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Bowling Alley
Catholic Middle School League, Sacred Heart School, New Britain, CT: Gymnasium looks more like a bowling alley than a basketball gymnasium. Long and narrow. Sidelines are two inches from side walls. Hashed restraining lines. Three point line intersects sideline, not allowing a three point shot from the wing or the corner. Scorer's table on one end of court. Two teams on opposite ends of court. Substitutes enter from both endlines. Confusing to remember which side is opposite the table for foul shots and jump balls. It's tough to officiate a game there, but, this gymnasium has a certain "old time" atmosphere to it, kind of like officiating a game with Dr. Naismith as the coach.
Other "gymnasiums" in this league are really all purpose rooms, cafeteria, auditorium, etc. and have a tile floor over concrete. If I do a games at those gymnasiums, I try to remember to take two aspirin before the game, otherwise my knees and ankles hurt for two days afterward.
Also, the old Watkinson Prep High School, Hartford, CT gymnasium. So short in length that they have two division lines. Once the ball came into the front court over the second division line, the further back division line became the division line for a back court call. Thank God they built a new gymnasium.
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