The Opportunity of a Lifetime

On Sunday, April 10th (not this Sunday, the next Sunday), Kenwood is hosting a 3 on 3 basketball tournament with teams from all over the city. Our school will have two teams in the event. The team that wins the championship will have the opportunity to win a trip to the NBA finals, if they have the highest point differential among the champions from the four different participating cities.

The event will include a free raffle with great prizes for anyone who a

ttends. Tickets will cost $2 to get in and all proceeds from ticket sales will go to your school.

I know what you're thinking Kenwood on a Sunday, I'll pass. Well if you come to that decision, you will also be passing on the opportunity to win a free IPad, cheer on your school, and be a part of POWER 92's LIVE BROADCAST from inside the second floor gym. Not to mention the fact that you will be able to watch some of the best hoop

ers in the city compete head-to-head.

Really, for all you KPL enthusiasts, it comes down to this: If you liked watching

- Gary Barker make it rain with his jumper

- Kalekey Love El, Briana Eubanks, and Kacy Hinton out-physical other teams

- Latrell Atwood break ankles and Conduct Detrimental to the League Policies in consecutive days

- Steven Dean attempt to trade himself

- Bahati Kimondo, Imari Craft, and Taylor Fowlers battle for fourth period female MVP

- Santario Mitchell and Javon Brooks attempt to coexist

- Elijah Stallings, Deandre Washington, Ronald Confer, and Malachi Ferrell eek out a regular season title

- Tyesha Diggins and Kyndal Buchanan's build suspense

- Requan Powell win both the assist and scoring titles

- Khensura Love-El pass up open shots to get his teammates involved

- Cianna Mai and Aisha Turay play the wing spots in a 1-3-1

- Khalid Gates stake his claim to Defensive Player of the Year

- Lionel Uzuho appeal his league mandated 3 game suspension

- Kierra Reed meet every deadline

- A mysterious person vote for Thomas Foster and Willie Brown upwards of five times on the latest KPL poll

- Yashae Bonds, Eboni Wilson, Victor Francois, and Chen make their games look more like Wrestlemania than PE basketball

- Brittney French, Jabrell Watson, and Dante Jones look like magicians of the hardwood

- Darien Hollins talk smack before the season, and back it up with a regular season title with the help of his entourage of unnammeds

- Ben Moore drain NBA threes like they were lay-ups

- Chavelle Blackburn's write with her sarcastic wit

Then you will enjoy attending and watching this 3 on 3 tournament. Besides, even if you don't like any of those things, Mr. Maley might be leaning towards throwing a couple of extra credit points your way.

Reminder: Sunday, April 10th from 11 to 5 in the Upstairs Gym

Day 8 (Monday, March 28)

Celtics Make History Today's game was awesome as the Celtics (8-7) made team history by winning both of their games in same day for the first time all season! They both were BLOWOUTS! In the first game, Team Polo (10-5) lost to the Celtics by a final score was 12-5! In the second game, the Celtics beat Team Taylor (2-13) by a final score 16-2! CONGRATS CELTICS ON MAKING HISTORY AND GOOD LUCK IN THE PLAYOFFS THIS WEEK! by Tyesha Diggins The Unnameds Survive Hack Fest...Barely Well its playoff week so, LET'S GET READY TO RUMB-oh wait, wrong sport. I must've been confused as the Shut it Downs (4-11) attempted to beat down the UNNAMEDs (9-5). I must agree with Mr. Maley when he stated, "this team is the dirtiest team in the league." From Eboni Wilson and Janice Reed-Brown repeatedly fouling my players to calling faux fouls, this team was utterly out of control. The early nineties Knicks and Pistons were angels on the court compared to the Shut it Downs. Translation? Easy win for the UNNAMEDs. Next up, the 5 star princes (8-6) challenged us to a well played game. Greg really used his time to shine as he bounced off the wall for a save! Raheem poured a bit of his rage into some decent defense but Willy took the final shot to score a 2 pointer and win the game with a score of 6-5. We can't win it all, can we? by Chavelle Blackburn 5-Star Hoping to Get Hot as Playoffs Approach Today's game was outstanding. This week was really important because the 5 Star Kings (8-6) would like to improve their seed for the playoffs which start and end on Thursday. The 5 Star Kings took on the All-Stars (9-4), but the 5 Star Kings couldn' take the heat. It was a close game but, they didn’t defend well enough to win. The 5 Star Kings lost by a score of 6-5. The second game was very energetic. The 5 Star Kings took on the Unamed team. They won by a score of 6-5. Willie Jiles had 6 points and Greg Stepney finished with 3 points. Tomorrow they hope to get another win and head into the playoffs on a roll. by Tiambriss Johnson

KPL Power Rankings (After Week 2)

Records Through Friday, March 24. Last week's rankings in parentheses.

1. Ra and Friends 11-3 (4)

Only lost once this past week. Unlike some superstars, Ra does a very nice job of getting his teammates involved. Tayshawn Richmond and Lionel Uzuho have been lights out from behind the arc and Sam Nicholson has been a solid crunch-time scorer all year long.

2. Ballers 9-4 (2)

The Love-Els upset them early in the week, but they only lost once more after that. Captain DJ Langston has somewhat disrupted team chemistry by putting Gary Barker and Kyra Kemp on the trading block. Both players were not too pleased when they heard rumors that they were going to be shipped to the Wizards for Steven Dean. Langston needs to make sure that any future talks prior to Monday's trade deadline stay behind closed doors. P.S. Antonio Holloway may have earned himself first-team all defensive team honors with his play this week.

3. Polo 10-3 (1)

Marcus Giles is the unsung hero of this team. He does all the little things that often times go unnoticed. This team is good and has a ton of talent, but they are prone to suspensions. Everyone will have to be on their best behavior, otherwise the Warriors just might walk away with the 4th Period title.

4. The Thunder 8-5 (6)

Latrell Atwood runs the show for the Thunder, but Qwentis Owney pulls the strings behind the scenes that make the thunder a contender. On any given night, this team could beat you with their size and athleticism.

