October!
One Second Left Down By One!
I was watching my middle school’s Final Match that was at nearly a dead tie for the entire game! In the fourth quarter they were down by 1 with only 1.5 seconds left on the clock and to my dismay the livestream went off-line. I thought maybe the adults capturing the game just couldn’t stand watching them lose when they were that close to winning the championships.
Given the team needed to get the ball to the opposite end of the court in one and a half seconds I just assumed they lost the game. There were too many odds against them to make winning a likely outcome. I woke up the next morning to see that they won the trophy. I still didn’t believe it.
Then a few hours later they posted the winning shot. The fact that he threw it that far while the player was still running to the position the ball was going to be at and caught it is amazing enough in itself. Taking it the extra step and making it in that time is almost unbelievable to me! This play is called "The Laettner" and is named after the 1992 play where Grant Hill makes an across the court pass to Christian Laettner. I am told it doesn't work 99% of the time but good coaches will make their team practice it. I am so proud of my old school for accomplishing something such a feat! 🤍 💙 🤍 💙 Sometimes I get so down about parts of Seattle I grew up in during the recent years. There are so many things to complain about but by looking around long enough you can find positives in distant faded geographic memories.
Thinking of the play they made I thought about an athletic company from the 90s called No Fear Sports Gear. The shirts would have some nearly impossible predicament on the back and would end with the words "No Fear." They made these shirts for several sports. I looked up the basketball version I found that it was actually easier then what the Eckstein players had to do! It listed a full five seconds to make the shot from only the three point line! That is so much easier of a feat. I went to a water polo game tournament game a few months later and the team I went to see was down by 3 with 12 seconds left. During one of the extended time-outs the someone in the audience said that they thought it would be impossible to win with that much time left. In order to make 3 shots in 12 seconds they would have to make a shot every four seconds on average. I am sure a game like that has happened before. How funny!
While thinking about basketball at Eckstein I remembered this cassette tape I got when the school went to a Super Sonics event at the Coliseum (Key Arena, Climate Pledge Arena.) You really remember events like these all your life.
I had a lot of fun attending two of Eckstein's games when I was in Seattle at the same time. I'm in the audience of this game video in the bright yellow sweatpants. Owen made a basket from the other side of the court somewhere in the second half! If I find that spot I'll post a direct link to that section. They lost that game against Jane Adams (JAMS) but won when they did a rematch in the semi-finals. Wish I was in town more during the season to go to more games.
Game begins I find a spot on the wall.
The tip-off now starts the players off quick.
A few so little others growth-spurted tall.
Occasionally a shot is an out of bounds brick.
Ball reflects over to me whistle signals the call.
Feels I’m not audience. I return with a flick.
Several passes returning the ball back into play.
Boy runs up with eyes that seem to have much to say.
Hair fully engulfed but could somehow see the way.
Time slows. His glance and mine for a moment stay.
Is this life similar to mine but in a different day?
Hanging with his buds walking Eckstein’s Brae.
