Couple of administrative type things to get out of the way first...
Our Program Newsletter: May Edition - take a look: Click Here
Pancake Breakfast - Call the number on the flier or me for tickets: Click Here
And now to business.
We recently had a dinner event after a practice and I did something I rarely ever do - I sat down and had lengthy conversations with parents without being asked to discuss something. Don't get me wrong, I don't have it against the parents, just I got burned my first few years talking to parents about stuff, and just decided that it may be better for all parties involved to limit how much time we spend talking while I am their son's coach. Fortunately, I broke my own rule, sat down with the parents and we just hung out, talked about what's left of our season, and the like.
One part of the conversation that really struck me was that the parents were asking what our plan was for the next few weeks as we prepare for the Zero Gravity National tournament in Boston. I honestly hadn't quite decided what we were going to do as I was still trying to see if we wanted to play each weekend leading up to the tournament for momentum or play in one last tournament and then give them the weekend off to rest and recuperate. I know what you're thinking - you coach 8th graders, they don't need rest. I know that. But they do get burn out. Is was also my way of saying that I didn't want to kill the parents playing every weekend for the last 3 months with only 2 free weekends. In the past, I had parents complain about how busy the schedule was. I also had younger kids, and less experienced parents. Needless to say, the veteran parents - okay all of the parents - turned to me, looked at their kids, and then said, "Seriously, do you think they need a break?"
Well played, parents...
They then started throwing out all the reasons they wanted the boys to play. Momentum, staying active and engaged in the game, getting live game time experience with special situations and different styles of play and coaching. So yeah they won. Which is good. I don't like off weekends. I get bored and then spend all weekend surfing the web looking at new gadgets and stuff that I really have no need to be looking at (or buying). I'd much rather be on a sideline somewhere. Besides, with some of the stuff that may be coming down the pike, I need every last opportunity I can to get better. Whether it's better with X's and O's, relating to my team, or even little details of the rules, I stand the chance to learn every time we play.
Maybe need to reevaluate my rule on parents.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Star Power
With the recent commotion regarding the Zen Master's (Phil Jackson for those that don't know) comments on Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) discussion has once again heated up. I typically stay out of such conversations because I feel like you can't compare across generations easily, and no one ever categorizes what is a requirement for being considered the GOAT. In essence, I could say Yao Ming was the greatest of all time, or Derek Fisher - just because it's currently, in most circles, an opinion based topic that requires zero substantial statistical backup.
In one recent discussion I was drawn in by some comments aimed at a friend and his stance on the subject. He came right out and said Jordan was a better player than Kobe, but he felt that Kobe was the GOAT because through all his accomplishments, he's still working hard while living in the shadow of His Airness and having done more than most in that discussion for a lot longer. Someone then said a few other names who could be thrown in there based on some other comments, and he went to say that he should be able to consider Tim Duncan in the conversation. I strongly disagree. While Duncan is a very fundamentally sound player with a great all star resume and a shoe-in Hall of Famer, he's been surrounded by a fairly decent cast through his career to help him achieve his best games. To be among the GOAT's (in my OPINION), you have to have that star power that consistently forces teams to gameplan around you. Kobe, LeBron, Rondo, Jordan, Westbrook - fit that in my opinion. How often do you see teams play those guys straight up without demanding the help-side to attack them? Duncan can be handled one on one. Duncan is not a necessity for his team to win consistently (granted, they have a really good coach in San Antonio, which may hurt him in this particular argument).