5. Warriors 8-5 (10)

Kolahjo Okanlawon matches up well with Polo's Santario Mitchell, but if it weren't for Ronald Confer, Deandre Washington, and Malachi Ferrell, the Warriors would have much fewer wins. Taquoya Williamson is the best kept secret in the KPL, but I have a feeling she will be a secret no longer after she records her league best, 5th double-double later this week.

6. Unnamed 8-4 (5)

Even with Hollins sitting out a game, while trying to prove his value as a player, the Unnamed's kept rolling on Friday. It's hard not to, when you got the likes of Alishia Peters and Ben Moore patrolling the airways.

7. The Wizards 7-6 (7)

The good news for the Wizards is that they have not dropped any spots in the rankings, the bad news is that captain Steven Dean wants out of dodge. Apparently, Mr. Dean is unhappy with the Wizards' management, which ironically is presided over by none other then himself. He supposedly had a deal worked out which would send him to the Ballers last Friday, but the trade did not make it past the league office.

8. Team All-Star 7-4 (3)

This team has dropped dramatically in the rankings after their blistering start in week one. Absences and no dresses have killed this team. All is not lost because they still have one of the best starting fives in the league. Dante "Lil Artest" Jones is not the type of person that you'd want to mess with on the court.

9. 5-Star Kings 7-5 (12)

The Kings are a team on the rise, playing their best basketball late in the season. They are on a hot streak and will be tough match-up for anyone come playoff time. I'm going to make a bold prediction, this team will win the 7th period KPL championship.

10. The Other Guys 7-7 (8)

The team has slipped a bit this past week and haven't been using Noelle McCollum or Toni Scott correctly. With female baskets now worth three points, Noelle and Toni should be getting a majority of the shots. Do you really want to win, or are you just trying to improve your scoring averages?

11. The Celtics 6-7 (9)

This team has the talent, they just are not clicking on all cylinders right now. If they ever figure it out, LOOK OUT.

12. Unity 5-9 (13)

This team improved dramatically in week 2 with everyone figuring out their roll. I've been really impressed with Requean Powell's play-making ability. We all knew he could score, but we didn't realize how great of a passer he was until this week. Willie Brown has been a beast on the glass and Kyron Lockwood has all the intangibles which makes this team a sleeper.

13. Chaos 5-9 (11)

Kendal Malone delivers whenever he is given an opportunity.

14. Shut it Down 4-9 (16)

This team has created an identity for itself as a tough, scrappy, hard-nosed, defensive team. This new attitude lead them to a respectable 4 and 4 week. Ebony Wilson and Yashae Bonds play a physical brand of basketball and have established "No Blood, No Foul" as their motto.

15. The Love Els 2-11 (14)

Play in an extremely tough league and have come up on the short end of some extremely bad calls by quasi-referee Maley.

16. Team Taylor 2-11 (15)

Looking forward to their roll as Cinderella in the playoffs.

Day 5 (Tuesday, March 22)

Period 3

Having a Ball

The first game of the day was Ballers (7-4) versus Wizards (7-4). This game was pretty intense as people kept falling and running into eachother. It didn't make for great basketball, but it did create a ton of laughter and fun. The Ballers won the laugher 5 to 4.

The next game was Ballers (7-4) versus Love-Els (1-10). If there is one thing that is clear from this game, it's that both teams had great teamwork and were really focused! Finally, with the help of Mr. Maley, the Love-Els got their first victory of the season and pulled off the gigantic upset.

by April Miles

Period 4

Team Polo Improves to League-Best 6 Games over .500

In their second game of the day, The Marco Polos (8-2) played Team Taylor (2-8)!!!!!! The crowd went bezerk as all of the Polo teamates entered the gym. Once everyone was seated, and he had regained their composure, the game began. Jovan Brooks and Saintario Mitchell had a good start to the game, scoring a point a piece. As the game progressed, team Taylor was headed for another blowout loss, that is until MR. MALEY JOINED THE GAMEEEE! It looked as though team Taylor could've definitely had this one in the bag, but not even Mr. Maley could stop Polo captain Santario (Editor's Note: Kyndal must have stopped watching, otherwise, she would have known that Maley put Mitchell on lockdown).

After the ball went out of bounds on the first play of Maley's arrival, he scored Team Taylor's first basket. I think this was a result of Maley and Raphael Hinjosa's brilliant teamwork running a perfectly executed give and go. A few plays later, Taylor got hit in the mouth by Saintario! That had to hurt. The game ended soon thereafter, with another win for team Polo.

by Kyndal Buchanan

Teacher Suspects Plagiarism Due to Lack of Pink Font

As I look at the game notes from today's game, I see there is not a lot to talk about because my AWESOME CELTICS (5-5) blew out Team Taylor (2-8)! Bahati Kimondo has been the number one talk all week on the blog spot and today was no different. Kimondo scored an UNIMAGINABLE, and female league record, 6 points in the game, leading to the fifteen to zip blow out. All of Kimondo's points came from hustling hard and incredible teamwork. Chris Butler seemed to be showing a signs of recovery from his recent leg injury and scored 2 points in his return to action. Jeffery Dickson also displayed some hustle and for his effort, he got 2 points for his team. At the end of the game, the Celtics celebrated their victory by dancing,boasting, and bragging, with me joining in on the sidelines. CONGRATS CELTICS!

by Tyesha Diggins

Warriors Defeated by Celtics

Today was an interesting game between the Celtics (5-5) and the Warriors (5-5), but the Warriors ended up losing again. The final score was 7 to 3. There was alot of teamwork between two of the best players, Tariq Muhammed and Bahati Kimondo for the Celtics. Even in defeat, the Warriors all worked together with Kolajo being the recipient of numerous assists from his teammates.

