It is hard to put tonight's game into the appropriate words to convey the emotion that was felt by everyone present. Electrifying? The game was intense from the beginning. Siegel began with a talk between the five starters, the tip, the quick lead by Riverdale, the block by Martin, the incredible speed of all of the players. It just didn't lack for excitement tonight. I'm not here to report the news, though, so I'll tell you what I saw...two teams that are full of talent. It would be nice to see Siegel just blow everyone away, but that's not normal for most teams, and the excitement of the game for the fans comes in these nail biters.
That was a favorite moment. Without pinpointing specific moments, I can also say that watching the Clark brothers dig like they do on defense and on offense is a thrill. Treyton Harris has stepped up to 'team leader' role, and it's really been good to see how he takes time to speak to the officials--ask questions, smile. He seems to listen to what (Coach) Dotson says to him, and that is good.
Next biggest moment...the end of Regulation Play! 67-67, and then there was Overtime!Biggest moment? Favorite moment? That point in the game when it became an almost certainty that the game belonged to Siegel. Not sure what really precipitated it, but when Brandon and Harris struck hands, it was 77-72 with about 30 seconds left in the game. There was a sense of relief coming from the players that passed along to the fans. Breathing was finally an option.
So much about this team is impressive. The players are really great individually and as a whole. Brandon is an all-round great player. He is quiet, never losing his temper; he is alert, often stealing the ball; he is a good shooter from the three-point mark or the layup. Yes, Brandon is someone who showed great poise last year and continues to impress this season. Harris, the senior and leader, has grown into his skin in that role. He, like Brandon, is alert and quick to steal the ball. Once known more for his showboating, he has tempered that with an awareness most of the time of teammates' locations. Where one Clark was great last year, the addition of a second Clark has been great for the team and the family this year. Two different styles of play, yet both are effective, good shooters, and seemingly humble players. Burton is such a hustler and an impressive 3-point shooter most evenings. Gooch needs to get better control of himself, emotionally speaking, but as a ball handler, he's really delightful and exciting to watch--he delivers. Jones...he is always my biggest surprise. I don't know why, but I'm never quite ready for all he has to offer. And I find it refreshing to see what life he brings to the floor. Miller, Walton, Joyner, Roberts, Simpson are team players on the court or on the bench. It's great to see their faces while they're watching the game from the sidelines...they are interested, cheering their team members--a reminder of what it means to be a part of a team.
So, what were some least favorite moments? Technical fouls and ejections. The technical called on Jones seemed a bit harsh. The fouls were really one-sided--6-0 in our favor when the second half was not too far along. (This is one of those times when having something in our favor is not a positive thing) The imbalance of fouls was unnecessary, and in this viewer's humble opinion was indicative of repeated missed and wrong calls. The moments when fouls were not called or were called prematurely or without just cause qualify as worst moments. Other thoughts on bad moments...when the team had the ball early in the overtime period, along with several times throughout the game, it seemed it might have been a better choice to slow the ball down than to go in for missed layups. Seems riskier than necessary. When things seem to be getting a little out of control, what a great time to slow it down and regroup. I keep waiting for the day Coach will ask me my opinion...
Electrifying. That's the best word for the overall tone of the game. Ups and downs. Blocks and near dunks. These are the things that make basketball, especially high school basketball, such a great sport to watch. The raw emotion with which players play, coaches coach, and fans cheer and jeer....it just doesn't get any better!
2 games to go till the regular season is complete. Blackman on Tuesday at home; LaVergne on Friday at LaVergne. February 16-21 will find us playing in the District Tournament at Oakland High School.
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