The Asterisk game

Indianapolis - All season long Vance Catlin had to find opportunities to get his shots in. With perennial shooters the likes of Jake Vernon and Jhared Simpson on the floor, Catlin had to be patient and wait for the ball to somehow get out of the hands of the “shooters”. Wednesday afternoon, Vance’s willingness to embrace the roll of “third option” ultimately paid off for him and his dysfunctional team. Vance put back a missed Simpson shot as time expired in overtime to give his team the first ever PFOL Championship beating Team 1 45-44.

Team 1 got off to a hot start as they outscored Team 3, 22-6 to start the game. But, with a combination of timely bank shot 3 pointers from Vernon, 2nd chance points and lack of instant reply Team 3 overcame a 6 point deficit with 1:31 to go in the second half.

“We have to give them credit; they made big plays when they counted. Neff’s steal and rebound off a missed free throw during the last 30 seconds should not be overlooked. Those plays were HUGE”, said Alan Mowrey.

“I am so glad it’s over, where do I sign to become a free agent”, said Dave Neff moments after the game ended.

Team 3 dominated the entire season despite being called the “Denver Nuggets” of the PFOL. Look for Team 3 to have a very different look next season.

The parade will take place on Monday morning at 8:30am. It will start at Jake’s office and end in the employee break room where they will all share hot chocolate.

Game 2 in pictures

Surprisingly Jake didn't call a foul on this play



Team 1 didn't give the respect that Vance deserved and he made them pay



A unruly fan attempts to get a picture of Troy's throwback Al Harrington Jersey.



Jhared had one thing on his mind all season - shoot.

see caption above

Vernon was humming the Superman theme song all game long to get himself pumped up.

Vance struggled to get his fair share of touches in this game. However, he got the only shot that mattered in the end.

Jake Vernon was missing from this picture because as the final horn sounded he ran to his phone to send a Tweet about his 16 point 11 rebound performance.

TEAM 3 wins Championship

Team 3 wins the PFOL Championship on a last second put back by Vance Catlin.

The complete recap, pictures, video and stats will be updated on the website later tonight.

PFOL Finals - Game 1 in Pictures

Click here to see all pictures from Finals game 1



Henry Kreutzinger was dunking in pregame warm ups.



Not sure what is going on here in this picture.

Jhared was in a playful mood on Friday...more to come.

Team 1 was missing captain Richie Smith

Team 3 stopped for a photo (not pictured: Jake Vernon)

Alan trying to get his jumper going

Henry goes in for an early dunk

Alan still looking for his jumper

Fans of all ages came out for Game 1 of the Finals

The Pacers Front Office League VIP section was sold out.

The funny thing is Dave shot an air ball here and hit Troy in the back of the head (over/under on days until this picture is Troy's Facebook status is 1.5 days).

Fans came out in droves to see the finals

Even JARL had a courtside seat

Troy Brokl hit 5-6 3pt FGs on Friday

Jake Vernon played despite having flu like symptoms.

Fans headed for the exits as Team 3 pulled away in the 2nd half

Jhared showing off his dance moves

Jake Vernon going for defensive player of the week by trying to fracture Mowrey's skull.

Jhared couldn't resist to bust a move one more time.

Team 3 Pounds Shorthanded Team 1

Indianapolis - Team 1 knew they had their work cut out for them going into Game 1 of the PFOL Finals. They would be playing with out their captain Richie Smith, who was away for personal reasons. They would be playing with a banged up Alan Mowrey who is playing on a torn meniscus that will most likely need to be operated on in the offseason. They would be playing the best team in the PFOL who have saved their basketball for the post season. They knew they needed to play a near flawless game if they wanted any chance of stealing this game. What they didn’t know was that Troy Brokl, who up to this point has been a major disappointment for Team 3, would have his break out game of the season. Troy Brokl lead a 21-8 run to start the 2nd half by hitting three 3 pointers in a row. Troy finished the game with a season high 19 points as his team took a 1-0 series lead with a 52-39 win.

