Hoopin' It Up

So we played some ball this afternoon. It turned out to just be three of us (how'd we know you were already on your way home, Bob?) so instead of 2-on-2, it was that rousing game, 21. If you don't know the rules, basically all there is to it is that you have to hit exactly 21 to win. You get up to three free throws (shoot until you miss) after every basket. The players:

Andy: A 6-2 or 6-3 long-armed lanky former high school basketball player. In other words, he has height and the training.

Shively: Always regretting he didn't get that extra inch, he's a 5-11 guy that plays often, loves the game, and it was on his court that he's spent hours playing on. Out of our group of friends, these two guys are clearly the best basketball players.

Me: I've not played basketball in probably three years, and not on any sort of regular basis since high school and college. Add to that the extra gut I'm packing, and it promised to be quite ugly.

The first four games worked out about how you'd expect. Shively won the first, Andy the next three. I had scores of 5, 5, 0, and 0. In the third game, I swear I didn't actually touch the ball the entire game.

Of course, this whole time they aren't doing too much guarding of me. Hey, why would you waste the time? Just get my rebounds. My one semi-strength is the mid-range jumper from the left side of the court. That's about it, but it paid off.

Game 5 rolled around and I started hitting a few shots from the left and tacking on 2 or 3 free throws each time. Suddenly, it was me tied with Andy for the lead around 12. Then I hit another shot. And another. And then one of those shots that just makes you say, "whoa", even if you aren't Keanu Reeves.

Shively is the master of the crap shot. He can throw anything up and a lot of times, it goes in. So when at his house, play at his game. A long rebound came off to the left and bounced gently off the bumper of the classic car Shives' dad has in the garage. It bounced back to me, and without looking, I scooped it up, turned and shot in one movement. It went straight in, giving me 19 and I iced it with two free throws.

After I won, Andy said, "That's going to go on a website somewhere!" Heck yeah it is!!

I almost won game 6 as well, since it was the most competitive game. Andy won it 21-19 (me)-18 (Shives). Probably a good thing we quit then, because I think they'd have started guarding me the next game!