This is just a fun topic just meant for a little board levity if you will. I'm going to show my age on this one as well as my tremendous leaping ability. In my high school days we didn't have 3 point and dunking was not allowed not even in warm ups before the game. We were playing a team from Candor NY and they had this guy who came in and in warm ups you didn't dunk but you ran out and jumped as high as you could near the rim. A guy they had could jump and put his elbow above the rim . He was about 6' 6 . It was amazing to see someone jump like that.
Well any way during the game which we did not win and he scored like 35 points he got a pass in the lane as I was playing guard . He turned to shoot but with my cat quick reflexes and amazing jumping ability I gave him a Rosie reject those who are old and listened to Syracuse games know what I'm talking about. I totally stuffed him from behind lol. I was so proud of myself lol. Well as to basketball careers he had a slightly higher ceiling than me . I played at townball after high school. He signed a scholarship offer at Syracuse . His name was Cliff Warwell .
What is your claim to fame or best basketball moment ?
My best basketball moment was playing in the seniors vs. faculty game my senior year at OCS. I was the leading scorer at halftime with 8 points. I scored at the end of a fast break, hit a corner jumper, and then had a tip-steal at the top of the zone and took it in for another bucket. I also hit 2 FT's before the half. The guys on the basketball team mostly played in the fourth quarter, but I got some rebounds and played some good defense when I was in there.
Winning the state championship in cross country my senior year at Bear Mountain was a top highlight, though. I got knocked down in the initial sprint from the starting line, where the whole field had to pass through a bottle neck. Tried to get up and somebody stepped on my back, so I curled up in a ball until the field had passed. I was literally in last place after 200 yards. Came back to have a decent finish personally, with blood flowing down my legs and splattering on to my glasses, and it was enough for our team to get the win.
Individually, my senior year in spring track, I was in the lane next to a guy from Westhill who was a 49 second quarter man. I think he name was Dave Hall. My coach was teasing me at the starting line - "Just stay with this guy." I did place 5th, which was pretty good. Also took a 6th place at Manley for the indoor 600 in Sectionals.
At Baldwinsville's Turkey Day Run, I took 5th place my senior HS year in 15:25 for 3 miles in probably my best race ever. I also beat the Olympian Don Paige in a 20K race on the 4th of July at Fort Stanwix in Oriskany, out near Utica-Rome. I did nearly a half-marathon (12.4 miles vs. 13.1 for a half marathon) in only 77 minutes. That was the only time I ever got sick after a race.
In football, I once returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and I had a 65 yard touchdown run against Oswego on a naked bootleg that I didn't even tell my teammates I was going to do in the huddle. I called a pitch left, but kept the ball and went around the right end undetected and then went all the way. I spiked the ball and came out of the end zone with both arms raised, and got a 15 yard penalty for excessive celebration. Totally worth it.
So there are my sports brags, all gathered up in one place for your amusement.