This is part seven in an 8-part series leading up to the 2013 Kronum regular season. You can also check out parts one, two, three, four, five, and six.
2011 Results: 6-4 Regular Season, 0-1 Playoffs, 3rd Place
2011 Leaders:
Key Losses: Phil Cavalcante (to Work Horses), Luke Dougan (to Work Horses), Matt Sola (to Work Horses), Greg Ashton, Derek Clouser (to Work Horses)
Key Additions: Bill Zane (from Work Horses), Bob Zane (from Work Horses), Brett McGlensey (from Work Horses), Corey Chubon, Matt Nuding, Tyler Katz, Can Duman
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride; that’s been the story during the first three seasons for the Night Owls. Despite finishing above .500 every regular season, the team’s trophy case remains bereft of hardware, with zero Captain’s Cup or League Championships to their name. Much like the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA, the Owls were stuck as an above-average team unable to make the leap to the next level. Seeking to change their fortune, the team engineered the largest roster turnover the league as ever seen as part of a new defensive organizational philosophy. With only 8 returning professionals and 5 roster returnees (both figures lowest among non-expansion teams), the Owls will be counting on a lot of new faces in 2013.
Formerly, the Night Owls always relied on a fast-paced, high-octane offensive attack, finishing last regular season barely behind first in points per game at 121.2. They scored almost exclusively via the air, tallying by far the lowest amount of wedge shots made with just 15 total all season, and only recording 1.3 dunks per game. The Owls excelled from the cross zone, making a league-high 73 cross shots at 30.2%, and from the flex area, the Nights Owls trailed only the Nimble Jacks in flex shots made and efficiency (46.8%). However, much of that success can be atrributed to the league’s second and fifth leading scorers, Phil Cavalcante and Luke Dougan, who were both sent to the Work Horses in the teams’ blockbuster trade. Even if the defense improves in 2013, the team will still need to score, and will look toward some old and new faces to do so.
Any discussion regarding the Night Owls’ offense has to start with captain Kyle McGrath. The self-proclaimed ‘Voice of Kronum’, McGrath has a penchant for big plays only topped by his love of on-field chatter. The man certainly backs up the talk as he finished last season 10th in ppg, 8th in apg, and 3rd in blocks at 1.8 per game. McGrath features a loaded offensive arsenal, scoring from the flex (6th-best in the league) and cross zones (tied with now-teammate Brett McGlensey for 9th-best), and knocking down big 4-point flex ring shots (tied for 5th with 4). McGrath will need to be the anchor for an offense looking to integrate a litany of new players and players within new roles.
One of those players in a new role and looking to fill the scoring void is veteran Joe Tulskie, who will be switching from wedgeback to ranger. Tulskie recorded the 5th-best Points Per Shot mark in the league last season (min. 5.0 ppg), as he was the third most efficient shooter in Kronum at 59.2% (min. 3 shot attempts per game). Featuring a deceptive, ambidextrous shot from the flex, Tulskie should be able to maintain some level of that efficiency with an increase in volume within the Owls’ offense. He has also been taking and making cross zone shots in preseason action after shooting just 0-4 from that area last season. The Owls hope the added scoring will make up for losing a wedgeback who finished 5th in the league in saves per game. In fact, Tulskie, former teammate Greg Ashton, and former Urban Legends wedgeback Cory Robertson were the only players to average a double-double last season. 
Other veterans who should figure prominently in the offense include former Work Horse, Bill Zane, who like Tulskie, is making the transition from wedgeback to ranger this season. He has also been playing more from the cross zone following just an 0-2 mark there last campaign. Chris Von Tanhausen will be back to help run the offense for the Owls, after finishing 5th in assists per game last season. He is also one of the most active defenders in the league, ranking 2nd in steals (1.5) and 5th in blocks (1.5) per game, and will play a central role in the team’s new defensive focus. Finally, crosser Jay Klein has also done a great job distributing the ball in the past, ranking 9th in assists per game. Klein is the rare Night Owl who adds a foot element to the offensive attack, finishing 7th in kick points with 30, though he may need to refine it as his 40.7% off-goal percentage was worst in the league among players who attempted at least 15 shots.
With their top four wedgebacks no longer in net (Tulskie moving to ranger, Ashton no longer with the team, and Sola and Clouser traded), the Night Owls’ back line will be manned by a trio of rookies alongside veteran Bob Zane, who finished 12th with 8.3 saves per game for the Work Horses. Matt Nuding, Tyler Katz, and Can Duman may very well be the most influential rookies to take the field this season. The wedgebacks have looked solid in preseason action, but if it takes them a while to adjust to league play, it will not matter how much the team talks about focusing more on defense. Another rookie, Corey Chubon, will start at crosser for the Owls, and has displayed all the makings of being a solid defensive specialist. Chubon exemplifies the fast, defense-first mindset the Night Owls are trrying to instill.
The Night Owls have taken a gamble in moving the team in such a new direction. McGrath recognized that the transitional process would take some time and focused more on getting players acclimated to new roles during the preseason, rather than traditional game-planning. The Owls’ chances of success in 2013 will depend upon whether those steps have adequately prepared a young squad for the rigors of a Kronum campaign.
Regular Season Prediction: 4-6 (T-5th Place)
With so many new faces in the mix and playing adapting to unfamiliar roles, the Night Owls may face a steep learning curve entering the 2013 regular season. With some struggles in the pre-season, it remains to be seen whether the team’s newfound defensive commitment will stick. They still feature an elite scorer opposing defenses will have to account for in McGrath, as well as a handful of viable secondary scoring options. However, it’s tough to say a team has improved by losing two of the league’s top five leading scorers like the Night Owls did this past offseason. Unless their batch of rookies prove to be immediately up to the task, look for the Owls to get caught up in the middle of the pack.
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