June 19, 2021 – San Diego, CA –
With a season unlike any other due to the ongoing pandemic, each team of The Basketball League will play 20 games in the regular season and those deserving will make the postseason. One of those teams with a playoff berth is San Diego Guardians, who are the top seed in the Western Conference with a 11-6 record with three more games to go against the California Sea-Kings and West Coast Breeze twice, who are at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 6-11 record.
The Guardians are definitely a favorite to win it all this year, having the number one pick Nigel Jones, who has been nothing short of amazing in his rookie seasons averaging 24.4 points per game to go along with 6.8 rebounds per game. Jones isn’t just scoring, but he’s also doing it with absurd efficiency from the field too, shooting a blazing 63% from two point range, 57 % from the field, and an insane 40% from beyond the arc.He will be very vital to the Guardians chances at a quest for a title but one man can’t do it alone.The Guardians also have the former NBL-Canada MVP in Billy White, who’s averaging over 18 points per game on a scorching 64% from the field and 32% from three. Thirdly, the Guardians have forward Dominic McGuire who’s their third leading scorer, averaging over 17 a game, top rebounder at 8 per game, and their most reliable at the charity stripe, shooting just over 85% from the foul line.
But the quest won’t be easy on their way to try to capture a title. They’ll have to play teams such as the Kokombo Bobcats, who are in the Midwest Conference with a 16-4 record on the season. Derek Hawthorne averages over 22 a game himself and AJ Patty averages over 18 a game, respectively. The Guardians recently played the Bobcats back on June 3rd, losing 108-101. Despite the loss the Guardians showed why they can compete to take it all against one of the best teams in the league with energy guys like Russ Smith having a great defensive play on Hawthorne, blocking his shot and running out in transition for the vicious slam. Plays like that are what can help the Guardians get far in the postseason, but, if they want to have a legit chance they will have to cut down on their turnovers, having 18 against the Bobcats in their loss. The Guardians will need to do a better job boxing out, allowing 50 rebounds for the Bobcats but overall they did a great job against one of the best teams in the league and play a tough 2-3 zone, making great rotations by closing out on shooters. The Guardians will be a tough out for any team in the postseason as they continue to get better.
