I got a lot of good feedback in reaction to my column from two weeks ago. My buddy Stebbuns basically told me to 'Nut Up or Shut Up'. Age he said, shouldn't define me. My wife then said that it's no surprise that I suck at basketball because I don't play as often as I do soccer. If I had more time to practice I would undoubtedly get better. Both got me thinking - were they right? Was my suckiness simply due to the fact that I play 10 games a year, with 3 minutes of warm-ups and no practice? Did my age have nothing to do with my diminished skill? Could it be that simple?
Well, all my questions got answers last night as my IM team picked up our second win of the season. It turns out that our first three games were against teams that entered last night with a combined 13-2 record. Last week we beat the 0-3 team and last night we beat a 1-3 team. That means the first three games were really against the alpha-males of the group. I don't think us losing had anything to do with being older and slower than them - I think they straight up were better than we ever were even in our prime.
I won't talk to much about last night's game because no one is interested, but suffice to say, I played really well. Our opponents, sensing that we were not good shooters, played zone all night. Normally we are not good at moving the ball around, but last night something happened: We didn't force bad shots. We were patient. We controlled the tempo of the game.
With about 5 minutes left, we had a 4 point lead and somehow I lost my man on defense. He ended up draining a 3 and suddenly the pressure was on. We turned the ball over on the next possession, but on the ensuing fast break I stepped up and took a charge on the defensive end. The refs then made a really critical error and awarded me with two shots even though you shouldn't get shots on an offensive foul. I nailed them both along with two other key free throws down the stretch. We ended up winning by 4. Final line: 9 points (4-4 FT), 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 charge.
On the way home, I was thinking about how going against the zone was perfect for me. I don't have the same legs that I once did, so trying to get open in against a man-to-man defense is always really tiring. Going against a zone seemed like a piece of cake. Some of the older guys on our team seemed rejuvenated simply because they could use their intelligence rather than their athleticism.
I went home with a big smile on my face (the perfect night from the line being the highlight). Our first playoff game should be against a team with a 3-2 record, so hopefully it will be a good match-up. Of course somewhere along the line we will have to face an alpha-male team again. When we do, I know the number will change. After all, it is easy to feel young and energetic when you're winning. Losing by 30 sure has a way to bring you down.
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