IBL Notebook

by Jeff Duncan
Published on June 18, 2007 under International Basketball League (IBL)

-No doubt you have heard of the SI cover jinx or the Sam Amico jinx. Add a new jinx to your list....the Jeff Duncan jinx. Only a day after I told a friend the Elkhart Express would not lose another game in the regular season, you guessed it, they lose to the Elgin Racers! My apologies to the Elkhart Express organization. Elkhart was riding a four game win streak until Elgin visited the North Side Gym and took care of Elkhart 130-118 June 15th. The win gives Elgin a 2-1 edge in the season series. Once again, the Racers were led by the explosive DeAnthony Bowden, who finished with a game high 44 points. Sherick Simpson pitched in 24 points in the victory. Cedric Moodie led the Express with a 26 point effort. Elkhart has bounced back from the loss with 141-135 victory over division rival Battle Creek. With the victory over Elkhart and a win over Battle Creek the next night, Elgin stays atop the Midwest division with a 14-5 record.

-Marysville has absorbed the loss of leading scorer Estaban Weaver quite nicely. The Meteors are riding a three game win streak and are back in first place, a half game ahead of Elkhart in the East division. Marysville hosts Elkhart June 22nd and 23rd. This two game home stand for Marysville will decide who wins the East division. It's also a likely playoff match up.

-The Salem Stampede are still getting balanced scoring and are almost impossible to stop offensively. Blake Walker is averaging 31.2 per game, Mike Tabb 23.5, Antone Jarrell 21.1, Nick DeWitz 17.9 and sharp shooing guard Jeff Dunn adds 17.2. Salem is in first place in the Southwest division with a 15-3 record. They are trying to hold off the hard charging Santa Barbara Breakers who have won seven games in a row.

-The wealth of talent on Santa Barbara seems to be gelling as the playoffs approach. Billy Knight, Toby Bailey, Fred Vinson and Lamond Murray are just a few of the big name players that dot the Breakers roster. Adding to the already impressive stable of talent are minor league veterans like Rashid Byrd, Tyler Newton and Allan Purnell. Offensively, Santa Barbara has to many weapons for any team to shut down. The question I have is, can they play any "D"?

-The West division continues to be a two team race between the Portland Chinooks and the Everett Explosion. Both teams are battling injuries but have continued to play well. Portland has been without the best player in the IBL, David Lucas, for over a month. The Chinooks have won five out of their last seven games, no doubt helped by the return of point guard Shammgod Wells. Portland hosts the defensively challenged Central Oregon Hotshots in their last game of the regular season. With a win, the Chinooks will end the regular season with a 17-6 record. It's a great record, but Everett still looks like the favorite to win the IBL West division. Everett has three games left in the regular season. The Explosion play rival Seattle twice and Chicago Heights once. The Explosion stand at 13-4 in the West division. Only a monumental collapse would prevent Everett from winning the West division.

-Top ten IBL scorers-minimum of seven games played
1. David Lucas Portland 34.8
2. DaJuan Tate Las Vegas 34.6
3. Estaban Weaver Marysville 33.2
4. Jovan Harris Tri Valley 32.3
5. Blake Walker Salem 31.2
6. Rashaad Powell Everett 29.2
7. Lemar Gayle Seattle 28.7
8. Nick Zachery Battle Creek 26.6
9. Darrell Tucker Tri Valley 26.1
10. Michael Brownlee Marysville 25.8

• The IBL playoffs begin June 29. The playoffs will be held in two locations with the championship site to be determined. The West playoff will be in Portland, Or; the East in Elkhart, Ind. For a player to be eligible for playoff competition, he must have played in at least three games with his current team. The playoffs will run June 29-30, and July 1. No firm date has been set for the IBL championship game, but it will most likely be a week or two after the end of East and West playoffs. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or by calling 866-IBL-GAME with a credit card. Playoff teams and seeds will be announced June 24. I will be writing my much anticipated playoff preview once the seeds have been announced.

-Check out www.iblhoopsonline.com and see who made the East and West All-Star teams.

Thank you for all your emails. I have enjoyed reading them all. If you have any ideas for future columns feel free to write me.

International Basketball League Stories from June 18, 2007

• Everett Destroys Chicago Heights,146-105 - Snohomish County Explosion
• IBL Notebook - OSC Original by Jeff Duncan

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.