Mr. Miner's Phish Thoughts

**********

**********

Elite Eight Recap

The four regional final games provided one instant-classic, one surprise upset, and two predictable results. Let’s take them one by one.

#2 Tahoe 38 #4 Magnaball 34 

The two-four matchup between Magnaball and Lake Tahoe pitted two modern classics against each other with a bid to Limestone, the site of the Final Four, on the line. The majority of pundits had Tahoe rolling fairly easily in this one, but the incredibly competitive contest illustrates why the games are played and the unpredictable nature of Tweezer Madness. The two versions staged, arguably, the most ferocious battle of the entire tournament, going back and forth from the opening tip. Neither version would give an inch, and the score remained within a bucket or two difference for the entirety of the game. This one came down to who would have the final possession, and that turned out to be Lake Tahoe. In a tie game, the 2013 version ran a set play and hit an improbable, three-point buzzer beater from the right wing as time expired! Magnaball aggressively closed out on the shooter, taking away its landing space and was whistled for a foul on the game-winner, accounting for the four-point margin of victory. And thus concluded one of the greatest games in the history of the tournament.

#3 Denver ’97 48 #1 Raleigh ’99 27

To put it frankly, this result was a total shocker. At no point during the tournament did the media or the selection committee expect to see the version from McNichols in the Final Four. Though the well-loved, groove clinic is comprised of straight Fall ’97 Phish crack, most thought that its one-dimensionality would keep it from advancing to the tournament’s final weekend. Raleigh—a looped-out, layered, psych-groove-quasi-shoegazing exploration—has it all, including one of the band’s most sublime peaks of all-time, but the cowfunk of Denver took an early lead and never looked back, leaving Raleigh in the dust in an incredibly surprising blowout.

#1 Auburn Hills 58 #3 Bomb Factory 18

This contest saw a stark juxtaposition of eras, pitting, arguably, the crowning achievement of Fall ’97 against the iconic Spring  ’94 version that jump-started the year in which Phish truly discovered long-form jamming. Each version has a place in the pantheon of Tweezers, but when stepping back to compare the music and level of improvisation between the two, there is really no contest. The final score of this game reflected this dichotomy, as The Palace trounced the Bomb Factory, advancing to Limestone by the colossal margin of 40 votes.

#1 Nassau 50 #2 Lakewood 00 23

Nassau has been a force to be reckoned with in Tweezer Madness, dominating its competition from the opening  tip of it’s first round matchup. The Long Island epic has demolished any version that has stepped in its path, with an unrelenting fury, seeking vengeance for the undeserved shade that has befallen the 2.0 era throughout much of the Phish community. It has looked every bit the monster of its legend, and rolls into the Final Four casually disposing of an incredibly strong version from Lakewood 2000. Nassau’s wide margin of victory came as a bit of a surprise against one of the elite versions of all-time. Its victory sets up an intriguing semi-final against Denver ’97 in which its dominance may be challenged for the first time.

**********

The tournament has reached its peak! The four regional champions will make the haul up to Limestone to settle the score. The Final Four vote will be live for 72 hours. Thanks to all who have participated along the way.

**********

**********

Sweet Sixteen Recap

Well…the Sweet Sixteen round didn’t provide the the type of high drama that was expected between such standout versions. In fact, only two matchups were even close. The one-four contest between Alpine ’98 and Magnaball provided the only real intrigue of the round, as the modern favorite jumped atop the score from the get go, looking as if it was going to blow out the top-seeded classic from Alpine Valley. Magnaball got complacent with its lead, however, letting up on defense and allowing Alpine back in the game. Magna played with a single digit lead for much of the second half, but Alpine was never able to draw even, falling to the 2015 standout by the final tally of 50-37. Alpine ’98 is the first number one seed to topple in the tournament, as Magnaball’s Tweezer advances on the strength of two separate, standout jam segments sandwiched around Prince Caspian.

