Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

[beast10]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

November 24th, 2014

Coach Anderson: We're back. Hope you guys all had great weekends with that great win against DSDC in mind. Before we start I'd like to introduce another new player to the team, Tyree Levell. Now you'll need to play a weeks worth of practices before you eligible to participate in a game therefore you will not be able to play in our next game.

This practice is going to be dedicated towards transition offense. We did a great job recovering on defense but it's time we've added another aspect to our overall and that is a team that can run the floor.

Practice Planning Schedule

• Fast Break
• Shooting Technique
• 2-3 Zone*
• Scrimmaging

Practice Recap
Dontae' Brown played physical down low with new addition Tyree Levell. He gave him a hard time, getting in his face, couple of elbows, and a few hard fouling. Later after the nonsense continued Coach Anderson blew the whistle and pulled Dontae' out the scrimmage.

Coach Anderson: Dontae' what the hell are you doing out there? I told you this is a team game, I'm tired of seeing you running teammates to the ground just to hold your own.

Dontae Brown: NO COACH. THIS IS MY POSITION. I WORKED MY A** OFF FOR THIS. IMMA TEACH THIS *** SOMETHING ABOUT BALL IF HE THINKS HE CAN JUST COME IN HERE AND EARN A SPOT.

Coach Anderson: Dontae' your hitting the showers early today. Get out of my gym.

Dontae' Brown: REALLY? HIM OVER ME? *Kicks chair over and leaves*

Ok let's bring it in.. Baseline. Christian you've gotta pick your offense game up, it's definitely not the one I saw that made me put you on this team and Cole you've gotta get more aggressive on each end of the floor... You guys both are ones I'd hate to bench but your efficiency isn't up to par to my likings so I'm questioning.
But besides that, you all as a team have shown me you're really fast learners so I can guarantee we're going to get even better and the season evolves. We've just gotta stick together and we'll be able to watch things pan out.

Tigers on 3; 1, 2, 3
TIGERS, TIGERS, TIGERS

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Discussment/Time of Day
After practice.

[TheBusinessHarp]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

Thoughts to self

Stone: If Cole keeps struggling maybe I'll get into the starting line up, I gotta keep working hard, If coach gives me a chance I know ill ball out

[TheNumber35]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

Thoughts to self

Stone: If Cole keeps struggling maybe I'll get into the starting line up, I gotta keep working hard, If coach gives me a chance I know ill ball out

*Brandon sees Stone after practice and approaches*

Brandon: Yo Stone, meet me at that auxiliary gym in the old wing of school in 30 minutes. I'm ready to get to work

[MarvellousOne]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

*Adrian catches up with Dontae*

Adrian: Yo Tae! Say man what was all that about fam?

[ThatKidNamedTae]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

Dontae':New guy wanted to come in and challenge me for my spot? I taught him how it is to play it. Doesnt matter anyways. That ****** coach suspended me for 2 games.

[MarvellousOne]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

Dontae':New guy wanted to come in and challenge me for my spot? I taught him how it is to play it. Doesnt matter anyways. That ****** coach suspended me for 2 games.

Adrian: Dang bro 2 games? ****. It's going to be tough without you fam. We do need you though bro, although you want to show you are the man in the middle we need you to show it against our opponents my dude. You know nobody is going to take your spot unless you find ways to get it stripped from you.

