PHOENIX, AZ: Week 2 Power Rankings | TEMPER-atures are rising in Arizona

Things are heating up in Arizona and it’s not just the weather. Balls were not the only things flying off the courts Tuesday night as tempers were flaring at an all time high. This season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive leagues ever in Tempe history. Which team will be hanging the first championship banner this season?

Week 2 Power Rankings

1. MONSTARS: Can it be week 7 already? I can’t wait to see this team match up with Tempe powerhouse The Bulls. The Monstars being from Gilbert and the Bulls being from Tempe I can see these two teams forming a legendary crosstown rivalry very soon. The only reason Monstars ranked higher right now is because of the strength of schedule. If not for the schedule I honestly be flipping a coin to determine the rankings because both teams are rolling right now.

2. BULLS: Star point guard Donald Didlake debut was everything the Bulls can ask for. Getting him and Jeremiah Miller back into the starting lineup has made this Bulls team the fastest team in the league. The lack of size on this team worries me a little but when you start 5 guards that can shoot lights out who needs a center. MVP candidate Mark Hanoosh is ranked top 5 in scoring and assist in the league.

3. HEAD BUSTAS: The big 3 Archie, Ryan, and Chris has this team playing at a very high level right now. With big man Ryan Brown suffocating the paint the Head Bustas are ranked #1 in team defense right now allowing only 59 points per game. However they will have their first real test next week when they face the Bulls next week and their high powered offense.

4. LIFETIME TEMPE: Marcus Atkins and Sean Eddy both had monster games this week to keep team Lifetime in the top 4. The league’s biggest team got even bigger adding 6-6 center Cole Hanenburg and 6-3 forward Will Sorenson to the roster this week. Facing team Tempe next week and Who’s Next the week after, team Lifetime can possibly start 3-1 and maybe sneak into the top 3?

5. UPPER ECHELON: Signing superstar guard Joe Hormes and athletic forward Delvon Brown this week has this team as my sleeper team for the 2nd half of the season. Joe can single handedly carry a team with his 3 point shooting ability putting up 31 points and 7 3point bombs this past week. The team has started 0-2 but once this team develops some chemistry over the next few weeks, I see this team making some noise in the playoffs.

6. TEMPE: The team has some talent, just not sure if there are enough balls to go around. Everyone on the team is looking to shoot. The lack of ball movement has this team ranked 7th in both points and assist. The team plays hard and I will give them that. If they can develop some chemistry I don’t see why this team can’t win at least 4 games with the talent on the roster.

7. GILBERT: Michael Rose made news this week being the first player to get ejected from a game. Mike has made it clear he’s not backing down from anyone in the league including the biggest guy in the league but he’s going to need to keep it together for this team to have any success. Travis Woodard and Rob Upchurch better get these young bucks in line or it’s going to be a long season for team Gilbert.

8. WHO’S NEXT: I had this team ranked #2 in the preseason rankings . Whoops. This team just can’t seem to keep anyone on the court this season. Losing Sidney Nelson for the season due to knee injury and newly signed Casey Day lasted a whole 10 minutes before getting ejected. They are having a hard time putting the ball in the hoop ranking dead last in total offense. Good thing they have Gilbert next week, somebody is going to get their first win.

Post Game Interview with MVP Candidate Francisco Ahumada of the Monstars.