updates | photos | roster | hall of fame | trotter nation | statistics | highlight videos | event bookings | coach carney's corner
updates | photos | roster | hall of fame | trotter nation | statistics | highlight videos | event bookings | coach carney's corner
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Allison Miller |
| Staff writer |
Despite facing a team with only one real offensive threat, the Trotterz were down 20-11 at halftime of their season opener against MSA, starting the game with little ball movement, a plethora of turnovers, and most damningly of all a lack of energy. There were a few nice moments- a classic C. Ngan jumper and a clean cut to the lane and bucket by M. Hott stand out- but noted hype-man E. Leeman spoke for all the fans present when he described the Globetrotterz' overall performance in the first half as simply "Eh."
Coach C. clearly decided that radical action was in order, sending the team out to the second half in a never-before-seen (or even discussed) defensive box-and-one formation led by S. D'Alton. Despite some early adjustment difficulties, this defense made the difference for the Trotterz in the second half, along with an offense led by perennial top scorers E. Korman and S. D'Alton.
As the game neared its end, the Trotterz were up by as much as five points before a sloppy in-bounds play nearly gave MSA the chance to tie it up. Luckily, S. D'Alton flung himself on the loose ball and was promptly fouled. Even more luckily (and certainly more surprisingly) the refs called it. Even then it came down to the wire, with MSA passing up several three point looks that could have won them the game while Coach C. wrung his hands on the sideline. But the Trotterz prevailed, welcoming M. Novack back from the IL with the win.
Rumor has it that a full forty minutes of play while spearheading the box-and-one were not enough for said guard-turned-center, who cheerfully headed off to yet another game. Team members M. Hott, A. Lee, A. Ma, and C. Ngan also showcased their dedication to conditioning by playing some pick-up basketball, while E. Korman (recovering from acute ping-pong induced soreness) confined himself to conditioning his hair.
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Simon D'Alton |
| Senior staff writer |
Not long into the second half, with the game already effectively over, the party started in the upper deck at Gregory Gym Arena. Trotter fans, conditioned to experiencing anxiety, were reveling at the sight of something quite foreign: dominance.
Debuting their new alternate white jerseys for a special Friday night prime time game, the Globetrotters looked the part in more than just apparel. Make no bones about it; this wasn’t a good performance against a poor opponent, this was a 44-21 evisceration of a capable team that was more athletic and outsized the Globes man for man. The RLM Globetrotters looked like a basketball team.
With only five players at game time and a sixth added minutes after tip off, the Trotters played a veteran line up for the vast majority of the game. The collective experience showed. Too often in the past, the Trotters have played a frenetic and schizophrenic brand of offense. Against Insert Clever Name Here, the Trotters spaced the floor beautifully and used crisp passing to hit timely cuts to the hoop. A newly acquired patience and precision in passing limited turnovers. On defense, limited numbers forced the Globes into playing zone, in which they harried and harassed ICNH into poor shot selection. By halftime, the game was over, and Trotter fans could enjoy several exclamation points on the performance in the second half. The most exquisite was a superlative, mid-air, behind-the- back, no-look dime from Korman, which sent the crowd into raptures.
The performance was so authoritative, it had even Globetrotter players themselves stunned. “That was really good” was all power forward Allison Miller could muster, clearly struggling to find the right adjectives despite her penchant for vocabularic flair.
The only stain on this impressive season-opening win was the absence – once more – of ‘Coach’ Sean Carney. Carney also missed preseason games and Team Activities, including a team building session at Warwick Apartments in the week prior to pre-season. Insiders say that he has been coaching the team via the Internet, but these absences combined with last season’s drinking issues leave Carney in a precarious situation.
What he will see on gametape will undoubtedly encourage him. In addition to Korman’s razzle-dazzle, Andrew Lee continued to take no prisoners in his final season, cutting and driving to the hoop with an aggressive mentality. That these two are showing strongly in early season is encouraging, as is D’Alton’s efficient shooting and Miller’s authoritarian marshaling of the Trotter zone defense. Following this decisive victory, these four and Christine Ngan are surely the starting unit for a season which is looking, in the words of Korman himself, ‘promising’.
Player of the game: The RLM Globetrotters. A team award for a team performance.
