On top of the Blue and Gold Divisions, the newer Silver and Green Divisions both have a depth and history of success. Here are our predictions for the standings as well as a general preview of league rules and events.
Silver Division
Division Title: Beaufort Lightning: 53-19
Despite finishing in the wild card last season, this team can only go up. The team had not one but two, Rookie of the Year finalists last year. The Lightning also impressed in the off-season by going undefeated in the Summer League with a team of bench players.
2nd Place: Victoria City Ironmen: 48-24
The Ironmen finished last season as divisional champions for the first team in 5 year suggesting some promise for the once-great team. Much of the success was driven by their star attacker, Jamie Robles who also won Most Improved Player last season. However, Robles was injured in a pre-season game leaving him out for at least the first half of the season. They will still be good but will struggle against strong defensive teams.
3rd Place: Ciudad Victoria Bateadores: 42-30
This team probably has the most intense crosstown rivalry in the entire league with the Ironmen as the two teams have often both been fighting for playoff spots. Last season, a game between the two team’s was canceled after the Ironmen’s bus was attacked leaving players injured. The divide between these two teams who are located just 3 miles away from each other also leads to on-the-court drama, as when a Bateadores player signed for the Ironmen his home was surrounded by Bateadores supporter’s groups.
4th Place: San Fernando Valley Stars: 38-34
After the retirement of the future hall of famer, Manuel Chang in 2021, who brought the team their only league title in 2018, the Stars have reloaded their roster with young players along with veterans of that 2018 championship squad. 4th would be a success after their relegation spot finish last year.
5th Place: Pindai Brown Bears: 32-50
The Brown Bears are probably the most boring team in the entire league, they aren’t really going anywhere in terms of players with a somewhat sold squad made up of players who wouldn’t start on top-tier teams. The Pindai Event Center is a genic-dated indoor venue that usually fails to fill all 23,000 seats.
6th Place: Kirkwall Islanders: 27-45
The Islanders, probably have the strangest stadium configuration with a converted dated football ground, with massive temporary walls placed where the goals would normally be, leading some seats to be wedged in and odd angles. On the court, the Islanders play a constant, all-out attack strategy, leading to high-scoring games even if they lose, last year in a game against the Benian City Seahawks, the score ended up being 94-87 in favor of the Islanders. This was the third highest-scoring game ever played and the longest without extra time.
Relegation Spot: Newland Greyhounds: 21-49
Constant relegation favorites, the Greyhounds have gone up and down to the G2 League, constantly. The Greyhounds have long struggled to make up the financial advantage of other league teams, with the second smallest payroll in the league.
Green Division
Division Title: Kaijan City Dragons: 58-14
The Dragons lost out last year to the South Riverlands Steamers in the semi-finals. The Dragons look to take revenge this season. The Dragons remain extremely popular with the team being able to constantly fill the Kaijan National Stadium. The Dragons are the most political clubs in Slokais, with their stands being filled with banners of Kaijanese independence slogans every game.
2nd Place: Ciudad Esenavda Broncos: 50-22
The Broncos have constantly been in title contention for almost the last 5 years. Primarily supported by superstar, Marcelo Bendler. Bendler has constantly been near the top of the league leader in points per game, including an impressive 27.8 points per game, almost half of the team’s average points per game. If the Broncos don’t win or at least prove themselves this season, Bendler will surely leave.
Wild Card: Pendang Knights: 43-29
The Knights will be disappointed to lag behind their crosstown rivals the Dragons for yet another season but the quality is not the same as the Knights are the first team to lag behind the league leaders of the Broncos and Dragons.
4th Place: South Kaijan Lions: 35-37
The Lions have improved over recent seasons despite the club nearly going bankrupt last season after its previous owner was arrested for an unrelated racketeering charge. The team has been bought by a development group from San Fernando, with the group suggesting selling the naming rights of Mohamed Zavala Dome. This decision has drawn criticism as Zavala remains a popular historical figure.
5th Place: Dockland Ballclub: 30-42
Founded as a new club in 2017, the team failed to retain fans in the already crowded market of Kaijan City this combined with several poor drafting and trade decisions has left the team in a full rebuild. Every new club has a few years of struggle but the team’s performance is tiering it’s fans. The club has also drawn criticism from Islamic groups for being the ATEC Brewery which owns a nearby microbrewery.
6th Place: Cupertino Clippers: 27-45
Despite the position near the bottom of the league, the Clippers are more popular outside of Slokais than in Cupertino. This is for the annual mid-season participation in the International Classic. In 2022, their game against the Pindai Brown Bears drew massive crowds in Mallaca City. The Clippers’ popularity is due to Cupertino being the initial port of entry for those from Mallacaland. For many Mallcans wearing Clippers gear is a sense of pride and success for those returning home.
Relegation Spot: Clydwood Valley Wildcats: 21-51
For the Wildcats, each of their division games has an average travel time of 5 hours by flight. The organizational structure of the league means that the Wildcats play in a division originally intended for tropical Kaijan and the surrounding islands. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are from the not-so-tropical Acadian Hills within the Outer Islands. This combined with the recent promotion will make this season very difficult for them.
The season will begin this week and last until May with 72 games in total, however, the season will pause in December for the mid-season break for the International Classic and for Drywall Ball World Cup qualification matches.