As crazy as it may sound, you even have those guys at my level. I have seen teams play like they have two different identities due to "that guy". In the past I would have denied this to a fault. "I believe in my guys, and as long as any 5 show up, we're going to battle." While that's partially true, I realize I may have been a little naive. I think I do a decent job of getting the guys to give it their all game in and game out, personnel plays a huge factor. I have that guy with the "star power" factor I mentioned above (I am not putting him in the GOAT conversation just yet mind you), and I've seen my team changed so drastically when he happens to miss a game. I coach the game the same way. I call the same plays. We just don't have that same edge, intensity, or fire like we do when he's there. He sets the tone on defense, and we find our way into more turnover and tough contested shots. His offensive ability to penetrate attracts the defense and he's got the willingness to make that extra pass to an open teammate. He is a game changer. His presence alone seems to give the team that little bit of cocky you need to compete. I see it on other teams in our program as well. When they have that guy, the teams look to be on a completely different level. Teams searching for that guy may play well, but struggle (I've coached a few of those).
Don't take any part of this post the wrong way. I'm talking about guys in high school and lower that may not see a minute of professional basketball or even Division I college ball. And I will not say that star power is the only factor to consider in the GOAT argument. One thing I can say with certainty is every coach knows what I'm talking about. And the beauty of it is that "stars" are born every day. I wouldn't be surprised that because of being around a guy with star power and a little leadership, that a new star emerges. And in the case of star power, I'd have to give Kobe and Jordan a tie - but only in that case.
In one recent discussion I was drawn in by some comments aimed at a friend and his stance on the subject. He came right out and said Jordan was a better player than Kobe, but he felt that Kobe was the GOAT because through all his accomplishments, he's still working hard while living in the shadow of His Airness and having done more than most in that discussion for a lot longer. Someone then said a few other names who could be thrown in there based on some other comments, and he went to say that he should be able to consider Tim Duncan in the conversation. I strongly disagree. While Duncan is a very fundamentally sound player with a great all star resume and a shoe-in Hall of Famer, he's been surrounded by a fairly decent cast through his career to help him achieve his best games. To be among the GOAT's (in my OPINION), you have to have that star power that consistently forces teams to gameplan around you. Kobe, LeBron, Rondo, Jordan, Westbrook - fit that in my opinion. How often do you see teams play those guys straight up without demanding the help-side to attack them? Duncan can be handled one on one. Duncan is not a necessity for his team to win consistently (granted, they have a really good coach in San Antonio, which may hurt him in this particular argument).
As crazy as it may sound, you even have those guys at my level. I have seen teams play like they have two different identities due to "that guy". In the past I would have denied this to a fault. "I believe in my guys, and as long as any 5 show up, we're going to battle." While that's partially true, I realize I may have been a little naive. I think I do a decent job of getting the guys to give it their all game in and game out, personnel plays a huge factor. I have that guy with the "star power" factor I mentioned above (I am not putting him in the GOAT conversation just yet mind you), and I've seen my team changed so drastically when he happens to miss a game. I coach the game the same way. I call the same plays. We just don't have that same edge, intensity, or fire like we do when he's there. He sets the tone on defense, and we find our way into more turnover and tough contested shots. His offensive ability to penetrate attracts the defense and he's got the willingness to make that extra pass to an open teammate. He is a game changer. His presence alone seems to give the team that little bit of cocky you need to compete. I see it on other teams in our program as well. When they have that guy, the teams look to be on a completely different level. Teams searching for that guy may play well, but struggle (I've coached a few of those).
Don't take any part of this post the wrong way. I'm talking about guys in high school and lower that may not see a minute of professional basketball or even Division I college ball. And I will not say that star power is the only factor to consider in the GOAT argument. One thing I can say with certainty is every coach knows what I'm talking about. And the beauty of it is that "stars" are born every day. I wouldn't be surprised that because of being around a guy with star power and a little leadership, that a new star emerges. And in the case of star power, I'd have to give Kobe and Jordan a tie - but only in that case.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Rocky Road
So things in my life didn't level off like I thought they would.
It didn't level off for the team either.
It's been nothing short of your cliche "peaks and valleys" model. We had a great couple of weekends of basketball, and then a total breakdown.
