Just a little catching up to do. Matthew has had 2 basketball games since my last post. He's actually playing better, even though his team is not very good. He's scoring less, but has become way more aggressive. You can just see him understanding the game better. His coach isn't very good, he just yells, as if the kids are embarrassing him. Either way, I talk to Matthew before each game and at halftime. Just to motivate him and tell him what I see and what he can do differently to affect the game. Try to give him something positive. It seems to be helping and I think he looks forward to it. After pre game warmups, he comes over to get his Gatorade and ask what I'm thinking. I spend all of warmups watching the other team. After they come out of the locker room at half time, he comes back and asks the same question. I never call him over, he just comes. I coached him in so many things that we just work well together and he knows that I'm focusing on his game more than anyone else is.
He got hit in the mouth at the end of the third quarter, game before last. That flipped some kind of switch. At the start of the fourth quarter, he looked up at me MAD, I just shook my head in approval. I expected him to foul out, because he's not the type to cause a fight. I was wrong. He turned up the hustle and aggression to a never before seen level for him. He's always just been too nice. That seemed to go away for the rest of the game. They had 3 boys bigger than him, but he had 2 points and 7 rebounds in the fourth quarter alone. Those boys had him pretty well handled until then. He ended up with 4 points, 9 rebounds, 4 fouls and an assist.
The game on Friday, I reminded him to be aggressive. He came out on fire. 4 points and 4 rebounds in the first quarter. He remained very active. More hustle and aggression. I liked it, even if the ball just wouldn't go in. He shot plenty and took good shots. He dominated underneath and was triple teamed after the first quarter. Still ended up with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals and 5 fouls. Fouled out with 3.7 seconds left in the game. Good job Matt.
Aiden and Arron are here, after three hour delays on both of their flights, but they're here. It was too windy for a camp fire last night, but I think it's on tonight. We had a big pot of jambayala last night and watched Safe House and Napoleon Dynamite.
Today Matthew and I are off to Baltimore to pick up Mom, James and Bug. Should be a good trip down, as it will be filled with sports and hunting talk. Maybe some singing. The trip back will be fun as well. Nothing like a long trip with B, not to mention all the catching up the rest of us will be trying to do, over his giggling. Fun times
Wish you were all here
Jim
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