WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 ATHLETICS

 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 ATHLETICS

Today - Girls/women basketball

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Over the weekend, I played in a Granny Basketball Tournament in Norman Oklahoma.  Granny Basketball uses the old rules for girls basketball.

Speaking from memory growing up in Iowa, what is sometimes called 6 on 6 basketball was the predominant girls’ basketball in Iowa until the 1990s.

“As the oldest sanctioned IGHSAU sport, girls began playing high school basketball in the 1920s, even when many people believed they should not play. But the enthusiasm for the sport and the annual state tournament ignited a passion for the game. In fact, the Iowa Girls State High School Basketball tournament is the oldest girls’ high school tournament of its kind and has been known for its great basketball and exciting half-time shows. Iowa girls basketball was played in a six-on-six format until 1994 when all school districts switched to five-on-five. Today, the sport is still an audience favorite, culminating in the one-of-kind state tournament and encouraging Iowa girls to develop team-building skills and lifelong friendships. IGHSAU currently has five classes of basketball with more than 7,500 girls playing.”

Girls basketball in Iowa until the mid-1960s was all in the 6 on 6 format.  Larger schools complained that such basketball hindered Iowa girls from being recruited by colleges.  6 on 6 really had three court sections - frontcourt, midcourt, and backcourt - and there were 2 members of each team in each court.  Only the forwards could score - so if a game ended let’s say at 70 to 65, it might be that one forward scored 50 points and the other scores 20 points for the winning team.  The players in the middle only passed the ball from the backcourt after a rebound to the frontcourt to the girls who could score.

Of course, a team (coach) could substitute players so it wouldn’t always be the same two forwards scoring.  But, women’s college basketball was basically the same as men’s college basketball, so college (university) teams wanted to recruit players who could run up and down the court, play forward and score and play defense.  

In addition to the three court areas, the old rules only allowed two dribbles.  

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Granny Basketball is based on the old rules.  Still 6 on 6 (but in three zones), still only two dribbles, three fouls and you foul out.  Fouls in the backcourt (away from the ball) are taken by one of the forwards.  An underhand shot is okay and is worth three points.  

You must be at least 50 to play granny basketball. My team (the Georgetown Texas Fire Ants) is probably one of the teams with the oldest players.  

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To me, (and over-simplified), my playing in Granny basketball is like a team aerobics class.  We loosen up for flexibility, we do a lot of different drills (aka - like various exercises), we pass, we dribble (left hand and then right hand), and we scrimmage.  In an hour-and-one-half practice, I get about 2 miles of walking - less than walking on the track but more than sitting in my chair.  There is pivoting, changing direction, and thinking.  I do work up a sweat!!

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Playing Granny Basketball is like playing any basketball (except with some different rules).  We play on a standard basketball court.  The court is divided into three parts.  The frontcourt is about 2/3rd as long as a standard frontcourt.  There is no ten-second line, there are no rules about over-and-back.  The middle section is also about ⅓ of a standard court - taking a third out of the frontcourt and a third out of a backcourt.  At the first of the game, a player (aka “Granny”) takes the ball at the center circle and can throw it to a player on her team in the frontcourt, to her teammate in the middle section, or even back to the guard court.  She cannot dribble.  

On a made basket by the other team, the referees will bring the ball to midcourt, and again a player will start a new sequence.  If there is an easy place to play, the mid-court players do have it easy.  They come into play when the other team scores a basket; or if their team gets a defensive rebound and passes the ball to the center and then a center player passes it to the frontcourt.  Other than after a score or starting the game, they can dribble twice.

In the backcourt, two guards are defending against the two forwards on the other team.  There should be little (or no) touching (even a light touch is a foul).  If you “hover” over a player on the other team, that is a foul (and three fouls and you are out).  [I’ve been learning NOT to do that].  

Common turnovers include double dribble, too many dribbles (only two dribbles are allowed), or traveling.  

My coach has been trying to make me a forward.  I do stand taller than other players.  The other forward is to lobe the ball to me (probably standing in the lane), and I am to pivot and give a little set-shot for a score.  Sometimes I’m double-teamed so after I get a lobe and it is hard to pivot and score, I can pass it to the other forward who takes a shot and I am to get the rebound (if she misses).  

At this tournament, we played three games and lost three games.  In the first game, we got behind by 10 and then caught up and only lost by 2.  In the second game, we got behind by 10 again and lost by 5. And in the third game, we got behind by 20 and finally lost by 30 points.  

Most of the teams were younger and quicker.  I’m not sure with tons of practice if I ever can be quicker!!!  

In the past, super-granny teams (will all players over 70) play against each other.  That might be fairer than playing against 50 to 60-year-old players who still have agility and grace of movement.

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But, it isn’t winning or losing for me.  I am trying to keep my focus on this being my aerobic workout.  

LOVE WINS!!

Karen

[Okay, a final comment.  Our team had seven players and you can only have six on the floor at one time.  In the last game, my coach had me on the bench for most of the game.  My ego wanted to say “put me in coach”.  I’m still learning Micah 6:8 - “Love justice, show mercy and walk humbly with God”.  Ego doesn’t always go with humility!!!]