Times like these test your mettle, and they let you know more about who you are, providing that crucial understanding of who you are and what your identity is. Some people fold, some people rise to the challenge, some people may even go as far as "evolving" into a completely different self altogether. While I'm not sure which of these the team and I fall into yet, I will say that having my birthday roll through this turbulent period prompted me to do a quick reflection on things.
For those that don't already know, my disdain for having my name shortened comes out of respect for my father and all the things he's done for me. While I'm not saying I was a terror child, I will admit dealing with me was not a simple task. I'm sure he had moments where he couldn't be prouder of me and then I'd do something absolutely stupid and ridiculous that would probably have him asking if he'd been getting through to me or talking to a wall. Through all of those less graceful moments, he always remained positive, inspiring, and never gave up on me. I only have to deal with my team for, at most, 16 hours a week. My dad put up with me for a lot longer.
One thing I always remember was that when I "slipped" he would always be there to explain what I did wrong and how much it disappointed him because he knew I was capable of so much more. While it may not solve the issues at work or in the other areas of my personal life, it perfectly fits into the struggles we are having on the team. Hopefully all the talks will pay off and we'll get back to playing with passion and intensity. Time will tell, but if it worked for me, I'm sure I can find some success applying it to the team.
It didn't level off for the team either.
It's been nothing short of your cliche "peaks and valleys" model. We had a great couple of weekends of basketball, and then a total breakdown.
Times like these test your mettle, and they let you know more about who you are, providing that crucial understanding of who you are and what your identity is. Some people fold, some people rise to the challenge, some people may even go as far as "evolving" into a completely different self altogether. While I'm not sure which of these the team and I fall into yet, I will say that having my birthday roll through this turbulent period prompted me to do a quick reflection on things.
For those that don't already know, my disdain for having my name shortened comes out of respect for my father and all the things he's done for me. While I'm not saying I was a terror child, I will admit dealing with me was not a simple task. I'm sure he had moments where he couldn't be prouder of me and then I'd do something absolutely stupid and ridiculous that would probably have him asking if he'd been getting through to me or talking to a wall. Through all of those less graceful moments, he always remained positive, inspiring, and never gave up on me. I only have to deal with my team for, at most, 16 hours a week. My dad put up with me for a lot longer.
One thing I always remember was that when I "slipped" he would always be there to explain what I did wrong and how much it disappointed him because he knew I was capable of so much more. While it may not solve the issues at work or in the other areas of my personal life, it perfectly fits into the struggles we are having on the team. Hopefully all the talks will pay off and we'll get back to playing with passion and intensity. Time will tell, but if it worked for me, I'm sure I can find some success applying it to the team.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Finding Comfort in Discomfort
So yes. It's been a while. I intend to get back on schedule and post on my normal Monday evenings.
I want this place to be dedicated to coaching. The struggles, the victories, the excitement, and the frustrations. I realized I was not in the best mental space due to stresses on the job and that the purpose of my blog would have been corrupted by a few posts. So I made the decision not to blog until I felt like I was ready and in a better place.
Then the season kicked in and we had our share of struggles. Didn't really help. Actually, let's just call it what it was. I was a mess. I felt like I couldn't do anything right, doubting myself, and just completely miserable.
I don't really know if a switch in my head flipped, or if someone said something, but I just suddenly found myself with less. It hit me. As much as I try to keep my two lives separate, that's a little naive. When I see success and joy in one, the other seems to improve. When one gets overworked and stressed, the ability of the other is weakened. I hate that. Coaching was supposed to be my escape. It was my place to put all the stresses of the "9-5" in a box and shut the lid tight. You can't though. You can control it to a point, but it's like all things in life - When the cup gets full, it's contents have to go somewhere. Once we made that realization and accepted it. Rather than split them entirely, I just made the decision to refocus the energy a little bit and became more determined to maintain a balance that had a more positive result.
