A Day at the Beach

Perhaps it was being at sea level after two weeks in the mountains, or perhaps it was the heat and humidity that reminded everyone of home, or perhaps even (probably) it was a Friday with no Spanish classes, but whatever it was, Hoops Sagrado went 2 for 3 on their Friday visit to the costal city of Reutalueh.

With music blaring from ginormous speakers and dozens of students milling about the outdoor court with a covered roof (definitely one of the nicer courts we've come across in our travels, especially after the game in Chichi), the morning didn't start out on a high note when the Hoops women lost to the Collegio D'Antoni 18-14.

The one highlight of the game was Jackie, a Hoops student and first-time baller who gave it her all in an effort to keep it close. A special thanks too to the student from D'Antoni who played with the Knights and probably played with the most heart winning her a Hoops Sagrado jersey.

But things quickly turned around when the varsity Knights team provided a basketball clinic for the local professional selection team from Reutalueh beating them 51-31. The game featured everything from break away slamdunks, to backdoor passing, to an Ossie Schectman two-handed, underhanded layup, and buzzer-beater 3-pointers (¿tienes cable?)

The younger guns got their chance too beating the D'Antoni team 20-2. For them the victory was bittersweet. After going up 18-0 in the first 15 minute half, the ref (Athletic Director of the school) decided to go with the mercy rule and allowed for only a 5 minute second half. With the taste of victory at hand, the younger Knights substituted frequently in the last five minutes giving everyone a chance to play. The D'Antoni team only got on the board because of an unfortunate foul with less than 10 seconds to go.

Immediately following the game, the scene resembled a Tiger Beat magazine signing party as all the young D'Antoni girls crowded around seeking autographs and photos of the entire Hoops team...players or not. While the D'Antoni moms in the crowd (can anyone say cougar?) didn't participate in the post-game adulation they did seem to sit awfully close to the one casi middle-aged Knights player.

All-in-all a good morning in Reutalueh, if you don't factor in the fact that we were in the coffee growing region of Guatemala and the Hoops scorekeeper couldn't find a cup of coffee anywhere....

After the games we boarded the bus once more for the quick ride to the nearby port town of Champerica where the beach is lined with small outdoor restaurants. We quickly staked our claim to a restaurant all to ourselves and everyone suited up and headed for the warm waters of the Pacific.

Once everyone had gotten their fill of swimming and fresher than fresh seafood, we headed back to the cool mountain nights of Xela. Somehow sparing life and limb, our chartered chicken bus seemed to make the return trip to Xela in record time with barely a chance for folks to sleep off the effects of an afternoon at the beach.