by Tiffany Chin

Period 7

Team Voldermort Would Make Harry and Hermione Proud

Today, there was head-to-head action of Team Allstar (5-4) vs. the team whose name shall not be spoken, or as I like to call them, "Team Voldemort" (6-2). Mr. Maley, who subbed in for the depleted All-Star line-up, started off the game by trying to make a basket, but Jin, his own teamate blocked his shot (Tough Break Teach). The defense on Team Allstar was really weak today since Jemari and Brittany were absent and they didn't have an oppurtunity to practice with eachother. Mr. Maley did show some fancy footwork as he scored a 3 pointer. It's funny though, I can't get over the fact that all the other players on the court come up to his thigh! Fair game? I think not. Team Allstar definetly feels lucky today since they have the giant "Jim" teacher on their team. So confident in fact, that they don't feel the need to expend all their energy in the game. Mr Maley made another basket, courtesy of Dante Jones and Jin Wu's playmaking ability. Team Allstar wins! Thanks Mr. Maley.

by Kyla Hughes

Absent All-Stars

Well, another day, another dawn and the UNNAMEDs (6-2) faced the All-stars (5-4) again. Only this time, they were the Absent Allstars. With only 2 genuine players in attendance, Maestro Maley subbed in for this sickly squad. "And One" Alicia returned with defense like WHOA and Kayla the Magnificent was the owner of some dangerous blocks. Though it didn't count, the UNNAMEDs walked away less than victorious.

However, they did make quite the comeback versus the Shut it Downs (1-8). Alicia Peters, unfortunetly left with a battle scar from Eboni. Wilson. Yashae later screamed: "THAT'S RIGHT GIRL, PLAY AGGRESSIVELY!" Maybe next time they should try to win aggressively...

P.S. Yashae played more shin defense than Chen's defense (which was incredible by the way)!

by Chavelle Blackburn

Kings of the Castle

Today's game was very agressive. It was full of enthusiam and energy. The 5 Star Kings (5-3) took on the Shut it Downs (1-8). Even though the Shut it Down had a lot of fouls, they won by a score of 5-3.

The second game was out of control. The 5 star Kings (5-3) took on the All-Stars (5-4). Even with Mr. Maley as a sub for the All-Stars, they still lost. The score was 6-2. Wes Govis had 2 points and Willie Giles contribured with 3. Hopefully, the 5 Star Kings will bring home another win tomorrow. Good Luck Guys!!!!

by Tiambriss Johnson

Day 4 (Monday, March 21)

Period 3

Maley's No Replacement for Lovel El

Today, as I was observing the Love El's (1-8) featuring Mr. Maley (who replaced the absent Kalekey Love El), I noticed a lack of team-wide effort. It's my opinion that this strong team could have come together to conquer the other teams, but simply didn't get it done today. I know Mondays can be dull and tiring but we need to step it up on Tuesday. I expect a much better performance and believe that this team has a chance to go on a long winning streak if they are able to make the appropriate adjustments.

by Raesharnae Brooks

Ballin!

Ballers (7-2) prolonged their winning streak on Monday! The first victim to fall prey to the Baller's skills were the Wizards (5-4). Although the Wizards did their best, the combination of DJ Langston's intensity, Gary Barker's shooting, Thomas Foster's rebounding, and Kyra Kemp's shot-blocking was too much for them. While Steven Dean did work, the rest of the Wizards had off-nights. The Ballers ended up winning the game 11 to 4.

The second game matched up the Ballers (7-2) against the Thunder (5-4). the game was pretty rough because it was an "all boy and one girl" game. Ballers were the last ones standing, winning the game 10-6.

Period 4

The Ball Don't Lie

Team Polo (6-2) played the Celtics (4-4) for the 3rd time of the season on Monday. This match-up has proven to be a traditional showdown between the Celtics' Chris Butler and Polo's Saintario Mitchell. Today Mitchell came out on top willing his Team Polo to a victory.

At the start of the game, Mitchell said "Y'all know I'm taking out all my anger on y'all now". Mitchell expressed this strong sense of anger due to the one game suspension that he had to serve in game one. Why? Long story short, Santario couldn't pull his Pinochio routine on Coach Maley.

Bahati Kilmondo of the Celtics was a very agressive player today. It seemed as if she was playing rougher than the boys! As a female, I was VERY proud of Bahati's performance! Everytime she had the ball, I was on the sidelines screaming "GO BAHATI! YOU GO GIRL!", showing my fellow sister some love!

Chris Butler made sure to explain repeatedly how he had a leg injury and that's why they lost the game 6 to zip. Even though this was an unexpected blow out, it served noticed to the rest of the league that Team Polo is for real.

by Tyesha Diggins



Kimondo Shines Again



The second game of the day had the Celtics (4-4) playing the Warriors (4-4) . It was a good game, although it started kind of slow, but before you knew it, both teams started making shots. The first shot was made by the team Celtics and then again making the score 2-0. The game then got serious, making three shots in a row, the Warriors caught up giving them a 3-2 lead. After that the game turned into a hack fest as it seemed as if every possession ended in a foul.



Momentum changed when Bahati Kimondo from the Celtics made an incredible swooping finger roll making the score 4-3. When announced that there were only 5 minutes left the game got very serious. In the end, my beloved Celts one 6 to 5.



by Brandylene Morris

Maley Minute: In other news, Javon Brooks became only the second player in the KPL to get a suspension reduced. Javon filed a formal letter of appeal to the League Commisioner's Office, requesting that the Commish reconsider.

Although Maley was not happy with reducing the suspension, he had to keep his word. The Commish could not be reached for further comment.

Fortunately for us, lead investigative journalist for the tabloid magazine "The Secret KPL" received an anonymous email with the exact letter of appeal that was sent to KPL headquarters by Brooks.

"I want to apologize to the board and all associated with the KPL for my behavior that took place 2 days ago. I could have avoided the whole situation if I would have kept my mouth closed. Also, I let down my team by not playing. In the future, I will no longer resort to such behavior. I have learned from my actions and request that the league review the severity of my suspension."

- Javon Brooks

5th Period

The Commish Impressed by Powell

After getting off to slow start in the first two days of KPL play, Team Unity's (2-6) Requean Powell has caught fire as of late. He has a D-Wade/Manu Ginobli-like way of splitting defenders and finishing at the rim over taller opponents. He has been lights out from 16 feet and in and has put himself among the elite scorers in the league. Even more impressive has been Powell's leadership ability. If he can lead the charge and get Unity back to .500, Powell may put himself in the mix for MVP consideration.

