TEMPE, AZ: Brandon's Week 8 Preview | Playoff Seedings on the Line

Excitement and anticipation are building at a furious pace here in week 8 of Ultimate Hoops Tempe. This week is perhaps the most crucial week of the season; with such little real estate between 1-6 and a loss this week could mean a drastic drop in ranking and an unfavorable playoff seed. Seeding is even more important this season, as it will determine whether or not a team will have to travel more for playoff action. Let’s get to the matchups…

Game 1 6:30pm: Splash Brothers vs. The Wolves
What can I say about the Splash Brothers that hasn’t already been said…this team has dominated nearly all season on the offensive end. This week’s matchup shouldn’t be any different in that regard; they are facing a Wolves team that (to be be frank) isn’t a threat. The Splash Brothers put up a season high 145 points in week 7 action against the Free Agents, but we all knew that something of the sort was going to happen. I could talk about what a loss would mean for their Tempe seed but the only way they are losing this game is if 5 guys get ejected…
Prediction: Splash Brothers by 45

Game 2 6:30pm: Bulls vs. Monstars
This should be an interesting game to watch. It has a dramatic element in the fact that Tyler Labrum will be facing his old team…it has playoff seeding implications in that if the Bulls win they can pretty much guarantee themselves the #1 spot in Tempe. Since “putting the clamps” on Hashtag’s #1 league offense last week, a win against the Monstars and then the Free Agents in week 9 (pretty much a guarantee) would lock up the #1 ranking. With the top 3 teams all having identical records, the seeding will hinge upon the Points Allowed statistic. The Bulls #1 defensive ranking could payoff come playoff time. The Monstars are eager to spoil and the Bulls are eager to put this away…this should be a great game!
Prediction: Bulls by 15

Game 3 7:30pm: Bad Guys vs. Downtown
The Bad Guys are an enigma this season. They are the #2 defense in the league only allowing 68.3 points a game but they just cant find a way to score enough for victories. They are almost a lock for the seventh seed so this week they will look to spoil Downtown’s 4th seed. This is big for Downtown because the line between 4th and 5th determines whether or not they will have to travel more frequently during playoffs. Downtown is full of wily veterans and big bodies; it will be tough for the Bad Guys to match up.
Prediction: Downtown by 12

Game 4 7:30pm Hashtag vs. Who’s Next
Who’s Next needs a couple of things to go their way in order to move up in playoff seeding. They definitely would need to win this matchup this week; if there was ever a time to strike at the Hashtag powerhouse, now is that time. On the other side of the coin, Hashtag also needs to get this win because a loss could set them on a course to the 5th seed. Who’s next found a way to win with an exciting buzzer beater by Darrell Hunter last week, but playing against such a high-powered offense is going to take more than last second heroics.
Prediction: Hashtag by 15

Can’t wait to see how this week helps to shape the playoff picture in Tempe! See you on the court.

Brandon Walker
Follow me on Twitter, it’s the law: @BeeEmDubya