(Intramural) BASKETBALL ... worst game ever

Friday August 7, 2009
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1962/63: Intermediate School (Intramural)

Basketball

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the worst game ever …

I had just turned 13 years old and was in the 7th Grade at an Institution of Higher Learning known, affectionately, as HangDong Intermediate School.
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It was Basketball Season and I had joined my Intermediate School’s Intramural Basketball Program. There were 4 teams of 8 players each in the 7th Grade Division and 6 teams of 8 players each in the 8th Grade Division. There was to be a 10 game schedule for each team, finalized by a Championship Game between the best team of 7th Graders verses the best team of 8th Graders.
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Although the Rules were identical to the School’s Varsity & Junior Varsity Programs, the only difference was the time of the Quarters. In that era, Pro Basketball played 12 minute Quarters; College Basketball played 10 minute Quarters; High School Varsity played 8 minute Quarters and High School Junior Varsity played 6 minute Quarters. Our Intramural Program played 4 minute Quarters (largely due to time constraints on the School’s one and only regulation size Gymnasium .. and the amount of games needed to be played). So, keep in mind – these games were only 16 minutes in length.
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When the Program’s Season was over and all the Regular Season Games were played, there was a winner in the 8th Grade Division but in the 7th Grade Division, there was a 1st Place tie between the team that I played for and another team. We both had 6-4 records.
And so, the Program’s Teacher/Commissioner decided on a one game Playoff to see which team would represent our 7th Grade. That game would be played right before the 7th Grade / 8th Grade Championship Game on a separate evening, after school.
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When that evening came, every player in the entire Intermediate School program was present to watch the two games to be played.
I was pumped up and ready to play. I wanted the 8th Graders to see me play at a high level because I had many friends in that Grade.
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I’ll never forget the Tip-off that stated the game. The other team’s Center didn’t jump for some reason and the tip was swatted cleanly to me streaking down the right wing. No other player was near me as I raced in for the lay-up. We were up 2-0, just 5 seconds into the game and I started dreaming of scoring 20-25 points.
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The rest of that Quarter was a defensive battle (read: lousy offensive output) and at the end of one Quarter, the score was still, 2-0 with our team ahead. Remember, now, just 4 minute Quarters.
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The 2nd Quarter was relentless as both teams raced up and down the Court, missing shots and turning the ball over. Still, the other team managed to secure two buckets, both by the same player and at Halftime, our team trailed 4-2.
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The 3rd Quarter found me on the bench while more of the same exciting basketball was being played on the Court. (insert LOL at this point) Near the end of that Quarter, the opposing player that had scored all 4 of their respective points made another basket and at the end of the 3rd Quarter, we were losing 6-2.
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The 4th Quarter began with our High School Student/Coach sending me back in with strict orders to guard the opposing player that had all their points and to not let him score, again. It didn’t take long before their main points scorer had the ball in the paint and so I whacked him, hard. He went to the Free Throw line and sank his shot to increase their lead to 7-2. I was assured by our Coach that what I did was okay and for me to keep fighting. Again, their leading scorer got the ball within 15 feet and again, I whacked him. He walked to the line and made his Free Throw and now we’re down, 8-2. As time was running out, and more out of frustration than strategy, I took another swipe at the other team’s only point scorer and recorded my 5th Foul, disqualifying me from the contest. The opposing player strode up to the Free Throw line and made 1 of 2 Free Throws increasing their lead to 9-2.
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As the last few seconds ticked off the old scoreboard, it was obvious that we had lost the big game. I had scored in the game’s opening few seconds and our team was shut out the rest of the way.
9-2, what an embarrassment !
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Now, before you agree with me that was ‘the worst game ever’ .. let me explain – THAT was not the game that I was referring to as ‘the worst game ever’. That to which I referred to as ‘the worst game ever’ was the following game between the 8th Grade Champions and the team that had just beaten my team to secure the nod as 7th Grade Champions. That final score was 8th Grade 55 – 7th Grade 3. And yes, the player that scored all 9 points in my team’s loss was the player who scored all 3 points in the Championship game.
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Me embarrassed ? Yes ! But, I’d rather lose 9-2 than 55-3.
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* I should add as a footnote that 8th Grade Class placed 4 players on the School’s Varsity, the following year, as Freshmen. And even then, 6 others made the JV team which finished the Season undefeated and their Freshman team where the others played only lost 2 games all year.
So, with that said – 9-2 may have, indeed, been worse that the 55-3 game.
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My time is up – I thank you for yours.
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LARRY..CURTIS..SPURLOCK

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