COVID continues to ravage basketball for everybody. Not only are the schools being extra-precautious with quarantines, isolation, and such, including shutting down the boy's program for two solid weeks, but when the kids are testing positive, it's because they're visibly sick. A few kids have come back from COVID, but I haven't seen one that's playing near 80, much less 100%
Maja was supposed to have a crazy week, with multiple 7th grade and Freshman games. Everything was cancelled/postponed/canned for numerous reasons, but COVID is hanging over most of decisions.
The Freshman did get to the play a full Freshman squad of nothing but 9th grade girls from Hazleton. It would have been a quality challenge for them, but with our Center out with COVID, and best 8th graders cleared, but still recovering from it, it tuned to a mighty test. For the first 12 minutes of the game, nearly the entire 1st half, the lead was being traded, but in the last two minutes Hazleton racked up a six point lead.
In the third quarter, the wheels flew off the bus. This team could survive bad shooting, they could survived bad ball handling, they could even survive a steady string bad luck/bad calls, but when all three circumstances fall together, there's no much you can do. A 16-2 3rd quarter by Hazleton sealed the deal and guarantee the first loss of the season for the team 48-25.
Maja only had 1 point, but was forced to play Center for most of the game against a solid AAU 9th grader. The 9th grader only scored 8 points all game and even though she dominated the boards, had trouble with easy put backs because Maja kept her off balance. She'll be forced to play Center for the next week at least, and she's relishing the extra playing time.
Millie celebrated her 11th birthday with basketball, more basketball, and some cupcakes. Lots of practices, but most of the leagues, save the travel team, were either still on hiatus, or shut down for COVID protocols.
The travel team league finally gave her team a challenge. They had a close loss to the Freeland team in a local tournament back in March 2020, so revenge was in order, but alas it wasn't the case. Freeland was speedier and better shooters and once they had lead they held it through the entire game 23-17.
We got to hang around for the night at the rec center, because we were blessed with two games, scheduled at 4:00pm and 8:10, respectively. The second game was against a 6th grade team, and despite them having larger girls, Millie's team easily worked out a 26-16 win.
And a Monday morning call that one of the 6th graders tested positive for COVID and wasn't doing well. Luckily, between masks and vaccinations, we held a wait-and-see approach that thankfully has yielded negative results. But as I emphasize to the rec league, if the kids don't feel good, don't have them play....
Here's hoping this weekend's games go off safely and with great success for both girls.
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