Gone As Quickly As It Appeared

The absence of sports over the past 6½ weeks created a void, yet in the midst of uncertainty fans know things can change in a moment.

Sports fans recently experienced that in an unprecedented negative sense. When a Utah Jazz player tested positive for covid19 the NBA suspended its regular season March 12. Sports shut down within about a 24- hour period. The NCAA canceled its national basketball tournament, and the Arkansas Activities Association postponed the remainder of its state finals basketball games after playing the 1A and 2A state championship contests March 12 at Bank OZK Arena at Hot Springs.

Shortly after spring sports went away with baseball, softball, track and field, and soccer all suspended in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Those 6½ weeks now seem like a long, drawn-out baseball or softball inning in which the third out feels hard to achieve. Oh, but it is coming, perhaps sooner than anyone can predict.

Uncertainty Principle

In the world of sports momentum can shift quickly with an unpredictability that appeals to millions world-wide. Science also studies this concept with the introduction of the “Uncertainty Principle” by Werner Heisenberg in 1927.

The “Uncertainty Principle” describes an inherent limitation on mankind’s measuring ability. In Quantum Physics, as scientists determine the position of a particle more precisely, its motion, also described as momentum, and thus its future location become less well-known.

On the flip side of that coin, precise knowledge of a particle’s motion hinders knowledge of its present location. Heisenberg revealed this limitation in sharp contrast to classical physics where it is thought possible to know an object’s position and speed exactly.

Momentum Swings

Earlier in April the Enterprise-Leader looked back on the District 4A-1 boys basketball tournament hosted by Prairie Grove at Tiger Arena Feb. 17-22. From that

tournament a distinct, unpredicted change of momentum and aggressive plays that broke up a stall — stand out.

It was one of those nights nothing Gravette coach Matt Busch tried turned out right except one shining moment that dramatically overshadowed the Lions’ 44-28 season-ending loss to Berryville.

Berryville led Gravette 14-12 at the end of the first quarter then scored twice on layups by Kade Davidson and Scotland Lucas to go up 18-12. At that juncture Busch called time-out with 7:21 remaining in the first half and the game slowed to a standstill with senior forward Brayden Kelton dribbling six minutes off the clock near half-court.

Berryville coach Brent Compton has seen this before in a District 4A-1 tournament. Six years ago on Feb. 18, 2014, Ozark was a member of the league. Hillbillies coach Brad Johnson (not the same guy who coaches Farmington’s girls basketball team) played stall- ball for most of that game despite fighting an uphill battle and eventually losing, 28-20.

While he held at least a four to six point lead Compton was content to let the Hillbillies hold the ball then and he was again Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, when Gravette slowed the game to a standstill during the District 4A-1 boys basketball tournament at Prairie Grove.

Stall Backfires

Busch rarely goes into a stall. In 2017 the Lions recorded six slam-dunks in a conference game. That’s the style of basketball he prefers, but in the district tournament scenario Busch felt going into a stall gave his team a chance.

“We had a couple of players out with injuries so we’re real thin and then we only have two post players and they both had two fouls,” Busch said, explaining his motive. “So, two fouls, five minutes to go in the first half, we didn’t want them to get a third so he (Compton) let us hold it.”

The ploy backfired.

Once the Lions tried to run a set inside 30 seconds to go in the half they lost the handle. An aggressive play on the ball by Lucas caused the ball to bounce loose toward the opposite goal. Landon Chester got to it first and finished a fast-break by laying the ball in at the other end expanding the Bobcat lead to 20-12 at halftime.

Berryville began the second half with an 8-4 run to go up by 10 and Gravette never got it below seven. The Lions trailed 31-23 at the end of the third quarter and didn’t threaten again.

Surprise Ending

Berryville outscored Gravette, 13- 5, in the fourth quarter, but the last two points for the Lions became something special with both coaches having a hand in the outcome. Busch sent senior Jon Childress in with 30 seconds remaining. He was fouled battling for a rebound and missed the front end of a 1- and-1, but the rebound went out to Gravette with the clock down to 15.6 seconds.

The Lions in- bounded underneath their own basket and Compton told his players not to guard Childress, a special needs player who normally serves as team manager. He missed two 3- point attempts from the corner then was told to get closer, had a rebound handed to him by Bobcat sophomore Leo Portolan, and eventually laid the ball in just before the final horn.

That highlight became a nice surprise ending to a game that included six minutes of stall.

Some predictions think the covid-19 crisis could hang around until mid-summer, but the “Uncertainty Principle” might just kick in. A heatwave could wipe out the corona virus and bring back sports sooner than predicted.