UPWARD SPORTSCENTER WELCOME TO THE 2024 UPWARD SPORTSCENTER Court of Dreams tickets as low as $34. Email CEvans@pacers.com to get yours ORDER PACERS TICKETS HERE (Tickets subject to availability after Mar 7th) CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY – MARCH 9th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division Championship [standings] #2 Thunder Kittens Win 21-13 over the #1 Benjamite Wolves WATCH IT HERE 2024 5/6th GIRLS CHAMPIONS – THUNDER KITTENS 2024 5/6th GIRLS RUNNER UP – BENJAMITE WOLVES 5/6th Boys Division Championship [standings] #2 Bethlehem Kings Win 33-27 over the #1 Warriors WATCH IT HERE 2024 5/6th BOYS CHAMPIONS – BETHLEHEM KINGS 2024 5/6th BOYS RUNNER UP – WARRIORS 7-9th Girls Division Championship [standings] #2 Wildcats Win 21-9 over the #1 Raptors WATCH IT HERE 2024 7-9th GIRLS CHAMPIONS – WILDCATS 2024 7-9th GIRLS RUNNER UP – RAPTORS 7/8th Boys Division Championship [standings] #1 Supersonics Win 44-37 over #2 Bearcats WATCH IT HERE 2024 7/8th BOYS CHAMPIONS – SUPERSONICS 2024 7/8th BOYS RUNNER UP – BEARCATS FINAL FOUR Friday March 8th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] #2 Thunder Kittens Win 30-14 over the #3 Lionesses #1 Benjamite Wolves Win 20-15 over the #5 Timnah Hornets 5/6th Boys Division [standings] #1 Warriors Win 31-24 over the #4 Bulls WATCH IT HERE #2 Bethlehem Kings Win 32-19 over #3 Athens Athletics WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] #1 Supersonics Win 41-33 over the #5 Damascus Blinders WATCH IT HERE # 2 Bearcats Win 38-29 over the #6 Storm WATCH IT HERE Thursday March 7th, 2024 7-9th Girls Division FINAL FOUR [standings] #1 Raptors Win 18-15 over the #4 Sting WATCH IT HERE #2 Wildcats Win 38-20 over the #3 Mt Sinai Big Ten WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division ELITE EIGHT [standings] #2 Bearcats Win 38-21 over #7 Thunder WATCH IT HERE #5 Damascus Blinders Win 25-13 over the #4 Lions #1 Supersonics Win 47-10 over the #9 Huskies WATCH IT HERE #6 Storm Win 42-27 over the #3 Avalanche Tuesday March 5th, 2024 5/6th Boys Division [standings] #1 Warriors Win 38-35 over the #8 Panthers WATCH IT HERE #4 Bulls Win 39-15 over the #5 Nazareth Carpenters WATCH IT HERE #2 Bethlehem Kings Win 46-4 over #7 Blazers WATCH IT HERE 7-9th Girls Division [standings] #4 Sting Win 31-23 over the #5 Red Hawks #3 Mt Sinai Big Ten Win 30-8 over the #6 Liberty #2 Wildcats Win 31-13 over the #7 Mercury WATCH IT HERE Monday March 4th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] #5 Timnah Hornets Win 26-9 over the #4 Diamonds #2 Thunder Kittens win 28-10 over #7 Sky WATCH IT HERE #3 Lionesses Win 15-6 over the #6 Stars 5/6th Boys Division [standings] #3 Athens Athletics Win 19-11 over the #6 Jericho Demolition #8 Panthers Win 28-26 over the #9 Runnin’ Rebels WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] #9 Huskies Win 37-33 over the #8 Nineveh Rebounders Double Overtime Sunday March 3rd, 2024 Tournament Games Start Monday March 4th 5/6th grade Girls & Boys Opening Round & 7/8th grade Boys Opening Round BRACKETOLOGY SUNDAY 5/6th Girls Division [standings] 5/6th Boys Division [standings] 7-9th Girls Division [standings] 7/8th Boys Division [standings] Order your Pacers Night tickets today! Court of Dreams tickets as low as $34. Email CEvans@pacers.com to get yours ORDER PACERS TICKETS HERE (Deadline MARCH 7th) SAVE THE DATES: 2024 Southwest Ohio Upward League Tournament March 4-9th 2024 Saturday March 2nd, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] Week 8 fired up the pre-tournament excitement. There were three 1 vs 2 seed matchups today. The first was in the 5/6th girls division where the Thunder Kittens took on the undefeated Benjamite Wolves. The game was close the entire way but the Wolves made critical steals & shots down the stretch to take the win and head into the tournament as the 8-0 #1 seed. After dropping their 1st game, the Thunder Kittens had to regain themselves and prepare for the Timnah Hornets. The Hornets came in hot, but the Kittens found a way to pull ahead at the half. The momentum swung back in favor of the Hornets in the 4th and the game was tied up with 30 seconds left. The Kittens were able to put back a rebound for a 2-point lead and that’s all they needed as the Hornets couldn’t convert their remaining opportunities to buckets. The Thunder Kittens at 6-2 are the #2 seed and the Timnah Hornets at 3-5 are the 5th seed. The Lionesses (6-2) had a rematch with the Stars but it was not very close, as the big cats won easily 28-11. With the win, the Lionesses stay in 3rd place heading into tournament play. The Stars enter the bracket as a 6th seed. The Diamonds finish up the regular season at .500 with a 15-8 win over the Sky. The Diamonds are the #4 seed and the Sky are #7. 