The Bruins are a BuzzerBeater basketball team founded in season 2. The Bruins started in in USA IV.8, promoted to USA III.14 and USA II.1 and now competes in the top league, the NBBA.
Through
the years, the Bruins have been an increasingly strong competitor:
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Record under current management was 4-2 (+22.0 ppg). |
Trophies
Historical Summary
Season 20
In season twenty, the Bruins struggled to an 11-11 record, but that was good only for 7th place in a strong Great 8. The Bruins were forced into a relegation matchup with the Black Mamba, but were able to overcome this hurdle despite not having home court advantage. In the cup, the Bruins managed seven wins before losing to former NBBA rival the New York Jests.
Season 19
In the nineteenth season, the Bruins managed a 14-8 record and a 4th place finish in a tough Great 8 Conference of the NBBA. In the playoffs, the Bruins couldn’t compete with their playoff opponent and fell 79-64 to the Burlington Mountain Goats. In the cup, the Bruins managed nine wins including eliminating NBBA rival, ChiTown Bangers. However, in the tenth round, they fell to another long-time rival, the Silverbacks.
Season 18
The eighteenth season saw the Bruins post their best finish yet, with a 15-7 record and a 2nd place in the Great 8 of the NBBA. Unfortunately, in the playoffs, the Bruins dropped their first game to long time foe, the Lake Merritt Arrows. Manuel Velasco Miranda was the top passer in the NBBA with 7.5 apg. The Bruins cup run was similar to the previous season, eight wins followed by a loss to NBBA rival the Air Ballers.
Season 17
The seventeenth season saw the Bruins rise to the third seed in the playoffs after posting a 14-8 record. Teófilo Lagos was third in the league in scoring at 20.2 ppg and Louie Flanagan was the top passer with 6.1 apg. The Bruins managed an impressive cup run, winning nine games before losing to fellow NBBA team, the Air Ballers.
Season 16
In season sixteen the Bruins struggled in their third season in the NBBA and managed only a fifth place finish. Individually, they excelled though as Teófilo Lagos lead the NBBA in field goal percentage and was second in scoring with 25.4 ppg. Also, Louie Flanagan finished first in the assist category with 7.3 apg. In the cup, the Bruins had an abbreviated run through six rounds, before losing to division III’s Maroon Devils.
Season 15
Season fifteen was a banner year for the Bruins. The club, that barely survived in the NBBA the season before, managed to post 15 wins versus 7 loses in league play and made the playoffs as the #3 seed. In their playoff series, they lost to the Burlington Mountain Goats. In the cup, the Bruins had another extended run through tens rounds, before losing to former NBBA rival, Technical Fouls after leading through much of the game.
Season 14
Season fourteen was a watershed season. The Bruins, after struggling early in their first season in the NBBA, managed to right themselves in the second half and even their record at 11-11 by the end of the season. In their relegation series, they crushed the Hobo’s Bobby Socks and survived in their first season in the top division. In the cup, the Bruins had a terrific run through eleven rounds, before losing to the Walker Wiggles in the final eight. Finally, the Bruins completed their flag collection with the addition of the Bahamas flag, along with Spain, Italy and Poland.
Season 13
Season thirteen was the season where the Bruins finally broke through ten season in league II and captured the title and promotion to the top division. The Bruins finished with a nearly perfect league record or 20-2 (the two loses coming in the final two games after the Bruins had already clinch home court advantage). With a strong inside presence from Lagos, Faust, Griffiths and Montes and dynamic wings like Slater, Brown and Pate, the lead guards of Flanagan and Saint-Hilaire needed only distribute the ball wisely and hit the occasional jumper. This tactic worked brilliantly in the playoffs as the Bruins won four straight, all by double digit leads. In the cup, the Bruins managed a decent run through seven rounds, before losing to conference rival Silverbacks at home. This lose would be avenged though, as the Bruins eliminated them in the playoffs on their way to winning promotion and the league title. In terms of flag collecting, the Bruins finished the season with 94 flags, only a few shy of a complete collection.
Season 12
Season twelve was perhaps the Bruins least productive. The Bruins finished fourth in their conference posting a .500 league record, and lost in the first round o the play-offs to the Burntisland Fire. In the cup, the Bruins managed a nice run through eight rounds, including a victory over NBBA side North Melbourne Giant. However, they eventually succumb to another NBBA club and former rival Lake Merritt Arrows. The flag collection expanded to 87 flags including the addition of Macua.
Season 11
Season eleven was another season without promotion and without a trophy. The Bruins finished second in their conference posting a mediocre 16-6 mark, and again lost in the second round o the play-offs to the Burntisland Fire. In the cup, the Bruins only managed to last until round 4, before being eliminated by the Grim Koalas. The highlight of the season was probably the expansion of the flag collection which now tops 80 flags including newly added Jamaica, Barbados and Ghana. Additionally, the team sold their last foreign players and is now a team comprised of solely Americans.
