The Finals

The game began with the Dallas team taking control, playing aggressive...It was as if they believed they were better. I was impressed. Now, right before the game, I was speaking with one of my players' parents, and I mentioned that I used to look too much into pregame warmups. For example, "I feel they are ready", or "They look flat." The truth is, you never really know how your team is going to play. So at least, when we started the game slow, I wasn't surprised. Everyone was a little nervous. After all, it was the Finals!!!

What made this game even more interesting was that everyone seemed to be rooting against us. The JCC was loud, and it felt like a road game. Also, not having Allie in the lineup was a huge loss. She is an excellent basketball player who gives 100% every second.

Despite the slow start in the first quarter, I could tell the girls were not going to back down. During an early timeout, I explained that the other team believed they were better than us, and they were bullying us on the court. All of the girls glanced at each other's eyes, and it was clear that they didn't agree with Dallas' opinion of us, nor the Baltimore girls', who were jeering us from the stands.

About midway through the second quarter, we found ourselves down 10. The all of a sudden, Lindsey B. began drawing fouls, getting us to the line, and making free throws. She then stepped back about five feet behind the 3-point line and nailed an unbelievable shot! For the first time, the momentum was on our side. Lindsey had brought us back. Despite being down at the half, the girls appeared to have gained control of the game. I really felt at this point, we had a strong chance of winning. I firmly believed that despite the Dallas team practicing since April, we had better players.

During halftime, Mark had worked worked with Danielle on the post for a few minutes, and that helped us in the second half. When the third qurater began, Sam F. kept taking the ball to the wing, and entering it down to Danielle, who would proceed to score. When she didn't, Emily E. was always in the perfect spot for the offensive rebound. Emily grabbed as many rebounds as any other girl in the tournament. She was all over the glass ever single game, and defensively, she covers shooters like a hawk.

As Danielle continued to dominate the game, Lindsey, Jen D, and Sam F. controlled the tempo, keeping it fast and exciting dribbling through double teams, unslefishly sharing the ball, and playing flawless defense. When Erica came into the game, she played great, giving us help both at the guard spot and the post. Erica does whatever she is asked with great effort, and she learned to play multiples positions in only one week.

Jen D. played the entire game, never showing signs of fatigue. She reminded me of a high school phenom just coming into college, but playing like an experienced senior. She simply won't let up, and alonside Sam F. and Lindsey, we were stronger than the Dallas backcourt.

After Danielle scored a late basket, we went up 6, and we felt we could pull away. Unfortunately, depsite our constant ability to keep Dallas from getting into the paint, they kept knocking down 3 pointer after 3 pointer. I was looking over at our bench at Sam A. thinking that I needed to get her into the game more. Sam A. had played well in the first half in her usual role, backing up her older sister, but I had not yet put her in during the second half. I let her know that we would need her at some point as we were in major foul trouble. She nodded that she would be ready. When she did come into the game, she played pivotal minutes knocking down a free throw, and of course grabbing rebounds. She had a great tournament.

The game came down to the wire with us down by 2. After a timeout, Danielle scored a basket to tie the game to send it into overtime. The only people making any noise now were our boys' team as the rest of the fans were silent in their dismay.

Before the overtime, the girls looked at each other once more, this time knowing they had come too far against difficult odds to not accomplish their goal. Danielle came out and scored the first basket of overtime, just seconds after telling the team in the huddle that we had to score first and take cotrol. I realized there that her 2 previous gold medals had given her the confidence to carry the team home. After a defensive stop, the girls broke pressure with Jen throwing a great lead pass to Sam F. who flew, and I mean flew down the sideline. As she was laying the ball in for 2, she let out a "wooooooooo" with excitment.

We maintained a lead throughout overtime, but after a few lucky bounces and accidental bankshots, we found ourselves down again. Jen then weaved through the defense like a veteran, this time without Lindsey and Sam F. who had fouled out. She sliced the lane to make a beautiful layup, giving us the lead for good. Even though Dallas once again knocked a 3 pointer to give them a cahnce to win, we confidently finished them off with free throws, knocking down one after the other like a championship team. Emily, Erica, and Sam A. hit huge ones, and Danielle hit almost every one, finishing with 33 points, her jersey number by the way. After Jen broke full court pressure for the fifth consecutive time, she was fouled with 2 seconds left, and we were only up by 1. During the final timeout, Jen asked if she should intentionally miss the second free throw starting the clock immediately, but I told her to try to make them. After missing the first she looked over at me, and I changed my mind asking her to miss the second shot, as she had suggested, feeling her strategy would work. She nodded and then came through with a bang off the rim. By the time Dallas got the ball and called time, there was not enough time for them to score, 0.2 seconds to be exact.

Now, I would rather lose every game than have a player on my team hurt their head, but that is not how the game works. After the game, we huddled up as a team for the last time. We recognized that we won the game without Allie. We had won the game for Allie!!! It was beautiful! The girls each received their gold medals. They earned it!!!