SOUTHPORT — Sometimes, I just don’t like my job. Guess that makes me an American, right?
There are times when I just get down. The phone calls, the e-mails, the hours. Just doesn’t always seem worth it.
Sometimes though, things can creep up on you. They can happen and make me realize that I’m lucky
You never know when they’ll happen, you just sit back and enjoy every minute of the ride.
That just happened to me again. The Borden Braves happened.
Before Saturday’s 59-41 loss to Indianapolis Lutheran became the final chapter on a storybook journey, 12 young men turned from mere basketball players to life-long celebrities in their home town.
These past few weeks weren’t just victories in basketball games, these were moments that will always live on, forever stitched into the fiber of a community that had always craved occasions such as the ones that actually unfolded in front of them.
Kids come and go, they graduate and move on to bigger and perhaps even better things. But for a few short weeks, a group of teenage boys, some hardwood, a ball and a hoop galvanized a town that had been battered and bruised by the basketball gods for ages.
Seeing what the team accomplished, erasing decades of frustrating sectional losses and following that act with a regional title made mere kids into legends.
From today forward, Borden will always have Lee Kirchgessner’s 21 points against Henryville in sectional. They can talk all night about Chris Beam’s 3-pointer that seemed to ice a hard-fought win over Lanesville. They can say they were there the night the decades-long sectional drought finally concluded against South Central.
Lucky ones will remember Alex Ooley snatching victory from what looked like the grips of sure defeat against Barr-Reeve. And they can recall where they sat the moment Kaden Nolot put them in front for good in the regional final against Orleans.
Saturday may not have been a memorable way to wrap up the story of the ages for the people of Borden.
The Braves played pretty good for a half, but the shots that were falling finally stopped, and the buzzsaw known as Indianapolis Lutheran kept picking up steam and left Borden in a cloud of dust.
When the third quarter ended and the Saints’ Jared Broughton drained a one-time-out-of-100 3-pointer from about 30 feet, you could see the storybook tale was wrapping up.
As the seconds expired and Lutheran celebrated, Borden cried.
Not just the team, but the entire town. It wasn’t necessarily crying over the loss, it was seeing the end of something special. It was realizing that the surreal moments had evaporated and it was time to return to reality. The alarm clock finally sounded on the dream.
It’s a story that will never be forgotten.
I feel lucky. Thanks Borden. Thanks for letting me be one of the lucky people to tell it.
Contact Mike Hutsell at mike.hutsell@newsandtribune.com
High School Sports
Related Photos
Discussion
HUTSELL: Braves just a great story to be a part of
- High School Sports
-
-
HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING: Manger places in the top 16 at state
New Albany’s Hannah Manger will get one more chance to compete this season after making the top 16 in two events at the preliminary round of the IHSAA State Swimming Championship Meet.
- SPORTS IN BRIEF: Feb. 11, 2012
-
HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP: Jeff claims a share of HHC title at Jennings, 57-55
The Jeffersonville boys’ basketball team captured a piece of its first Hoosier Hills Conference championship since the 2005-06 season on Thursday night, winning at Jennings County 57-55.
-
BOYS' BASKETBALL: Pirates take down North Harrison, 64-47
Being out of contention for a Mid-Southern Conference title, the Charlestown Pirates took a big step in preparation for sectional play on Thursday with a 64-47 victory over visiting North Harrison.
-
CLASS 3A SECTIONAL: Silver Creek, Charlestown fall in opening round
It was a rough night for Clark County teams at the Class 3A Charlestown Sectional Wednesday night. The host Pirates put up a gallant fight in Game 1 before falling to Class 3A No. 8 Brownstown Central, 45-37, while defending sectional champion Silver Creek was upset by Corydon Central in Game 2, 50-44.
-
POOLSIDE: Local accomplishment the focus at state
The likelihood of a local girl bringing home a state championship at the IHSAA State Swimming Championship meet in Indianapolis this Friday and Saturday is incredibly slim.
-
BOYS' BASKETBALL: Clarksville cruises past Trinity Lutheran
Aidan McEwen scored 22 points and pulled down eight rebounds to power Clarksville past Trinity Lutheran at home on Wednesday, 59-33.
-
CLASS 4A SECTIONAL: Highlanders lose in double OT to Seymour; Jeff falls to BNL
It was a heartbreaking night for the Clark-Floyd area in the first round of the Class 4A Seymour Sectional.
-
CLASS 2A SECTIONAL: Providence guts out win over Henryville, 40-31
The Providence girls’ basketball squad advanced to the Class 2A Eastern Sectional semifinal against Paoli with a gritty, 40-31 win over Henryville Tuesday.
-
CLASS A SECTIONAL: Borden cruises through first round
Defending Class A Sectional champion Borden rode a fast start and stellar defense to a first-round, 47-21 sectional win over Christian Academy of Indiana Tuesday night.
- More High School Sports Headlines
-
HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING: Manger places in the top 16 at state
