Return to Basketball

I know today is supposed to be a Top 10 list day, but as of right now I haven't figured out one to post - but the day is still young, so perhaps there will be another posting later.

I did, however, have my first summer basketball game last night - and to my surprise, I didn't suck.

In my younger days (God, I sound old) I was a pretty decent basketball player. As the days have worn on, however, time to stay in shape and actually play basketball has become very thin. I have been slowly trying to lose some weight and get into shape - but it is just that, slow.

The last time I played basketball was in a pickup game at the local college - and I was horrible. My body was not ready for that type of up-and-down game. My lungs hurt, my legs hurt and my shot was WAY off.

Last night I was expecting more of the same. This is my fourth summer playing basketball, and with each first game I have come to expect that I will be knocking off rust and willing myself through the contest. A few years back I even got some dizzy spells due to my total lack of lung capacity.

As I am still nowhere near the playing ability I once possessed - my main concern is embarrassing myself in front of my much younger teammates.

The league is for anyone over the age of a high school sophomore. So basically anywhere from age 16 and up. A couple of years back, the league broke in half and an Over 30 League was started as well. As I am not quite 30 yet (a few more years) I am still supposed to be able to keep up with the 16 year olds.

I am, of course, the oldest player on my team. The next youngest, I think, is around 22. Most of these guys were in junior high when I was a senior in high school. I can honestly say that not one of them ever saw me play a high school basketball game.

But, the game was actually pretty decent - and my play was not embarrassing at all, in my opinion. I had been begging my team captain to not start me, but there I was in the starting lineup - and on one of the first few possessions I got an offensive rebound and was fouled on the shot. I missed my first foul shot (no surprise), but I drilled the second.

I only took one shot during the contest, a 3-pointer from the corner - which I nailed. So, I finished with a field goal percentage of 100%.

My defense was also pretty strong against a pretty quick guard - and one thing that hardly ever leaves me is my ability to pass the ball. That has always been my trademark, and something I am pretty proud of. I had two turnovers on passes that were just off - a lob pass to Brandon, and a bounce pass through three people that would have been sweet, but an opponent got a finger on the ball.

The young cats of the team did a superb job on the offensive and defensive ends of the court, and we won our first game of the year.

I don't get to get out too much anymore, so it was nice to be apart of the group again. And, thankfully, I am actually not too sore this morning. I will have to do some stretching and perhaps run a little, but all-in-all I feel pretty good.

We'll see what Thursday brings - our next game - but so far the team looks pretty good and the season should be fun.