Post-game bites sponsored by Cornelia: is on vacation, seeking the baker’s dozen overseas.
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Allison Miller |
| Staff writer |
In the pre-season opener of the much-hyped RLM Globetrotter(s/z)' 2017 season, there was much to both delight and concern stalwart fans. On the positive end, one fast-passing play between co-captain and point guard E. Korman and jack-of-all-trades S. D'Alton was snazzy enough to draw praise from even the opposing team, while A. Miller returned from her time abroad with a quite emphatic block. There were also scrappy defensive plays and snappy jumpers showcasing C. Ngan and N. Gilbert, as well as the trademark steals and fast break plays of founding player A. Lee and solid boards of A. Frei-Pearson. (Team members A. Ma, M. Hott, and M. Novack missed the game due to acute cases of analystitis, while M. Wade provided leadership from the sidelines after season ending feet fractures.)
However, there were also signs that Coach Carney (also absented due to serious analysisitis) will have his work cut out for him this season. On defense, moments of good help rotation were undercut by general confusion and lack of communication, particularly a complete inability to consistently call out screens. Similarly, while there was occasionally nice ball rotation, the Trotters too often relied upon one-on-one plays rather than taking the opportunity to develop their offense against a zone. All in all, the trotters showed plenty of promise and plenty of room for improvement as they renew their quest for the coveted intramural championship t-shirt.
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Michael Wade |
| Staff writer |
In a historic first, the Trotters made it to the Final Four in IM men’s. Weeks before the game there were rumors of big changes in the playoffs. These rumors were confirmed with Big Time players Simon D’Alton , Andrew Lee, & Andy Ma were listed as unavailable for the game. To expose size matchups Coach Carney decided to start 3 bigs: Wade, Abe, and Davis. Korman and Wong in the backcourt. However minutes into the first, Scott’s Tots’ would build a 9 point lead. At this point, Korman looked at the ball. To his dismay it replied, in a Mr. Kool-Aid baritone, “It’s Kobe time”. Korman takes the ball and drives to lane. The Trotter Faithful were ready, expecting a quick two points. In a split second the defender was into his body, and Korman hits the floor. As the fans waited, it was soon apparent that this was a season ending injury. The Trotters would limp into halftime down 8 to 39. In the second half the Trotters came out showing the toughness we all know. They held the Tot’s to just 16 points, but were unable to generate consistent offense with a decimated back court. The final score: 55 to 16, is in no way a reflection of the Season. This year was a one of many first and the Trotters are poised for a great Spring Semester with the return of Allison “the Screen” Miller and Sean “coach” Carney.
2017 Scouting ReportM. Hottie- Our German acquisition showed great energy on the court. He is still learning the USA game, but if he can play like he did in the playoffs, the skies are the Limit.
Abe- The big man came to the Trotters late in year and while he did not score much, he brought great toughness and awareness to middle. He can only improve going into next year
M. Wong- This lefty with a hook, came back from the developmental league in shape and healthy. In the final game of the year he showed great improvement and offense toughness. It is with sad hearts that he will be leaving the team to spend the next season overseas. The Totter Faithful ‘Commend you Sir’.
J. Davis- Who really knows the fate of a late semester Ph.D student. This veteran baller brought us sweet passes, and the Iconic ‘mouth covered floor run’. We hope to see him again, but who really knows!?
A. Ma- So fast he’s hard to predict. Ma showed many bright spots this year, however he missed games burning the candle at both ends. We hope one end dies down and we can see him swooshing through the lane all year.
M.Wade- The big man was hurt most of the season, but looked good when he did play. If he can be healthy next year’s expect big things_Pun intended.
C. Ngan- In her sophomore season Tine was all improvement. If she progresses like this watch out Trooter Faithful there’s a new star in own.
A. Lee- The fastest man in the League and RLM vet will return in 2017 for his final season. The Trotters hope to give him the tee shirt he deserves.
S. D’Alton- This smart-aleck Brit, made a big splash in the League quickly becoming an offensive and defensive star. If he can plan his vacations better, he’ll have a tee-shirt the next time he crosses The Pond.
