A while ago, I posted about my first AAU games of the season:
First AAU of the year
Last weekend I attended a camp and the games that we worked were all AAU games. There was a lot of talent, big kids; but AAU. One of my games was a really good game. Back and forth, pretty good flow, good players. With 6:30 left in the game, it's a 1-point game with Team A leading. Team A brings the ball into the front court and holds the ball out near the midcourt line. Team B falls back into a zone.
Six minutes left, Team A holding and Team B sitting in the zone.
Five minutes left, Team A holding and Team B sitting in the zone.
Three minutes left. . .
One minute left. . .
We're thinking, Team B has to jump out and foul. But they just sit there.
30, 20, 10. . .
At 10 seconds, Coach B stands up and starts to clap wildly, enthusiastically as he watches the clock run to all zeros. Team A wins by one, without ever having to go to the line at the end of the game. We literally stood in our positions for six and a half minutes.
Come to find out, Team B was a game up on Team A in the "pool standings". So if Team A won, the teams would be tied for the playoff spot. Team B also had the point-differential tie-breaker, so that Team A not only had to win, but they had to win by 7 to win the tie-breaker.
So by winning by only 1 point, Team B advanced to the playoffs due to the point-differential tie-breaker.
What a surreal experience.