After several months of being on the shelf with plantar fascitis, I finally played some three on three pickup ball at USF's Koret Center. I don't know what happened. My team won several games in a row, despite our obvious physical shortcomings--both my teammates were well over 50, all of us were balding, and two of us were under 5'8. The guy guarding me, a bratty looking undergrad who saw me hobbling and wasn't taking me seriously at all, started talking smack and challenging me to shoot, which I did...
...I hit about 4 in a row, slicing through the lane like a slow, gimpy Steve Nash, later dishing to open shooters for treys or scoring on dribble penetrations and once on a hop-step move. I even knocked down some treys in the dude's face directly after he had been challenging me. I wanted to shout "whaaaaaaaat!!!!!!" but fortunately reason got the better of me. Maybe it was just the fun of playing for the first time in so long now that every game might be my last, but it was one my greatest pickup hoops moments of all time.
I now ask the good members of Setshot a simple question: What are some of your greatest moments playing pickup ball?
2 comments:
First, nice site.
Two games stick out:
As a 19-year-old: I still remember my "best night". December 21, 1993. Inside the McClain Center at the University of Wisconsin, next to the old Field House. At the MC, many Badgers would run the pick-up games. I don't know what happened but I got hot. REALLY hot. Hit 8 of 9 three-pointers in a pick-up game and, in true World B. Free fashion, we still lost, something like 15-13. As I left the MC that night, I felt like I was Division 1 level..although it never happened. I celebrated the game by going out the next night, getting ripped, picking up a jealous girlfriend of our of the football players, taking her back to my place...and getting mono from her, among other things, except the mono lasted a lot longer than anything else.
The other was, 10 years later, as a much older man, with wife and kids and about 30 extra pounds. Poured in 47 in a city league game that we won in triple-overtime, 94-92. Hit threes to force OT and the second OT. Finally wore them out in third OT on the inside.
Good stuff. I wish I could bottle those 2 nights and bring them out whenever I needed them!
All of the following happened at The Goal in the Driveway in Front of My House:
1) I went for about 12 of my team's 15 (playing by 1's & 2's); hit a crazy turnaround-no-look-of-off-the-backboard -from-the-wing 2 pointer. Don't think I missed a shot. Ever have one of those games where the guys on the other team can only look at you and wonder what you had for breakfast? It was like that. Particularly special since I've never been particularly good. I can't remember what sparked it.
2)There was also this one-one-one game against my best friend growing up were I made a move to the hoop in two steps that should've taken five. He had to confirm for me that I didn't travel. Definitely the best 1-on-1 we ever played against each other.
3) It took a 100yd dash to get up enough speed, but the first time I touched the rim. It felt like I was flying. I wish I could still feel like that just from running and jumping.
peace
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