And I hit the sack as soon as I got back last night. Wasn't even able to stay awake for the local tv coverage (if any; I didn't see any cameras).
Before getting into the actual play, I must say I was disappointed to a certain degree at the crowds. Every year they become more sparse, something that has been palpable to me over this past decade. There is no trouble squeezing into a seat anymore.
Anyhow, the initial game was grind-it-out, physical affair with defending champion Monument Mountain outlasting Belchertown. Two three-pointers early in the fourth quarter opened up a low-scoring contest and allowed Monument to hold off a late surge by B-town.
The second game was no contest as the precision and relentlessness of Lee dissected Ware. Lee led by 16 after one quarter and it wasn't going to get any better for overwhelmed Ware. The lead was 30 at halftime and 40 after three quarters before Lee called off the dogs and settled for a 27-point win.
In fact, the most exciting event of that game was the "brief power outage late in the second quarter" that delayed the contest for about 25 minutes. That was another reason I didn't return last might, as the games ran far longer than scheduled.
Which is sad because many people left and missed this:
"Smith, Lee girls advance to WMass Division III basketball finals
AMHERST – Seventy feet, seven dribbles, one layup.
Smith Academy senior Lindsay Gondek drove the length of the floor during the final 8.2 seconds, making a layup as time expired to give the Falcons a 45-43 win over Sabis International Charter School in a Western Massachusetts Division III semifinal Tuesday night....
Alyssa Klepacki rebounded a missed foul shot with 8.2 seconds left, sent an outlet to Gondek and she raced down the right sideline and banked in a layup.
“I don’t really remember what happened,” Gondek said. “I looked at the clock .. said I’m just going to go, I went, I knew I had to put it up and luckily it went in. I had no idea (how much time was left).”
“How about the poise Lindsay Gondek showed, making that last shot?” Smith Academy coach Ted Wilcox said....
What, as this old fool lost it and was jumping up and down in the bleachers?
Gondek had given Smith Academy a 43-42 lead with a foul shot with 16.4 seconds left.
Sabis answered to tie with a foul shot by freshman Jazmine Collins with 8.2 to go and Gondek did the rest....
--more--"
Related:
Sabis #24 Janaiya Sanchez, fires up a shot in the 2nd quarter (photo by J. Anthony Roberts)
See me?
I'll be there again tonight, although in different dress (much colder here today with chance of rain/snow).