It all rings true with the theme the team has come up with this season as we work collectively to learn from our mistakes and "right the ship" this season. In essence, we all said we need to find our next level. For them it's about thinking faster, executing sharper, and playing harder, but for me its about preparing, game time adjustments, and things like that. But you have to be mentally ready, mentally committed, and when you get to that point where you find yourself wanting to be lazy, or take a shortcut, to have the conviction to stop yourself and refocus and push to the goal. It's been said that if you want to get to the next level, you have to be uncomfortable. I was absolutely uncomfortable for about a month. Through that discomfort, I've learned, refocused, and seen improvements in my coaching ability (and yes things at work got a little better). As we push through the season, the last few weeks of practice have sent the boys home practically exhausted, and most are actually sweating - but our play has seen improvement. We're not where we want to be. In fact, we're far from it. Once we adjust to the system, and the uncomfortable becomes comfortable, we'll have found our next level and have a season we can be proud of.
While it isn't something you want to do constantly at an extreme clip as I did, every now and then you need that jump start to encourage (or practically force) you to find that next level. It's been a while since I felt that, and as a coach it was a nice reminder of what I'm asking players to do all season long. It reminded me that to be effective, I have to not only encourage growth but take time to celebrate it so that players don't get to a point where they are overwhelmed as I was.
I want this place to be dedicated to coaching. The struggles, the victories, the excitement, and the frustrations. I realized I was not in the best mental space due to stresses on the job and that the purpose of my blog would have been corrupted by a few posts. So I made the decision not to blog until I felt like I was ready and in a better place.
Then the season kicked in and we had our share of struggles. Didn't really help. Actually, let's just call it what it was. I was a mess. I felt like I couldn't do anything right, doubting myself, and just completely miserable.
I don't really know if a switch in my head flipped, or if someone said something, but I just suddenly found myself with less. It hit me. As much as I try to keep my two lives separate, that's a little naive. When I see success and joy in one, the other seems to improve. When one gets overworked and stressed, the ability of the other is weakened. I hate that. Coaching was supposed to be my escape. It was my place to put all the stresses of the "9-5" in a box and shut the lid tight. You can't though. You can control it to a point, but it's like all things in life - When the cup gets full, it's contents have to go somewhere. Once we made that realization and accepted it. Rather than split them entirely, I just made the decision to refocus the energy a little bit and became more determined to maintain a balance that had a more positive result.
It all rings true with the theme the team has come up with this season as we work collectively to learn from our mistakes and "right the ship" this season. In essence, we all said we need to find our next level. For them it's about thinking faster, executing sharper, and playing harder, but for me its about preparing, game time adjustments, and things like that. But you have to be mentally ready, mentally committed, and when you get to that point where you find yourself wanting to be lazy, or take a shortcut, to have the conviction to stop yourself and refocus and push to the goal. It's been said that if you want to get to the next level, you have to be uncomfortable. I was absolutely uncomfortable for about a month. Through that discomfort, I've learned, refocused, and seen improvements in my coaching ability (and yes things at work got a little better). As we push through the season, the last few weeks of practice have sent the boys home practically exhausted, and most are actually sweating - but our play has seen improvement. We're not where we want to be. In fact, we're far from it. Once we adjust to the system, and the uncomfortable becomes comfortable, we'll have found our next level and have a season we can be proud of.
While it isn't something you want to do constantly at an extreme clip as I did, every now and then you need that jump start to encourage (or practically force) you to find that next level. It's been a while since I felt that, and as a coach it was a nice reminder of what I'm asking players to do all season long. It reminded me that to be effective, I have to not only encourage growth but take time to celebrate it so that players don't get to a point where they are overwhelmed as I was.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Season's End
The winter season has officially ended for me. I try to look back over the season at this point to see what I did well, what I can improve on, and things like that.
