Pickup in Changwon

It’s 2:13am and I’m at the PC room to upload photos and to tell you that I’ve gone out to play basketball three times.  The first time it was drizzling lightly which would have been okay except that the court surface is plastic.  Plastic is actually a fine surface but when it’s wet, it’s fucking deadly.  I think the Jackass guys ought to film a segment where they play basketball on a plastic court in the rain; guaranteed someone will end up at the hospital.

The second and third times were fine since the weather had cleared up, but then I didn’t have the most success.  The second day I played a guy wearing sweatpants (long pants kinda detract from your mobility in basketball) and he had much stronger handles than I.  My recoveries were also too slow and so, though I was contesting his shots, he took so many from withing five feet of the hoop.  I did beat him, however, because my long-range attack was working.  Luckily, we were playing 1s and 2s…a system that makes good three-point shooting unbeatable.  It was a hollow victory, though, because I know that I’m not exactly Ray Allen Glen Rice out there.

Tonight, I just got worked.  I was shooting by myself while a jeans and white cap-clad Korean played badminton with his girlfriend.  They finished and he walked over and asked if he could play.  I don’t judge.  I swear, I don’t judge.  But the dude was playing badminton…how could I lose?  So, anyway, I lost, 9-2.  He had even tighter handles than the first guy and was a good shooter to boot.  He was humble and said he was lucky after he won, but I knew I was in trouble when he was making that net click like Rex Chapman.  In my defense, though, I guess there’s no rebounding for one-on-one games at that court.  Both times, if someone missed the other player was just awarded the ball.  That rewards shooting accuracy but completely devalues rebounding and second-shots which, since I’m one of the largest people I’ve seen in 9 days, probably would have worked to my benefit.  Damn, it is hasn’t been fun, though!