Max's All Stars upset #2 seed in 92Y playoffs

Tonight in the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division playoffs, Max's All Stars (seven seed), upset Team #8 Chris C - Orange (two seed) by a final score of 58-57. It was a dramatic victory for the team. Max's All Stars were in control for most of the first half, but fell behind by three in the second before Branden Gibson hit a bucket close up and drained a free throw to tie the game at 53 all. However, missed free throws prevented Max's All Stars from closing things out late. Team #8 got the ball back with 6.0 seconds remaining only down by one point, but Jamel Jackson missed a two-pointer for the win. The team played terrific defense all night and hit enough clutch shots to win. Corey Orgias, Ronnie Worthen Jr and Patrick James made major contributions. Mike Viola got the rebound on a missed free throw by Branden Gibson, put it back up for the game-winning shot and drew a foul (but missed the FT). Marvin Billups Jr and Reed Morgan supported the team in limited minutes.
It was ugly at times, but Max's All Stars persevered - winning their fourth straight game and advancing to the semi-finals on January 3rd.

Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League Statistics Through Week 7

Here are the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League statistics through Week 7:

Angel Gonzalez - 2 games played, 7.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.500 FG%, 0.333 3PT%, 0.400 FT%

Branden Gibson - 2 games played, 6.5 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 1.000 FG%, 0.667 3PT%, 0.429 FT%

Corey Orgias - 5 games played, 18.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.530 FG%, 0.552 3PT%, 0.733 FT%

Jerrell Lewis - 1 game played, 29.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.540 FG%, 0.830 3PT%, 0.667 FT%

John Simmons - 2 games played, 0.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 0.000 FG%, 0.000 3PT%, 0.500 FT%

Josiah Peay - 2 games played, 15.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.733 FG%, 0.333 3PT%, 0.000 FT%

Kevin Major - 3 games played, 6.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 0.500 FG%, 0.000 3PT%, 0.750 FT%

Marvin Billups Jr - 1 game played, 18.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 3.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.500 FG%, 0.000 3PT%, 0.857 FT%

Mike Viola - 3 games played, 4.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.625 FG%, 0.000 3PT%, 0.667 FT%

Patrick James - 5 games played, 6.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 0.667 FG%, 0.333 3PT%, 0.714 FT%

Reed Morgan - 5 games played, 12.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.724 FG%, 0.000 3PT%, 0.583 FT%

Ronnie Worthen Jr - 2 games played, 10.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 0.900 FG%, 0.000 3 PT%, 1.000 FT%

Max's All Stars win third straight

Earlier today, Max's All Stars won by forfeit against Columbia University, improving to 5-2 in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League and 7-8 overall. The result gives Max's All Stars their third straight win.
Max's All Stars next game will be in the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division Playoffs on Tuesday, December 13th.

Max's All Stars earn big win at 92nd Street Y

Max's All Stars will go into the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division playoffs on a high note after winning the season finale against Team #6 Jordon S - Green by a final score of 73-67. It was a hard fought win for as the team battled back from 15 points down midway through the first half. It was back and forth in the second half until Max's All Stars pulled away late. Corey Orgias hit some big shots down the stretch as he closed the game out with Ronnie Worthen Jr to put Team #6 away and seal the victory. With no subs, Team #6 wore down and could not hang on. Angel Gonzalez, Branden Gibson, Eric Olsen, Kevin Major, Marvin Billups Jr, Mike Viola, Patrick James and Reed Morgan also made important contributions to the win, it was a total team effort.
With the win, Max's All Stars improved to 6-8 overall and will return to action this Saturday, December 10th at 3:45 PM versus Columbia University in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League.

Max's All Stars cruise to 63-40 victory

Max's All Stars cruised to a 63-40 victory yesterday in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League. Ronnie Worthen Jr started off on fire and finished with 16 points and 2 rebounds. Here are the rest of the statistics (although they seem somewhat inaccurate):
Marvin Billups Jr - 18 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Reed Morgan - 11 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds
Kevin Major - 7 points, 1 assist
*Branden Gibson - 5 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 block
Corey Orgias - 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Angel Gonzalez - 1 point, 2 rebounds
Patrick James - 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals
John Simmons - 1 assist, 2 rebounds
*He should be credited with more assists and that 1 block was highlight worthy.

With the win, Max's All Stars improve to 4-2 in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League and 5-8 overall.

Max's All Stars suffer another crushing defeat in Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division

Coming back from Thanksgiving break last night, Max's All Stars could not get on track against Team #3 Ray S - Black at the 92nd Street Y, falling by a final score of 62-55. Max's All Stars battled all night and took a slim two-point lead midway through the second half, but could not hold on. Eleven players showed up for the game last night and substitutions were difficult to handle, thus making it hard to perform consistently throughout the game. Max's All Stars fell to 1-6 in the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division and 4-8 overall this season.
Next game is on Saturday, December 3rd at Boys and Girls Republic.

Marvin Billups Jr rejoins roster for remainder of the Fall 2011 season

Former SUNY Purchase star, Marvin Billups Jr, will rejoin Max's All Stars for the remainder of the Fall 2011 season after a stint in Puerto Rico with Quebradillas Piratas where he started all 11 games and averaged 10.7 PPG, 4.45 RPG. Billups played three games for Max's All Stars in the Summer 2011 Basketball City Tuesday East A-Division and averaged 10.3 PPG.

Max's All Stars drop to 1-5 at 92nd Street Y

Max's All Stars lost last night at the 92nd Street Y against Team #8 Chris C - Orange by a final score of 67-57. The game was evenly matched in the first half as Max's All Stars jumped out to an early 7-point lead. However, Team #8 came back and closed the half out up 33-32. Team #8 went on a run to start the second half and Max's All Stars could not overcome it, falling to 1-5 in the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division and 4-7 overall.

