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Catching up with my son's basketball team
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
A couple years ago, while in kindergarten, my son began playing organized basketball.
For his first game, I wrote a pseudo-game story and posted it on the blog for him to enjoy. Apparently, it was a hit as the first game of the second grade season was Saturday and several parents asked if I would be writing about it.
So, without further ado ... OK, maybe just a little ado ... I bring you the recap of the Hawks' first game of the season.
Shell-Hawked: Walnut Glen team thwarts Gators to start season
GARLAND - Saturday's opener between the Hawks and Gators was an intense one.
So much so that some of the players didn't even know the Hawks had won, 16-8, until the end of the six-stanza skirmish.
"It was 16-8," Brandon inquired as teammate Walker quickly added, "We scored 16?" The pair answered in unison, "awesome," when the score was confirmed.
One of the marquee battles that epitomized the tough play was Brandon from the Hawks going against Parker of the Gators. They were matched up versus one other for multiple frames.
And there was a bit of trash talking.
"Parker told me he was better at offense and I was better at defense," Brandon said. "And I was like, OK, well that pretty much destroys your argument because my defense can stop his offense."
That was the case early as the Gators had only one basket in the first two frames and fell into a 6-2 hole with the Hawks' offense led by Walker and John Patrick. Those two combined for the bulk of the team's points with the only other basket scored by Diego (one of three new players on the team this season alongside Kieran and Caleb).
Holding a 10-4 lead at halftime, the Hawks were held scoreless in the fourth.
That allowed the Gators to move within 10-6, the closest they got in the second half.
Walker and John Patrick jumpstarted the Hawks to a 6-0 run in the fifth though. John Patrick, who scored four points and grabbed 12 rebounds, had a breakaway layup to make it 12-6 and Walker, who had a game-high 10 points and 14 boards, advanced that advantage to 16-6 following a putback and then a spin move through the lane.
That pace clearly took its toll on the Gators with one of the players walking off the court and saying, "I'm about to have a heart attack," after the fifth.
Credit for that can also go to Isaac, who frequently moved the ball up the court for the Hawks. Isaac also contributed to the team's domination on the glass as he grabbed six rebounds and Brandon picked up 11 boards to go with his four steals.
The Gators scored the lone basket of the sixth stanza, which led to a cartwheel from that player, but it was the Hawks that started the season at 1-0 with a 16-8 victory.
That win aside, the Hawks aren't overconfident heading into their next game, which is at noon Saturday.
Quite the opposite in fact.
"I'm a little concerned it will be like last year," Brandon said, "where we dominated in our first game and then were terrible in the next game."
For his first game, I wrote a pseudo-game story and posted it on the blog for him to enjoy. Apparently, it was a hit as the first game of the second grade season was Saturday and several parents asked if I would be writing about it.
So, without further ado ... OK, maybe just a little ado ... I bring you the recap of the Hawks' first game of the season.
Shell-Hawked: Walnut Glen team thwarts Gators to start season
GARLAND - Saturday's opener between the Hawks and Gators was an intense one.
So much so that some of the players didn't even know the Hawks had won, 16-8, until the end of the six-stanza skirmish.
"It was 16-8," Brandon inquired as teammate Walker quickly added, "We scored 16?" The pair answered in unison, "awesome," when the score was confirmed.
One of the marquee battles that epitomized the tough play was Brandon from the Hawks going against Parker of the Gators. They were matched up versus one other for multiple frames.
And there was a bit of trash talking.
"Parker told me he was better at offense and I was better at defense," Brandon said. "And I was like, OK, well that pretty much destroys your argument because my defense can stop his offense."
That was the case early as the Gators had only one basket in the first two frames and fell into a 6-2 hole with the Hawks' offense led by Walker and John Patrick. Those two combined for the bulk of the team's points with the only other basket scored by Diego (one of three new players on the team this season alongside Kieran and Caleb).
Holding a 10-4 lead at halftime, the Hawks were held scoreless in the fourth.
That allowed the Gators to move within 10-6, the closest they got in the second half.
Walker and John Patrick jumpstarted the Hawks to a 6-0 run in the fifth though. John Patrick, who scored four points and grabbed 12 rebounds, had a breakaway layup to make it 12-6 and Walker, who had a game-high 10 points and 14 boards, advanced that advantage to 16-6 following a putback and then a spin move through the lane.
That pace clearly took its toll on the Gators with one of the players walking off the court and saying, "I'm about to have a heart attack," after the fifth.
Credit for that can also go to Isaac, who frequently moved the ball up the court for the Hawks. Isaac also contributed to the team's domination on the glass as he grabbed six rebounds and Brandon picked up 11 boards to go with his four steals.
The Gators scored the lone basket of the sixth stanza, which led to a cartwheel from that player, but it was the Hawks that started the season at 1-0 with a 16-8 victory.
That win aside, the Hawks aren't overconfident heading into their next game, which is at noon Saturday.
Quite the opposite in fact.
"I'm a little concerned it will be like last year," Brandon said, "where we dominated in our first game and then were terrible in the next game."
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