcomer Basket Brawlers.

Indifferent Victory

2008-02-08T16:19:00.001-05:00

Victories can come in many different forms, and inspire many different emotions. For example, you have the famous Duke vs. Kentucky game in 1992 when Christian Laettner hit “the shot”.

That was certainly a locker room full of joy afterwards. But, you might also have a victory like the one Origins Unknown experienced last night at the Burbank YMCA, when they defeated NuImage 66-52. A victory that feels like a loss. A victory that can only leave a team saying, “We can only get better, right?”

NuImage showed up with only four players, of which two can be seen on their company Website (www.nuimagedj.com). OU, meanwhile, had the full compliment of six players for the first time in a while. The first several minutes of the game seemed to foreshadow a blow out, as OU jumped out to a quick 14-4 lead.

But, just as quickly as the lead was built, NuImage came right back and took the lead halfway through the first half. Completely overmatched on paper, NI scrapped their way through sheer will, and too many open shots. OU was struggling mightily to find a flow, and much of the offense seemed to be stagnant, with too much one on one and not enough passing. No one on the OU team seemed to have their typical sure hands, or springy legs. Frustrated and unable to put any run together, OU limped into halftime losing by 3, in what was one of the ugliest halves in recent memory.

OU knew that they would eventually get their game together enough to win, but it took longer than expected. The teams played even for the first six minutes of the second half as OU continued to look dysfunctional. But, NI finally ran out of luck with twelve minutes left as one of their players fouled out of the game, leaving only three left to try to hang on to a two point lead. The three NI players left dropped into a zone, but were quickly overtaken by the OU crew offensively. Finally hitting open shots, in open space, OU immediately scored 15 points to take back the lead and cement it for good. With just under three minutes left, and the game clearly out of hand, NI waved the white flag and the final whistle blew.

Though the victory was at times ugly, OU knows that the best is yet to come – and will certainly be sharper when they face next week’s opponent Howse Corp.

New Jersey - Same Results

2008-02-01T20:32:00.000-05:00

Reading, MA - In an eventful and somewhat unusual game, Origins Unknown returned to action Thursday night and picked up a win against league newcomer Untouchables, 72-64.

Origins Unknown suited up four of their six regulars for the 10:00 pm match up, going without Shu-ter Patel and Dr. J Robinson. The guys that did make it modeled the much-anticipated new OU uniforms - a sharp, dark navy-blue design, which tend to fit a little on the long side. Looking good and playing good, however, are two different things.

Taking the court for the Untouchables were a few gym-rat type young players, as well as a few 'chuckers'. After the first handful of buckets, it was obvious that they had two scorers and then several role players to fill the holes. The two scorers provided a good energy at the start of the game, hitting some tough shots and making some athletic defensive plays (including a come-from-behind block on a Cap'n Mike layup).

From the get-go, Cap'n Mike was not appreciative of the vibe that the league rookies were putting out, and quickly lost his temper with one of the "Touchables". After taking a jumper in the face, Cap'n Mike quickly came back down and stuck a long three while his nemesis chirped "I'll give you that". Not satisfied with just the made basket, Cap'n Temper quickly checked the flavor of gum that the young man was chewing and ended up getting a technical foul on their way back up court. "I didn't like the fact that this kid was coming into a league that we've paid our dues in, thinking he could talk to me like that," said Cap'n Mike. "Do you think Kevin Durant is going to talk (expletive) to Garnett the first time they meet and get away with it?" Video of the altercation can be found here (notice Stretch coming off the bench in the suit). (YouTube Clip).

No word on whether Cap'n Mike actually thinks that he is on the same planet as Kevin Garnett.

After the technical foul, OU seemed to settle down a bit, and got back on track to build a small lead. Chris "Big" Johnson picked up where he left off last session and dominated the over matched big man for the Untouchables. Every time that OU slowed down and posted him up, it seemed to result in a low post score or an open shot for a teammate. With constant pressure and movement, OU built a 10-point lead heading into halftime.

The second half was similar to the first, and although OU was playing poorly, they were never threatened by the Untouchables crew. Danger Dan Fisher - having one of his toughest games recently - continued to work the off guards over on defense while Johnson and Cap'n Mike kept OU a step ahead from the offensive end.

None of the OU crew was without their mistakes during the game. James "Stretch" Hogan IV ended up with 15+ points, but blew a fast break layup - not once, but twice on the same play. Danger Dan may have ended up with an unusual double-double with 10+ points and 10+ turnovers. Cap'n Mike made 6-7 three pointers, but missed 10-15 others. And, Johnson (the most steady OU'r) missed some bunnies and got bailed out by a foul on a fast break dunk attempt (so close!).

With that being said, OU puts the rocky performance and the win behind them, and moves on to week two with a 1-0 record. Next week they take over a re-shaped Nuimage team who lost a close battle with the Warriors in week one, but looks improved.

LOUSERS

2008-01-11T22:03:00.001-05:00

Reading, MA - The Hustlers looked more like Origins Unknown than Origins Unknown did last night in the Reading YMCA Fall Session Finals, running away with a 85-77 victory in front of a packed house. The final score didn't reflect the absolute thrashing that the Hustlers delivered for 80% of the game, at one point growing the lead to 32 in the second half before a late OU run made it respectable. It was, by all accounts, a dominant performance by the young Hustlers.

OU was without session MVP Chris "Big" Johnson, and the lack of the big fella hurt them on both ends of the court. The Hustlers came out firing, and their own center went to work on the OU crew on the low block. With a height advantage, and a quick first step, he kicked off the game with several straight buckets. Defensively, the Hustlers guards were suffocating Cap'n Mike and Danger Dan Fisher, giving up no easy shots. James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Shu-ter Patel were also having a difficult time around the hoop, as the younger Hustlers banged relentlessly. As OU struggled, the Hustlers managed to use their energy to knock down long range shots, or rebound the misses to get some demoralizing put backs.

For OU, nothing seemed to be working. The Hustlers forced ball-handling turnovers, passing turnovers and tough shots. Miraculously, OU kept the lead to only 14 heading into the half, but they were certainly on the ropes.

The second half started off like a horror movie for the OU guys. After an OU turnover on the first play, the Hustlers went on a 16-0 run which sucked the air out of any potential comeback. After the run, Dr. J Robinson did manage to string together some jumpers, which cut the lead to 20, with less than 10 minutes left. Finally playing like there was no tomorrow, OU pressured the Hustlers in the back court, and made a huge dent in the lead through some long range bombs by Cap'n Mike and some scrappiness by Hogan. Annoyingly, it would be too little too late. With 2 minutes left, an exhausted OU had the lead down to 7, but could get no closer.

With the win, the Hustlers hoist their first league championship trophy, and will be a challenging foe for everyone next session. OU will take a week off before getting back to business in the spring session. It is safe to say that the OU players will agonize over this loss until the ball is tipped once again.

The Original One Shining Moment

Chips and Salsa All Around!

2008-01-04T21:49:00.000-05:00

Reading, MA - The 2008 version of Origins Unknown started off the New Year the same way they ended 2007 - winning. Taking on a depleted Chili's team, Origins Unknown played rusty, but ultimately persevered in a 63-53 victory.

