Flatballers Week 2

ECBA Interbay 7:10 PM Flatballers vs The Minions

A week later, an hour and a half earlier, and bodies on the mend meant Flatballers were ready to roll this week with 9 players set to show. As we approach where we think the gym should be, Gwen and I aren't quiet convinced Alyssa ISN'T taking us to some back alley to sell us on the black market or just finish us off herself. Maybe it was just the name, Emerald City Basketball Academy, that got me picturing some nice fancy building... I was wrong. The lights of a vending machine and trophys through a small door brought hope back that we would survive this night. In this giant warehouse lives one beat up basketball court, on it a young boy, no more than 10, receiving lessons. After about 3 minutes of watching, there was no doubt in any of our minds that that boy could kick our butts on this court. 

Alyssa, Gwen, Jenn, Claire (with some sweet new black and red BBall kicks) and I are the first to arrive, along with Coach Smalls, still on the mend. Warm up should have been our first sign that shooting would be tricky tonight. Our strategy quickly became attempt to shoot and get Gwen to rebound the ball. Our young basketball in training star watches.. in shock most likely. Cue Shannon getting hit in the face during warm ups for the second week in a row and its time for the game to start! Nora, Bermi, Hannah, and HM roll in as the game begins.

Let's preface the rest with our Roster for the night

Jenn, HM, Hannah: All played basketball in their lives, organized, either in college, high school.. something!

Bermi, Gwen: Have basketball skills, are athletic, but I am not sure if they have played organized before. 

Shannon, Claire: Played previous seasons of Flatballers... which doesn't account for much

Alyssa: 2nd game ever. Nora: First game since Middle School

Coach: Smalls: skilled, played bball, tries to give us the low down on how not to fould all night.

The game starts and it doesn't seem like we will be blown out completely. I don't think either team scores for at least a couple minutes. Tight D is Flatballers game as always as offense is a constant learning environment. Jenn: "Okay, we need to make sure we have two posts and not everyone around the outside" Alyssa "Okay! What is that word? What does it mean??"  In fact our Full court press and tight Defense so so sweet, Bermi actually lays out for the ball in the other teams court. Turns out.. in this league.. you can't actually do that but it was sick anyways. We continue to push through the first half with surprisingly minimal travel calls and an expected amount of foul calls. Then in comes down to the last 5 minutes of the first half, which we proceed to foul, after foul, after foul until the buzzer sounds. We managed to foul attempting to rebound a missed foul shot.. at least 4 times..

The second half begins, Flatballers starting with the ball on the side with Bermi. As she passes in to one player, its slips by but thats okay, someone is behind them. But it slips by them! But really its okay, we've actually, for some odd reason, have ANOTHER person back there. And it still slips by, straight out of bounds. Some other highlights from the second half include Gwen nearly fouling out with 5 fouls. (6 and you are done). Nora's shot in which she caught the ball with one foot up, swung around and shot, before putting that foot down, and our amazing fast break in which 4 Flatballers sprint down verse one Minion for a score. Gwen meanwhile hang with the Minions as they mumble "Oh, maybe we should have played D on that.."

The final score of the game was Minions 37, Flatballers 20. While not an awful womping.. we look to improve next week.

Things we learned this week: What a post is. I still don't like refs. Alyssa's flang will continue to impress us. HM and Jenn was way SICK at Bball and should probably play every point.

Thanks for reading, see ya next week!