“I thought I was watching Reggie Miller out there. However, we are not concerned, Troy is a streaky shooter. I watched him go 0-18 one day in practice” said, Alan Mowrey.

Richie Smith’s absence was felt as his team struggled to get quality looks. Alan Mowrey obviously was slowed today by his bad knee. “It was really frustrating, I thought my knee was getting better, I had been icing it, resting it and had thought it would hold up, but then in warm ups it gave out and I knew I was screwed”.

Team 3, showed why they are the best team in PFOL by sharing the ball and playing solid defense. Defensive specialist Dave Neff was all over the court and Vance and Simpson owned the offensive boards by getting 18 second chance points. Captain Jake Vernon, who is battling flu like symptoms was very happy with his team performance, “I am proud of my guys, especially Troy. He has sucked all season but today he brought it”.

Game 2 is scheduled for next Friday. Team 1 will be back at full strength. Richie Smith will return to the team this week and Alan Mowrey is reportedly spending the week in LA to get treatment on his knee. “People that think this series is over have another thing coming, we’ll be ready Friday, said Mowrey

Notes from Game 1

- Hasnen Wong scored his first points of the season by knocking down two jump shots in the 2nd half

- A new attendance record was set on Friday as 26 people were in attendance for Game 1

- PFOL earned a profit today for the first time this season. To clarify, no tickets were sold - someone found a dollar bill left in the stands by one of the people in attendance.

- PFOL courtside VIP passes were distributed. Contact Dionna Widder for game 2 passes.

-Troy Brokl announced that his Al Harrington jersey will be auctioned off at the end of the playoffs

- Henry Kreutzinger is leading the league in rebounding for the playoffs. He is averaging double the amount of the person in 2nd place.

Video Clips from Finals Week 1

Alan Mowrey scores on the block over Vance

Mowrey connects from downtown but it was too late, the game was over

Team 3 killed Team 1 on the offensive glass. Plus when Eric Gustafson is knocking down jumpers you know they are rolling.

Team 1 struggled all day long

Mowrey scores again on the block

Troy had knocked down three huge 3 pointers in the 2nd half

PFOL is now on Facebook

PFOL now has a Facebook Fan page - http://bit.ly/cgi4yM

Championship League Trophy has Arrived, Games postponed

Indianapolis - The Alan Mowrey League Championship Trophy arrived today at Conseco Fieldhouse as the League finals were scheduled to begin today. Due to uncontrollable circumstances Game 1 has been pushed back to Friday, March 26th.

The Alan Mowrey League Championship Trophy (named after the founder of PFOL and current commissioner) will be available for public viewing today and tomorrow from 8:30am to 5:00pm in the commissioner's office.

By Jason McGuinness

PFOL FINALS INSIGHT

PG
Stutz vs. Neff
Wow. Interesting matchup here. Both gritty players who play fundamental “D” and will constantly reach in. If we kept track of fouls they could both be in foul trouble by tip-off. Neff may try to use his height advantage here, but Stutz is not afraid to body up anyone on the court (or intentionally foul them) His constant workouts at nearby Nifs have made him one of the stronger PG’s in the league. Two very competitive players here. This one could be intense.
Advantage: Neff

SG
Richie vs. Troy
Consistent shooter vs. streaky shooter. Rich holds the 1993-1994 Indiana HS FG % record in Shelby County. Troy is known to knock down 5 threes in a row or miss 5 free-throws in a row. Troy has a motor 2x Tyler Hansbrough, so he will try to be all in Richie’s face. I currently hear Troy eating chips, so Richie may get more looks than originally expected. If Troy is on a good streak it could be trouble for team one.
Advantage: Richie

SF
Alan vs. Vance
I think this is the biggest match-up of the Finals. Alan has found his 3 point shot in recent games and is a force when going baseline. Vance may be the one and only guy who can slow Mowery down with his similar size, strength and athleticism. The question is will Alan put his “Defensive Game Face” on and contest Vance’s mid-Range Shots?
Advantage: Alan