The OU bunch arrived early to warm up and get the cobwebs out, but needed the first few minutes of their game to get going as well. A quick survey after the game showed that most of the team hadn't touched a ball since their last game, nearly a month earlier. On the other side, Chili's had won a week earlier in the first round of the playoffs, but showed up with only four players - and didn't quite have the legs to stay with OU for the entire game.

The first half saw OU take an early lead through hot shooting by Shu-ter Patel and Dr. J Robinson. Both players had their mid-range games working, and Shu-ter also stepped back to knock down two straight three pointers in a row to build the lead to double digits. Down low, Chili's "225 lb" big man Dan did a great job at neutralizing OU's session MVP Chris "Big" Johnson, while keeping his team close on the offensive end. OU kept the lead hovering around 10 points for most of the first half, as Cap'n Mike and Danger Dan Fisher each found their offense while struggling to find consistency.

The Chili's shooting guard and big Dan kept things interesting in the second half, as the game plodded along. Both players knocked down shots, but they were never able to make a major dent in the lead. Danger Dan heated up again, and made some difficult shots to keep OU out front. OU also battled some inconsistent officiating that saw Chili's go to the line 12-15 times, while OU shot exactly 2 free throws...the entire game.

While it wasn't a game that would win either team style points, OU did make enough plays at the right time to win fairly easily. The postgame celebration was held, of course, at Chili's.

The win vaults OU into the YMCA Fall Session Finals, where they will face off against the #2 seed Hustlers. The young Hustlers are headed to the Finals after defeating Howse Corp 100-93.

2007-12-07T21:43:00.000-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown kicked the bejeezus out of the Free Agents at the Reading YMCA last night, delivering a session-high scoring output of 103 points, while holding their opponents to a total of 59.

Both teams sported only four players... but OU did have the four best players on the court for most of the game. The offense was spurred by Shu-ter Patel and James "Stretch" Hogan IV, who found themselves open for an uncountable number of open layups and drives. The typical play was; FA missed shot. Chris "Big" Johnson rebound. Outlet pass to Cap'n Mike. Three dribbles up the court. Pass to open Shu-ter or Hogan. Bucket. Repeat.

The Free Agents gave it their best shot, specifically a skinny Andrew Dice Clay-looking, Reggie Miller-esque floppin' old timer who made Cap'n Mike look bad on a number of occasions. He managed to score 22 of his team's 26 points in the first half, which prompted a defensive switch, and left Mike annoyed at his own ineptitude.

In the second half, OU once again ran circles around the Free Agents. It was safe to say that each of the OU crew had at least a double-double, and Johnson may well have ended up with a triple-double.

The win ends OU's most successful recent regular season. And, with a 9-1 record, OU will be the #1 seed heading into the playoffs - with an impending match up with either The Hustlers (4 seed) or The Muskets (5 seed).

Cap'n Mike didn't get to the line in this game, and finishes the session 25-33 (76%).

Hustle and Flow

2007-11-30T12:13:00.001-05:00

Reading, MA – Origins Unknown delivered a message to the young Hustlers last night at the Reading YMCA. That message was: “Don’t come into our house and think you can take over our league.”

OU out-hustled the Hustlers in a 40-minute schooling that ended in an 86-74 win, and locked up first place in the fall regular season. All facets of the OU game were clicking, and all 6 OU’rs contributed to the victory. Evident at the tip, when OU veteran James “Stretch” Hogan IV out-jumped the Hustler’s athletic big man and slapped the ball out of bounds – it was clear that OU was pumped up. OU used the energy and patience to methodically pick apart the athletically-gifted, but fundamentally-challenged Hustlers. Excited by the surprise appearance of his son, Max, and wife, Deanna, Cap’n Mike shook off a season long slump to play his best game of the year. He pounded the glass on both ends of the floor, tracked down loose balls, and also stayed within his limits shooting the ball. It was a welcomed sight.

The Hustlers did manage to stay within striking distance in the first half, hitting some long range shots, but got very few open (or easy) looks. Meanwhile, OU was spreading the floor and using heady passing to find the open man. Chris “Big” Johnson once again hit anything within 10 feet of the hoop, and was utterly unstoppable on the block. Danger Dan Fisher, after a slow shooting start, also found his mid-range game towards the end of the half, when OU made their run. Throw in some timely shooting and defense by Shu-ter Patel and Dr. J Robinson, and you have a dominant performance. The first half came to an end with OU scoring 50(!) points, and building a 10 point lead.

OU showed no signs of letting up in the second half, and even managed to avoid the dreaded drag-ass wall that typically occurs at the 8 minute mark by subbing in and out at the ideal times. Driving the lead up to over 20 with less than 5 minutes to play, the OU crew was obviously in the zone. Pick and rolls were executed perfectly. Cap’n Mike, Dr. J and Danger Dan were hitting jumpers. All was right in the world.

Finally, with about 3 minutes left, OU let off the gas, and the Hustlers hit a few threes to make the final score respectable. The win gives OU an 8-1 record, and a one game lead over Howse Corp (OU owns the tie-breaker), with only one game remaining. They’ll take on the Free Agents next week, to wrap up the regular season.

Cap’n Mike was 2 for 2 from the line, and now stands at 25-33 on the season.

2007-11-17T16:03:00.000-05:00

Reading, MA - Ugly Betty. Ugly ducklings. Ugly wins. Origins Unknown needed overtime to take down a feisty and determined Warriors team in an ugly performance at the Reading YMCA, Thursday. The 62-58 final score doesn't begin to explain just how tight this game was, as OU needed a second straight week of heroics from James "Stretch" Hogan IV to claw back from a four-point deficit with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.

Those 30 seconds, plus overtime are all that is worth rehashing. Down four with the ball, Hogan made a difficult low post score. OU pressed and Danger Dan Fisher and Cap'n caught the Warriors point guard in a trap on the baseline. He escaped, but Fisher was able to knock the ball out from behind to the awaiting arms of Chris "Big" Johnson. Johnson charged towards the hoop and once again found a semi-open Hogan for another shot in the lane. After the make, OU picked up full court but the Warriors got it over half court and got a decent look at a three pointer to win. Fortunately for OU, the ball front rimmed and bounced off target.

Visibly deflated, the Warriors looked flat from the tip in overtime. Hogan won the tap to Cap'n Mike - who took three dribbles and pulled up for a crushing three pointer. Shu-ter Patel also drained a long range bomb to keep the lead, even after a Warriors score. After three minutes of back and forth, Cap'n Mike made 1 of 2 free throws to give OU the four-point lead. The Warriors mounted yet another valiant charge, but missed their last few attempts.

With the win, and a same-night Hustlers loss, OU moves into sole possesion of first place in the league standings. They will take Thanksgiving off, and then come back for a much-anticipated match up with the second place Hustlers.

Cap'n Mike was 1-2 from the line, and now stands at 23-31 on the session.

2007-11-09T12:04:00.000-05:00

Reading, MA – They don’t run quite as fast as they used to. They don’t tire teams out as they did in 2004. Some of them (Cap’n Mike) don’t make their open shots quite as consistently as they once did. But, Origins Unknown is still gettin’ it done in the O-8.

