02/25/2016
By Muhammad Sman
D-2 Week 2 Power Rankings
Assalamualaikum y’all! Wow, what a great start to the season. I was fortunate to show up early and although I did not do much admin work, I truly apologize guys; I had the pleasure of watching games throughout the three divisions. Out of all the leagues that I have played in I still believe Muslim Basketball league delivers the best competition regardless of what division it is. Obviously I paid quite a bit of attention to D-2 to gather as much information as possible to write these power rankings but in actuality it was to scout for my team.
Before we get into the power rankings I want to give a big shout out to Ziko, Zeeshan, and the admin group for all the work they put in. These guys work tirelessly without pay to make sure everything is streamlined on a weekly basis. Please when you see them do not hesitate to stop, say salaam, and thank them. Again these rankings will only include the top 10 teams in the division. Well, without further ado, the power rankings!
1. Regulators (1-0) – They came, they saw, they regulated. These guys got off to a good start by winning their game but it wasn’t without pressure. It was back and forth until the very end where they came out victorious. They stay on top as we move into the second week of the season.
Player to watch – Emad Dalati - 28 pts, 6 rebs, 4 stls
Upcoming opponent – Hoopers (1-0) Previous Ranking – 1st
2. Past Our Prime (1-0) – The late start did not affect those old creaky bones. They played very well from the start of the game with great conviction. The biggest challenge for this team is consistency. Will they be able to keep up the very quick pace throughout the season?
Player to watch – Genghis Khan – 27 pts, 6 rebs, 6 assts, 3 stls,
Upcoming opponent – Lion Order (1-0) Previous Ranking – 2nd
3. AK Duex (1-0) – The defending champs are here! They came out and dominated from the start and never had a chance to look back. The bid to become back-to-back D2 champs started off very well as they look to stay hot going into week 2.
Player to watch – Burhan Adli – 24 pts, 8 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl
Upcoming opponent – AMB (0-1) Previous Ranking – 3rd
4. Hidden (1-0) – The runner-ups from a season ago got off to a very solid start with a good win. They played a solid game where they did not trail throughout 4 quarters. A well-rounded team with depth will look to go back to the finals but only this time they will work to make sure the result goes in their favor.
Player to watch – Momen Bany-Mohammed – 16 pts, 10 rebs, 1 asst
Upcoming opponent – Bashas (0-1) Previous Ranking – 4th
5. Massaage (1-0) – They played the defending D3 champs and it was a back and forth affair. They started the season with a victory against a formidable opponent. Although it is too early to tell who will be the favorites to win it all do not count these guys out.
Player to watch – Mahroze Baloch – 11 pts, 9 rebs, 3 assts, 2 stls, 1 blk
Upcoming opponent – UBM (0-1) Previous Ranking – 5th
6. Lion Order (1-0) – What a roaring start to the season! They started their season with a bang thanks to a dominating victory over their opponent. It seems to be the trend within the division but these guys came out and they never looked back as they cruised to a victory.
Player to watch – Payam Babakhanlou – 15 pts, 8 rebs,
Upcoming opponent – Past Our Prime (1-0) Previous Ranking – 7th
7. What A Time (1-0) – The time was right as they started on the correct foot with a victory to start the season. They beat a tough opponent to begin the season by playing great defense as they limited their opponents. They will look to continue to climb up these rankings as week 2 approaches.
Player to watch – Arman Tondravi – 17 pts, 3 rebs, 3 assts, 1 stl, 2 blks
Upcoming opponent – Dynasty (0-1) Previous Ranking – 10th
8. The Hoopers (1-0) – A team filled with hoopers well what do you know! They came out and played very well to start their season. They went unranked in the previous power rankings, which did not stop them from showing up with a strong victory. These guys will play to stay in the top 10 but most importantly they will try to move up.
Player to watch – Chris Johns – 9 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assts, 1 stl
Upcoming opponent – Regulators (1-0) Previous Ranking – UR
9. ICH (0-1) – They played very tough to start the season against a tough opponent. They stuck it through and made it a game until the very end. Unfortunately they came up short and lost but if moral victories counted they would have notched one. This team will stay competitive throughout so do not sleep on them.
Player to watch – Amjad Aryan – 13 pts, 8 rebs, 2 assts,
Upcoming opponent – Classic (0-1) Previous Ranking – 8th
10. Bashas (0-1) – A new season and a new division but they did not go quiet. They lost their first game but the energy was there and they will compete throughout the season. They played their opponent very tough and lost by a small margin. Do not sleep on these young guys, as they will compete on every possession.
Player to watch – Mohammaed Shilleh – 18 pts, 4 rebs, 2 stls
Upcoming opponent – Hidden (1-0) Previous Ranking – 9th