The San Diego Hoops basketball season is in full swing and, one week before the annual Thanksgiving break in play, Morgan Stanley is still on top of the pack with a 4-0 record. This week in Morgan Stanley offed Powerhouse Gym, playing shorthanded, 68-31. Paul Demke, who scored 17 points in the game, led Morgan Stanley’s offensive assault.

In other basketball excitement this week, the first game of the night had Hummingbird/Brians’ facing Moby Dick’s. Hummingbird/Brians’ started out the game playing shorthanded, but behind the outstanding play of Dwight Dunn they managed to stay within striking distance until their fifth player arrived and took to the court 10 minutes into the half.

“It’s helpful,” said Moby Dick’s Coach David Valenzuela about the early five on four advantage in the game. “But it’s never helpful when you’ve got Dwight on the other side because he can light it up. And he did.”

Dunn, last season’s MVP, lead the league in scoring for the week with 32 points in the game, but it was not enough to overcome Moby Dick’s, who went on to win the game 73-51.

“Mainly we had one person trying to do it all,” Hummingbird/Brians’ Coach Randy Miller said following the game. “And the rest of the team? I don’t know if we got tired or if we lost focus or what happened. Obviously one person can’t play against five, and that’s what happened. Everybody left and we lost.”

Leading the charge for Moby Dick’s was Brett Drake with 30 points. Eric McDaniels was close behind with 20 and Brian Leigh followed with 19.

“Brent was on fire today; he was hitting some three-pointers,” said Valenzuela. “Brian and Eric did their jobs with some great passing and rebounding, then the rest of us did a little role playing and got our points in.”

Game two had Pecs, still looking for their first win this season, versus Kickers. Kickers came out scoring, while Pecs kept putting up solid shots, but they just weren’t falling in for them. At the half Kickers had a 31-20 lead.

In the second half Kickers continued to have their way with Pecs, going on to win the game 77-36. Pecs’ leading scorer was Chris Battistuz with 15 points. Kickers was led by Robert Wiggins, with 22 points, and Mike Barrows, with 16.

Last, but certainly not least, the evenly matched Loft and Fusion faced off in the final game of the night and sent the game into overtime. In the end, Fusion came out on top, 40-36. Trevor Kuecker led Fusion with 13 points, while AJ Matthews and Dan Taylor sank 11 points each for The Loft.

The San Diego Hoops will take a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 26, but will return to the courts on Dec. 3. Basketball fans should also mark their calendars and be sure to attend the league’s Holiday Party, Dec. 13, starting at 7:00 p.m. at Moby Dick’s. Supporters are urged to bring an unwrapped toy for the league’s toy drive.