In the dry month of February, with the mood at a low given the dreary weather, something was needed to spur the student morale at Glen Rock High School. With spring around the corner, the idea for a recreational basketball league called the Glen Rock Intramural Basketball League, better known as the GRIBL, was founded. The GRIBL was initially founded in 2022 by GRHS alumn Kenneth Vergel De Dios, but in February of 2024, players from the former league who are now seniors, knew it was time to bring it back:
“It was extremely fun as sophomores and we thought it would be a great way to end the senior year and bring back the GRIBL,” Liam Fink stated.
The rules for the league are simple. Eight teams, eight captains, and four players per team, competing against each other in a two-month-long season for the chance to lift the coveted GRIBL Championship Trophy. The league’s inaugural draft took place over Zoom on Feb. 4, 2024 and the teams are as follows:
Rockets – Mark Morea, Jeremy Lopez, Jacob Cece, Jake Pappas
Clippers – Zach Sturiale, Nick Tufano, Giacomo Puglise, Andrew Blount
Lakers- Emmett White, Jake Rickett, Andrew Vincenti, Luke Pensec
Bulls – Liam Fink, Ethan Diamond, Ben Hendrick, Brady Cox
Nets – Matt Kaplan, Jake Quigley, Ben Hochman, Jack O’Connor
Pistons – Toby Berger, Taylor Cohen, Josue Perez, Eamon Smith
Magic – Charlie Gifford, Brady Peck, Fabian Kubasek, Max Bernstein
Kings – Jack Hatterley, Parker Dupuis, Luke Prebola, Richie Pucci
The much anticipated first week of GRIBL basketball was intense, as every single series went to 3 games.
The first series of the week saw Charlie’s Magic matchup against Mark’s Rockets in an instant classic. The Magic fell flat and dropped Game 1, but behind a strong effort from Charlie came through in a gritty Game 2. Charlie’s dominance continued in their dominant shutout Game 3 victory to snatch a win in their first week.
The second series between Matt’s Nets and Toby’s Pistons was a highlight of the week. In Game 1, Ben Hochman made a statement with his 10-point performance, but the gritty-defensive Pistons bounced back for Game 2 and edged out a seemingly never-ending Game 3.
The third series of the week between Jack’s Kings and Emmett’s Lakers was a matchup that had been circled for both teams due to some pre-game trash talk. The Lakers, behind Emmett’s masterful performance, won Game 1, but ultimately let Game 2 slip away as Hattersley and Prebola were able to heat up from behind the arc. However, Game 3 was all Lakers, as Emmett continued his monster day.
The fourth series between Zach’s Clippers and Liam’s Bulls was in question due to the rain and slipperiness of the court, but ultimately the players chose to play through the harsh weather and put on a show that will not be forgotten. While the Bulls got off to a hot start against the seemingly overmatched Clippers and won Game 1, Zach went on a scoring tear which included scoring 18 of his team’s final 22 points to win the final two games.
With the exciting first week of GRIBL basketball in the rearview, there are exciting changes in the outlook of the league. The Magic, Lakers, and Clippers sit at the top of the power rankings given their decisive wins and star power. Given their team’s success, its no surprise that Zach, Emmett, and Charlie are the three leading the way in the MVP race. While it’s still early in the season, it’s safe to say that fans should keep an eye on these players and teams to make noise come playoff time.
The league has undoubtedly captured the interest of both players and fans alike. The first week’s games, held at Wilde Memorial Park, featured a crowd of not only league members, but other members of the senior class excited to see the eight teams battle it out. “As a specator, it’s entertaining to watch all this young talent on the court. The compeitiveness brings out another level in the players,” spectator and Glen Rock senior Ryan Wolfe said. Tension is only mounting, as Rivalry Week is coming up during Week 3 and players are taking it personally. Magic captain Charlie Gifford, who infamously passed on Ben Hochman twice in the draft after promising to select him, has played up the animosity between the two and has told reporters “we play the Nets Week 3 and I can’t wait.” All future matchups will continue to be streamed live on the GRIBL’s official Instagram account, @gribl2024, which posts game scores, trade rumors, and everything GRIBL related posted by league media manager and commissioner Matt Destaso.
