NO BOWLING 2/26

The bowling matches for Feburary 26th have been CANCELLED!

We will bowl our week 11 matches next weekend (March 4th).

See everyone then!

Week 11 Previews

Force vs. Asian Sensation

Force has swept the last two weeks again Asian Sensation, and Force has won by an average of 75 pins. On the Force side, someone has stepped up the last two weeks. Last week, Linsanity took over as he has his best week of the season. Two weeks ago, Raheel and Roswell had their season highs. The question for Force is always who will show up. But it seems as though they're getting things in order and really getting hot as the playoffs are about to begin.

Asian Sensation has to get on the same page, and need to do it fast. They have been a number of solid games over the past few weeks, but their inconsistencies are finding them in the #6 spot. Khaled is bowling his best at the right time, but Yash and Jin have both cooled off from their great run a few weeks ago. Now is the time for them to step up and follow Khaled's lead.

Force only needs 1 win (plus total pins) to clinch the #5 spot. They could move up to #4 seed with at least 2 wins and some help. Asian Sensation needs to sweep, otherwise they will be the 6th seed in the playoffs. Expect Force to win 2 games and the total pins.

Strike Kings vs. Strikes 'n' Spares

SnS is down 11 points. That means they need to sweep to get the #3 seed (they would win the tiebreaker). While that sounds like a tall order, SnS has been on a roll lately AND the Strike Kings will be missing Jason Reis for the 2nd week in a row. SnS has not lost a series in over a month, and that trend is expected to continue, but the question is will they do what they need to do in order to lock up the top wildcard slot. They're still all about the team. Led by Mufthy (#10 overall), with his main support coming from Raza and Nadeem. They're a tough team to beat since they will likely score 750 as a team, without any bowler having a spectacular game. If someone goes off for a huge game, that's when they're dangerous. But without someone to carry them, they can throw up some low games. It will be interesting to see what lineup Nadeem goes with this week.

As for the Strike Kings, no one expected them to win a game last week, and that's with 5 players. Only 4 showed up, and they still won a game. Winning that game was huge, as it put SnS in a situation where they must sweep or bust for the #3 spot. That being said, in the game they won, they scored a 735. A solid score, but nothing that will truly scare opponents. The pressure is really on everyone on the team. Don essentially HAS to bowl over 200, and players like Arshad and Nisar have to bowl well above their average. Otherwise the team that once was running away with the league, will fall all the way to the #4 seed.

Tough one to call, but it's really hard to bet against the #2 bowler in the league needing just one win. Expect SnS to win 2 games and the total pins.

Pin Pals vs. Pin Smackers

While both teams have a wildcard round bye all but locked up, this is all about getting the #1 seed and having bragging rights as the first #1 team in SABowl history. Both teams look to get themselves set up for a deep playoff run. For the Pin Pals, Asif should be returning, and his presence has been sorely missed. Last week, Pin Pals failed to break 700 in 2 of the 3 games. Working him back into the lineup and having Riz get back on track will still make this team a very tough out once they face their opponent in the semi-finals.

Pin Smackers have the #1 seed, and its theirs to lose. Abhi has been bowling solid week in week out, but last week he didn't dominate in typical Abhi fashion. Eugene has also not quite bowled the games he's capable of bowling recently. Once these two get on the same page, they will truly be scary. Sony 'the X-factor' Singh keeps on doing his job in ensuring that Abhi and Eugene don't bare all the pressure of carrying the team.

Expect the big time bowlers to all have big games; these are the games Abhi and Ayaz love to be apart of. Expect Eugene and Asif to also come up big. The matchup will come down to the supporting cast of both teams. Riz, Chris, and Dave vs. Sony, Adam, and Mustafa (most likely). Too close to call. I'm copping out on this one. Pin Smackers win 2 games, but Pin Pals win the total pins.

Week 10 Recap - Linsanity Strikes SABowl

Pin Smackers vs. Strike Kings

Game 1: Pin Smakers win 784-699

Game 2: Strike Kings win 735-712

Game 3: Pin Smackers win 805-726

Pin Smackers win total pins

For the Pin Smackers, this past week was a mixed bag. The good was they won 8 points. The bad was they should have swept, given the Strike Kings were bowling not only without Jason, but with only 4 bowlers as well. By not sweeping, it leaves the door open for the Pin Pals to still get the #1 seed without a huge team effort. In game 1, Abhi led the team with a 193, while Eugene added a 163, and Harp rolled a 158. In game 2, Harp led the team with a 164, Abhi had a 163, and Eugene had a 145. Abhi finally had an off game, but no one was there to pick him up really. In game 3, the team regained their form, with Harp having a 188, Sony with a 178, and Abhi bowled a 161.