The topic of game winning shots is a common one at the post-game watering hole for OU, and now the story of this game’s end will be rehashed and retold for years to come. James “Stretch” Hogan IV grabbed a monster offensive board and sank a last second follow up shot to beat Chili’s 75-74 in an instant classic last night in Reading.

OU faced a loaded Chili’s team but played ‘em rock-solid, never giving in to the constant attack by the enemy. Back on the court for Chilis for the first time in ages was Big Dan. And with TJ also suited up, they had a formidable front line, to match the stellar back court of Jonesie and another new guard with a nice stroke. Add the lengthy other kid, and they looked as tough as they come during warm-ups.

OU was missing Dr. J Robinson, but suited up the other five regulars – and boy did they come to play. Leading the charge out of the gate was Danger Dan Fisher and Hogan. The first five minutes of the game started slowly for OU as all four players missed shots. OU finally made some headway however, and pulled even as Chris “Big” Johnson subbed into the game for the first time. The current OU MVP didn’t disappoint as he matched Dan on the defensive end, and simply outplayed him on the offensive end. Finishing the game well into the mid-20-point range, Johnson literally carried OU on his back for much of the game. A run by OU with five minutes left in the half helped them build a 10 point lead, with a spectacular Danger Dan drive and 12-foot pull-up from the baseline highlighting the run. But Chili’s recovered in the last minute knock down a big three and score the last five points heading into the half.

Tired, but optimistic, OU took the court in the second half only to lose the lead almost immediately. Some tough shots didn’t go down, and suddenly OU was down five points and holding on to a game that could have slipped away – but it didn’t. OU turned to Johnson yet again, and he delivered nearly every time down the court. After missing a few foul line jumpers, Johnson used a quick first step and great body control around the hoop to school Big Dan. Meanwhile, as Cap’n Mike and Danger Dan struggled on offense, Shu-ter Patel and Hogan also chipped in on both ends of the court.

As time wound down, and the game still tight, Danger Dan drove to the hole and scored a hard bucket on a sliding defender. After a Chili's bucket, they called a quick timeout and both teams saw the scoreboard at 69-66 in favor of Chili’s. There was some question as to what the score was, as most of the OU team thought that the Danger Dan drive was counted towards the wrong team. Order was restored, however, and OU lost the appeal, but the battle raged on.

The final few important plays started when Cap’n Mike made a mid range pull-up over a hard charging TJ, which cut the lead to one. And, after a defensive stop, Danger Dan was fouled hard on his way to the hoop, sending the veteran to the line with a chance to take the lead. Danger didn’t waiver and calmly buried both free throws. Chili’s once again couldn’t convert on their next possession, and fouled Cap’n Mike on his way up the court. Cap’n also made both free throws with under a minute to play, and finally OU had a minimal amount (three points) of breathing room. It didn’t last long as Chili’s scored immediately, and then forced a turnover to get the ball back. TJ once again drove and got to the line where he made both free throws and again gave Chili’s the one-point lead with about 15 seconds to play.

The final sequence was a bit hectic as Cap’n Mike passed out of a double team to Hogan, and immediately found himself calling for the ball back when seeing Big Dan guarding him in a major mismatch. Cap’n Mike made a head-fake and drove on the big fella, only to have his original defender collapse on him immediately. Trying to execute a play that Cap’n Mike and Hogan had done HUNDREDS of times over the years, Cap’n dropped a pass to Stretch – but it was just out of his reach. Luckily, the ball bounced to the ever-ready Johnson who turned and shot a fall-away jumper with four seconds left. The shot was short, but Hogan was perfectly positioned and collected the rebound. With one second left, Hogan calmly extended over the defender and stuck the put-back right before the buzzer to give OU the huge win. Nearly everyone in the gym was stunned, including the Chili's fan base, the refs and even the OU crew.

The win gives OU a 6-1 record on the session and ties them with the Hustlers at the top of the standings heading into a match up with the Warriors next week.

Cap’n Mike was 3-4 from the line, and is now 22-29 on the session.

Giant Battle

2007-11-02T14:20:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - Living up to all of the pre-game hype, old foes (and friends) Howse Corp and Origins Unknown met for this session’s bragging rights last night in Reading. OU put together a well-rounded, 40-minute effort, to hold off the always hard-fighting Howse bunch 75-70.

It was a game that required every player to step up - on both teams – and everyone did at some point. The first half started a little sluggish for both teams, and with OU coming off of a bye, they appeared to have their fair share of cobwebs. Even with their heavy feat, OU started out with a small lead, using Chris “Big” Johnson wisely in the post. Johnson’s footwork and quickness has improved game over game, and he was easily able to post up the smaller Howse defenders to score at will. Howse, meanwhile, brought in an athletic free agent from the Stoneham league to fill in for a couple missing bodies. His aggressive defense on Cap’n Mike, as well as his slashing offensive game kept Howse close for most of the first half. Throughout different points, all of the OU players took their turns stepping up on the offensive end. Howse was also using all of their players to keep close, including Fireman Dave, who sneakily ended with double digit points. Danger Dan Fisher kept OU in the game offensively, and mentally as well, barking out for everyone to wake up from the sidelines. His orders were clearly heard, as Dr. J Greg Robinson buried some silky smooth mid-range jumpers, James “Stretch” Hogan IV controlled the glass, and Shu-ter Patel out-stretched his defender down low to give OU at slight halftime lead.

The second half was the epitome of a “back and forth” affair. OU lost their lead, only to catch back up through will and hustle. There were several highlight plays, including a great block by Johnson on Richie Curran which seemed to spark the OU crew. Both teams made runs, but OU made a run when it counted the most. A defensive lapse by Howse left Cap’n Mike with a mismatch, and he exploited it by knocking down a couple threes, and cutting for another bucket as the clock started to wind down. After some unbelievable offensive board work by Hogan, OU went ahead for good at the 4-minute mark. Forced to foul, Howse sent Cap’n Mike and Danger Dan to the line, and while Cap’n had a slight hiccup on the first one and one, the duo didn’t waiver after that, dropping 4 of 4 to end the game and seal the win.

Cap’n Mike was 5-7 from the line in the game. He now stands 19-25 for the session.

The victory vaults OU into sole possession of second place at 5-1, a half game behind the Hustlers. Next week is another stiff test, as OU takes on the team that knocked them out of the last session’s playoffs - Chili’s.

OU Tire, Money Shots on Fire

2007-10-19T13:22:00.000-04:00

The Money Shots came into last night’s game with the next to worst record in the league, but used money shooting from their point guard, as well as a second half run to out duel the late-faltering Origins Unknown squad, 73-66.

The game was hardly a back and forth affair at the start, with OU exploiting an aggressive 2-2 zone on the offensive end to build a small lead. Cap’n Mike found his early stroke from long range to extend the zone, and from there the rest of the OU bunch got hot. Shu-ter Patel was en fuego in the first half, knocking down baseline jumpers as well as tri-fectas from the top of the key. James “Stretch” Hogan IV also found the gaps offensively, and played the role of rock-distributor at the foul line. Dr. J Greg Robinson found his range off of the Hogan dump downs, and for the first half it appeared that OU was in control, finishing with an eight point lead.

