The SABL BS

Issue 91 June 2002

FROM COMMISSIONER SCOTT ELLIS, 2ND AMER. BASKETBALL LEAGUE

League LeadersPast NewslettersRecordsAll-StarsDraft Preview 2002Message/Chat Board

Standings/Team Highs MembersRosters & Stats2002 Draftable Players2001-02 League Disk

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Past Draft Results Trades2001-02 Season Preview2001 Draft2002 Draft

SABL Minutes 2001League Totals2000 Draft HistoriesLinks

Strat basketball will not be Windows based this fall

Yep, Strat is not going to switch their computer basketball game to Windows this year. According to their latest sales flier, the game company says it didn't have time to convert the basketball game because of all the work it did on its recent computer upgrades to baseball, football and hockey. The game company says it will get the computer basketball game converted next year, in the 2002-03 card set.

Strat computer basketball will still be the same old DOS-game that it's always been. That means you still better have an MS-DOS, Windows 95, 98 or ME computer, or you won't be able to play the game this fall. The game will still not work on Windows XP.

I can't express how disappointed I am in this. I have completely updated to Windows XP now, so I'm gonna have to play my games at Galactic Coach Steve Walters' house on one of his antique Windows 95 computers. I'm also gonna have to do the league's database at Steve's house, too. What a pain.

Now that we know a Windows version of Strat is coming, albeit a year late, I still don't want to switch to PC Action Basketball. I'd like to give Strat every chance. I'm willing to put up with one more year of bugs and inconvenience if you are. Let me know what you all think this summer. We still have time to switch.

Brooklyn Tigers Coach Steve Feldheim's new email

Steve's new email address is tinmansteve@nyc.rr.com

Congratulations on another great season!!!!!!!!

The trains ran on time again in the SABL and the reason for it, as always, was you. The coaches in the SABL are the best in the country. And I've played Strat for 33 years . . . I know what I'm talking about!

Please give yourselves a round of applause for another fun, exciting, great, competitive and memorable good time this season. I thank you so much. Every time I get jaded about this grand old game, I can always count on you all to renew me every year. I hope it's still as much fun for you as it is for me.

Now, let's get ready to do it all over again.

East Asia Dragons are 2002 SABL Champions!!!!!!!

The third time was the charm for Dragon Coach Paul Bennett as his squad took Games 6 & 7 in East Asia to win the 2002 SABL Championship in one of the most memorable league finals ever.

Persistence paid off for Paul, who was making his third straight appearance in the finals. But unlike the last two years, when he lost, this time the Dragons burned a path to the top to claim that franchise's third SABL title. The last time Paul's franchise won was in 1995 and 1996, when the squad was managed by Dave Plisko.

In fact the Dave Plisko/Blocher Bombers/East Asia franchise has made the most appearances in our SABL Finals, representing the Royal Conference a record 6 times.

Congratulations to Paul and here's his report:

Dragons Cruise In Game 6

After a first half that saw a 70-69 Aces lead, defence took over and East Asia ran a way with a 118-105 victory. With both teams shooting at least 55%, the difference turned out to be steal and the long ball. The Dragons were 10-21 from long range, compared to 2-3 for the aces, and East Asia had 13 steals to the Aces 3.

East Asia were led by Mason with 27(12-17 shooting), Armstrong and Jones with 23 each, and McKie with 20 in 23 minutes. Webber was the only Aces above 20, with 28, as the Aces only managed to take 71 shots on the night (although making 42). Game 7 is coming up!

Dragons Win!!!

The East Asia Dragons are the 2001-2002 SABL Champions as a result of a thrilling 106-98 defensive battle in Game 7.

The Dragons used a huge 38-19 second to build a 59-40 lead at the half, and then spent the rest of the game trying not to blow it.

As in game 6 the final story was the long ball and the steals. Asia shot 7-21 from deep, but the Aces were only 1-4, which did them in. Asia also had 13 steal to St.Lucie's 4 and only 10 turnover to the Aces' 19. The Dragons shot 43% to the Aces' 48% on the night.

East Asia was led by Jones with 26 and Armstrong with 25, as these 2 continues to lead the team. Bryant had 25 to lead 5 aces in double figures, while 6 Dragons hit 10 points or better. Webber recorded the only double-double of the night with 16 points and 10 boards.

Final Official 2002 SABL Draft Order

The following is based on won-lost records and includes penalty point adjustments. Divisional and World Champions draft last, unless penalty points alter that, which they did in the case of Finney this season. Where won-lost records were tied, penalty points and autoplaying were used to break the ties.

1. Davenport 2. Garden City 3. Bettendorf 4. Brooklyn 5. Tulsa 6. Bakersfield 7. Chapel Hill 8. River City 9. Good News 10. Holcomb 11. Akron 12. TriCity 13. McLean 14. Miles 15. Galactic 16. Richmond 17. Iowa 18. St. Lucie 19. East Asia 20. Finney

Dues, dues, dues, dues - I'm always dunning you for dues

Wanna know why? Well, why not? We have the best national Strat basketball league in existence, we've had three successful seasons in a row and we have loads of drafting, trading and playing fun! Who could ask for anything more?

Returning SABL coaches don't have to get their $15 dues checks into my hands until Sept. 1,  but why not take a couple minutes now, make out that check to your favorite charity - er - I mean commissioner, and get it over with. You'll be glad you did.

Get those votes for 2002 SABL Coach Of The Year in!

