2015-07-29

【Aiden in English】

        You can never predict a game's result. That's my newest philosophy. A game is something you can never gamble with. The outcome may seem fixed, but the power of probability isn't as dominant as many think.

        Currently, Georgia Tech's record stands at 1-3, firmly placing us in the fourth and final seed of the ACC. The team kept digging a hole that trapped itself with no escape. Everyone was angry, blaming others for being bad shooters or rebounders. 

        As time passes, we must move on. 

        Today's first game was against UVA, the number two seed. It wasn't exactly a blowout, but it was a close one. After the first half, UVA was up by 17. We returned a bit late, and it was too late. The game ended with UVA at 34 and GA Tech at 25. Now, we were the lone team in the last seed, two games away from the third seed, Duke. And at the top of the ladder, the king of the hill sat UNC on an all-mighty throw of safety and confidence. There, you had GA-Tech going through the trash to find treasure. 

        To make us even more depressed, we faced UNC for the third time in the week. The organizer probably messed up because we played them half the time in the season. Tough luck is all it is, I guess. So, coming into the game, every kid watching went: "Good luck out there!" "Try your best!" "It's okay if you lose." I wasn't taking any of it, but my teammates looked affected, which scared me. As you know, I was a defenseman. All I did on offense was set screens and pass, trying to help others rather than score. However, all our guards were looking unsure of themselves. Right away, the players of UNC took a four-zip lead. I subbed in two minutes later, and UNC is still on top. In the last game we played against the team, one kid crossed up with everyone. This time, I was put on him, which wasn't a brilliant idea. Somehow, I shut him down. He got only one bucket for the entire first half, which was exponentially tiny compared to the last game. As for the bullies of the point, we were way more physical today for some reason. I guarded two people: the crossover kid and the crazy kid. When we were on offense, I ran under the net during the game, waiting for a rebound. It came, and the crazy kid was all over me, but I boxed him out. You see, off the court, I liked him. On the court, I didn't. So I grabbed the rebounds and got fouled on the way back up. Everyone was on fire, too, shooting over 60% in the second half. Finally, the game ended with GA-Tech 50 and UNC 33. It was a blowout.

        The number one seed, undefeated and a sure thing, wasn't going to remain undefeated or a sure thing anymore. Hey, take a look at our team; the odds of winning were slim. However, now that we look at ourselves again, we have become a confident team heading into the playoffs. Everyone else, for once, was scared of us, not UNC.

【紅霞譯】

        你永遠無法預測比賽結果，這是我新近得出的理念，也就是說，決不要賭競技之類的遊戲，比賽結果看似單一，但主觀意識很難掌控它的隨機性。

        時下我們喬治亞理工學院隊一勝三負被狠狠地甩到第四名的位置上，成為大西洋沿岸聯盟中墊底的一支隊伍，隊員們自掘墳墓，到了一發不可收拾的地步，每個人都窩了一肚子火，搶籃板的張三指責進攻的李四投籃不准，內訌驟起。

        隨着時間推移，我們必須振作起來。

        今天首場比賽本隊迎戰的是聯盟第二號種子弗吉尼亞大學隊，兩隊實力懸殊不大，比分相當接近。前半場弗吉尼亞大學隊領先十七分，終場前我們打出了一個小高潮，可惜為時過晚，結果34比25弗吉尼亞大學隊勝喬治亞理工學院隊。現在我們是名符其實倒數第一，比第三名杜克大學隊要差出兩場比賽。在象牙塔上，北卡大學隊以勝利者穩健自信的姿態高高盤踞頂端，而我們正忙着拾荒度日。

        最令人鬱悶的是，接下來我們還要跟北卡大學隊較量，這將是本周以來第三次交鋒。組委會大概忙昏了頭，生生讓兩隊血拼了半個賽季，真可謂“不是冤家不聚首”。難怪我們登場的時候，旁邊助興的觀眾不無同情：“祝你們走運！”“好好打！”“輸了沒關係。”我一點都不在意，但隊友們聽罷有點掛不住臉，這倒令我擔心起來。如你所知，我是防守型球員，一旦打起進攻，頂多充當掩護、傳球、助攻，實在勝任不了投籃得分的美差。正當所有後衛不知所措的瞬間，北卡大學隊一口氣連得四分。兩分鐘後我換上場，對方仍然領先。記得上次交手時，他們有一球員把我們涮得夠嗆。本次比賽我被派上場人盯人，就是要專門盯住他不放，這可不是什麼明智的舉措，可想不到我竟然把他看得動彈不了，整個上半場只投進一個球，與上次比賽相比，簡直微不足道。值得強調的還有，不知什麼原因，今天這場球大家打得虎虎生威，我緊逼防守，讓胯下運球和瘋狂投籃的兩位隊手減少威脅；只要本隊進攻，我即刻跑到籃下做好搶籃板球的準備，害得那個瘋狂投籃的對手圍着我團團轉，其實場下我挺喜歡這小子，但在場上沒法跟他友好。我毫不客氣抓住籃板球，回傳的時候引他犯規。隊裡其他隊員也表現出色，投籃命中率達到百分之六十以上。比賽結束時，喬治亞理工學院隊終以50比33戰勝北卡大學隊，爆出了大冷門。

        曾經冠上頭號種子、戰無不勝、名不虛傳的球隊不再保持所向披靡堅不可摧的神話戰績，嘿，別看我們這支隊伍過去贏球的幾率小之又小，而今卻朝氣自信，早已做好決賽的準備。風水輪流轉，喬治亞理工學院隊總算有一天讓其它球隊刮目相看。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2014: YMCA Camp─Stuck @ Home Day-1(基督教青年會營─第一天病休在家)

Beijing Camper (來自北京的營員 07-31-2015)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

76ers Overnight Camp─Loss(七六人隊籃球寄宿營─輸球)

76ers Overnight Camp─Don't Give Up(七六人隊籃球寄宿營─永不放棄)

76ers Overnight Camp(費城七六人隊籃球寄宿營)

6th Grade(初中一年級)