Max's All Stars suffer heartbreaking defeat against City College with only 5 players

Max's All Stars suffered a hard fought loss in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League against City College today by a final score of 70-62 with only 5 players. John Simmons made his debut and was joined by Corey Orgias, Josiah Peay, Patrick James and Reed Morgan. Max's All Stars led 30-25 at halftime, but could not hold on. Without substitutions, guys were worn out and City College went on a big run to put the game out of reach. Max's All Stars drop to 3-2 in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League and 4-6 overall.
The team plays again on Tuesday, November 22nd at 7:15 PM in the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League against Team #8 Chris C - Orange.

John Simmons added to the roster

Max's All Stars are very pleased to announce the addition of John Simmons for the remainder of the season (on Saturdays only). He averaged 5.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 0.4 APG in 83 games with Bronx Community College (2007-2008) and SUNY Purchase (2008-2011).

Max's All Stars get first win in Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division

Last night, Max's All Stars improved to 4-5 overall with a forfeit win over Team #8 Chris C - Orange in the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division.
Angel Gonzalez, Corey Orgias, Kevin Major, Mike Viola, Patrick James, Reed Morgan and Ronnie Worthen Jr stayed to shoot around and play pickup basketball among themselves. Josiah Peay also made an appearance.
The team plays again on Saturday, November 19th at 1:15 PM in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League.

Max's All Stars earn hard fought win over Johnson & Wales

Max's All Stars improve to 3-1 in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League with a hard fought win over Johnson & Wales by a final score of 58-54. Branden Gibson served as the PG in Angel Gonzalez's absence and played all 40 minutes, scoring some clutch buckets and distributing the ball very well. Patrick James sealed the win with his incredible second half performance. He played harassing defense, got boards, attacked the basket, drew fouls and hit clutch free throws. Max's All Stars overcame some bad calls and an 8-point deficit late in the game to win with solid contributions from Corey Orgias, Kevin Major, Mike Viola, Reed Morgan and Ronnie Worthen Jr (making his debut).
Next game is on Tuesday night at 9:15 PM as Max's All Stars go for their first win in the Fall 2011 92Y Adult Basketball League A-Division.

New player added to the roster

Ronnie Worthen Jr has been added to the roster for the remainder of the season. Worthen played high school basketball for Middle College and is expected to provide a solid presence down low.

Greedy Peterson can't save Max's All Stars as they fall to 0-4 at 92nd Street Y

Last night, Max's All Stars dropped to 0-4 at the 92nd Street Y with a heartbreaking overtime loss to Team #1 Eric F - Royal Blue by a final score of 74-70. Mishandled substitutions, missed free throws, inconsistent ball movement and defense contributed to the loss. The team has a 2-5 overall record and plays again on Saturday, November 12th in the NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League.
Greedy Peterson is set to report to the Canton Charge of the NBDL on Thursday.

Max's All Stars get forfeit win in NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League

Yesterday, Max's All Stars improved to 2-1 in the Fall 2011 NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League with a forfeit win over Delaware State. The team has a 2-4 overall record and plays again on Tuesday, November 8th at the 92nd Street Y.

Max's All Stars suffer heartbreaking defeat at 92nd Street Y

Last night, Max's All Stars lost to Team #2 Scott G - Carolina Blue by a final score of 67-64. With only five guys to start the team managed to kept things close all the way through until Reed Morgan showed up and came off the bench, contributing quite a few rebounds and buckets underneath the basket. Down 10 at halftime, Max's All Stars chipped away and took a five point lead late in the second half. Unfortunately, down the stretch Team #2 made some nice plays and got a few friendly calls from the officials and won the game by three.
The loss drops Max's All Stars to 1-4 on the season (92Y record: 0-3, NYAS record: 1-1).
Next game is on Saturday, November 5th in the NY Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League.

Former Big East star, Jamine "Greedy" Peterson, added to the roster

Max's All Stars are very pleased to announce the addition of Jamine "Greedy" Peterson to the roster. Greedy was teammates with Corey Orgias at Notre Dame Prep and is an exceptional talent. He averaged 19.6 PPG and 10.2 RPG in his final season at Providence College and played professionally in Greece and the NBDL where he put up 13.4 PPG with 5.9 RPG for the New Mexico Thunderbirds in 2010-2011. Peterson was named NBA D-League Performer of the Week (March 28, 2011) leading the Thunderbirds to a 3-1 record, averaging 24.9 points and 8.8 rebounds during that span.

Max's All Stars get first win of Fall 2011 season in overtime

Max's All Stars finally broke through for their first win of the Fall 2011 season by a final score of 81-78 in overtime. The game was delayed for an hour and a half due to inclement weather, but it was worth the wait. Josiah Peay hit the game-tying three at the end of regulation and had another big one in overtime. Corey Orgias had a huge game as well, making a bunch of clutch shots. Reed Morgan, Patrick James, Angel Gonzalez and Mike Viola all made important contributions to the victory also. The New York Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League will release statistics soon.
Next game is on Tuesday, November 1st at the 92nd Street Y (9:15 PM tip-off).

Here are the statistics:
Angel Gonzalez - 13 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Corey Orgias - 29 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists
Josiah Peay -  12 points, 5 rebounds
Mike Viola - 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Patrick James - 5 rebounds, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
Reed Morgan - 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

Max's All Stars fall to 0-3 with 77-60 loss at 92nd Street Y

Last night, Max's All Stars lost to Team #6 Jordon S - Green by a final score of 77-60. The game was very evenly matched and Max's All Stars stayed within one point midway through the second half . That is when the momentum shifted and Team #6 pulled away. The ball movement improved dramatically with the addition of Angel Gonzalez to the roster, but the team still struggled on defense as Team #6 shot lights out all night.
Jerrell Lewis picked up two early fouls and left the game with an injury, he did not return.
Max's All Stars return to action on Saturday in the New York Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League.

