Basketball

Evan claims his basketball career has ended. Friday night’s game was his last of the season and the last of his school career.   

Had I known that Friday night, I would have surely taken my camera. Instead, all I have are pics I have pulled from other sites. 

He has decided to play soccer exclusively. With our travel soccer team winning state, our opportunities to travel farther and play more have become more demanding. He just can’t play both and play both well when the seasons overlap. This was a tough decision for him and I’m still hoping that next fall he will some how be able to swing playing both. It saddens me he is unable to play both, and it saddens me that boys are forced to play one sport at such an early age.

Super 100 National Champions

While Wes and Keagan were wrapping up the weekend in Indiana at soccer camp, Evan and I were at the AAU Super 100 National Championship in Georgia. Different states. Playing sports. Our life.

After winning on Saturday, Select had a bye for the Sunday early game. That meant we didn't play until 4:40 and we had hours to kill. So we visited Carter's Presidential Library. 

It was really informative and the gardens were beautiful. The work of the Carter Institute -  providing medical care to people in third world countries with preventable illnesses - was highlighted with this sculpture.

After a trip to the mall to shoe shop (the only way Evan would ever step foot in a mall), we finally made our way to the gym to play basketball. The first game was against Mike Miller's team - a very strong, fundamentally strong team. After recovering from a 13 point deficit, we won by a point. Evan had a steal with 48 seconds left that led to a basket and the lead. With 12 seconds left, he fouled out.

In the championship game, we overcome a 11 point deficit to come back and win 65-56! There is so much talent on this team - it is pure joy to watch them play together! As high school season begins, they will separate and play for their respective teams. We hope next spring to see them back together again.

Atlanta Super 100 Nationals Champions! What a wonderful accomplishment, boys! 

AAU Super Nationals

For four years our boys have been preparing for this moment. That's a lot of training, a lot of tournaments, and a lot of money, but we are here. Finally here at the AAU Super 100 National Tournament. 

After beating Pooler Elite 57-56 in a nail biter of a game, we beat the host team 59-45. We continue play and our hunt for a nationals championship on Sunday.

After playing today, we visited MLK's birth place in downtown Atlanta.  

We also saw the church King's dad and grandfather preached.

There were only a handful of white people visiting this national park. A handful! I don't understand why white people are absent.

Lost by Six

Six games. We played six basketball games this weekend in Knoxville, and the boys took home second place. We played some great teams and had two OT games and one that went into sudden death! At the end of the championship game, Evan told the other coach, " Great game! It would have been even better if we were playing kids our own age." So that sums it up. The boys truly believe we lost by six to men pretending to be 14. All I know is I have never seen a 6'7" 14 year old, much less three on the same team.

 

All-Star Media Day

 

Today was the middle school basketball all star media day. I was worried how Evan might respond and really thought there was a good chance the questions would be answered in one syllable responses like "good." But Evan nailed it! 

 

He played a little ball, took part in an informational session on playing sports in college, completed an interview, and took photos. It was a great afternoon for student athletes. Next Saturday we get to watch them play in the All-star game! 

Area playoffs

I can't believe it! We won the first round of the district playoffs against Dixon. Evan had 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

 

Edit: I am without words. I. Can't. Even. We won round 2 of the playoffs against the number one team in our district. Evan had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.

 

We are headed to the championship game! Evan's post summarizes our season in one tweet: "You said we wouldn't make it, but look who did."

 

Double, Double

We didn't win tonight's game, but Evan achieved one of his season's goals. He earned his first double, double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

And that spin move under the goal...it gets me every time!

Edit: Double, double #2 came Wednesday night with 20 points and 15 rebounds. When he's hot, he's hot!

Better than Ever in Two Short Weeks

This is what happens when your boy has a great game.

Someone from the opposing team decides he is too much of a threat and decides to take him out.

At Monday's night's game, Evan had half of the team's points. Another player went for Evan as he drove in for a layup. He took Evan's legs out from under him, and Evan crashed to the gym floor. He jumped up and finished the game, but Wednesday, he couldn't walk. We took him to the doctor and he was diagnosed with a deep tissue contusion. He will be out 2-3 weeks.

We are bummed, to say the very least.

Bummed.

Thankfully, though, he doesn't have anything broken. He will be back to prove himself. You can bet on that!

He Outdid Himself Tonight

True to his word, Evan proved himself tonight. It was our first middle school basketball game of the season, and Evan really outdid himself. He had 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. Better than his stats, though, was his behind the back lay-up that wowed the crowd. When I thought it couldn't get any better, he did his spin move under the goal before going up for a basket. I won't lie. I went wild in the stands. I mean, I went wild cheering for him. He told me last June he planned to do these two moves in his first school basketball game, and he worked all summer long perfecting those moves. He did it tonight and I was so proud of him!

 

We beat Kenwood 45-34.

Basketball Season

Tonight was the kick-off game for the middle-school basketball season.

Evan has high hopes for this season. His goal is to win the district because he has won district while playing both football and soccer for the middle school. But if tonight's scrimmage is any indication of how well we will do in a true game situation, then we should just count on playing to have fun.

On the positive side Evan had two steals, four rebounds, and a basket in his eight minutes in the Jamboree.