5/6th GIRLS SCOREBOARD Benjamite Wolves Win 26-22 over Thunder Kittens WATCH IT HERE Lionesses Win 28-11 over the Stars Diamonds Win 15-8 over the Sky Thunder Kittens Win 25-23 over the Timnah Hornets WATCH IT HERE 5/6th Boys Division [standings] After an exciting week 7 featuring a 1 vs 2 matchup, week 8 was relatively quiet. The #1 Warriors routed the #9 Runnin’ Rebels 27-10 and they now focus on their path in the tournament which could end up looking like a rematch with the Rebels if the #9 Rebels can get past the #8 Panthers in the 8 vs 9 play-in game. The #2 Bethlehem Kings set the Blazers on fire with a 42-11 scorching. The Kings look like they are homing in their shooting skills as they enter the tournament this week. The Blazers have their work cut out for them. As the #7 seed, they will play the #2 seed Bethlehem Kings in the 1st round. The #3 Athens Athletics survived a scare from the #5 Nazareth Carpenters. The Athletics finished on top though 19-13 and will take on the #6 Jericho Demolition in round 1 of the Tournament. The #4 Bulls fine-tuned their game today, playing against the #8 Panthers. While maybe closer than they would have liked, the Bulls took over the game and handled the Panthers 26-15. It looks like there could be a lot of close games in the 5/6th grade tournament this year. The outcome is very hard to predict, so we will just have to watch & enjoy all of the games 🙂 5/6th GRADE BOYS SCOREBOARD Athens Athletics Win 19-13 over the Nazareth Carpenters WATCH IT HERE Warriors Win 27-10 over the Runnin’ Rebels WATCH IT HERE Bulls Win 26-15 over the Panthers Bethlehem Kings Win 42-11 over the Blazers 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The 7/9th grade girls division has some nailbiters today! The long-awaited rematch of the #1 Raptors and #2 Wildcats turned out to be a defensive battle into the 2nd half. However, the Raptors kept at it and eventually hit some critical shots to take over the lead before eventually finishing with a 17-10 victory and an 8-0 record on the season. The #3 Mt Sinai Big Ten survived a scare against the #7 Mercury finishing with a 14-12 advantage. The #4 Sting held off the #6 Liberty 27-23. The #5 Red Hawks did not have a game today, so this afternoon was all about doing jumping jacks and pushups in the parking lot as they wait to see who they’ll play in the 1st round. Now they know it will be the Sting in Round #1. 7-9th GIRLS SCOREBOARD Mt. Sinai Big Ten Win 14-12 over Mercury WATCH IT HERE Sting Win 27-23 over the Liberty Raptors Win 17-10 over Wildcats WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] The third 1 vs 2 matchup of the day was saved for the last Southwest Ohio Upward League game of the season, but it did not live up to the hype. The #1 Supersonics jumped to and early lead and maintained control most of the way. The #2 Bearcats fought back but they struggled to get things firing on all cylinders as the Sonics cruised to a 47-34 victory. The Supersonics were on a roll today. The Bearcats game was their 2nd game of the day. In game 1 the Sonics bested the #4 Lions 35-24. The other top 4 team, the #3 Avalanche, lost a 43-37 battle against hometown rival #6 Storm. The Storm even their record up at 4-4 on the season but given their ability to light up the scoreboard, this upset should not come as a surprise. The #5 Damascus Blinders had the day off, as did the # 7 Thunder. Both teams finished their regular season last weekend. The #8 Nineveh Rebounders finally got that win but it didn’t come easy. The Rebounders and Huskies both came into the game looking with W#1 and it came down to the wire. In the end, the Rebounders outlasted the #9 Huskies and took a 34-30 victory. Hopefully these 2 teams didn’t get too tired of each other, because they will get to play each other again in the #8 vs #9 7/8th boys tournament play-in game Monday night. It’s Tournament Time!! 7/8th GRADE BOYS SCOREBOARD Nineveh Rebounders Win 34-30 over the Huskies WATCH IT HERE Storm Win 43-37 over the Avalanche Supersonics Win 35-24 over the Lions WATCH IT HERE Supersonics Win 47-34 over the Bearcats WATCH IT HERE Saturday February 24th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] In 5/6th girls action this afternoon, the #1 Benjamite Wolves coasted through their game with the Sky. They finished with a 27-8 advantage and head into week 8 looking to finish the regular season undefeated. The Diamonds laid the pressure on the Stars until, ultimately, they finished the game with a 22-9 win. The Lionesses captured a 18-12 win over the Timnah Hornets to sweep their regular season meetings. Regardless of whether the Lionesses win or lose week 8 they will not head into the tournament lower than the 3rd. They could finish as high as 2nd depending on the outcome of the Thunder Kittens week 8 doubleheader. The Thunder Kittens had a bye week today but will come back next week to finish the season with a doubleheader against the #1 Benjamite Wolves followed by the #4 Timnah Yellow Jackets. SCOREBOARD Benjamite Wolves Win 27-8 over the Sky Diamonds Win 22-9 over the Stars Lionesses Win 18-12 over the Timnah Hornets 5/6th Boys Division [standings] The 1 vs. 2 matchup game was a wild one today. The Bethlehem Kings came out strong and went into the half with a good lead. The Kings came out in the 3rd quarter and built on that lead heading into the 4th with a 19-10 lead. The Warriors were not ready to give up. They battled back, outscoring the Kings 13-2 in the 