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# Easton Wins Long-Awaited Connor Clash as Upsets Rock the NCBA
Easton won the long-awaited showdown with Connor and reached 852 points, but losses to Ari and Logan proved #1 is still beatable. Logan continued his resurgence with a huge 6–2 upset, while Ari somehow beat both top players before falling to #13.
# Easton Wins Long-Awaited Connor Clash as Upsets Rock the NCBA
**By Andy Randy | NCBA News**
The match everyone had been waiting for finally happened.
After spending most of the preseason battling for the top two positions without facing each other, **Easton and Connor finally met Wednesday**.
Easton won 6–5.
Somehow, that was only the beginning of the chaos.
Easton finished the day 5–2 and climbed to an enormous 852 rating points. Logan delivered a stunning 6–2 victory over the #1 player. Ari defeated both Easton and Connor before losing three other matches. Crosby C. his recovery from zero. And several lower-ranked players produced some of the biggest upsets of the preseason.
## Easton vs. Connor Finally Happens
For weeks, Easton and Connor occupied the top of the NCBA standings.
They traded #1.
They were separated by only seven rating points at one stage.
They appeared together at the top of power rankings.
But they hadn't played each other.
That finally changed Wednesday.
With Easton ranked #1 and Connor #2, the two preseason leaders met in the NCBA's Match of the Week.
It lived up to the billing.
Easton escaped with a **6–5 victory**.
The result gave Easton the first head-to-head victory in what could become one of the NCBA's defining rivalries.
It also answered one question while creating another.
Easton won the first one.
When is the rematch?
## Easton Reaches 852—but the Streak Ends
The Connor victory was part of another huge day for Easton.
Easton also defeated Crosby 6–4, Logan 6–3, Kinsey 6–4 and Amos 6–5.
That gave him **five victories Wednesday**.
But after entering the session on a seven-game winning streak, Easton finally lost.
Ari defeated him **6–4**.
Later, Logan did even more damage, defeating Easton **6–2** in the final listed match of the day.
Despite the two losses, Easton's five victories pushed his overall record to **18–5 with a +24 ball differential and 852 rating points**.
He now leads #2 Connor by an extraordinary **413 points**.
Easton is clearly #1.
Wednesday also proved he can still be beaten.
## Logan Crushes #1
Logan's turnaround is no longer a comeback story.
He is simply dangerous again.
Earlier Wednesday, Easton defeated Logan 6–3.
Logan eventually got another opportunity.
This time, Logan entered ranked #8 against the #1 player in the NCBA.
The result wasn't close.
**Logan defeated Easton 6–2.**
The upset earned Logan **62 rating points**.
That victory comes after a recent stretch that has also included wins over Connor and Ari.
Logan is now **11–10 with a +16 ball differential** and has climbed to #4.
The player who reached last season's NCBA Championship Final appears to have returned.
## Ari Beats #1 and #2—and Somehow Falls to #13
There may not be another player in the NCBA quite like Ari.
Wednesday provided the perfect example.
First, Ari defeated **#1 Easton 6–4**.
Then he defeated **#2 Connor 6–4**.
Beating the top two players in the league during the same session would normally define an incredible day.
Ari then lost to Seth.
Then Houston.
Then Amos.
He finished the session 2–3 and now sits at **12–13 with 121 points and the #13 ranking**.
Earlier this preseason, Ari won seven consecutive matches, reached #1 and became the first player to reach 500 rating points.
Now he is below .500 and barely ahead of Crosby.
Yet on Wednesday, he proved again that his ranking does not represent the danger he poses to the league's best players.
Ari remains the NCBA's greatest mystery.
## Connor Suffers Two Major Losses
Connor entered Wednesday as the clear #2 and Easton's greatest challenger.
He remains #2.
But the gap has become enormous.
Connor L. the Match of the Week to Easton 6–5 and then fell to Ari 6–4.
His record drops to **10–5**, and his rating falls to **439**.
That is still 105 points ahead of #3 Triston.
But after once sitting only seven points away from #1, Connor is now 413 behind Easton.
The regular season will offer plenty of opportunities to close that gap.
## Crosby C. His Escape From Zero
Not long ago, Crosby had reached the NCBA's 0-point floor.
Wednesday changed things.
Crosby produced perhaps his biggest victory yet when, ranked #17, he defeated #5 Logan **6–4**.
The upset earned him **65 rating points**.
Crosby also defeated William twice, 6–2 and 6–3, while William managed to take one match in their series.
Crosby is now **4–8 with 120 points**.
Remarkably, that leaves him just **one rating point behind Ari**.
## William Delivers a Massive Upset
William remains near the bottom of the standings, but overlooking him continues to be dangerous.
Ranked #16 against #5 Dravon, William produced a dominant **6–2 upset**.
The victory earned him **66 rating points**, one of the largest single-match gains of the preseason.
William has previously shown the same ability against top competition.
Consistency remains the problem.
## Eve Stuns Rylee
Rylee entered Wednesday undefeated at 2–0 and ranked #4.
Eve entered ranked #12.
Eve won **6–5**.
The upset earned her 60 rating points and sent Rylee down to #8.
With several players still carrying small sample sizes, results like this continue to make the middle of the standings difficult to predict.
## The Preseason Picture
The latest top five now stands:
**1. Easton — 852 (18–5)**
**2. Connor — 439 (10–5)**
**3. Triston — 334 (13–11)**
**4. Logan — 277 (11–10)**
**5. Avery — 255 (1–0)**
The most anticipated matchup of the preseason finally happened.
Easton won.
Then Ari beat Easton.
Ari beat Connor.
Lower-ranked players beat Ari.
Logan demolished Easton.
Crosby upset Logan.
William upset Dravon.
Eve upset Rylee.