Next week we play our first game and Evan is out to prove himself!

Champions Five Times Over

Champions again! Last weekend this team qualified for nationals in the state AAU tourney. This weekend they played up and still won first! Icing on the cake was playing an older team from our town in the championship and beating them!

Evan had a rough start Saturday morning, but by Sunday evening he ended the final game with 8 points and 12 rebounds. 

He's now been home only a couple of hours and he's already outside shooting hoops. Truly, this kid doesn't know how to relax without a ball.

Number Four

Championship number four of the season is in the books. Evan had a great championship game with ten points and lots of rebounds. And to think we're just getting started with the season!

March Madness Champions

 

Championship #2 and we are only in week number 3 of AAU. This is how we spent Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and all day Sunday. I may never stop hearing whistles blowing in my ear.

 



They are Winners Any Way You Look at It

Middle school basketball season is coming to a close. Coach told me last week that Evan was only one of four seventh graders that has ever had the opportunity to start for the varsity team. It was a wonderful compliment for my boy.

He had many games where is was just short of a double-double. I'm still holding my breath because I know it is within his reach. You can bet I will make sure everyone knows about it when it comes to fruition, too.

Although, we had a losing season, we had a winning team. In tonight's last home game, we had a student with Downs Syndrome play the last minute of the game. The stands went wild when he was subbed into the game. He even got to score a basket! He has attended every home game and has sat on the sidelines cheering on our boys. This time we were there to cheer him on. The entire team walked onto the court to pat him on the back and congratulate him when he scored. I've never been prouder to be a Hawk parent than tonight

 

 

Hooray for Vacation

The tree is trimmed, the porch is decorated, and the presents are all wrapped and under the tree. 

Today we officially started Christmas vacation. I couldn't be more ready. I avoided the lice outbreak on the third grade wing, I survived cold season, and I didn't contract pink eye. Life is about small victories when you are a teacher. I celebrated the start of vacation (and my health) with a Sonic slush.

Our week of rest and relaxation began with a school basketball game. Evan got a double double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, and the team proved that they can, in fact, win a game.

When Evan stepped out of the house this week with his basketball warm up gear, my heart skipped a beat. For a second, I thought I must be seeing into the future because there's no way my Evan can be that old, that big, that mature looking. Then I realized it is true. Time is slipping away and faster than I ever thought possible.

Court Side

Tonight was the home opener for the middle school basketball season. I have to admit that last week's Jamboree was a teaser and had me more than ready to get back into the gym and basketball season (it might have had something to do with Evan's finger roll shot and our last minute come back), but about ten minutes into tonight's game, I was burning up, annoyed by the loud fans, and wishing I had my stadium seat. Let's just say I was quickly over basketball in the middle of game one of the season. Did I mention we lost? Yeah, we lost 28 to a lot.

However, my number 41 scored 12 points, blocked a shot, and had a few rebounds.  

He looked good, and I made sure everyone knew he was mine!

 

The more I think of spin moves, driving through the paint, and making Dirk shots,  the closer I get to welcoming the winter sport season and saying good-bye to the pitch. 

Champions

We wrapped up the travel basketball season today with a first place win. In the final game, we beat a team from Alabama by more than twenty-five points.  It's been a great season with more than fifty wins and only a handful of losses. 

Fall soccer season begins Monday. There's no rest for the weary.

Cheaters Never Win

Cheaters never win; at least they didn't this weekend anyway. But we did. 

This makes three championships in a row and an end to our travel season. Evan always rises to the top when there is tough competition; he loves the challenge. When he got wind the coach of the opposing team had pulled an eighth grader and a ninth grader out of the stands and onto the team's bench just minutes before the championship game was to begin, it was game on. Evan had 17 points and was named defensive player of the game. 

Blue Grass State

Kentuckians take their basketball seriously; almost as seriously as their horse races. Put the two together on the same day and you get some intense white people. We drove through numerous farms, tobacco fields, and wide open spaces to the heart of western Kentucky to play in a basketball tournament this weekend. I can't say we have ever played the sport with such polite and courteous people. We played some tough teams, and we came out on top! After losing our second game, we made our way to the final game and won 67 to 32! 

Evan had eleven steals but couldn't make a shot to save his life. As a team, we've never played such good basketball, though. It was refreshing after a couple of tough losses. 

What a Weekend

What a weekend! This was definitely the biggest tournament the boys have played in, and out of 19 teams, they placed first! They won five of the games easily, but game five was likely a game I will not forget.

First, there were 31 fouls called, five of those were techs. Evan was responsible for one of those. Don't think for a second you can steal the ball from him. If you try, be prepared for a struggle - or an elbow to the face. I feared for my safety at this game. This never bodes well at a youth sporting event. The taunting, the name calling, the sheer lack of respect for the kids. It was all more than I could bear. I wanted to walk out, but I couldn't leave Evan in the gym. So I sat as close to an exit as possible and planned my escape route. Game six, the championship game, was anti-climatic after the previous game. No one cheered or even smiled at the win. The medals were passed out in an empty gym. We won by 21 points, but we were all ready for a stiff drink and home. 

Tomorrow we are back to work and school; we are all praying for rain so a game and a couple of practices will be cancelled. After today, we are in need of a break and some rest!