It took me two days to recover from this game!

[Mark Padgett]

It was the closest I've come to an OT game in quite some time. I get an email two days ago in the morning to work a 5th grade boys "competitive" game that evening. Yeah - I said "competitive". I accept the game and, unfortunately, my partner doesn't show, so I have to work it myself. No big deal, but the game was extremely close the entire way.

End of Q1, home up by 2. Halftime, home up by 2. End of Q3, game tied. The point guard on the visiting team, who was the shortest kid on the court by far, hit all four of his 3-point attempts in the first three quarters and hit one midway through Q4. We get to 7 seconds left on the clock in Q4 and the home team is up by 2. Visitors to inbound under their own basket and they run a neat inbound play that frees up their point guard in the corner. He shoots a 3 and it rims out. A teammate gets the rebound and their coach yells for a timeout, which I grant. I look at the clock - there's two seconds left.

They come out after the timeout to inbound on the endline. I point to the spot and hand the ball to the inbounder. HE RUNS DOWN THE ENDLINE WITH THE BALL!!! I blow the whistle and the visiting coach goes nuts - not at me, but at the kid. Home team requests and is granted a timeout. When they come out, the inbounder looks at me and says, "Don't worry - I'm not going anywhere" and grins. They throw a long pass into their frontcourt and A2 just holds the ball for two seconds. Team B runs over to him to foul but the horn goes off.

As I stated in the thread title - it took me two days to recover. My poor heart can't take these tight games. The worst part was if it went into OT, I wouldn't have anyone to blame.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I accept the game and, unfortunately, my partner doesn't show, so I have to work it myself. No big deal,

I don't care what age group or what level it's at, for me, working solo sux.

[tref]

Originally Posted by grunewar

I don't care what age group or what level it's at, for me, working solo sux.

At least no one can say the game was called inconsistentyl

[Mark Padgett]

Since I was mostly watching the ball, it was tough to also watch for three seconds. I did notice once, that a kid was going in and out, in and out when the opposing coach yelled for a three second call. I told him, "Coach - that wasn't three seconds even in dog years." That's one I use quite often.

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

On Saturday I did six games--one at one site, two at another, and three at the last stop for the day, a Catholic school for their "novice" level girls tournament (4th-5th grade I believe). These games were solo in a tiny, packed little gym. They are fun (some of the older girls from the school are the DJs and play a lot of music between games and during intermissions and there are many little kids running around.

But I was tired and ready for the day to be over. My set started 30 minutes late because they couldn't start the tournament back up until mass was over upstairs. I got through all three games smoothly, with one hiccup. The score was stuck at 18-18 for the last couple minutes of the fourth quarter. Sure enough, nobody scored, not even on free throws, and I had overtime. (With no one to blame!) OT that started at 10:05 PM!

Mercifully the OT went quickly and the game ended 20-19 at about 10:10.

[wfd21]

I haven't done this level in quite a few years. 5th graders draining "3's"? You've got to be kidding me. I can remember a coach yanking a kid for attempting a three at that level.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by wfd21

I haven't done this level in quite a few years. 5th graders draining "3's"? You've got to be kidding me. I can remember a coach yanking a kid for attempting a three at that level.

Maybe that old joke "What do you call a 15 year old from __________ in the 5th grade?" "Brilliant." applies here.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by wfd21

I haven't done this level in quite a few years. 5th graders draining "3's"? You've got to be kidding me. I can remember a coach yanking a kid for attempting a three at that level.

Fortunately in our CYO league, all field goals are two points at the JV (grade 6 and under) level.