New player added to the roster

Former Rockland Community College (2007-2009) and SUNY Purchase (2009-2011) guard, Angel Gonzalez, will join the roster. Gonzalez is former teammates of Kevin Major at Rockland and Purchase where they were joined by Corey Orgias and Branden Gibson. The 6'0" guard averaged 5.94 PPG, 4.63 APG and 3.02 RPG during his college career (100 games total).

Max's All Stars drop to 0-2; lose Fall 2011 New York Alumni Sports season opener

Yesterday, Max's All Stars lost their second game in a row. This time in the Fall 2011 New York Alumni Sports Adult Basketball League season opener by a final score of 86-78 against Albany State. While the team showed many signs of improvement from their last game, they still struggled at a lot of the same things - poor ball movement, too much 1-on-1 offense, not attacking the basket enough and lousy transition defense.

Here are the statistics:
Jerrell Lewis (29 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal)
Corey Orgias (17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist)
Reed Morgan (18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Kevin Major (6 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 2 rebounds, 1 block)
Mike Viola (6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal)
Patrick James (2 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist)

Max's All Stars drop 92nd Street Y season opener

Max's All Stars lost their 92nd Street Y Adult Basketball League A-Division season opener last night by a final score of 95-75 against Team #4 Brandon A - Red. For the first couple of possessions, both teams were matching each other shot for shot. Then, Team #4 went on a run to push the lead into the twenties, almost thirties. Max's All Stars stalled offensively, going 1-on-1 too much and not establishing an offensive flow with good ball movement. Also, turnovers were a major killer that led to a lot of fastbreak opportunities for Team #4 as Max's All Stars struggled with transition defense all night.

Team #4 featured a lot of Division I talent, led by three ex-Manhattan College standouts: Brandon Adams (6'6", F/C), Darryl Crawford (6'4", G/F) and Nick Walsh (5'10", Guard) who were joined by former Fairfield Stags guard, Jonathan Han (23 points), and ex-NBDL standout, Cameron Benison (who led all scorers with 32 points), among others. Team #4 benefited from a lot of experience playing together for quite a few years now.

Max's All Stars definitely showed improvement in a lot of areas during the second half. Earl Mills, Corey Orgias, Branden Gibson, Josiah Peay and Reed Morgan started the game with Kevin Major coming off the bench. Patrick James joined the team for the second half.

Orgias and Peay led the way, finishing with 17 points each.

92nd Street Y Fall 2011 season opener postponed

Team #7 Jon L - Purple did not show up for the Fall 2011 92nd Street Y Adult Basketball League A-Division season opener last night against Max's All Stars. League director, Mike Gordon, has given Max's All Stars the option to accept a forfeit win or play a makeup game. Max's All Stars are likely to accept the challenge of playing the makeup game at a later date.
Earl Mills, Corey Orgias, Branden Gibson, Patrick James, Reed Morgan and Kevin Major all showed up for the game and stayed to play a little friendly pickup basketball among themselves.

Fall 2011 Tri-Captains Named

Max's All Stars are proud to announce that Patrick James, Reed Morgan and Corey Orgias will serve as team Tri-Captains for the Fall 2011 season. Patrick James and Corey Orgias did not miss a game during the Summer 2011 season and have demonstrated the ability to lead this team with their actions on and off the court.
P.J. is a three-time champion with Max's All Stars and the longest tenured member on the team.
Corey was also a Tri-Captain along with Marvin Billups and John Simmons at SUNY Purchase in 2010-2011.
Reed has proven to be the ultimate team player. The ex-Tufts guard plays with reckless abandon, driving to the basket against bigger players, finishing and drawing fouls. He was co-MVP of the Spring 2011 McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball League (with Daniel Phillips) and now will join James and Orgias as team Tri-Captains this season.

New player added to the roster

Former Rockland Community College (2007-2009) and SUNY Purchase (2009-2011) forward, Kevin Major, will join the roster. Major is former teammates of Corey Orgias and Branden Gibson at SUNY Purchase. The 6'4" forward averaged 7.43 PPG, 4.16 RPG and 1.57 APG during his college career (113 games total).

Kevin Major will replace Eric Olsen, who suffered an injury, on the active roster.

Fall 2011 92nd Street Y Adult Basketball League A-Division Schedule Released

Max's All Stars will be competing in the Fall 2011 92nd Street Y Adult Basketball League A-Division. The team will be listed under "Team #5 - Max M - Maroon" in the league standings. Here is the game schedule:

Regular Season:
Date @ Time vs Opponent
Sunday, October 16 @ 6:15 PM vs Team #7 Jon L - Purple
Tuesday, October 18 @ 7:15 PM vs Team #4 Brandon A - Red
Tuesday, October 25 @ 9:15 PM vs Team #6 Jordon S - Green
Tuesday, November 1 @ 9:15 PM vs Team #2 Scott G - Carolina Blue
Tuesday, November 8 @ 8:15 PM vs Team #1 Eric F - Royal Blue
Tuesday, November 15 @ 9:15 PM vs Team #8 Chris C - Organe
Tuesday, November 29 @ 9:15 PM vs Team #3 Ray S - Black
Tuesday, December 6 @ 9:15 PM vs Team #6 Jordon S - Green

Playoffs:
First Round:
Tuesday, December 13 @ 7:15 PM 1 vs 8, @ 8:15 PM 2 vs 7, @ 9:15 PM 4 vs 5
Sunday, December 18th @ 6:15 PM 3 vs 6

Semi-Finals:
Tuesday, January 3 @ 7:15 PM Top seed vs Lowest seed, @ 8:15 PM Two other winners play

Tuesday, January 10 @ 9:15 PM Championship Game

All games will take place at the Lane Gym on the fourth floor of the 92nd Street Y May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport (address: 1395 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10128).

