Basketball Tourney

Well, we played in the 3rd annual Skillman 3-on-3 tournament yesterday. Josue, Tino and myself. We were called "Mexican Oreo" and I was the creamy white filling. Last year we had my friend Patrex on our team, and we lost both games. It's a double elimination tournament.

So we get to our first game, and we have to play the team that I thought was gonna win it all. But then all of sudden we go up 4-0 (we're playing to 16), then we're up 10-4 and I'm thinking- we may just pull this off!! So yeah we beat them 16-8 or so.

Next up we have some 9th graders. They had this one big kid that was 6'1 but pretty slow. I neutralized him, so it was like we were playing 3-on-2. That was a fun game for us. We won 16-8.

So, all of sudden we've gone from not winning at all last year to one of only 2 undefeated teams! Josue was making just about every 3 he hoisted up there (yes, he was hoisting). I was a menace down low, using footwork only Akeem Olajawon would dream of using.

So next we played the defending champs. They were a tough team, but we thought if we just don't miss any shots, we could do this! Josue and Tino made some, and most things they didn't make, I was able to get the rebound and put it back up. We even pulled that game off! I think it was 16-10.

Now we had to wait for a challenger to make it to the championship game. Finally, a team did, one we hadn't played yet, but that we thought we could best. They were 3 40 year olds or so. We had 2 chances, since we hadn't lost yet. The first game, however, we did play like we had 2 chances. We lost 16-5. It was pathetic. Shades of last year. I did stuff a guy so hard that I knocked him to the ground. It was quite cool. The ball never left his hand, I just overpowered him. Haven't been able to do that since my senior year of high school!

The next game we started feeling it again. I dribbled through this guys legs on accident and the ball came out on the other side and I made an easy layup. We were starting to get the momentum back, baby! We were up 9-2. Then this guy who's big and 6'3 started draining 3's. He made 2 in a row to make it 9-8. Then we couldn't do a thing. Josue's shot was off, all of us were tired. They go up 15-9. That's when we pull out all the stops and play some D. We start coming back, 15-11, a Josue bomb, 15-14, I pull a down low move on David, 15-16. We've reached 16, but we gotta win by 2! That's when the big guy takes over again. 17-16 them. We miss a 3, they get the board, step out side, hit a big shot for the win. I don't know what they would have done without the big man!

So we didn't get our names on the trophy. We can look at that trophy at Church, know we were 1 point from it, and we can already taste it next year!!

Just want to say thanks to the Juice, and every one who helped us train this last week! Juice even came to town and played with us (he didn't realize at the time he was doing this). I haven't felt this good in a while (fitness wise). We play basketball every Thursday night, but we've been playing at lunch everyday last week as well. I need that to keep in shape for next year's tourney!

Till next season.