A Movie Moment

As we watched all of Lia's basketball games through the months of January and February, we definitely saw an increase in most of the other team's skill level this year.  Most of the teams that Lia played were more skilled and advanced than her team.  As a result, she just didn't have the chance to make as many shots which meant that she just didn't have the chance to make any actual baskets.  Although Lia only made one basket her first year (during the first game which was total beginner's luck), she managed to make several baskets last year.  And as her last game approached today, Lia really feel badly that she had not made a single basket during her entire third season.  This morning before the game, Ron and I tried to give her a pep talk and told her to just make as many baskets as she could.  I basically promised her that she would make a basket if she shot the ball at least ten times.  As we drove down to her game this morning, I was really praying that she would make at least one basket to end her season on a positive note.  Luckily, Lia's team was playing at her school in the gym that she is very familiar with and against one of the two teams in the league that is evenly matched to Lia's team.  So, I also hoped this these factors would help increase the odds of Lia making an actual basket.
Right before the game began, Lia was chosen to be in the first group of girls on the court.  After the referee threw the jump ball into the air, one of Lia's teammates hit it right to her.  Lia immediately grabbed the ball and dribbled down the court with a determination that I have never seen before.  She dribbled all the way down into the key and shot the ball.  It hit the rim and bounced back out.  I immediately turned to Ron and commented how amazing it would have been if she could have made a basket within the first five seconds of the game, but apparently it wasn't meant to be.  Lia then continued to play the best game of her career.  Whenever she was on the court, she played more aggressively than I have ever seen her play.  She constantly was trying to get open to get the ball from one of her teammates or shoot that ball which she did six or seven times before the end of the game.  Ron and I were so impressed with her effort and the fact that she never gave up.  When there was ten minutes left, Ron pointed out that she would play for five more minutes before being called out by her coach to sit out the remaining five minutes of the game so that the other group of girls (who she had been rotating with the entire game) would have a chance to play one last time. 
However, with five minutes remaining, Lia's coach decided to put his five best players in since Lia's team was only four points behind.  As a result, he kept Lia in the game.  We were so shock by this as her coach has never done this kind of thing before.  I guess he really wanted to win their final game.  As the minutes on the game clock wore down, Lia's team was not able to make any more baskets.  I was feeling so sad for her.  And when the opposing team took the ball back down the court to make a final basket with only a few seconds left on the clock, I thought that Lia's third season was about to end.  But much to everyone's surprise, the opposing team attempted one shot before Lia caught the rebound.  She then turned around and ran down the court, dribbling as fast as she could, and made a final shot as the buzzer rang AND the ball went right into the basket!  I could not believe it!  Lia literally made her first basket of the season during the last second of the last game.  I was so excited that I shot up out of my chair, threw my hands in the air, and screamed as loud as I could.  Ron immediately told me to sit down because everyone was looking at me so I sat back down and kept on screaming and hollering.  Ron then told me that I was screaming too loud, but there are times in a mother's life when you just don't care what other people think or say about you and this was one of those times.  I seriously felt like Lia had just been in a scene in a basketball movie.  It was so awesome and I was so proud of her!  I couldn't wait to give her a huge hug and kiss on the head.  Way to go, Lia.  You are truly a winner today!

Although Lia is pretty small in this picture, I just had to include it.  This ia one of the shots Lia made at the beginning of the game.  I just love the position of her body as she threw the ball up to the basket.

Lia catching the ball.

My tall, skinny girl waiting for the game to resume.

Lia protecting her ball.

Dribbling around her opponent...

and into the key.

Fighting off her opponent while going in for the shot.

And shooting the ball!

Lia looking up to get the rebound.

This pictures was taken a second or two before Lia's final shot that she actually made.  I put down my camera so that I could watch her without it being in front of my face.  And although I didn't get a picture of Lia making this basket, I am so glad that I was able to see it all happen with my own eyes.

Lia and her entire basketball team standing outside after the game showing off their new trophies (that I ordered and picked up) and their certificates.  Way to go, Huskies!