This was a unique season for me. The last couple of winter seasons gave me plenty of talent and experience, which allowed us to dominate most teams with minimal effort. I didn't allow them to settle, and they were already familiar with what it took to win games, the agony of defeat, and were prepared for what a winter season is like. Most of those players were familiar with how to dribble while looking up, were comfortable handling the ball with both hands, and could finish at the rim on either side. The knew what I wanted from a good, solid ball screen or a back door cut. So I walked into it expected a similar situation. Needless to say, I need to spend a couple of practices just evaluating the IQ of my team next season. I wasted so much time before I realized just how far behind this group was in comparison to my previous teams, and had I taken a few days to make that evaluation, perhaps we would have won more games at the start of the season.
Another thing the season taught me is that while there are different ways that people react to motivating, there are also different ways to motivate. This season, after the experience in the spring and fall seasons, I decided to try to adopt some of the other coaching styles from coaches I'd worked with or against, and one big thing was to try to be more stern. Well, not only did it not work for the players, it didn't work for me. It made me more negative and made it harder to stay energized (hence my post a few weeks ago : Growth Experiment: Energy) and it actually started to be more work than fun. When I relaxed and went back to being where I felt comfortable, we saw more energy, fight and determination, and it was just more fun coaching.
The last big thing that the season taught me is that I'm a coach, not a player. While my competitive side helps to keep me constantly looking for things to improve, I have to keep it in check. Ultimately my job is to develop talent and winning games is a bonus. While I would have loved to go 49 - 0 as a competitor, the growth we saw as a team en route to our 17 - 32 record made me proud. I'm not satisfied, but I'm also not destroying myself over it because of my understanding that my job is to create these kinds of things. Like I said earlier, the team was so new to the game that many people wondered how we would do, if we'd even get 10 wins, and the like. Our first few games were shocking - defeats by large margins, struggles to do basic things - but so were our last. We looked better, we were able to beat presses that suffocated us before, able to run some offenses, and were competitive in most of our games in the final month. There's still plenty to do, but everyone agrees that the boys had improved, which means I did what I was asked to do.
These are just a few of the things I'm thinking about during my little intermission. It's an important part of my off-season, but I can't stay on it for too long. I have a new challenge about to start with the spring AAU 14U team coming up very soon. A team that looks to be very competitive, with high expectations, and at a level I'm not familiar with. I have to focus, I have to prepare, and I have to believe. This last season provided me with several lessons that will help build on what I've been through the last 2 years and this new challenge will need me to put them all together. These boys from the winter were determined to work hard and find success, and that shall be my inspiration to do the same in the spring.
Monday, March 4, 2013
All Star Game? Pfft...
One of the leagues we compete in had its annual All-Star game this past weekend. For the 3rd consecutive year, I sent no one. For the third consecutive year, I've had to explain that decision.
I don't like what All-Star games have come to represent. For as long as I can remember (and my quick Google search confirms it - NBA All-Star Scores), defense is optional. But aren't these players supposed to be the best of the best of the best players the game has to offer? Championship teams attribute their titles to their ability to defend, yet in the game of the best, there's none to be had. There's minimal team play as it turns into one-on-one with 8 spectators each possession. I vividly remember a healthy Dwight Howard, a premier shot blocker that year, watching and failing to rotate over in help defense as a member of the West took the ball to the rim. The NFL All-Star game was such a joke that the league considered not even having it anymore. I have a hard enough time trying to convince players to play defense to let them play in a game where it really is an optional facet of the game.