The lead was further extended to start the second half. Cap’n Mike came down awkwardly on his ankle a few minutes in, but recovered to make two three pointers – the second of which brought the Money Shots out of the zone defense. This became the game’s turning point, as MS immediately went on a run – fueled by some great shooting by the point guard. D’d up by Cap’n Mike, the wirely guard used high picks to free himself and knock down several long range shots. OU, meanwhile, was clearly tiring. The crisp passing went away, as did the bounces that typically go their way. MS took advantage and tied the game, then took the lead, never to look back. OU had the lead down to 3 with less than three minutes remaining, but the MS point guard was rock solid from the free throw line, and OU continued to rim shots in and out – sealing their fate.

Cap’n Mike was a dreadful 2-4 from the free throw line, bringing his season total to 14-18. OU will take a bye week to regroup and recover, before taking on perennial power Howse Corp on Novermber 1.

In other news of note, the Hustlers have emerged as the team to beat this session after another solid win last night, this time against a very good Chili’s team. They move to 5-0, alone atop the standings.

Child's Play

2007-09-28T21:07:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA – Origins Unknown took on league newcomer Intervale last night at the YMCA, but it was a rude first meeting, as OU routed the new crew 76-54 in front of friends and family. Flanked by future OU stars Soren Patel and Lil’ Cap’n Max, it was sometimes tough to tell who was having more fun (the little kids or the middle aged kids), as OU put on a show on their way to a 3-0 record.

OU, which has looked consistent and confident over the past three games, once again showed up in full force as all six members suited up. Everyone in “Columbia Blue” seemed ready to roll, as they jumped out to a quick lead that they would never relinquish. The first half saw OU breaking down the Intervale 2-2 zone, through excellent high post play by Chris “Big” Johnson, and some early outside shooting. Highlighted by a Cap’n Mike to James “Stretch” Hogan IV alley-oop, and constant pressure by Danger Dan Fisher, OU also used their quickness and pace to leave Intervale in the dust.

Dr. J Greg Robinson and Shu-ter Patel also made their presence known, as the six OUrs seamlessly interchanged positions and baffled the Intervale squad with their positional flexibility. Everyone handled the ball, ran the point, and dished the rock throughout the game (Even Dr. J and Big Johnson!)… The game was simply never in doubt. There is not much more to say!

OU now gets their first bye of the session. Cap’n Mike was 1-2 from the line, which leaves him 12 for 14 on the season.

Here are the game pictures, courtesy of Mrs. Cap’n Deanna...

Stretch Stretches Out For a Fingertip Dunk

Dr. J Shoots The Technical

Cap'n Mike Gets Ready To Shake and Bake

Danger Dan With the Sweet Stroke

Shu-ter Shootin'

Lil' Cap'n Max for Two

Leaving No dOUbt

2007-09-21T16:09:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA – In front of a small crowd of their peers - and with plenty of emotion emanating from everyone in the gym - Origins Unknown and the Crusty Muskets once again engaged in an epic showdown that went down to the wire. This time around, with the full OU squad present and a big game from Chris “Big” Johnson, they held their ground and held off the gritty Musket bunch for the statement win.

Both teams were scheduled to play other – much different - opponents, until a late notice change by the league office earlier in the week. While OU typically sticks to their run and gun style, they knew that it would be more of a down and dirty battle with the veteran crybaby crew. The Muskets, however brought back their big man Doug, and as well as a strong young point guard to change their own tempo as well.

The game started in typical fashion, with the Muskets having a tough time finding easy shots, and OU getting out to an early lead through their energy and quickness. Cap’n Mike was stuck on Leroy Johnson like gum on a shoe, while Big Johnson was definitely holding his own against the CM big guy. Offensively, the ball was being spread around the court with precision by OU. Lots of cuts, backdoors, and movement left CM with their hands on their knees and OU with a slight lead. Big Johnson was also doing his part here, posting up and generally being a force on the offensive and defensive glass. Towards the end of the half, with OU sporting a three point lead, Cap’n Mike brought the ball down the court and found a wide open Shu-ter Patel for a three. Patel just rimmed out the shot, but Danger Dan Fisher flew in and tipped the ball back to James “Stretch” Hogan IV, who found Cap’n Mike for a momentum building three pointer as time wound down.

In the second half, the Muskets were never quite able to get over the hump, as OU fought off the pressing defense and rebounded very well. The offense continued to be spread from man to man, with CM unable to focus on any one player. As the crowd built, frustration started to build as well. There was a Musket technical foul, as well as plenty of grabbing and complaining from both sides. Meanwhile, OU was willing themselves to victory through sheer effort - offensive rebounds being key. With time winding down, the Muskets had to go to foul mode, and for the most part, OU made them pay from the stripe. A steal at the end of the game sealed the win, and vaulted OU to 2-0 for the session.

Cap’n Mike ended the night 9-10 from the line, and is now 11-12 on the session.

OU Avoids Off-Season Hangover

2007-09-15T17:50:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - While OU dominated the Free Agents in their opening night match-up 88-63, there were several side stories to be told including one player who found his left hand, and another who found his way to the bar before the game - only to show up and drop twenty points.

The Free Agents arrived with their big, bald center in tow this time, and in the first half actually kept the game relatively close. OU was plagued by a slow start, which saw plenty of open shots, but also plenty of misses. The FA bunch countered by giving their all, and keeping the score respectable. The big man was serviceable, and the supporting cast actually threw in some impressive, but blind, shots. The first half ended with a FA run, as they closed the gap 39-33. OU swaggered off the court clearly in control, but with less of a lead than anticipated.

The second half was owned by OU, as they came out guns a blazin. In less than 2 minutes, OU scored 12 points and quickly pushed the lead into the high teens. Who was doing the dirty work? Everyone. Cap'n Mike was passing and scoring with his left hand - dropping some picturesque assists along the way. Danger Dan Fisher was slashing to the hole in typical fashion, while also hitting 10-12 free throws.

In addition to the back-court effort, Shu-ter Patel, fresh off an early day booze cruise and bar stop was mixing inside/out concoctions on the court. James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Dr. J Greg Robinson also spread the offensive load, as OU ran away, never to turn back.

OU moves to 1-0, while the Free Agents take up their annual spot at the bottom of the standings. OU takes on the ever-improving Hustlers team next week. Cap'n Mike started off the season 2-2 from the line.

A Clean Slate... OU Fall Season Starts Thursday

2007-09-12T20:28:00.000-04:00

Championship Recap

2007-08-26T10:00:00.000-04:00

Howse Corp 68
Origins Unknown 60
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Back Where They Belong

2007-08-17T22:45:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - With all six session originals in blue uniforms for the quarter finals last night, Origins Unknown took down a feisty, but depleted, Chili's team - 69-54 -to get back to the Championship game, where they'll take on Howse Corp.

OU used a full-team effort to get out of the gate quickly, and never look back. Chili's was missing their big man-in-the-middle, and OU's own mountain of love, Chris "Big" Johnson used that to his advantage. Guarded by a meaty, but shorter, Chili's defender, Johnson gained excellent position and showed his patience by finding his way to the basket on multiple trips.

