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Twas the night before the Blue and Gold and all through SWMO. Excitement was beaming to all involved. The players, the teams, and the fans all prepared with care. In hope that a championship will soon be theirs.
We have almost made it. The seedings and bracket are finalized. Teams are putting together their final game plan adjustments and we are gearing up for the most intense week of basketball in the area. This year I wanted to try something new that I have done with my friends for years but this time I want to do it for you guys. Almost everyone has played fantasy football. Some more has done fantasy basketball. Not very many has ever done fantasy Blue & Gold. Typically me and my buddies have done this just one game at a time but this year we are making it bigger and involving all 16 teams.
This is how the friendly competition will work. With the inability to accurately stat in both gyms, The scoring will be primarily points based. Each point scored = one fantasy point. Every three is a two point bonus (5 total), Dunks give a five point bonus (7 total), Game winners with less than three seconds left give a 8 point bonus. (10 total or 11 for a GW 3) If we get live stats, then we will adjust accordingly.
The four of us drafted seven rounds of players involved in this year’s tournament to fill seven “utility slots. The participants for the Blue and Gold Fantasy challenge is Skylan Akins representing team SWMO, Former writer for SWMO Jake Flanders representing team Flanders, Golden City basketball coach Michael Reeves representing team Reeves, and a local anonymous AAU insider representing team AAU.
This is how the draft played out…….
Round 1
1.01 Team Flanders: Kyle Pock Bolivar
1.02 Team Reeves: Zach Howell Springfield Catholic
1.03 Team SWMO: Andrew Dalton Ava
1.04 Team AAU: Brayden Shorter Kickapoo
Round 2
2.01 Team AAU: Tanner Jones Greenwood
2.02 Team SWMO: Lawson Beem Skyline
2.03 Team Reeves: AK Rael Strafford
2.04 Team Flanders: Ethan Whatley Ozark
Round 3
3.01 Team Flanders: Zaide Lowery Kickapoo
3.02 Team Reeves: Ahlante Askew Republic
3.03 Team SWMO: Kael Combs Nixa
3.04 Team AAU: Jarrett Nelson Nixa
Round 4
4.01 Team AAU: Colin Ruffin Nixa
4.02 Team SWMO: Trey Pulford Willard
4.03 Team Reeves: Aiden Vaught Crane
4.04 Team Flanders: Sam Mooreland Ash Grove
Round 5
5.01 Team Flanders: Ty Cooper Reeds Spring
5.02 Team Reeves: Antonio Starks-Fewell Central
5.03 Team SWMO: Jaden McCoy Spokane
5.04 Team AAU: Zach Mings Marshfield
Round 6
6.01 Team AAU: Haden Brown Willard
6.02 Team SWMO: Jay Baxter Stockton
6.03 Team Reeves: Kyle Scharbrough Branson
6.04 Team Flanders: Tommy Pinegar Greenwood
Round 7
7.01 Team Flanders: Grant Culver Hartville
7.02 Team Reeves: Nic Burri Greenwood
7.03 Team SWMO: Jaesik Friggle Aurora
7.04 Team AAU: Bryce Walker Central
With the draft being finished here is how each of our teams look
Team Flanders
| Kyle Pock | Bolivar |
| Ethan Whatley | Ozark |
| Zaide Lowery | Kickapoo |
| Sam Moreland | Ash Grove |
| Ty Cooper | Reeds Spring |
| Tommy Pinegar | Greenwood |
| Grant Culver | Hartville |
Team Reeves
| Zach Howell | Catholic |
| AK Rael | Strafford |
| Ahlante Askew | Republic |
| Aiden Vaught | Crane |
| Antonio Starks-Fewell | Central |
| Kyle Scharbrough | Branson |
| Nic Burri | Greenwood |
Team SWMO
| Andrew Dalton | Ava |
| Lawson Beem | Skyline |
| Kael Combs | Nixa |
| Trey Pulford | Willard |
| Jaden McCoy | Spokane |
| Jay Baxter | Stockton |
| Jaesik Friggle | Aurora |
Team AAU
| Brayden Shorter | Kickapoo |
| Tanner Jones | Greenwood |
| Jarrett Nelson | Nixa |
| Colin Ruffin | Nixa |
| Zach Mings | Marshfield |
| Haden Brown | Willard |
| Bryce Walker | Central |
With anything like this there is sure to be a few that got missed and left out. Here are some of the biggest snubs that could have us regretting our picks.
Hayze Hoffman Aurora
Kai Brown Mt. Vernon
Peyton McBride Marshfield
Gavin Davis Willard
Kourt Cheek Skyline
Lukas Gabani Bolivar
Layne Colvin Stockton
Liam O’Reilly Catholic
Ty Lyons Catholic
We will keep you updated on the results as the tournament progresses. We want to hear from you guys. Who’s team do you like best?