Another reason is just because of my philosophy as a coach. I demand a lot from my entire roster. Everyone has a job to do, and I expect all of them to do it. Some guys are scorers, some are rebounders, defenders, and the like. When all the guys play their parts, we play well. When someone overdoes it or doesn't fill their role, we look a complete mess. So in a system like that, how do you determine who is eligible to be an all-star? Do we work on all facets of the game in practice? Absolutely. But when you deal with young players, you have to make an effort to make sure that the kids are placed in positions to maximize their strengths, limit their failures as a result of their weaknesses, so that they will continue to work on those things and grow. I also preach all season long to play as a team, put the team above the individual, work together because we are the sum of our parts, etc. It's fitting that we are the called the "Wolfpack" because that is just how a pack of wolves thinks. To go an entire season talking about that - preaching, demanding, and expecting team work - and then to select one or two individuals as all-stars feels dirty. Add that to the fact that you are telling a 10 or 11-year old, who has worked all season long to fill his role, earn his time, build his confidence, and his coach's trust, that he was not selected as an all star but someone else was. Thanks, but I don't want to deal with that. Or to the kid you've selected - he'll take that to mean that he's got the green light to score at all times, even when it's a terrible shot decision - because he's an all-star. Again, thanks, but no thanks.
This season only further justifies my beliefs. We struggled through so much this season, but the team has really started to come together, roles are getting filled, and we are playing great basketball AS A TEAM. After all the struggles, frustrations, and low points, we still have a legitimate chance to play for the league championship. That opportunity for the team means more to me than a couple of individual opportunities to play in an all-star game, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
I don't like what All-Star games have come to represent. For as long as I can remember (and my quick Google search confirms it - NBA All-Star Scores), defense is optional. But aren't these players supposed to be the best of the best of the best players the game has to offer? Championship teams attribute their titles to their ability to defend, yet in the game of the best, there's none to be had. There's minimal team play as it turns into one-on-one with 8 spectators each possession. I vividly remember a healthy Dwight Howard, a premier shot blocker that year, watching and failing to rotate over in help defense as a member of the West took the ball to the rim. The NFL All-Star game was such a joke that the league considered not even having it anymore. I have a hard enough time trying to convince players to play defense to let them play in a game where it really is an optional facet of the game.
Another reason is just because of my philosophy as a coach. I demand a lot from my entire roster. Everyone has a job to do, and I expect all of them to do it. Some guys are scorers, some are rebounders, defenders, and the like. When all the guys play their parts, we play well. When someone overdoes it or doesn't fill their role, we look a complete mess. So in a system like that, how do you determine who is eligible to be an all-star? Do we work on all facets of the game in practice? Absolutely. But when you deal with young players, you have to make an effort to make sure that the kids are placed in positions to maximize their strengths, limit their failures as a result of their weaknesses, so that they will continue to work on those things and grow. I also preach all season long to play as a team, put the team above the individual, work together because we are the sum of our parts, etc. It's fitting that we are the called the "Wolfpack" because that is just how a pack of wolves thinks. To go an entire season talking about that - preaching, demanding, and expecting team work - and then to select one or two individuals as all-stars feels dirty. Add that to the fact that you are telling a 10 or 11-year old, who has worked all season long to fill his role, earn his time, build his confidence, and his coach's trust, that he was not selected as an all star but someone else was. Thanks, but I don't want to deal with that. Or to the kid you've selected - he'll take that to mean that he's got the green light to score at all times, even when it's a terrible shot decision - because he's an all-star. Again, thanks, but no thanks.
This season only further justifies my beliefs. We struggled through so much this season, but the team has really started to come together, roles are getting filled, and we are playing great basketball AS A TEAM. After all the struggles, frustrations, and low points, we still have a legitimate chance to play for the league championship. That opportunity for the team means more to me than a couple of individual opportunities to play in an all-star game, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Monday, February 25, 2013
So Close...
Two weeks ago, we were gearing up for our trip to Boston, and struggled through that gauntlet of games and events to come back home to games in Clark, Wayne, and Lincoln Park, New Jersey. For a travel team, six games in three days is unheard of, as the leagues generally make sure that you don't play more than three a week. After the struggles we had enduring in Boston, you'd think we'd be wary of such a tough schedule of travel and new competition. I spent the week thinking about how I'd handle the rotation to keep guys somewhat fresh and put up a competitive showing. Then, came game #1 of the weekend.