James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Cap'n Mike also started out the game by taking advantage of their own match-ups, and getting by their defenders to score near the hoop. After the quick start however, Cap'n Mike was thrown off his normal game by two early (and questionable) fouls. Whether the calls were correct or not, Cap'n Mike clearly lost focus, and his OU teammates stepped up to cover his poor play.

Smartly subbing Cap'n Mike out for a short spell at the end of the half, Big Johnson again made an impact in non big-man fashion. A steal at half court, followed by a Shaq-esque coast to coast run, started the fun. Then as the first half wound down, Johnson found an open Dr. J Robinson for a corner jump shot, which he calmly drained.

OU continued to use the "No I in Team" philosophy in the second half, and built on their double digit lead. Chili's stepped up the pressure on the ball, but when OU slowed it down and set up Johnson, they were nearly unstoppable. With Cap'n Mike still sputtering and taking out his frustrations on poor innocent bystanders, OU used some excellent defense, led by Patel's multiple blocks, to shut down most attempts of the Chili's runs. Danger Dan Fisher also awoke from a slow start, to score two HUGE buckets when Chili's had taken the lead down to nine.

OU was led by Johnson, who ended the game an encouraging 5 for 6 from the charity stripe. Cap'n Mike sank 2 of 2 from the line in the game, increasing his season total to 9 for 10.

OU battles one of the original Reading YMCA nemesis', Howse Corp, in the finals. Howse has been a strong team all session long, with excellent guard play and young athleticism. Gametime is 7:00 pm, according to the league site.

Free Agents Free For Golf Now

2007-08-11T08:46:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - If the Free Agents were actually Free Agents next season, none of them would be picked up by the remaining Reading YMCA League teams after this playoff performance against Origins Unknown. In the first round of the summer league playoffs, OU reached the century mark for the second consecutive game against the FAs, putting on an offensive clinic in a 100-60 win.

The Free Agents never stood much of a chance in this one, even with the addition of a big man to their roster. OU had their way on offense, with the starting crew of Shu-ter Patel, James "Stretch" Hogan IV, Chris "Big" Johnson and Cap'n Mike building an immediate 10 point lead within the first five minutes.

It was virtually a basketball camp for the FA guys to learn how to play. Stretch Hogan ran the lay-up station... Big Johnson ran the post-up station... Shu-ter ran the mid-range station... and Cap'n Mike ran the ball-handling and shooting station.

When Craig "Kid Rainmaker" Andrews checked into the game, the situation only worsened for the FA bunch as Craig could have played left handed and been the best player on their team.

On defense, OU didn't have to do much to control the game - other then rebound the missed shots. The FA team was simply overmatched from the outset. As the half came to a close, OU had already built a 25-point lead and scored 50 points on the hapless FA team.

The second half wasn't much to write about either. OU, playing half-ass at this point, built the lead even higher, as the FA's barked out encouragement to "cut the lead to 30". It didn't happen though, and the highlight of this stink-bomb of a game turned out to be a missed 3/4 court shot by Cap'n Mike at the end of the first half that bounced off the rim. Yep, a missed shot was the highlight.

While Cap'n Mike led OU with 31, ANY of the OU bunch could have scored 40-50 if they wanted to.

The good news is that the win sends OU to the quarter finals next week to battle old nemesis Chili's. Cap'n Mike, once again, did not make a trip to the foul line. He remains 7-8 on the season.

Shu-ter, OU, Put on Exhibition

2007-08-03T19:46:00.001-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown warmed up for the upcoming summer playoffs by spanking The Free Agents 100-69 at the YMCA last night. The win bolstered OU's record to 6-2 on the session, and secured them the third seed in playoffs, where they will square off against........ The Free Agents (Hopefully, with some of the better players).

This game was over from the moment Shu-ter Patel walked in the gym and laced up the Chuck Taylors. The FA's showed up with only four players, none of whom could compete with their counterpart on OU. With advantages at every position, OU quickly jumped on their opponents and built an impenetrable lead within five minutes.

Packed in a ridiculously poor 2-2 zone, the FA's had more holes than a golf course. OU exploited these holes by finding gaps and then cutting or finding Shu-ter for open jumpers. Chris "Big" Johnson, James "Stretch" Hogan IV, and Cap'n Mike also did their part by making most of their first half shots, and sharing the ball with regularity.

The second half was more of the same. The FA's changed the zone slightly and started trying to put pressure on the ball, but OU easily went around the defense and was pouring in open shots. After a particularly bad stretch, tallgangly Mike from the FA's said, "We need to switch back to a 2-2, their shooting 100% on us".

OU let off the gas, but still managed to reach the century mark with a couple minutes left in the game. Shu-ter Patel led the OU quadrumverate with 34. Both Hogan and Johnson scored 24, and Cap'n Mike was low man with 16.

OU only managed to get to the line on one occasion, and Cap'n Mike again didn't make an appearance. He remains 7-8 on the year.

Hustlers Can't Hang With OU

2007-07-27T21:12:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - Usually, when a team shoots 2 for 13 from the foul line, and the other team shoots 11 for 13.... well - you can guess who wins. But last night at the YMCA, the team that couldn't make a charity-striper if their lives depended on it (Origins Unknown) handily beat the team that seemingly couldn't miss (Hustlers) - 84-70.

The Hustlers, to their credit, started out the game on fire. While over matched heght-wise, they shot themselves to an early 13-3 lead, by knocking down trifecta after trifecta. OU, meanwhile, was a bit rusty out of the gate and struggled for the first 4 minutes to find a flow. Backed up by 2 solid fill-ins, Craig and Nick, OU stuck to their guns and clawed their way back into the game through post-ups (Chris "Big" Johnson), threes (Cap'n Mike), cuts (James "Stretch" Hogan IV) and all-over-the-courtness (Craig and Nick). The Hustlers stayed close by getting to the line, and making some deep jumpers, but OU countered with consistent offensive pressure.

Cap'n Mike found his touch early from deep, and helped spread the court for the OU big men. Big Chris and Nick relentlessly pounded the glass, and the rest of the crew filled the lanes beautifully, to build a small lead heading into the half. The Hustlers fell even farther behind in the second half, as OU continued to apply pressure through excellent pace and ball-sharing. It was a balanced effort, with each player chipping in on the glass and running the floor. Shu Patel, back from several weeks off, was also effective after finding his legs and getting in the flow.

The second half saw several highlights from the OU bunch, including a sick between the legs, behind the back, move from Craigles (who reminds me a little of a white boy Skip 2 My Lou Click Here for Skip Highlights), and a near follow up dunk from Cap'n Mike in the closing minutes (kinda like this???....Dunk Gone Bad)

With the win, OU moves to 5-2 with one game remaining on the schedule. The quickscores web-site should be updated in the next few days, giving OU an idea of where they rank in the standings, with the playoffs around the corner.

Cap'n Mike did not make any trips to the line during the game, and remains 7 for 8 on the year.