E. Korman-We all knew he could shoot. But this year the guard showed us he could win playing both sides of the ball. Our sharp shooter was last seen on crutches, attempting to play basketball. If he can stay off the court and heal he’ll be wrapping himself in something that even Kobe doesn’t have. A IM Tee-Shirt.
Coach Carney- Carney did a great job leading the team this year. A man who knows his x’s and o’s but we must ask one question: Will he update his wardrobe and look like the couch we know him to be?
C. Mihaila- Every week was a great Treat! This was truly the Chief Baker’s swan song. In Spring 2017, she will be dishing out her luxurious treats to the Italian competition. All we can say is “Baker Come Back, any Trotter can see. There was something in everything you baked… “
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Simon D'Alton |
| Staff writer |
After two seasons characterized by agonizing losses, the RLM Globetrotters earned their historic maiden playoff victory in an absolute nail biter. If that seemed fitting, it was surely fate that the player dusting himself off after the clutchest of defensive plays was Andrew Lee.
Prior to this win, Lee - the only founding member of the RLM Globetrotters still on the roster - had seen everything but a playoff win. With the Globes protecting a fragile 40-39 lead with under ten seconds to play, Lee rotated on defense and took the charge, icing the game and cementing his place in the Globetrotters Hall of Fame.
The veteran play by Lee was the climax of a dramatic finale, in which the Globes exchanged buckets with Small But Approachable into the final minute. Following a Lee lay-up that tied the game, leading SBA scorer Good But Whiny was fouled on a characteristic drive to the hoop. In the pressure cooker atmosphere, he made only one of two, leaving the door open for a Trotter game winner. With Good But Whiny blanketing first-option Eric Korman, the ball rotated over to another veteran to leave his mark. Isolated one on one with his defender sagging, international journey man, one time Britain turned Australian, and birthday boy Simon D'Alton drained the eighteen foot baseline jumper to give the Globes the lead for good.
"It was just like Kobe" said a giddy Eric Korman, clearly relishing being one step closer to his T-shirt dream. "I sent him a video of Kobe dominating on his birthday, and it must have inspired his clutch shooting tonight. KOOOOOBBBBEEEEEEEEE".
An enthralling end was frequently looking unlikely as the Globes built large leads at the beginning of both halves. D'Alton opened hot, scoring ten of the Globes first twelve points to open a comfortable lead that was dragged back by the half. Entering the second period, the Globetrotters stretched the lead to nine on the back of an Eric Korman blitzkrieg. In danger of being blown out, Small But Approachable were kept in contention by the stellar play of Good But Whiny, who dragged his team back into the game with a series of tough three pointers and aggressive drives to the hoop. It wasn't to be enough, and Good But Whiny was left to throw a small tantrum on the sideline after the final horn.
Historically, the Globes are not well acquainted with the intensity of playoff basketball. Small But Approachable were anything but welcoming, playing a brand of physical ball that is rarely seen in Men's C. On this night, the Globes desperately missed Allison Miller, whose steely picks would surely have made short work of the feisty Fouls A Lot. Frequently grabbing and pulling at Trotter players, ultimately SBA paid the price at the foul line in both halves as they went over the limit. Clearly frustrated with numerous calls, their dissatisfaction with the refereeing has led them to submit an official complaint to the league office. One can only imagine the brevity with which that will be considered.
The Globes have a short turnaround before their sweet sixteen game on Sunday evening. With his players jubilantly celebrating around him, Coach Carney allowed himself a smile of satisfaction but declined to comment, a model professional clearly focusing on his next opponent.
Player of the Game: Andrew Lee. His storied journey to this historical moment demand it.
Post-game bites sponsored by Cornelia: W'Alton Cannoli. "I watch these guys almost every week and some of them are pretty beat up and fragile. Mike Wade has missed a few games this year, which is a bummer, and Simon D'Alton always has niggles and hurts. I felt like I needed to create something that mirrored the fragile yet delicious nature of these gentle giants. Cannoli are perfect."
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Simon D'Alton |
| Staff writer |
Just when you thought it was safe to be a Globetrotters fan again, the hurt found a new way to torture your soul.
