u2daughterevo1's first Basketball game

[u2sarajevo]

Thought I would share some exciting (for me anyway) news about my oldest daughter. She played in her first Basketball game last night. Her team had some veterans (played previous seasons) so she didn't start but she did get heavy minutes nonetheless. Her team pulled out a victory with a final score of......






are you ready for this?

























ARE YOU SURE?





















12 to NOTHING!!!!!

The league is weird. They have 4 practice sessions then games start and no more practices. I was getting frustrated during the practice sessions because they didn't even work on shooting. It was all about defense and the guard being able to penetrate and pass. Well, last night I figured out why. These are 11 year old girls. Not alot of shooting is very successful. If I didn't have a vested interest in this game it would probably be just as exciting to watch paint dry. But because our team was so defensively focused the other team maybe shot 4 shots the entire 28 minutes played, none going in. They did finally practice free throws during warm ups last night. Our team shot 4 free throws, none going in and the other team shot 2.

We have a ringer on our team. It's a girl that just moved here from Boston that has played since she could walk (her father was a college player and has taught her well). She schooled the other team and scored 8 of the 12 points. We also have 2.... how do I put this nicely..... large(?) players that look like towers compared to the girls on the other team. I see total domination from our team this year. Undefeated! They play 10 games so I'm trying to get the rights to the 10-0.com domain.

[jthig32]

That's awesome man. I expect regular boxscores.

[Flacolaco]

What?

You're not going to tell us what her PER was?

[Underdog]

Hopefully she doesn't end up as trade fodder for a veteran PG...

(does she have Early Bird rights???)

[MavsX]

lol. thats hilarious u2. keep up the good work.

[bernardos70]

Wow, shut out! We need to figure out how to defende like your daughter's team!

[dalmations202]

11 and just now starting to play..... and you call yourself a basketball fan.

My 7 year old has already played 10 plus games and is avg. 2.4 pts a game.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by dalmations202

11 and just now starting to play..... and you call yourself a basketball fan.

My 7 year old has already played 10 plus games and is avg. 2.4 pts a game.

She recently wanted to change. She had been playing soccer for 5 years and I think she got bored with it. Last November we were at the health club and she and I were on adjacent cardio machines.... she found a channel with a college womans basketball team. I think that's when the idea to try hit her because after that she started asking me questions about the game.

[u2sarajevo]

Game 2 tonight. Another W. This one was alot tougher than last night though. But they pulled out an 11-6 win.

The ringer girl took over in the 2nd half though. They never trailed. My daughter is still learning and she struggles trying to figure out what she should be doing. She got elbowed in the nose tonight. When I saw it I thought for sure she was going to come out but she sucked it up and stayed in the game not even letting on that she was bothered by it. When we got to the car and away from her teammates she then just let it out and cried. That was a proud moment right there... that she refused to let her teammates see her cry or her opponent see her vulnerable.

She doesn't play again until next Wednesday (I can't believe they assigned a game for Valentines Day....) so we are going to work on dribbling (she isn't comfortable dribbling so when she catches a pass she looks to move the ball on.... which ended up costing us a few turnovers tonight).

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

isn't comfortable dribbling so when she catches a pass she looks to move the ball on.... which ended up costing us a few turnovers tonight).

Is your daughter Gana Diop?

[bernardos70]

I hope not...... or else he'll be travelling to New Jersey a lot after the all-star break.

[nashtymavsfan13]

I'm liking the updates, keep them coming. This thread is hilarious.

[Big Boy Laroux]

ha ha, awesome U2!

speaking of ringers, how about this girl?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH87IHzOLH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q29p2...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q29p2...eature=related

[MavsFanFinley]

U2, that's so cool.

[mary]

Congratulations U2. Please keep the updates coming.

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by Big Boy Laroux

ha ha, awesome U2!

speaking of ringers, how about this girl?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH87IHzOLH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q29p2...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q29p2...eature=related

I like that first clip, when she blocks a girl under the rim, catches the ball, then pegs the girl with the ball to make it go out of bounds on them! Genius!

also, i am pretty sure that woman..is a man!

[MFFL]

I loved it when my daughter used to play at that age. It was so fun watching the girls play. It literally looked like the Ant Hill Mob as the two teams would move in unison up and down the court. Every once in awhile the ball would squirt out towards the basket then the swarming would begin again.

My daughter wound up scoring 2 points during the entire 10 game season but she and we had a blast.

[mqywaaah]

Hey congrats man! You think we can sign her up?

[u2sarajevo]

Actually in last nights game she improved dramatically on her ball handling. It took me totally by surprise really. Twice she took the ball from the backcourt advancing it and dribbling pretty well. She attempted to do this a third time, but I felt bad for her because it was after a made bucket and the ball hadn't been thrown in. She just grabbed it and started moving it up court. I had to explain to her the difference (that its okay when rebounding, not when a basket was made) and I think she's got it now. She had a look of shock when the ref blew the whistle at her to bring the ball back (almost Tim Duncanesque).

They did lose this game. And bad. It was 20-4. The team they played against was so much more disciplined and could actually shoot. When our team passes they just lob the ball up in the air which more often than not results in a turnover.... but the team we played last night had actuall passing skills (the entire team it seemed). They also had their own Shaquille who made every shot she took. And she took alot. The plan was for her to sit in the paint and wait for the ball, then shoot. She was taller than every other girl on the floor.

I found a fault in our ringer last night too, and the opponent found a way to exploit it. She isn't comfortable passing the ball. So the opponent trapped her when she was in offensive transition forcing her to pass. All 4 points were scored by her though.

[Flacolaco]

I know I played in some leagues when I was around that age, and I can't remember what the scoring was like. But 4...that's rough. Hey at least they're keeping score. When I hear about these leagues that don't let anyone keep score, it drives me nuts.