The Strike Kings really helped their cause by pulling out a victory. Strikes 'n' Spares were fast approaching in the standings, but now SnS will need to completely sweep their match against in the position round to take the 3 seed. The question is can they win one game again next week in order to clinch? In game 1, Don bowled a 208, while Yasser added in 151. In game 2, Don bowled a 226, while Arshad stepped up big to bowl a 166. In game 3, Don bowled a 178, Yasser bowled his season high of 174, and Arshad added in a 162. Unlike the Pin Smackers, their position round matchup is huge. No matter what, Strike Kings will be playing in the wildcard round. The question is will they have any momentum going into the playoffs? Strike Kings showed they can post a solid team score, but they truly need contributions out of everyone if they want to remain in the 3 spot.

Force vs. Asian Sensation

Game 1: Force wins 855-787

Game 2: Force wins 729-688

Game 3: Force wins 775-691

Force wins total points

For Force, ladies and gents, the original JLin officially arrived. James Lin broke out for his biggest performance of the season, putting up a Linspired performance to average 160 for the day for the first time this season. Lin went Linsane in the first game, bowling a 156, good for fourth on a now loaded Force roster. In a not-so-Linsightful move, the OG JLin Linexplicably benched himself for Game 2 of the series. MiracuLinly, Force pulled off the win regardless. In Game 3, James brushed the Lint off his bowling ball and reentered the lineup. Surprise surprise, a Linspired James again posted a 164, his highest game of the season, propelling Force to the 'W,' continuing the team's seven-game Linning streak. Prince also flirted with a 300 in Game 1 (241), Bobby made his return (162 in game 1), Alan and Shumail keep their streak of good games going (Alan 159 average, Shumail 169 average), but who cares when you're, duh, LINNING.

As for Asian Sensation, Khaled is the league's best bowler that no one is talking about. Khaled has been getting better each week, and has posted near 600 series over the last few weeks. He bowled games of 212, 189, and 191 this week. So he's doing his job. But the rest of the team has really been inconsistent. In game 1, Adam bowled a 181. In game 2, Khalil bowled a 148. In game 3, Adam bowled a 145. The problem is, who's the team's #2 bowler? Who's helping out Khaled on the off chance he has a bad game? Asian Sensation looked primed to make a run after beating the Pin Pals in week 8. While Force has really turned it on these last few weeks, some of their teams scores will not beat anybody right now. They've dropped to 6th in the standings, and really need to get in gear if they want to make a run in the playoffs.

Pin Pals vs. Strikes 'n' Spares

Game 1: SnS win 731-632

Game 2: Pin Pals win 746-598

Game 3: SnS win 756-672

SnS win total pins

Not the revenge Ayaz exactly wanted. His team got one win that they needed, but winning 2 would have really put them in a nice spot. That being said, they have a 1st round bye all but clinched already. The other good news? They can still manage to win a game here and there without having Asif or Moe. In game 1, Ayaz had a 177, but got no help. In game 2, Ayaz kept it going with a 179, while Riz added in a 155, and Sid added in a 146. In game 3, Ayaz finished off his great day with a 187, but once again got no help. The only concern the Pin Pals have is that while Asif has been out, no one has really taken over. Everyone keeps their average about the same, or their averages are slightly dropping. When the Pin Pals made their run, not only were Asif and Ayaz bowling well, Riz and someone else was always giving a solid effort. But this roster will be scary come playoff time when they are at full strength.

SnS keeps the good times rolling. A team no one gave a chance early in the season, they've now all but locked up the 4 seed, and still have a chance at the 3 seed. Can anyone even remember the last time this team lost a series? In game 1, Shaheer bowled a 155, Amaad and Mufthy both bowled a 151. In game 3, Mufthy bowled a 175, Raza bowled a 166, and Omair bowled a 153. SnS's main issue? Notice how no highlights of game 2 were written. When your team bowls 598, there isn't much to write about. What makes it worse is the team had 5 bowlers as well. While it's just one game, and SnS has been really good lately, they still are capable of throwing a complete dud out there. 598 is alarmingly low. For this team to be really scary in the playoffs, they cannot have any off games going forward.

Week 10 Previews

Pin Pals vs. Strikes 'n' Spares

Ayaz had the choice of any team he wanted, and he chose to pick the team that sweeped his squad last week. The biggest x-factor in this matchup is Ayaz himself. He wasn't available last week, and the team felt his absence. But don't ignore what SnS did regardless - a game of 857 and a game of 786. Their confidence has to be tops in the league as they've shot up to 4th in the standings. The subplot of this match up is SnS has a LOT more to play for in this match-up. Assuming they get (expected) help from the Pin Smackers, they will control their own destiny of moving all the way up to #3. While Pin Pals have a bye all but locked up. SnS FINALLY gets the kiss of death as I predict Strikes 'n' Spares to win 2 games and the total pins.

