Ball Fever Opens Season with Victory

The following is a recap of my intramural basketball team's first game.  It probably interests nobody.  The team name is an inside joke from when Rorogomono was shooting hoops and Dean Deane said it looked like he had ball fever because he was running after it so quickly, or something like that.  It was funny.  You had to be there.

Ball Fever’s intramural basketball season finally got underway yesterday at 8:45 PM in LeFrak.  They were on the road, facing Count It.  The whole team showed up for the game, save the perpetually lazy and uncommitted Willy Wah.  It was bound to be exciting.

After the tip was knocked out of bounds in favor of Ball Fever, Evan Egri got the season off on the right foot, scoring on the opening possession.  Other than that, however, the rust showed in the early part of the game.  Egri turned the ball over three times very quickly, Rorogomono threw a pass to the referee, and it would be another seven minutes before they put any more points on the board.

Things improved from there, though.  Bernstein Bear had a put-back basket, Rorogomono followed with a field goal, and LexDak made a runner shortly thereafter to put Ball Fever back up 8-6.  JY Jelly increased the lead to 9-6 with a free throw, but then air-balled the second one.  Jelly argued the point after the game, exclaiming “It hit the net!”

The game swung back and forth until M.A. Clay made a nice drive and dish to Egri, which put Ball Fever up 13-12, a lead they would never relinquish.  Count It struggled from the line, making just 1 of 5 free throws over a ten-second span, right before Danny Lotion closed the half with two free throws of his own.  That gave Ball Fever a 17-13 lead at intermission.

The second half again got off to a slow start, as the first ten minutes saw just two baskets scored, both by Ball Fever.  That resulted in their largest lead of the game, 21-13.  At that point, Sleaze’s punishment for being late was lifted and he was allowed to enter the game.

The momentum changed quickly when Yu forgot the ball while dribbling, which was followed by the first made three of the game by either team and then, after another turnover, a field goal for Count It.  Jelly answered with the first (and only) 3-pointer of the game by Ball Fever.  Suddenly both teams began shooting much better, as Count It made 4 of their last 9 shots, and Ball Fever made 3 of their final 4 field goals.

It was a back and forth affair, but every time Count It got within one possession, Ball Fever had an answer, as they never allowed Count It to get closer than 3 points.  Things could have come unraveled when Count It followed a questionable backcourt call against Clay with a 3-pointer.  Even then, Ball Fever immediately came down the court with Clay draining a jumper from just past the elbow.  The referee admitted after the game the call was incorrect and may or may not have apologized.

Clay also iced the game with 4 clutch free throws, in addition to picking up a big offensive rebound on a missed free throw of Egri’s.  It was a great start to the season for Ball Fever, as they collected a 34-27 victory.  They play again on Thursday against Fast Don’t Lie, again on the road at 8:45 PM in LeFrak.

BOX SCORE(click to enlarge)