The Globes have developed a penchant recently for collapses and miscues that have left them on the losing side of games they ostensibly should have won. In Game 1 of this season, it appeared they had unshackled themselves from that close-game voodoo in their brilliant second half demolition of Brickshots. However, in front of an empty Gregory Gym Arena Sunday night, the Globes lost 37-36 to the heavily favored and awfully named Shooting Hoops not Harambe in the most agonizing way possible.
Following a trademark Andrew Lee steal, Eric Korman drove the lane with five seconds left and saw his clutch and probable game winning fadeaway rattle home. The subsequent shot clock violation call that wiped out that dramatic shot drew anger and frustration from the Globes. Korman, who had verified with the Trail Official that there was no shot clock, was apoplectic. Big time players making big time shots deserve big time officials.
Sitting somberly, Carney diplomatically spoke for the team in his post-game remarks. "I'm proud of these guys. We played a good team tight. Getting beat you can take, but losing in that way is difficult."
Away from the emotion, a more objective analysis would show that the Globetrotters played an outstanding game in most categories. They shot a high percentage, competed on the boards against a far bigger team and, aside from a couple of early game breakdowns, played a swarming man-to-man defense that SHNH would not have anticipated from the game tape. Lee and Christine Ngan were extremely active and key in defending the three point line, which has been a weakness going back to the summer. Despite this pleasing play, Carney will know why his team lost this game and will impress upon them the need for ball security. Shooting a high percentage means nothing if you have twenty turnovers.
The tone of the game was set early on, with SHNH looking to use their size advantage to get shots around the basket, and the Globes getting looks at threes and cuts to the hoop. Close throughout, it seemed as if the Trotters might blow it open at the start of the second half. Down by a couple of buckets, the Globes forced turnovers, drove to the basket and made open shots to open up a seven point lead that would be gradually reined leading to the dramatic finale. Now 1-1, every game is effectively the playoffs, as they face a win-and-in against the Space City Speedsters on Sunday night.
Player of the Game: Christine Ngan. Part of the two headed monster that kept SHNH cold from behind the arc, Ngan also spaced the floor by making her mid-range jump shots.
Post-game bites sponsored by Cornelia: JD's Lemon Bites. "Something I've noticed about Justin Davis is that he's such a mild mannered man on the surface, very respectable, very calm. But when he gets a bad call, or the competition gets intense, you see this different dimension to him: he becomes animated and shocked at the officials, in disbelief. Todays' game he ran to the opposite end of the court to avoid getting a technical. I think I've captured that dichotomy with these lemon bites, which look mild mannered and regular but are shockingly tart in the mouth."
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Simon D'Alton |
| Staff writer |
If this season's RLM Globetrotters can regularly perform like they did in the second half of this opening game, look out. If they play in the fashion of the first half, you may not have anything to watch for much longer.
That is the frustrating dichotomy that Coach Sean Carney has to face in the post-game analysis of the Globes' 48-25 win over Brickshots. Extracting a more consistent performance from his team will be the key as to whether the Globes are playing in the post-season for the second time in their history. For Carney, this task cannot be made any easier by the rumors that continue to swirl regarding his off-court professionalism. Following his open apology for arriving late to a practice hungover, Carney allegedly threw a party attended by several Globetrotters the night prior to this crucial opening game. Although Carney has the support of the players and all eight fans, he must consider himself fortunate there is not a single other person who wants to coach the Globes.
Winning has a funny way of making such problems a thing of the past. For his part, Carney certainly earned his non-existent paycheck with two crucial half time adjustments. Following an anemic first half which ended 17-17, Justin Davis was introduced and the Globes switched to a box-and- one defense. Davis, who missed the first half due to a lack of shoes, provided the extra post presence and passer that took the Globetrotter offense to a new level. On the defensive end, Simon D'Alton's length frustrated the Brickshots' leading scorer Green Shoes into costly turnovers, airballs and general shoddy play. Indeed, with thirty seconds left to play, Green Shoes' frustration boiled over and he collected his fifth foul by head-butting D'Alton's shoulder blade. When the dust had settled, the Globes had dominated the second period 31-8.
Carney and Trotter captain Eric Korman will hope this result settles some nerves that may have carried over from an agonizing winless season dominated by narrow losses. This win will certainly have calmed Korman, whose drive to succeed is well known. He finally gets his maiden win at the helm as he continues to attempt to fill the considerable shoes left by his predecessor, Allison Miller.
