Friday, January 25

Newark Stadium, Newark, NJ

Paper airplanes, boos, and insults rained from the Newark crowd at the Williamsburg team as they filed into the arena. One hit its' mark, sticking Ain Iannizzi (Cougar, SF, WIL) in the ear. Another stuck in Marron Gwosdz's (Arctic Vixen, SG, WIL) hair and she irritatingly grabbed the piece of notebook paper and threw it on the ground.

More of the louder insults were heard from the fans leaning over the railing.

"How's it feel to suck now, losers?! You don't deserve that championship!"

"The bottom of the division's where you belong!"

"You suck, slinger, go home! Val's better than you'll ever be!"

Vera La Tiérra (Red Vixen, PG, WIL) resisted the reflex to flatten her ears as she walked to the court. That comment cut more than that fan could ever envision.

The last thing she ever wanted to do was "go home", and the last thing she wanted to believe was that Valencia Zeraus (Lioness, PG, NWK) was inherently better at fortitude than her.

* * *

It became apparent quickly that Vera wasn't going to get to the hoop if Val could help it. Vera, in turn, had to implement kickout strategies that Minutemen coach Morgan Roosevelt (Raccoon, HC, WIL) advised her to use more often. They worked like a charm in the first frame as Iannizzi and Teo Masalia (Black Panther, SG, WIL) used her feeds and screens to drive to the hoop past Shelia Andrews (Grizzly Bear, PF, NWK) and Lance Freewell (Clouded Leopard, C, NWK) for big slams.

While Newark stormed back with 32 points in the second period, headed by fast-paced shots and drives from Valencia and Sammy Sickstra (Cougar, SG, NWK), the Minutemen kept pace with 28 points of their own, La Tiérra and Masalia feeding Nick Nwabudike (Elephant, WIL, C) inside to take control of the paint. The visitors led 54-48 at half-time.

* * *

It was about five minutes left in the fourth. Zeraus cut into the lane past Gwosdz, in for defense, and suddenly whipped the ball out to the arc. A crescendo of cheers rose as Miguel Mendoza (Macaw, C, NWK) received the pass and was wide open. He took his time and released the shot as Gerry Cross (Mink, PF, WIL) tried jumping to block the shot little too late.

Swish.

The Pride was up 91-90 and the arena was going berserk. Roosevelt was barely able to call a timeout with the bedlam and rock music going on around them. But the plan was simple: keep in the paint. Get to the hoop and take smart shots inside the arc. Keep them away from the paint.

That's just what they did, with Leonard Mack (Fox, PF, WIL) getting off two open 15-footers off feeds from La Tiérra and Masalia, and the big, muscular fox prevented Andrews from getting to the hoop herself. However, Zeraus and Allen Sharp (Hyena, SF, NWK) were able to get key shots to keep Newark within striking distance.

The score stood 99-96 Minutemen with 5.3 seconds to go and Newark with the ball. All they needed was a three to tie, and Zeraus and Sickstra were slated to try to take it with Sharp inbounding the ball. The whistle blew and he was ready to get the pass off. Just as Valencia cut, so did Vera. Sharp threw the pass and Vera slightly tipped it, sending it her way! The vixen grabbed the ball and spied Masalia streaking to the sideline in front of the Minutemen bench. She whipped the pass to him and before Sickstra could get set, Masalia launched a three.

It snapped the twine, and it was the Minutemen bench's turn to go berserk.

Newark had no timeouts left, so Sickstra took the inbounds and heaved the ball as far as he could. Valencia took the heave and tried a desperation three, but it bounced off the hoop as the buzzer sounded.

The Minutemen's longest losing streak since losing 18 in a row in 2009-10 was over! Iannizzi back-bumped Masalia exuberantly and Vera and Teo shared a huge high-five as Tyron Stricker (Porcupine, SF, WIL) and Otto Okkonen (Dragon, F/C, WIL) dared a chest bump and Nwabudike clapped his best friend on the back.

The team traded high fives and hugs in the locker room, relieved that the small crisis was at an end. Roosevelt praised the team for sticking to the game plan and their versatility in achieving the win. Newark coach Raymond Page Leddy (Leopard, HC, NWK) was less lenient. While glad that the team persevered after the Minutemen took a big lead in the first quarter, he reamed them a bit about letting the visitors control the paint, saying they had to improve on that in their next game against Plymouth.