The other close game came in second-seeded Lake Tahoe’s 13-vote victory over the third-seeded version from the Great Went. Though Tahoe had the higher seed due to its iconic status in modern Phish, the Great Went boasted supremely locked-in, one-minded playing, and grooves that are among the band’s best ever. This one could have gone either way and the result wouldn’t have been surprising. Tahoe, however, took an early lead, and despite a legitimate effort from the Went to make it competitive, coasted to an easy 51-38 victory.

All the other Sweet Sixteen matchups turned out to be blowouts. The most notable upset came in Hampton’s two-three game as Denver ’97’s groove clinic toppled the longest version of all-time in Mud Island by the score of 57-25. Many saw the hallmark Summer ’95 version as a final four contender, but its run ended in the round of sixteen as McNichols will now battle Raleigh ’99 in a marquee regional final.

Jones Beach’s magic finally ran out as the Summer ’95 beast fell to 1994’s first long-form Tweezer from the Bomb Factory. Jones Beach had gone on a late-season tear, winning its conference tournament and vaulting to a two-seed in Tweezer Madness, but the Bomb Factory ended its quest for glory in dominating fashion by the score of 58-24.

Second-seeded Lakewood ’00 easily ousted Christiana’s Grey Hall rendition from Europe ’98 by the score of 48-32. Christiana made a nice run in the tourney, making it to the second weekend as a six seed and garnering the respect it deserves, but Lakewood proved too much for the international version to handle.

The three other top-seeded versions rolled once again. The Palace crushed Camden ’99, 62-24, Raleigh ’99 smoked Hampton ’13 by the count of 60-24, and Nassau easily disposed of Tokyo 64-19. These number one seeds all look like favorites for the final four, and will look to continue their dominance in the round of eight.

Above is the Elite Eight vote. These games will run for 72 hours. May the strong survive!

**********

Elite Eight Breakdown

By Year

1994: 1

1997: 2

1999: 1

2000: 1

2003: 1

2013: 1

2015: 1

By Season

Spring: 1

Summer: 3

Fall: 2

Winter: 2

 

**********

Welcome to the Sweet Sixteen! This is where things *really* get interesting. The voting has brought together sixteen absolutely incredible versions (see the previous post for the latest recap), and every matchup from here on out will, no doubt, be hotly contested. The Sweet Sixteen vote will run for 72 hours. We are now only three voting rounds away from the championship game! This is where the drama gets thick. This is Tweezer Madness.

**********

Drama, Drama, Drama! The Hampton and Worcester regions more than made up for the blowouts in the last round of voting with several down-to-the-wire contests. Let’s go to the video tape!

Hampton Region Recap

#5 Hampton 13 27 #4 Bangor 94 23

The Hampton region’s highest drama came via the four-five matchup between Bangor and Hampton. This game was nip and tuck throughout with several lead changes along the way. Neither of these juggernauts were able to build any separation in this rugged-style matchup. Hailing from completely different eras, each of these monster versions utilized their unique psychedelic prowess in an attempt to intimidate the other, but neither backed down as the game went down to the wire. A small run in the final two minutes pushed the modern classic over the gem from ’94, and Hampton became the second 3.0 Tweezer to make the Sweet Sixteen.

#2 Mud Island 95 23 #7 Austin 98 19

The most surprising contest of the Hampton region came in an incredibly competitive game between two-seed Mud Island and the upstart, seven-seed Austin 98. This matchup provided the most stark contrast of styles that we have seen in the tournament—Mud Island’s multi-sectioned, never-ending 50-minute odyssey versus the locked-in, smooth-as-can-be, chunky Summer ’98 funk grooves of Austin. Austin kept the game closer than anyone had predicted, and by the second half, the compact dance-version won over the crowd as the arena pulled hard for the improbable upset. It seemed as though the favored ’95 beast would fall in a David versus Goliath story, but Austin missed a couple gimmies in the final minute and somehow, someway, Mud Island survived.

#3 Denver 97 34 #11 New Haven 95 14

After upsetting MSG 12/30/16 in round one, New Haven ’95 had its sight set even higher on the well-loved, show-opening version from McNichols Arena from Fall ’97. But New Haven’s one dimensional, guitar-led run-and-gun attack proved no contest for the methodic and balanced cowfunk of Denver. This one was never close, and Denver—as expected—rolled into the Sweet Sixteen unchallenged.