OU Wins Throwdown With Throwbacks

2007-07-20T12:20:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA – Origins Unknown needed a full 38 minutes to catch the scrappy Throwbacks (aka Crusty Muskets minus Dan Johnson) and put them away with a gritty come-from-behind 69-64 win. The game, which felt like an uphill battle to the OU bunch for the most part, turned into one of the better efforts from a four man crew – as they clawed and scratched their way back from a 13 point first half deficit.

The Throwbacks started out playing crisply on offense, using their experience to build a comfortable lead, while frustrating the OU guys. With Leroy Johnson leading the charge, the Throwbacks picked, rolled, hooked and shot themselves to a 10 point lead. For their part, OU was struggling to establish themselves offensively or defensively. Chris “Big” Johnson had his moments in the first half, but Cap’n Mike, James “Stretch” Hogan IV and Dr. J all missed opportunities to keep the game close.

The second half started out similarly, but OU continued to tread water, and never fall too far behind. Big Johnson was establishing better position, and scoring nearly at will, but Steve Johnson was doing the same for the Throwbacks. With about six minutes left, and OU losing the war, a series of highlights pulled the gang right back into the game. Dr. J suddenly caught fire with two jumpers, and a smooth baseline finger roll. Cap’n Mike also chipped in with two threes from the right wing, and a steal and breakaway layup. With less than 3 minutes left, the OU bunch had pulled to within 5, and the Throwbacks were clearly on the ropes. They called a time-out, and when OU came back out, they kept the pressure on defensively.

A minute later, a rebound by Big Johnson, an outlet to Cap’n Mike, and a zip pass to a cutting Stretch Hogan gave OU their first lead of the game, which they wouldn’t relinquish. Another baseline spin shot from Hogan built the lead to three, and Cap’n Mike finished them off with two free throws with 20 seconds left.

It wasn't quite this (THIS) comeback, but it was impressive.

The win builds OU’s record to 4-2, heading into next week’s match up with the Hustlers.

Cap’n Mike also made some strides from the free throw line, going 7 for 7 on the night. On the year, he is now 7 for 8.

Lil' Cap'n Max To Replace Cap'n Mike?

2007-07-03T20:21:00.000-04:00

"Dr. J" Shines in Losing Effort

2007-06-30T11:14:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - A true "4 on 4" match-up took place Thursday night between Chili's and Origins Unknown, as both teams were without subs for most of the game, and proceeded to slug it out for 40 minutes. OU did its best to shake off a tough first half in which they fell behind by 15 points, but ultimately couldn't get over the hump, succumbing to the Chili's team 77-69.

OU started out hot, with Cap'n Mike knocking down several three pointers, and the rest of the gang out-running the bigger Chili's team. Chili's kept pace by using their "love" advantage, and some ridiculously hot shooting from their power forward Pat. With James "Stretch" Hogan blanketing him, Pat spot up, spun and shot his way to nearly perfect first half shooting.

Meanwhile, OU was getting good looks, but shots that normally fall for the veterans seemed to be just a bit off. Coming off a couple of great games for OU, Danger Dan Fisher was getting great looks against his shorter defender, but he wasn't able to score with the same consistency as in previous games. "It was pretty frustrating", said Fisher, "I'd just like to put together a couple good games in a row." Hogan too was frustrated with the bad bounces at the rim, as he got the looks he wanted, but saw many of his trademark cuts end with the ball just bouncing short or long.

After Cap'n Mike cooled off, he really cooled off, and as the OU offense stalled, Chili's capitalized by building a 15 point lead.

OU changed the momentum in the second half. Actually, to be fair, Dr. Greg Robinson (now known as "Dr. J" for Dr. Jumper) changed the momentum. After trading baskets for the first five minutes, Dr. J started spotting up for mid-range jumpers. Guarded by their big man, Dr.J was able to find open shots, and promptly ripped off 15 out of 17 OU points. The run pulled OU into a tie with the suddenly reeling Chili's team with only a few minutes left. But, the defending champs (Chili's - not OU) settled down and once again built a small lead. Trailing by only 2 with 39 seconds left, Hogan fouled out. OU pushed the ball up the court, but Dr. J found himself with an off balance shot to tie, which didn't go down. From there, OU couldn't manage another point, while Chili's banged home their foul shots.

OU falls to 3-1 and third place in the league. Chili's gains a spot in the standings (to second), and pulls even in the win column with OU. After a bye for the July 4th Holiday, OU squares off against the undefeated Howse boys.

Updating Cap'n Mike's free throw shooting - He did not make a trip to the line for the 3rd straight game (take it to the hole you wuss).

Bada Bing Gets Whacked

2007-06-22T13:43:00.000-04:00

Reading MA – Bada Bing and Origins Unknown squared off in a good ol’ fashion shoot out at the YMCA last night, with OU coming out on top for the third straight game 70 sumpthin’ – 60 sumpthin’. OU was paced by Danger Dan Fisher and James “Stretch” Hogan IV, both of whom scored well into double digits. Chris “Big” Johnson also had a monster game, gaining excellent position and using his height and “love” to his advantage.

Showing up for the first time this session (for Bada–Bing) was none other than ex-Evans sharp shooter “Z”. Diminutive in stature, but deadly on the court, Z was closely guarded by Danger Dan most of the night and struggled to find consistency, even though he made some tough shots. He did score his fair share of points, but only by shooting 30 shots.

OU once again used the T-E-A-M concept on offense, sharing the ball with regularity and jumping out to a first half lead by taking advantage of mismatches and defensive lapses. Cushioned by their lead, OU did lose some momentum heading into the end of the half. After draining his first two three pointers, Cap’n Mike lost some mojo and missed several wide open three point attempts (hard to believe, I know). But Danger Dan, Big Chris, and Stretch Hogan continued their attack with each player streaking at opportune times. Hogan, in an attempt to break the single game offensive rebound record, was positively relentless getting to the basket - and following his own shots. He ended the game with 17 offensive rebounds - for a new league record (just kidding).

The second half saw Dr. Greg Robinson and Shu-ter Patel getting into the action. While Patel struggled with a new knee brace that was throwing his shot off, Dr. Greg started heating up like a mid-June afternoon. Danger Dan also continued to push the tempo and go mono e mono with Z to build the lead back up.

With the game out of reach, Big Johnson showed his athleticism as he skied for a errant shot under the hoop. Witnesses said that it looked as if Johnson would scrape his head on the backboard if he hadn’t ducked at the last moment.

Next week, OU will face its first major test when they take on Chili’s in a battle of the first place teams. Chili’s is coming off of a championship, and has added a top flight swingman to their already tough arsenal.

e-FISH-ent

2007-06-17T09:19:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - The Celtics weren't "The Celtics" Thursday night, as they squared off against Origins Unknown. Unfortunately, they were missing two or three of their top producers, and came to play with only four members. OU seized the opportunity and shook off a sluggish first half to pull away from the undermanned Celtics by 20+ points.

Leading the way in his return from a missed game was Danger Dan Fisher, who's efficient shooting and boundless energy led the OU attack. He scored at least 20 first-half points on scorching hot shooting from the floor. Everything was going down for the fisherman - pull-ups, jumpers, and drives. Fisher wasn't alone, however.