Thanks for the report u2. We're all big u2daughterevoFFL's

[bernardos70]

Parked in the lane? Sounds like a 3-second violation waiting to happen! Did you get on the refs about that?

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by bernardos70

Parked in the lane? Sounds like a 3-second violation waiting to happen! Did you get on the refs about that?

I can't figure out what is a violation and what isn't in this league. What happens alot is an opponent grabbing the ball while in the hands of the opposite team... so the ref gives the signal of a jump ball.... yet they never do a jump ball they take the ball out of bounds and give it to one of the teams.... I asked about that and apparently on "jump" balls the teams take turns on who gets the ball next. Really dumb. I understand they are learning, but the jump ball thing can be exploited by a disciplined team like we played last night. And it was.

[Big Boy Laroux]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

I can't figure out what is a violation and what isn't in this league. What happens alot is an opponent grabbing the ball while in the hands of the opposite team... so the ref gives the signal of a jump ball.... yet they never do a jump ball they take the ball out of bounds and give it to one of the teams.... I asked about that and apparently on "jump" balls the teams take turns on who gets the ball next. Really dumb. I understand they are learning, but the jump ball thing can be exploited by a disciplined team like we played last night. And it was.

that's how jump balls work at every level except the NBA (rec, high school, college, etc.). Alternating possession.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by Big Boy Laroux

that's how jump balls work at every level except the NBA (rec, high school, college, etc.). Alternating possession.

College too? I am quite certain (although I never played) that when I was in HS they had jump balls.

[Smiles]

This is a wonderful thread! Keep the stories coming!

[Big Boy Laroux]

Yep, college, too. There is a jump ball to start the game, and one at the start of each overtime. But throughout the game, if there are jump/held balls, the possession arrow determines who gets the ball. Once that team inbounds, the possession arrow goes to the other team. Alternating possession.

There's constantly talk of changing it at the college level, but it's never happened yet.

It's been like this my whole life. Now, granted, you probably went to high school in 1920, so I don't know what the rule was then.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by Big Boy Laroux

Yep, college, too. There is a jump ball to start the game, and one at the start of each overtime. But throughout the game, if there are jump/held balls, the possession arrow determines who gets the ball. Once that team inbounds, the possession arrow goes to the other team. Alternating possession.

There's constantly talk of changing it at the college level, but it's never happened yet.

It's been like this my whole life. Now, granted, you probably went to high school in 1920, so I don't know what the rule was then.

1920? whatever. I graduated in 88.

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

1920? whatever. I graduated in 88.

That was a good year.






I was 6.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

That was a good year.






I was 6.

I was 18. It was a good year. In hopes to get this thread back on topic - Her next game is 2 hours 30 minutes away.

[Big Boy Laroux]

Well, glad I could school an old timer on the rules.

I was 10 in 1988. And the rule was the same then.

[DirkFTW]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

I was 18. It was a good year. In hopes to get this thread back on topic - Her next game is 2 hours 30 minutes away.

Good luck! Go [team name] go! =)

[bernardos70]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

1920? whatever. I graduated in 88.

They had high schools in 1888?

I am keeping an eye on this thread, I can't wait!

[u2sarajevo]

Her team name is the Sparks. And last nights "game" wasn't a game, but a practice. Apparently this was news to everyone on the 2 teams that showed up to play the game. There was no ref, so our coach contacted the league office and thats when we were told we were to practice, not play a game. What a well structured league.

This, apparently, is the first year they will have in season practices. At least they are taking strides in the right direction.

[Flacolaco]

I'm assuming they worked on their pick and roll defense?

[DirkFTW]

Well it wasn't a loss, so let's count it as a victory. Huzzah!

[u2sarajevo]

Okay... Monday she missed her first game. We got the notification that they moved the Tuesday game to Monday 20 minutes before tipoff..... but she was already at bible study. They won though.

Wednesday night she played. Her team dominated again. The practice last week payed off well. They won 21 to 0. That ringer girl, I'm calling her Jessica Kidd now because she has added unbelievable passing skills in less than a week. Wednesday she pulled off 2 no look passes to team mates while in transition. Before Wednesday she would never pass without stopping first. I can't believe how fast she is developing.

Now my daughter did great as well. She can rebound like crazy (offensive and defensive). There are alot of rebounding chances because not alot of shots actually go in, but she has developed a knack for getting in position to grab them. Her dribbling has improved somewhat as well. There was one point where she grabbed and offensive rebound right in a perfect position to throw up a shot. I started yelling for her to shoot it because I could tell she didn't want to... She passed it anyway. When I asked her about it after the game she said she was nervous. I felt bad for her... and told her the normal things in that situation (don't be nervous, the only way a shot can go in is if you shoot it first, etc....).

Next week we play the same team we played Wednesday and then another practice. The following week we get rematched with the only team that has beaten us again. I look forward to that.

[left texas]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

1920? whatever. I graduated in 88.

Yep, we were having jump balls in '68 also. Dang rule changes.

[MFFL]

Originally Posted by bernardos70

Parked in the lane? Sounds like a 3-second violation waiting to happen! Did you get on the refs about that?

I coached in the younger leagues and the rules usually make allowances for lane violations and the like. I believe that it starts as 8 seconds, then to 5, before it gets to 3.

There is also more time to get the ball past the midcourt line. Plus zone defense is usually outlawed because they are WAY too effective (cause the kids can't pass very well yet). Typically you can't double team the player with the ball until they get past the 3 point line. You can't press on defense with a 20 point lead, etc.

I've heard of some newer rules that force the better players to match up against each other (via use of a colored wrist band - the player with an orange band matches up with the opposing orange wrist band, etc).

[FINtastic]

How many times has she dunked? You might want to teach her that move.