With the play-offs set to get underway, the League IV.62 statistics agency would like to give everyone the run down of how teams look as we begin the off-season.
5th placers
The Dallas Vigalantes and the the Richmond Rockets will both end their seasons at 5th place, securing their reappearances next year.
8th placers
Durotars Finest struggled all year and it is not much of a surprise that they will be the relegated Big 8 team. Who knows what would have been if they had been drawn in the Great 8. Dukie Devils will also drop back to League V, reaching the 8th spot only by point difference.
Fighting Relegation
From the looks of past games this season, and the final league table, it would be an upset if the Great 8 did not sweep both relegation series. Henryk Paleczna the leading scorer of the league, and Javier Briones the leading rebounder (and 4th best scorer) are competing for The Dunkers and Shooters and lele respectively. No matter what course of action urbandub and Natures Creatures take...it looks like their Leauge IV days are numbered.
Play-Off Competitors
The New York Ballers are definitely a competitor this year. They knocked the Clutch Ballers out of the play-offs last year, and if any team would do it, they would be the one. However they must face the 500 hackers who have conceded nearly 300 less points than them throughout the season. Yes, another Baller vs. Baller final may be at hand, but don't count out the hackers just yet.
The 500 hackers seemed to be in a decline after last season, but Runcinski and Co. seem to be rearing for another go. Faulkner will bring the heat with his incredible outside offense and perimeter defense, and Meyerman and Orupõld will shore up the backcourt for the hackers. We will see if this aging veteran team will crumble like dust, or show that age has only ripened them like a fine wine.
The Phoenix Scorpions have managed to go straight from League V promotion to League IV playoffs. The odds are against them as they will have to face the Clutch Ballers in the first round, but a single injury from the C. Ballers infirmed could thrust this team against either the N.Y. Ballers or the 500 hackers after they have torn each other apart. Don't count these guys out just yet. They almost definitely will not win the Championship and promote, but look out for these guys next year.
The Diaper Dandies and Ballers2341 will face each other in the Big 8. Both strong competitors, both challenging opponents who have dominated this League this year, but most importantly, both have beaten each other this year. That said, Ballers2341 has managed to play tactically better this year, while Diaper Dandies appears to have a stronger squad. And in the most recent match-up, D. Dandies won with less effort...this will be an exciting game to see, and will definitely be close till the very end.
Last but not...well technically the least team in the Great 8 are the Murray Racers. Quietly biding their time, the Racers have fluctuated between 4th and 5th place throughout the season, but finally secured their spot in the playoffs over the Rockets. Kimball will most likely have its way with the Racers, but look out for this team next year. They have performed greatly after returning to League IV.