FBC Defenders

It is a hot & steamy summer saturday morning here in NYC as people begin to gather for what would ultimately become HISTORY for a team (and small program with only 2 teams) that seems to somehow show up 10 out 10 times wherever they go. In today’s me, me, me, take what I can world of aau basketball this would seem EXTREMELY odd but yet very refreshing if true. Well believe me it is absolutely, positively, TRUE. The FBC Defenders all arrive in new york this day ready to play there late morning game like they have so many times in the past. Parents and players gathering as if they are in their backyard preparing for a family function. Exchanging hugs and pleasantries like siblings all ultimately making there was to the matriarch of the program. Is this real? Some might think it’s not but for this program it is because of one primary founding principle. The FBC Defenders are a family through and through. Know that and NEVER doubt it, cause for EVERY family that it touches, they do KNOW it is ABSOLUTELY true.

here at the Cage, a world famous venue sitting in village next door to the Blue Note. The bustle picking up now the Defenders are finally up, gametime. Now at the cage fans all know when the Defenders play it will be an exciting game. Especially since they have this extremely dynamic coach who always seems to come with kid never seen before who just erupts at some point in a game. Win or Lose! It is amazing to watch and so the fence outside starts to pack.  The refs call for captains, little minute check, jump ball and the game is on. As the Positive direction team come out they jump on the Defenders from the start. A little startle the defenders take a quick blow but survive it. Remember now that’s nothing for them. Why? Because that who they are and they know it is NOT over yet game just started. Staring into the eyes of one of the Pd players is a kid that really looks like she should be at the short somewhere hanging. But what THEY don’t know is she is smoldering. Up the floor, down the floor they go. And them all of a suddden that same young lady does a quick body check. AM I FEELING, YES, IS IT TIME, HECK YEAH, you see had been asked that at key times in games before by her coach. BUT TODAY SHE IS NOT WAITING FOR HIM. Today it would be her who decides. At that moment she demanded the ball and BANG! Rain a 3333333333! On her way back she thought, that felt good. O crap you guy are in trouble and you don’t even know. Then all of a sudden she smiled. Now running the point for the Defenders is Ashanti Bess. Serving at point due to the abscence of the talented Shari Jones who normally starts. Now Ashanti has been working with Coach Stone to get her mentally to a place where she can KNOW she is a beast. Today she is there so looking this teammate of hers she sees it and thinks OMG. So next few position she is pass her the ball EVERYTIME she can. Who is she? Only the FBC Defenders Rose Classic famous Janissa “let id rain” Delzo!!!!!!! And for a short while at west fourth the sun was out but Janissa began to just make it RAIN 3s. Before the other team could realize the Defenders were right back in it and the team called time. Yelling at her team not to relax the coach made a critical mistake. She told her team not to let up until up by twenty. Bad move as the Defenders heard that and it was OVER!

Final Score FBC Defenders 59    Positive Direction 41    GAME OVER!

High Scorers Jasmine “ol skool” Phelps with 14 pts, Shalette “The Beastie” with 10pts and of course Janissa “Rain” Delzo 10 pts, Tia “Paryana” Kelly 9 brds 4 blks, and final Ashanti “you don’t know” Bess 7 dimes.

Now I know the coach so thought why not say hello. To my surprise the team was coach by Jamine “big pretty smile” Lytle currently the single most hearlded Defenders player of ALL time and sitting quietly on the bench with her making her coaching debut was MRS BRENDA STONE, the coaches wife. OMG!

FBC Defenders (Stone) had 1 win and 1 loss today at the Cage in the West 4th Street tournament.  The Defenders took the first game agains the Brooklyn Saints with a final score of 55-34.  Walker scored the first 7 points for the team, then inbounded to Shalette under the basket who put it up for a bucket.  Shalette went on to score 6 more points, ending the quarter at 15-10.  One of the Saints players went down with an injury, and they were forced to play the rest of the game with 4 players.  We continued to spread the offense around, with Walker and Shalette driving and making plays, Ashanti hitting for 3, and Jenean contributing at the foul line.  Janissa hit off the glass for 2, and Tia had a rebound, put back, and foul.  We were ahead 45 to 25 at the end of the 3rd quarter.  The 4th quarter started with Shari finding Ashanti, who took it in for 2.  Shari grabbed a steal, and Jenean pulled down a rebound and put it back for 2.  We continued to work on defense, with Shari forcing a 10 second turnover.  We closed out the game strong, finishing at 55-34.  Shalette was the high scorer with 22, and high rebounder with 12.  Ashanti had 5 assists and 3 steals.

It looked as though the weather might not cooperate for the 2nd game against Lady Xnen, with a few raindrops starting to fall when we tipped off at 11:45.  The game started with turnovers from both sides, and we looked like we needed to settle down.  The game stayed close in the early going, with the half ending with Defenders down by one at 23-24.  The game got increasingly physical, and we seemed to lose our way in the 2nd half.  Unfortunately, we never found our way back and we lost 36-54.  Shalette and Walker both had a high of 10 points, Tia had the high of 11 rebounds, and Ashanti and Walker both had 2 assists.

It was a hot and humid Sunday morning, but FBC Defenders (Stone) opened the West 4th Street tournament with a decisive 41-23 win against the Rising Stars.  Walker grabbed the opening tip and took it in for a layup to start the scoring.  The Rising Stars answered with an outside jump shot for 2, but Shalette soon countered with a driving layup.  Tia grabbed a rebound and put it back up for 2, to put us ahead 6-2.  Everyone contributed with Ashanti hitting outside for 2, then a 3, followed by  Shari sinking a 3.  Walker hit for another 2, followed by another 3 from Ashanti which closed out the first quarter at 19 -5.

While the offense was clicking, the tough defense was even more impressive.  The Defenders were executing extremely well on defense, maintaining their composure in the face of some rough play and trash talking at the Cage.  Tia was a dominating presence in the center, with a block that stopped the Rising Star’s attack.  Janean had a steal, which she promptly turned into a layup and 1!   We finished the first half with a solid 26-7 lead.

The strong D continued in the 2nd half with Walker and Shari tying up the opponents with a jump ball.  Shalette blocked a shot, then converted an inbound pass for 2.  We did start to slow down in the latter part of the game, no doubt a result of the oppressive heat and playing short-handed with only six players.  Walker closed out the game with a 3 to bring us to the final 41-23.