With all six teammates together for the first time in a while, each player took turns doing their part in the win. James "Stretch" Hogan IV and Chris "Big" Johnson controlled the middle on both offense and defense, while Shu-ter Patel and Dr. Greg Robinson worked their mid-range games to perfection. Patel, in particular heated up for several minutes at a time, dropping jumpers late in the game as the contest became out of reach. Cap'n Mike helped coordinate some fast breaks, and went from being stone cold to mildly warm when faced with several open three pointers. "I didn't even want to shoot them," said Cap'n, "But, Big Johnson and Shu-ter were setting screens that blocked my defender out of the picture for several minutes at a time." "It's amazing what '500 lbs of Love' (the duo's new nickname) can do for a struggling shooter!"

OU takes on newcomer Bada-Bing next week in the late, late game.

Cap'n Mike didn't make any trips to the line in the game. He remains 0-1 for the season - Enjoy Mr. Anonymous.

Dynamic Duo Returns To Power OU

2007-06-08T16:41:00.000-04:00

Reading MA – Back in action after their disappointing winter session, Origins Unknown took the court with a renewed energy against the newly formed Free Agents team. The Free Agents, who were obviously playing together for the very first time, had some size but lacked the athleticism to keep up with the OU team, falling by nearly 30 points.

OU welcomed back Shu-ter Patel and James Stretch Hogan IV into their line-up – and the dynamic duo made an obvious and immediate impact. OU was on fire from the start, as the Free Agents struggled to find their rhythm. OU dominated the early going, opening up a sizeable lead through excellent team passing and the Free Agents misfires. FA did have a sizeable middle man, but his surrounding cast had no ball handlers, and little luck getting him the ball. After a 13-3 run to open the game, FA had seen enough and decided to call a time out to stop the bleeding.

The OU attack was well-balanced, with all five members contributing on the offensive and defensive end. Patel, still recovering from a knee injury, considers himself a little gimpy – but this hardly showed in his shooting stroke. He knocked down several mid to long range shots on his way to a great night. Chris “Big” Johnson battled the big man from FA, both offensively and defensively. Johnson, who has played with much more confidence as he has got comfortable with the “OU way”, asserted himself and had another stellar performance.

Perhaps the biggest key to the attack was Stretch Hogan. Hogan once again proved to be an impossible match up for the opposing team, not only offensively, but with his defense and floor prowess. Hogan plays in constant attack mode, which often takes it’s toll on his defender – which turned out to be the case last night. Granted, he wasn’t matched up against Ben Wallace, but it was still an impressive overall performance.

OU built the lead to 20 as the first half ended. The second half saw FA make a small run at OU, cutting the lead to a respectable 12, only to see Dr. Greg Robinson and the gang push it back to 25+. Robinson was often the man making FA pay for playing sloppy help defense, cutting for lay-ups and pull ups. The OU assist machine was running at an all time high with everyone contributing and sharing the pill, equally.

With a 1-0 record, OU will look to continue their winning ways next week against the Celtics.

Cap'n Mike finished 0 for 1 from the line. We'll track my free throw shooting this session for kicks and giggles.

Bowing OUt

2007-05-18T15:25:00.000-04:00

The annual power struggle between Origins Unknown and the Crusty Muskets was once again settled last night in the semi-finals of the Reading YMCA league. This time, the Crusty Muskets used their veteran smarts (i.e. holding and hand-checking), and excellent shooting to dismantle the out of sync OU squad 67-53.

OU, playing without two of their cornerstones James “Stretch” Hogan IV and Shu-ter Patel, put together a line up that hadn’t played together in months. Meanwhile, CM came out blazing – looking every bit like a team that has played together for 39 years. Leroy Johnson and Lil’ Ralphie shot CM to an early 10 point lead in the first half, as OU struggled to get into a flow offensively. Many trips down the court turned into a one on one battle, with little ball movement and poor spacing. OU clearly had the athletic advantage, but were unable to capitalize on drives as shots seemed to just miss, or passing lanes that were usually opened were closed. In addition, CM was doing just enough “Bruce Bowening” to disrupt the flow and concentration of OU. Cap’n Mike was clearly frustrated as he felt the hand-checking and grabbing was going un-noticed.

But, in typical OU fashion, they put together a run at the end of the half through hard work, and actually brought the game back to even before the buzzer sounded.

Second halves are typically when OU creates separation from their opponents. Without Hogan and Patel, however, the Muskets actually seemed to be the fresher team with their 4 bench players. They stuck to their game plan, and even with Johnson slowing offensively, were able to spread the offense around to build a 7 point lead. The OU shots seemed to be clanging off the rim, while nearly every CM shot was bouncing around the rim and falling through. In addition, OU had another horrid game from the free throw line, while CM was cool under pressure. In the end, the game was decided with 2 minutes left, as OU was unable to mount any type of comeback.

The loss caps the worst season in OU’s 3 year run. Much of the disappointment is easily dismissed to injuries, forfeits, and missed games by key personnel. OU agrees that, while the competition seems to have improved as of late, when the squad shows up - they are still the team to beat.

"Big" Win for OU

2007-05-11T11:53:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown expected a first round battle in the Reading YMCA Men’s League Playoffs, and got one (for about 10 minutes), before putting forth a complete game and lambasting Northwest Mutual by 25 points.

OU had all facets working in the victory. Chris “Big” Johnson was utterly unstoppable in the post. Shu-ter Patel came back off the injured reserve to knock down several big shots. James “Stretch” Hogan IV played his usual stellar defense, while slicing his way to double digits in points and rebounds. And, Rusty Howse knocked down several “howdhemakethose” shots.

Cap’n Mike was also back in action after a month of travel kept him off the hardwood. He showed some cobwebs early on, but was able to get back in the flow with some coco crisp passing and solid defense.

And, OU wasn't even full strength! Danger Dan Fisher and Dr. Greg Robinson were both out of action.

Northwest Mutual started off the game with a 10-2 run, making OU pay for their sluggishness. But, in the midst of the run, they awoke a sleeping giant in Johnson. After missing his first shot, Johnson had a Shaq-like presence on the court – posting up anyone (and everyone) on his way to his best game in light blue.

OU pulled back even with NM, and then ahead, piling up a 10 point lead at the break. From there, OU continued to push the tempo and impose their will on their opponents. NM’s best shooter tried to shoot them back into the game, but had no luck against the long-arms of the law – Cap’n Mike and Stretch Hogan.

In the end, it was too much of OU doing what OU does… playing the OU way. According to the QuickScores web site, OU will take on the Crusty Muskets in Round 2 at 6:30.

Muskets Backfire, OU on Fire

2007-03-30T14:10:00.001-04:00

Reading, MA – Origins Unknown was down. Their shots were not falling. Their defense was not defending. Cap’n Mike was launching up off-target scud missiles from all over the court. And, Leroy Johnson was hitting from all over the court.

But, faced with a nine-point halftime deficit, OU did not stay down. Instead, they rallied to tie, and then blow past the Crusty Muskets in the highly anticipated match-up.

