Hoops

High school basketball season is in full swing, and although the guys and gals who toil on the hardwoods typically don’t receive the same attention and adoration as their counterparts on the grid iron, they work just as hard or harder. In case some of you, gentle readers, haven’t noticed, the Hornet and Lady Hornet basketball teams have been routinely administering a whuppin’ to their opponents so far this season. As of this writing, on Wednesday, December 11, the two Hazen senior high basketball teams were undefeated and have won most of their games by large margins.
Recent seasons have been kind of disappointing for the local high school squads and it is heartening to see them enjoy a greater level of success. It gets frustrating for these young folks when they are repeatedly blown out of the gym, even their own gym, by teams that are supposedly in the same classification. Some schools place more emphasis on basketball to the detriment of other extra curricular activities, but bless their little hearts, the Hazen kids try to do it all, basketball, football, baseball, track, plus more academically focused activities like FCCLA, band, choir, quiz bowl and FTA. Considering their relatively small numbers, they do a pretty good job of it, but when you realize how thin these kids spread themselves timewise, you wonder how they manage to pass their classes.
Admittedly, I don’t have the same affinity for basketball that I do for baseball, and to a lesser degree football. But then one look at me in person will tell you why. I never played basketball. In order to be considered for the basketball team at the high school I attended in Memphis, it was necessary to be able to perform certain physical tasks which I found to be beyond my capacity. To use the parlance of the game, I had no ups at all, and my feet were nowhere near quick enough to be able to play defense.
If all there was to the game was standing in one spot and shooting the ball into the hoop, I would have been pretty good. At one time I had a very reliable jump shot and could shoot free throws with my eyes closed. This was very useful when fellows with more athletic credentials than I would agree to play H-O-R-S-E for five bucks a game. But that was more years ago than I care to think about, and even back then, in pick-up games, the opposing team insisted on putting some genetic freak, who was over six feet tall and could jump up and pick a dime off the top of the backboard, in front of me when I tried to shoot. This made my meager efforts kind of pathetic by comparison.
Perhaps that’s why I have a real affection for folks who are also vertically challenged and go out and play the game anyway. This year’s Lady Hornet team is my kind of outfit. No size to speak of, but loads of hustle and heart. Of course, it also helps that there are about 20 of them, with the first five reserves getting just about as much playing time as the five starters, and the coach can run fresh players into the game about as often as he clears his throat.
The boys’ team, the Hornets, ain’t exactly giants, either, sports fans. They’ve been winning their games more with speed than size. In the case of this bunch, they benefit from finally having a couple of guys who can play with their back to the basket. In recent years, players who were really forwards were pressed into service to play the post. This is a very tough assignment and they got beat on a lot, not to mention never having the opportunity to do what they could really do well
I’d love to say I look forward to the rest of the basketball season with enthusiasm, but truth be told, the bleachers are having a detrimental effect not only on my enthusiasm but also on certain portions of my anatomy that can’t be discussed in polite society.