It wasn’t the best year for the Enemies, but they did show some promise. Gilbert Arenas’ team, like their coach, is brash and extremely talented, and that combination makes them one of the most fun teams in the league.
The Enemies had the bad luck of facing off against the Aliens in Week 1. Not only are the Aliens one of the best teams in the league, but they bring a FIBA-inspired style of play that was a big departure from what we were used to seeing in the BIG3, and the Enemies were the first team that had to try and find answers for it. With no opportunity to prep for what the Aliens brought, the Enemies looked caught off-guard, and lost the matchup by a final score of 52-44. It’s worth mentioning that the Aliens had 12 assists in that game and the Enemies had 2.
In Week 2, the Enemies had what may have been the Game of the Year against Bivouac. Isaiah Stewart had a breakout performance, finishing with 27 points, making huge plays down the stretch, and showing a spectacular all-around game. The Enemies won a 52-49 thriller, and it looked like the team may have turned the corner.
CONGRATULATIONS to Elijah Stewart on winning Week 2’s @microsoft Player of the Week!
— BIG3 (@thebig3) June 30, 2022
Stewart becomes the youngest player in BIG3 history to win the award, and the first player from @big3enemies! #BIG3Season5 pic.twitter.com/HPMe3CGhab
Unfortunately, they ended up being victims of their own success. Stewart’s performance caught the eyes of the New Orleans Pelicans, who gave him a spot on their Summer League squad. The Enemies were able to grab a surprise 50-39 win over 2022 League Runner-Up Power in Week 3 behind a throwback performance from Captain Nick Young. Swaggy P finished with a team-high 17 points and made four three-pointers to lead his team to victory. Unfortunately, that would be the Enemies’ last win in 2022.
2022 BIG3 MVP went off for 23 points in the Three-Headed Monsters’ Week 4 win against the Enemies, which they squeaked out by a final score of 52-48 after going into the half up 25-11. In Week 5, the Enemies faced the Killer 3’s, and Frank Nitty and Co. cruised to a 50-35 win. Facing elimination in Week 6, the team got matched up against 2022 League Champions Power, who came away with a 50-33 win to end the Enemies’ season. Elijah Stewart was back in the lineup, but he failed to find any sort of groove and finished with just three points.
Going forward, the Enemies have an exciting core. Stewart and big man Isaiah Austin, the team’s co-captains are two of the most talented players in the league – Austin stands at 7-1, moves with the fluidity of a wing, can jump to the moon, and has a knack for shot-blocking. Captain Nick Young, of course, provides the team with outside shooting and a whole lot of confidence, and is a fantastic proxy for Head Coach Gilbert Arenas. If the Enemies can put the right players around those three, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.