PF
Burger vs. Jake
Huge intimidation factor here. Enough said. Good luck Burger.
Advantage: Jake

C
Henry vs. Jared
Henry is averaging over 15 rebounds per game in the playoffs, and really was the reason why his team is in the Finals. Jared is one of the best players in the League when he wants to be. If he can keep Henry off the Glass his team will prevail. Also, Henry may have difficulty guarding Jared, because he doesn’t prefer to play D outside the paint and Jared can shoot.
Advantage: Toss Up (maybe slightly to Jared)

BENCH
Zach – He will still be less than 72 hours removed from Vegas. I would recommend sitting him in Game 1.
Hansen – 3rd times a charm, give him the Game Winner, he will be open.
Advantage: Zach

Team ONE in 3 games.



Jason McGuinness can be reached at:
Direct: 317-917-2948
jmcguinness@pacers.com

Team 1 and Team 3 to face off in the finals

Team 1 - 42
Team 4 - 39


Indianpolis - Richie Smith hit a three pointer as time expired and sent his team to the PFOL Finals. Smith caught an inbound pass from Kreutzinger with 2.4 seconds left and got off a shot just before time expired. "It was a great shot, it was a great pass - it was just great", said Nathan Burger. Smith also ended the first half in similar fashion. He hit a running shot from the top of the key as the first half horn sounded.


Team 4 got out to a 22-15 lead before Team 1 went on a 10-0 run to end the first half. Smith scored 10 points and Kreuetzinger grabbed 16 rebounds. Alan Mowrey led all scores with 16.


Team 1 will face Team 3 in the Finals next week.





Team 3 - 40
Team 2 - 38


Indianpolis - The first five minutes of the game today between Team 2 and Team 3 was filled with fouling and arguing as both teams realized what was at stake. After the foul-filled start of the game, the players settled down and battled it out. Team 3 held on to a 2 point win after Eric Flatt failed to get the ball inbounds down 2 points with 4.8 seconds left. Doug Morgan had a chance to tie the game with 12.8 seconds left as he was fouled shooting a three pointer with his team down 37-34, but he only made 2 of 3 free throws.

Edmound Elzy who complained of being fouled every time he touched the ball ended up with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Jake Vernon and Dave Neff lead a balanced scoring attack for Team 3 as they both had 10 points.

Team 3 will face Team 1 in the Finals. Team 3 is 2-0 this season vs Team 1.

Game 3 in Pictures

Jason McGuinness stretching getting ready for the Game 3 showdown



Brian Brown was money all series long from the mid range.

Pat Sullivan trying to get his shot going. He struggled from behind the arc in the last 2 games.

Jake Vernon going to get ready for his game - he had his game face on all week long.

Greg Smith kept things close as he dominated in the paint.

Kyle Krol getting his game face on - waiting for his game to start

Doug was ready to pounce on Team 3.

Everyone in the gym went crazy after Richie hit the game winning 3 pointer.

Richie's shot was the best shot in PFOL history.

Team 1 advances to the Finals.

Pat Sullivan reflects on missed opportunities.

Brian Brown and Richie Smith discuss his buzzer beater

Edmound Elzy taking the ball to the hoop

Vernon playing lock down defense before fouling Elzy

Flatt going in to rebound an Elzy shot - Flatt had a season low 2 rebounds

Neff looking to post up Troy

Krol playing defense while Ashlee and Chelsea enjoy a brief break from the the players yelling at them.

Elzy was hitting from outside despite great defense from Neff

Vernon looking to seal the win. He missed to keep the door open for Team 2.

Game 3 will answer many questions

Indianapolis- Who will step up for Team 2 and lighten Edmound Elzy's burden? Will Team 3 avoid the biggest upset in PFOL history and move on the Championship game? How serious is Alan Mowrey's knee injury? Can Team 4 rebound from Tuesday's loss? Can Jake Vernon game back up all the trash talking that has taken place this week in the office? All of these questions and more will be answered less than 24 hours.

