Game 86: United vs. Abingdon (Girl's Basketball)

Game 86
(2/10/10)
United vs. Abingdon (Girl's Basketball)
Biggsville West Central Regional Semifinal

Currently, 41 days have passed in the year 2010. In that span, I have driven 3,921 miles. After spending that much time in a vehicle on interstates and highways, what comes to mind? My brain is "Rah...Rah...Rah Rah Rah", and "When your fifteen..."

For the uninformed in the pop music world, those would be lyrics from Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, respectively. That's what my mind has become at this stage in the game. I dream about stats and what needs to be updated on the website by night, and by day I am singing along to the radio like a 12-year old girl. Has basketball season made me go out of my mind? Surely not!

Game 86 was the first game of a regional doubleheader in Biggsville. The original plan was to broadcast both games, the first on radio, and the second on IHSSN. However, as I found out on Monday, Biggsville is in a black hole for my Verizon Internet card (Joining Quincy and all of Fulton County).

I arrived at West Central High School right around 5:00, and was one of the first people in the gym. The Abingdon Commandoes had already arrived, as their coaching staff was inside the gym. I headed for the stage and my broadcast location to get my gear all spread out.

Just before the three-point showdown I headed over to talk with United head coach Dennis Mann. We talked about the two teams' first meeting back in December. The Red Storm had claimed a 19-point victory, however, Abingdon was without sophomore standout Cordan Jones.

The Red Storm advanced all four shooters (West Prairie didn't shoot on Monday), and would get three of those shooters to advance to the next round (Brooke Armstrong, Katie Kaywood, and Augusta Chandler). The fourth advancer was Abingdon's Dana Combs.

For some reason, there was a mixup with our engineer at the station. The game was supposed to be broadcast on Sunny 97.7 WMOI, but for some unknown reason, he was putting us on our AM station, 1330 WRAM. By the end of the pregame show, he questioned the station broadcast, so we switched over to the FM before tipoff. This is one of those crazy happenings at the end of the season with so many teams in the postseason, along with putting games on one station one night, and back over on another the next night (United and West Central were both on AM on Monday due to the Monmouth-Roseville game).

The game was back-and-forth to start the first quarter, and the teams were tied, 12-12 after eight minutes. The second quarter spelled disaster for the Red Storm. United did not score a single point until 0:23.8 to play until halftime, when Brooke Armstrong sank two free throws. Those would be the only points scored by United in the second quarter, while the sophomore, Cordan Jones scored all 11 of Abingdon's points in that time frame. She single-handedly outscored the Red Storm 15-14 in the first half.

It was the exact opposite in the third quarter, with United coming out, and outscoring the Commandoes 14-5 in that frame. United knocked down huge three-pointers by Katie Kaywood, Taylor Toops, and Augusta Chandler. It was also in this quarter, during a timeout my color commentator, Vanessa Wetterling, questioned how I was going to do play-by-play with a jolly rancher in my mouth. During timeouts and breaks in action, to keep my saliva active, I will suck on a candy, then spit it out and save it for the next break. I am sure it's sort of disgusting for my broadcast partners, but something they will have to live with!

Abingdon was able to pull ahead down the stretch, after United tied the game at 28-28 heading into the last eight minutes. At a crucial point with about a minute to play in a one-posession game, Abingdon turned the ball over when Kelsey Sharp had a breakaway to the basket but retreated onto the perimeter to take time off the clock. In doing so, she lost control of the ball out of bounds, giving the Red Storm the chance to close even closer.

The Red Storm would score, making it a one-point game, but the Commandoes were able to hold on by late free throws by Cordan Jones (who went 6-6 from the free throw line in the 4th quartre). The sophomore would finish with a game-high 26 points, more than half of her entire team's point total.

Both teams shot well from the free throw line, with Abingdon going (12-15) and United (7-10). Neither team turned the ball over much either. The Commandoes finished with 15 turnovers while the Red Storm committed 9 turnovers. United was led in scoring by Mollie Murdock with 9 points. Murdock is just one of two seniors on this team (along with Kaitlyn Winkler).

After the game, Dennis Mann came up for the postgame interview, and after we wrapped up the broadcast I tore down, and took in the three-point showdown between the next combatants. I have been basketballed out for some reason this week, and am trying to save my energy for the rest of the week, with a game at Moline on Thursday, Galesburg on Friday, and six games at the Riverton Shootout on Saturday.

I headed back for Macomb before tipoff of the B-PC/A vs. North Fulton game (which went overtime), and made a stop at Buffalo Wild Wings for a dozen honey barbecue wings.

This has been a tough week, mentally, as the fatigue of the entire season is starting to weigh down. I am taking it easy, but 100 games is well within reach. Getting to the 100-broadcast plateau is not hard, but difficult at times. Maybe, 150 broadcasts will be more of a challenge next year....

The Quest File Notes
Game 86
Date: 2/10/10
Result: Top-seeded Abingdon dispatches United in the Regionals (45-40).
Miles: 102