1. Watching Gonzaga crush Pepperdine 111-88, I flashed back to the ninth grade and the 1968-69 Kellogg Kittens (we were juvenile Wildcats) basketball season. As the Gonzaga/Pepperdine game progressed, Pepperdine tried playing some zone defense, leaving Gonzaga's guards and wings wide open for three point shots. Unguarded, unharassed, Gonzaga scored almost at will.
The Kellogg Kittens ran a 1-3-1 offense and most of the teams we played defended us with a zone defense. My role in this offense was to roam the baseline and when Don or Steve or Roger passed me the ball I could keep the ball moving with a pass into Bruce in the key or to a guard cutting to the basket or to a guard who rotated to the side of the court I was on. My other option was to shoot from the baseline or the corner.
I think I shot a lot. I scored quite a bit, largely because I was rarely harassed or defended by our opponents. I had the experience over fifty years ago that I saw Gonzaga's outside shooters have yesterday: shooting outside jumpers while wide open and splashing a good percentage of them.
As I grew older and joined the KHS varsity basketball team, I rarely had this experience again, didn't have the luxury of shooting outside shots largely undefended and I never adjusted very well. My three years as a KHS varsity team member were pretty much flops, except for the fact that I made friendships that have endured to this day.
2. Around six o'clock, Debbie and I blasted over to Carol and Paul's house and joined them and Zoe and Molly for chips, slices of salami, cheese, and fruit, and other finger food and sweets. Cocktails and wine were on hand, but I drank plain seltzer water, knowing that I'd be driving tonight.
Christy wasn't feeling well and took a rain check, deciding she'd be wiser to stay home and rest and take care of herself.
We had a lot of fun talking about language and past New Year's Eves and the cultural changes we've experienced and witnessed over the years.
3. After a relaxing couple of hours, Debbie and I piled back into the Sube and rocketed up to the Inland Lounge for one drink and to wish Cas and Tracy a Happy New Year.
We didn't stay long and returned home just as the local 9:00 (12 EST) fireworks were being set off and we settled into an episode of Perry Mason and capped off the evening with conversation about what 2023 might look like.
It was a good way to end the evening and, I guess, end the year.
There were more fireworks at midnight.
But we'd both gone to bed by then.
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