The Pink Whistle Returns

Waldwick, NJ - The officiating front was busy this Summer. The draw, however, saw mostly boy's and men's league action. Sunday, a return to the girls for three games at Hoop Heaven. Upon getting to the facility I checked in at the front desk and asked for Kyle Sabella (our coordinator).

"He's at the Jet game,"  the young man watching the game on a laptop replied.

I saw the early part of the game and added "wish the Jets were at the game." Then went into a soap box opinion of Rex Ryan's pre-game quotes becoming bulletin board material. But that's another story.

   On the schedule were three grade school girls games. Two twenty minute halves with stop time the final minute.

Freedom   35   Ridgewood  24

                  An eighth grade girls meeting. The Freedom of nearby Oakland (not the Bay Area but Northern Bergen County, NJ) were the more skilled group.  Amusing but good coaching point early on. Freedom's wing has the ball on the right side against a 2-3 zone. The coach implores to 'make an easy pass'. The point guard is ten feet to her left but the wing tries a difficult cross court pass. It is caught by her teammate as the coach immediately and emphatically says 'time out'.

                 Game went well though the latter part of the first half the Freedom had an eleven point lead when their coach says, "ref, this is not right, it's 8-2 against us in fouls."  Didn't get a chance but would have simply explained, his team was living on the perimeter while the Ridgewood team constantly took it to the basket. On their behalf the perimeter game worked for the Freedom as they knocked down several three pointers and a few 'foot on the line' jump shots.

             One in the books. Post game the Ridgewood coach said they did not have many practices to date. Regardless, he and his club worked hard throughout the 40 minutes.

Freedom   28      St.Thomas(Bloomfield)      19

      Game two was between a pair of seventh grade teams. The Freedom jumped to a 15-7 halftime lead. The Freedom coach was especially proud of his team's defense and emphasized in a halftime huddle, near the scorer's table, that they keep the defensive effort going.

      The offense wasn't bad either . At one point a Freedom player had the ball about 18 feet away from the basket on the wing. The St.Thomas coach instructed to 'give her that'. At which the Freedom player calmly banked it home. Heading down the floor I could hear the St.Thomas mentor say to himself, "never expected her to make that."

      Post game the desk personnel inform me the Jets pulled it out. I noted whatever Rex Ryan says post game to the media, behind closed doors he's probably sharing a laugh with his staff.

St.Thomas (Bloomfield)                   36      Glen Rock   21

     Another 7th grade meeting with the St.Thomas girls right back on the court. Youth can handle it a lot easier. At the half the score is 10-5 in St.Thomas'  favor. Yes, not an offensive display and quite ragged with little or no flow to this one . The second half both clubs are zoning and play gets into a better flow. Glen Rock hits a few perimeter shots early then goes stone cold. St.Thomas widens the lead by beating Glen Rock down the floor in transition.

    With a second left we have dead ball. St.Thomas inbounds and Glen Rock, down 15, picks up full court. Why ? At this level you often deal with coaches not knowing when the game is over or managing it .

     Three games in the book. Great to get back working the girls games.  A good day. Especially for the respective teams, coaches and officials as they all get an idea of what to go back and work on.