Alright, alright!
Loud arena, great atmosphere, terrific game, for 27 minutes!
Entire family went which was nice. Since the games were girls, boys, girls, boys, they put the officials in the dressing room on the girls side. Dressed in the NC State Women's Coaches' Locker room.
Took the floor at the 15 minute mark, got the captains at 12. One team seemed pretty loose and talkative, opponent was more subdued. Tested PT, parnter checked the book, met coaches, National Anthem, marched us out to center cirlce and gave us each a plaque. Introduced lineups and we're ready to roll.
I'm U1, jump ball is batted almost directly at me and I know red did it. I whistle, yell, "WHTIE!", wait, look for White's bench and point the right way. The last thing I wanted to do was point the wrong way on the opening play!
First half is very smooth and very fast! I have too more OOB plays immediately, both of which draw a foul call from the Red coach. I'm thinking, "Coach if you think that's a foul, you're in for a long day." Quite honestly, I didn't hear another word out of him all day. The nervous team at the captains' meeting has a slow start. 17-10, fouls 2-1, at the end of the qtr. Second qtr. white picks it up, and it gets a little more physical. Even though this is 1A, both teams have a BIG 6'6" guy battling inside. Red is up 28-26 at the half.
15 minute halftime seemed like forever. 3rd qtr., white gets it together, goes up 34-33. Lead changes hands several times in the 3rd. Late in the qtr., red up 47-44, white's BIG guy goes for a reverse dunk, misses and the ball rebounds long, where red picks it up, feeds their BIG guy for a dunk, 4 point swing, and a bigger momentum swing! Red 50-46 after 3.
Final qtr., red guard hits 2 HUGE threes and suddenly it's a 10 point game. TIMEOUT white! The place is rocking! In no time, it's 68-51 and white is tired and giving up. Fouling out the end fails to close the gap enough to make a game of it. Final score , 75-62.
It was a huge thrill! I may never call another one or I may get 5 more before I'm finished. Either way, I'll never for get the first!