Bucket Squad

Saturday morning, after MBA Junior School basketball tryouts, Joe had a WNSL basketball game at J.T. Moore with his Bucket Squad teammates.  This particular group of boys - coached by our dear friend, Thomas McDaniel, has played basketball together for several years.  Fall leagues.  Winter leagues.  Summer leagues.  3-on-3 tournaments.  WNSL's March Madness tournament.  All of it.

The core players - Joe, Pike, Cole, Nash - have played together, well, forever.  At age 13 and with middle school and club basketball looming, their days playing together are numbered, which makes me more than a little sad and nostalgic.  

They have improved so much and play together so well as a team.  They trust each other on the basketball court, which allows them to play unselfish basketball.  They share the ball so well.  Joe always has been a good and willing passer.  As the boys have gotten older, though, and matured, Pike, Nash, and Cole have become more adept as finding the open man.  

When the boys on the Bucket Squad are firing on all cylinders - and they certainly were on Saturday - it's a beautiful thing to watch.  They are able to beat bigger, more individually skilled basketball teams Joe and his teammates play team basketball.  Each player has a role and fulfills it willingly and unselfishly.  It doesn't matter to them who scores or who gets the credit.  Each player celebrates the others' successes on the basketball court.

Joe is the facilitator.  Selfless.  Almost always makes the right pass.  Plays tough defense.  Always puts his body on someone to box them out for a rebound, even though he's often at a height disadvantage.  The smartest player on the court at all times.  Intense and excitable.  

Pike is the scorer.  Instant offense.  3-point range with a myriad of moves to get to the rim.  The quiet assassin.  His offensive game and range, at this point, are the best on the team.  He's starting to see the court more completely and to pass the basketball with more skill.

Nash is the enforcer.  The most physical player, by far.  He's also the most dangerous scorer because he's got a quick first step and gets to the rim for layup after layup.  He's the best rebounder, too.  As his handle has improved, he's perfected the ability to take a rebound on the defensive end and go coast to coast for a layup in traffic.  No fear.  Always plays with a smile on his face.  Also, by far, the player most likely to get T'd up by a referee, usually because he's laughing at a call with which he disagrees.

Cole is the biggest, tallest boy.  He's starting to play more aggressively, to rebound the basketball, and to drive to the rim against smaller players.  Still a little to emotional, he's prone to getting down on himself, but that's improving as he matures.  In some ways, he's the bellwether for this team.  When he's happy and playing well, it adds a whole dimension to this team.  He can drive but he can stick and outside shot, too.  

Rex is always the wild card.  He's the best athlete of the group.  When he's interested and motivated - usually when I've placed a cash bounty on rebounds like I did Saturday - he has the ability to take this team to another level.  His defense can be outstanding due to his athleticism.  He's deceptively long, so he can rebound, too.  His quickness allows him to get to the rim and his athleticism allows him to finish, too.  If he's motivated - and that's a big if - he's a difference maker.

Austin's game has improved tremendously.  Probably the sweetest, nicest boy on the team, he's got a bit of a mean streak in the paint, which I love.  He's a good rebounder, is staring to shoot the ball with more confidence, and even took a couple of 3-pointers on Saturday.  Just a great kid all the way around.

In Saturday's game, the boys got down early, 16 - 7, then went on an unprecedented run to win by more almost 40 points.  The passing was tremendous.  They pushed the basketball after every defensive rebound and even after made baskets.  They hit some 3-pointers but also made a ton of layups.  Joe had 10 points and played very well.

The other team's best player picked us his fourth foul early in the second half when he came over Rex's back on a rebound and threw him to the ground.  After his coach pulled him, he kicked a chair on the bench, drew a technical foul, then threw the chair into the stands before he was escorted from the gym.  Crazy.  

It's been quite a ride watching the Bucket Squad all these years.  I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.