Classification and Division

In a game of basketball the team that makes the least mistakes will win the game. And so the strategy is to find your opponent’s weaknesses and exploit them. In warm up, and in the opening minutes of a game I am always watching my opponents for individual, as well as team strengths and weaknesses. I ask myself which girls can handle the ball under pressure. Who can shoot the contested jumper? Who has a weak left hand? Which girls play low in the post and which ones play on the perimeter? Who is slow, who is fast, and more importantly, are they faster than me? Noticing these things will help my team take advantage of their weak spots defensively and offensively, forcing them to make mistakes. These are all important things to notice, but I also catalog whether my opponents are tough or not. The girls who fall into the “tough” category are the ones who are scrappy, aggressive, hard-working, and they will win the game at all costs. The girls who are in the “not tough” category will not hit the floor for a ball, and will not willingly take a hit for their team. They are timid, unconfident and not very skilled. They will be easily forced to make mistakes, and so my team will pick on them. Right now it seems impudent for me to think or say such a thing, but any athlete knows that when you get on the court or field, you do whatever it takes to win.