MONTVALE, NJ: RUNt Looks Down on the Competition

Not one game this week was in doubt in the closing minutes. Is this a top-heavy league? Are we going to get some better games in the coming weeks? As we wait for the excitement to pick up, here are your early season Power Rankings.

1. RUNt (3-0) – Three blowout wins and a dominant start, much like last season. Even better, there’s no Old School. Speaking of which, Billy Allen has been a great addition for RUNt. He goes from the champs to the new favorites. So who’s got the best shot to take these guys down?

2. Bad Boyz (2-1) – It’s hard to believe there’s only one undefeated after three games, but look for the Boyz to string together some more wins. They play good D and have several reliable scorers, with Dan Gashi leading the way early on. The Bad Boyz have already lost to RUNt, but…who cares? They can play with them if and when they meet again. See Old School from last season.

3. Denver McNuggets (2-1) – How about that! The McNuggets have new life with Evan Lampert tearing it up. Do they have enough of an outside presence to compliment his inside game? That’s to be determined. But Al Uryniak stepped up his game last week, which is certainly a plus. The bottom line is that when you can get consistent low-post scoring in this league like Lampert provides, it’s going to be enough to compete most nights.

4. Dream Team (1-2) – This is a talent-based ranking. After a Week One struggle vs. Just Ball, the Dreamers have scored it better and really showed that they can compete. With a bunch of capable scorers, these guys still play unselfish ball. Newcomer Justin Michalek looks ready to play a key role for his team.

5. Ferrall Ballerz (2-1) – Who knows with these fellas… 52, 31 and 64 points in their three games. How’s that for inconsistent? Was Wednesday’s win over the Dream Team legit? That’s another argument. Let’s just say that, when they field a full squad, the Ballerz are decent. As long as Dan Bronstein shows up every week, they’ve got a shot.

6. Just Ball (2-1) – Yes, they also have two wins, so why this low? Well, much like last season, it remains to be seen whether or not these guys can compete with the top teams. Can they score enough? With a bunch of new faces, one that might be the biggest key to their success is Sean Wiggers. If he can become more efficient, it could go a long way in helping his team climb the standings.

7. Underdogs (0-3) – It’s not pretty, that’s for sure. After a close first game, their scoring total has dipped every week, which isn’t surprising considering that the entire team is shooting a terrible percentage. Their best hope might be to have leading scorer Jeff Kreismer continue firing away from three. He’s 50% behind the arc vs. 38% overall from the field. So why are the Underdogs not #8? Well…

8. Black Ops (0-3) – Why are these guys at the bottom and not the Underdogs? Well, they haven’t come closer than 14 points in their three defeats. They also have a pretty terrible field goal percentage, with Mike Barry’s 33% being the team’s best. Yikes. On the bright side, the Black Ops could very well be moving up the rankings after next week. They play…Underdogs! We can’t wait.