Sports Update

With the historically bad weather, we have had even more football matches canceled. We were supposed to have a mid week cup match yesterday, but of course it was canceled. It actually hasn't snowed in a few days, but its still very cold and everything is frozen. However, there is one sport we can play no matter the weather, and that's basketball.

This last Saturday we had our third basketball match of the term. We were playing against St. Aidans college. After losing our first two matches pretty heavily, we needed a better performance this game to improve our position in the standings. Luckily we had help. One of my good friends, a second year student and Durham University basketball player was able to play for us. Joe plays for the Durham University basketball team, meaning he travels around England playing against other Universities. While he practices and trains with us, he is more like a coach than a player because he is ineligible for the college matches. Because of some technicality (he was slightly injured and was left of the team for the most recent university match or something) he was able to play for us this week.

This was going to make a big difference. He is a better player than I am, and I always wanted another really good player to play with. It makes a big difference. It means I can play a more supporting role, where I'm more comfortable, instead of having to be the focal point of the offense and looking to score 20 points. Plus it's nice to play with someone who can make good passes and cuts.

With Joe and I both playing well, we got out to a small lead after the first quarter- breaking our tradition of being down 10+ points after the first. Joe did most of the scoring, and I did most of the defense. The other team also had a University player, a small quick point guard- and it was my job to chase him all around the court. I got so tired on defense that I hardly even wanted the ball on offense.

After a close game through most of the first three periods we built a 6 point lead midway through the 4th. We looked on our way to our first victory of the season.

And then we fell apart. Sloppy defense and turnovers shrunk our lead to 1, with a minute to play. We gave up another soft basket and found ourselves down one point with about 45 tics left. I inbounded the ball to Joe and looked to run up court- but he passed it back, gave me a look of confidence and told me to take it up.

It was a strange feeling, everything seemed to be in slow motion. I expected to be nervous, but I wasn't. I forgot about the score, the clock, the 50 or so people watching. I just knew we had to score. The only thought that occurred to me was that I had a chance to win the game, not that I also had a chance to blow it. It was exciting.

I slowly dribbled the ball past the halfway line, before changing pace and blowing past my defender. In the middle of the key I jumped up for a running shot, but three defenders converged on me in midair. Out of the corner of my eye I say Joe streaking towards the basket, and was able to throw him an alley-oop pass. He finished it for an easy layup, and we were up one.

Our pressure defense led to to the other team losing the ball out of bounds. We had possession with about 15 seconds left. All we had to do was hold the ball and we'd win. We passed it around to use clock, before the ball ended up in the hands of Kento- a Japanese international student. Kento is a very good player, a nice guy and a great shooter- but is still learning English. As our entire bench screamed at him to hold the ball, he attempted a 3 pointer.

We watched in shock and horror as the ball clanged off the rim, and right to the other teams center. He threw an outlet pass to their best player, who had only one man stopping him from the basket. As the ref yelled out THREE...TWO...ONE, their star went up for the layup. He was knocked to the floor by our defender as he laid it in. He somehow got the shot off, and the ball was bouncing on the rim as the buzzer sounded. Inexplicably the shot rimmed out. He'd missed it. I watched this whole scene from midcourt, rooted to the spot. We all turned to the referee. He did not call a foul. The game was over, we'd won.

It was definitely the most exciting game I've been a part of. It was also my first win in anything this year- either basketball or football. So my feelings after the game were more of relief than joy.

We are supposed to have two football matches this weekend, but of course by the time I've finished this very long post, it has started snowing heavily outside. So I'll keep you updated.