Force vs. Asian Sensation

The 2 teams that didn't get to choose their match-up. Two teams with a lot to play for these last two weeks. Force can actually move to the 5th spot by taking 2 out of 3 (plus total pins), while Asian Sensation can make another run at 4th and bury Force by taking 2 out of 3 (plus total pins). Asian Sensation was missing their spark players in Jin and Amin. But Force was also missing two guys as well in Alan and Bobby. Last week, Force swept, and no game was that close, with Force winning by an average of 100+ pins. Predicting Force to win 2 games and the total pins.

Pin Smackers vs. Strike Kings

We've been questioning the depth of the Strike Kings all season. With Jason being out this week, we know they will be thin. It is going to take a consistent high effort from Arshad the others to compete with the Pin Smackers. It's also going to take a huge effort from Don as well. As for the Pin Smackers, they are eyeing that #1 seed and Adam wasted zero time picking the strike kings. With Eugene due for a bounce back week, Sony continuing to get better, Abhi being Abhi, and Adam starting to figure it out, expect Pin Smackers to sweep all 3 games.

Pin Smackers Choose...

Pin Smackers choose the Strike Kings!

This means that we will have all rematches from week 9.

Force will be playing Asian Sensation.

Pin Pals Choose...

The Pin Pals have chosen Strikes 'n' Spares as their week 10 opponent. This will be a rematch of week 9.

Week 10 - Choice Weekend

Week 10 will be "choice weekend." The #1 seed will get to pick their opponent, then the next highest seed will pick their opponent. Will be interesting to see what strategy the teams picking will take. The Pin Pals are the #1 seed, so they are on the clock to make their pick. Who will Ayaz choose to face? How will it affect the other teams and the other match-ups?

Week 10 Power Rankings

We have a guest writer who has chosen to stay anonymous to write this week's Power Rankings:

1. Pin Smackers – They were built around Abhishek who carried this team for the better part of the season, until now. Abhishek has been the leader of the Pin Smackers and Eugene has been an excellent #2. When they needed a solid #3, Sony stepped up big time fitting perfectly into that role. That team was capable of beating anyone any given week. Add Harpreet to this squad and now you have a 3 headed monster of Abhi, Harp, and Eugene. If Harp continues to show up Abhi will no longer need to carry the team for them to win. If their best 4 show up you can expect them to take over the 1st seed going into the playoffs.

2. Pin Pals – Without Asif they have struggled, winning only 1 of their last 6 six games. Losing all 3 to a much improved Strikes ‘n’ Spares team, but were missing their top 2 bowlers in Asif and Ayaz. They still hold the top seed by a mere 1 point. Once attendance is no longer an issue other teams will have a difficult time beating this balanced squad. Having your 4th best bowler in Riz averaging a 147 will go a long way come playoff time.

3. Strikes ‘n’ Spares – They have been on a second half tear, winning at least 2 games each of the last 5 weeks. They bring in the deepest roster in the league and it has proven to be effective. They are led by Mufthy and Nadeem but the rest of this 30 man lineup (seems like literally) has done an excellent job as well. Their biggest challenge will be getting one of their bowlers to average 175+ these last few weeks. If they can get that then they will be tough to beat; if not, then winning come playoff time will be difficult.

4. Strike Kings – With the 1st and 3rd best bowlers in the league you can never count this team out. The question has always been who will step up as a solid #3. Although Arshad had a good week this past Sunday, it seems as if there is no consistent play from anyone outside of Jason and Don Ali. With the three teams above them adding top notch #3 bowlers and the teams below having much improved play lately the question now isn’t just who is #3. The question now is who are 3 and 4? They will need solid consistent performances from 2 of their bottom 3 bowlers if they want the go deep in the playoffs. With Jason projected to miss the next two weeks don’t expect them to win much before the playoffs. Since the teams below them are so far behind chances are they will end up as the 3rd or 4th seed.

5. Force – Started the season of terribly, having sub 700 scores 13 out of the first 21 games. That kind of performance will get you no where. These last two weeks, Force has been arguably the best team overall. Knocking down the most pins, and even having two 850+ games this past weekend. Their increased performance began with the “bowling ball conspiracy." Since then, Prince has been on a tear, averaging 185+. But everyone else has done much better as well. Shumail has settled down and has been doing and excellent job as the teams #2 bowler. Alan has picked it up as well and could arguably be the #2 bowler or #2a. Roswell has also stepped up big time in the absence of Bobby to be the teams #4 guy. Their biggest issue has and always will be attendance. Who will show up next week?

6. Asian Sensation - #3 in the power rankings last week, dropped to #6 this week. They definitely have improved their play in the second half of the year. But so have most the other teams. They have only 10 points the last 4 weeks, with only 3 wins. Capable of winning games against any team, but also capable of bowling a dud. Which team will show up this coming Sunday? If they are to win they will need more consistent play, and need it fast.

Week 9 Recap

The South Asian Bowling season just got a lot more interesting after week 9's game. Some might call this "bizzaro week" as the bottom 2 teams swept. But this is showing that any team can win any given game.