"I'm just glad there was only 3 days in between games instead of the normal 7 days", I don't think I could take another 4 days of Vernon's trash talking", said Edmound Elzy. "The pressure is all on them - they are the #1 seed, they are supposed to win".

GAME 3 NOTES

PFOL will attempt to live stream tomorrow's games on the Internet - games can be found at http://qik.com/abmowrey

Due to scheduling conflicts, Game 3 of the Championship Series will be moved to Friday, April 2nd.

Alan Mowrey is listed as probable for tomorrow's game (torn meniscus).

PFOL is anticipating the largest crowd in it's history. Officials are expecting over 10 people for tomorrow's game.

PFOL - Where Game 3 Happens

Team 1- 42
Team 4 - 39

Indianapolis - On Tuesday both Teams 1 and 3 knew what was at stake - win or go home. Team 1 beat Team 4 for the first time this season, narrowly hanging on to a 3 point win, 42-39. "We have had a problem holding leads and finishing down the stretch all season long. It feels good to finally get one against them", said guard Brian Stutzman.

Team 4 changed up their defense to start the game by going to a 2-3 zone. Alan Mowrey made quick work of that plan by hitting back to back 3's and scoring his team's first 8 points.

Guard Brian Stutzman played another great game at point dishing out 9 assists and coming up with 4 steals. Henry Kreutzinger continued to be a monster on the boards as he snagged 14 rebounds. Richie Smith chipped 8 rebounds himself to go along with 6 points.

Team 4's leading scorer Pat Sullivan was held to a season low 11 points. "I didn't get a good look all night".

Game 3 is scheduled for Friday at 11:45am.


Team 3 - 50
Team 2 - 31

Indianapolis - It was a long week for Team 3, as they had to wait 7 days to prove that they are not a fluke. It was a well balanced scoring attack lead by Simpson's 14 and Vernon's 13. Jake Vernon who wore a throw back Reggie Miller Jersey to intimidate Edmound Elzy, lead a team effort in guarding Elzy. "When I looked in the mirror this morning with my Miller jersey on, I knew what Reggie was feeling when he faced the Knicks, the jersey has something magical about it". When asked to comment, Elzy simply said, "whatever Jake".

Team 2 is left wondering what thier future is. "One week we look great, the next week we lose by 20", said Eric Flatt.

Game 3 is set for 12:30pm Friday.

Video Clips for Tuesday's Playoff game

Team 1 arrives at the arena. Rumor is they rented a bus that picked them up on Pennsylvania and dropped them off on Delaware.

Team 1's Nathan Burger giving a pre-game interview.

Hasen trying find his stroke. He missed a similar wide open jump shot that could have won the game in Game 1.

This clip summarizes Team 2's Day: Contested jump shot by Elzy, Team 3 runs the shot clock down only to get a offensive rebound and score on the extra possession.

Team 2's Eric Flatt clearly upset at his team's performance

Jake Vernon draws the foul just like Reggie used to

Simpson with a nice move inside.

Krol doing what he does best - takes a bad shot but hustles back on defense to stop (hack) a layup attempt.

R1, Game 2 in pictures

Burger, Kreutzinger and Stutzman arrive feeling very confident





Mowrey directing traffic




Mowrey shot Team 4 right out of their Zone Defense they tried.

Richie Smith getting to the hoop

Mowrey won defense player of the week honors by holding Sullivan to 11 points - well below his average.

Team 1 lives to play another day

Vernon took things to a whole another level - he vows to call Elzy "Starks" the rest of the playoffs.

Elzy drew attention from all 5 players on Team 3.

Balanced scoring was the key in Team 3's blow out victory.

Krol doing his Patented windmill layup.

Vernon was 3-12 from beyond the arc.

Elzy didn't have many open looks.