This one started out a lil bit shaky.

It took a couple of minutes getting the kinks out, both teams couldn't hit water if they.. y'know that ol' nugget. (After 5 minutes: 0-0). However, '99... or should I say B Mull soon got goin'... and poured in 4 points of his own to stake '99 to a 4-0 lead. After a couple of 2 pointers from Woodbury & Beckwith (one highly contested I might add) and a lay-up by Schafe... '00 roared back on top, 5-4. The teams would trade buckets until the 5 minute mark when 2 more Aaron Schafer baskets extended the lead to 9-6. Gettin' the cobwebs off turned out to take a little longer then each team thought... the game ended at 9-6 after the 20 minute horn sounded. Ugly Basketball... but 2k was 1-0.

Chet Davis. The man is a beast. He had '00 on the run for a lil bit fans...

The game started out a little more crisp then the last. Chip Woodbury knocked down a 2 followed by a Joe Galardi lay-up that made it 3-1, '00 on top. Then all-that-is-man-Davis took over and connected on 4 straight buckets. Before y'knew it... 6-4, '02's side. But '00 held it together keyed by Woodbury, Zampetti, Marcy, and Schafer buckets to go on top. They sealed the win with a Beckwith 2-pointer and '00 held on 11-7. For pool play, that was 2 down... 3 to go.

After shaking hands... a collective sigh was released from '00. That was a tough one.

Many of you may remember the storied '95 & '96 teams that featured a 51-3 record... 2 trips to the Breslin... and 2 State Championship near misses. When '00 laced up to take on '96 on that overcast Saturday in August... nary a starter (nor 6th, 7th, or 8th man) was there to represent for '96.

'00 jumped out to a big lead and showed balanced scoring (as every player recorded at least one bucket) and went on to a 12-4 win. The 2 pointer Zampetti hit to win the game would factor in big time down the road.

2000 sits at 3-0.

We beat '97. The details escape me...

There was some shooting, an alley-oop, a flock of seagulls, 'Award Tour' played... and '00 won 11-5.

4-0.

Before this game, Schafe said something to the effect: "I really don't wanna lose this game." It was much longer then that and had something about how he has blocked over 200 of Allen's shots and there were some expletives and he slammed a chair... basically, he was adamant about remaining undefeated.

Whatever he said... it worked.

'00 cruised to an 11-3 victory and a 5-0 record in pool play.

Buckner, Galardi, Marcy and Zampetti had good games. Or maybe they didn't... I don't remember. 

And Now it was time for the playoffs...

If any game played, that fateful/overcast/muggy day in August, were to go down in OSS history... It was the opening round playoff game between '00 and Team 80's.

I'll skip to the good part and let the on-site play-by-play announcer take over:

"And there's a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ... he lays it in!! What a play by Bir..." Oops. Wrong game.

"Galardi brings the ball up the court... Dishes off to Woodbury... back to Galardi... He finishes off the glass! The class of 2000 has come out and backed up their #1 seed in these playoffs by jumping out to a 10-4 lead over the 80s team. Things are looking bleek for the 80's team.        

But what's this? A mild breeze is starting to come from across the high school parking lot... are those the winds of change? Whatever they are, they seem to have awoken Sammy Dalman. Eyes squinting, teeth gnarled, he brings the ball up the court trailing by six. Dalman spots up, from 25 feet, good! My oh My what a shot by Dalman.       

Beckwith brings the ball back up... and out of nowhere, there's Dalman again! He steals the ball, looks down low, shakes his head, spots up from 30...... Drain-O!!!! Dalman just banked in a 30 footer... 10-8!           

Buckner tries to calm down 2k as he brings the ball up... he passes over to Woodbury... out to Marcy... 2 pointer... no good! Croley gets the rebound for the 80s team... downcourt to Dalman... back to Croley... here's Dalman, off-balance, off a 2 man screen from 22 ft... RAIN DANCE!!!! He nailed it. Tie game! Tie game! It's Pandemonium Larry!!!           

2000 has got to be reeling... they've worked to get a 10-4 lead... and before you can say "Back Tap Back Tap" it's tied 10-10.          

After a missed shot, 2000 brings the ball back down the court for the check up... wait, was that Schafer whispering something to Beckwith?? Good thing we've got audio on it: "Pass to me, I'll kick it back to you, and just f*#in' end it."           

Beckwith out top with the inbound... over to Schafer... touch pass back to Beckwith... from beyond the arc... BOTTOMS!!! The class of 2000 holds on!        

After shaking hands, both teams realize they've been part of history. They're now part of DeWitt/OSS lore for decades to come.

Phew... 6-0. 

Not sure if taken a look at '93s starting line-up. (Go to the pictures for some elaboration...)

Anyway, '93 boasted two guys 6'8 who ran about 2 1/2 or 3 hundo. They were not small. '00 biggest player was Schafe. And while he may be 6'4... he's a scant 195... soakin' wet.

We'll skip to the end on this one as well. Turns out the bigs for '93 were handled relatively well. Some outside shooting and key buckets by Zampetti and Marcy staked '00 to an 11-8 lead. After a change of possession, Galardi pushed the ball to Nick Marcy who ran to the corner spotted up and drained the game-and-championship winner. (See pictures for photo of winning bucket)

AND WITH THAT...

2k wins the Inaugural OSS Championship. Proving all the naysayers wrong, all the haters incorrect, and all the believers (there were 8 of 'em... they had a dream) right. They were then presented with the Cup and the words of Rick Galardi (after a couple a' pops at Rellis): "No matter what... you are cemented. Your names will always be the first on that cup. And everyone will remember."

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE HEART OF "A GRADUATING CLASS OF HABITUAL UNDERACHIEVERS"

...see ya next year.

Unfortunately this game was not as exciting as the Opening Rounder.

'00 came out hot. Woodbury, Hude, Marcy, and Zampetti connected on two pointers and Schafer added a couple easy buckets.

And for the second time that day, '00 beat '97, 12-5.

Finals comin'... 7-0.