- Ghostwriter (Because 5th period reporters didn't meet deadlines)

7th Period

The Unnameds Split Two

The UNNAMEDs took sole possession of first place today, ending the day with a 5-2 record. First, they took down the Shut it downs, no bigee. The final score was a whopping 5-0 thanks to Ben with his trick block, a beautiful trick shot by Alicia "the Awesome" Peters, and Darren's pretty shot with Victor Francois right in his face. Sorry kid, no cigars.

The 5 star kings (4-3) stepped up to the plate next. I must say, they really brought the heat. Willy was notably too eager for words-or points for that matter and Wes seemed to foul in all directions. Greg Stepney however became the master of the rebounds.

Regulation ended in a tie and the game proceeded into overtime. After the the first few failed attempts by both teams, Demetrius "The Closer" Thomas put it in a running one-hander for a 6-5 finish. 5 star kings take all...and then some.

by Chavelle Blackburn

Jiles, Stepney, and Thomas lead Comback Kings

The 5 Star Kings (4-3) and the All Stars (4-3) went head-to-head once again today. This time, the 5 Star Kings took the gold. With a score of 9-0, you couldn't help but watch this dominating performance. Willie Jiles made 3 pointer after 3 pointer and even threw a few lay-ups as well. He had everybody in the gym on their feet. Gregory Stepney put forth an incredible defensive effort, rejecting everything put up close to the rim.

Even though the All Star's lost they played with a lot of energy and worked extremely hard on the defensive end. Jermari Boddy and Brittany French weren't playing any games. In the end the 5 Star Kings took the game by a score of 9-0.

Once again the 5 Star Kings (4-3) came hard and took the game by storm going against the Un-Named (5-2). I must admit, the Un-Nameds are a very good team with really good players. Ben taking the team in his hand had the Fanatics of the Anonymous in the crowd going crazy. The Un-Named had a big lead on the 5 Star Kings, but the comeback Kings made an instantly huge offensive surge towards the last 2 minutes of the game. Gregory Stepney,Willie Jiles, and Demetrius took the game over by playing great defense and making lay-ups. With 10 seconds on the clock the game was tied 5-5. When the buzzer went off and no one scoring, the game fittingly went into over time.

In the end the score came out to 6-5, 5 Star Kings, as Greg Stepney scored the game winner. In all my years of covering the game for the KPL, these were the best two games that I'd ever seen. I've never seen people put their all into something like these 3 teams did today. Hopefully we get the same energy tomorrow, but then again, you never know what to expect.

-Your Favorite Reporter,
Yasmine Treaseh

KPL Power Rankings (After Week 1)

Records Through Thursday, March 17. Captain in parentheses.

1. Team Polo 5-1 (Santario Mitchell)

If it weren't for Jovan Brooks completely deserved, yet ill-timed suspension, this team would be undefeated. That said, if Mitchell doesn't utilize Marcus Giles, Julian Gregory, and Jiara Love more, this team could easily be upset.

2. Ballers 5-2 (DJ Langston)

Sure, there are teams with less losses in other periods, but the Ballers have faired incredibly well while having the toughest strength of schedule in the league.

3. Team All-Star 4-1 (Brittney French)

Suffered a tough loss to Team Unnamed on Thursday, but this team has all the tools. The tag team of Jermari Boddy and Britney French is nearly unstoppable, while roll players like Jabreel Watson, Jin Wu, and Brianna Lewis do all the little things to help their team win.

4. Ra and Friends 4-2 (Khensura Love-El)

With the absence of leader Love-El on Thursday, Ra and Friends were all out of sorts. As a result, they dropped both games and fell victim to the Conduct Detrimental to the League Policy. Ra will hopefully be back on Monday and restore order for his team. Side note: Lionel Uzoho was able to get his suspension reduced by appealing to the League Commissioner's office via the Note feature of Gradebook.

5. The Unnamed 4-1 (Darien Hollins)

Ben Moore is an early candidate for league MVP. Darien Hollins may win the Coach of the Year award as his reputation as a defensive mastermind has many KPL pundits comparing him to Tom Thibedou. Darien also had enough foresight to draft Kayla Smith to match up with Brittney French which proved invaluable in their win Thursday vs. Team All-Star.

6. Thunder 4-3 (Qwentis Owney)

Captain Owney was not too happy when "Mr. Maley and The Love-Els" upset the Thunder on Thursday to pick up their first win of the season. But there is no shame in losing to a group that has drawn comparisons to the likes of "Smokey Robinson and The Miracles" and "Martha Reeves and the Vandalas." Luckily for the Thunder, Maley has been ruled ineligible for post-season play by the Commissioner for failing to comply with the league's dress code policy (White Tee and Red Shorts).

7. Wizards 4-3 (Steven Dean)

Dean has been the most clutch player in the league thus far. His multiple game winners make me think that opposing teams need to do everything that they can to keep the ball out of his hands in late game situations. The supporting cast on this team is phenomenal. Omega Dyson's High Screen and Roll offense that she put in at the team's pre-game shoot around was extremely well taught and executed beautifully by the Wizards.

8. The Other Guy 4-2 (Myricc Owens)

Khalid Gates reminds all who watch him of a young Dennis Rodman. He plays a physical brand of basketball and uses his strength and athleticism to lock down the other team's best player. His ability to create second chance opportunities for his team on the offensive glass make this team a sleeper for a KPL championship.

9. Team Celtics 3-3 (Tariq Muhammed)

If the voting was done today, Bahati Kimondo just might win the Female MVP award. If this team is ever down two, they know they can go to BK to get it done. Tariq Muhammed is lightning quick and does a great job of splitting defenders who try to jump him on ball screens. It helps when you got a sharp shooter like Genesis Jones to kick out to on your dribble penetration.

10. Warriors 3-3 (Kolajo Okanlawan)

Taquoya Williamson can flat out ball. She is extremely shifty and can finish equally well with her right or her left. Teammate Ronald Confer gives the Warriors an inside-out threat who creates huge match-up problems for opposing teams.

