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Early Sat. morning game, rescheduled after a snowstorm the two days before. Have to get this girls JV tilt in before varsity's 10 a.m. senior day game (which was also postponed).
Just 6 in uniform for the home team, vs. 8 or 9 for visitors who are nonetheless overmatched in virtually every aspect.
The lone sub for home team comes in during the first half and clearly is out of place, guarding her girl (sort of) way beyond the arc and off ball, etc. On offense, standing almost next to the teammate with the ball. Shuffling her feet the few times she touched the ball. A patient (non-) whistle by both me and partner proved fortuitous.
After a few minutes, she is gassed and gives a pleading look to the coach for a sub.
At halftime, I ask the student working the book what's up with #23. Turns out she's the team manager and this is the first time she ever suited up. Might be a special needs student, nobody's really sure. She also helped out with the scoreboard during the year and generally did whatever was needed -- it's apparent this was not an athlete who was cut at the beginning of the season.
Well, the second half starts and "Rosie" gets more playing time -- and a load of shots. Her teammates kept setting her up, but nothing falls. We're talking maybe a dozen shots in about a quarter's time.
Finally, a whirling, half-turning bank shot from just outside the elbow goes in. Pandemonium! By now the Senior Day crowd had filed in. And by this time, even the opposing team, I think, "got" what the home team was trying to do in the last game of the season.
But then the next three times down the court, home team STILL worked to get her shots. Um, enough's enough girls.
For good measure, on the ensuing trip down court, I made sure to go by the visiting team's bench and asked out of the side of my mouth, "Got anybody who needs a basket, coach?" He paused for a second, then got it, smiled and said no.
Not as dramatic as some of the other tales here, but not a bad way to finish an early Saturday morning noteworthy for absolutely nothing else.
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