We had a late game Friday night in Clark, which is about 45 minutes away with traffic. The boys showed up energized and excited. I had a good day at work, so we had the energy level high, had a few laughs, stretched, got loose and took to the court with fire and purpose. The Readington team we played had a taller kid who could do just about everything, and he definitely caused some problems for us early - guys were afraid to attack the rim, had a lot of fade aways, but we were able to get him away from the ball long enough for us to get some good looks and played great defense to get some quick transition buckets and force them to burn a time out first. Message of the time out: Keep playing great defense, and don't be afraid of his height - dare him to block you without fouling. I don't know if it was the energy, or if the elevators are making it to the top floor, but we just played a great game all around. In keeping with trying to keep fatigue at bay for the weekend, bench guys got more time and made the most of it and gave some quality minutes. We won by 8 and everyone was all smiles. Somehow though, the facility reported us with an 11-point margin of victory (key detail, keep it in the back of your mind).
Saturday was a full day for everyone. Three games in one day - whew!! Our first game was in Clark against Cranford. Good, tough, battle the whole way, but we just fell into a hole early with some bad box outs and a surprisingly good shooting percentage by the other team. We fought to the end and fell short by 5. The boys got a few hours to relax and then we had a playoff game in Wayne. I knew I really had to play it safe with the minutes so we could play our last 3 games of the weekend. We had another good game of quality minutes from the bench, and while the margin of victory was just 2 points, what impressed me most is that there was no panic. I spent seasons telling my team that until you see me panic, there's no need for you to panic, only to see them reaching for the red button and just falling apart. Not a sign of panic, just trust in each other and their coach to get this victory. The last game of the day was around the corner in Lincoln Park. Again, got quality minutes from our bench but you could tell that the boys were getting tired - more so mentally than physically. We were moving, but the mistakes were just those that said their brains were fried. Again, the boys impressed me with how much they fought and willed their way into a competitive battle to a 7-point loss, even though everyone in the building could tell they were playing on fumes.
Sunday - the last regular season game of our league and of all the games it was our cross-town rival. If you looked at the match up on paper, and our records, the margins of victory, and things like that, you would have been floored by the game that took place that morning. It was a battle, and we were right there the entire game, staying within 5 points for most of the game. Ultimately, if we could have gotten more shots to go in, we may have pulled the upset, but again - just about everyone in the gym expected us to get destroyed and we held our own. We all left feeling good about what took place - we played with pride, intensity, and energy. All the things I've asked for all season long finally coming through and giving us something to be happy about. The momentum from the effort in the morning carried us down to Clark in the afternoon to secure a 7-point victory over Roseland with yet another solid team effort.
We then take a few moments to see how we stack up against our pool in the Clark tournament, and when we walk over to the board and see a +11, -5 and +7, which adds up to +13. Cool, there's on game left to be played and if Cranford loses to Readington, we'll get a 3 way tie and it will come down to points. Well, Cranford was sitting at +13, Readington was sitting at 0, so all we needed was for Cranford to lose and we'd take the 1 seed, if Readington lost, we'd lock up a 2-seed. We were so excited to finally earn another trip to a tournament playoff bracket. Cranford ended up losing by 10. 3-way tie! And we won the points race! Oh wait - they reported our first game score wrong. We are only at +10 (+8, -5, +7) and Readington is +13 (+10, -8, +11). And then to break the rest of the tie, it goes based on the head to head record, which gave the 2-seed to...Cranford. So we DON'T get to play in the playoffs?!? So close, and after a great weekend filled with the spirit of basketball, you don't get to advance. This is arguably one of the most heartbreaking endings I've experienced, because the kids were so excited and had me so excited for them, only to have to go back and say that we didn't even get in. I just hope that they remember how it felt to play this weekend, and carry it forward. Like I said, maybe the lights are starting to come on, or maybe just having experienced a tough weekend in Boston, or a combination of both made this weekend one of the most exciting weekends I've experienced.