Forgetting last season's nightmares might also be easier with the presence of new faces. Indeed, Mike Wong, looking particularly internationally developed but still lacking a Euro-step, was reportedly a stabilizing hand at half time. "He (Wong) basically told us not to worry" said Korman in the post game conference "that if this was a pickup game we'd be killin' 'em by 20." Wong was solid in his debut, showing a mid-range game and getting to the line frequently. In the absence of fan favorite Andrew Lee, the Globes also handed a starting spot to new international signing Mike Hott, whose promising energetic game needs an American polish.
With only a week to go until the showdown with the Group Favorites, and with no schedule for practices, Carney has his work cut out to integrate these parts effectively in time. The Globes will have to hope that it is their second half incarnation that shows up next Sunday.
Player of the Game: Coach Carney, for making decisive changes in the face of a fierce media storm.
Post-game bites sponsored by Cornelia: Korman Cupcakes. "I was inspired by Eric's focus when he shoots threes. I wanted to come up with a recipe that required equal levels of concentration; working with miniature cupcakes and the small surface area that that entails necessitates great skill and focus. Also, the Peanut Butter Frosting has a certain flick to it that is reminiscent of his hair."
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Simon D'Alton |
| Staff writer |
Another Sannoh three pointer ripped through the net, and the game was effectively over. There was still a minute left to half time.
In a make or break game for their season, the Globes struggled out of the gate and were punished by a quicker and hot-shooting Sannoh team. The first two games of the Globes' season were oh-so-close heartbreakers. This was a ruthless backbreaker.
From the tip, the Sannoh starting five got the ball in their preferred spots and made it count. It is not a coincidence that in the anime series Slam Dunk, the Sannoh team center Masashi Kawata is known for his deep ball. Sunday's Sannoh team had its own Kawata, who frequently drained the three as the Globes struggled to pick him up in transition. At the other end of the court, Sannoh scouts had clearly done their homework, opening in a zone in an attempt to exploit the offensive weakness highlighted by the Noonballers in week two. The result was a humbling twenty point deficit at half time.
Entering the second half, Coach Carney's adjustments- notably moving the athletic Andrew Lee to guard Kawata - led to an eight point run, and the Globetrotters moved the ball more effectively against the zone the whole second period. It wasn't enough, however, as Sannoh extinguished hopes of a comeback with some crisp ball movement and shooting.
In so many ways, this game was a microcosm of the season. The Globetrotters' defense of the three point line has been diabolical all year, and they frustratingly blow hot and cold. They will surely be ruing the missed opportunities in weeks one and two. Eric Korman, still embarrassingly winless as Captain, remained defiant. "I'm not quitting til I get that shirt" he revealed post-game. Korman demonstrated his tenacity, playing through a high ankle sprain (day to day).
Carney uncharacteristically refused to comment after the game, which may be related to an ongoing dispute with the league regarding media access. He has privately expressed a desire to hold press conferences in more professional surroundings and he made a noticeable switch from Belicheck-esque casual gym attire to shirt and trousers for this important game. Word from inside the Globetrotters' department suggests this is also reflective of Carney's continuing acceptance that 'although he badly wants to come back from that horrific injury, for now he is a coach, not a player'.
Sunday's loss means the Globetrotters finish a season that promised so much in the basement. They will rebound; their outstanding team chemistry and post-game baked goods will surely see them through the hard times. Superficially, it may seem like it's back to the drawing board for Carney and Co., but a rapid return to the playoffs surely isn't fiction.
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Simon D'Alton |
| Staff writer |
In an ironic twist of fate Sunday evening, the RLM Globetrotters were beaten by the very system they have made their calling card. Usually it is the opposition who struggle to adapt to the Globes' swarming zone defense. Sunday night, the Noon Ballers lined up in a 3-2 zone and dared the Globes to beat it. They couldn't.
Mid-way through the second half, the Globetrotters held a five point lead. Eight dreadful minutes later, the Globes found themselves in an eight point hole, courtesy of a flurry of turnovers and stagnant ball movement. Tortured on offense, the Globes own zone defense suffered a flashback to last week, allowing a blitz of threes in a period that ultimately decided the game.
