Game Log 12/30/2009: One of the craziest games ever

JV/Varsity girls' games tonight. Quite a challenge.

First of all, I've spent the last several days recovering from the flu (hit a temperature of 102 on December 26). Climbing up stairs was a challenge a couple of days ago, so a doubleheader was a stretch tonight.

What's funny is that the running wasn't the hardest part. For reasons I don't fully understand, it's actually more challenging to have crisp mechanics than it is to run--more physically taxing, somehow. So I slipped into some bad habits, particularly during the JV game (which was uneventful--I barely remember any of it other than a dead and silent gym). I even told my partners that I'd be saving up a little energy in the second half (mostly accomplished this by walking the last 5-6 steps in dead ball situations rather than walking the whole way). I was worried about my ability to get through the varsity game, but when the intensity of play stepped up, I was able to match it. No fatigue at all, which I'm proud of.

Coaches for Green were all very, very chirpy, and not in a kind way. They were mostly all over my partners, except for a carry that I had that they didn't like--he accused me of seeing something that wasn't there. (It was a great call, by the way. The dribbler's hand was on the side of the ball, but it came to rest there for a beat as the dribbler pushed it forward. Carry.) There had been enough from both coach and assistants that we discussed at halftime giving a warning at the next opportunity. Head coach gave us that about 4 minutes into the third, and partner whacked an assistant shortly thereafter.

Assistant insisted he hadn't said anything. I was opposite the benches, so I didn't know, but I don't believe my partner would make anything up...and even if he was mistaken, I really don't much care, since we could have called something on any number of other outbursts (and even had we not, there surely would have been another shortly thereafter).

Head coach tried to talk to me after the warning (but before the T). I politely said "Coach, you've been warned, so we're not listening anymore." That was effective.

Assistants asked me for an explanation on the T. I simply said "My partner heard what he heard." What the hell did they expect me to say? I was across the court.

Anyway, Green got back into the game after an abysmal start, and managed to tie it up with about two minutes left. Each team turned the ball over a bunch in the final couple of minutes, and White had it with 10 ticks on the clock.

I'm C opposite table. Last shot is mine.

Clean steal. Green is taking the ball downcourt. Bedlam in the gym. But she panics--thinks there's less time left than she does. She chucks up a terrible shot with 4-ish seconds on the clock.

It's no good.

Rebound kicks out the the elbow. ShoBUZZERt goes up. Swish.

I was ready to raise my hand and wave it off.

(Here is the only part of the story where I think I fall short. Normally, I'm tooting that whistle from the instant she shoots, shouting "No! No!" But this time, I didn't. Was I replaying the really important shot in my mind? Was I just a tad slow? Did I freeze? I vote for #1, but #3 is disturbing.)

Anyway, before I raise my hand, T toots his whistle.

Thankfully, neither of us went up with anything.

The gym is going bonkers. All of us get together.

"Did you have the ball in her hand?" partner asks.

"Yes."

"You had the ball in her hand at the buzzer?" partner repeats.

"Yes."

"Okay. No basket."

And the two of us turned and waved off the basket. Green and their fans were decidedly unhappy, but both of us had the same thing, so I feel good about the call. It was close enough that we'd have gone to replay if we'd had it at our disposal, but alas, non-conference small-school-in-small-city girls varsity games aren't televised.

I do wish my partner hadn't come in with a whistle. It rather surprised me, since the whistle was supposed to be mine. But it's all for the best since (1) I'm very confident we got it right and (2) we probably looked better as a crew, not worse, coming together on that.

Overtime was quite uneventful, and Green wound up winning anyway. In some ways it was a weird game--the calls just weren't coming to me in the fourth or in overtime, so I felt like a tad bit of a spectator. But how often do you get to wave off a game-winner? I can't remember another time. So quite a night.

THINGS I DID WELL: Maintained composure under loads of pressure (never felt even a little bit of nerves!), kept focus in varsity game in spite of not being at 100%
THINGS TO WORK ON: Possible freeze on last shot, lost focus a little in JV game due to illness, let mechanics get a little loosey in JV game
NEXT UP: My first boys JV/Varsity doubleheader. Small schools on Tuesday.