11. Chaos 3-3 (Dequan Davis)

This is going to be one of those teams who may surprise everyone come tournament time. They may, in fact, have too much talent. When you have Cianna Mai, Dashai Washington, Kendal Malone, and Aisha Turay who do you run sets for? That is a tough one, but if their is one thing I do know, Coach Davis will eventually get this team in an offensive rhythm. He's too good of a coach not to.

12. 5 Star-Kings 2-3 (Greg Stepney)

Demetrius Thomas stepped up his game towards the end of the week. If he can continue at that pace, look out! Willie Jiles is great coming of screens, but the team simply has not been able to get him open often enough. Except Marcus Giles and Brianna Lewis to rectify this problems starting Monday.

13. Unity 1-5 (Requean Powell)

If there is one thing I know, it's that Requean James will not rest until this team starts winning. Reports have surfaced that Powell has been watching film all weekend on both his team and upcoming opponents. With three days off to prepare, no team should be looking forward to playing Unity. Powell has a career winning percentage of .900 after a three day break during the month of March. Look for Powell to switch to a dribble-drive motion offense to take advantage of Willie Brown and Kyron Lockwood's quickness.

14. The Love-Els 1-6 (Kalekey Love-El)

The Love-Els played well on Thursday without their leading scorer Michael Flowers. Hopefully their momentum will carry over and continue into next week. With the return of Flowers and continued defensive intensity, I predict at least 3 wins for The Love-Els next week.

15. Team Taylor 1-5 (Taylor Fowler)

Taylor Fowler is mentally and physically tough. If she can instill this in the rest of her team, they will shoot up the power rankings.

16. Shut it Down 0-5 (Yashae Bonds)

Eboni Wilson plays with a lot of energy. It's up to her to raise the level of Shut it Down's play in order to start filling up the win column.

Day 3 Recap (March 17, 2011)

Period 4

St. Paddy Would Proud of His Beloved Celtics

What a perfect St. Patrick’s game this was! It was a very competitive game as always when the Warriors (3-3) and Celtics (3-3) play each other. I sat as close I could to the game, even with my fear of being hit with the ball, in order to give you, my fans, the details and niddy griddy of the game!

There was a strong feel of tension between arch rivalries Kolajo Okanlawon and Chris Butler as they tipped the ball off in the beginning of the game. Ellijah Stallings made the first point of the game for his Team Warriors. He then performed an Irish Jig dance in honor of St. Patricks day to celebrate his accomplishment! That had to be the FUNNIEST thing ever! We also had Keyona Washington, with her size 3 feet , running up and down the court hustling and playing hard in an attempt to bring her team a victory. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. The Celtics captured another win and proved that there is truth to the phrase “The Luck of the Irish.”

CONGRATS CELTICS, on another victory!

Santario Backs Up His Boast

The first game of the day began with Team Polo (5-1) Captain Santario Mitchell claiming that, "This will be an easy win!" against Team Taylor (1-5). With a majority of females on Team Taylor, who knows how this game could go? Cayla Frederick gave a good team effort for Team Taylor even though she uncharacteristically struggled with her shot. Captain Taylor Fowler showed that she is just as tough as any of the boys, and Imari Craft played great help-side defense, always keeping the ball in her sight.

Santario continued to show his star play-making abilities for Polo, and did a nice job of fighting through Christian Bryant’s continual trash-talking of Mitchell’s team. Other than that, this game was full of positive spirits! The game ended with Polo winning 11 to zip! Another great victory for team Polo!

by Kyndal Buchanan

Period 5

Just "And Friends" without Ra

Watching today's game I was PRESSED. Where was Khensura?????? Everyone played their hardest, but they needed Khensura to make sure that all their plays worked out. Even the head honcho himself, Mr. Maley jumped in the game and tried to help the team out. I guess it wasn't enough.

This is the first and hopefully the last time that I will report a two game losing streak (We lose. My Heart is broken. I believe that we can and will win with Khensura's return) Please Kensura. Make sure you come to school EVERYDAY. Ra and Friends (4-2) REALLY needs YOU!!!!!!

by Kierra Reed

Cooler Heads Prevail

Today, The Other Guys (4-2) matched up against Team Unity (1-5). During the beginning of the game everyone seemed to play fair and remain civil, until Unity’s Requan Powell and Other Guys’ Khalid Gates had an terrible fallout because Khalid decided to push the envelope regarding aggressive defensive play. Both players let their emotions get the best of them and were suspended by commissioner Maley for conduct detrimental to the league. Come on now guys, its just basketball! While you have to play hard for the win, you also have to keep your cool. The Other Guys were better able to do that on this day and came away with their 4^th victory of the season.

Period 7

Shut it Down Drops Another One

Today, team Shut It Down (0-5) played the All Stars (4-1). Jermari Boddy of the All Stars scored most of the points for his team because the rest of the All-Stars had an off shooting night. The All Stars did win the game, and proved, like most great teams that they could win despite playing poorly.

Both teams were shooting air balls and there was repeat two- hand dribbling by some of the girls on team Shut It Down. They have lost every game this season, but I have a feeling that the mandatory practice that Captain Yashae scheduled for this weekend is going to change their fortunes for next week.

by Maliah Terry

The Anonymous Ones Make Their Presence Known

It's Day 3 and the UNNAMEDs (4-1) faced the 5-Star Kings (2-3) once more. Claiming Willy had brought his game face, his team felt quite the shame that he let his F-game shine. The lovely Brianna had her 5 seconds of fame but by this time, the UNNAMEDs had already taken over. With Kayla's juggling-dribble act and Big Ben's quick and accurate shots the team whose name shall not be spoken ascended to a 6-3 lead. The 5-Star Kings made a valiant comeback, but Willy missed the game-winning shot, allowing the UNNAMEDs to take home another gold.