#1 Raleigh 99 44 #9 Nashville 16 8

Nothing to see here, as number one seed, Raleigh ’99, steamrolled the dark-horse rendition from Fall Tour 2016 in Nashville. Raleigh moves into the next round with its true competition about to begin.

Worcester Region Recap

#4 Tokyo 00 25 #5 Bozeman 94 21

Tokyo ’00 and Bozeman ’94 played the third, hotly contested game in this half of the bracket’s second round. This four-five matchup—pitting a 30-plus minute, international rendition against a 40-plus minute sprawl from Fall ’94—became a contest of leapfrog, with neither version holding a lead for any period of time. Tokyo’s cohesion and intricacy eventually won out over the long-form, patchwork improv from Bozeman, giving this half of the second round its third four-vote margin of victory.

#6 Christiana 98 23 #3 Salem 94 19

This three-six matchup saw two beasts go head-to-head, with the underdog, Christiana winning out in yet another four-vote contest! Much like Tokyo-Bozeman, this game was as competitive as any in the tournament, as the two versions battled neck-and-neck the entire way. Just when one version pulled ahead, the other would come back, and the game entered the final minute tied up. In their last gasps, Christiana offered a slowed-down, psychedelic “When the Levee Breaks” tease, and Salem retorted with a “Norwegian Wood” jam out of an abstract space. The Zeppelin reference was just was the doctored ordered as the iconic European version pulled ahead of the penultimate rendition from Fall ’94, edging Salem by the slim margin of four.

#2 Lakewood 00 22 #7 Albany 18

Worcester’s two-seven matchup proved to be just as dramatic as Hampton’s two-seven, as Lakewood and Albany went at each other with aggression from the opening tip. The heavily favored version from Atlanta was plagued by turnovers out of the gate, allowing Albany to remain in the game with marksman-like three-point shooting. Albany’s long range bombing continued throughout the contest, as they remained within striking distance until the final minutes. Lakewood’s tournament life flashed before its eyes. The Fall ’97 version, however, never got over the hump, as Lakewood blocked it’s final two attempts to secure a narrow escape in an unexpected barnburner.

#1 Nassau 03 42 #9 Champaign 95 6

Nassau 03 was the fourth top seed to annihilate their second round opponent and waltz into the second round with zero trouble. Nassau has its sight set on the final four, but will have to now step up and play in order to get there.

*****

Sweet Sixteen Breakdown

By Year:

1994: 1

1995: 2

1997: 3

1998: 2

1999: 2

2000: 2

2003: 1

2013: 2

2015: 1

Tours with Multiple Versions

Summer ’95: 2

Fall ’97: 2

Summer ’98: 2

Summer ’00: 2

Seasonal Breakdown

Spring: 1

Summer: 10

Fall: 3

Winter: 2

Lookout for the Sweet Sixteen vote within the next 24 hours!

MSG Region Recap

#5 Camden 99 35 #4 Lakewood 15 29

The four-five matchup between Camden ’99 and Lakewood ’15 provided the most marquee matchup of MSG’s second round action. A battle of styles, a battle of eras, a battle of tempos—this contest provided an interesting musical juxtaposition. Camden rode in on the strength of its ’99 psych-goo, while Lakewood put forth its stunningly beautiful melodic theme. In the end, however, the molasses of Camden got the better of Lakewood, as the New Jersey rendition jumped out to a comfortable early lead and continued to score just enough to hold off several comeback attempts from the Summer ’15 highlight.

#2 Jones Beach 95 32 #7 Hartford 13 28

The two-seven matchup pitted two versions, almost two decades apart, that are as different as can possibly be—the wooly and  outlandish exploration of Jones Beach’s Summer ’95 behemoth versus the smooth, thematic playing of Hartford’s Fall ’13 standout. The two squads played each other incredibly tough, but the Long Island monster held the lead from wire to wire. Hartford pulled as close as it would come within the games final minute, but never got over the hump. The sneaky-powerful two seed rolls on with a mission to dethrone more widely known versions.