Max's All Stars officially register for Fall 2011 92nd Street Y Adult Basketball League A-Division

This past Thursday, September 15th, Max Margulis registered his All Stars for the upcoming Fall 2011 92nd Street Y Adult Basketball League A-Division. Games will be played mostly on Tuesday evenings beginning in mid-October. The schedule has yet to be released.

In addition to that, Max's All Stars are looking to compete in the Fall 2011 New York Alumni Sports Adult Basketball A-Division on Saturdays beginning in mid-October as well. Details are still being finalized for that.

Here is a look at the projected roster:
Name - Position

Branden Gibson - F

Corey Orgias - F

Earl Mills - F/C

Eric Olsen - G

Jerrell Lewis - G

Josiah Peay - G/F

Mike Viola - F

Nigel Byam - F/C

Patrick James - G/F

Reed Morgan - G

Max Margulis - Head Coach/General Manager

Jermaine Lewis - Assistant Coach

Max's All Stars win Summer 2011 season finale

Max's All Stars finished the Summer 2011 Basketball City Tuesday East A-Division season on a high note with a 78-65 win over the defending Spring champions, NECO. Former Hofstra forward and current New York Wizard, Darren Townes, played for NECO and had a good game. However, Max's All Stars were at their strongest with a lineup featuring Troy Whittington (26 points), Josiah Peay (who scored 6 points in his debut for the team), Earl Mills (6 points), Marvin Billups Jr (6 points), Branden Gibson and Eric Olsen (2 points each) joining regulars Patrick James (13 points) and Corey Orgias (17 points). After taking a 10-point halftime lead, Max's All Stars were sluggish at the start of the second half until Head Coach, Max Margulis, called a timeout to allow his players to settle down a little bit, reminding them that there was only 5:42 remaining in the season. The team proceeded to go on a roll towards victory after that. Max's All Stars finish the season with a 2-6 record.

Max's All Stars lose for sixth time in seven games

Max's All Stars lost for the sixth time in seven games this summer against DB-Medenilla by a final score of 63-53. Despite starting the game for the first 10+ minutes with only four players, the team held a slim 30-28 lead at halftime. But even with reinforcements showing up midway through the second half, Max's All Stars tired and could not hold on.
Nigel Byam and Earl Mills made their debuts, scoring 8 and 6 points respectively. Patrick James finished with 5 points. Marvin Billups Jr scored 8 points (all on FTs) in limited minutes. Corey Orgias and Jerrell Lewis led the team with 13 points apiece. Eric Olsen also played limited minutes.

Max's All Stars fall to 1-5 in Basketball City Tuesday East A-Division

On Tuesday, August 16th, Max's All Stars extended their losing streak to four games with a difficult 53-52 loss against DB-Covert Ops last night. Jermaine Lewis served as interim head coach during Max Margulis' one-week absence. Jerrell Lewis said "they cheated us" in reference to the referees. Eric Olsen commented as well, saying "Good squad. No bigs and I think we played soft." Marvin Billups Jr made his debut for the team and scored 17 points.

Max's All Stars drop to 1-4 with third consecutive loss

Max's All Stars dropped their third game in a row, this time against Neverwuzes by a final score of 69-59. Branden Gibson finally made his debut for the team and made valuable contributions, hitting a few long threes. The team overcame a double-digit second half deficit, tied the game and took a two-point lead, but could not hold on. The game was called with 1:37 remaining due to dangerous wet floor conditions after Eric Olsen (making his season debut) slipped an fell. He was not seriously hurt. All games there were scheduled after the 6:15 PM time slot at Grace Church School were canceled or the remainder of the evening.
With three games left, Max's All Stars have a 1-4 record.

Max's All Stars add reinforcements with four games remaining this summer

Former Bard High School Early College guard, Denzil Davis, made his debut for Max's All Stars this past week. At BHSEC, he averaged 15.7 PPG, 9.38 RPG and 5.55 APG in 56 career games according to to the PSAL website. Davis is a student at the University of Albany where he plays intramural basketball.

Marvin Billups Jr, former SUNY Purchase teammate of Corey Orgias and Jerrell Lewis, is expected to make his debut for Max's All Stars during the fifth game of the season this upcoming Tuesday, August 9th. He averaged 20.7 PPG, 6.16 RPG and 2.02 APG in 84 career games at SUNY Purchase. 

Eric Olsen will also be rejoining the team. He was a member of previous championships (Fall 2008 and Spring 2011).

These moves were made necessary by injuries to Reed Morgan (back spasms) and Jason Lewis (knee). In addition, King Pommells and Therron Scott have not been as active with this squad as they have been previously.

Max's All Stars currently sit in last place with a 1-3 record (2 points behind DB-Covert Ops, DB-Medenilla and Neverwuzes) in the Summer 2011 Basketball City Tuesday East A-Division. Only the top four teams in the league qualify for the playoffs. 

Max's All Stars drop to 1-3 with loss against DB-Medenilla

Last night at the Loyola School, Max's All Stars lost for the third time in four games - this time at the hands of DB-Medenilla by a final score of 75-52. Max's All Stars got off to a hot start with a 10-0 run to open the game and led by as many as 14 points during the first half, which finished with them ahead by a score of 37-29. However, with only five players for the second consecutive game, Max's All Stars tired midway through the second half and were obliterated by a 46-15 margin. Denzil Davis made his debut for the team.
Reinforcements are expected to come next week as Eric Olsen will be rejoining the team along with newcomer, Marvin Billups Jr.

Max's All Stars lose heartbreaker against AXA-Howard in OT

Max's All Stars lost a heartbreaker against AXA-Howard in overtime by a finale score of 56-54 with only five players - Nikola Djurdjevic (3 points), Patrick James (5 points), Jerrell Lewis (8 points), Corey Orgias (15 points) and Mike Viola (23 points). The game was shortened because AXA-Howard showed up late, but provided Max's All Stars with the opportunity to improve a lot. The five players on the court were forced to trust each other and did. Mike Viola finally had breakout performance. Unfortunately, in the final seconds Orgias and Viola combined to miss 4 of 5 FT attempts that could've sealed the win, but c'est la vie. Max's All Stars will benefit from this effort in the long run.