We had a late game Friday night in Clark, which is about 45 minutes away with traffic. The boys showed up energized and excited. I had a good day at work, so we had the energy level high, had a few laughs, stretched, got loose and took to the court with fire and purpose. The Readington team we played had a taller kid who could do just about everything, and he definitely caused some problems for us early - guys were afraid to attack the rim, had a lot of fade aways, but we were able to get him away from the ball long enough for us to get some good looks and played great defense to get some quick transition buckets and force them to burn a time out first. Message of the time out: Keep playing great defense, and don't be afraid of his height - dare him to block you without fouling. I don't know if it was the energy, or if the elevators are making it to the top floor, but we just played a great game all around. In keeping with trying to keep fatigue at bay for the weekend, bench guys got more time and made the most of it and gave some quality minutes. We won by 8 and everyone was all smiles. Somehow though, the facility reported us with an 11-point margin of victory (key detail, keep it in the back of your mind).
Saturday was a full day for everyone. Three games in one day - whew!! Our first game was in Clark against Cranford. Good, tough, battle the whole way, but we just fell into a hole early with some bad box outs and a surprisingly good shooting percentage by the other team. We fought to the end and fell short by 5. The boys got a few hours to relax and then we had a playoff game in Wayne. I knew I really had to play it safe with the minutes so we could play our last 3 games of the weekend. We had another good game of quality minutes from the bench, and while the margin of victory was just 2 points, what impressed me most is that there was no panic. I spent seasons telling my team that until you see me panic, there's no need for you to panic, only to see them reaching for the red button and just falling apart. Not a sign of panic, just trust in each other and their coach to get this victory. The last game of the day was around the corner in Lincoln Park. Again, got quality minutes from our bench but you could tell that the boys were getting tired - more so mentally than physically. We were moving, but the mistakes were just those that said their brains were fried. Again, the boys impressed me with how much they fought and willed their way into a competitive battle to a 7-point loss, even though everyone in the building could tell they were playing on fumes.
Sunday - the last regular season game of our league and of all the games it was our cross-town rival. If you looked at the match up on paper, and our records, the margins of victory, and things like that, you would have been floored by the game that took place that morning. It was a battle, and we were right there the entire game, staying within 5 points for most of the game. Ultimately, if we could have gotten more shots to go in, we may have pulled the upset, but again - just about everyone in the gym expected us to get destroyed and we held our own. We all left feeling good about what took place - we played with pride, intensity, and energy. All the things I've asked for all season long finally coming through and giving us something to be happy about. The momentum from the effort in the morning carried us down to Clark in the afternoon to secure a 7-point victory over Roseland with yet another solid team effort.
We then take a few moments to see how we stack up against our pool in the Clark tournament, and when we walk over to the board and see a +11, -5 and +7, which adds up to +13. Cool, there's on game left to be played and if Cranford loses to Readington, we'll get a 3 way tie and it will come down to points. Well, Cranford was sitting at +13, Readington was sitting at 0, so all we needed was for Cranford to lose and we'd take the 1 seed, if Readington lost, we'd lock up a 2-seed. We were so excited to finally earn another trip to a tournament playoff bracket. Cranford ended up losing by 10. 3-way tie! And we won the points race! Oh wait - they reported our first game score wrong. We are only at +10 (+8, -5, +7) and Readington is +13 (+10, -8, +11). And then to break the rest of the tie, it goes based on the head to head record, which gave the 2-seed to...Cranford. So we DON'T get to play in the playoffs?!? So close, and after a great weekend filled with the spirit of basketball, you don't get to advance. This is arguably one of the most heartbreaking endings I've experienced, because the kids were so excited and had me so excited for them, only to have to go back and say that we didn't even get in. I just hope that they remember how it felt to play this weekend, and carry it forward. Like I said, maybe the lights are starting to come on, or maybe just having experienced a tough weekend in Boston, or a combination of both made this weekend one of the most exciting weekends I've experienced.
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