The State of Firebird Nation

With only four home games left, the Firebirds are well into the regular season's second half. Let’s break down what remains of the season, and what the playoff picture is shaping to look like.

As you can see from this picture of the Southeast Division standings, the Firebirds are sitting in first place. While the lead may not be nearly as comfortable as earlier this season, it’s still a solid three-game lead. Four losses are particularly impressive, especially since all of them have been on the road. That’s right, the Firebirds are undefeated at home! That means attending a home game is attending a nearly guaranteed W. (hint: attend a home game if you haven’t!)

Counting away games too, nine games are left in the Firebirds’ season. Two of those games are against the Jacksonville 95ers (in second place), and they are back-to-back this Thursday and Friday. After those two games in Jacksonville, the Firebirds return home to play on May 5th against the Virginia Valley Vipers, who’ve lost four of their last five games.

If the Firebirds can have a successful weekend and win at least two out of three games (which they should), that will keep solidifying their spot as the top seed in the Southeast Division, and give the team more experience playing against a divisional rival come playoff time.

The Firebirds attack this year has been incredibly balanced, which has made the team difficult to stop. Tre Gray, Dreko Palmer, Jerone Cunningham, Daequon Antoine, Ahmad Abdullah, Shaq Dance, and William Vedder are all averaging double-digit points per game. Gray, Palmer, Abdullah, and Antoine are something of a Firebird hydra; if a team manages to cut off one of them, another will pop up and flourish in a way that’s surprising to everyone but shouldn’t be.

Additionally, former Firebird Desmond Jackson (see above) has returned to the team after his season in Japan has ended. Jackson, a former UNC Tar Heel and 6’11” rim-runner, solidifies the team’s defense and ensures the Firebirds are one of the best teams in the TBL on offense and defense.

This team is so much fun to watch, and they’re beginning to peak at the right time. Come late May and June, this team is poised to make a deep TBL playoff run.

Make sure you don’t miss the action and buy tickets to see your Firebirds now before it’s too late! As much as I hate to say it, the offseason will be here before we all know it, and we’ll be waiting until March of 2025 to see the Firebirds play again.

Until Friday,

-Tex