Strikes 'n' Spares vs. Pin Pals

SnS once again came into this week with enough bowlers for 2 teams. That being said, Nadeem is making it working, subbing guys left and right, but putting a competitive team out there regardless of who it is. Being pitted against the Pin Pals would be a real test for SnS, as they have been getting much better as the season progressed. Unfortunately for the Pin Pals, they were missing both Ayaz and Asif. That being said, SnS really brought their A game, and even with Ayaz there, it may not have helped.

Game 1 saw SnS win by nearly 200 pins - 857 to 650. That should tell you regardless of who SnS played, they are for real. SnS was led by Raza with a 190, Mufthy with a 188, Hamza with a 163, Omair with a season high of 160, and Amaad with a 156. For the Pin Pals, Moe Ali bowled a 170, but didn't get much help outside of Riz's 146.

Game 2 saw SnS drop off, but they still got the win 737-632. Pin Pals may have won this game with Ayaz present, but without him, SnS still easily cruised despite off games from their players. Amaad led them with a 163, Raza with a 161, and Mufthy with a 153. Pin Pals got average contributions from everyone - Moe with a 143, Sid with a 137, Riz with a 133, and Dave with a 129. But only having 4 bowlers, you need to have great games from all 4 bowlers to have a chance.

Game 3 saw SnS dominate with a 786 to 655 win. Raza once again led the team with a 200. Amaad put in 176, Hamza had 150, and Naeem kept his very solid day going with a 145. For the Pin Pals, they got a 164 from Moe, a 160 from Dave, and a 149 from Riz.

SnS have been getting better each week and are getting hot at the right time. They have now moved up to 4th in the standings thanks to their sweep and help from the series below. SnS's scores are also now competitive with the league's top teams. An 857 in game 1 and a 786 in game 3 will get you a lot wins. The Pin Pals hold on to the #1 seed, but need to get back on their winning ways fast as the Pin Smackers are (literally) right behind them in the standings.

Force vs. Asian Sensation

For the 2nd straight week, Force looked really good, as they were the best team overall in week 9. After looking like they would never figure it out in time, they now have had total team efforts, as the team total has jumped upward. Both teams were missing regulars as Force was without Alan and Bobby, and Asian Sensation was without Amin and Jin. Asian Sensation has been able to hold their own with players missing, but just like the Pin Pals, it may not have mattered even if they showed.

Game 1 was the Khaled show. The captain was trying to lead by example with his season's best and league high for the day of 234, and getting strike after strike to keep his team close. He had no open frames, which is very impressive for anyone. Adam gave him great support with a 172, and Yash had a solid game of 141. Force was led by Prince who continues his surge with a 214, while Shumail had his season high of 202, Raheel bowled a 161, and James and Roswell both had 141. Force wins game 1 859-754.

Both teams were off in game 2, but Force still had enough to win 754-653. Force was led by Prince and Shumail, both scoring 182, while Raheel added in 146. For Asian Sensation, Khaled tried to carry the team once again with a 166, but got little support outside of Yash who got a 144.

Game 3 had Force get back on its game, and complete the sweep with an 872-769 victory. Another well balanced game from Force as Prince bowled an even 200, Raheel bowled his season high of 191, Shumail had a 183, and Roswell bowled his season high of 179. For Asian Sensation, Khaled completed his excellent day of bowling with a 169, Yash bowled his high game of the day with a 173, and Adam and Khalil both had a 147.

Asian Sensation were definitely missing the spark Amin and Jin provide, but they still had two games above 760. That should be good for wins most weeks. As for Force, just like Strikes 'n' Spares, they are getting hot at the right time as they may not be a team anyone wants to face in the wildcard round. All 5 of their bowlers, regardless of who they are, have really been stepping up and putting up season highs at the right time.

Strike Kings vs. Pin Smackers

The 3 best bowlers in the league once again met up, but all they did was cancel each other out. This game had a number of unsung heroes, and a couple of surprises.

Game 1 was a close game for most of the match. Pin Smackers were led by ... Harp? With Abhi having an off game of 161, Harp stepped up and bowled a 179. Pin Smackers also got solid contributions from Sony with a 146, and Eugene with a 142. Strike Kings were led by Don with a 215, and Jason with a 182. The difference maker in this game? Arshad bowled a 160, which was enough to give the Strike Kings a 790-738 win in game 1.

Game 2 once again had Arshad step up with a 156. Meanwhile Jason and Don did their thing with a 233 and a 181 respectively. For the Pin Smackers, Harp kept it going with a 178, Abhi found his form with a 192, and Sony bowled his season high of 183. Another close match, but Pin Smackers take this one, 811-779.

