#ThisIsWhyWePlay

At game #3, NBA Finals

IT WAS A SLAM DUNK!

ALL-STAR WEEKEND DUNK CONTEST

VICTOR OLADIPO . . .  INDIANA PACERS
DENNIS SMITH, JR. . . . DALLAS MAVERICKS
LARRY NANCE, JR. . . . CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
DONOVAN MITCHELL . . . UTAH JAZZ


DONOVAN JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!

USING 2 BASKETS!

JUMPING OVER KEVIN HART & SON,
DONOVAN'S SISTER
WEARING DR. DUNKENSTEIN'S
(DARRELL GRIFFITH) JERSEY.

SALUTE TO VINCE CARTER

ALWAYS SUPPORTED BY HIS MOM AND SISTER

BASKETBALL SATURDAY

Saturday, February 17, was

Basketball Saturday.

I went to Cole's game in Santaquin

(made it to 2nd half, after Jolene'e viewing),

Haley's game at a different elementary school in Santaquin,

then, I went through Goshen, Elberta, and

the back way around Utah Lake to 

Camry's game at Westlake High in

Saratoga Springs.

Shay had a game in Salt Lake City, 

but I'll have to get to one of hers later.

I didn't get pictures of Cole's game,

cuz I was late, but got some last week.

Haley

Camry

And . . . Preston and Carter

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

CJ.

COLLEGE BALL AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.

STAR OF THE TEAM.

GRADUATED.

1ST ROUND DRAFT PICK, #28, IN THE NBA.

LA CLIPPERS.

2 YEARS.

TRADED.

ORLANDO MAGIC.

PROBLEM WITH ACHILLES.

NO MAGIC HELP.

MARRIED KATIE.

7.29.17.

SPAIN OR PORTLAND?

SPAIN OR USA?

PORTLAND.

SURGERY.

REHAB.

2 WAY CONTRACT.

NO G-LEAGUE FOR PORTLAND.

G-LEAGUE WITH WARRIORS.

SANTA CRUZ.

SOMETIMES THERE.

SOMETIMES PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS.

BACK TO PLAYING.

YEAR #4.

#PROUDAUNTIEANNMOMENT

PRESTON, THE BALLER

Preston has "graduated" from Jr. Jazz.

He is in a tougher league.

They run faster, and call fouls, traveling, etc.

They also play in tournaments.

On December 26, I went to Jordan High

(a lot different from Saratoga Shores Elementary)

to watch Preston play.

He's a pretty good little player!

He is super fast, and always has his hand up when

he is open!

And, being #32, like Karl Malone, just adds to

how good he could become!

I think he scored 6-8 points.

TWO MITCHELL ROOKIES

The Utah Jazz lost Gordon Hayward.

He chose to ruin my 4th of July.

Spent the day glued to the radio to hear his decision.

He wanted to be just like LeBron James.

A few years ago, LeBron was deciding to whether to stay in

Cleveland (close to where he grew up), or leave.

They televised a show on ESPN called

"The Decision."

It was 1 hour an 50 minutes before we heard,

"I'm going to take my talents to South Beach."

Bleh.

After a couple of championships, and a few finals

appearances, he decided to go back home.

Hayward's wasn't that extreme, but, the radio hosts

had to come in to work on a holiday.

Thousands of Jazz fans put their barbecue's on hold,

waiting to hear, "The Decision."

Hayward said he had "unfinished business" with

his college coach, who is the coach of the Celtics.

Unfinished business???

It started coming out from former teammates

that every time he stepped on the court,

he thought in his mind, he was facing Duke. 

He lost the championship on a last second

throw to the basket.
Butler vs. Duke.
(Carter's dad and I were at the 
Sweet 16 and Elite 8 in Salt Lake City.
So sweeeeet!")

Now, 7 years later, he has to win a championship

for his Butler Coach.

Can you say therapy???

Well, we ended up getting the better deal!

Hayward is out for the year in Boston, and we have

rookie Donovan Mitchell.

We immediately became better,

because we added a Mitchell!

And...he loves playing, loves his teammates,

and he acts like he wants to be here!!!

Enter another Mitchell rookie.

Second grader, Carter Mitchell, age 8 (he's on his 3rd day

of being 8 years old.)
My great nephew!
(His dad is my nephew.  His grandpa is my brother.)

Jr. Jazz.

It's a right of passage for Utah children.

(One of my former 5th graders, Ceri Wilson,

her dad started Jr. Jazz and ran it for years!)

Today was Carter's last day of the season.

Check out his number . . . 45.

The same as Donovan Mitchell!

Can you tell Carter's ball is going in the basket???

Carter might one day be like his Uncle CJ.

In the NBA.

2 years with LA Clippers

1 year with Orlando

Now with Portland, but recovering from surgery.

This was definitely a 

#ProudAuntieAnnMoment

TEAM PHOTO

Russell Westbrook of the 

Oklahoma City Thunder

has been on FIRE since 

Kevin Durrant left for greener pastures

at Golden State.

Westbrook already has 30 triple doubles this year alone!

That's as many as Michael Jordan had in

his entire career!!!

Yup.  Westbrook does it all!

A NEW STATE CHAMPION

I post a lot about all of the state championships

that Lone Peak has . . .every single year!

The school I taught at has fed into

Lone Peak for the last 20 years!

Well, here comes the girls basketball

state championship.

Lone Peak, of course, is there.

And . . . they lose to Copper Hills

in the quarter finals!

***GASP***

Next game, American Fork defeats

them in the semi-finals to advance

to the championship game!

AF is not only the school that my school

fed into for my first 17 years of teaching,

but, it is MY high school!

Dear Ol' AF High!!!

(We won state in Boys Basketball my

senior year, after losing the chamipnship

my sophomore and junior years.)

AF played in the championship

game two years ago, and lost.

This year, they lost their first

game to Alta, and then won

the next 24!!!

AF vs Viewmont.

AF was 19 points ahead, when

Viewmont came storming back.

Within 2 points!

AF kept their composure, and won!

50-46.

With a police escort into town,

American Fork in #1 in the state 5-A!

GOLIATH GOES DOWN

AND DAVID WINS!

DOWN 16 POINTS EARLY

ON THE ROAD TO

UNDEFEATED AND #1 IN THE NATION.

79-71

3RD YEAR IN A ROW BEATING
NATIONALLY RANKED GONZAGA IN
THEIR ARENA.
HOME OF JOHN STOCKTON.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE PREVIOUS 2 YEARS,
GONZAGA BEATS UP ON EVERYONE 
IN THE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT.

BUT, TODAY . . . IT WAS
ONE SHINING MOMENT!!!

#RISEANDSHOUT

BASKETBALL CARTER

I JUST LOVE WHEN A CHILD FIRST BEGINS

JR. JAZZ!!!

TAKING THE BALL, AND RUNNING 7 OR 8

STEPS BETWEEN DRIBBLES.

CHEERING WHEN A TEAMMATE MAKES A BASKET.

CHEERING WHEN AN OPPONENT MAKES A BASKET.
TREATS AFTER THE GAME.

BUT, MOST OF ALL, WATCHING THE PATIENT COACHES COACH!

I WENT ON DECEMBER 3 TO WATCH CARTER IN ACTION.

HE IS #15...THE SAME AS DERRICK FAVORS.

WHILE HIS TEAMMATES ARE STANDING AROUND,

CARTER IS IN "GO MODE!"

#ProudAuntieAnnMoment