4th to take the lead in the final minute and hold on for the win. The Warriors move up to the #1 spot heading into week # 8. The 5-2 Bulls set the tone early in their matchup with the Blazers. They maintained control the entire way and finished strong 44-12. The Bulls close out the season against the Panthers next week. After the Bulls game, the Blazers then travelled to FCC to play the Athens Athletics, where the Athletics muscled their way to a 34-20 win. The Blazers will finish the regular season against the Kings next Saturday. The Nazareth Carpenters won a lopsided decision against the Jericho Demolition, finishing on the upside of a 24-9 final score. Finally, in the late game, the Panthers won their first game of the season in a 18-15 squeaker over the Runnin’ Rebels. Both teams will follow up today’s game with a challenging season finale. The Rebels will take on the Warriors and the Panthers will play the Bulls. 5/6th GRADE BOYS SCOREBOARD Bulls Win 44-12 over the Blazers WATCH IT HERE Warriors Win 23-21 over Bethlehem Kings WATCH IT HERE Athens Athletics Win 34-20 over the Blazers WATCH IT HERE Nazareth Carpenters Win 24-9 over the Jericho Demolition WATCH IT HERE Panthers Win 18-15 over the Runnin’ Rebels 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The 7-9th grade girls division had a busy week 7 with three doubleheaders on the docket. In the early game, the Liberty pulled out a 15-13 win over the Mercury. In the 2nd game of the day, the Sting bumped the Mt Sinai Big Ten off 21-16. Then, the Sting & Mercury made up their week #1 weather cancellation game. This game wasn’t so close, as the Sting finished 24-9 over the Mercury. The Wildcats took their red rider to the Red Hawks and knocked them out of the sky 42-4. The Wildcats now have their sights focused on their rematch with the Raptors next week. The Raptors won round #1. The Raptors can also focus on the Wildcats game after narrowly escaping the Mt Sinai Big Ten today 21-16. Both the Raptors & Wildcats will be jockeying for the regular season championship next Saturday. The outcome of the game will determine the 1 -2 seeds going into the tournament. 7-9th GRADE GIRLS SCOREBOARD Liberty Win 15-13 over the Mercury Sting Win 21-16 over the Mt. Sinai Big Ten WATCH IT HERE Sting Win 24-9 over the Mercury Wildcats Win 42-4 over the Red Hawks Raptors Win 21-16 over the Mt. Sinai Big Ten WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] The Supersonics took care of business today in Springboro, easily knocking down the Avalanche 37-15. The loss drops the Avalanche to the #3 spot. The Bearcats picked up 2 big wins today to climb back into the #2 slot as they prepare to take on the Supersonics in week 8. In the ‘Cats early game, they dominated the Storm before finishing 53-35 while in their 2nd game they struggled a bit as they tried a different offensive strategy before ultimately taking control of the game in the 4th period and finishing off the Rebounders 35-16. The Lions dropped the Huskies 29-10 in Hamilton to improve their record to 5-2. Based on their record, regardless of the outcome of their week 8 game, they will remain seated in the top 4 heading into the tournament. The Damascus Blinder & the Thunder squared off today in an evenly matched battle. The Blinders picked up a much-needed 23-21 win. After dropping 3 of their last 4 games, todays win evens the Blinders regular season record at 4-4. The Thunder also finished up their regular season today and roll into the tournament with a 3-5 record. While both the Blinder and Thunder records may not appear impressive, a closer look shows both teams were really only a few made shots away from 6-2 or even 7-1 records so both teams have the capability to be Cinderellas come tournament week. 7/8th GRADE BOYS SCOREBOARD Bearcats Win 53-35 over the Storm WATCH IT HERE Supersonics Win 37-15 over the Avalanche Lions Win 29-10 over the Huskies Bearcats Win 35-16 over Nineveh Rebounders WATCH IT HERE Damascus Blinders Win 23-21 over Thunder WATCH IT HERE Saturday February 17th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] The Benjamite Wolves continue to tear into their opponents and rack up the wins. Today the Wolves enjoyed a celestial snack, feasting on the Stars and finishing with 35-6 victory. The Lionesses picked up win #4 with another close one against hometown rival Diamonds. The Lionesses finished with a 19-15 edge to hold onto the #3 position in the standings. After the first game, the Diamonds turned around and played a second one up the road in West Chester to make up their week 1 game vs the Sky. The Diamonds shined in their 2nd game and took the victory 24-7. In the late game, the Thunder Kittens beat the Sky 28-6 to remain in the #2 spot heading into their bye week next Saturday. SCOREBOARD Benjamite Wolves Win 35-6 over the Stars WATCH IT HERE Lionesses Win 19-15 over the Diamonds Thunder Kittens Win 28-6 over the Sky WATCH IT HERE Diamonds Win 24-7 over the Sky (week 1 makeup game) 5/6th Boys Division [standings] The 1vs2 game did not disappoint today. It came down to the wire with the Bethlehem Kings coming out on top 18-17 