Game 3 was all about the Pin Smackers. Harp finished his great day of bowling with a 192, Abhi had another great game with a 213, and Eugene came to life with a 179. For the Strike Kings, Jason bowled a 168, Don bowled a 186, and Nisar stepped up this game with a 153. But the Pin Smackers were way too much, winning 878-698.

Just how good have Jason and Abhi been this season? Jason's 168 was his 3rd lowest game of the season. Abhi's 161? His 2nd lowest of the season. As for their teams, Strike Kings are going the wrong way as the playoffs draw near. Despite having a #3 bowler step up this week, they still only got 1 win. Locking up a top 2 seed is now in jeopardy as well. The Pin Smackers meanwhile are looking good, as 878 was this weeks high team score. They're deep enough to withstand an average game from Abhi, which bodes trouble for any opponent as the playoffs loom.

Week 9 Previews

Pin Smackers vs. Strike Kings

Both teams were in tough battles last week as Strikes 'n' Spares and Force gave both teams a lot of issues. This match will feature 4 of the top 6 bowlers in the league. Jason (1st) and Don (3rd) have been on games virtually all season, while Abhi (2th) and Eugene (6th) have kept the Pin Smackers in almost every game. This match is going to come down to the depth on both teams, as these 4 bowlers will all but cancel each other out. Slight edge to the Strike Kings here, but the top 2 on the Pin Smackers won't be far behind.

With the Pin Smackers at full strength they will have Sony, Adam, and either Andre/Mustafa. The Strike Kings will likely have Ammad, Nisar, and Arshad. While these guys have all been solid, they've also been inconsistent at times. However, the most consistent of the bunch has been Sony, and he has been getting much better as the season has progressed.

This match will come down to Sony's play as he is the X-factor. With Sony bringing his A game Sunday, expect Pin Smackers to win 2 games and the total pins.

Asian Sensation vs. Force

Tale of the two teams that are all about depth. Both teams showed that last week as Asian Sensation won 2 games from the Pin Pals, and Force won a game and the total pins from Strike Kings. For Force, the question will be who shows. If it's the same 5 as last Sunday, they are in great shape, but it's always up in the air who comes. The other main question is will Force keep on having the depth. Roswell proved to the difference last week, as once he got going, Force was able to take control of their match.

Asian Sensation has been getting better as a team as the season progress, with guys like Yash and Amin stepping up their game (and their trash talk). Meanwhile, Adam and Khaled have been solid all season. Their issue has been they don't have a clear anchor to step up and help the team through any rough stretches. But if all 5 bowlers bowl what they're capable of, then it may not matter. But that also keeps the pressure on everyone to do well.

Both teams did very well last week, but Asian Sensation has been more consistent this season. I predict Asian Sensation to win 2 games, but Force to win the total pins.

Strikes 'n' Spares vs. Pin Pals

When these teams first faced off, SnS were just getting welcomed into the league, while Pin Pals were just starting to get into mid-season form. Pin Pals easily swept, with only one of the games being close. Now, with SnS getting big wins, and close wins, week in and week out, they're hoping to have their great run continue against the #1 team in the league. SnS has a truly balanced attack. While Mufthy and Nadeem lead the team, someone always seem to step up and have a huge game. Last week Raza had his best week of the season, with Ammad bowling a near 200 game as well.

Pin Pals suffered a minor setback without Asif last week, but Ayaz is showing no worry. Tying in total pins with Asian Sensation showed they can still compete with anyone without Asif, but it's going to take more of a team effort than before. People might expect no worries, since Riz is returning, but keep in mind that Sid exceeded expectations and bowled near a 150 average this past week. So getting Riz back is not as big a silver lining as it looks.

The big question is will SnS keep their streak of heart-attack games going. If they're anywhere close in the 9th and 10th frames, they somehow manage to pull it out. Tough match to call, but I believe Pin Pals win 2 games and the total pins.

Week 9 Power Rankings

1. Pin Pals - Buoyed by their performance this week. Ayaz and company went in to this match up knowing that they won't have Asif Siddiqui. So they wanted to make sure that they escaped with at least one win to ensure that they would retain first place. Ayaz and company trash talked with Asian Sensation all week and got what they wanted. Which was 3 points (4 due to the tie). The fortunate part for them is that all of the teams under them cannibalized each other and Pin Pals is still in the lead with 9 points. While the #2 and #3 teams are going head to head against each other this upcoming Sunday.

2. Pin Smackers - 4 of the top 10 games bowled this season have been by Abhishek Kumar. Where every team has a robin to their bat man. With the Pin Smackers you have Abhishek who is the clear leader on this team. Not only is Abhi able to put on these types of performances week in and week out but he is also able to provide assistance to every other player in the league. When Eugene is on he can be that capable #2. What makes this team scary is that Adam, Andre, and Sony have all had games above or near the 180 mark. Which means that this team has real depth. While Abhi is able to take away the bulk of the pressure this team has the core that has improved the most this season and securely gives them the #2 spot.

