Hereafter

[Wayne23]

8/28: The only other people we've interacted with at the rest station are the Maataar. They are rather intense, but they share our quest for knowledge of the galaxy and are deeply committed to exploring it to the greatest extent possible.

We're thinking the mating exchange with the Tralmorians will move forward within a few weeks, and then we'll leave the station and continue our exploration. There's a solar system not too far away.

9/18: Got all 3 (Again, recruiting is on Normal. I'd recommend making it a little more challenging but if I did Gary would almost certainly bump it up too much.)! We got a PF, #7, a PG, #18, a C, #19. Still recruiting in case people go pro in the Spring.

At the Las Vegas Winter Jam vs San Jose ST. I hate Vegas; it's not the atmosphere I want my kids in and I feel like we need to watch them very closely, which doesn't go over well. Of course the PAC 12 is held there every year so we go there twice this year. Not good.

Very challenging pre-conf schedule. Sadly, except for Oregon the conference seems weak again this season.

10/2: 1st day of practice. We're good and we're deep.

The mating exchange took place today. We found a safe way to exchange the necessary “materials,” they've been “installed.” Now we wait a few days and then we're out of here.

10/19: We stayed longer than expected but we just left the station. We feel like we made some new friends in the Reee, the MuuGi, and the Maataar. We'll try to steer clear of the Brawzsh.

11/15: Season starts tomorrow. Here's the lineup:

Junior Joel Ston is at PG.

Senior Scot Shay is back at his natural spot, SG.

Soph Ty Hart is the first guard off the bench at both spots. Then it's junior Nadi Hara, and frosh Josh Dezo.

Frosh Ted Alan, a natural C is at SF. He handles the ball well enough to play this position and he's way too good not to start.

Senior Ron Udel returns at PF. He's the only starter returning at the same position he played last year.

Frosh Del Betz is at C, and he looks like a 1st team All American.

Soph Al Savo is the first big off the bench. Senior Ivan Fox is next, and then it's soph Jay Winn.

We red shirted frosh guard Ted Lacy; he's not ready.

First up is Maryland, here. They're not ranked but they well may be by the end of the season. Not much to go on but we expect to start the season with a win.

[Wayne23]

11/16: It's close early. Down 6 after 10; shooting .188. Up 10 after 10; the shots started falling. Up 21 with 10 to play; we're in charge.

87-64. Good start to the season once we got going.

16, 2, 4 for Shay, 14, 8 for Udel, 12, 5 for Betz, and 13, 7 for 6th man Al Savo who played a lot because Betz fouled out, playing only 9 minutes. We'll talk later.

+14 RBs, 9 TOs. +26 in the paint, +13 on 2nd chances.

Next is 1-0 Illinois, here. Still not much info but we should absolutely own the inside. They played tough D in their opener.

[Wayne23]

11/19: Slow start for both teams. Up 3 after 10. Up 12 at the half; Shay has 16. Up 22 with 10 left; Betz looks great!

94-73; another easy win. 24, 0, 4, 3 blocks for Shay. An impressive 16, 16, 4 for Betz. 13, 9, 5 for Ted Alan at SF, 14, 4 for Savo from the bench. Udel turned an ankle; he's fine, but I sat him just to not take any chances.

+7 RBs, 10 TOs. +18 in the paint, +13 on 2nd chances. I wasn't happy giving up 48.1% shooting, and was not at all happy with Betz and Ston both getting 4 fouls.

Ston isn't filling the stat sheet but he's really doing well at the Point; he has the offense really going strong. And he plays good D, when he's not fouling.

#7 Oklahoma, 2-1, may give us our first test, here. 1-1 vs. ranked teams. They got crushed by 35 by current #1 Wisconsin. Not sure they can score enough points if we play our game.

We drop to #2 for some reason. Doesn't matter this early.

All 3 recruits signed.

Back in empty space. Nothing anywhere near us. The social activities have ramped up again. Lots of people stopped playing when we were in the solar system and when we were at the rest station, but most people are playing again.

[Wayne23]

11/23: They take an early lead. Down 8 after 10; we're shooting .286. Down 3 at the half but they had a double digit lead before I ramped up the D.

Up 8 with 10 left; Betz and Shay are doing the damage.

84-57. LOVED the D! 25, 14, 5 steals for Betz, 25 for Shay, 13, 4 for Alan. Another steady game for Ston and Betz committed only 2 fouls while owning his man.

+7 RBs, 9 TOs. +12 in the paint, +10 o0n 2nd chances.

#10 Kona, 4-1, there. They have a very good PG and a deep bench, but we are much better inside.

My partner Ed Benson and I won this months doubles ping pong tournament. That was fun!

