A Win for BB


It had happened during a time of celebration—Thanksgiving, when families gather to enjoy one another. A car accident took four lives and robbed two families of dads and sons. It also shook up a small community and an even smaller group of boys who’d just lost their coach and one of their teammates (see God Knows 12/1/17)

As the rest of us processed the loss, the boys had a decision to make. Would they continue their basketball season or quit?

Their coach was dead and their buddy BB—a good friend and team’s dependable encourager was never going to get another chance to make his improbable three-point shots again.







The boys had a solemn meeting and decided they’d play. Wearing “BB” on their jerseys they’d huddle and shout his name prior to each game they played. And man, did they play with heart.

As typical with young boys, they didn’t talk about their biggest loss of the season, their friend and coach. They merely did what they knew those two would have wanted them to do—play up to their best game.

And they played like that all the way to the championship game. In this final game, they faced  formidable opponents. They were outsized and had less experience, but as they shouted “BB” they met them head-on.





I doubt they knew it, because she came in just after the game started, but BB’s mom, came to watch their final game. She'd always loved watching these boys—many of whom she’d known for years.

She cheered them on and watched them play an amazing game. The score was close. And she yelled their names, encouraging them to the final seconds, when they lost.

But they didn’t really lose, did they? No, they’d picked up the pieces of their broken hearts, and then played those hearts out, game after game. They were missing the player who’d build them up when things were down, and the coach who’d have demanded the most from them. But they played when everyone wouldn’t have blamed them for quitting.






This season, played for BB, will be one they’ll always remember, because they played despite their sorrow. This team helped us all heal a bit more.

Yes, they are champions, even without winning the final game.

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