[TheBusinessHarp]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

*Brandon sees Stone after practice and approaches*

Brandon: Yo Stone, meet me at that auxiliary gym in the old wing of school in 30 minutes. I'm ready to get to work

Stone: sounds good man, lets put in some work

[beast10]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

November 24th, 2014

After Practice Coaching Staff Chatter

Coach Anderson: I just told Dontae' he was suspended for 2 games. The kid needs to learn that he's no different than everybody here.
Assistant Plath: Exactly. That's sometimes the problem with having highly regarded players on the team. They think they can run everything and will whine when things don't go their way.
Coach Anderson: Yeah, hopefully this suspension will allow him to realize he's not gonna be able to continue to do that type of stuff.
Assistant Benefield: Well Leonard, who are you going to replace Dontae' with?
Coach Anderson: Maybe shift the lineup down one and have Christian at center and bring Eury into the starting 5. I would have Adrian at power forward but I like him off the bench.
Assistant Benefield: Eury get too out of control sometimes though. I'd suggest keeping him on the bench and letting him out perform the opposing team's bench.
Assistant Plath: Well then who do you insist should be the starters Barrett?
Assistant Benefield: Well Jerry and Jeremy at guard, Cole and Hines at forward, and Christian at center. This will allow us to keep a lengthy lineup and allow our offense to conitnue at a good and efficent pace.
Coach Anderson: That sounds alright but this is a very tough situation. I didn't want to suspend Dontae' but the kid just has to learn. We're gonna have to figure this out. We've got talent that could still win games but we've got to put the puzzle pieces in the correct spots.

---

Discussment/Time of Day
Out of school. What's going on at home or wherever you are? How was practice? Anything.

[TheBusinessHarp]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

*Stone overhears Adrian and Dontae's conversation
As he is walking to the gym

Thought to self

Stone: damn, 2 guys! Tae is our best player, this is going to f*****g suck without him. But we got this

[ThatKidNamedTae]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

Adrian: Dang bro 2 games? ****. It's going to be tough without you fam. We do need you though bro, although you want to show you are the man in the middle we need you to show it against our opponents my dude. You know nobody is going to take your spot unless you find ways to get it stripped from you.

Look, I'll tell you why I acted the way I did. Back when I was 9, I played Center on my AAU team. Then this guy named Thon Maker joined. I had been starting and performing all season. Then that ***** walks on the team randomly and was named the starter. I was so mad and I just cant get it out of my mind. Thats why have a center joining the team triggered that and I just went off.

[TheNumber35]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

November 24th, 2014

Brandon enters the familiar gym, he'd been here four times in the past two weeks, add that into practice and the game he'd played in and Brandon was living, breathing, and sleeping basketball. His inside game was slowly starting to get better with his side workouts and he knew it. He wasn't quite ready to start showing other people yet, to start executing it in games, but he knew with another month or two of work, his game would be even better. He'd be one of the top guards in the league. He already had the jumper down, he could dish it and handle it with the best of them...he just needed to get the inside game down.

But there'd be time for that, this would serve as a nice review for Brandon...and a great deal of help for one of his new friends. Stone was a great scorer, but he needed some work on the finer points of being a guard (passing, handling the ball, decision making, etc.) If he could add that to his game, he'd be the best guard on the team. Brandon was determined to help.

Stone opens the door and peers around the corner, notices Brandon and comes in.

Brandon, why we in this dusty old place? Why not the main gym?

Well, I like this gym. I've been practicing here for the past couple weeks when I don't have practice or a game. I found it and I like it here.

Brandon motions Stone over to the baseline and runs back to the bleachers to grab a basketball from his bag.

Alright Stone, I don't exactly know where to start with this. So I'm going to start from the beginning. Don't get pissed, or think that I feel you're stupid. Not the case man, some people were never taught this stuff and I'm gonna cover my bases. I'm going to go over the basics, then we'll get into more advanced stuff as we keep practicing.

Alright, so you probably know that there's five basic types of passes in basketball. Right?

Yeah bro: chest, bounce, wrap-around, skip, and baseball. I know all this.

Bear with me, I promise this is going somewhere. Anyways, stand at the top of the key with the ball. Good, now I'm about to cut my way into a outside look, hit me with the right type of pass.

Stone dribbles at the top of the key, Brandon cuts to the wing and Stone delivers an off-target chest pass.

Stone: Damnit!

Not quite man. You threw the right pass, it was just off-target. And I noticed why too. Watch me throw the same pass, I'm going to imitate what I just saw from you.

