Two teams entered McGlinn courts with hope of advancing to the second round, but only Welcome to Thunderdome left with that dream intact - overpowering The Boy Band in a 21-10 victory.
Thunderdome's main weapon against the slower, shorter Boy Band was their strong transition offense. The Boy Band was unable to get back on defense after committing turnovers, giving Thunderdome the chance to pull ahead.
"I think one main positive in our game was that we made the shots when they counted," Welcome to Thunderdome captain Greg Cochara said.
Cochara's team shot well in the second half after failing to find their touch in the first half. The Boy Band hung with Thunderdome at the beginning of the game, keeping the score close for much of the first half. But the team went cold in the second half and Thunderdome's speed outmatched the Boy Band.
Despite the tough loss, The Boy Band still remained confident for next spring's tournament, where they hope to have a much better showing.
"The off-season starts today," Boy Band center Conor McNamara said.
Naked without Shame 21, Team 133 6
Naked without Shame dominated its opponent Team 133 in a 21-6 win Wednesday.
Team 133 showed signs of promise, forcing key turnovers and grabbing important rebounds against Naked without Shame - but was never able to fully capitalize. Unlucky shots and mistimed passes put the ball in their opponent's hands, enabling Naked without Shame to breeze through the first round.
"Defense was definitely key in today's win," Naked without Shame captain Stephen Currie said. "We started out slow, but then picked it up and put our buckets in."
One crucial factor in the team's defense was its tenacity. All five team members of Naked without shame would go all out for steals and rebounds against 133 - a main reason for the inaccurate passing and shooting.
The team's ability to get down the court quickly was also decisive in Naked without Shame's victory. After forcing the turnovers, Naked was consistently able to outrun 133 down the court and finish in transition before 133 could get back on defense.
Despite the team's impressive win Wednesday, Currie remains realistic about his team's ultimate chances in the tournament.
"We played well today, but I still think we'll probably get knocked out in section finals by the fifth ranked team," Currie said.
Bone Thugz 21, Lazy Sunday 8
Bone Thugz used overwhelming defense and a fast-break offense to pace their way to a 21-8 victory over Lazy Sunday Wednesday at Stepan.
After a James Rudy jump shot brought Lazy Sunday within six points at 14-8, Bone Thugz turned up their defense and scored four of their final seven baskets off steals.
Bryan Good did most of the pick pocketing, as his long arms and quickness continued to force turnovers and fast-break opportunities. But Lazy Sunday had trouble executing on offense all night, contributing to the lopsided loss.
Early on, the game was marked by sloppy play and turnovers as the teams both worked to find an offensive rhythm.
"They came out of the gate a little sloppy," Bone Thugz coach Mike Ortiz said. "But they turned it on after a while."
After the slow start, Bone Thugz stepped up their game with Maurice leading the way. With the game tied at two apiece, Maurice scored five of the team's next seven points as they stretched their lead to 9-2. Maurice finished with nine points. Every player on Bone Thugz scored at least two points.
As for the Bone Thugz's chances in the following rounds, Ortiz took the brutally honest route.
"I'm going to be honest: I think we're going to lose in the next round," said Ortiz. "But if they play their game, they could go far."
They All Said ... Jabroni 21, Rooster Blockers 2
In a highly anticipated match up of two bookstore basketball titans, the mighty Rooster Blockers fell to the mightier They All Said ... Jabroni.
Both teams played strong defense in the beginning. But the floodgates opened later as They All Said ... Jabroni went on an 11-0 run before halftime.
The Rooster Blockers appeared to have energy and enthusiasm throughout the game, but their lack of size and skill were ultimately their Achilles' heel.
In the second half, the Jabronis continued to put up points with a 5-0 run.
The biggest shift in momentum occurred when Rooster Blocker guard - Tom "Cheese Whiz" Blanchette - executed a textbook fadeaway jumper.
"I knew all those forearm workouts in the off season would pay off," he said. "I really did."
Rooster forward Will Marra answered on the next Jabroni possession with an energy-charged block.
"In Soviet Russia, Marra, how you say? Stuffed you!" Marra said after the game.
The Rooster Blockers seemed poised to make a comeback when their shooting guard, Eric "E-Rocker" Turner, netted an opportune basket.
In the end, however, "They All Said ... Jabroni" squad finished the game with a 6-0 run and advanced to the next round.
Four Men and a Baby 21, The Typical Newbs 17
It has been said, do not judge a book by its cover.
This was the case in the game between Four men and a Baby and The Typical Newbs. While the Newbs came out dressed in athletic attire, Four Men and a Baby came out dressed with four men donned in suits and a lone point guard dressed in an adult diaper.
The odds seemed to be stacked against the unorthodox Four Men and a Baby team, as members smoked and lounged around before the game, while The Typical Newbs, practiced with lay-up and shot drills.
In the first half, it appeared that the suits and diaper restricted the shooters' range of motion, as Four Men and a Baby missed. The Typical Newbs quickly gained a sizeable five-point lead early on.
The rest is history.
Four Men and a Baby point guard Andrew "The Diaper Dandy" Forero, went on fire and nailed several clutch shots.
"I don't know what happened," Forero said. "I just started feeling it. I was hittin' them baby hooks. Yeah, baby!"
Forero led the team to an 11-8 lead at half.
In the second half, The Typical Newbs appeared to regain momentum with a few well-placed shots. But the strong play of forward Zeb Hunter proved to be too much for the Newbs.
The blue-collar and old school style play of Oregon native Ryan McCune brought back memories of all-time Oregon greats Danny Ainge and Steve Prefontane.
"On that court, some boys became men," said a teary-eyed Mike Hopkinson after the game. "And some men became babies. Period."
A roaring crowd of spectators cheered wildly as Hunter hit the game-winning shot with his patented "peanut butter jelly" dance, as Four Men and a Baby came away with a 21-17 victory to advance to the next round.