Max's All Stars outlast DB-Covert Ops in double overtime for first A-Division win

Last night, Max's All Stars won their first game in the Summer 2011 Basketball City Tuesday East A-Division against DB-Covert Ops by a final score of 48-47 in double overtime. Troy Whittington (18 points) and Jason Lewis made their Max's All Stars debut. Corey Orgias hit two free throws in the second overtime to win the game and finished with 17 points. Reed Morgan chipped in 9 points as well. The team showed great improvement on defense and boxed out better, but the offense regressed. It was a very sloppy game full of turnovers and Max's All Stars are fortunate to have won. There is still a lot of room for improvement going forward, but the team is headed in the right direction.

Max's All Stars lose Summer 2011 Basketball City Tuesday East A-Division Opener

Max's All Stars lost their Summer 2011 Basketball City Tuesday East A-Division opener last night against the defending Spring 2011 champions, NECO, by a final score of 83-65. It was a close game in the first half, but things got out of hand early in the second half as NECO took control towards victory. Corey Orgias (22 points) and Jerrell Lewis (18 points) made their Max's All Stars debut. Nikola Djurdjevic came off the bench, provided a spark with his hustle and chipped in with 12 points. Reed Morgan scored 10 points as well. There were quite a few defensive miscues, missed layups, a couple of mishandled subs and a lot of 1-on-1 offense that need to be address going forward. However, the game was much closer than the score indicates and was encouraging, proving that Max's All Stars do have the talent to compete on this level.

Max's All Stars jump to Basketball City A-Division for Summer 2011

Coming off winning the Spring 2011 McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball League Championship, Max's All Stars have made a few roster changes. Key contributors Eric Olsen and Michael Klein along with long-time member, Darryl Harvey Jr, will not be returning for the upcoming summer league as the team transitions to a higher level of competition in the Basketball City A-Division.

Replacing them will be five friends of Patrick James:

1. Former SUNY Purchase F/C, Corey Orgias (6'5"). Orgias was named to the 2009-10 All-Skyline Conference Men's Basketball Second Team and Player of the Week (3/1/2010). During his time with the Panthers, they won back-to-back Skyline Conference Tournaments (2010, 2011) and a regular season championship in 2010-2011. In 79 games over three seasons, Corey Orgias averaged 10.6 PPG and 6.8 RPG. Orgias transferred to SUNY Purchase (D-III) after one year at the University of New Haven (D-II) and played six games in the Spring 2011 Ramapo Amateur Basketball Association Adult Men's Spring League, averaging 25.3 PPG.
2. Former SUNY Purchase PG, Jerrell Lewis (6'2"). Lewis signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball with the UNC-Charlotte 49ers (D-I) and spent two years on the team. He played alongside future NBA first round draft picks Rashad McCants at New Hampton Prep (where he spent four years, averaging 25 PPG and 7.0 APG as a senior) and Sebastian Telfair during his middle school years. Jerrell transferred to SUNY Purchase for the 2008-2009 season, averaging 18.4 PPG and 2.4 APG in 19 games.
3. Former Berkeley Carroll G, Jason Lewis. Jerrell's brother, former high school teammate of Patrick James and Reed Morgan. Jason has played on numerous teams with his brother, Orgias, James and Morgan.
4. Recent Williams College graduate, Troy Whittington. The 6'6" forward/center from Brooklyn averaged 10.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 96 contests over four years of college. Coming out of Friends Seminary, Whittington had Division I offers from Ivy League schools before being recruited by Williams where he had an All American career.
5. Former Dominican College basketball player and current SUNY Purchase assistant coach, Branden Gibson. The 6'5" forward was a two-year starting captain at Newburgh Free Academy (graduated 2002) and played four games in the Spring 2011 Ramapo Amateur Basketball Association Adult Men's Spring League, averaging 15.2 PPG.

Everyone else from this past spring will be returning to the team in attempt to win a fifth championship overall. The league will begin play in July 2011.

Max's All Stars win Spring 2011 McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball League Championship

Max's All Stars won the Spring 2011 McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball League Championship with a win against "Bouncers" by a final score of 65-56. Daniel Phillips and Reed Morgan shared league MVP honors. Nikola Djurdjevic stole the show in the first half, attacking the basket, finishing his layups, drawing fouls and hitting free throws while chasing #3 of "Bouncers" on defense. Mike Viola helped close the game out with a huge three-pointer and clutch free throws down the stretch. Max's All Stars finished with an 8-2 record and were awarded with championship rings.

Spring 2011 McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball Champions
Standing (from left to right) - King Pommells, Eric Olsen, Therron Scott, Mike Viola, Patrick James, Daniel Phillips, Mike Klein, Max Margulis
Crouching (from left to right) - Nikola Djurdjevic and Reed Morgan 

Max's All Stars advance to McBurney YMCA championship game

Max's All Stars advanced to the McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball League championship game with a sloppy win against "Jesus Shuttlesworth" in the semi-finals by the score of 57-35. Nikola Djurdjevic, Daniel Phillips, Mike Viola, Patrick James and Reed Morgan got the team off to a 17-1 start in the first quarter and never looked back. "Bouncers" won the other semi-final game and will face Max's All Stars in the championship game next Tuesday.

Max's All Stars get redemption over "Bouncers" in McBurney YMCA regular season finale

Max's All Stars ended the McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball League regular season with a redemption win over "Bouncers" by a final score of 62-51. The team played very well and overcame some rather poor officiating. King Pommells hit back-to-back 3 pointers in the 3rd quarter, Nikola Djurdjevic did a great job defending #3 for "Bouncers" (their best player) and the All Stars closed the game out after letting the opposition creep back within one point midway through the fourth quarter. Both teams clinched a first round bye in the playoffs. The teams split their regular season meetings (1-1), but Max's All Stars have a +9 head-to-head point differential.

