Mr. MVP

Yesterday was my last day on vacation here in Boston.

I had spent fun time for the Chinese National Day Holiday in USA, but one unfulfilled task ahead of me had been triggering my interest to competing with the specific team in Basketball match.

One week ago, Jack and I had played with this team. Unfortunately, we lost all the games in “Three On Three”.

Playing Basketball in USA is quiet different from in China. there are many tuff physical confrontations.   

The counterparts in the games are friends living same apartment building as Jack. They are much stronger than us both in height and weight. Besides, they had unbelievable long distance shooting accuracy as result of their constant practice.

The regulation here is that shot outside the arc of three point accounts two points and in the arc one point. Each game is eleven points.

That means whoever won the 11 point in advance, who won the game.

Apparently, the long distance shot becomes the key to victory. For the reason,  Jason became our savior in winning the game yesterday.

Thanks for the “Columbia Day”, Jason had time to join us as result of the vacation.

After the carefully preparation, Jack, Jason and I commence the competition with them according to the appointment.

Our counterpart team had three persons with one Korean American, two black persons. They are very good both in long distance shot and breakthrough. One black player is almost two meters high and behaves much like Keven Durant, the other one is high than me.  

First game, we lost.

After adjusting out strategy in defense and offensive, aggressive defense by Jack and me took advantage of more rebound, gradually, we were in charge of the initiative in offensive. Finally, we won the last two games over them.

In two games we won, Jason scored 20 points, while Jack and I devote one point each.  

In the victory, Jason played very important role.

Jack was so excited and told Jason: “Jason, brother, you are so good, even the higher black guy could not stop you in offensive and defensive. ”  

It was true that Jason was the key to win the game last evening.

Jason was the Mr. MVP in high school before he entered Boston University.

Playing Basketball had been my favorite spot since 1979 in medical school. Therefore, Jack and Jason got some influence and initiative from me, especially Jason.

In 2000,  Jason got a small basket as a birthday gift  when he was only three years old. Since then, he practiced shot when he had time. Noise of shot annoyed neighbor many times.

Finally complain yielded to Jason’s determine. One day, the neighbor told me he used to the noise made by Jason and he felt unconfortable when Jason didn’t play the ball instead.

Gradually, his technique in Playing Basketball grew fast.

In primary Scholl, his team won the champions in Haidian Area. In the middle school, he was recruited into Ren Da Fu Zhong in view of his special talent in Basketball.

In high school, he was the MVP in team with three pairs of scoring in score, assist, and rebound in several seasons.

There is “Mr. MVP” embroidery words on the upper part of right sleeve in his sport coat.

This spring, his team won the national champion in the silver division in China for the international school league.

In the past years I spent lot of times with him as his practice partner, amateur coach and fans all the time. We often play basketball together. Therefore, he and I have variety of mutual cooperation.

Yesterday, the blocking and dismantling between Jason and me disturbed their offensive and acquired many shot opportunities for Jason. He was good, and good enough for his age not only in the technique but also in the passion for this sport. 

Even on the flight back to China, the memory of the game yesterday is still recalled in my minds all the time.

Thanks Jack and Jason, especially Jason (the Mr. MVP).

I miss you very much.

Written on the flight from Boston to Houston.

2017/10/10