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NCBA Season Begins in One Week as League's Biggest Names Prepare for Another Run
The NCBA season begins in one week, with defending champion Easton P. leading a strong field of returning contenders. Connor L., Samuel H., Ari K., and Logan M. all enter with something to prove as the battle for #1 begins again.
# NCBA Season Begins in One Week as League's Biggest Names Prepare for Another Run
**By John J. | NCBA News**
With just one week remaining until the new National Carpet Ball Association season begins, anticipation is building around a field that already has plenty of unfinished business.
Last season established some of the NCBA's first major stars. It produced dominant stretches, unexpected contenders, improbable comebacks and a championship run that ultimately ended with Easton P. standing at the top.
Now, everyone starts again.
And this time, the rest of the league knows who it has to beat.
## Easton P. Enters the Season With a Target on His Back
No player enters the new season with a résumé quite like **Easton P.**.
Easton P. spent a significant portion of last season ranked No. 1 before finishing the year by winning both **The Bed Co. Season Closer Tournament** and the **NCBA Championship**.
He also serves as President of the NCBA, putting him in the unusual position of helping run the organization while simultaneously being one of its most successful competitors.
*"Winning last year was great, but none of it gives me any points this season,"* Easton P. said in a preseason interview. *"Everybody knows they can beat anybody in carpet ball. I just want to get back to No. 1 and defend the championship."*
That may be easier said than done.
Easton P. will enter the season as the player everyone measures themselves against. A victory over the defending champion could also carry major ranking implications under the NCBA's upset system.
**Preseason analysis:** Easton P. is the safest championship favorite. He proved last season that he can not only reach No. 1 but also perform when tournament elimination is on the line. The biggest question isn't whether Easton P. can win. It's whether he can remain ahead of an increasingly competitive field for an entire season.
## Connor L.: The Breakout Star Looking for Hardware
If Easton P. was last season's established champion, **Connor L.** may have been its biggest surprise.
Connor L. seemingly came out of nowhere and quickly established himself as one of the league's strongest carpet ball players.
Yet his rise came with one glaring omission: a tournament medal.
Despite his regular-season success, Connor L. failed to medal in either The Bed Co. Season Closer Tournament or the NCBA Championship.
*"I know what people are going to say,"* Connor L. said. *"They're going to talk about the tournaments. That's fine. You've got to prove it when it matters."*
That makes Connor L. perhaps the most intriguing player entering the new season.
**Preseason analysis:** There is little reason to doubt Connor L.’s raw ability. The question is tournament consistency. If last year's breakout wasn't a fluke—and there is little indication that it was—Connor L. could challenge for No. 1. But until he makes a deep tournament run, there will remain one major hole in his NCBA résumé.
## Samuel H. and the 'Miracles on Carpet'
No lead is comfortable against **Samuel H.**.
Samuel H. became known last season for what might be the strangest specialty in the NCBA: somehow surviving games that appeared to be over.
On multiple occasions, Samuel H. found himself trailing **6–1** before mounting extraordinary comebacks. Those performances earned a fitting description around the league: **"Miracles on Carpet."**
Samuel H. also serves as NCBA Secretary.
*"At 6–1, you've really only got two choices,"* Samuel H. said. *"You can decide you've already lost, or you can keep throwing. Apparently I like the second one."*
Despite those memorable performances, Samuel H. did not medal in either of last season's final tournaments.
**Preseason analysis:** Samuel H. may be one of the hardest players in the NCBA to mentally put away. His comeback ability is already established. His next challenge is avoiding those enormous deficits in the first place. If he can combine better starts with his proven ability under pressure, Samuel H. could become a serious tournament threat.
## Ari K.: The Contender Hiding in Plain Sight
While much of last season's attention centered around Easton P. and Connor L., **Ari K.** quietly built a case as one of the NCBA's best players.
Ari K. was consistently strong but often found himself overshadowed by the league's two biggest regular-season storylines.
Then came the NCBA Championship.
