Back to it..

It has been a while since my last post.. let me give you an update on what has been happening. I switched teams during the offseason and began this basketball season in Holland playing for Landstede. I spent a couple of months playing with this squad but had some unfortunate things happen to me. After arriving I suffered a rib injury which migrated to my back after compensating for the rib injury. This was quite frustrating because I was far from my athletic ability but was trying to play through and help my team win. I guess I was not doing a great job at that because my team decided to let me go. This was the first time in my career that I had been cut from a basketball team. Needless to say it did not sit well with me. After being sent home I had time to heal my body and prepare myself for my next opportunity. I didn't miss a beat by working with a basketball trainer (Larry Bratcher) and strength trainer (Dr. Stewart Peters) for the weeks I was home and I would like to thank them for all of their help. After some nice time with the family for thanksgiving I was waiting around to hear something about a new job. This call came about a week and a half before Christmas. It was a team in Israel named Hapoel Tivon and they said they wanted me out there in a couple of days! Right before Christmas?? I wasn't too excited about that but the opportuity to be back on a team was too great for me to turn this down. I flew out two days after signing and was playing in a game another two days after arriving. How quickly things can turn around in this business.. We won the first game and also won the next game by a decent margin. I feel like I have fit right in with the team and all of my teammates and coaches have been great with helping me learn the system. It feels wonderful to be back on the court and I am very thankful for the opportunity given to me. After a short break for new years we open the new year with a game against the team we are tied with for 2nd place. I am excited about the new year and optimistic about our teams success in it. Lastly I would like to say Merry Christmas and a happy new year to everyone back home!! be back soon..

Update.. 8-3 in League Play

Since my last post we have played a number of games. In league play we had been on a 7 game winning streak before last week at Jerusalem. We have been playing great as a team on both ends of the floor. Our consistent defense is a big reason for the winning. We should really be on a 8 game winning streak if it weren't for a horrible collapse at the end of our last game at Jerusalem. We were up 3 points with under 10 seconds to go and we choose to foul the other team so they won't be able to tie the game. However our plan does not work.. They make the first free throw, miss the second and get the rebound and get fouled again, make the first of the two, miss the second one on purpose and tip in the rebound to go up 1 with 2 seconds to go. We try a full court throw but it comes short. What a horrible loss. During this streak we took another loss in the cup. The cup is a season long single elimination tournament played within the country. We lost the Ashkelon right before our winter break and now we are out of the cup. Next week we have a huge game against Maccabi Tel Aviv. I think it will be a good game because both of the teams are coming off losses.

On a side note.. I have been getting over a broken nose suffered 2 weeks ago. They have me wearing a mask now while playing and it really bothers court vision. I should be able to play without the mask in the next week though. I am looking forward to playing without it soon..