over the Bulls. With the loss, the Bulls drop to 4th place. The Athens Athletics cruised to their 4th victory with a 31-17 win over the Panthers. The Panthers have struggled so far this year but look forward to a closer game in week 7 as they battle the Runnin’ Rebels. The Warriors – Carpenters game was a 1 point battle early in the 2nd half but the Warriors went on a tear early in the 3rd to take a big lead. The Warriors cruised to a 25-16 victory, winning their fifth game and climbing up a spot to #2 in the standings. The Jericho Demolition went on a late run to come from behind and topple the Runnin’ Rebels 21-18. SCOREBOARD Athens Athletics Win 31-17 over the Panthers Warriors Win 25-16 over the Nazareth Carpenters WATCH IT HERE Jericho Demolition Win 21-18 over the Runnin’ Rebels WATCH IT HERE Bethlehem Kings Win 18-17 over the Bulls WATCH IT HERE 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The #1 Raptors bounced back from a poor week #5 showing. Things were clicking for the Raptors and the Sting ended up on the wrong end of a 34-10 decision. The Raptors remain undefeated and the Sting fall to 1-4 on the season. The #3 Mt Sinai Big Ten topped the Liberty 34-9 at home. The Red Hawks were flying high this afternoon, easily soaring to a 23-13 win over the Mercury. The #2 Wildcats had a bye this week and come back next week against Red Hawks. SCOREBOARD NFBC Raptors Win 34-10 over the Sting Red Hawks Win 23-13 over the Mercury Mt. Sinai Big Ten Win 34-9 over the Liberty WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] After dropping their season opener the Avalanche have been on a roll. Today they picked up their 5th win in a row, dropping the Damascus Blinders 25-21 to stay in the top of the division. The Bearcats bounced back from their loss last week, topping the Huskies 32-12 The Supersonics jumped on the Thunder early and finished on the upside of a 44-19 route to remain undefeated. The Damascus Blinders and Lions both looked rusty in a defensive showdown. Eventually they ground to a 16-14 finish with the Lions on top. Finally, in the late game, the Storm and Rebounders made up for the offense missing in the Lions / Blinders game with a final score of 45-30. Storm on top. SCOREBOARD Avalanche Win 25-21 over the Damascus Blinders Bearcats Win 32-12 over the Huskies Supersonics Win 44-19 over the Thunder WATCH IT HERE Lions Win 16-14 over the Damascus Blinders WATCH IT HERE Storm Win 45-30 over the Nineveh Rebounders WATCH IT HERE Saturday February 10th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] It was all about the Benjamites today as the Benjamite Wolves held on to the lead in two close games to finish with 2 victories and finish the day at #1 with a 5-0 record. In the early game, they fought back the Timnah Hornets attack to finish on top 23-21. After a short intermission, they came back to battle the Diamonds for 24 minutes. The ultimately pulled ahead at the end to finish 22-17. In two lopsided games, The Thunder Kittens overran the Stars 32-2 and the Lionesses nearly blanked the Sky 38-1. With the Lionesses win and the Timnah Hornets loss, the hornets drop to 4th place and the Lionesses climb into 3rd place. All other teams remain in the same seed as last week. SCOREBOARD Benjamite Wolves Win 23-21 over the Timnah Hornets WATCH IT HERE Thunder Kittens Win 32-2 over the Stars Lionesses Win 38-1 over the Sky Benjamite Wolves Win 22-17 over the Diamonds WATCH IT HERE 5/6th Boys Division [standings] One of the biggest winners today is the Nazareth Carpenters. Last week they were winless, sitting in 8th place. Today they pieced together 2 wins (25-18 over the Panthers & 18-16 over the Blazers) and now head into week 6 in 5th place. The Bethlehem Kings are still on top of the 5/6th grade boys mountain. With a 19-14 win over the Jericho Demolition, the Kings remain undefeated at 5-0. The Bulls maintained pace with another W. They easily stormed into victory lane 25-3 over the Runnin’ Rebels. Next week will be must-see tv as the Kings take on the Bulls at home. The winner of that game will be #1 one week from now. The Warriors also held on for a big 27-19 win over the Athens Athletics that helped both the Warriors and the Bulls. With the loss, the Athletics drop to 4th place and the Bulls move up to 2nd while the Warriors slide into 3rd. SCOREBOARD Nazareth Carpenters Win 25-18 over the Panthers Bulls Win 25-3 over the Runnin’ Rebels WATCH IT HERE Bethlehem Kings Win 19-14 over the Jericho Demolition WATCH IT HERE Nazareth Carpenters Win 18-16 over the Blazers Warriors Win 27-19 over the Athens Athletics WATCH IT HERE 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The depleted Raptors narrowly held on to win their 5th game today. Despite being shorthanded, they were able to take control of the game in the second half and pull ahead of the Mercury to win 13-8. The Wildcats on the other hand also won but in a more definitive fashion. The ‘Cats took it to the Sting in the 1st half and finished with a 44-25 win. The Red Hawks split a doubleheader today, picking up a win & loss. The Hawks squeaked out a 17-16 win in the early