Later on, the All-Stars squared off against my lovely Anons in the second game of the day. The All-Stars started the game off with a 3 point lead thanks to the play of Brittany French and Jermari Boddy. The UNNAMEDs battled back and eventually took a 4-3 lead thanks to Daring Daron Hardy’s sweet 2-pointers as Darien’s key substitution for the Raging Raheem. Brittany threw in a few squeals to throw the team off as they were shooting and even called a foul when her glasses were knocked off her face. Brittany’s were all for naught as Big Ben finished the All-star off with a game-winning jump shot.

by Chavelle Blackburn

Day 2 (Wednesday, March 16th)

Period 4

Warriors Edge Team Taylor

Today’s game pitted the Warriors (3-1) vs. Team Taylor (0-4). The final scored had the Warriors coming away with a 7-5 victory. This was a fascinating game and I am proud of the Warriors for their effort in victory.

In this game Raphael Hinjosa was the star of the game even though his Team Taylor lost. He scored numerous points and grabbed 8 rebounds. Imari Craft was also outstanding, showing tremendous hustle and passing ability. Cayla Frederick stood out as well. She outhustled the boys on the Warriors time and again. If time hadn’t run out, Team Taylor may have been able to sneak away with their first victory.

by Agnes Aniwaah

Upset Special

Who would've thought? Instead of Captain Santario Mitchell starting the game, teamate Jira Love was the one who checked the ball in! She was able to pass the ball to Saintario, who then found Marcus Giles who attempted, and made, his first shot of the game. Good team work guys!

All was not positive as the males continuously brawled in the game and I witnessed a lack of female participation as well! Come on girls!

There was an obvious tension between Captain Saintario and Warrior Captain Kolajo. Could this be the start of a rivalry, along the lines of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson? Quite Possibly. On this day, Kolajo got the best of Santario and Team Polo. The Warriors (3-1) were able to snag their third victory of the season, pulling them into a tie for first with Team Polo (3-1).

by Kyndal Buchanan

Flowers Wins it for Polo

Today's game paired Celtics (2-2) against Team Polo (3-1). FINALLY, we were able to see Chris Butler and Santario Mitchell work each other out! I'm pretty sure this is what the fans had been waiting for!

First, let’s report on Mitchell. You could see the frustration on his face as he tried not to "ball hog" which is his ULTIMATE struggle. With Coach Maley watching, he had to at least pretend like he would play team ball. Tariq Muhammad, captain of the Celtics played extremely well and frustrated his opponents on the defensive end. Muhammad's highlight of the day was when he made a last minute shot, tying the game at 4.

With time running down, and the ball in their possession, we all thought the Celtics were going to bring home another victory. Out of nowhere, Deyona Flowers, stole the ball from Butler and made the game winning shot, allowing Team Polo to get its third victory of the season. CONGRATS TEAM POLO!

by Tyesha Diggins (Just like the one I did yesterday that Mr. Maley didn't give me credit for)

Period 5

We're So Good It's Boring

Today's game lacked excitement. It didn't make me want to pay attention, so I didn't lol. From what I saw, Sam was great. He made sure that he blocked any possible shots of the other team. Overall the game was Very Boring, but the only thing that really matters is that Ra and Friends (4-0) won both games AGAIN and remain one of only two undefeated teams in the entire KPL. We are Too School For Cool?!?!?! =)

Kierra Reed (Ra and Friends Beat Reporter)

Period 7

The Unnameds Start to Make a Name for Themselves

As the second game of the day approached, the Unnameds (2-1) agreed that the Shut it Downs (0-3) could’ve shut it up. It all began as a pointless match; PUN INTENDED. No points were scored until halfway through the game. The Shut it Downs were sure to call fouls on Team Unnamed, while I was sure to call FOUL on Eboni's language (Pardon her Brittney French). Big Bad Ben eventually scored the first 2-pointer (or any pointer for that matter) for his team to take a 2-0 lead. Eboni Wilson’s dedicated, yet dull, defense allowed Ben Moore to score multiple times, which allowed Team Unnamed to take a 3-0 lead where they would remain for the rest of the game.

Good news for Team Unnammed: VICTORY! Good news for Shut it down: I'll be sure to contact team member Janice because I'm looking for a travel agent!

by Chavelle Blackburn (Team Unnamed Beat Reporter)

5-Star Kings Win One of Two

Today was an awesome game. The 5 Star Kings (1-2) took on Shut It Down (0-3). The 5 Star Kings were able to get their first win by a score of 4-1. Wes Govis scored 2 points and Willie Giles made another two shots to help secure the victory.

In their second game, the 5 Star Kings lost, but they worked hard. Greg Stepney had 1 basket, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Demetrius Thomas chipped in with a bucket as well. It was not enough as they lost 5-3. The 5 Star Kings will seek redemption tomorrow and try to pick up their second W.

by Tiambriss Johnson (Team 5-Star King Beat Reporter)

From Yasmine’s Point of View

The games we had today were crazy. The level of energy and excitement was off the roof. The 5 Star Kings (1-2) vs. Shut It Down (0-3) today was a great game. Willie Jiles once again made crazy shots and had everybody going equally crazy. The defense and determination was out of this world. In the end, The 5 Star Kings won 4 to 1.

The game that everybody was waiting for happened today. Two very strong and hard working teams, determined to win, went head to head on the floor. The All Star's (3-0) and the 5 Star Kings (1-2) were out there all into it today. Jamari Body and Brittany from the All Star's had great team work and showed no signs of giving up AT ALL. From the 5 Star King's perspective, Gregory Stepney and WIllie Jiles made great lay-ups. I've never seen any team fight as hard as these two did today. In the end, with all the great energy and excitement, the All Star's won 5 to 3.

Your Favorite Reporter, Yasmine Treaseh

Day 1 (Tuesday, March 15th)

Period 3

Thriller Ends in Ballers Defeat

In the first game, the Ballers (2-1) squared off against the Wizards (1-0) DJ Langston scored the majority of the Ballers points, but as a whole everyone was engaged and completely into the game. At first, the Ballers held a slim lead until Steven Dean and the Wizards realized that they needed to start playing and stopped messing around. Regulation ended in a 3-3 tie, but the Ballers were ultimately defeated 4 to 3 in sudden-death overtime. What a way to start the 2011 KPL season!

April Miles (Ballers Beat Reporter)

Dean With the Game Winner!

Team Wizards (2-1) consists of Amber Luckes, Chole Watts, Jacarie Martin, Kierra Seay, Steven Dean, Davia Montgomery, Josh Larry, and Raymond.

