HEATH STOLL: My Fearless Fridley Predictions | Stoll challenges North Side Gambler

By Heath Stoll, UH Player & Media Contributor


First of all, let me clear this up: I am NOT North Side Gambler, the new predictions guy on Facebook. I have always, and will continue, to show my face with my predictions and take the heat for some of the controversial things I say.

With that said, I’m glad there’s somebody else making predictions. Competition drives the market, after all! So I’d like to make a friendly wager with Mr. Gambler: starting this week and lasting throughout the playoffs, whoever picks the higher percentage of games correctly wins a UH T-shirt from the loser. Until the playoffs, only Fridley games will count. Then we will each fill out a playoff bracket and factor those results in.

What do you think? Will you give up your identity and accept the challenge?

On to the picks…

7:00 – Chaos vs. Redemption

This is somewhat of a new-look Chaos team, and after their first game of the season it’s not looking like a change for the better. Chaos has a bruising schedule that includes the Celtics, Ninja Turtles, and Phoenix Down, so they’ll need to pull it together soon to have a shot at the playoffs.

Luckily for them, they face Brandon Laurencot’s “new and improved” Redemption this week.

Despite all his off-season jabbering, Laurencot only managed to combine Junior Mafia and Bad Boys III. Which means no matter how well they’re playing, they’re only a meltdown away from getting blown out.

It’s too bad Brandon couldn’t convince Matt Freeman to come back. In any case, they showed they have resolve in Week 1 against the Greenhorns and I think this game will be closer than it would have been last year, but Chaos will still come out on top by 10.


7:00 – Phoenix Down vs. Noisy Withdrawal

Phoenix Down will win this game, but it should be entertaining. After two extremely disappointing seasons, Noisy Withdrawal avoided a third straight 0-3 start to the season by beating Chaos last week. Their zone defense will be tested this week against the sharp-shooting Phoenix Down, who will consistently have 5 guys on the court who can, and will, make 3-point shots.

In the end, Noisy Withdrawal just won’t have the defensive manpower to slow down Phoenix Down’s offense for 44 minutes.

Phoenix Down by 15.


8:00 – Ninja Turtles vs. SOTA

I haven’t had the chance to watch much of SOTA’s first two games, but from what I’ve seen, it looks like the Turtle’s pressure defense will turn this one into a blowout. Unlike the Celtics, who rely strictly on their offense to generate blowouts, the Ninja Turtles pride themselves on their ability to force turnovers and bad shots that lead to run-out layups.

SOTA hasn’t shown me the guard play that is necessary to break down the toughest defense in the league.

Turtles by 20.


8:00 – Greenhorns vs. That Thang

If you’re new to the league, let me get you up to speed on my predictions: I have never, and will never, pick my own team to lose a game.

This week, I honestly think we have a legitimate chance of winning, so lucky me. In order to win this game, we’ll need to seriously step up our defensive effort. Offense is about thinking; defense is about effort. And it’s something that cost us in Week 1 against a team we never should have lost to.

That Thang is a significantly better team than Redemption, but if we decide we want to defend and rebound, we will keep the game close and give ourselves a good shot at victory down the stretch.

Greenhorns by 4.


9:00 – Ideals vs. Bulls

Grumpy Old Men surprised a lot of people last year by finishing third in the league. They only got better with their new name and new players.

Roderick Powell is good enough to turn any team into an immediate playoff contender, and surrounding him with very good players only makes him a bigger weapon. Ideals will have to decide who to stop- Powell or Romaro Nelson- and when you have to focus that much energy on one player, your chances are never good.

I see the Bulls winning this one by 15.


9:00 – Fortress vs. Celtics

This should be a very fun game to watch. I don’t see the Celtics winning by 60, as Jonathan Moore has promised, but I do see them winning big and I do see this game getting a bit physical.

Fortress is not a better team than they were last season- how can you be when you lose Garland Sanchez? - , but at least the addition of Jamell Hurt and Jamar Pasley makes them more fun to watch.

Look for this to be a high-scoring game. Whenever the Celtics promise to blow someone out, they put defense on the backburner and score well over 100; even if they give up 98 in the process.

Celtics win by 30.

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