That this turning point seemed to center around a bizarre interjection by the UT bureaucracy only heightened the sense of frustration. With the Globes up by three, a referees' time out was taken for blood on the court. What can only be described as an overly cautious, immaculately followed biohazard protocol ensued, with numerous referees and UT bureaucrats on their hands and knees, attending with miniscule wet wipes to microscopic blood particles strewn across the court. The coup de grace of this bizarre scene was the bandaging of the entire head of the injured party, leading to the comical sight of the Globetrotters facing off against four basketball players and an Egyptian mummy. Beyond the farcical nature of the scene, undeniably, momentum swung decisively in the favor of the Noon Ballers and the Globes never recovered.
A Michigan Man and double major in math and physics, Coach Carney has too much class and intelligence [sic] to blame the loss on this stoppage. "They made some plays, we didn't make some plays, that's what it came down to" was how Carney succinctly and blandly put it, clearly keeping his cards close to his chest.
A young team still coming together, this season's Globetrotters will have to overcome these situations to become championship material. The nucleus for success is evident, however, and in the opening half it hit open shots, got dribble penetration and crashed the boards, building and maintaining a lead for long periods of the game. The Punisher Mike Wade continues to build his game in the middle, a mix of strong moves and soft touch. When the Globes are cooking like this they're a pretty sight, especially when the ball is in the hands of the coiffured Eric Korman. If it can be said that Korman brings the swagger, it is Miller who brings the steel, setting rigid picks honed by hours in the gym. They raise 'em tough in Virginia and as the daughter of a former Pentagon staffer, it's no surprise that she is so adept at setting sly, devastating screens. "I felt like I ran into a brick wall" mused one dazed Noon-Baller in the post game presser, before enquiring "do you lift weights?". She will be missed next season when she is in Germany as part of the Globetrotters' international development scheme.
After last week's dramatic late collapse, Coach Carney reportedly put the team through a rigorous training session focused on crunch time plays. There will be no doubting this week's lesson: know yourself to beat the zone.
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Simon D'Alton |
| Staff writer |
The Globes dropped a heartbreaker at Gregory Gym Arena on Sunday, an implosion in the final minute leaving them to watch the Lifeway team's squealing celebrations on their home court.
Leading 44-40 with forty two seconds to play and with their destiny in their own hands, the Globes turned the ball over repeatedly under duress. Lifeway went on to score five unanswered points, topped off by a fadeaway over the outstretched arms of three Globetrotter defenders. "Tough loss", commented Coach Kid, appearing in his inaugural game on the sidelines, "we made a few sloppy errors at the end, got ourselves in bad places on the court."Globetrotters' leading scorer Eric Korman was inconsolable, his hopes for a maiden win in his first game as Captain ripped away at the death. The misery at the game's finale contrasted strongly with the excitement at tip off. Following a spring season in which the Globes added a rough approximation of a big man and made it to the postseason for the first time in their young history, excitement amongst their fan base was palpable. A record crowd of eight or so packed the sideline, desperate to catch a glimpse of drafted rookie Mike Wade and new signing Justin Davis, who was acquired in a trade which sent a ham sandwich and a future first round vending machine selection to the Engineering department.
While new faces are exciting, on-court chemistry can take time to develop and the Globes initially seemed stuck in second gear on both ends of the court. Struggling to keep up with the quick footed opponents cost the Globetrotters an early lead, as Some Guy on the Lifeway team was unconscious from behind the three point line. It was left initially to the old face and superior athleticism of Korman to keep the Globes in the game. Attempting to find a strategy that worked, Coach Kid deployed a somewhat unusual coaching style, literally teaching players how to play basketball during the game. As the game wore on, RLM's defense responded, dominating the paint and they eased ahead in the second half behind a balanced scoring attack and the characteristic hustle play of Christine Ngan and Allison Miller. The latter seems intent on breaking the record she set last season for hitting the deck (2.9 times a game).
The combined team play seemed to assure the Globetrotters of the opening win that they wanted so badly, but then crunch time called, and nobody answered. With just two games to go in an already shortened season, the Globes are already looking over the precipice.