The team started off fresh going against The Ballers against stars player DJ Langston and Gary Barker (We see ya out there). With the Ballers gaining on the Wizards in the first half of the game, DJ hit a shot from the free throw line and then his trusty side kick, Gary, hit another shot to slow the Wizards down!!!!!!!

Coming back in the last half of the game the Wizards’ Steven Dean shot a game winner that made “Captain Tom” extremely disappointed when it swished through the net to give the Wizards a 4 to 3 victory.

Shawanda Washington (Wizards Beat Reporter)

The Love-Els Nearly Pull Historic Upset

The Love- Els were (0-3) were far more active than the Steven Dean-less Wizards team that I watched and wrote about on Monday. In their one and only completed (second game will resume tomorrow) game of the day, they almost beat the Thunder, led by Quentis Owney and Latrell Atwood. The Thunder (name for a team of nearly all boy’s team) escaped in overtime.

The female laden Love-Els received a huge basket from Briana Eubanks to cut into the lead, while lone boy Michael Flowers tied it to force overtime. Though they were very close to winning, thanks to a combination of hard work and Captain Love-Els intense woman-to-man defense, they could not pull it off and ended up falling a little bit short. For the most part though, they were surprisingly un-intimidated, going against a male-dominant team. Kudos to the Love-Els for their remarkable effort.

by Rashaernae Brocks (Love-El Beat Reporter)

Period 4

St. Paddy's Day Comes Early for the Celtics

First Game of the Season! Celtics versus Team Taylor (0-2)!

The unique thing about this match-up was the much anticipated battle between Chris Butler and Raphael Hinjosa. Hinjosa and Butler had the ultimate showdown today. During the middle of the game, Hinjosa crossed Butler in an unbelievable way, leaving Butler with a PRICELSS expression on his face. Too bad Rafael missed the lay-up because the crowd would have gone nuts!

On the offensive side, Butler seemed un-guardable, even by Hinjosa! Speaking of un-guardable Taylor Fowlers' half court shot over all the boys was simply unstoppable. And they thought females were weak at basketball?

At the half-way point, the Celtics held a one point lead. Through solid half-court offense, they closed the game on a four-one run, winning the game by a final score 12-8, bringing the Celtics (1-1) their first victory of the season! CONGRATS CELTICS!

The Ultimate Warriors

In their second game of the day, The Warriors (1-1) matched up against the Celtics (1-1). They won the game by two points, ending in a score of 5 to 3. This game was absolutely marvelous. In the opening minutes of the game, Bahati Kimondo made a great hustle play and then connected on a ten-footer to put the Warriors up two. Seconds later Ronald Confer scored a point for the Warriors, which extended the lead further. With a minute remaining, Confer passed the ball to Elijah Stallings who finished the play and for all intensive purposes, ended the Celtics chances for victory.

by Agnes Aniwaah (Warriors Beat Reporter)

Period 7

Brittney Spearheads Her Way to a Win

Team All-Star (1-0) played Team Shut it Down (0-1) in their first game of the season on Tuesday. Both teams showed great sportsmanship and effort during the contest. Team captain Brittney French demonstrated very good leadership skills on and off the court. She was able to have her team work very well together. Though Team Shut It Down put up a good fight against them, in the end, Team All-Star ran away with a 10 to 4 victory.

by Mali Motton (Team All-Star Beat Reporter)

5-Star Kings Take A Stepney in the Right Direction

The "5 Star Kings" (0-1) are a powerful team who proved Tuesday that they know their way around the court. They shot three-pointer after three-pointer, connecting on 38.5 percent of their attempts. Willie Jiles, who is the most athletic player on their team, led all scorers with five points. Greg Stepney showed superior defense and a tremendous screening ability which allowed his teammates to get to the basket easily. This was a very hard-fought game but the "5 Star Kings" couldn't pull it out in overtime, falling to Team Unnamed (1-0) by one.

Tiambriss Johnson (5-Star King's Beat Reporter)

Yasmine Breaks it Down

An exciting and very intense game between the Un-Named (1-0) and the 5 Star Kings (0-1) had the crowd going crazy. The 5 Star Kings starting off the game with a gorgeuos 3 pointer (2 pointer) shot by Willie Jiles which started the pandemonium in the gym. The 5 Star Kings had a huge lead on the Un-Named for the first half of the game. With 4 minutes left on the clock Team Un-Named wasted no time playing around. They came back very quick, making threes out of nowhere.

At the buzzer, the game ended with a tied game score at 7-all. Going into over-time not knowing what was going to happen or what to expect, the wonderful Ben Moore made a 2 pointer leaving, the crowd lost for words in excitement.

In the end, the final score was 9 to 7 with Un-Named winning. Tomorrow’s game is going to be crazy. The 5 Star Kings vs. All-stars. No one knows what to expect. I guess you’re just going to have to wait on me to tell you. Lol!-

Yasmine Treaseh (5-Star Kings Beat Reporter)

Pre-Season KPL Power Rankings (Part 1)

Records Through Friday, March 11. Captain in parentheses.

1. Team Polo 0-0 (Santario Mitchell)

What's Up: Mitchell clearly did his homework, as his draft class is loaded with talent. Even if Santario is having an off night, Team Polo has a pair of scoring threats in Jovan Brooks and Marcus Jiles that will be more than willing to pick up the slack. Deyonna Flowers and Jiara Love will control the paint with their world-class shot blocking ability. Hopefully referees will not mistake Love and Flowers' gravity defying glass-pins for goal-tending.

Whats's Down: Over-confidence. Humility is the exact opposite word that comes to mind when I think about this team's leadership. With Brooks and Mitchell at the helm, don't expect this team to win any sportsmanship awards.

The Supporting Cast: Julian Gregory and Roldy Michel will need to be the unsung heroes of this team if they are to compete for a title.