#3 Bomb Factory 51 #11 Laguna Seca 5

This three-eleven matchup saw two classic 1994 Tweezers that are household names—Bomb Factory and Laguna Seca. After pulling a huge upset over Blossom 15, Laguna Seca looked to shock the world by sending the Bomb Factory packing. But the California, multi-band-festival version couldn’t harness its first round magic and got run out of the gym by the iconic Dallas rendition. This was an outright drubbing, and the victory sets up a highly-anticipated Sweet Sixteen matchup between Bomb Factory and Jones Beach.

#1 Auburn Hills 97 62 #9 Gainesville 95 4

Speaking of a drubbing, Auburn Hills annihilated the upstart Gainesville version from Fall 95 with an eye-popping score differential. The Palace Tweezer strolls into the Sweet Sixteen without breaking a sweat over its first two matchups. The tournament starts now for one of the best Phish jams of all time.

Gorge Region Recap

#4 Magnaball 46 #5 Island Run 19

Everyone had this Magnaball-Island Run second-round matchup circled before the tournament started, but it turned out to be surprisingly non-competitive. These versions hail from two of Phish’s most revered events, but whereas the Magna version was, arguably, the highlight of the weekend, the Island version was practically an afterthought to the run’s countless other-worldly jams. Magnaball ran away the contest in the second half in a thumping that few saw coming.

#3 Great Went 34 #6 Alpine 15 21

The Great Went’s afternoon classic coasted to victory in its second round match-up, maintaining a comfortable 10-plus point lead from early in the first half. The impeccable and buttery Alpine version showed some fight in scoring more than expected against the Went’s vaunted ’97 zone defense, but the result was never truly in question. The Gorge region’s second festival version advances, and the Great Went will surely make some noise in the the next round.

#2 Lake Tahoe 49 #10 Lake Placid 13

Following the trend of the Gorge Region, this Battle of the Lakes resulted in yet another blowout as Tahoe easily dismissed Placid. The tour-ending version from Fall ’95 proved no contest for the fan favorite from Stateline, Nevada, as the third Fall ’95 version bows out of the tournament. This sets up a prime-time affair between The Great Went and Lake Tahoe next round.

#1 Alpine 98 42 #9 Vegas 98 16

This battle of 1998 versions provided little drama, as Vegas just didn’t have the mustard to get within an arm’s reach of Alpine ’98s historic outing. Alpine’s victory cemented an all-chalk second round in the Gorge region, and suffice it to say, the next round will provide more drama than this one.

Hampton & Worcester Regions: Round 2 

The second round begins and the matchups get spicier! I plan to run this vote for the same 72 hours, as it seems like it takes that long for a critical amount of voters to weigh in. The tournament will move faster now, as the second round will be done with two posts. Thanks to all who are participating, and I hope you are enjoying this as much as my friends and I are!

Worcester Round 1 Re-cap

#6 Christiana, DK 21 #11 Worcester, MA 18

The six-eleven match-up provided the closest contest of Worcester’s first round play. Freetown Christiana jumped out to an early lead, but Worcester took command of the game in the second half with its intimidating front line. The ’95 New Year’s Run version built a lead and looked to be cruising towards a comfortable victory, but the international favorite, hailing from a barn within a squat in Copenhagen, strung together some stops and scores over the game’s final two minutes, pulling the rug out from under Worcester and moving into the round of 32.

#9 Champaign 95 21 #8 St. Louis 94 17

The eight-nine game gave the region its second-closest result, as Champaign edged the Fox Theatre version by only four votes. This contest was neck and neck throughout, as neither squad built a significant lead. Champaign fell back on its well-loved, Fall ’95, arena-style offensive to hold off the upstart, emotional version from a year previous. Champaign’s win makes Fall Tour ’95 the top performing tour of the first round at 4-1.

