If you like basketball

Yes, I was in Spokane over four days this past week watching small school basketball at the 1B/2B State Tournament.

I haven’t missed one in a long time and I don’t plan on missing any in the future until I absolutely am unable to.

This year’s tournament saw a few really good matchups.

The teams that made it to the championship games were very deserving because they played well when it mattered and a couple overcame a few obstacles to rally to victory.

Were they the favorites? Most had to be considered a favorite because of the talent level while a couple others played well when it really mattered as in most of the week.

Like most tournaments there were a couple of upsets that knocked a favorite or two from playing for the championship trophy.

The season is long and kids are battling injuries, sickness and slumps, while some teams come into Spokane playing at a high and are ready to give it all they have.

The reason I like to go to this tournament is to watch good basketball and there was plenty of good basketball to see.

There are a ton of storylines that make up a good tournament. There are also a few instances where games get a little tight in the end and players are counted on to make plays, make free throws and control the ball.

Late in any tight ballgame it seems as though everyone in the arena is yelling against you. Well, the fans on one side of the arena are screaming and yelling trying to distract the opposing team’s free throw shooter.

In one particular game a young guard missed a couple of free throws that could have tied up a game, but he missed them both.

On the other end he was able to get a loose ball but when he started dribbling up the court a defender knocked the ball loose and ran out the clock. The young guard was devastated.

I feel for kids in that situation. He gave everything he had and in a matter of 20 seconds it seemed like the arena roof caved in on him.

For the most part the opposing team was only happy with winning the game and really didn’t care about that kid’s emotions.

As fans most people only care about their team, but now and then we can sometimes see ourselves in that poor kid and we should feel for him. He’ll survive but he may need to feel support from teammates and local fans. No one is perfect.

I’ve often told kids that I’ve coached that they are human and the only thing I can guarantee them is that they will make mistakes. It isn’t about making mistakes it is about dealing with them.

Athletes need to forget about a mistake they’ve made. Too many athletes make a mistake and then try to make up for it and most of the time they can only seem to make it worse.

Those athletes that forget about it and play on seem to play with more confidence. I can assure you that I often thought about making a mistake and it didn’t help my game a bit.

It seems to me that a coach had to tell me to forget about it before I was able to get back in the game mentally.

It is human nature to feel bad about making mistakes. Those that are made playing sports at the state tournament level seem to be magnified because of the venue.

Only one team can be a state champion each year and to get to that game takes a lot of talent, hard work and a fair amount of luck.

Watching this tournament you will see a lot of talent, hard work and luck in every game that is played. I could never work this tournament because I want to watch each game and see how they get played out.

I would say that if you like basketball this tournament is for you if you have a team there or not.

For many of us it is the best tournament in the state!