[Wayne23]

11/26: I may play a lot of 3-2. We'll see how it goes; starting in it. Early lead. They catch up. Down 1 after 10. 3-2 is not working; we switch out of it.

Down 1 at the half. Up 3 with 10 left. They're hangin' in.

85-70; most points we've allowed this season, although they shot only 39.1%.

20, 5, 6 for Shay, 23, but only 5 boards for Betz, and 4 fouls. 12, 9 for Udel, 13, 6, 3, 4 steals but 4 fouls for Alan.

+7 RBs but a season worst 15 TOs. They took 8 more shots. We were +19 at the line and that was the difference. Their PG was terrific, 25, 5, 6.

+12 in the paint.

#1 Wisconsin, 6-0, is here. 3-0 vs. ranked teams. Solid outside game and a horse at PF. Udel will be tested. This looks like it will be that challenge we're looking for.

We drop to #3; I don't get it. A win here should fix that!

[Wayne23]

11/30: Full house and they're LOUD!

Early lead. Up 11 after 10; they're cold, and Betz is HOT. Up 15 at halftime. Up 23 with 10 left; we're crushing #1!

79-67. They played good D against us but we overcame it, mostly due to Betz, 21, 8, 4 (2 fouls), and Shay, 15, 1, 10, 3 steals. Both Alan and super sub Al Savo had 11 and 5.

A season high 17 TOs but they had 20; sloppy game.

We shot 50.9% to 37.7%. +16 in the paint.

This should put us back at #1.

At #22 UConn, 6-1. They play excellent D but have trouble scoring. 2-0 vs, ranked teams.

Not for public consumption but if UConn offered, I'd accept. I want to get back home.

[Wayne23]

12/3: Back and forth early. Up 8 after a run. Up 20 at the break. Up 22 with 10 left.

74-58. Great D again! 13, 12, 2, 3 steals, 4 blocks for Betz, but 4 fouls. 15, 7, 4 for Alan, 12, 5, 5, 3 steals for Shay, 13, 1, 6 for Ston, who doesn't usually score much. They left him alone tonight and he made them pay.

+8 RBs. We held them to 32.7%. +18 in the paint.

#6 Gonzaga, 7-1, is here. They have perhaps the best PG in the country, and their SG can score. We think we can own the inside. Try the 3-2 again? At least some, yeah.

We moved up, but only to #2. 8-0 Syracuse is #1. We play them at the end of the month.

The machinery that creates our oxygen is acting up. Of course we have a backup that can be switched on in less than a second if it fails, but we're 3D printing another one, just in case.

[Wayne23]

12/7: I start us in the 3-2. We take a quick lead but they come back. Down 4 after 10. Up 4 at the half. Up 11 with 10 left; still in the 3-2.

81-64. Solid D in the 3-2 all game.

An unusual triple double for Betz, 17 points, 11 RBs, 10 steals, 6 assists. Hell of a game! 26 for Shay. 14, 0, 9, 3 steals for Ston.

-7 RBS! Very unusual for us. 13 TOs but they had 29; again, our D was great. +22 in the paint, +11 on 2nd chances.

We are beating up the best teams in Div. I.

At 5-2 NC ST after almost a week off. Another team with a very good PG and a deep bench. We're a much better team but it's a road game.

The main oxygen supply machinery failed. The backup came right on line, but the new machinery still had an hour left before it was completely 3D printed. We all have hazmat suits that can supply us with 3 hours of oxygen but it was still a tense time.

The six moms pregnant with babies fathered by Tralmorians are all doing well three months in. No issues.

[Wayne23]

12/13: They score the first 12 and lead by 11 after 10. Big comeback; down 4 at the half. I ramped up the D with 14 left and it's tied with 10 to go.

92-85; 17-7 in the last 3 minutes. Closest game of the year.

21, 6, 4, 4 steals for Betz. An awful 17 TOs to their 18 and we were only +1 on the boards. We won it at the line, 38-49 to 23-29.

We gave up 12 more points than our previous worst. This was the closest game we've played in two seasons.

Off to the Las Vegas Winter Jam. We play San Jose ST, 4-2. This should be a walk over.

The Council votes to have three oxygen producing machines available at all times instead of the two we have had up until now. The third is being printed.

[Wayne23]

12/16: They take an early lead. We come back. Up 11 after 10. Up 15 at the half. Up 21 with 10 left. 82-64. A walk in the park. Del Betz was unstoppable, 34, 13, 4 blocks. 14, 4, 4 for Shay, 14, 3 for Udel.

+8 RBs, an amazing 3 TOs. +28 in the paint, +14 on 2nd chances. In the semifinals of the Winter Jam it's Oklahoma ST, 7-3. All 4 favorites won their 1st round games. OK ST has a very good PG but he doesn't get much help. This is a game we should win.