game vs the Liberty. In the late game, the Hawks fell to the Mt Sinai Big Ten 27-10. The Big Ten remain in 3rd place with their win. SCOREBOARD Wildcats Win 44-25 over the Sting WATCH IT HERE Red Hawks Win 17-16 over the Liberty Raptors Win 13-8 over the Mercury WATCH IT HERE Mt. Sinai Big Ten Win 27-10 over the Red Hawks 7/8th Boys Division [standings] The Supersonics & Bearcats came into the weekend tied for 1st place, but then the Thunder came. The Sonics travelled down to Fairfield to take on the Damascus Blinders at FCC. While the game was a low scoring affair, the Sonics maintained control most of the way and finished with a 22-13 win to remain undefeated. The Sonics are now in 1st place while the Blinders fall to 4th. The Avalanche and Thunder took their game deep into extra periods, but after the second overtime period, the Thunder finally succumbed to the Avalanche 31-25. The Avalanche are now 4-1 and in 2nd place. Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Thunder had to stick around for the 2nd leg of their doubleheader against the Bearcats. The Bearcats went to Springboro undefeated looking to remain that way, but the Thunder said “Not in my house.” The ‘Cats, shorthanded today, struggled and just could not get things to work for them. The Thunder held on for a 23-26 win and the Bearcats dropped from a 1st place tie to 3rd place. The Lions – Rebounders game had an exciting finish. Two clutch free throws by the Lions with 3 seconds left put the Lions ahead 25-24. The Lions remain in 5th place just behind the Blinders. The Storm also picked up an easy win with a 42-19 victory over the Huskies. The bottom four teams remain the same order as last week. The team to watch in week 6 will be the Damascus Blinders. They take on the Avalanche in Springboro and then the Lions in Fairfield Township. The outcomes of both games have a chance to shake up the upper half of the boys 7/8th grade standings. It will be fun to watch! SCOREBOARD Avalanche Win 31-25 over the Thunder Double OT Storm Win 42-19 over the Huskies Thunder Win 23-16 over the Bearcats Lions Win 25-24 over the Nineveh Rebounders WATCH IT HERE Supersonics Win 22-13 over the Damascus Blinders WATCH IT HERE Saturday February 3rd, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] The Stars aligned today to bring home their first win of the season. The girls picked up their 1st W with a 16-9 victory over the Sky this afternoon. The Sky struggled in a tough road trip today. As mentioned, they lost in their first game to the Stars but then had to take on the Timnah Hornets in the 2nd leg of a doubleheader. The Hornets, looking to bounce back from a disappointing week 3, took advantage of the Sky’s tired legs and defeated them 36-4. The Lionesses end the week in 4th place but are only actually 2 shots away from being undefeated. Today, they took their 2nd trip to overtime this season and came up short again with an 18-20 loss to the Benjamite Wolves. The Wolves remain undefeated and will take on the Timnah Hornets and the Diamonds next Saturday. The Thunder Kittens fell behind early in their game with the Diamonds before clawing their way back into a halftime lead. They came out strong in the 2nd half to take over control of the game and finish with a 23-11 victory. The Kittens will travel to the Stars next week with hopes of continuing their hot streak, but the Stars have other plans. You’ll need to tune in to the Upward Sportscenter next week to find out what happens… SCOREBOARD Stars Win 16-9 over the Sky Benjamite Wolves Win 20-18 over Lionesses in Overtime WATCH IT HERE Timnah Hornets Win 36-4 over the Sky Thunder Kittens Win 23-11 over Diamonds WATCH IT HERE 5/6th Boys Division [standings] The Bethlehem Kings are now the only undefeated team in the 5/6th grade boys division, but with a close win… They edged out the last place Panthers 24-20 to hang on for the win and live to win another day. The other previously undefeated team, the Warriors took on the Bulls this afternoon. The two teams battled it out all game but eventually the Bulls pulled away and finished with a 31-22 victory. The Athens Athletics also survived a close game, snatching a 23-22 win from the jaws of the Jericho Demolition. With the Bulls & Athletics wins and the Warriors loss, all 3 teams are 3-1. The Warriors play the Athletics next weekend so that one will be interesting to watch… stay tuned! In the last game of the day, the Blazers picked up their 2nd win of the year with a 23-9 decision over the Runnin’ Rebels who have struggled since week 1. The Rebels will take on the Bulls next weekend. SCOREBOARD Athens Athletics Win 23-22 over the Jericho Demolition WATCH IT HERE Bulls Win 31-22 over the Warriors WATCH IT HERE Bethlehem Kings Win 24-20 over the Panthers WATCH IT HERE Blazers Win 23-9 over the Runnin’ Rebels 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The Sting came with the offense & defense today! Though previously winless, the Sting have shown the ability to put points on the board and today they dropped 28 points on the on the Red Hawks while holding the Hawks to only 10 points. By “new math” and “old math” standards that equates to a Win for the Sting! Congrats Sting on win #1. Next week they will take on the Wildcats. Speaking of the Wildcats… unlike Alan Jackson, the Wildcats are not Crazy ‘bout a Mercury. The ‘Cats came out strong and shut the Mercury down. They closed the game out with a 30-9 win. The Raptors picked up where they left off in week #2. They looked well rested after a week 3 bye and stopped the Liberty 33-6. The Raptors will take on the Mercury next Saturday at home. SCOREBOARD Sting Win 28-10 over the Red Hawks Raptors Win 33-6 over the Liberty Wildcats Win 30-9 over the Mercury WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] The Supersonics and the Bearcats both easily won their contests today. The Sonics played the Huskies and hit them hard right out of the gate and didn’t look back to finish with a 37-6 win. The Huskies, no doubt, were not helped by the fact that this was their 2nd game of the day and they were worn out coming in. They had already come up short in a tough game with the Avalanche 28-33 so they were likely out of steam by the time the Sonics hit them. The Bearcats ended up on the right side of a lopsided win but it took them longer to get there. Behind a barrage of 3s they pulled ahead in the 2nd half to finish off the Lions 42-24. The ‘Cats take on the Thunder next Saturday. The Damascus Blinders & Avalanche are right in the mix at the top of the Division. Both teams are 3-1. The Avalanche 33-28 win over the Huskies keeps their hopes high while the Blinders picked up another win with a 31-21 victory over the Storm. The Thunder are right in the middle of the pack at 2-2 with a decisive 37-18 win over the Nineveh Rebounders. The Thunder will be tested over the next 3 weeks as they take on the top 4 teams. There is a lot of basketball left to play before the tournament seeds get locked in! A lot will happen over the next 4 weeks! SCOREBOARD Bearcats Win 42-24 over the Lions WATCH IT HERE Avalanche Win 33-28 over the Huskies Thunder Win 37-18 over the Nineveh Rebounders WATCH IT HERE Supersonics Win 37-6 over the Huskies WATCH IT HERE Damascus Blinders Win 31-21 over the Storm WATCH IT HERE Saturday January 27th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] It was a busy afternoon in the 5/6th girls division. The Benjamite Wolves, fresh off of their season opening win last week, came into the weekend invigorated. They travelled to Springboro ready to play. They took over the game early and finished with a 41-5 victory over the Sky. Even though this week #3, today was the Stars opener due week #1 weather and a week #2 bye. The Sky will get opportunities for their 1st W next Saturday as they take on the Timnah Hornets and then the Stars. The Diamonds also started their season last weekend with a close game – albeit on the undesirable end. They came out swinging today and shot the Stars out of the sky, finishing with a 22-6 win. The Timnah Hornets started the season on a high note, coming into todays doubleheader with a 2-0 record, but finished the day at .500. They struggled early in their first game against the Thunder Kittens and couldn’t bounce back. They went on a late run but it wasn’t enough as the Thunder Kittens held on to win 26-18. In the late game, the Hornets battled it out to the end with the Lionesses. In a game that almost went into extra periods, the Lionesses were able to maintain control long enough to close it out in 4 quarters 19-17. SCOREBOARD Thunder Kittens Win 26-18 over the Timnah Hornets WATCH IT HERE Benjamite Wolves Win 41-5 over the Sky Diamonds Win 22-6 over the Stars Lionesses Win 19-17 over the Timnah Hornets WATCH IT HERE 5/6th Boys Division [standings] The Runnin’ Rebels started out the season on the right note with a victory, but after a bye last Saturday, they were a little rusty today. They dropped their first game against the Athens Athletics 11-24 and opened strong against the Bethlehem Kings in the late game, but couldn’t hang on. The Kings steadily grew their lead and closed out the game with a 26-9 victory. The Rebels will look to bounce back next week as they travel over to Hamilton to take on the Blazers. The Blazers will be heading into next week high off their first win of the season today. The Blazers took on the Panthers this afternoon and finished with a 26-19 edge. While the Runnin’ Rebels may have had a bad day, the 2 other NFBC teams had good showings this afternoon. The Bulls charged to a 26-16 victory over the Nazareth Carpenters, while the Warriors crushed the Demolition 36-16. Next week we will see who comes out on top as the Bulls take on the Warriors in a homecourt rivalry game. SCOREBOARD Athens Athletics Win 24-11 over the Runnin’ Rebels WATCH IT HERE Warriors Win 36-16 over the Jericho Demolition WATCH IT HERE Bulls Win 26-16 over the Nazareth Carpenters WATCH IT HERE Blazers Win 26-19 over the Panthers Bethlehem Kings Win 26-9 over the Runnin’ Rebels WATCH IT HERE 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The 7-9th girls division only had 3 games this weekend. In a close one over in West Chester, the Mercury came in hot and held down