I'm back baby (To my 2 point average)

It's been an interesting week. Just got home (1am now) from a party, and although its late here's a rundown of my latest basketball game.

Maintaining

Starting with the more important things, I managed to maintain my scoring average of 2 points in the KGV comp. Hey at least I'm consistent. To cut a long story short or to make a short story interesting, I've been working on a transaction for a partner at work all week. At about 12pm, I tell him that I want to catch up with him after lunch but I left out a key point that I had a basketball game against APRA at 12.15pm.

ROOKIE MISTAKE.

Because unfortuntately for me, he wants to talk NOW. Looks at his computer. Tells me to take a seat. Starts clicking away at his computer. Pulls up multiple emails and powerpoint slides. It was supposed to be simple - I tell him to talk after lunch, he says yes, I play basketball and speak to him afterwards.

I'm sitting there thinking "i've got a basketball game in 10mins, this better be quick". I know its career suicide if I tell him I've got a basketball game that I have to go to. The term "career limiting move" aka the infamous "CLM" starts popping into my head. The 15 minute meeting feels like an eternity. How could my work team survive without my two points, 3 fouls and 5 turnovers a game average?

After I walk out of the office, I immeidately sprint all the way from work to the KGV stadium, check the remaining time on the scoreboard, put on my jersey in record time. "Where have you been?" ponders my teammates who had to put in a ring in to replace me. "So you decided to come?" says another.

CHECK-IN

At halftime I check into the game. Our first posession down the court, I get the ball 18 feet from the basket. I'm wideopen, there's no one around me. No prewarmups, No stretching, No hesistation. I immediately shoot the ball to the shock of my teammates. It rims out. but that's the mode I'm in. Attack mode. Either take it to the hoop or shoot it if your wide open.

Next couple of defensive possessions, I managed to grab a couple of rebounds. And then i utilise my new tactic. As soon as we get the ball into the point guard's hands in the backcourt, i'm off to the races. In fact, as soon as anyone on our team gets the ball in our backcourt, I'm running as far away from the ball as I can get. I've just got nightmares handling the ball from a game a month ago. I don't want to touch the ball after my multiple turnover effort bringing the ball up the court.

This proves true later in the game as I am dribbling beyond the three point line, and it gets stolen from me, and the guy drives the length of the floor and scores.

ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN

I get some sort of justice later on, as someone lobs the ball over the top of the defender. I reel in that sucker like its the last coin i can put into a pinball machine. I'm about to take a shot right underneath the basket. Just as I raise my arms to shoot the ball, i realise that guy that stole the ball has run towards me.

In a splitsecond, I realise that I can't shoot it right now. So I improvise. I pretend to shoot the ball by lifting the ball up just above my neck. Well that's what I like to tell everyone. Its more like I was going to shoot. Suddenly realise I couldn't and pulled it back in. The defender skies over me like he's spiderman. Before the second defender jumps on me I release the ball with one hand.

But I've done it too quick and it bounces hard off the backboard. forunately, someone better than me grabs the ball and puts it back in. For some reason the ref blows the whistle. I look around and see the first defender lying on the floor holding his nose. The second defender had knocked out the first defender. Everyone was staring at me like I was Danny Green and had knocked out Mundine. His nose was bleeding as he lay crumpled on the ground.

Fortunately for my personal safety, I hadn't touched him though some of my teammates orginally thought I had done the damage.

Ho shoots, He Scores

As the rest of the game progressed, I started to get a bit more confident. I get the ball in the high post, near the elbow. This guy who's like 6'4 is guarding me. I take two dribbles right, immediately spin left and unleashed my patented turnaround jumper. Swish. Give a hi-five to my teammate.

Suddenly I hear a combination of cheering and jeering from the sideline. Look around, and see Howard from a much inferior team called Mallesons and give him the biggest cheesy grin.

Now I'm feeling it. As soon as we get the rebound, I'm sprint up court. That's one thing I can do well. I can beat most people up the court. Well maybe it's because I take a head start. I'm well in front of everyone like an offside in soccer. Someone throws me the ball. Although I'm wide open, I concentrate too much on the person heading towards me. The ball slips through my hands, and bounces off my knees and straight to the defender. Hearing more jeers from the sideline, I give Howard the finger as I run down the court.

The Finale

In our final posession, I unleash the true potential of DJ Ho. We are ahead by 10 points and simply killing them with our fastbreaks. Again there is another fastbreak, and it is tossed to a player on our side ahead of the pack. She misses the shot from point blank over a defender. I swoop in ala Dennis Rodman and tip the ball to the side. Running to the baseline, I grab the loose ball. Seizing up the moment i see that there are two defenders in front of me, one standing behind the other. This is no time for shooting.

I take it straight the basket, trying to go around the outside of the defender. Visions of Kobe fill my head. As I approach the basket, I put up a layup attempt. Thankfully, the defender slaps my hand as the ball again rebounds too hard off the basket. Even though it didn't go in at least I was aggressive. The ref calls the foul and gives me two free shots as time runs out.

Calmly, I brick* both shots.

*Brick = To miss badly by only hitting the backboard.

BOX SCORE
Total Points: 2
Turnovers: 1
Players knocked out accidentally: 1
Key lesson learnt: Dont speak to your boss before lunchtime