#7 Albany 97 23 #10 MSG 18 18

The Albany-MSG match-up dripped with drama, as the two New York versions engaged in a back and forth slugfest featuring multiple lead changes. Surprisingly, MSG had the lead for a large chunk of the game, but the the thick cowfunk of Albany proved too much to handle for the modern, bluesy-bliss-anchored rendition. It takes more than a little peak to bring down a giant of Fall ’97. Albany joins its tour brethren, Auburn Hills and Denver in the next round.

#5 Bozeman, MT 32 #12 MSG 12 9

The mega-version from Bozeman put the stomp down on MSG’s 2012 outing in a game that was never competitive. MSG, a strong version in its own right, was the victim of a tough draw in this one, as Bozeman was a lock for round two from the get go.

#4 Tokyo 00 32 #13 Vegas 18 7

The far-eastern juggernaut clobbered the most recent Halloween version with its exploratory style and Japanese stylings. The hard-hitting, classic-sounding, post-Kasvot rendition tried to put up a fight, but its defense was creatively overmatched by in this lop-sided defeat.

#3 Salem 94 29 #14 AC 13 9

Following the Worcester region’s upper-seeded blowout trend, the famed version from Salem ’94 ran circles around the hugely-underrated outing from Atlantic City ’13. Nobody expected AC to compete with one of ’94’s hallmark Tweezers, as Salem has its eyes set on the regional final and beyond. AC will live to fight another day, and would have had far more success had it headed for the NIT.

#2 Atlanta 00 25 #15 Portland 98 15

Though this result was never in doubt, there were times throughout the contest that Portland creeped up on Lakewood, providing the favored version with a bit more than it bargained for. Perhaps under-seeded, Portland fought valiantly, employing dubbed out rhythms and hip-hop teases in an attempt to pull the upset, but Lakewood never gave up the lead, coasting to a ten vote victory.

#1 Nassau 41 #16 MSG 10 4

Almost every media member had Nassau in their pre-tournament Final Four, and the post-hiatus monster looked every bit the part in annihilating 2010’s MSG offering. Nassau has all the pieces in place, and has the look of a version that will make a deep tournament run. This game was merely its warm-up.

Tournament Trends

Top Tour Performers

Fall ’95: 4-1

Fall ’97 3-1

Summer ’15 3-1

Fall ’94: 3-0

Year Representatives in Round 2

1994: 5

1995: 6

1997: 4

1998: 5

1999: 2

2000: 2

2003: 1

2013: 2

2015: 3

2016: 1

Seasonal Breakdown of Rd. 2

Spring: 3

Summer: 13

Fall: 14

Winter: 2

Venues with Multiple Versions Advancing

Alpine Valley: 2

Lakewood: 2

The first round has concluded! The first half of the second round will be posted within 24 hours in its own post.

 

 

Hampton Region Round 1 Recap

#9 Nashville 29 #8 Miami 24

The eight-nine game provided the most drama in the Hampton region, as two 3.0 favorites staged an engaging battle that featured the most eye-opening comeback of the tournament. Eight seed, Miami, had a comfortable lead for most of the contest, but the final five minutes saw Nashville go on a run out of nowhere and overtake the ’09 standout, capturing the contest by 5 votes. Miami—stunned—hung its head as it packed its bag, but heading back to South Beach will sure bolster its spirit.

#11 New Haven 95 34 #6 MSG 12/30/16 19

In an upset that many prognosticators saw coming, the compact shredder from New Haven defeated the more dynamic version from Madison Square Garden. When the bracket came out, there was rampant questioning of New Haven’s seemingly-low seed, but the committee cited the version’s one-dimensional nature for its placement. The voters saw otherwise, however, as the Fall 95 version jumped out to a big lead and never looked back. Voters have shown an unbreakable love for Fall 95, as each version from the tour has advanced thus far.

#7 Austin 98 33 #10 Chicago, IL 19

The late-’90s groove monster from Austin, Texas, wasted no time devouring the multi-sectioned standout from Fall 2018. Chicago was predicted to put up more of a fight in this one, but it was no competition for one of the chunkiest and smoothest rhythmic exchanges of all-time.