The game started out as an even contest, with OU relying on James “Stretch” Hogan IV, Dr. Greg Robinson, Danger Dan Fisher and Chris “Big” Johnson. The Muskets were missing top guard Dan Johnson, but OU was without the services of Shu-ter Patel, who continues to recover from a knee injury. The teams battled to a 8-8 tie, but the Muskets then found the hot hand of Leroy Johnson midway through the first. Leroy used screens and his step-back jumper to go on a one-man run, pushing the Muskets lead up to double digits. OU tried Cap’n Mike on him to start, and then Dr. Greg gave it a shot, but Johnson was in rhythm and knocking down everything that went up. Meanwhile, on offense, Cap’n Mike was in danger of breaking the backboard with some of his long distance shots. Luckily, Big Chris and Stretch were keeping OU within striking distance. As the half came to a close, Danger Dan found a back-cutting Cap’n Mike for an alley-oop lay-up, which felt like a mini-victory, even with the Muskets leading and controlling the game.

The second half was a COMPLETELY different game. OU came out firing on all cylinders, and Cap’n Mike went from being horrendous to en fuego. OU kept the tempo and pressure on, and quickly pulled even with the struggling Muskets. The defensive pressure also started to take it’s toll on their opponents, as shots started to bounce off the rim and into the hungry arms of the OU bunch. There were plenty of second half highlights as OU shot well over 50% from the floor, including when Big Chris stepped out to nail a three pointer pushing the lead even higher. There were well-executed fast breaks, pin-point pick and rolls, and a few dagger-like threes to be found as well. In the end, OU struggled a bit from the line, but pulled off the great comeback to win.

The loss was the first in over a session and a half for the Crusty Muskets.

Legendary Effort By Three Hundred, or Three

2007-03-20T18:21:00.000-04:00

Reading, MA - Special to Bloggin' and Ballin' by Shu-ter Patel.

The number one movie in America this week is “The 300”. It tells the story of 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae vs. an army of 10,000 Persians.

The Spartans held the pass at Thermopylae for 3 days before eventually succumbing to the vastly greater numbers of the Persias. Origins Unknown played and lost in what can only be called a legendary loss if such a thing can exist. Origins Unknown, started the game vs. Northwestern Mutual, with only 4 regulars. The game started with a quick pace, but turned sour after 2 minutes as Himanshu Patel had to leave the game with a knee injury. He said he heard a pop.

OU made the decision to play with 3. The score was 4-4. With Patel out, OU went onto put up a 12 point lead, while playing 3 v 4. OU played with tremendous courage. Danger Dan was slicing his way for jumpers and lay-ups. The Dr. was driving to the hole and Stretch put on an offensive clinic with spin moves and back to back 17 foot jumpers. He finished with 29. OU was amazing breaking the 2-2 zone that Northwest Mutual played, it seems they learned to play defense from Thiery Henry.

OU maintained the lead until 12 minutes left to play, when Northwestern Mutual put on a run,when fatigue set in and the jumpers were short for OU. Northwest Mutual eventually tied the game, with 8 minutes left. Then it was a back and forth game.

With 5 seconds left and the game tied at 69, OU’s defense put the ball in the one guy they wanted to shoot the last shot, earlier in the game this guy air-balled a free throw and had missed almost everything he threw up, but with time running out, he threw up a jump shot that hit the front iron and rattled in. putting them up 71-69 leaving a OU with 1 second for a desperation shot. The shot fell short.

The final was 71-69. Amazing considering the game was played 3 vs. 4 for 38 minutes. Northwestern Mutual had 2 subs. Much like the 300 Spartans who did fall at the Battle of Thermopylae, the Spartans returned in greater numbers to win the war.

Game Notes:
Patel spoke to the orthopedist, and it’s a strain of the MCL, he’s on the DL for at least 4 weeks.

well rOUnded win

2007-03-09T20:40:00.000-05:00

Reading, MA - "Well-rounded" is a term that can mean a few things. For instance, it can sometimes be referring to the mid-section of middle-aged basketball players in the Reading YMCA League. It can also be a term that describes a team that successfully shares the workload of offense and defense. While there did appear to be a few well-rounded players on the Warriors last night, Origins Unknown looked svelte, and well-rounded, on their way to a 72-47 win.

The Warriors came into the game with a 2-2 league record, and a penchant for keeping games close. OU entered the contest unable to put a solid two halves together since they lost in the championship last session. At the outset, it looked like this game could be more of the same, with the Warriors jumping out to a quick lead in the first 10 minutes. The Warriors used a combination of 2 tall (and well-rounded) post players, and one decent shooting forward to torch the nets at the start. Their hot shooting, along with some missed opportunities for OU, resulted in a 24-16 Warriors lead when a time out was called midway through the half.

From that point, however, OU used a balanced, consistent, and well-rounded attack to go on a double digit scoring run which quickly evaporated the lead and vaulted OU back into control. Chris "Big" Johnson, fresh off of his honeymoon in Hawaii (Congrats ya big hula girl), was in a groove posting up, knocking down mid-range jumpers, and quickly passing out to open shooters waiting in the wings. James "Stretch" Hogan IV again controlled the paint, and showed his quickness by picking the pockets of indecisive Warrior players when he had the chance.

In the second half, Dr. Greg Robinson may have invented a new shot to add to his collection of patents, when he took the ball to the hole and flicked a no-look finger roll through the net. The game got out of hand quickly as both Danger Dan Fisher and Cap'n Mike both started to heat up from beyond the arc, pushing the lead up to 20 with eight minutes still remaining. In the end, OU let off the gas and coasted to the 25 point win against the gracious Warriors squad.

The win pushes OU's record to 4-1. They currently sit in 3rd place, behind the undefeated Muskets and the 4-1 Celtics (who currently own the tie-breaker). Next up is Northwest Mutual next Thursday at the Y.

American Towers Collapse Under OU Pressure

2007-03-03T13:17:00.000-05:00

Reading, MA - Origins Unknown was back in action, Thursday night at the YMCA, pasting a new-to-the-league American Towers team 77-52.

OU finally seemed to have some bounce back in their step, as they ran their way to a quick lead in the first half. Pacing OU was James "Stretch" Hogan IV, as he ran through the shoddy AT defense, and controlled the game through his defensive presence as well. Hogan may have scored the years first triple double, with double-figures in points, rebounds and blocks.

Scoring was balanced, as Danger Dan Fisher, Shu-ter Patel and Dr. Greg Robinson also had hot hands. The two-week layoff did leave both teams sloppy, with turnovers coming from both teams. Cap'n Mike felt especially out of sync, unable to get passes to his cutting counter-parts. "I was a second slow on everything I did tonight," said Cap'n, "I think Max would have helped us a lot more out there."

Max's Mama and Max were kind enough to grace us with their presence at the game. Max seemed thoroughly into the game, cheering on OU and also crying when his Dad missed shot after shot.

The second half was more of OU running roughshot over AT. Hogan continued his dominance, and Danger Dan also started to get his legs, shooting himself out of a recent slump.

OU finished strong, and heads into next week with a 3-1 record.

For game photos, courtesy of Mama Max, click here (GAME PHOTOS). No need to sign in, just click on the link that says view pictures.