Ari K. finished **third**, earning a place on the podium and demonstrating that he belonged among the league's elite.
*"I don't really care about being overlooked,"* Ari K. said. *"Rankings and tournaments eventually tell everyone where you stand."*
**Preseason analysis:** Ari K. could be the player most likely to outperform the attention he receives. A third-place championship finish is already evidence that he can survive a tournament bracket. If he improves on that performance, calling him "overshadowed" may not be possible for much longer.
## Logan M. Wants One More Win
Everyone knows what's coming when **Logan M.** gets the ball.
Speed.
Logan M. developed a reputation last season for throwing harder and faster than almost anyone else in the league. His aggressive style carried him deep into competition repeatedly, but never quite to a tournament championship.
Then he nearly won the biggest one.
Logan M. reached the **NCBA Championship Final**, ultimately finishing second.
*"Getting second means you were close,"* Logan M. said. *"It also means you still lost the last game. I'd rather change that part this year."*
That championship performance makes Logan M. impossible to ignore entering the new season.
**Preseason analysis:** Logan M. already proved he can reach the biggest match on the schedule. His speed makes him dangerous against virtually anyone, and another championship run would hardly be surprising. The question hanging over him is simple: can he finally win a tournament?
## Five Players, One New Season
The new season begins with five particularly compelling storylines.
Easton P. has the championships.
Connor L. has the breakout talent.
Samuel H. has the comebacks.
Ari K. has the podium finish.
Logan M. has the speed—and unfinished business from the championship final.
But perhaps the most important difference this season will be the NCBA itself.
With rankings, match results, point changes, tournament performances and player statistics receiving greater attention, every match will contribute to a much larger season-long picture.
A close victory matters.
A dominant victory matters.
An upset could transform the rankings.
And when tournament season arrives, regular-season reputation will mean very little once the first ball is thrown.
One week from now, everyone gets another chance.
The defending champion will try to stay on top. The contenders will try to knock him off. New players may emerge just as Connor L. did last season.
After all, if the NCBA learned anything from its first stars, it's that a carpet ball match isn't necessarily over when the score says it should be.
And neither is a season.
**John J.**
*NCBA News*
**By John J. | NCBA News**
With just one week remaining until the new National Carpet Ball Association season begins, anticipation is building around a field that already has plenty of unfinished business.
Last season established some of the NCBA's first major stars. It produced dominant stretches, unexpected contenders, improbable comebacks and a championship run that ultimately ended with Easton P. standing at the top.
Now, everyone starts again.
And this time, the rest of the league knows who it has to beat.
## Easton P. Enters the Season With a Target on His Back
No player enters the new season with a résumé quite like **Easton P.**.
Easton P. spent a significant portion of last season ranked No. 1 before finishing the year by winning both **The Bed Co. Season Closer Tournament** and the **NCBA Championship**.
He also serves as President of the NCBA, putting him in the unusual position of helping run the organization while simultaneously being one of its most successful competitors.
*"Winning last year was great, but none of it gives me any points this season,"* Easton P. said in a preseason interview. *"Everybody knows they can beat anybody in carpet ball. I just want to get back to No. 1 and defend the championship."*
That may be easier said than done.
Easton P. will enter the season as the player everyone measures themselves against. A victory over the defending champion could also carry major ranking implications under the NCBA's upset system.
**Preseason analysis:** Easton P. is the safest championship favorite. He proved last season that he can not only reach No. 1 but also perform when tournament elimination is on the line. The biggest question isn't whether Easton P. can win. It's whether he can remain ahead of an increasingly competitive field for an entire season.
## Connor L.: The Breakout Star Looking for Hardware
If Easton P. was last season's established champion, **Connor L.** may have been its biggest surprise.
Connor L. seemingly came out of nowhere and quickly established himself as one of the league's strongest carpet ball players.
Yet his rise came with one glaring omission: a tournament medal.
Despite his regular-season success, Connor L. failed to medal in either The Bed Co. Season Closer Tournament or the NCBA Championship.