3 Asian Sensation - Is there a team that is any scarier to play in the playoffs than Asian Sensation? On this team you know that they have the anchor in Khaled Ahmedy, but when you factor Adam, Jin, and Yash having bowled games 185 and higher this team is deep. This team doesn't rely on just one player bringing it because between their screaming and synchronized cigarette breaks. This team is on a roll. This team right now has to be one of the scariest in the league. They have yet to have a game where the entire team is on the same time. If that would happen they could easily break the record and eclipse the 900+ mark (Pin Pals hold the record with 892).

4 Strike Kings - This team began the year by running the table. Their was talk if this team could even be beat. All they needed was Don Ali Nasrallah and Jason Reiss to bowl their games. If one of the three bowlers between Arshad, Nisar, or Ammad had a decent game of 150 or above you couldn't beat them. Well a funny thing happened. Don and Jason both are bowling close to 200, but the team doesn't have the depth. The other three haven't developed the same way that other teams like Pin Smackers and Asian Sensation have. Unless they are able to get more consistency out of the other three, this team is going to be a cautionary tale of what could have been.

5. Strikes N Spares - They bring in the deepest roster in the league. They alternate players between every game. But they keep on chipping away at the lead. They may have dug themselves too much of a hole, but they have taken games from Strike Kings and now Pin Smackers. This team has the best chemistry. This week with some of their players sporting gold chains and matching Champion track suits, this team has the depth to go all the way. They are going to be a team that no one wants to play in the first round of the playoffs because they have the capability of taking any team out in the league.

6. Force - This week not withstanding Force has had their issues with attendance. Can anyone even name what their actual starting 5 is? Every week you know that you will have Prince, and probably Roswell and Alan. But after that the last 2 is a crap shoot. If they are able to put together their top 5 bowlers together and they qualify. This team is going to have just as good of a shot to win the entire league and hoist the coveted South Asian Bowling Cup.

Introducing South Asian Tots

Introducing South Asian Tots Written by Administrator    Tuesday, 07 February 2012 The South Asian Tots program is a program designed to teach young children the fundamentals of the game. We are going to be starting off with Baseball and Soccer. Classes are structured the following way. 2 years and 3 years 4 years and 5 years 6 years and 7 years etc... If we receive more applicants than we anticipate. We can make adjustments to the classes due to the fact that we don't want more than 6 or 7 children per class. Even if not interested please put this out on twitter and facebook to help spread the word and to make this a success.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGh2Zm9QRktCSVU1d195VlVna1BTc3c6MQ

Week 8 Recap

Week 8 saw another great set of competitive games... and a commish that cannot predict games at all.

Pin Smackers vs. Strikes 'n' Spares

Strikes 'n' Spares brought enough players to have 2 teams compete on Sunday. But game 1 didn't go there way. They got off to a slow start, while Abhi bowled a 195 and Eugene bowled a 199 to lead the charge for the Pin Smackers as they won easily 773-630. Raza bowled a 163, but got no support otherwise.

Game 2 was a totally different story. Raza bowled a 171, Hamza bowled a 150, and Mufthy bowled a 142 in a balanced game. Strikes 'n' Spares won a close one once again, 733 to 714. Abhi once again bowled a 195 and Eugene bowled a 192, but this time they got little help.

Game 3 saw Strikes 'n' Spares win by their biggest margin of the season with a 779-721 win. New comer Ammad B. bowled a 193, while Raza kept his great day going with a 162. Shaheer also chipped in with a 151. As for the Pin Smackers, Abhi bowled a 205, Eugene bowled a 160, and Adam put in 140.

Strikes 'n' Spares won 2 out of 3, but the Pin Smackers were able to win the total pins. However, Strikes 'n' Spares have shown great improvement and continue to bowl well. They continue to win very close games and could cause problems for teams down the stretch. The Pin Smackers on the other hand clearly missed Sony, but should have him back next week.

Strike Kings vs. Force

Tight match throughout and great games bowled by a number of different players. Game 1 was a very close match with Don rolling a 217, Jason bowling a 190, and Ammad adding in 142. Force definitely were on a mission from the start with Prince bowling a 212, Alan with a 191, and Shumail with a 172. Game came down to the wire with Strike Kings getting the win 791-786.

Strike Kings really got it going in game 2. Jason bowled the league's high of the day with a 235, Don bowled a 202, and Arshad bowled a 155. Force kept it going with a 192 from Shumail, 180 from Prince, and a 178 from Alan. In a very high scoring match, Strike Kings edged out Force 845 to 808.

Force's depth was really on display in game 3 with 4 bowlers scoring over 150. Alan continued his best series of the season with his season high of 195, Prince rolled a 194, and Roswell also bowled his season high of 162. Force ended up with the team high total for this week of 830 to win 830-768. Jason and Don continued their excellent play with 211 and 185, but didn't have the support from one of their other bowlers as they had in games 1 and 2.

