(This game was played on February 23, 2008)
If this basketball game was ever turned into a movie it would be called Everyone's A Hero!, and it would not be an exaggeration. The United Way 5th grade boys basketball team's dream season continued in highly dramatic fashion as they edged Blue Cross Blue Shield 18-17 at Riddle Elementary School in Mattoon, IL.
Daniel Ferguson led all scorers with 15 points, 7 of them coming from the charity stripe where he went 7 for 8. His last 2 points came as he connected on both ends of a one and one opportunity with 6.4 seconds to play, tying the score at 17 apiece.
Following the two made free throws, United Way employed a full-court press. As the ball was thrown in towards mid-court, Blake Hooper stepped up and stole the inbounds pass for his only steal of the game. He was quickly surrounded by two defenders. Blake threw the ball to teammate Sean Huffman who was then fouled with 0.7 seconds remaining. Sean went to the line and sank the first free throw, giving United its first lead of the contest. His coach had him miss the second free throw attempt intentionally to prevent Blue Cross from possibly engaging in some last second heroics themselves.
The first quarter found both teams employing some very stingy defense. Blue Cross scored the first two buckets of the game, and Daniel Ferguson put United on board following a steal and a layup. The first quarter ended with United Way trailing 4-2.
The second quarter still found United Way looking for their offensive game to get underway as they struggled from the field, failing to connect on any of their field goal attempts as the much bigger boys of Blue Cross blocked shot after shot attempt. This led to United being forced to shoot from outside, and the baskets were not fallling. Even when a United player had a good look underneath, they seemed to be rattled just by the presence of the taller Blue Cross players. The only points scored for United in the second period of play came when Daniel Ferguson connected on two free throws. When the first half came to a close United was facing an 11-4 deficit.
Tyler Trader, Zachary Brooks and Alec Carey all made what turned out to be difference makers in the ball game. Tyler Trader's came in the second quarter when he pulled down an offensive rebound, extending United Way's possession. It was following this rebound that Daniel was fouled and sent to the line where he connected on both of his free throws. As it turned out, that ended up being the difference in the game.
Zachary Brooks grabbed three offensive rebounds, each one of them extending possessions that led to United scoring. Had he not done this, United Way loses.
Alec Carey made a great foul in the third period when one of the best scorers for Blue Cross was heading for the basket with a wide open lane. Alec fouled him on the floor, keeping the Blue Cross player from scoring, and Jacob Atkinson came up with a steal that kept Blue Cross off the board in that possession. Had Alec not fouled the player away from the basket as he did, most likely United loses the game by 1 point.
The coaches reminded the United players at halftime not to panic, to run their offense, and to turn up the defensive intensity. Blue Cross made three baskets to extend their lead to 17-4 as things were looking bleak for the United squad. United spread their offense in an attempt to pull the big boys of Blue Cross away from the basket. Craig Henness finally got into the scoring column on a transition layup following a rebound and kickout by Daniel Ferguson, but the team still struggled to find any offensive rhythm. Daniel Ferguson went one for two from the line and when the third quarter ended, United Way was trailing 17-7.
Assistant Coach Jason Kelly got on the squad for hanging their heads when they were walking off the court. He told them the game was not over, but it would be if they did not get themselves up and play like they knew how to play. Coach David Ferguson reminded the boys again that if they kept the faith, good things were going to happen, and there was no need to panic.
Daniel Ferguson went back to running the offense from the point. The boys employed a half court trap that really rattled the Blue Cross team, and little by little, steal after steal, box out after box out, and rebound after rebound, United inched and fought its way closer to Blue Cross. Following another strong defensive stance at the 3:01 mark of the 4th quarter and the score standing at 17-11, Coach Ferguson called a timeout to give his boys a breather and to let them know how proud the coaches were of their play. The boys were told to keep the pressure on the ball at all times, and look for an open man at the offensive side of the court.
Daniel Ferguson used a great screen set by Craig Henness to free himself for a shot, but he was fouled. He made both free throws and the score stood at 17-13 with less than 90 seconds to play in the contest. Jacob Atkinson pulled down a rebound on the defensive end of the floor, and Daniel Ferguson made a pull up jumper from 17 feet out on the left side of the lane and hit nothing but net, and United found itself down by 2 with just over a minute remaining. Coach Ferguson put on a full-court press as the clock ticked under one minute, and with 52.8 seconds in the game Daniel Ferguson tied up the Blue Cross player on a great defensive play, giving the ball to United on the alternate possession.
The Blue Cross coach called a timeout, and Coach Ferguson told Daniel and Craig to run a pick and roll from the top of the lane and that following the play they would engage in a full-court press. Daniel then proceeded to take the inbounds pass and throw the ball down into the corner and out of bounds as he was trying to get the ball into the hands of Sean Huffman.
Coach Ferguson used his last timeout as the clock showed 50.6 seconds. He then asked the boys, "Are you going to do what I told you to do, or not? I just said run the pick and roll, and you didn't do it. I then told you to press, and nobody pressed. Guys, you have to listen to me now because I don't have anymore timeouts left! So let's just relax, don't panic, and let's win this ballgame!" So United went to the full-court press and got Blue Cross to turn the ball over on a double-dribble. Daniel Ferguson, being triple teamed, was fouled with 6.4 seconds left and he went to the free throw line facing a one and one situation with the game on the line. He nailed both of the shots, setting up Blake Hooper's subsequent steal and Sean Huffman's clutch free throw.
