POCKET PASS
Both teams lined up on the sidelines just in front of their respective benches, hands out in front of them, fingers extended as the referees examined each nail. Coaches at the ready with clippers ready to shear any seemingly sharp ends that could potentially slice through skin and cause a bloody mess. That was the scene before an U18 girls Australian basketball game I was coaching back in 2004, nail clippers at the ready. It was a considerate gesture to avoid any stoppage of game play due to blood on the court and one of those unwritten rules that we all should abide by.
In the fast paced action that basketball provides players have a responsibility to keep eachother safe as best they can from the potential, unintentional injuries. Things like not placing a foot under a jump shooter, not attempting a charge after a player is airborne, keeping nails short and keeping pockets out. Because nothing causes the grimace on a face more than the quick retraction of a hand that misreached on defense only to catch a finger in the pocket of the shorts of a slashing player. *Click.
If you play the game long enough, a player is bound to have a mangled finger or two. Jamming one on a zippy pass from a teammate, catching one on the errant opposing hand of the opposition, landing awkwardly with a finger under a body through the chaos of a loose ball, or snapping one on a bolt of fabric flowing through the lane. With all these potential threats the least we can do is eliminate the danger of a pocket catch. So please, let us all adhere to the unwritten rules of the game and if your favorite game shorts are pocketed, turn those pockets free and save your cohorts from a possible dislocation. This simple gesture shows that you care for your fellow man, and more importantly, gives you some sick style points. Pockets out people.
On to the Weekly Recap:
In game one of our geriatric player program, also known as the 35+ league, 505 Unit showed why they are the reigning stars of the nursing home putting on a first half clinic to take a 65-35 lead into the second stanza. Half two felt like a formality as Zia Elite started hitting shots on some loose as the bowels contained in adult diapers defense employed by the Units as they cruised through the next 20 min and won easily 108-79. Every player for the area codes managed double figure scoring but none more efficiently than Adrian Sevedra as he missed only one shot en route to 21 pts, 11 reb, 7 dimes and a theft. Mario Montaño led all old timers with 24 pts and Rob CdeBaca doubled down with 17 pts, 11 rebs, 7 dimes and 2 thefts. For Zia Elite, George Dominguez was a light in the darkness of a route as he scored 20 pts and Jason Cena had a solid performance getting an efficient 9 pts in limited minutes.
Game two continued the theme of blow outs and not the kind that escape from aforementioned adult diapers as IPS was chugging prune juice and taking their pills to the tune of a 101-69 thumping over Nothing But Net. Again, all five players scored double digits with Greg Trujillo leading all gray hairs with 24 pts, 11 rebs, 5 dimes and a theft. Josh Villa ditched the walker and got 18 pts and 13 rebs. For the rim haters Martin Ortiz sharpened his dentures and chucked that orange sphere a bunch to scrape 21 pts off the top of some stingy IPS defense.
Capping the one sided night of competition was Mob decimating the nursing home with skill in parcheesi and gin rummy to win the battle of geriatric gangsters, 112-65 over Meeklo and Vatos Locos forever. Andrew Ellsworth was a tommy gun personified as he shot up the defense with 32 pts, 11 rebs, 13 dimes and 2 thefts. EJ Lucero busted out the sniper rifle going 9-11 from three en route to 31 pts and Matt Jackson provided the muscle with 22 pts, 20 rebs and 6 dimes. The Vatos found some success behind the arc from Nan Nourn and Nick Williams combining for 9 threes and Grayson Vogel led the fray with 17 pts.
We are getting close to kicking off the Santa Fe Swish summer sessions with "The League" starting on April 28th, so this is your weekly reminder to register for your team. If any teams are looking for some more muscle to add to their roster there are free agents ready to suit up so please reach out if your team needs some numbers. Stay safe and enjoy the last couple Open Gym runs on Mondays and Wednesdays. We will plan on continuing to offer some form of free pick up ball through the summer but the schedule may change, so keep up with everything hoop related at our website www.santafeswish.com.
Respect the game, Santa Fe Swish