the Liberty to finish with a 19-16 win and their first W of the year. The Wildcats travelled over to Hamilton looking to bounce back from their tough loss to the Raptors last week. The ‘Cats took on the Red Hawks, easily handling them to finish with a 29-6 advantage to stay in 2nd place in the division. After a slow start to the season, the Mt Sinai Big Ten came into Springboro looking for a win. Big Ten fans were not disappointed, as their girls came back home with a 36-19 victory. SCOREBOARD Mt. Sinai Big Ten Win 36-19 over the Sting Mercury Win 19-16 over the Liberty Wildcats Win 29-6 over the Red Hawks 7/8th Boys Division [standings] The day started out with an exciting game up in Springboro! The Lions and the Storm rocked back and forth through 4 quarters but the in the end, the Lion held the Storm at bay to finish with a 28-27 win. The Bearcats and Supersonics started the season strong but then both had byes last week. Both teams were eager to get back into it this week and it showed. The Bearcats & Damascus Blinders both struggled with their shots in the 1st half of their matchup, but the Bearcats pulled themselves together in the 2nd half to finish strong and closeout a 26-20 win. Meanwhile, the Supersonics travelled to Fairfield late this afternoon to take on the Nineveh Rebounders. The Sonics took and early lead and didn’t look back as they cruised to a 42-17 victory. Finally, the Springboro Thunder travelled all the way over to Hamilton for the late game against the Huskies. The time zone change didn’t affect the Thunder and they easily handled the Huskies 31-17 SCOREBOARD Lions Win 28-27 over the Storm Bearcats Win 26-20 over the Damascus Blinders WATCH IT HERE Supersonics Win 42-17 over the Nineveh Rebounders WATCH IT HERE Thunder Win 31-17 over the Huskies Saturday January 20th, 2024 5/6th Girls Division [standings] The 5/6th girls brought the intensity to week 2! The Benjamite Wolves visited Fairfield Township and took a big early lead but the Kittens fought back tying the game in the 3rd. It was back and forth the rest of the way but the Wolves were able to sink a basket in the final moments of the 4th quarter. The Kittens could not overcome and the Wolves won their season opener 22-20. The Diamonds season opener was just as exciting. They fought neck and neck with the Timnah Hornets at FCC but the Hornets were not having that in their house! They held on to take control of the game late in the 4th to win 22-19. The Lionesses, on the other hand came out swinging. After a tough overtime loss in week #1, they were ready to win. They got their 1st W of the year with a 22-3 victory over the Stars. SCOREBOARD Benjamite Wolves Win 22-20 over the Thunder Kittens WATCH IT HERE Lionesses Win 22-3 over the WCN Stars Timnah Hornets Win 22-19 over the Diamonds WATCH IT HERE 5/6th Boys Division [standings] The 5/6th Boys also saw their share of close games! The Bethlehem Kings and Nazareth Carpenters took their game into overtime. The Kings were finally able to nail down the Carpenters and take a 23-21 victory in the extra period. The Jericho Demolition eeked out a 19-17 victory over the Panthers in Hamilton. The Demo are now 2-1 on the season while the Carpenters fell to 0-2. The Bulls came into their game with the Athletics fresh off of the week 1 victory, but the Athletics were hungry for their first W. After a close battle most of the way, the Athletics took over the game in the 4th quarter to finish with a 30-19 victory. Meanwhile, in Hamilton, the Warriors picked up their 2nd win with a resounding 42-11 win over the Blazers. SCOREBOARD Bethlehem Kings Win 23-21 over the Nazareth Carpenters OT WATCH IT HERE Athens Athletics Win 30-19 over the Bulls WATCH IT HERE Warriors Win 42-11 over the Blazers Jericho Demolition Win 19-17 over the Panthers 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The Raptors had a good doubleheader day today. They started out with a back & forth battle with Wildcats. It was a close one all the way but the Raptors finally locked down a 27-26 win late in the game and handed the ‘Cats their first loss. The Raptors then travelled over to FCC to pick up their 3rd win of the season by capping off the Mt Sinai Big Ten 22-15. The Big Ten fall to 0-2. The Sting and Mercury both had their first games of the season, but started out rusty. The Liberty topped the Sting 23-21 while the Redhawks held the Mercury below freezing 14-10. SCOREBOARD Liberty Win 23-21 over the Sting Raptors Win 27-26 over the Wildcats WATCH IT HERE Red Hawks Win 14-10 over the Mercury Raptors Win 22-15 over the Mt. Sinai Big Ten WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] The Avalanche made up for the week #1 home loss by picking up 2 wins today in road trip doubleheader action. They visited NFBC 1st to pick up a 25-15 win over the Lions and then took a trip to FCC to take on the Nineveh Rebounders. Turns out the 1st game was just a warmup and the Avalanche was not tired at all in the late game. They took the W with a 39-20 victory. The Damascus Blinders won handily as the visitor in Hamilton. They finished their game against the Huskies with a 