Regular season finale rescheduled due to Passover

Max's All Stars regular season finale at the McBurney YMCA against "Bouncers" (who are currently in first place) has been pushed back a week from Tuesday, April 19th to April 26th. Tip-off time will remain at 7:30 PM. The playoffs will take place on Tuesday, May 3rd (first round), May 10th (semi-finals) and May 17th (championship game).
A scrimmage against The New School might take place on Friday, April 22nd at Washington Irving High School Check back here for more details.

Max's All Stars improve to 5-2 at McBurney YMCA with win over "Jesus Shuttlesworth"

Max's All Stars improved to 5-2 at the McBurney YMCA with a sloppy win over "Jesus Shuttlesworth" by a final score of 67-45. The team was at near full strength for the first time all season (nine players showed up), but struggled to play cohesive team basketball. One regular season game remains before the playoffs begin.

Max's All Stars improve to 4-2 at McBurney YMCA with win over "Pippen Ain't Easy"

Max's All Stars improve to 4-2 after a short-handed win over "Pippen Ain't Easy" by a final score of 65-48. Only six players suited up and took control of the game early. Midway through the second half, the game turned into a dunk contest as Mike Viola and Reed Morgan exchanged throw downs, but nothing highlight worthy. Head coach, Max Margulis, played significant minutes but failed to accumulate any statistics.

New player added to roster

Point guard, Michael Klein, has been added to the roster and made his debut last night at the McBurney YMCA. Klein is the former high school teammate of Eric Olsen at Marlboro (NJ) and has played in various intramural basketball leagues over the years. He was a member of the "3 Balls" intramural team at the University of South Carolina in 2009 when they won the 5th annual South Carolina Intramural Recreational Sports Association (SCIRSA) State Palmetto Classic Extramural Basketball Tournament, resulting in an automatic bid to the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Regional Basketball Tournament where they reached the semi-finals and earned the Sportsmanship Award.

Max's All Stars drop to 3-2 after a double-forfeit loss at the McBurney YMCA

Max's All Stars drop to 3-2 after a double-forfeit loss at the McBurney YMCA. The game against "Underrated" ended after just three quarters with the score at 38-33 in favor of the opposition. However, Max's All Stars made an 11-0 run to end the period after being down by 16. Trash talking led to fighting between both squads and the fourth quarter of the game was called off after #16 on "Underrated" threw a punch towards Eric Olsen. #16 was immediately ejected and his status for the remainder of the season is unclear. Both teams received a double-forfeit loss and sit at 3-2 with three games remaining.

McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball Schedule Changes

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 vs. "Underrated" (7:30 PM)

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 vs. "Pippen Ain't Easy" (9:30 PM)

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 vs. "Jesus Shuttlesworth" (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011 vs. "Bouncers" (7:30 PM)

*** Playoffs ***
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 - First Round
1st and 2nd Place receive a bye
3rd Place vs. 6th Place (7:30 PM)
4th Place vs. 5th Place (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - Semi-Finals
1st Place vs. Winner of 4th vs. 5th (7:30 PM)
2nd Place vs. Winner of 3rd vs. 6th (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 - Finals
Semi-Final Winner vs. Semi-Final Winner (7:30 PM)

Max's All Stars bounce back with 66-60 win over "Knights"

Max's All Stars improve to 3-1 at the McBurney YMCA after a shorthanded, sloppy win over "Knights" by a final score of 66-60. The team blew a 21-point second half lead, but held on for the victory. Missed FTs still plagued Max's All Stars and the team continued to struggle on defense at times, but Mike Viola and Eric Olsen showed signs of improvement. The roster is still a work in progress as players are shaking off rust and learning to trust each other more.

Max's All Stars suffer disappointing defeat in third game at McBurney YMCA

Max's All Stars drop to 2-1 at the McBurney YMCA after a sloppy loss to "Bouncers" by a final score of 47-45. Darryl Harvey, Jr. made his season debut, but the team played poorly on defense, missed a couple of crucial layups and struggled mightily at the free throw line. There were a few bad calls from the referees and the scorekeepers might have missed a couple of points on both sides after Max's All Stars went up 21-8 in the second quarter. #3 for the "Bouncers" had an excellent game, torching the defense all night.
Max's All Stars will be back at it next Tuesday against "Knights" at 8:30 PM.

Max's All Stars off to 2-0 start at McBurney YMCA

Max's All Stars are off to a 2-0 start at the McBurney YMCA after another short-handed lopsided win, this time over "Jesus Shuttlesworth" by a final score of 66-25. Only six players attended the game. Nikola Djurdjevic and Therron Scott made their season debut. Despite the 41-point margin of victory, there were still a few missed opportunities for the team as they struggled at the line and mishandled a couple layups.

Max's All Stars defeat "Jesus Shuttlesworth"
Final Score: 66-25

Max's All Stars win McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball opener

Last night, Max's All Stars won their McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball opener over "Pippen Ain't Easy" by a final score of 60-17. At halftime of the lopsided contest, the score was 36-6. Reed Morgan scored the first 10 points of the game and Max Margulis tallied the final 3. All 7 players who showed up contributed to the victory.