*"I know what people are going to say,"* Connor L. said. *"They're going to talk about the tournaments. That's fine. You've got to prove it when it matters."*
That makes Connor L. perhaps the most intriguing player entering the new season.
**Preseason analysis:** There is little reason to doubt Connor L.’s raw ability. The question is tournament consistency. If last year's breakout wasn't a fluke—and there is little indication that it was—Connor L. could challenge for No. 1. But until he makes a deep tournament run, there will remain one major hole in his NCBA résumé.
## Samuel H. and the 'Miracles on Carpet'
No lead is comfortable against **Samuel H.**.
Samuel H. became known last season for what might be the strangest specialty in the NCBA: somehow surviving games that appeared to be over.
On multiple occasions, Samuel H. found himself trailing **6–1** before mounting extraordinary comebacks. Those performances earned a fitting description around the league: **"Miracles on Carpet."**
Samuel H. also serves as NCBA Secretary.
*"At 6–1, you've really only got two choices,"* Samuel H. said. *"You can decide you've already lost, or you can keep throwing. Apparently I like the second one."*
Despite those memorable performances, Samuel H. did not medal in either of last season's final tournaments.
**Preseason analysis:** Samuel H. may be one of the hardest players in the NCBA to mentally put away. His comeback ability is already established. His next challenge is avoiding those enormous deficits in the first place. If he can combine better starts with his proven ability under pressure, Samuel H. could become a serious tournament threat.
## Ari K.: The Contender Hiding in Plain Sight
While much of last season's attention centered around Easton P. and Connor L., **Ari K.** quietly built a case as one of the NCBA's best players.
Ari K. was consistently strong but often found himself overshadowed by the league's two biggest regular-season storylines.
Then came the NCBA Championship.
Ari K. finished **third**, earning a place on the podium and demonstrating that he belonged among the league's elite.
*"I don't really care about being overlooked,"* Ari K. said. *"Rankings and tournaments eventually tell everyone where you stand."*
**Preseason analysis:** Ari K. could be the player most likely to outperform the attention he receives. A third-place championship finish is already evidence that he can survive a tournament bracket. If he improves on that performance, calling him "overshadowed" may not be possible for much longer.
## Logan M. Wants One More Win
Everyone knows what's coming when **Logan M.** gets the ball.
Speed.
Logan M. developed a reputation last season for throwing harder and faster than almost anyone else in the league. His aggressive style carried him deep into competition repeatedly, but never quite to a tournament championship.
Then he nearly won the biggest one.
Logan M. reached the **NCBA Championship Final**, ultimately finishing second.
*"Getting second means you were close,"* Logan M. said. *"It also means you still lost the last game. I'd rather change that part this year."*
That championship performance makes Logan M. impossible to ignore entering the new season.
**Preseason analysis:** Logan M. already proved he can reach the biggest match on the schedule. His speed makes him dangerous against virtually anyone, and another championship run would hardly be surprising. The question hanging over him is simple: can he finally win a tournament?
## Five Players, One New Season
The new season begins with five particularly compelling storylines.
Easton P. has the championships.
Connor L. has the breakout talent.
Samuel H. has the comebacks.
Ari K. has the podium finish.
Logan M. has the speed—and unfinished business from the championship final.
But perhaps the most important difference this season will be the NCBA itself.
With rankings, match results, point changes, tournament performances and player statistics receiving greater attention, every match will contribute to a much larger season-long picture.
A close victory matters.
A dominant victory matters.
An upset could transform the rankings.
And when tournament season arrives, regular-season reputation will mean very little once the first ball is thrown.
One week from now, everyone gets another chance.
The defending champion will try to stay on top. The contenders will try to knock him off. New players may emerge just as Connor L. did last season.
After all, if the NCBA learned anything from its first stars, it's that a carpet ball match isn't necessarily over when the score says it should be.
And neither is a season.
**John J.**
*NCBA News*