Blog #4 Time when I was Confused (2.0)

So the score was fifty to fifty-four and we were losing. So I pass the ball to my teammate Brandon and he's able score a lay up. We fall back for our defense which was set up as two-three. A two-three formation is if you think of a basketball court, you would have three people defending in front of the hoop and two people on top right around the top of the key or free throw line. This was a formation that is meant to prevent the opposing team to enter the lane and have the ability to go for a lay-up. There was one problem with this formation, there five players on the court were a combination of boys that were tall and large, these guys could plow into the lane and have an easier time to make a layup. Their team also kids that can stay back and make shots, this was almost the kryptonite to our defense play because you don’t want to go to far out of the defensive lane and give an opening to a layup. So with the opposing team having possession of the ball, after the points scored by Brandon, they were trying their hardest to try and reply with another layup and keep up their lead. However our two-three defense setup worked like a charm preventing them from getting up to the board and getting a shot in the basket. With a rebound by our teammate Mark, he was able the dribble the ball up to half-court and give us the time to set up our offense which was a moving and rotating one-three-one formation. This was a great formation because it gave us the ability to shoot when we are open or pass the ball to the once center player in the lane to try and get a layup in. When we were able to set up the formation I began to try and shake off my defender my trying to make quick moves and requesting picks. The ball eventually gets passed to me were I notice the inside man open and wanting the ball, so I pass to him the ball. He then tries to back it up to get closer the board, however; when he goes up for the shot he get call a five second violation, thus forcing us to walk away and give the other team the ball. A five second violation is when an offensive player stays in the lane for over five seconds; basically it can be called "puppy guarding." So with the opposing team having position with the ball, they quickly moved up the quart and gave the ball to an outside wingman where he had enough time to take and make a three pointer, thus changing the score to: fifty-two to fifty-seven. I then passed the ball in to our point guard Mark, where he was put under pressure by the opposing team playing a "press" on him. A "press" is when you try to prevent the ball from crossing the half-court line, because if the ball doesn’t cross within ten seconds it becomes a violation, thus giving the other team the ball. Mark, however, was able to break through being able to give the ball to Brandon who went up for a shot. I was then was able to set up position under the basket and become ready to get a rebound incase his shoot didn’t go in. As everyone watch’s Brandon's shoot travel through the air and hit the rim we all knew that it wasn't going to go in. Squatting and ready to spring up and grab the ball for a rebound, I jump and grabbing the ball, however, the person behind me was also able to get his hands on the ball. As we both grab the ball he was able to pull me down making me land head first onto the court floor.

This was the time were I felt my most confused in my entire life, and not only mentally but especially physically. First think I remember is me beganing to get up slowing, having a hard time seeing what's around me and having the little strength to push myself up. The only way I could have gotten up off the ground was by rolling on my belly and using both my legs and arms to push me off the ground. Then as I worked my way up to my feet all I could do was think about how to make myself seem all right, telling people I was fine and doing my best to look like nothing happened. My head however was spinning, it was hurting, I was trying to figure out what happened, and I was trying to act normal. After a few solid minutes I was able to pull most of myself together and finish the few minutes I had left of my rotation on the court. I was however; not playing the same was I was before. I became much more sluggish and tired that I kind of just wanted nothing to do with playing, but I still wanted to win. The rest of the game was still a blur to me and I honestly cannot remember what the final score was, but I know we lost and that was a bit disappointing. This was definitely the time in my life were I felt the most confused that I have ever felt in my entire life. My brain hurt, my vision was blurred and spinning, and I had one of the hardest time trying to stand up and move my body, the only time I could compare that struggle to moving was when I first tried to walk and that was a long time ago.