Max's All Stars defeat "Pippen Ain't Easy"
Final Score: 60-17

Spring 2011 McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball Schedule Released

*** Regular Season ***
Tuesday, March 1, 2011 vs. "Pippen Ain't Easy" (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 vs. "Jesus Shuttlesworth" (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 vs. "Bouncers" (7:30 PM)

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 vs. "Knights" (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, April 5, 2011 vs. "Underrated" (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 vs. "Pippen Ain't Easy" (7:30 PM)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011 vs. "Jesus Shuttlesworth" (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, April 26, 2011 vs. "Bouncers" (7:30 PM)

*** Playoffs ***
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - First Round
1st and 2nd Place receive a bye
3rd Place vs. 6th Place (7:30 PM)
4th Place vs. 5th Place (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 - Semi-Finals
1st Place vs. Winner of 4th vs. 5th (7:30 PM)
2nd Place vs. Winner of 3rd vs. 6th (8:30 PM)

Tuesday, May 17, 2011 - Finals
Semi-Final Winner vs. Semi-Final Winner (7:30 PM)

The King's College Scrimmage Recap

November 30th, 2010
Max's Auerbachers returned to action in a scrimmage against The King's College club basketball team. The Auerbachers managed to win with only 6 players - Max Margulis, Eric Olsen, King Pommells, Therron Scott, Patrick James and his friend, Reed Morgan (a former guard at Tufts University). The final score was 81-65. There were no referees or an official scorekeeper.

Summer 2010 Recap

Max's Auerbachers were at it again, looking to win back-to-back summer league championships. They decided to join the Basketball City B-Division on Tuesday nights. Six members returned from the Summer 2009 roster (Therron Scott, Nikola Djurdjevic, Dale Johnson, Patrick James, Nelson Jimenez and Darryl Harvey, Jr.) and were joined by Mike Viola and Eric Olsen along with fill-ins King Pommells (who contributed 10 points in his only game - a win against DB-Blazers that helped Max's Auerbachers clinch a playoff berth), Ben Leavitt and Quraan Davis.
However, the team finished 6-4 after a 2-3 start and lost in the semi-finals to the undefeated eventual champions, Fast Break King.

*** Roster ***
1 - Therron Scott - F
2 - Nikola Djurdjevic - F/C
6 - Dale Johnson - G
9 - Patrick James - G/F
10 - Nelson Jimenez - G
12 - Eric Olsen - G
14 - Darryl Harvey, Jr. - G/F
15 - Mike Viola - F/C
20 - Ben Leavitt - G/F
22 - Quraan Davis - F/C
N/A - King Pommells - G

Summer 2010 Basketball City B-Division Schedule/Results:
*** Regular Season ***
Tuesday, July 6th versus ESPN the Magazine
W, 57-46
Tuesday, July 13th versus Off Constantly
L, 49-36
Tuesday, July 20th versus Appnexus
W, 57-35
Tuesday, July 27th versus AXA-Hot
L, 57-54
Tuesday, August 3rd versus Fast Break King
L, 64-61 (OT)
Tuesday, August 10th versus Frommer Lawrence
W, 54-41
Tuesday, August 17th versus Silverado
W, 51-38
Thursday, August 26th versus DB-Blazers
W, 54-45
*** Playoffs ***
Tuesday, August 31st versus Fiddlers (first round)
W, 52-51 (OT)
Thursday, September 2nd versus Fast Break King (semi-finals)
L, 67-54

Summer 2009 Recap

After founding and running Hofstra Club Basketball during their inaugural season of operation, Max Margulis decided to start a team in the Summer 2009 92nd Street Y B-Division. The squad would be known as Max's Auerbachers, but the roster was comprised of many players who competed against the team at Hofstra in Intramural 5v5 Basketball at the Recreation Center.

Max's Auerbachers finished 7-3, clinched the #2 seed and a first round playoff bye en route to winning the championship. In the title game, Max's Auerbachers beat the undefeated and established 92nd Street Y B-Division veterans, Eric K - Carolina Blue, in overtime by a final score of 46-40.

Roster (in numerical order):

1 - Patrick James - G/F

2 - Therron Scott - F

3 - Dale Johnson - G

4 - Mike Berrouet - F

5 - Ariel Bautista - F/C

10 - Nelson Jimenez - G

11 - Rafael Benoit - G

12 - Marek Chmielowiec - G/F

13 - Nikola Djurdjevic - F/C

14 - Darryl Harvey, Jr. - G/F

Summer 2009 92nd Street Y B-Division Schedule/Results:

*** Regular Season ***

Wednesday, June 10th versus #2 Eric K - Carolina Blue

L, 55-40

Wednesday, June 17th versus #1 Samlyn Capitals - Red

W, 49-38

Wednesday, June 24th versus #4 Lerone V - Navy

W, 43-35

Wednesday, July 8th versus #5 George S - Orange

L, 59-56

Wednesday, July 15th versus #3 Jordan S - Green

W, 54-45

Wednesday, July 22nd versus #1 Samlyn Capitals - Red

W, 48-42

Wednesday, July 29th versus #4 Lerone V - Navy

L, 50-48 (OT)

Wednesday, August 5th versus #5 George S - Orange

W, 61-54

*** Playoffs ***

Wednesday, August 19th versus #4 Lerone V- Navy (semi-finals)

W, 61-47

Tuesday, August 25th versus #2 Eric K - Carolina Blue (championship game)

W, 46-40 (OT)

Summer 2009 92Y B-Division
Photo credit: Alexander Margulis

Fall 2008 Recap

Max's Auerbachers finally broke through and won the Fall 2008 Hofstra Intramural 5v5 Basketball Championship with an 8-0 record. The team was comprised of many returners (Anthony Vitolo, Ben Leavitt, Ethan Ruda, and Jose Amor) along with quite a few new members (Mike Viola, Eric Olsen, Rafael Benoit, Mike Berrouet, Sabbir Liakat and Jack Swanson). Viola and Olsen were members of the Fall 2007 Hofstra Intramural 5v5 Basketball Champions, United Nations, and decided to join Max's Auerbachers in search of back-to-back titles.
Head Coach, Max Margulis, appeared in five games during the season and scored a career high of 8 points, averaging 1.6 PPG.

