CrossFit Athletic Group

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

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Game 1: Chris vs. Jacob Jay

Let me tell you something about Jacob. He is a slithery slimy stinker when it comes to managing teams. This has been displayed in Mario Baseball time and time again, and also during Week 2 of this very camp. Tonight Jacob was a no-show due to "obligations at Bishop Foley." So when I walked in during the middle of the first quarter I saw Jay in charge of the Oakland sideline. We were already down 6-0.

Now let me tell you something about Matt. He has absolutely no freaking concept of time. Yes, a professional marathon runner who can supposedly tell the difference between a 4:25 mile and a 4:27 mile cannot keep track of 6 minutes, and it cost me what would have been our first win of the season. Down 14-8 in the 4th quarter, we stormed back with three straight buckets from new Champions Club kid Jackson (who was coincidentally crying on the sideline and didn't want to play just minutes earlier), the last of which brought the score to 18-16. Then all of a sudden after Jackson's last bucket Matt blew his whistle and crossed his arms gesturing that the game was over. It was a crushing blow for out team, who were then cheered up moments later with Capri Suns and Cheez-Its.

On the team formerly known as Jacob's Team, Josh Bennis had his coming-out party and finally seemed to get this basketball thing. He was playing defense, grabbing rebounds, and even a few of his shots found the rim. It was pretty impressive. The highlight of the game was when Jay had new Champions Club kid Brian bring the ball up the court for the first time all season; he was just bouncing up and down laughing his face off, then somehow found his way to the rim and plopped in something that resembled a lay-up. I knew then it was not our night.

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Game 2: Matt vs. Jay

This game started out 2-0 at the end of the first half. This game ended up 20-18 in overtime. This game got to overtime on a Zeena made basket. Let me repeat, Zeena made a basket! She edged out JT for the league lead in shot attempts this season with a mere 13,928,475 shots fired up, and not one of them found its way in the basket. Then on the last possession of regulation with her team down 2, she launched a 9-footer and nothing but net! Earlier in the third quarter, Jay subbed her out on my request and his lead started to deteriorate. This is where Matt's convenient time lapsing came into play. Were this my game he would have called it as soon as I was within striking distance. Today he let it roll long enough for his team to take the lead in regulation, only to see Zeena break his heart temporarily.

Things went back and forth in sudden death overtime, until Gianna on Matt's team somehow ended up with a loose ball and threw up a shot over half of Jay's team that found its way in the basket. Jay and his Tar Heels were crushed; all three triplets (Alaistor, London, and Sydni) were crying, Nathan threw his headband, and Zeena hid under the scores table. Again, the Capri Sun and Nabisco treats helped alleviate the pain.

On Matt's end, former and returning Champions Club kid Ava put in a great defensive performance. But the star of the game on his end was Natalie Nevarez. Coming into tonight she had difficulty finding her way around the basketball court, to put it politely. To put in in plain terms, she was lost. Lost as me at a social event. Or lost as Nick Bewick without a pocket Encyclopedia. But tonight Natalie got 4 breakaway steals and converted one of them into a made layup. Then she hit two other shots; by the third one her crazed mother was ripping through the parents in the stands to make way to onto the court out of excitement, leaving poor Johnny J in a trampled mess in the third row. That may or may not have been exaggerated slightly. But each of Natalie's buckets were crucial in her heroic, albeit tainted comeback win for Matt's team.

This marked the last game of the season. Mrs. Pip and Mrs. Carey were among the thousands of spectators tonight, so it was cool to see them. We should be seeing quite a few of the campers join the Babies ranks, which was definitely my main goal. But most importantly, there will be bad blood and bragging rights for an entire year. Andof course that's what basketball, and youth sports, is really about. The final standings:

1. Jay (North Carolina) 3-1

2. Jay (as Oakland) 1-0

3. Jacob (Oakland) 3-0

4. Matt (Texas) 2-2

5. Chris (Dook) 0-4

I really looked forward to Wednesday nights for the past two months and seeing all of the Champions Club peeps represent there was awesome for me. Thanks to the parents and kids and Jacob, Matt, and Jay for putting on a great show. Till next year...