Brandon and Stone switch places and run the same play. Brandon throws the pass just as Stone did.

What did you see?

Your body was out of position to throw the pass, and your footwork was off.

*Brandon cracks a smile*

Exactly. Can you fix it?

They switch places again and Stone throws an on-target pass.

See? Your passing wasn't an issue because of talent or anything like that. It was a simple mechanical error. If you can work on long enough, you can break those bad habits. Let's move on to your other passes, I bet we can pinpoint something in every single one.

They continue practicing for the next hour or so, throwing the five basic passes and noticing little tweaks that needed to be made. Brandon moves all over the floor to receive these passes as well as talking to Stone about situational passing (what situations fit what pass.) The two work for awhile and eventually finish up.

Alright bro, you know what you need to work on. I think we'll do a good job of working on it if we meet up once a week and run through this stuff. I won't focus an entire session on it like this time though...we're moving on to handling the ball next time. We will work on passing at the beginning though. Also, make sure you keep working outside of practice and outside of just me and you.

*Stone leaves the gym.*

He's gonna be a hell of a player. Pretty soon too. He isn't far away. Back to my stuff though.

With that statement, Brandon goes to the bag and sets up the cones again and starts running a very familiar drill...

Spoiler

Off-topic: Hope these longer posts are alright. And I hope that you're cool with what I wrote TheBusinessHarp!

[TheBusinessHarp]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

Off topic, you can call me Stone as that is my real name haha and yes that post was awesome, I'm no where near creative enough to come up with something like that so I'm glad you can!

[TheBusinessHarp]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

*Stone waits for Brandon to finish his workout

Stone: Hey man thank you for working with me, you're a good friend, let's go get some food, I'll buy!

[TheNumber35]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

*Stone waits for Brandon to finish his workout

Stone: Hey man thank you for working with me, you're a good friend, let's go get some food, I'll buy!

Brandon: No problem man, and free food? You know I ain't turning that down!

[beast10]

Re: Restoring the Fear: A Belltown Tigers Legacy

November 24th, 2014

Coaching Anderson & Tyree Levell Discussion

Tyree Levell: Yo Coach, can I talk to you?
Coach Anderson : Yeah, if it's about the Dontae' situation I've already got it covered.
Tyree Levell: By suspending him? No offense, Coach, but this team needs him.
Tyree Levell: I've heard the players talking. And I appreciate what you were doing for me but I can handle myself.
Coach Anderson : I didn't do anything specifically for you, the actions made where for Dontae' to realize he needs to get his head straight. Elbowing teammates and commiting hard fouls in a practice is unacceptable if that player plans on playing on my team.
Tyree Levell: He was just playing hard. Just consider lifting the suspension, alright? I don't want to be hated by everyone here already.
Coach Anderson : No, consiquences are to be made for people to know expectations.
Tyree Levell: And what about me, Coach? Think the other players are gonna be happy to play with me? They think it's my fault.
Coach Anderson : Look son, I control this basketball team. What I say is what goes. I'm not gonna let you just come to this school and try to change my thoughts. This is MY system so when I say something that is what's going to happen and you're not going to make me change my mind about it.
Tyree Levell: Alright, I understand, sir. Just don't be surprised when everyone plays with me down low the same way Dontae did.
Coach Anderson : Hey if you can't take it you can just give me the jersey and get off the basketball team. However that WON'T be happening as long as I'm here.
Tyree Levell: I can take it. That's why I want him back, so I can have someone actually compete with me. I'll be ready to play either way though, as long as you give me a shot.
Coach Anderson : Well, tough luck... And you'll get that shot pretty soon.
Tyree Levell: Alright, thank you for everything sir.
Coach Anderson : No problem. Have a good evening kid
Tyree Levell: You too Coach.

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Discussment/Time of Day
Still out of school. Around 6:50 P.M.