So yesterday Enrique I were going to make up for our respective worst basketball days ever, which happend to be the day before.
We started by stretching our legs and shooting some hoops at our home court, which already showed more promising than the previous day. After an hour or so (probably less), we headed to Vermeerpark in order to attend a street basketball tournament.
There were quite some players�of which I knew nearly all�but there were not many players of our age and caliber (most of them were much younger), so we spent a couple of hours watching the younger guys play (and some guys that we train, kicking ass).
When we had finally arranched a little game of three-on-three for ourselves, the fun wouldn't last. After the first three points (made by the opposing team, but that shouldn't spoil the fun), it started raining. We didn't really mind, but the referee seemed to because he went inside (a bus of the organization). Then the opposing team called quits too, and there we were; getting wet, mildly annoyed, and without anyone to play with.
Enrique, me, and some of the younger guys we know well went to another court nearby (which is a very nice one, I might add; steal nets, 3-point lines, etc.) to at least shoot some hoops.
When we got there, the rain had started to pour.... but, we didn't feel like accepting another set-back, and did our thing... or at least try to. As it seemed, the baskets were much higher than we expected or remembered them to be, and that sure as hell is a lot higher than the official height (10'). The pouring rain wasn't helping either, and that combination resulted in us breaking personal records in the air-ball percentage field. We cursed the rim and the rain, but we continued to play anyway. We even played a game of three-on-three, while being soaked.
When I got home, I headed straight to the showers—sweat and rain make for a nasty sticky combination.
In the evening, the weather had cleared, and I went back to my home court to shoot some hoops again. All my shots were dropping, and the ball appeared to be glued to my hands on my dribble. I called Mikey and asked him to join. We both showed to have a good night—something that I really needed. We played a couple of games of 21,
and later on played two (pretty young) guys two-on-two (and slaughtered them).
I had began to doubt recently, but was clearly remembered this night: I can play basketball. (Thank God.)
Today, I had planned to first play 'ball at Bakkersplein, then head into town for some shopping, then play 'ball at Centraal, and then head back into town for North Sea Jazz Heats The Hague 2004, but guess what? It's raining.
ACJ2 comments so far.
Rain? No sh*t! :D It always rains in the Netherlands, mostly when you don't want it to.
Emigrates
Posted by: Rob Mientjes on July 8, 2004, at 22:00
Breek me de bek niet open. I'm sitting at home, listening to the rain dropping, while many great (jazz) artists are peforming mere minutes away from here. Oh well, I wasn't really in the mood anyway. I guess I'll just jam something into my CD player and hit Play.
Posted by: ACJ on July 8, 2004, at 23:38