Sunday, December 30, 2007
Frank Reports On The Big Game
The Spanko family will be spending the New Year in the Big City. After Maribel and her basketball mates played Big State University, her coach was kind enough to give them a few days off, so we decided to take a break and see how the Big City celebrates New Years Eve. It helps that I befriended a well-off alumni of Big State U. at Saturday’s game, who happens to live in the Big City, and he was so impressed with Maribel’s play that he invited us to spend New Years with him and to stay at his house. It also turns out that his wife was also a college basketball player, and that his wife knows Bernie, albeit casually, and had played against her back in the day. The wife was also favorably impressed with Maribel’s game, and so was happy to have us for the long weekend.
Ah, yes, I did promise to give the result of the big game. And a Spanko never goes back on a promise.
It was an excellent game, played at a very high level throughout. Maribel’s team came out aggressive and led by six points at halftime, 40 to 34. However, in the second half, Big State began to wear down their opponents, relying on their superior size. Still, Maribel’s team continued to be active on defense, generating several turnovers that led to easy baskets. Despite this, Maribel’s team trailed by six points going into the last ten minutes.
Our seats were close enough to Maribel’s bench so that we could overhear the coaches talking to their players. I had noticed that the offense, which tried to execute most plays through Maribel earlier in the game, had gotten away from that in the second half, and I mentioned that to Bernie. A couple of minutes later, Bernie excused herself and got up. I thought she was making her way to the facilities, but instead she headed towards the floor. I saw her beckon one of Maribel’s assistant coaches and say something in her ear. Then Bernie returned to her seat.
“What did you say to the coach?” I asked her.
“You’ll see … I hope,” Bernie responded.
At the next time out, Maribel’s coach, whose name is Evelyn Cranston (but everyone calls her Coach E.), told her team, “Ladies, you need to get back to what we worked on in practice. Run everything through Maribel. Maribel, they can’t stop you unless they double team you, and you know what to do if they do!”
Indeed Maribel did. For the next six minutes, Maribel either scored or assisted on every basket her team scored. If they cut her off from going to the basket, she scored over her opponent with her classic fade-away jump shot that her father taught her. If they played her to shoot, she drove to the basket. If they brought the double-team, she passed to teammates for easy jump shots, several of which were three-pointers. Her team re-took the lead.
And then Maribel got elbowed in the face. She briefly fell to the floor, but was up and ready to go quickly. Unfortunately, the elbow had opened a small cut underneath her left eye, and the rules say that you cannot play until you get open wounds covered up. She went to the bench for two minutes, during which time Big State scored seven straight points to take a four point lead, 74 to 70.
Coach E. called time-out with two minutes left and huddled with her team again. “Okay, ladies,” she shouted over the din in the arena, “they just went on a run, but they’re gassed! Look at their bench. They’re sucking wind like we’re playing on the moon. If we keep playing our game, we WILL win this game!” Even I was inspired.
Coach E. continued. “I’m not going to call any plays. Just run our offense. Amber (Amber Mason, the teams excellent senior point guard) and Maribel know what to do. Stay aggressive and this game is ours!”
Coach E. is a wise woman. Maribel was back in and rested, and she and her team went out re-energized. They worked the ball in to Maribel, who looked left, didn’t see a double team coming, spun the other way, rose up and shot. Swish. Two point game.
Big State went back the other way. They tried to get the ball inside, but Maribel foiled that. With the shot clock running out, one of the Big State players risked a drive to the basket. Maribel stepped in her way and knocked her shot away. However, she also hit her opponents arm. Foul. Two shots.
Maribel was angry. She did not think she had committed the foul. From my vantage point, however, it did look like Maribel made contact with the other player’s arm. Coach E. yelled for Maribel to stay focused.
The Big State player missed one of the two free throws, leaving it a three point game. There were seventy-five second left in the game.
Alas, the hour is late, and sleep is calling me. We have a busy day tomorrow, but I promise I shall report the conclusion of this game, since you are all certainly dying to know, and I wouldn’t want to be responsible for anyone dying. I will give you one bit of foreshadowing: It was a fantastic finish.
But, then again, you already knew that.
Ah, yes, I did promise to give the result of the big game. And a Spanko never goes back on a promise.
It was an excellent game, played at a very high level throughout. Maribel’s team came out aggressive and led by six points at halftime, 40 to 34. However, in the second half, Big State began to wear down their opponents, relying on their superior size. Still, Maribel’s team continued to be active on defense, generating several turnovers that led to easy baskets. Despite this, Maribel’s team trailed by six points going into the last ten minutes.
Our seats were close enough to Maribel’s bench so that we could overhear the coaches talking to their players. I had noticed that the offense, which tried to execute most plays through Maribel earlier in the game, had gotten away from that in the second half, and I mentioned that to Bernie. A couple of minutes later, Bernie excused herself and got up. I thought she was making her way to the facilities, but instead she headed towards the floor. I saw her beckon one of Maribel’s assistant coaches and say something in her ear. Then Bernie returned to her seat.
“What did you say to the coach?” I asked her.
“You’ll see … I hope,” Bernie responded.
At the next time out, Maribel’s coach, whose name is Evelyn Cranston (but everyone calls her Coach E.), told her team, “Ladies, you need to get back to what we worked on in practice. Run everything through Maribel. Maribel, they can’t stop you unless they double team you, and you know what to do if they do!”
Indeed Maribel did. For the next six minutes, Maribel either scored or assisted on every basket her team scored. If they cut her off from going to the basket, she scored over her opponent with her classic fade-away jump shot that her father taught her. If they played her to shoot, she drove to the basket. If they brought the double-team, she passed to teammates for easy jump shots, several of which were three-pointers. Her team re-took the lead.
And then Maribel got elbowed in the face. She briefly fell to the floor, but was up and ready to go quickly. Unfortunately, the elbow had opened a small cut underneath her left eye, and the rules say that you cannot play until you get open wounds covered up. She went to the bench for two minutes, during which time Big State scored seven straight points to take a four point lead, 74 to 70.
Coach E. called time-out with two minutes left and huddled with her team again. “Okay, ladies,” she shouted over the din in the arena, “they just went on a run, but they’re gassed! Look at their bench. They’re sucking wind like we’re playing on the moon. If we keep playing our game, we WILL win this game!” Even I was inspired.
Coach E. continued. “I’m not going to call any plays. Just run our offense. Amber (Amber Mason, the teams excellent senior point guard) and Maribel know what to do. Stay aggressive and this game is ours!”
Coach E. is a wise woman. Maribel was back in and rested, and she and her team went out re-energized. They worked the ball in to Maribel, who looked left, didn’t see a double team coming, spun the other way, rose up and shot. Swish. Two point game.
Big State went back the other way. They tried to get the ball inside, but Maribel foiled that. With the shot clock running out, one of the Big State players risked a drive to the basket. Maribel stepped in her way and knocked her shot away. However, she also hit her opponents arm. Foul. Two shots.
Maribel was angry. She did not think she had committed the foul. From my vantage point, however, it did look like Maribel made contact with the other player’s arm. Coach E. yelled for Maribel to stay focused.
The Big State player missed one of the two free throws, leaving it a three point game. There were seventy-five second left in the game.
Alas, the hour is late, and sleep is calling me. We have a busy day tomorrow, but I promise I shall report the conclusion of this game, since you are all certainly dying to know, and I wouldn’t want to be responsible for anyone dying. I will give you one bit of foreshadowing: It was a fantastic finish.
But, then again, you already knew that.