#5 Hampton 13 42 #12 Red Rocks 09 11

In another battle of 3.0 versions, the revered rendition from the Mothership out-dueled the stellar Red Rocks version from five years earlier. Though Red Rocks, pound for pound, is as tough as any version in the field, the length and psychedelia of Hampton suffocated the ’09 version, and the host Tweezer of the Hampton region marched on.

#4 Bangor 33 #13 MSG 1/2/16 20

The stone cold classic from Bangor ’94, featured on A Live One, put the beat down on the uplifting MSG 16 version in a wire-to-wire domination. Bangor is one of the favorites in this bracket, and could be looking at a regional final if things fall their way.

#3 Denver 97 47 #14 Baker’s 8

This match-up was over before it started, as the well-loved opener from McNichols 97 proved far to powerful and infectious for the Baker’s Dozen opening night outing. Denver’s quintessential Fall ’97 groove factory started quick and never relented in a match-up between wildly divergent versions, easily advancing to the round of 32.

#2 Mud Island 41 #15 Minneapolis 10

The 50-minute colossus from Memphis in the Summer 95 had a strong argument for a top seed in this tournament, and when it was slotted as a two, it felt like it had something to prove. The longest Tweezer ever came out with a chip on its shoulder in the first round, drubbing the Target Center version from ’99 in a game that likened the Globetrotters versus the Washington Generals. Mud Island has its sights set on the final four, but will have to make its way through some top-shelf versions to make its dream a reality.

#1 Raleigh 99 55 #15 Shoreline 00 4

Continuing the tournament trend of top seed domination, Raleigh bludgeoned the Shoreline version from the final night of 1.0, in a contest that was as lopsided as the score suggests. Raleigh treated this game as a warm-up for its real competition which will start in round two.

    *   *   *

Thanks to everyone who voted in the Hampton Region! Below is the Worcetser Region—the final first round games. The polls will be live for 72 hours and then we will be moving on to spicier matchups in the round of 32. Enjoy!

Gorge Region Round 1 Recap

The first round play in the Gorge region was dominated by blowouts, though two games were as close as possible. Let’s recap each game, starting with the most exciting.

#9 Vegas 98 27 #8 Hartford 97 26

The eight-nine match-up came through with drama once again, as Vegas 98 edged Hartford 97 by only one vote. This one was neck and neck the whole way through, as neither squad created any real separation throughout the game. The teams exchanged buckets down the stretch and the score was tied as the clock moved under five seconds. Vegas called a timeout and set up a final play. On the inbounds, they executed a perfect back pick off the ball, the Hartford defense did’t rotate, and Vegas hit an open layup as time expired! This game illustrated what Tweezer Madness is all about!

#6 Alpine 15 26 #11 Charlotte 95 26 tie

In a battle between two wildly different versions, Charlotte jumped out to a big lead, but Alpine chipped away and chipped away, tieing the game several times but never getting over the hump. And in the final minute of play, they hit a three pointer to tie the game yet again. Charlotte was set up to win, but their attempt at the buzzer wedged in between the rim and the backboard as time expired. This brought the tournament its first tie, and following the Tweezer Madness bylaws, ties are broken by the seeding committee. The committee issued this statement:

Though we love both versions, and Charlotte has the clear edge in length, we find Alpine to be a perfect Phish jam. This Tweezer jam has no extraneous notes, features laser-like focus between band members and a criminally smooth, one-minded flow. For these reasons, Alpine will be advancing.

#5 Providence 98 37 #12 MSG 17 19

This modern-day MSG version, though two-pronged and with a blissful peak just couldn’t keep up with the much-loved, late-90s grooves of the Island Run. This one was never competitive.

#4 Magnaball 42 #13 Finger Lakes 95 13

The centerpiece jam of the Magnaball weekend annihilated the super-long Fleezer of legend, lending the 3.0 era some more street cred in a tourney pitting era against era. Of the four standout Summer ’15 versions, three have now advanced to the round of 32.

