Team Josiah was thoroughly embarrassed by 6 Ft Over in a previous match up and came to play with a tough, physical and borderline dirty style. Everyone expected Uncle Fester to play physically and foul out within the games first 6 minutes and Fester provided no surprises. It was a surprise that a few of Josiah's new acquisitions were real bangers. There was a big bodied man with "Ibanez" on his shirt that knocked everyone down that got in his way. His tough play was surprising given that when he spoke he sounded like Mike Tyson's daughter. There was another rotund post player who easily was 300+ that threatened to "lay out" Aaron Shupert if he dared to bounce an elbow off any of his jelly rolls.
The physical nature of the contest created a testy atmosphere especially when 6 Ft Over players called fouls on consecutive possessions. Team Josiah's complaining reached the ridiculous level when Nick Hach was close lined on a fast break. The opposition expressed surprise that the game was stopped for fouling as the 6'6 Hach picked himself off of the ground.
The endgame of Tuesday's contest was a roller coaster. Neither team could put the other away. Uncle Fester was on fire from downtown and hit a big 3 pointer with a minute and a half to go. Team Josiah's players all brought their wives, girlfriends, kids, friends kids, aunts and uncles to the game and they were really into the action which made it seem like a real game. A clutch Hasenmiller 3 pointer silenced the crowd and tied the game with a minute to go.
Fester scored again in the paint, 6 Ft Over was thwarted on offense and was forced to foul down 2. The winless Team Josiah then demonstrated why they were winless by missing two free throws and giving 6 Ft Over another chance. Nick Hach tied it with a bank shot from the baseline and then 6 Ft Over got another stop with 30 seconds to go and a chance at the last shot. Richard Dengler admitted that his head wasn't entirely in the game because of the release of this photograph prior to tip off.
The embarrassment caused him to lift a cringe inducing 16 footer with 30 seconds still left on the clock in the tie ball game. Dengler's shot missed but 6 Ft Over clamped down on D and forced another Team Josiah miscue.
With three seconds to go 6 Ft Over setup a play which called for Jeff Reiners to run his man off of two baseline screens for a catch and shoot. Reiners received the pass and instantly handed the pressure of taking the last shot back to Hasenmiller. Justin got a good look, but just missed it off to the side. It was time for some OT.
YMCA officials were scrambling to find a rule book when the score remained tied at the end of regulation. It was the first overtime game the YMCA scorekeeper had seen in years. At first it appeared that the YMCA was making up the overtime rules as they went along, but apparently the rule book calls for a 2 minute period to decide a winner.
The OT period quickly turned into a free throw shooting contest which ultimately favored 6 Ft Over. Dengler easily made up for his earlier shot selection by clamping down on D and hitting the offensive glass. Shupert tapped a late missed free throw back to Dengler who made an easy lay up that essentially ended the game. The home crowd left bitterly as it had appeared Team Josiah had their first victory.
Next weeks match up is at 8:30 against Team "Hello Kitty".
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