Win their big win in game 3, Force was able to win the total points. The question will be if Force can keep this going as they finally were able to all bowl well on the same day. As for the Strike Kings, Don and Jason will continue to be 2 of the league's best bowlers, but who will be the 3rd bowler? Consistency will be key as the playoff draw closer.

Pin Pals vs. Asian Sensation

How even was this match-up by the end of the day? Asian Sensation had a total score of 2313, while the Pin Pals had a total score of . . . 2313! For the first time ever, two teams tied for the total pins. Unfortunately, we could not get a bowl off due to time constraints.

The trash talking between this team has been going on throughout the week. What made this series even better is that everyone backed it up. In game 1 power bowler Adam had a season high of 187, while Khaled put in 173 and Yash added in 171. For the Pin Pals, Ayaz bowled a 181, Moe had a 152, and Sid made a respectable debut with a 148. But it wouldn't be enough as Asian Sensation won 808-744

Game 2 for the Pin Pals once again lead the way with a 200. Moe and Sid bowled a 143 and 142 respectively. Asian Sensation had captain Khaled bowl a 195 to virtually match Ayaz, while Yash kept his solid play going with a 161. Adam and Jin bowled 140 and 138 to keep the team motif going strong. Asian Sensation was able to pull out a close win with a 762-742 win.

In game 3, the lowest score by ANY of the bowlers was 143. The only problem though was Asian Sensation didn't have any bowler step up to ensure the sweep. Khaled and Amin both bowled a 147, Khalil bowled a 149, Adam bowled a 143, and Yash led the team with a 157. Meanwhile, Ayaz once again bowled a 200, Dave stepped up and bowled a 175, Moe bowled a 155, Sid finished a solid debut with a 151, and Chris bowled a 146. While everyone bowled well, Pin Pals were that much better winning 827-743.

As mentioned before, both teams tied on the total pins. The Pin Pals showed that even without Asif, they're tough to beat, but they're not nearly as dominant. With the Strike Kings and Pin Smackers breathing down their necks, they're going to need Riz back along with Chris and Dave to keep bowling as they did in game 3. As for Asian Sensation, they're showing great team play, but they still need someone to step up and carry them when someone has a off game.

Week 8 Preview/Predictions

Pin Pals vs. Asian Sensation

Last week, the Pin Pals swept Asian Sensation with 2 of the 3 games not being all that close. For all the smack talk Ayaz has done on the boards, his bowling has backed up everything. Meanwhile, Asif has stayed relatively quiet and has been slightly better than Ayaz all season. However, Asif will not be showing up this week, putting pressure on Ayaz to carry the squad. This also puts pressure on Chris and Dave to bowl well too, since it will take a team effort to make up for Asif's absence. Moe will help relieve some of loss, but he's still an unknown to this point.

As for Asian Sensation, they continue to improve as a team as they've broken the 800 barrier a few times in the past few weeks. Khaled is now the #10 bowler in the league, and Jin is right behind him at #11. In addition, improved play from Yash and Adam has really given this team the depth it needs. While they have good attendance week in and week out, they're going to need their best 5 to stay with the Pin Pals, as they've been the leagues deepest team. They also need to avoid any letdown games. Their 3rd game against Pin Pals they only bowled a 611, which will not get it done against anyone.

Pin Pals are just too hot right now, and even without Asif, the prediction is Pin Pals win 2 games and the total pins. Expect Asian Sensation to keep it close and take a game, but I expect Chris and Dave to have huge weeks and step up their game.

Strike Kings vs. Force

Force just cannot seem to get it going this season. They seem to stay close with any team for 1 or 2 games, but rarely close it out. In week 1, they played the Strike Kings real close, but got 0 wins to show for it. They also seem to have inconsistent play. Whenever one player bowls well, someone else seems to struggle. If they plan to make 2nd half surge, it has to start now, and all 5 bowlers have to be on the same page. Prince and Roswell have stepped up their games recently, and they're going to need everyone else to do the same this week.

Strike Kings have 2 of the top 3 bowlers in the league in Jason and Don. The question has always been about their depth. Last week showed they still haven't addressed this issue. Jason finally had an off week by his standards, and no one was able to step up and push the team forward. Ammad, Nisar, and Arshad have all bowled games in the 160 range, but for the most part have stayed in the 110-120 range. They might be able to get away with that this week, but if they want to make a run at the title, they're going to have to get more consistent play out of these 3 bowlers.

As well as Prince has been bowling, at best, he will only match Don or Jason. If someone else on Force can match up with the other monster on the Strike Kings, this could be the week Force turns it around; as the rest of their team is stronger than the rest of the Strike Kings. That being said, with Force's inconsistent play, expect them to only win 1 game based on their depth. Strike Kings are predicted to win 2 games and the total pins.

