MONTVALE, NJ: Just Ballin’…and Bawlin’

Down goes RUNt. In yet another low-scoring close contest, Just Ball found a way to get win number four. By beating the only remaining team without a loss, these guys have every right to be considered a contender.

It might not be pretty, but who really cares? Just Ball continues to get the job done. Holding RUNt to 44 is no easy task. On the other hand, getting under Rob Cohan’s skin is. While Gurbir Grewal had seen enough and decided to walk off the court during the second half, it’s rather amazing that Cohan didn’t lose it altogether. A mini hissy fit was really all we saw on Wednesday. RUNt was shorthanded, so maybe there’s no reason to panic. Still, keep an eye out for Mr. Cohan’s antics if his squad struggles any further.

Anyway, should we really be surprised about Just Ball? They have flown under the radar because they’ve played a lot of close games. Still, the numbers tell us that they possess one of the league’s best defenses. Newcomer Brad Mufson has played a huge role this season by rebounding at a high rate and limiting chances for the opposition.

Interestingly, Just Ball has topped the 50-point mark just once. That came over the lowly Black Ops. On the other hand, even in defeat, they’ve fallen by just two and three points. Tom Alexiou hasn’t played in weeks, and still these guys have found ways to win.

What does that all mean? Well, aside from the real bottom-feeders, Just Ball can probably beat anyone…and lose to anyone. Things are going to get good in a few weeks when the playoffs begin.

We didn’t even mention the Bad Boyz and McNuggets, who played a postseason-type contest Thursday. Evan Lampert and Paul Gashi scored half of their teams’ points in a close call won by the Bad Boyz, who now join RUNt at the top of the standings.

So with all of this excitement and jockeying for position as we round out the regular season, who did Scott Ferrall track down for this week’s interview? It was none other than Jeff Kreismer of the hapless Underdogs. The dead dogs barely avoided a forfeit…only to lose yet again. Hey, whatever makes Ferrall feel better about the state of his own middle-of-the-pack team. Take a look.