Generation 67, Hyperflight 73

The NRF season kicked off tonight and the scene at Seward Park High School was electric. This was especially exciting for me because several guys from the Dime and 94x50 office play in this league and I have heard nothing but NRF talk ever since I started working for Dime in late August. Now I played in CYO leagues, intramurals and even a Mormon church league before and I'd never seen a rec league this fancy. We're talking videographers, slick Nike uniforms and even a play-by-play announcer.

The first game was between Generation and Hyperflight. Or should I say Team Niko Klansek vs. Team Rafael DaSilva, because the first half became a shootout between the two players. DaSilva, a.k.a. “Pause Take a Picture,” impressed everybody with his deceptive first step and his legit jump shot. He ended the half with 14 points. Klansek, a.k.a. the “Left-Handed Dirk Nowitzki,” showed off his pretty stroke by hitting three trifectas and finishing the half on pace for a triple-double: 14 points, five rebounds and five assists. Other than the two scorers, one guy who really opened eyes was rookie Chad Gittens. Not only does he kind of look like Jamaal Tinsley, he plays like him too (the Tinsley of 2003 that is). Gittens finished with six dimes. Generation’s Joe Branch also had a good debut scoring 19 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Generation kept it close and were only down 7 at halftime, but Hyperflight took over in the second half and extended the lead to 13 at one point. Even though DaSilva was able to find his stroke at the end (after going ice cold in the beginning of the second half), Generation was unable to recover losing. DaSilva had a game high 21 points for Generation, while Klansek led Hyperflight with 16 points, 10 boards and seven assists.

Hyperflight

Bobby Jones - 11 pts
Derrin Woodhouse - 3 pts
Iz Mateo - 4 pts
Jay Corbin - 4 pts
Lou Miguel - 9 pts
Niko Klansek - 19 pts
Jeremy Silver - 8 pts
Chad Gittens - 5 pts

Generation

Joe Branch - 19 pts
Jomo Davis - 6 pts
Tony Forte - 2 pts
Rafael DaSilva - 21 pts
Curtis Pemberton - 7 pts

Box Scores