The victory gives United Way a 4-0 record for the season.
Daniel Ferguson led all scorers with 15 points, 7 of them coming from the charity stripe where he went 7 for 8. His last 2 points came as he connected on both ends of a one and one opportunity with 6.4 seconds to play, tying the score at 17 apiece.
Following the two made free throws, United Way employed a full-court press. As the ball was thrown in towards mid-court, Blake Hooper stepped up and stole the inbounds pass for his only steal of the game. He was quickly surrounded by two defenders. Blake threw the ball to teammate Sean Huffman who was then fouled with 0.7 seconds remaining. Sean went to the line and sank the first free throw, giving United its first lead of the contest. His coach had him miss the second free throw attempt intentionally to prevent Blue Cross from possibly engaging in some last second heroics themselves.
The first quarter found both teams employing some very stingy defense. Blue Cross scored the first two buckets of the game, and Daniel Ferguson put United on board following a steal and a layup. The first quarter ended with United Way trailing 4-2.
The second quarter still found United Way looking for their offensive game to get underway as they struggled from the field, failing to connect on any of their field goal attempts as the much bigger boys of Blue Cross blocked shot after shot attempt. This led to United being forced to shoot from outside, and the baskets were not fallling. Even when a United player had a good look underneath, they seemed to be rattled just by the presence of the taller Blue Cross players. The only points scored for United in the second period of play came when Daniel Ferguson connected on two free throws. When the first half came to a close United was facing an 11-4 deficit.
Tyler Trader, Zachary Brooks and Alec Carey all made what turned out to be difference makers in the ball game. Tyler Trader's came in the second quarter when he pulled down an offensive rebound, extending United Way's possession. It was following this rebound that Daniel was fouled and sent to the line where he connected on both of his free throws. As it turned out, that ended up being the difference in the game.
Zachary Brooks grabbed three offensive rebounds, each one of them extending possessions that led to United scoring. Had he not done this, United Way loses.
Alec Carey made a great foul in the third period when one of the best scorers for Blue Cross was heading for the basket with a wide open lane. Alec fouled him on the floor, keeping the Blue Cross player from scoring, and Jacob Atkinson came up with a steal that kept Blue Cross off the board in that possession. Had Alec not fouled the player away from the basket as he did, most likely United loses the game by 1 point.
The coaches reminded the United players at halftime not to panic, to run their offense, and to turn up the defensive intensity. Blue Cross made three baskets to extend their lead to 17-4 as things were looking bleak for the United squad. United spread their offense in an attempt to pull the big boys of Blue Cross away from the basket. Craig Henness finally got into the scoring column on a transition layup following a rebound and kickout by Daniel Ferguson, but the team still struggled to find any offensive rhythm. Daniel Ferguson went one for two from the line and when the third quarter ended, United Way was trailing 17-7.
Assistant Coach Jason Kelly got on the squad for hanging their heads when they were walking off the court. He told them the game was not over, but it would be if they did not get themselves up and play like they knew how to play. Coach David Ferguson reminded the boys again that if they kept the faith, good things were going to happen, and there was no need to panic.
Daniel Ferguson went back to running the offense from the point. The boys employed a half court trap that really rattled the Blue Cross team, and little by little, steal after steal, box out after box out, and rebound after rebound, United inched and fought its way closer to Blue Cross. Following another strong defensive stance at the 3:01 mark of the 4th quarter and the score standing at 17-11, Coach Ferguson called a timeout to give his boys a breather and to let them know how proud the coaches were of their play. The boys were told to keep the pressure on the ball at all times, and look for an open man at the offensive side of the court.
Daniel Ferguson used a great screen set by Craig Henness to free himself for a shot, but he was fouled. He made both free throws and the score stood at 17-13 with less than 90 seconds to play in the contest. Jacob Atkinson pulled down a rebound on the defensive end of the floor, and Daniel Ferguson made a pull up jumper from 17 feet out on the left side of the lane and hit nothing but net, and United found itself down by 2 with just over a minute remaining. Coach Ferguson put on a full-court press as the clock ticked under one minute, and with 52.8 seconds in the game Daniel Ferguson tied up the Blue Cross player on a great defensive play, giving the ball to United on the alternate possession.
The Blue Cross coach called a timeout, and Coach Ferguson told Daniel and Craig to run a pick and roll from the top of the lane and that following the play they would engage in a full-court press. Daniel then proceeded to take the inbounds pass and throw the ball down into the corner and out of bounds as he was trying to get the ball into the hands of Sean Huffman.
Coach Ferguson used his last timeout as the clock showed 50.6 seconds. He then asked the boys, "Are you going to do what I told you to do, or not? I just said run the pick and roll, and you didn't do it. I then told you to press, and nobody pressed. Guys, you have to listen to me now because I don't have anymore timeouts left! So let's just relax, don't panic, and let's win this ballgame!" So United went to the full-court press and got Blue Cross to turn the ball over on a double-dribble. Daniel Ferguson, being triple teamed, was fouled with 6.4 seconds left and he went to the free throw line facing a one and one situation with the game on the line. He nailed both of the shots, setting up Blake Hooper's subsequent steal and Sean Huffman's clutch free throw.
The victory gives United Way a 4-0 record for the season.
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