I'm playing in a rec basketball league for the first time. The first kind of organized basketball for me since intramurals in college, and the first kind of organized sport since church league softball ten years ago.
This should be fun. We have our first practice tonight, which is mostly just an excuse to meet everyone as we have a few people who aren't familiar with one another. We ain't exactly gonna be running drills.
But I did design a great play, I think.
The ball starts with the point guard just across the half court line, and with the other four players lined up on the sides of the lane, two on each side almost like you would for a free throw. the two high players closest to the free throw line will come to the top of the key and set curling screens, which should confuse the defense and allow the point guard to dribble straight to the top of the three point line where he can either shoot the three or pass to one of the two post players who are performing circular cuts around their defender towards the hoop. this will put two rebounders in position if the PG shoots, or one rebounder in position if the other post player receives the pass from the point guard.
It's probably easier to just look at the attached diagram I drew up to accompany it.
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
I haven't played in a league of any kind in way too long. Started playing squash again recently, which is a ton of fun, but I really miss playing something competitively. I found a roller hockey league right near my office, but I just can't commit to it, as I have to pick up my daughter and it's too far away from my home to commit to the Saturday league. I should look into an indoor soccer league. Outdoor soccer is just too much running.
An honest to God cult of personality - formed around a failed steak salesman.
-Pruitt
I looked into playing in a rec league here but it's 300 a person to join (slight discount for a team, but my circle of friends is spread out and I'm the only basketball "player."
I do go play pick up every so often. It's my knees that kill me. I've never had good joints, doesn't help going from 5'6" to 6'3" in a year, but damn all that runnin' and a jumpin' kills me the next day.
They open all the intramural sports @ PSU up to faculty/staff. The past few years I've seriously considered entering in the open wrestling. Unfortunately I'd be in the HWT division. I don't want to have some 20 year old he-man try to tear my arms off. If I ever get back down to 197 I'll probably do it.
I've got old man strength on my side now. So I could hold my own for the first 30 seconds.
After four practices, we had our first game Sunday.
Lost 71-48.
We were playing a bunch of young guys who ran us to death. We had only 7 players available and they had ten guys who they ran in and out like hockey lines...switching all five at once every 6-7 minutes.
I ended up with just 4 points, and missed three shots I should not have and one I should not have taken to go 2-6 from the floor. Did have probably 10 rebounds, tipped about 5 passes intended for the guy I was guarding down low, and had one thunderous block that led to a missed layup for us. We played them tough in the half court, because they didn't ahve much size and we were able to tip passes, but they probably outscored in transition 30-0, at least.
That's right, we had NO transisiton points. The one run out we had was after I tipped a pass to a teammate and went flying down the court (relative terms) and my teammate hit me but another teammate called a timeout as I was collecting the ball for what was sure to be a resounding dunk, or maybe a missed layup. No way to know.
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
One of the highlights of my life came in a pickup game. A couple of pros and prospects, a bunch of college players, and me. I stole a ball, led the break, pulled up at the FT, and hit the wing on a low lob for a dunk. The wing was Jamal Wilkes. The guy I modeled myself after, when I was in high school. The guy who three months prior dropped 39 on Dr. J in a finals clinching game
Now, at this advanced age, I want to hit AB on the break. For a resounding dunk. It will be better than that summer pickup game, long ago.
Who knows? Maybe, you were kidnapped, tied up, taken away and held for ransom.
Those days are gone forever
Over a long time ago
Oh yeah…
Easy W took a tough L last night. Opponents came out hot, hit their first four threes and left us scrambling. We ended up being down 31-13 at the half (20 minutes, running clock).
But we weren't done. Mounted a furious comeback, got it down to two. Had to start fouling, they made their shots, we ended up losing by two after hitting a shot with two seconds left. Couldn't get the foul to extend the game any further.
Final score 54-52 bad guys.
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
I'm the de facto center. I'm the tallest guy, plus I don't shoot great from outside 10 feet. Hell I don't shoot great from inside 10 feet. Shots weren't fallin last night, so I just tried to hustle and play defense. Did pretty good on those aspects. Grabbed several rebounds, affected a few shots on drives to the lane.
Edit: had a sweet crossover to get myself free, then somehow managed to throw the ball out of bounds as I went up for the layin. It was awesome. Opponent gave me a fist bump for crossing him up, even said he wished I'd finished that move. Opponents were nice guys.
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
Fall league started last night. We were up 12-10, then were down 41-14 at one point. Not out best shwoing, but this was the best or second best team we have played thus far. They had 4 guys my height or bigger and slightly (as in a lot) more athletic than me. They pressed us and we turned the ball over probably 25 times in a game with a running clock. They had 90 percent of their points in the paint.
But I now have a new respect for Duke basketball players. At one point I was the middle of our 2-3 zone, and one of their better players drives past his guy and straight towards me...we play high school rules, so basically so long as you stay on your feet you're not going to get called for a foul. They had been driving and dishing all day and so I left my arms out to the side to try to limit that chance, but he goes up and straight into me. Charge, go the other way. My lower back is flat destroyed today. Hardest hit I can ever remember taking.
They won by 34. So outside of the 29-2 run, we played them pretty close!
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
Last night we played a game that, were you to have played Skins vs. Skins, the ref would still have had no issue figuring out who was on which team.
We only had five guys, including missing out two best scorers and our most athletic guy. We played the whole game, and they had a full court press for most of the first half and part of the second.
We got beat by 30. Which was them taking it easy and chucking three pointers for the last 10 minutes. Helped me pad my rebounding stats, though. Probably had 15 to go along with four huge points, probably one assist and approximately 5 turnovers. All of those because they were pressing us and the ball ended up with me more than should be allowed by law.
That said, we are 2-1 this session, having won each of our past two games with go ahead shots with 11 and 5 seconds left, respectively.
You know what you need? A lyrical sucker punch to the face.
