Something New

It has been said that you should try something new every week. Basketball-watching that is.

The schools had a ‘Jump to It’ Competition, culminating in the semi final and final being played at the Braehead Arena. I have been to the shops (too often) and seen the signs but never been in, further more the Scottish Rocks were playing the Newcastle Eagles at Basketball, another first. Mid January is a lean time moneywise so as the tickets were free, we went.

The Arena was a pleasant surprise, a tardis moment in truth, hidden behind the shops a different if not slightly tired world. We sat and watched the melee and at 5 pm tip off occurred. The game was faster than I had imagined and more physical too. I suppose I had the naive idea that it would be one touch Hollywood basketball, and to be fair sometimes it was. The game was interspersed with time outs which allowed the scantily clad Rockettes to do their thing. Once John had decided that they were legal, he was curious to know if anyone could call a time out!

The Rocks need to win by 24 points to progress in the cup, they agonisingly won by 22 points and right up to the last seconds they could have done it, but a series of technical and sportsmanship fouls allowed their dream to disappear. John prefers his sport to be more streamlined without the interruptions-although he seemed more interested in the interruptions than the game.