Basketball and Beyond!

This past week has been filled with basketball and more basketball as Big A's team, the Vikings, battled for the area championship.  It's a good thing this only happens once a year because my heart, not to mention my ears, could not take much more!  What ever happened to turning down the volume because of possible hearing loss??  And how in the world does each team even hear what their coach has to say when music is blaring in their ears??  Seriously, music is okay but there is an extreme to everything!!  I mean, this was not a rock concert - or was it?   Having had my say, I will now focus on the game which was a heart stopper for sure! Cheers resonated from one end of the gym to the other as each team tried their "darnedest"  (I think that's a word) to pull ahead!!

The Vikings receiving last minute instructions.  Keep your eye on the player on the end with the bandaged elbow.  He's a heart stopper for sure! And watch #25 because this "center" player is a wiz at basketball. And he just so happens to be Big A!

Cheering each other on as the game commences.  

Coach making it clear what these guys are to do.....and NOT to do!  

Big A, #25, on alert!

Big A has the ball and its......GOOD!  TWO POINTS!

Guarding for the rebound shot......

#25 has the center position covered......

Now #25 is racing to the opposite side....(Whew, he is fast - really fast!)

Taking a breather....

Vikings pulled ahead and there are six minutes to go...hang in there guys!

One early heart-stopping moment in the game was when the ball was put up by the opposite team......Big A goes for the block......

The ball spins around and around....oh, the suspense - the hush that falls over the crowd........the players are frozen....

And then.....The ball loses its momentum and falls to the outside where a Viking player rebounds it.....Go Vikings!!

Big A receiving one last bit of advice as the game winds down....

The opposing team had a great cheering squad....

And now  - #34 is in the game!  

#34 was in a bad accident several years ago involving brain damage but he LOVES basketball and the team truly thinks of him as one of their own.  Winning or losing, #34 is sent to the floor during the 4th quarter.

Final score: 50 to 74.  Vikings are area champions!!  I love this part of the game where each team member acknowledges the opposing team for a game well played.  (Plus, it's at the end of the game and I can begin to recoup my lost hearing!)

This picture speaks for itself!

And so does this one!

Some happy ball players!

And now....the final moment....when the winning team cuts down the net from the hoop and each team member receives a piece.  Victory is SWEET!!

NEXT - ON TO THE SUB-DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP!

P.S.  The great Vikings went on to win the sub-district title.  Then they headed to the district championship game with banners flying and high hopes thumping!  Alas....they were defeated - but not before they gave it their all and racked up countless, priceless memories.  And hey...there is always next year!!  

Dee Dee