In the 2023-2034 Season, teams from around Slokais look to win the Stacy Daniel’s Trophy. Who will win after last year’s shocking win by the South Riverland Steamers? Let’s look at each of the four divisions, Gold, Silver, Blue, and Green. As well as predict the playoffs.
Gold Division
Probably the weakest division overall this season as well as historically. After the relegation of the Princeton Kings in the playoff, the team that beat them the Hua-Qisa Warriors look to survive. Despite having a stadium capacity of less than 10,000 in the league’s first fully outdoor stadium the Warriors have some of the best fans in the league, so expect games at Island Municipal Park to be good.
Rankings:
Divsion Title: San Fernando Ballclub: 55-17
SF Ballclub dominates the Gold Division and is the only team with any serious chance of winning the league. SF still retains the core that won the 2020 Championship despite the retirement of former MVP, Spencer Balinong. The team also has the league’s best Final Line with each of the 5 starters being included in the Team of the Season. This is also the 20th season of manager, Xavier Noriega who was the lead the team to the playoffs in the last 10 consecutive seasons and won Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2020.
2nd Place: Colorado Waterbuffalo: 46-26
The Waterbuffalo have had little post-season success despite appearing in the finals in 2019. Much of the team has been traded away, many going on to better things including last year’s MVP, Jaymond Chu. However, keep an eye out for the undersized Liam Tereno, Tereno averaged 26.5 points per game last season despite the team losing in the wild-card series.
Wild Card Spot: Grand Bank Hawks: 38-36
Have been okay for the last 5 years, never bad enough to benefit from the draft but never good enough to make it far in the playoffs. Got lucky with the schedule, without this, the Hawks would be toward the bottom. Some solid pieces, yet no real stars to take this team to the next level, The best hope is that rookies turn out to be good.
4th: Salvador City Pythons: 32-40
Will always be in the shadow of SF Ballclub, although this team and its fanbase have a lot of heart. This is everyone’s #2 team with a few fan favorites such as Thiago Adams and Luca Hwang. The Kings probably have some of the most passionate supporters in the league despite such an outdated stadium. though if you do visit a home game don’t stay out in Salvador City.
5th Wojiang Bay Pirates: 27-45
Despite last year’s name change from Point Lee to Woijiang Bay, the Pirates continue to struggle to fill the PLI Industry Center they share with Weston Road FC. It’s been a long time since the super team of the early 1990s invented kicking as a viable scoring option. Despite being some of the league’s biggest spenders last year, their signings have failed to pan out. Any sports fans in the Wojiang Bay Area will probably be at their football affiliate Weston Road away days versus Papal Rangers or Usera FC.
6th: Benian City Seahawks: 25-47
The Seahawks got unlucky with the draft this summer, getting only the 5th pick despite being the worst team in the league and not in the relegation zone. The initial hype around their promotion and initial success a few years ago has burned off and the type is actively rebuilding their entire roster. If any other division they would be in the Relegation Playoff.
Relegation Playoff: Hua-Qisa Warriors: 16-56
No offense to this team or its die-hard fanbase but this team’s time is not now. With a payroll smaller than what some teams spend on single players in a month at SM 1.3 million. The team from Hua-Qisa, Eastern Isles a town of 30,000 the Warriors had a great season in the G2 League last year. The team is made up of mostly local or indigenous players. Playing in a festival ground with the Wall’s being freestanding, this team had to spend almost SM 500,000 on just complying with broadcast and league requirements for teams. If you do go to Hua-Qisa do get some of their well-known Curry Fried Catfish, served to you by teenagers on paper napkins.
Blue Division
Division Title: Northrock United: 58-14
Northrock has once assembled again built a perfect team. This team barely lost in the finals last year, in the first championship series contested between teams from the same division. Losing a close Final Round 54-52. League MVP, Hidalgo Kilpatrick averaged 31.5 points per game and 12.4 assists per game. With him is the league’s best kicker Joshua Lin with 8.5 scores per game.
2nd Place: South Riverlands Steamers: 56-16
This team’s win last year was one of the sports stories last year, as the team went from being in relegation place to winning the championship in four months. The team signed a number of pieces to make their team even deeper, in any division this team would win the division.
Wild Card Spot: New Liverpool Ballclub: 46-26
Still a very good team, NL Ballclub has not won since 2001 despite being one of the league’s most popular teams. With a very balanced lineup overall, this team should win the Wild Card Round. The favorite team of Joseph Chavez and anyone in New Liverpool of Northrock and Southland. The exact line that has been identified around 14th Street in Midtown New Liverpool.
4th Place: San Jose Titians: 40-32
The Titans are close to making the playoffs but don’t have the same level of players as the top of the division. Either way, fans can enjoy the new Dasi Motors Arena, the most high-tech stadium in the league with the first Wall that is a display board thanks to augmented technology.
5th Place: Southland Althletic’s: 36-36
The Athletics are the definition of average, In recent years’s The A’s have gone unlucky being stuck in a state between rebuild and success. They could easily do much better or do much worse depending on their form.
6th Place: San Sabla Catamounts: 29-43
The Catamounts have been constantly stuck towards the bottom of the divisional table since being promoted in 2021. This season, the Catamounts had the first pick in the draft, using it to draft Kaleb Walsh directly from high school. Walsh is known for his quick speed and successful serve rate.
Relegation Spot: Silverado Valley Miners: 20-54
The Miners have struggled in previous years and this is just a continuation of that trend. The Miners have survived the Relegation playoffs the last 2 years, so they are likely to survive again. Hopefully, this team for the sake of its fans, the Miners show some signs of improvement.
