Post 6th grade thoughts

I've watched a good amount of games, basketball, baseball, volleyball and soccer so far in these quick year plus at St. Mary's as AD and never have I felt the rush I did when the 6th grade went on that run today. (Maybe when the 8th grade girls won a volleyball game...both were pretty close.)

Maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but that 8-0 the 6th graders had, storming back to make it a one point game, was as into a basketball game I've been since the Warriors playoff run of 2007.

Few things about the the game...

The team they played were in the second best division of the 6th grade to start the season. Why were they dropped? Because they lost one or two players and got smoked in their first few games. On the other hand, there was a team in the 6th grade's division that clobbered teams in their first two games. So CYO decided to make the switch.

When teams win or lose, there is no drastic drop in the upper grades. You look at the divisions the teams were in this year, they were mostly fair. But it makes absolutely no sense for a team to drop 5 divisions. It's pathetic and terrible decision made by whoever is in charge. So to begin with, every team in this division is an underdog.

You hear the saying, it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game. I usually don't believe in that, because nobody wants to win more than I do, and nobody hates to lose more than I do. But today's game was an example of how you play the game, is more important than the result.

The 6th graders hustled, showed fight, determination, all the adjectives you could think of to describe how they played today. They were down and made a furious run for a comeback. They did everything they possibly could and there aren't many times where you can honestly say that. A lot of times when you say a team gave a good effort, is a way of saying, you did okay, but still not enough. I don't think anybody should hang their heads on today's game.

However...we always look to improve. What could've been:

--Matthew can't foul out. When he did, the complexion of the game changed. His height and presence changed the way the other team shot the ball. Because of his wing span, shots were altered. After Matthew fouled out, rebounds were going to be tough and this team lacks the big bodies underneath. This was a huge blow to the game.

--Free throws need to be made. Early in the game, there were numerous opportunities to make free-throws, but they were missed. If even one or two more shots went in, it could be a whole different ball game.

--Turnovers. Not being able to break the press on a few possessions in the 4th quarter really sealed their fate.

--Lay-ups. Gotta make the lay-ups. In crucial games like this, wide open lay-ups like free throws can't be taken for granted.

All these little mistakes are correctable and they come with experience. The more games you play and the harder you practice, these mistakes don't happen over and over.

It was a phenomenal effort tonight, but just a little short.

GG