2. Ra and Friends 0-0 (Khensura Love-El)

What's Up: Khensura Love-El is the complete package. He is highly skilled at all facets of the game and is going to keep himself in contention for KPL MVP honors. Love El's first-round draft pick, Sam Nicholson, compliments Ra's game very well. Nicholson has above-average athleticism and will use it well on both the offensive and defensive end to help make Ra and Friends an elite team. Don't sleep on Shalissa Patterson's or Tayshawn Richmond's game or you will get embarrassed.

What's Down: Lionel Uzoho is suspended for the first two days of the season for Conduct Detrimental to the League. Uzoho's draft stock slipped considerably because of this. That said, if Love-El can keep Uzoho in line, he may turn out to be the steal of the draft. If not, Love-El may have to consider trading Lionel to give him a fresh start elsewhere.

The Supporting Cast: T-Rich (Tayshawn Richmond) has been battling big brother Dontae for the rights to call themselves the best hooper in the family. If Tayshawn can put together a solid season, he may be able to wear that crown.

3. Thunder 0-0 (Quentis Owney)

What's Up: Latrell Atwood slipping all the way to #3 may have been the surprise of this year's draft. This good fortune may have gift-wrapped a 3rd period title for QO's squad. Kayshawn Woods and Darell Irons are absolutely beasts in the post and Sterling Willie has proven to be a true student of the game. Willie stays up until 12:00 A.M. studying films of all the greats. Look for him to impart this Wisdom on the less than enthusiastic Najah Binbek and Monique Parkerson.

What's Down: After Atwood violated The Conduct Detrimental to the League Policy during Friday's Peer Health Exchange, he received a harsh 1-game suspension. Hopefully Owney can convince Atwood to write a formal email of appeal to the league Commissioner's Office by Sunday 7:00 P.M. in efforts to get the suspension reduced. Otherwise, The Thunder could be searching for answers on Monday without their starting PG.

Supporting Cast: Wanye Jackson plays with an aggressive style which allows him to clean up on the offensive glass.

4. The Ballers 0-0 (DJ Langston)

What's Up: Langston was able to snag the fundamentally-sound Gary Barker with the first pick in this year's draft. Barker's resume speaks volumes about him as a player, as he led his grammar school team in all statistical categories. Kyra Kemp's status as one of the league's top dunkers remind all avid basketball fans of her namesake, former NBA All-Star Sean Kemp (No relation). Chawna Langworthy and Leslie Garrett round out Langston's impressive group of female team leaders.

What's Down: This team has the potential to be the top team in the league depending on how soon Thomas Foster is able to get off the disabled list. The KPL rumor mills have been swirling about the extent of Foster's injury. Some say it could end Foster's season while others believe he we will be back by the middle of next week. Langston decided to roll the dice and use a 4th round pick to land the once thought to be lottery pick (prior to injury). I have to think that Team Ballers' training staff is working tirelessly to get Foster back on the court sooner, rather than later.

5. The Wizards 0-0 (Steven Dean)

What's Up: Thought to be the third best team in a loaded period 3 (has 3 teams in the league's top five), The Wizards are at their best when they are attacking the rim. Chloe Watts, Omega Dyson, and Davia Montgomery are the best passers in the league, and will use their unselfishness to get Dean and Joshua Larry easy buckets. Parisian transfer Raymond Amankwah will add an international flavor to this year's league and looks to Euro-Step other teams into submission.

What's Down: Biggest scoring threats Larry and Dean are facing ill-timed suspensions, 1 and 3 games respectively. While Larry's suspension may be reduced, pending a formal letter of appeal to Commissioner Maley, Dean is going to have to serve the entirety of his 3-gamer. This may get The Wizards off to a slow start, but look for them to quickly regroup upon Dean's return to the line-up.

Supporting Cast: Lawrence Northern and Jacarie Martin are both former recipients of the KPL sixth man of the year awards.

6. Team Unnamed 0-0 (Darien Hollins)

What's Up: Hollins was voted pre season all defensive team by the Associated Press and received 85% of the vote in a player's poll recently conducted by Sports Illustrated asking "Which KPL player will be best able to get in the heads of their opponents?" Point-Forward Benjamin Moore will slash his way to league scoring title. He simply has a knack for putting the ball in the hole. Raheem Nesbeth is gong to battle it out all season with Raymond Anwankwah for the best soccer/basketball player in the KPL.

What's Down: Hollins, who believes in always looking to make his team better, will most likely be involved in every trade rumor heard on the Score and written about in the papers. The uncertainty that this provides to his teammates may potentially ruin their chemistry. Hollins, like his mentor White Sox GM Kenny Williams, is willing to take that risk if it benefits his team in the long run.

Supporting Cast: Kayla Smith may be the only person in the league that can hold Brittney French under 20 points.

7. The Warriors 0-0 (Kolahjo Okanlawon)

What's Up: Ronald Confer has proven himself to be a P.E. warrior, showing tremendous versatility in every unit this year. The Basketball Unit is going to be no exception. Malachi Ferrell and Elijah Stallings attempted to sit out the league, but with so many quality journalists writing for the blog, Stallings and Ferrell now get the opportunity to prove themselves on a domain other than the baseball diamond. Taquoya Williamson has potential to earn First-Team All KPL Team honors at the Small-Forward spot.

What's Down: Mr. Okanlawon is suspended for two games for Conduct Detrimental to the League.

Supporting Cast: Keyona Washington and Deandre Washington, other-wise known as Washington-squared, are dynamite together on the pick-and-roll.

8. 5-Star Kings (Greg Stepney)

What's Up: Willie Jiles is the cream of the crop and has one of the best spin moves on this side of 51st street. Stepney also has Marcus Garrett and Wesley Govis to go to in late-game situations. Stepney's Princeton-Style offense is going to make this team virtually un-guardable. The question is, can the 5-Star Kings guard anyone themselves?

What's Down: In order to compensate for all the times that Demetrius Thomas has threatened to sue or bribe Mr. Maley, the commissioner is instituting a rule which will fine any league participant 5 Bronco Bucks for either offense. Hopefully Mr. Thomas has some deep pockets.

Supporting Cast: I believe I mentioned all players on the team, therefore this blog post is over now.

******* All misspelling and grammatical errors were intentional in order to improve your overall proofreading skills, a necessity for ACT preparation. You're welcome. ********