Fall 2008 Hofstra Intramural 5v5 Basketball Schedule/Results:
*** Regular Season ***
Thursday, September 25th versus Lightning
W, 59-40
Thursday October 2nd versus The Aces
W, 65-37
Thursday, October 23rd versus We Real
W, Forfeit
Thursday, October 30th versus Basketball Awesomeness
W, 47-30
*** Playoffs ***
Tuesday, November 11th versus Team Windex (first round)
W, 44-32
Thursday, November 13th versus Basketball Awesomeness (quarterfinals)
W, 64-46
Tuesday, November 18th versus We Da Best (semifinals)
W, 66-52
Thursday, November 20th versus Outkast (championship game)
W, 45-34

Max's Auerbachers celebrating their first championship!
Watch the full celebration here: https://youtu.be/KY579PdAc9U

Fall 2007 Recap

In Spring 2007, Margulis changed the name of his team to Max's Auerbachers (in honor of the late Boston Celtics legend, Arnold "Red" Auerbach) and competed in Hofstra Intramural 3v3 Basketball with Kaheem Evans and Edore Ohimor to improve their game. During that semester, the team acquired Ben "Maine" Leavitt (who later became the sixth man for the Fall 2007 squad). With many others filling in from time to time, Max's Auerbachers finished 7-3 and came up short in the first round of the Hofstra Intramural 3v3 Basketball playoffs.

Immediately following the Spring 2007 semester, Margulis made an offer to Anthony "Bogut" Vitolo, who accepted on September 11th, 2007. That very night at the Recreation Center, following the announcement of Vitolo joining Max's Auerbachers (along with Ohimor and Leavitt already on the roster) Jose Amor and Ethan Ruda agreed to return while Gary Chiang and Mike Shtifter were also added. Through Chiang's connections, Ian Van Doren and freshman forward, Fernando Signorelli, were also added to what became a crowded, but extremely talent roster. Kaheem Evans also returned to the team and appeared in a few games.
Max's Auerbachers finished 5-2 overall, with both losses coming against the eventual champions, United Nations. However, the team did end a long winning streak for the defending champion, Yung Gunz, in the semi-finals en route to reaching the championship game for the first time at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

November 15, 2007 - Hofstra Intramural 5v5 Basketball Championship Game
Photo taken of both teams, United Nations and Max's Auerbachers, before tip-off

Fall 2007 Hofstra Intramural 5v5 Basketball Schedule/Results:
*** Regular Season ***
Monday, October 22nd versus Fresh to Death
W, 36-34
Monday, October 29th versus DSP
W, Forfeit
Monday, November 5th versus United Nations
L, 68-50
Wednesday, November 7th versus The Shottas
W, 58-45
*** Playoffs ***
Tuesday, November 13th versus Fresh to Death
W, 50-48 (first round)
Wednesday, November 14th versus Yung Gunz
W, 53-44 (semi-finals)
Thursday, November 15th versus United Nations
L, 54-42 (championship game)

The Fall 2007 Hofstra Intramural 5v5 Basketball Champions, United Nations, featured five seniors (Dominic Miller, Joe Pena, Collis Spann, Andrew Graham and Matthew Cory Alfin) along with two future members of Max's Auerbachers (Eric Olsen and Mike Viola).

Fall 2006 Recap

Operating under the name "Max's Team", the following players contributed to a 6-3 record in the Fall 2006 Hofstra Intramural 5v5 Basketball League:

Alex Wolf - G/F

Edore Ohimor - F/C

Ethan Ruda - G

James Dowdell - G

Jose Amor - G

Kaheem Evans - G

Mickey Tempone - F

Mike Leslie - F

Mike Shtifter - G

Terry Henderson - F/C

Max Margulis - Coach

Max's Team began play in September 2006 after Max Margulis assembled a roster by being outgoing, talking to people randomly, putting up flyers around campus and spending time at the Recreation Center. The team was led by former Division III star, Terry Henderson (Colby-Sawyer) and featured five freshmen (starters Edore Ohimor, Ethan Ruda and Jose Amor plus role players Mickey Tempone and Kaheem Evans). Junior guard, Alex Wolf, was a key contributor as well along with a couple of fill-ins (James Dowdell, Mike Shtifter and Mike Leslie).

Max's Team won a first round playoff game and advanced to the semi-finals, where they lost to the eventual champion, Yung Gunz, who were led by Darryl Harvey Jr., Therron Scott, Chakiris McBrown, Matt Latham, Azal Ahmed, Daniel Phillips, Andrew Graham, Joe Pena, Otis Scerbo, Nelson Suero and Trevaughn Greene.

Final roster spot filled for McBurney YMCA Adult Basketball League

Max's All Stars have added guard, Kevin Cheddie, to the roster - filling the 10th and final open spot. Cheddie has been a member of Hofstra Club Basketball since 2008 and previously played for St. Francis Preparatory School.

Max's All Stars to compete in the McBurney YMCA Winter/Spring Adult Basketball League

Max's All Stars will begin competing in the McBurney YMCA on Tuesday, February 15th in preparation for their first game a week later on the 22nd.
According to their website (link: http://www.ymcanyc.org/mcburney/adult/sports/): "This league is for men and women ages 18 and over who wish to compete in competitive play. This organized league will hold its games on Tuesday evenings. Players must sign up as a team, rosters limited to 10 members. Each player will receive a team shirt and the first place team will receive trophies. NCAA rules apply."

As of right now, Max's All Stars have nine players on the roster:
Daniel Phillips - F/C
Darryl Harvey, Jr. - G/F
Eric Olsen - G
King Pommells - G
Mike Viola - F
Nikola Djurdjevic - F/C
Patrick James - G/F
Reed Morgan - G
Therron Scott - F

Head coach, Max Margulis, is evaluating a few candidates for the tenth and final open roster spot.

Max's All Stars get an official team blog

Max's All Stars have started a blog as another means of spreading the word! Game recaps and all news related to the team will be posted here. Interviews with current and former team members will be conducted as well.
The main reason for this blog is to preserve the history of a team.