If the purpose of preseason was to figure out exactly where everyone stands before the regular season begins, Wednesday may have created more questions than answers.
Easton enters the final stretch with a massive lead.
But if this session proved anything, it is that **#
**By Andy Randy | NCBA News**
The match everyone had been waiting for finally happened.
After spending most of the preseason battling for the top two positions without facing each other, **Easton and Connor finally met Wednesday**.
Easton won 6–5.
Somehow, that was only the beginning of the chaos.
Easton finished the day 5–2 and climbed to an enormous 852 rating points. Logan delivered a stunning 6–2 victory over the #1 player. Ari defeated both Easton and Connor before losing three other matches. Crosby C. his recovery from zero. And several lower-ranked players produced some of the biggest upsets of the preseason.
## Easton vs. Connor Finally Happens
For weeks, Easton and Connor occupied the top of the NCBA standings.
They traded #1.
They were separated by only seven rating points at one stage.
They appeared together at the top of power rankings.
But they hadn't played each other.
That finally changed Wednesday.
With Easton ranked #1 and Connor #2, the two preseason leaders met in the NCBA's Match of the Week.
It lived up to the billing.
Easton escaped with a **6–5 victory**.
The result gave Easton the first head-to-head victory in what could become one of the NCBA's defining rivalries.
It also answered one question while creating another.
Easton won the first one.
When is the rematch?
## Easton Reaches 852—but the Streak Ends
The Connor victory was part of another huge day for Easton.
Easton also defeated Crosby 6–4, Logan 6–3, Kinsey 6–4 and Amos 6–5.
That gave him **five victories Wednesday**.
But after entering the session on a seven-game winning streak, Easton finally lost.
Ari defeated him **6–4**.
Later, Logan did even more damage, defeating Easton **6–2** in the final listed match of the day.
Despite the two losses, Easton's five victories pushed his overall record to **18–5 with a +24 ball differential and 852 rating points**.
He now leads #2 Connor by an extraordinary **413 points**.
Easton is clearly #1.
Wednesday also proved he can still be beaten.
## Logan Crushes #1
Logan's turnaround is no longer a comeback story.
He is simply dangerous again.
Earlier Wednesday, Easton defeated Logan 6–3.
Logan eventually got another opportunity.
This time, Logan entered ranked #8 against the #1 player in the NCBA.
The result wasn't close.
**Logan defeated Easton 6–2.**
The upset earned Logan **62 rating points**.
That victory comes after a recent stretch that has also included wins over Connor and Ari.
Logan is now **11–10 with a +16 ball differential** and has climbed to #4.
The player who reached last season's NCBA Championship Final appears to have returned.
## Ari Beats #1 and #2—and Somehow Falls to #13
There may not be another player in the NCBA quite like Ari.
Wednesday provided the perfect example.
First, Ari defeated **#1 Easton 6–4**.
Then he defeated **#2 Connor 6–4**.
Beating the top two players in the league during the same session would normally define an incredible day.
Ari then lost to Seth.
Then Houston.
Then Amos.
He finished the session 2–3 and now sits at **12–13 with 121 points and the #13 ranking**.
Earlier this preseason, Ari won seven consecutive matches, reached #1 and became the first player to reach 500 rating points.
Now he is below .500 and barely ahead of Crosby.
Yet on Wednesday, he proved again that his ranking does not represent the danger he poses to the league's best players.
Ari remains the NCBA's greatest mystery.
## Connor Suffers Two Major Losses
Connor entered Wednesday as the clear #2 and Easton's greatest challenger.
He remains #2.
But the gap has become enormous.
Connor L. the Match of the Week to Easton 6–5 and then fell to Ari 6–4.
His record drops to **10–5**, and his rating falls to **439**.
That is still 105 points ahead of #3 Triston.
But after once sitting only seven points away from #1, Connor is now 413 behind Easton.
The regular season will offer plenty of opportunities to close that gap.
## Crosby C. His Escape From Zero
Not long ago, Crosby had reached the NCBA's 0-point floor.
Wednesday changed things.
Crosby produced perhaps his biggest victory yet when, ranked #17, he defeated #5 Logan **6–4**.
The upset earned him **65 rating points**.
Crosby also defeated William twice, 6–2 and 6–3, while William managed to take one match in their series.
Crosby is now **4–8 with 120 points**.
Remarkably, that leaves him just **one rating point behind Ari**.
## William Delivers a Massive Upset
William remains near the bottom of the standings, but overlooking him continues to be dangerous.
Ranked #16 against #5 Dravon, William produced a dominant **6–2 upset**.
The victory earned him **66 rating points**, one of the largest single-match gains of the preseason.
William has previously shown the same ability against top competition.
Consistency remains the problem.
## Eve Stuns Rylee
Rylee entered Wednesday undefeated at 2–0 and ranked #4.
Eve entered ranked #12.
Eve won **6–5**.
The upset earned her 60 rating points and sent Rylee down to #8.
With several players still carrying small sample sizes, results like this continue to make the middle of the standings difficult to predict.
## The Preseason Picture
The latest top five now stands:
**1. Easton — 852 (18–5)**
**2. Connor — 439 (10–5)**
**3. Triston — 334 (13–11)**
**4. Logan — 277 (11–10)**
**5. Avery — 255 (1–0)**
The most anticipated matchup of the preseason finally happened.
Easton won.
Then Ari beat Easton.
Ari beat Connor.
Lower-ranked players beat Ari.
Logan demolished Easton.
Crosby upset Logan.
William upset Dravon.
Eve upset Rylee.
If the purpose of preseason was to figure out exactly where everyone stands before the regular season begins, Wednesday may have created more questions than answers.
Easton enters the final stretch with a massive lead.
But if this session proved anything, it is that **#