Strikes 'n' Spares vs. Pin Smackers

Abhi came back with a vengeance last week and bowled 3 monster games all the 200s. As the #2 bowler in the league, he will put pressure on Strikes 'n' Spares to be at their best if they want to continue their winning streak. Abhi has been getting a lot of help too as Eugene is quietly the #6 bowler in the league, and has been nothing but consistent as Abhi's wing man. The player to watch in this match-up though is Sony. Sony continues to get better each and every week and has stepped up to be the team's #3 bowler. With Sony's improved play, expect him to be the difference.

In order for Strikes 'n' Spares to win this week, they will need consistency from all 5 bowlers. Nadeem has been solid all season, and he definitely has talent behind him with Mufty, Hamza, and Naeem. However, all 3 guys had 1 bad game last week. Like the Strike Kings, all have shown they're capable of very solid games, but for the most part have not done it. Strikes 'n' Spares also dodged a bullet as Jason and Don had slightly off weeks. Don't expect the same thing from Abhi and Eugene this week. If all 5 guys don't bowl well, they might be in for a long week. Who is going to step up on this team and match-up with Abhi?

Pin Smackers are eyeing that #1 seed and continue to make their push. The prediction is for the Pin Smackers to sweep the week and win all 11 points.

Week 7 Recap

Week 7 once again saw a number of close games and a number of bowlers stepping up for their teams.

Force vs. Pin Smackers

Force was short-handed with only 4 guys. Facing the Pin Smackers is tough enough, but to do it without a full squad is just asking for trouble. Pin Smackers won game 1 easily 809-697. Abhi and Eugene bowled a 202 and 203 respectively, Sony put in a new career high of 178; while Prince rolled a 202 and Roswell rolled a 155.

Game 2 was much closer. For Force Razi stepped up and rolled a 146 and Prince did his best to carry the team with this week's league high of 233, but it wasn't enough, as Abhi struck out to get a 216, Eugene rolled a 148 and Sony added in a 146 to squeak out a win 714-709.

Game 3 was a no contest as the Pin Smackers got the sweep 758-628. Abhi completed a great day of bowling with a 214, while Eugene and Sony added in scores of 183 and 150. Force had Alan roll a 169, while Prince threw in a 159.

Pin Pals vs. Asian Sensation

A lot of smack talk on both sides led to confrontation both teams could not wait to have. In game 1, Asian Sensation showed a lot of balance as Khalil, Latif, and Yash all bowled games in the 140s, and Khaled bowled a 151 game. However the Pin Pals showed an even higher level of balance. Chris, Dave, and Moe matched those scores with a 142, 152, and 139 respectively. Asif just about bowled his average of 182, and anchor Ayaz bowled a league game 1 high of 225. Pin Pals won game 1 840-713.

Game 2 saw Asian Sensation really step up their games to get a win. Adam bowled his season high of 189, Yash bowled a great game of 163, and Khaled bowled his season high of 210. With a team score of 805, that should get you a win in almost every game. But the Pin Pals once again denied Asian Sensation with games of 231 from Asif, 193 from Moe, and 181 from Ayaz. Pin Pals won game 2 823-805.

Game 3 was all but a forgone conclusion. Asian sensation lost their focus and couldn't get any hot streaks going. Meanwhile, Pin Pals just kept playing their game. Dave put in another solid game with 164, and Ayaz bowled a leauge game 3 high of 223. Pin Pals get the sweep with a game 3 win 769-611. These teams will re-match next week, so look for Asian Sensation to get revenge, or for the Pin Pals to continue their dominance.

Strike Kings vs. Strikes 'n' Spares

Anyone who thought Strikes 'n' Spares(SnS) couldn't compete has been proven wrong at this point. After taking 2 outta 3 from Force each of the last two weeks, their run was expected to end at the hands of the Strike Kings(SK). In game 1, SnS hung around against the SK with a 156 from Naeem and a 149 from Mufty. Meanwhile Don and Jason were both slightly off their games bowling a 176 and a 179. In the 10th frame, anchor Hamza struck out and finished with a 173, which gave SnS and 2 pin win (744-742) over SK in game 1.

Game 2 was more of the same. Naeem once again stepped up and bowled a 161, captain Nadeem subbed in and bowled a 158. For SK, Ammad did his best to help the cause bowling a 155, while Jason bowled a 181 and Don bowled a 182. This game also came down to the anchors of the 10th frame. Don closed out his 10th frame, but left it open for SnS by not striking out. Mufty bowled 2 strikes in the 10th and finished with a 178 to give SnS their 2nd win, this one by 6, 742-736.

Game 3 saw both teams slip up a bit, but SnS really fell off after 2 big wins. Nadeem tried to keep his team in it with a 165 game, but got little help from anyone. SK got another great game from Don with a 192, and even though Jason bowled his lowest game of the season, SK easily won game 3, and won the pin total as well, with a 714-641 win.