Season 10
Season ten was a season of fall back and decline. The Bruins finished second in their conference for the first time in five seasons. They posted a respectable 18-4 mark, but lost in the second round o the play-offs to the Burntisland Fire. In the cup, the Bruins managed to last until round 8, before being eliminated by the the Lilburn Luchadors 4th quarter collapse at home. In other news, the Bruins continued to improve their stable of guards with the arrival Lanny Grissom and the development of point guards Martin Saint-Hilaire and Louie Flanagan.
Season 9
Season nine was a season of consistent league play and cup and playoff disappointments. The Bruins finished atop their conference, with a league best 20-2 record. However, in the first round of the playoffs, the lackluster Bruins lost to the Medellin Maulers in a stunning defeat. In the cup, the Bruins managed to last until round 6, before being eliminated by the league III club, the Seaslugs. In other news, the Bruins continued to improve their stable of guards with the arrival Charles Pate and Grady Diagle and the development of Martin Saint-Hilaire and Louie Flanagan.
Season 8
Season eight saw more parity in the Bruins’ conference, with both the Bruins and Burntisland Fire finishing with 16-6 records. That was not the case in the other conference, as the Demon Hoosiers finished the regular season with a 21-1 record. The Bruins were able to defeat both the NY Wahoos and Burntisland Fire at home in the playoffs, but again came up short in the finals, losing in three games to the Demon Hoosiers. In the cup, the Bruins managed to last until round 8, including eliminating those familiar league rivals, the Demon Hoosiers. However, the Bruins exited in the next round when they could not defeat the NBBA’s Pennsylvania Quakers. In other news, the arena was expanded to 22,150 seats and the Bruins picked up promising, but undersized center Jack Cathey.
Season
7:
Season seven saw the Bruins dominate their league conference, but once again coming up short in the league finals. The Bruins finished with a 19-3 record and managed to make it to the finals. But lost both away games versus the Hobo's Bobby Socks – failing to promote to the NBBA from the playoff finals for the third time. In the USA Cup, the Bruins managed nine wins and advanced to the 10th round of the cup including a win versus the NBBA’s Salisbury Auerbachs. However, in the final eight, the Bruins came up short against the North Melbourne Giants and were eliminated. In other developments, center Shelton Griffiths played for the USA U-21 team which advanced to the finals of the World U-21 Consolation Tournament.
Season
6:
Season six was looking like a successive season until the Lake Merritt Arrows swept the Bruins in the Playoff Finals. Bruins put together a 20-2 regular season record and finished first the Big 8 conference with home court advantage through the playoffs. But they lost game one of the finals in overtime and never recovered in game two. In the USA Cup, the Bruins managed five road wins before losing to NBBA team Digging for Change.
Season
5:
In season five, the Bruins put together the 18-4 regular season record and finished second the Big 8 conference. They managed to defeat In Your Face in the playoffs before succumbing to the Bobo’s in the semi-finals. In the USA Cup, the Bruins managed five wins before losing on the road to the Portland Crackers in the sixth round. Season five also saw the sale of long-time big men, Tim Pelletier and Jacob Lay and the arrival of a trio of guards; Peng Cunpeng, Brent Goblet and Diego Armando Alí.
Season
4:
In the fourth season, the Bruins put together the 17-5 regular season record and finished atop the Big 8 conference. They managed to defeat Tofas Sas and In Your Face in the playoffs before encountering The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh in the finals. After splitting the first two games, the Bruins lost in the series finale and were denied an opportunity to promote to the NBBA. In the USA Cup, the Bruins managed five wins before losing on the road to BC Dynamo in the sixth round.
Season
3:
In the third season of BuzzerBeater, the Bruins put together the perfect season. They went an astounding 22-0 in the regular season and swept through the playoffs winning four straight game and taking the division III.14 title. In the finals the Bruins defeated the Crazy Canadians -- the second and final game decided by a basket that Jacob Lay scored in the final seconds. Monroe Jewell was named the team MVP for the second straight season and Pauley Pavilion was expanded from its initial 5,000 capacity to over 8,000 seats.
Season
2:
In the second season of BuzzerBeater, new management was brought in with just six games left in the season. Victoria Exploration was renamed the Bruins and the old players and management were replaced. The team again finished 18-4 and won the Big 8 division. In the playoffs, they went on to defeat the Bubba Gump Shrimp in the playoffs finals and were again crowned champions of division IV.8.
Season
1:
In the inaugural season of BuzzerBeater, Victoria Exploration went 18-4 and were crowned champions of division IV.8 after sweeping Dripping Springs Lemons in the series finals.