6/29/2010 PTL Notebook: Vinton/Hawkeye alone atop standings
Posted on 30. Jun, 2010 by admin in Iowa Basketball
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
*Note: This will focus on everything else that took place on Tuesday at the North Liberty Community Center separate from the news pertaining to Brennan Cougill’s ineligibility. For more on that, read this and this.*
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa — In a summer where the Prime Time League is shaping up with a lot of parity, one team has quietly emerged as the team to beat.
After losing its PTL opener on June 15, Vinton Merchants/Hawkeye Title & Settlement has now reeled off three straight wins after beating Jill Armstrong of Lepic-Kroeger Realtors on Tuesday, 98-83. At 3-1, Vinton/Hawkeye sits alone in first place this summer with three games remaining before the PTL playoffs later in July.
“I think we’ve been playing pretty good together,” said Iowa’s Devon Archie, who had six points and 10 rebounds in the victory for Vinton/Hawkeye. “Overall, we’re starting to have a real good feel of what everybody is capable of doing.”
Once again, UNI’s Chip Rank was the leading scorer for Vinton/Hawkeye. Also contributing to the cause was former Iowa star Darryl Moore, who finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. He said afterwards the key to Vinton/Hawkeye’s fast start was the defense against players such as Iowa junior Matt Gatens, who had 34 points for Jill Armstrong, but wasn’t as effective in other areas.
“When we first started, we got the ball inside,” Moore said. “We got the ball inside, we pushed the tempo, we ran it, and I think that’s what helped us out. We played pretty good defense. Matt didn’t get off to a quick start, obviously he picked it up later in the game, but it kind of helped us out that he got off to a slow start.”
As for Jill Armstrong, it now sits at 2-2 in the PTL after this loss, tied with three other teams for second place and now a game back of Vinton/Hawkeye.
“Their big guys were knocking down outside shots, and that really hurt us,” Gatens said.
George Etre, Inc./Culver’s of Coralville 94, McCurry’s/Mike Gatens Real Estate 82
Behind the play once again of incoming Iowa freshman Melsahn Basabe, George Etre, Inc./Culver’s of Coralville managed to even its record up at 2-2 after a 94-82 win over McCurry’s/Mike Gatens Real Estate, who entered Tuesday’s contest in a three-way tie for first place in the PTL.
Basabe shot 13-of-15 from the floor, en route to 29 points. The 6-7 forward also hauled in 15 rebounds to lead the way for Etre/Culver’s.
Meanwhile, McCurry’s/Gatens has now lost two straight contests after beginning the summer 2-0. McCurry’s/Gatens did receive a strong outing, however, from sophomore Cully Payne. The Schaumburg, Ill., native posted a double-double in defeat with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
L.L. Pelling Company/Goodfellow Printing 91, Bob’s Your Uncle & Monica’s/Iowa City Ready Mix 66
Although this game took a back seat to the news regarding sophomore Brennan Cougill on Tuesday, it still went on as scheduled. L.L. Pelling Company/Goodfellow Printing managed to halt a two-game losing skid, crushing Bob’s Your Uncle & Monica’s/Iowa City Ready Mix, 91-66. The win puts Pelling/Goodfellow in a four-way tie for second place at 2-2.
Pelling/Goodfellow was led by Iowa sophomore Eric May, who had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field to lead all scorers. He also came one rebound shy of his third straight double-double, while incoming freshman Zach McCabe finished the game with 10 points.
As for Bob’s/Ready Mix, it did get a decent outing from Cougill, who tied for a team-high 18 points with former Hawkeye Duez Henderson, but the story here for a team sitting at 1-3 was the off-night from incoming freshman Devyn Marble. The Southfield, Mich., product only had eight points on the evening, and it came on 3-of-17 shooting.
The Prime Time League resumes again on Tuesday, July 6, with two games starting at 6 p.m., inside the North Liberty Community Center.
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