21-5 win to stay undefeated. The Storm and Thunder stayed up in Springboro this afternoon and had the closest 7/8th boys game of the day. The Storm stopped the Thunder and finished with a 27-21 win. SCOREBOARD Storm Win 27-20 over the Thunder Avalanche Win 25-15 over the Lions WATCH IT HERE Damascus Blinders Win 21-5 over the Huskies Avalanche Win 39-20 over the Nineveh Rebounders WATCH IT HERE Saturday January 13th, 2024 OPENING DAY!! 5/6th Girls Division [standings] Every opening day brings their own surprises. Today was no different. Luckily most games were able to be played, however, due to severe wind overnight, power was down at some locations in West Chester. As a result, the SBC Sky / Diamonds game was one of many canceled around the area. They will need to make up that game later after a reschedule. Both teams kick off their seasons next Saturday. The Timnah Hornets wasted no time getting started in 2024. They buzzed into the game ready to play. The Stars fell to the Hornets 6-26. An exciting overtime game to start the year is always good for the heart. Unless you are rooting for one of the teams. The Thunder Kittens & Lionesses kept fans on the edge of their seats all game. While the Kittens clutched onto a small lead late in the 4th, the Lionesses clawed back and sunk a 3 point shot with 7 seconds left to tie it up 21-21. In overtime, the Thunder Kittens fought back with 2 baskets. The Kittens tight defense secured the W. Both teams started the season with a roar and will head into week #2 looking to build on this learning experience. Both look forward to promising seasons. The Benjamite Wolves had a bye this week. They will visit the Thunder Kittens den next Saturday afternoon to start their season. Scoreboard Timnah Hornets Win 26-6 over the WCN Stars WATCH IT HERE 2:45pm SBC Sky vs Diamonds @ West Chester Nazarene – Sky vs Diamonds Postponed due to power outage Thunder Kittens Win 25-21 over the Lionesses in OT 5/6th Boys Division [standings] The Warriors came right out of the gate ready to battle. These young gladiators came out strong against the Panthers and easily overwhelmed the cats 34-16 to start the season with a win. The Panthers will look to turn things around at home next weekend when they welcome the Jericho Demolition. The Demolition also struggled in their home opener. The Bulls came to town, charging through the Demo 31-12 to start their season with a W. But, thankfully for the Demolition, they didn’t have to wait long to rectify the loss. The Demo had a doubleheader (is that a Demo-header??) today and evened up their record at 1-1 with a 35-15 win over the Blazers. The Bethlehem Kings dominated the Athens Athletics 18-7 with both teams playing in Fairfield to start the year. Up next week, the Kings will take on the Nazareth Carpenters at home and the Athletics will host the running of the Bulls. The Runnin’ Rebels opened up 2024 with a 12-11 win over the Nazareth Carpenters. The Rebels will have a bye next Saturday and the Carpenters hope to put things back together as they play the Bethlehem Kings. Scoreboard Warriors Win 34-16 over the Panthers WATCH IT HERE Bulls Win 31-12 over the Jericho Demolition WATCH IT HERE Bethlehem Kings Win 18-7 over the Athens Athletics WATCH IT HERE Runnin’ Rebels Win 12-11 over the Nazareth Carpenters WATCH IT HERE Jericho Demolition Win 35-15 over the Blazers Watch it HERE 7-9th Girls Division [standings] The Sting vs Mercury game was also a casualty of the weather-related power outage. Both teams will start up again next weekend as the Sting visits the Liberty and the Mercury hosts the Red Hawks. The Wildcats opened the year with two double digit victories in doubleheader wins against the Liberty (winning 24-7) and later versus the short-staffed Mt Sinai Big Ten (winning 24-11). The Raptors flew into Hamilton but their arms were apparently not too tired. They soared to a 35-6 victory over the Red Hawks. Scoreboard 1:30pm SBC Sting vs WCN Mercury @ West Chester Nazarene Sting vs Mercury Postponed due to power outage NFBC Wildcats Win 24-7 over the WCN Liberty WATCH IT HERE Raptors Win 35-6 over the Red Hawks NFBC Wildcats Win 24-11 over the Mt. Sinai Big Ten WATCH IT HERE 7/8th Boys Division [standings] The Lions roared into Springboro, quieting the Thunder with a 21-12 victory to open the 2024 7/8th grade boys division games. The Lions will take on the Avalanche at home in week #2, while the Thunder take on the Storm in Springboro. Both the Avalanche and the Storm struggled in their season openers. The Bearcats soundly defeated the Avalanche 51-21 while the Supersonics muted the Storm 34-12. Both the Bearcats and the Supersonics will have a bye week #2. Week #1 is in the books! So many good games today and many more to come!! Let’s Play Upward Basketballlll!!! Scoreboard Lions Win 21-12 over the Thunder Bearcats Win 51-21 over the Avalanche Supersonics Win 34-12 over the Storm WATCH IT HERE Damascus Blinders Win 28-19 over the Nineveh Rebounders WATCH IT HERE WELCOME TO THE 2023-24 SOUTHWEST OHIO UPWARD LEAGUE Practices Start Monday November 27th! Opening Game Day Is January 13th! 2023-24 Uniforms