A hereto unrecognized similarity to Wilt Chamberlain
I've been playing basketball in the park out here in Beius. In answer to your unsaid question, no these Romanians are not very good. They aren't bad though.The problem is, of course, that they never play anyone better than them. They aren't bad shooters, they're great passers, and they always know where the other players are on the floor. That's basic European basketball. But they can't go left, they think they're much better than they are, and they don't know what to do with a player who moves without the ball. I'm tearing them up.
Part of the problem is how the game's been lost in translation - they missed the street-ball rule in which, in half-court ball, after a ball has struck the rim and been rebounded by the opposite team, the ball must be "cleared" out beyond the three-point line before a player on that team can attempt to take a shot. First of all, they don't have a three-point line (they don't really have any useful lines, actually, the person who painted the court had no concept of what sport he was painting for; the lines seem to be painted in a sort of combination volleyball/shuffleboard fashion), and they've never heard of the rule. So when a shot goes off the rim, any player can take the ball, put it back in the hoop, and win points for their team.
Introducing: Ben Wyman, Dominating Inside Presence. This has never been seen before, and likely will never be seen again. But since I don't have to clear the ball, I can simply put this ball back in, and before you know it I've scored more points than the rest of the team combined. All of a sudden I'm a dominating rebounder, I'm constantly swiping the ball away from cocky Romanian guards, I'm pouring in put-back points, and I'm blocking shots.
This place is great.
posted by Ben Wyman @ 8:26 AM
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