Week #7 - STABbed Early and Often: Tandem Earns Statement Win at the Blue Ridge Shootout

On the first day of school at 6:30 in the morning, the Tandem Badger Boys Varsity Basketball team was already in the gym. Working on defense technique, speed and agility, the team is in mid-season shape - and it's not even October. This allows them to execute a relentless full court defense - double teaming the opponent's point guard and forcing the ball to somebody who does not really want it. Then, as the opposition tries to get across half court, they've got Sin sliding his feet - allowing absolutely no air space - and Tre coming from behind, tapping the ball loose, securing possession for Tandem which might lead to a Quis dunk, Isaac deep three or Sin teardrop floater. More on that later.

 

STAB took the court with a lot of confidence. Hmm, perhaps they were looking ahead to their next opponent? The Badgers force you to focus on the here and now. On their first possession, Sin swung the ball to Isaac who jabbed at his defender with his right leg, before pulling the ball back with a between the legs drag dribble and cashing in a three from several feet behind the line. On the next time down, Sean looked his opponent right in the eye and drilled a triple from the top of the key. On the ensuing defensive possession, Tre was moving his feet so quickly laterally that he beat STAB's point guard to the spot, forcing a travel. It was as if STAB had a thought bubble above their heads: "Woah. Tandem is way better than I thought! Am I going to have to deal with that kind of pressure all night?" Dave's thought bubble: "yes."

 

After a STAB three on the other end, Sin hit a beautiful step back jumper, cutting the STAB lead to one point. They never led again. Isaac hit a corner three, Quis beat his man with a lightning quick first step, and drew a foul. With STAB on their heels, Tandem got into the bonus quickly in the first half. The Badgers were in attack mode: both Kemaan and Sean earned trips to the line.

 

When STAB got the ball in the backcourt, they were introduced to Tre'Sean, who was all over them. Kemaan completed a trap in the short corner - and with nowhere to go, STAB launched the ball into the middle where Sin intercepted it and took it the length of the floor. Tandem's momentum was growing. Sean found Kemaan for a backdoor and then hit a three of his own, and Tandem led 24-17. STAB called timeout as they discussed what they could do about this epic opponent that they underestimated. Not much, as it turns out.

 

With four minutes to go in the half, Tre plucked the ball away from STAB's point guard, and found Sean on the other end. The lead ballooned as Quis hit a three - forcing backcourt on the next defensive possession - and then Isaac had a big steal and an and one at the rim! The Badgers led 36-20 at the half and kept building the lead from there.

 

STAB has a beautiful gym - it is awfully dark and empty at 6:30am - the window when champions are made. For example, there is nobody drilling five threes in a two-minute clip... First Isaac hit one from the top of the key, then he stepped back and swished a shot all the way from Fluvanna! Realizing he was on NBA Jam style fire, his teammates found him three consecutive times off transition. Meanwhile STAB had to deal with Sean's beautiful drop-step on the block and Quis drawing fouls at the rim. STAB had a size advantage - but playing with an enormous amount of heart, Tre'Sean came down with three rebounds in a row among the trees. 

 

With Tandem up 59-38 STAB called timeout. "I don't know what to tell you," their coach shouted. "If we can't get the ball across half court we can't run any offense." That's a problem - when you've got to contend with Isaac driving baseline and jumping about 14' in the air before aggressively slamming it home. Or when Anthony grabs every single rebound. Or, as we saw on one of my favorite plays of the day, Tre dribbled around two defenders, leapt as if he was on a pogo stick, drew a foul and had the strength to keep his body vertical, and cashed in on one that belongs on Sportscenter.

 

You know when you're late to work and just wish you could weave through traffic? Sin can - he dribbles his way through three much taller defenders, hangs in the air for what seems like an eternity, releases the ball just as the defense is on their way down and adds to his scoring total. He did this three possessions in a row, and then when his defender finally took a step back, Sin scored a three pointer right over his outstretched arm. "My name is Sin by the way," he announced - and I don't think anybody will ever forget it.

 

Anthony added a buzzer beater, and the Badgers won 87-53. To be clear, this was not an upset - just taking care of business. It was a case of the harder working, more skilled team doing what every single player in their huddle expected: winning big. STAB may have been looking ahead to their next opponent, a mistake they'll never make again. The flag has been planted and a statement made: Tandem Boys Varsity Basketball is an elite team - and if you don't come ready to play - well you might just lose by 34 points.

 

Thank you to all of our families, teachers, and classmates who came to support the squad today! A hearty congratulations to our Tandem Badgers on a great tournament. Unlike at UVA on Friday, there's no reason to rush the court. This is who we are. Coaches Sam, Mary, Denzel and Dean have put an enormous amount of work into this season already - holding team camps, attending summer and fall tournaments, and practicing early in the morning. That's what you have to do if you want to be elite. Don't call it an upset. It's just the beginning.