#10 Lake Placid 95 28 #7 Barcelona 98 17

The final Tweezer of the band’s famed Fall 95 tour drubbed the bass-led version of Barcelona 98 in the region’s most significant upset. Barcelona, not as well known as the potentially under-seeded Lake Placid version, had a steep hill to climb in this contest, but it was thought that its delectable dance club grooves could make a run for the money. But it wasn’t to be as the guitar and piano led psychedelia of Lake Placid dominated the game from the tip.

#3 Great Went 38 #14 Dick’s 11 18

The Great Went smothered Dick’s 11 with it’s raw Summer 97 funk stylings, moving out to an early lead and expanding it throughout the match-up. Colorado’s early 3.0 highlight couldn’t generate consistent offense against Limestone’s stone cold classic, as it was plagued by turnovers and poor decision making from the jump. The Went advanced easily and could make some legitimate noise in this tournament before all is said and done.

#2 Lake Tahoe 13 44 #15 Randall’s 14 13

Fan favorite, Lake Tahoe, put the beat down on Randall Island’s version in a battle of 3.0 standouts. Randall’s never truly stood a chance against Tahoe’s 30-plus minute journey who many have pegged for a final four appearance.

#1 Alpine 98 51 #16 Eureka 92 7

Once again, the number one seed rolled as Alpine 98 dominated Eureka 92 from the outset, shutting out the 16th seed for the first 15 minutes of the game. Eureka 92, though ahead of its time and deserving of a spot in the tournament, wasn’t thought to truly compete. The pundits were right, and the oldest version in the field will head back to the redwoods, but has nothing to hang its head about.

Thanks to everyone who listened and voted in the Gorge Region! The Hampton region’s first round will run for 72 hours from the time of this posting. Enjoy the next eight matchups and continue to enjoy your time in the freezer!

MSG 1st Round Re-Cap

Though most of Madison Square Garden’s first round match-ups went as expected, there were some very close contests and one surprising upset. Let’s go to the videotape!

The region’s shocking upset came in dramatic fashion as the mid-major 11th seeded, Laguna Seca 94, made a late run and upended the heavy-hitting version of Blossom 15 by a single vote. Blossom had an open look to win it at the buzzer, but the ball rolled around the rim and fell out of cylinder. Nobody saw this one coming, and many thought Blossom was a real contender to reach the Sweet 16. But its season ended prematurely, and the strong version will pack its bag and head back to Cleveland to ponder what could have been.

The seven seed, Hartford 13, and the tenth seed, Nassau 99, engaged in a hotly-contested, see-saw battle that saw several lead changes throughout. Hartford saw a narrow lead evaporate over the final two minutes of the game, but hit a desperation three-pointer at the horn defeating the dark-horse 99 rendition in crushing fashion by only a single vote.

Jones Beach 95, the regions second seed, ran out to a large lead only to become complacent and allow number 15, Cincy 98, to stage a furious comeback that ultimately fell short. The game was even closer than the final margin of eight votes would suggest, as Jones Beach tacked on some free throws off of intentional fouls by Cincy as they looked to extend the contest.

Third-seeded Bomb Factory easily defeated MSG in a contest of 1994 juggernauts, while Lakewood 15, the region’s four seed, drubbed Big Cypress in a match-up that was never close. Camden 99 and Gorge 97 went back and forth for much of the game before fifth seeded, Camden, strung together some late buckets and won by a comfortable margin of seven votes.

The always exciting eight versus nine game lived up to the hype, as Vancouver 99 and Gainesville 95 exchanged blows in a battle of vastly different musical eras. Vancouver jumped out to an early lead before Gainesville mucked up the game with strong grand piano chords, playing lock down defense and scoring just enough to comfortably put down the favored Canadian version by seven.

In the final MSG first round game, top seed Auburn Hill ’97 bludgeoned Dayton 95 without resistance.

Thanks to all who voted in the tournament’s first region! Please cast your vote for the Gorge region’s first round games below. I’ve decided to have regions’ first round slate to play for three days—72 hours from the time of posting—rather than four in the interest of moving the tournament along.

Get your headphones out and let’s go!