Past The Half-Way Point

I have successfully eclipsed the half-way point of my time here in Darwin. I’ve got a little more than three months to go, and I fully intend on soaking up the rest of this experience and the numbered days that remain down under.

I’ve crossed out quite a bit on my Darwin-to-do list. Next up is Crocodylus Park, a hotspot for various wildlife that I wouldn’t see at home in Rockford. The park is home to several different breeds of crocs, as well as kangaroos, tigers, buffalo, wild birds, snakes, and creatures of that nature. Pictures will be taken.

I now have a moped/scooter which allows me to get around much easier and therefore visit more places in less time. With this being my first experience on a scooter, and I must admit I was nervous the first time I hopped on. My first adventure driving it was to the city, downtown Darwin, during rush hour...probably not the wisest choice to try and get a feel for my new bike, but that was when my appointment was to get the vehicle inspected and registered. I put a new tire on it, got a new helmet, and now I’m all set. I often go for drives now just for pleasure. The most gratifying aspect of bike life is being able to talk to the other drivers/riders while on the road. Yesterday I challenged another biker to a race off the line, but naturally, I got dusted because he had a motorcycle and I a moped. I think I handled the loss well though. I also went for a drive along the ocean where two eagles flew just over my head, a sight which served as a reminder to me that I ought to continue to enjoy the outdoors of Australia while I have the chance.

When I’m not playing basketball, in the weight room, or helping the youngins at an elementary school, I’m often at the beach. There are a number of public-named beaches in Darwin and I am trying to hit them all before I leave. I’ve only got one or two left on my Darwin bucket list.

At the top of my Darwin bucket list is to win a championship. For this to happen, our team will need to continue to improve. We have the pieces, and when everyone is healthy, we are for real. We just need to get healthy, demonstrate consistency when we are, and suck it up and not make excuses when we’re not. Last night was a step in the right direction.

We beat Razzle last night by 15, and nearly everyone played well. We had four guys in double figures and I had my best game of the season pouring in 26 points to go with 5 assists. We trailed at the end of the first, but caught up in the second and never looked back. We controlled the final three quarters. Here is a short article from the Darwin News covering the game:

"The Rebels got back into the win column with a 77-62 win against a tough and tenacious Razzle outfit that just wouldn’t give up. Rebel Matthew Van Pelt (pictured) led the team for the second week in a row with 26 points, a season high, with Jermaine Lattimore adding 14, Lucci Cornelius 11 and Jake Kirby 10. Van Pelt knocked down six treys in his output while the team hit a total of 11 (for a total of 33 from outside the arc). Razzle held a 15-14 first quarter lead, but the Rebels charged back with a 24-12 second quarter for a 40-27 half time lead. The third quarter was furious as the teams traded basket for basket during a Rebel 26-25 run. Brendan Dell kept the green and gold in the game, but they couldn’t overcome the lead the Rebels had built up. Dell finished with a season high 22 with Billy-Ray Roberts on 10, Robert Oliver, Ben Cowcher & James Panton on 9 each."

In the game prior to that one, we lost by 6 in a nail-biter. Having led the entire second half, we had crucial turnovers and poor execution on defense down the stretch and it proved costly. Personally, I played well in my matchup against a tough PG from Brooklyn by scoring 25 and dishing out 7 assists, but I clearly didn't play the floor general roll well enough as displayed by the big fat "L" that goes in the record books. Moreover, Jermaine was also killin' in the 4th quarter. From the 5:00 mark to the 2:00 mark in the 4th, I kept feeding the big fella, and Jermaine scored four straight buckets on four straight possessions. Then our mistake was going away from the hot hands in the final two minutes of the game, when we beat ourselves with turnovers and poor decisions when it mattered most. Here is the short clip from the news about this game: 

"Daniel Florance and returnee John King combined for 33 points as the Blues from Ansett slipped past the Rebels 71-65 in a must win game. The Blues were behind 33-27 at half-time… trailed by a point at 46-45 heading into the last quarter and turned a momentum shift into a win with a 26-19 run that keeps them within range of the top four. The addition of King to the line-up for the Blues and the imminent return of guard Matt Hunt will boost the Blues chances of getting back into the final four before the regular season ends. The Rebels had the game in their grasp but failed to hang onto the lead. Import guard Matthew Van Pelt had his best game of the season with a team and game high 25 points (including 4 treys), but it wasn’t enough to hold off that last quarter charge by the Blues. Rebel Jermaine Lattimore added 17 and Matt Fagg hit 14 while Malix Laurel had 12 and Jake Kirby 10 for the Blues."

Long story short, my last two games have been the best two games of my young overseas career thus far. Unfortunately, however, we split those games, so I didn't do enough. All that matters right now is racking up W's. Our team currently sits in 4th place, and the top 4 make the playoffs. We've got two games next weekend against Palmerston (who smacked us by 30 last game) and Tracy Village (who pulled off a triple overtime win against us last time). I'd say we've got some revenge to dish out.