One of the things I have come to enjoy most about the A game is that, as a whole, everyone participating at the A game plays defense. Some defenders are better than others, and while most people at the A game can get a shot for themselves whenever they want, I appreciate that everyone has the desire to stop the other team from scoring - on every possession.
In the melee that is generally church hoops you will find that people play defense on only 1 or 2 possessions the entire game. This typically happens when the score is tight at the end of a game. Until then, it's basically whoever can outscore the other opponent the fastest should win. Not at the A game. For the most part every possession is precious, every shot is contested, every screen switched, and every rebound fought for. There have even been a few occasions of traps at half court, hedging on screens, and weak side help defense in the post.
I thoroughly appreciate these things because it reminds me of real basketball. The other thing that I enjoy about the A game's defense is the talking. You constantly hear people calling out screens, telling people to switch screens, get over the top, trap, etc. I also like that these things occur on their own, because for the most part, everyone at the A game understands basketball.
You reading little bro? Next time you come, the emphasis needs to be on playing D first!
But seriously, I've learned that nobody really cares how much you shoot if you play hard, solid D. Which is why I'm already excited for next week's A game...
I include the photo of the 09 Huaraches because Thunder and I are going to be releasing some new twists and turns to the A game blog. Starting out, Thunder is going to be creating an article called "Evening Wear" wherein he reviews people's new shoes, best and worst dressed of the night, etc. Also, we would like to have a letterman's jacket of the week contest so send in your pics of those and each week we will pick the best letterman's jacket to post on the site.
Later,
Psycho T
Church ball has no defense because our skills are honed in driveways and backyards with our friends, and sort-of friends, who believed they were Michael Jordan despite being cut from the school team... which of course was only for political reasons... and any time the ball did not go in our fantasy star calls "FOUL!!!"
ReplyDeleteThe only way to avoid this cry of foul was to stand on the sideline with hands at side or even better stand somewhere else picking cherries.
The Alpha Mormon Male knows that by virtyue of his priesthood powers all his shots are foreordained to go in unless acted upon by the hack that is anyone who boxes out or plays defense.
It takes a true apostate to take the Dennis Rodman approach of playing "D".