Shadoe Adams of Bellows Free Academy-Fairfax, a high school in Vermont, hit a game-winning three in a big game against Milton the other night. Adams’ clutch three-pointer was a bit unusual in that it came in the second quarter of the game. That’s right, the second quarter of a 5-2 win. I didn’t mistype that. In what was likely the most boring high school basketball game since Dr. Naismith nailed up the peach baskets, the final score was 5-2. It seems that Vermont high school ball has no shot clock (bet that’ll change soon!) and both teams were content to just stall.
As Milton’s coach Jim Smith said, “We had a shot go off the rim that would have tied it. We were one possession away to tie the game. We have not been in that position for quite some time.” Atta boy, coach.
On the opposite coast, and in a whole other basketball universe, the University of Redlands, a Division III school, recently beat La Sierra University 172-107. One hundred and seventy-two points. It seems that Redlands plays a style of ball where they shoot as soon as they can, preferably a three-pointer, and then employ a full-court press. If they can’t get a steal by the time the opponent reaches their end of the court, they give them a layup and race back the other way. Their goal is to trade twos for threes and wear their opponents out. Redlands substitutes in entire five-man squads every few minutes to keep up their relentless pressure. Think Loyola-Marymount on speed.
Check out the box score from that game. It’s the most bizarre I’ve ever seen. A few things to point out:

• Redlands took 89 three pointers and made 35.
• Redlands played 21 different players.
• 15 different Redlands players scored.
• Amir Mazarei played just 11 minutes and scored 23 points.
• Not to be outdone, Carson Sofro scored 34 points in just 13 minutes. That may be the craziest stat line ever – 34 points in only 13 minutes!

It’s one of the great things about basketball. There are many, many different ways to play the same game. I can’t think of any other sport where you could have such wildly different results using (nearly) the same rules.
One thing I do know, of those two style extremes, I’m positive which one I’d rather play in and/or watch!
Props to the posters at the Sports Frog for uncovering these.