February 8, 2006
Little things can mean a lot in sports
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
You've probably heard the phrase, "Little things means a lot", in many situations
in your life.
It was the name of a hit song, the theme of a Valentine's Day advertising
campaign and lots more. But is can also apply to sports.
The Super Bowl may have been decided by a record-breaking run and a trick play but
not all decisions in sports come down to the big play.
For example, Absegami's Andrew Keister dribbled from halfcourt and made a 10-foot
jump shot at the buzzer a few weeks ago against Ocean City. Not such a big thing,
a 10-foot jump shot. But it happened just before the buzzer and won the game.
Within the previous few minutes of that game, Ocean City had missed a layup and
five free throws.
Those are all relatively little things in the overall scope of a basketball game.
But, take away Keister's jumper and the two teams go into overtime. Ocean City
converts the layup or a couple fouls and it wins. And, if the Raiders did win
that game, Gami would not qualify for the Group 4 Tournament and Ocean City would
have moved up high enough in Group 3 to open the tournament at home.
Little things mean a lot.
Of course, earlier in the season Ocean City lost three other games decided in the
final possession. The Raiders missed final shots against Mainland, Middle
Township and Oakcrest. If one or two of those shots fall, this is a completely
different season for OCHS.
The same applies to Absegami, which lost two games in Wildwood's Boardwalk
Basketball Classic, each by two points. Or Holy Spirit - which is having a great
boys basketball season but, because it suffered its first loss by two points to
Paterson Catholic in the Battle by the Bay, may have to travel to Christian
Brothers Academy, a very tough place to play, in the Non-Public A Tournament,
instead of playing CBA at home in Absecon.
Little things mean a lot.
There are CAL stories every year in every sport where eliminating one missed shot
or one turnover could change the direction of an entire season.
Then there is Dave Beyel.
Here is a student-athlete who has devoted most of his free time over the past
decade to basketball. He played other sports but basketball was his passion. It
is probably genetic, his father and mother both investing a big part of their
lives in the sport as players and coaches.
Two weeks ago, Beyel came down after a routine layup and landed on the foot of a
Millville player. He turned his ankle, creating a sprain that has caused him to
miss five games, entering this week. If he lands two inches to the left or the
Millville player moves his foot a second earlier, Beyel simply runs downcourt and
the season continues. Instead he has spent two weeks sitting on the bench
watching his team play, unable to do what he has worked most of his young life to
do.
Little things mean a lot.
In that same game with Millville, senior Dan Bonato - who survived 10 weeks of
violent collisions in football - dove for a loose ball and broke a bone in his
hand. He ends up in a cast and loses the rest of his final year of high school
basketball. Fortunately, he should be recovered in time to roam center field for
the Raiders in the spring.
Dave Beyel has 909 career points. Two weeks ago that seemed to put him just five
or six games away from becoming Ocean City's 10th boy to reach 1,000 career
points. Entering this week, there may only be nine games left in the OCHS season,
depending on how the Raiders do in their Group 3 opener and if snow skips us this
winter.
When you watch ESPN's SportsCenter, you see the flying dunks, the fall-away
three-pointers and the chest-pounding confrontations. They pick the big plays for
their highlights, attempting to entertain. But we all know that it is not usually
the spectacular plays that change a season. You sometimes have to really pay
attention to notice the moments that move things in a different direction.
You have to remember that little things mean a lot.
Read more of
Tom Williams' columns