TOP 5 PRE-SEASON PERFORMANCES

Player of the Week

Kanin Abel - 32 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 13/18 FG

In a 17 point victory for the Dallas Flying Stallions over the Sea Dogs, Kanin Abel was the best player for a Dallas team who had several stand out performances. Abel was all over the court, hitting 13 of his 18 shots from the field while also dishing out 6 assists. Although he didn’t get any steals, he did do a good job of suppressing Sea Dogs’ Hoe Jarris, who only scored 5 points on 2/6 shooting. With some feeling like Abel deserved to be on the MVP shortlist for last season, Abel looks set to be an MVP candidate for this year as well.

Tavian Tyree - 25 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 9/11 FG

Not to be outdone, Tavian Tyree was dominant in his Dallas Flying Stallions debut. The sophomore player secured a double-double with incredible efficiency from the field while also throwing in a couple of assists and blocks. Tyree is an early front runner for Most Improved Player this year if he continues to play this way.

Dane Jones - 23 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 9/16 FG

Despite the loss, Dane Jones looked closer to S2 MVP Anthony Stank with his performance in the Otters’ pre-season loss to the Ohio Shaman. Dane Jones provided 10 assists to his teammates while scoring 23 points including going 4/5 from 3 point range. With the Otters eager to retain their S2 championship, will Dane Jones be taking on a bigger role for this offense?

Joey Phillips - 20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 8/14 FG

On the flipside of this Oakland/Ohio matchup, Joey Phillips set the tempo for the Ohio team that was very impressive in their victory. One assist short of a double double, Phillips did a great job working the ball to his teammates and finding ways to score in the paint. In the end, Phillips was responsible for 39 of his team’s points through scoring and assisting. If Ohio wishes to join the playoffs this year, they’ll need big contributions like this from Phillips to get there.

Dior Gore - 14 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 7/8 shooting

When it comes to New York big men, usually the first name that comes to mind is Eli Simmons, 2 time All-GSB power forward. But when Eli fails to deliver as he usually does, dropping 0 points on 5 shot attempts from the field, who will step up? For this game, the answer to that question is Dior Gore. He grabbed 10 boards and swatted 4 shots in this game, while only missing 1 of his 8 shots from the floor for an impressive 14 point double-double. An impressive performance for Dior Gore helped secure his team the win over a formidable Vice City Kings team.

Honorable Mentions: Bismack, Dime Hardaway, EJ Bailey