When you send me your All-Star votes, also send me your choice for SABL Coach Of The Year. Who will win this year? Votes are due by July 1.

Also time to pick your 2001-2002 SABL All-Stars!

Yes, it's that time again for all our SABL coaches to place their votes for our annual All-Star Games. Pick what you feel are the top 2 players at every position in the Royal Conference (East and North Divisions) and the top 2 players in the Classic Conference (South and West Divisions). Votes are due July 1. Vote for two people in each conference at Point Guard, Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward and Center. Vote in both conferences, not just your own.

Continuing an SABL tradition, I anticipate those Amazing Feeneys will again be playing this year's best-of-seven All-Star Series (no wimpy single game like in real-life!), once I forward the voting results and rosters on to them.

Aces take next 3 from Dragons at St. Lucie

After losing the first two games of the SABL Finals in East Asia, the Aces came home and took the next three from Paul Bennett's Dragons to take the series lead, 3 games to 2.

It's a rematch of last year's SABL Finals, which St. Lucie won 4 games to 2. But this season, East Asia had the same regular season won-lost record as St. Lucie, 73-9 and the Dragons drew home field advantage. So the series will move back to Thailand's Golden Triangle for Games 6 & 7 in perhaps the most exciting SABL Championships in history.

At home, the Aces went back to the offensive lineup that got them to finals, after toying with a bigger rebounding, better defensive squad in Games 1 & 2 in East Asia. The Aces did not generate enough offense in those first two games, not even scoring 100 points in either of them, so Sudden Sam Cassell returned at point guard in St. Lucie, with sudden offensive results:

Game 3: St. Lucie 106, East Asia 104

This game went right to last shots as St. Lucie's Chris Webber sank two free throws with 1 second left on the clock to win it. There was no time for East Asia to run another play and the Aces escaped with the victory.

East Asia's reliable three-point shooting (8-20) was not quite enough to overcome more Ace assists (35-26) or field goals (49 to 40). But it was close.

The Dragons' Darrell Armstrong led all scorers with 29 points. Ex-Ace David Robinson had 20 points.

Webber scored 26 with 10 rebounds and Shaquille O'Neal scored 23 with 13 boards. Cassell had 10 assists.

 

Game 4: St. Lucie 107, East Asia 102

Another close one, as Dragon Eddie Jones and Ace Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 34 points. Jones, however, only played 25 minutes due to foul trouble and ended up fouling out with 56 seconds to go. That slight defensive downer probably gave the Aces the win, along with a big foul shooting edge to St. Lucie. St. Lucie sank 28 free throws compared to just 11 for East Asia. The Aces also managed to win without any help from Shaq, who also was in foul trouble and only played 26 minutes, scoring just 2 points.

Armstrong again was strong, with 24 points and 12 assists. Dragon Anthony Mason had 10 rebounds and Big Ben Wallace had 13 boards.

Webber scored 24 points with 11 boards. Cassell again had 10 assists.

 

Game 5: St. Lucie 109, East Asia 80

The Aces blew out East Asia in this one, shooting 54% from the field compared to 38% for the Dragons. East Asia's three-point attack collapsed (5-23), and the Aces again sank more free throws (20-15) and had more assists (28-18) and fewer turnovers (18-12).

It just wasn't a good game for East Asia. No one scored 20 points, but Wallace and Jerome Williams both had 10 rebounds each.

Gary Payton and Shaq each scored 23 points for the Aces.

 

East Asia is the Royal Conference's most winning franchise, with a record 6 Royal Conference championships. Paul has personally won three of those, the last three in a row in 2000, 2001 and this year. Paul is in his 3rd SABL Finals in a row, which is an SABL record. He lost the 1999-2000 finals to Steve Walters and the Galactic Thunder. He lost last year to the Aces, who have won a record 3 SABL championships.

The Aces are trying to be only the second team in SABL history to win back-to-back championships. The only team to do that was Dave Plisko's team, which won our first two championships in 1995 and 1996. That same franchise is now held by Paul Bennett, who has taken it two new heights in the Far East.

Could this be the year that Paul finally wins his first SABL title, in a rematch with the team that beat him last year? We'll find out soon . . .

Dragons go up 2-0 at Chaing Mai in SABL Finals

East Asia Dragons held the powerful St.Lucie Aces to 98 points in both opening games of the finals to escape with 2 wins here in Chiang mai.

Game 1 Dragons 105 Aces 98

Aces outshot 54% to 44 % as the Dragons didn't run the break for a single play and cut the aces down to 80 shot, making 35 to go with 26-30 freethrows. Mason destroyed Webber in this one, scoring 30 and keeping Webber relatively ineffective. Jones had 21 before fouling out in 24 as the Dragons outpassed and outrebounded the Aces for the first time in memory. Asia was 8-15 from downtown and Outlaw played Shaq even at center to key the win.

Game 2 Dragons 108 Aces 98

A defensive jem, with the dragons outshooting St.Lucie 43% to 41%. However, Asia was 13-30 (47%) from long range compared to the Aces 2-7. Shaq was outplayed and outscored by Outlaw and the Gragons outpassed the Aces for the second straight game. Asia had 13 blocks from 7 players (Wallace 5) and only 9 turnovers. Jones had 25 in 24 mintes and both mason and Armstrong had double-doubles. Webber was the only Aces started to shoot over 40% and payton and McDyess both had double -doubles.