Basketball Jones

I have in the last 6 weeks taken up playing basketball Wednesdays over my lunch hour. Being the meta-poolie-geek that I am I have habitually tracked my own stats for these 5 games (I missed one week with a work meeting).

Here is my stat line since the beginning;

Wk 1: 8 pts, 2 rbds, 0 ast, 1 blk, and one full blown cardiac arrest.

Wk 2: 10 pts, 1 rbd, 0 ass, 0 blk, and one hard foul delivered (a reaching in foul that ended up slapping the ball carrier in the face – mea culpa)

Wk 3: 12 pts, 2 rbds, 1 ast, 0 blk – and for the first time a sense that my hear was NOT going to explode half way through the game. It was also the first week with real athletic shorts instead of the crappy ancient pair I’d been wearing.

Wk 4, or as I refer to it ‘my Big game’; 18 pts, 2 rbds, 2 blks, and 3 asts. I was a monster in the paint, and finally had an entry for every stat. It was also my first game playing against someone both taller and heavier than I am (I'm 6’3, 195lbs) in the presence of my IT guy Scott who is 6’5 and 280(!) - he gleefully took on the job of guarding me. Despite having a certifiable big man against me for the first time (everyone else is under 6ft, and most are well under 175lbs), I was able to take advantage of Scott’s foot speed – it seems there is in fact someone slower than I am. My conditioning was also getting better, and while I still subbed off more often than anyone else, I was able to run by him on a couple of plays for easy baskets. Perhaps what I am most proud of though is my defense improved markedly, and the second of the two blocks was one I wouldn’t have even attempted weeks earlier.

Wk 5: No Scott to worry about, and my offensive stat line continues to improve; 20 pts, 1 rbd, 1 ast, 1 blk. Not overall as good as the week prior, but I shot +70% from the field and even hit a really long 2. I also had my best drive yet, taking a smaller guard wide and then (miraculously) made an ankle breaking cross over dribble that froze the defender and opened a lane to the basket.

Now before I get too high on myself, let me say that the vast majority of my points are from within a foot or so of the bucket. I post up (especially against the non-Scott sized players), call for the lob, and then do a quick catch-turn-and-shoot. Given my height and reach advantage this is usually money so long as I don’t blow it from 12 inches away (which happens).

After the big game in week 5, I even had one player (who I should add is only 5’5” and despite the height disadvantage out rebounds me EVERY game) call me ‘Shaq’. I wish.

Anyway, the fear about a life-ending collapse on the court has abated, and my motivation to quit smoking an add the desire to improve my on-court performance as further incentive.