To Play or Not to Play? Metamora GBB awaiting the final verdict

 

The Metamora varsity and sophomore girls basketball teams meet in a distanced huddle after practice on November 16th, the IHSA's first day of official practice. An IHSA decision on the timing of a season is anticipated sometime on Thursday the 19th. PHOTO / ALEX STAAB

Metamora, Ill. - An important decision is coming from the IHSA on Thursday, but that hasn't phased the Metamora girls basketball team yet. 

Monday was the first day of official practice. That's the timeline right now. It's not concrete when games will happen, but practices can happen, while being guideline-compliant. 

Monday's practice for the Lady Redbirds, poised for one of the best seasons in program history, was a good one. They made they most of what they had. 

Non-contact drills, socially distant "huddles", it was all there. That's basketball in 2020. 

The mentality, senior forward Alana Terry says, is most important. 

"Just taking it day-by-day. In the meantime, we're just going to keep getting work in," Terry explained. 

As mentioned, this could be a special team. The 2019-20 team lost nine games. With a potentially limited schedule if a season happens, don't be surprised to see that loss column get lower than fans of the program are used to. 

"We've got a phenomenal group of kids. We're very deep this year. We have a group that runs the floor incredibly well," seventh-year head coach Brianna Morrow said.

Terry agrees, adding that the high ceiling the team has breeds quite the amount of anticipation, simply saying "I've been waiting for this". 

In a situation where a season happens on-schedule, Metamora has lost all of its initially scheduled non-conference opponents due to those schools either opting out of a season themselves, or their conferences opting out. That being said, Morrow feels that there's still a window to secure new non-conference opponents within the Lady Redbirds' COVID-19 "Restore Illinois" region.

"Ideally, we'd love to pick up more games. It's hard to schedule games when you don't know what you're scheduling for," she added.

A large part of the conversation has been both sides of the decision-makers having a uniform conversation. Coach Morrow says there's reason for believing in things working out.

"I'm optimistic that they'll come together, sit down, and find a viable solution. If that means we don't play games until January, I'm content with that," Morrow explained.

The pandemic has been quite the challenge for the players, as is the case with many teens across the country. Despite that, Terry feels that things will stay on the good side of the meter.

"I'm hopeful this will put us together rather than pull us apart," she said.

So whether the season tips off in weeks or months, the team says they'll be prepared. The days of (4-24), (2-25), etc., are behind them.

"Whenever we do have a season, we're going to be ready," Coach Morrow said.

The Metamora Board of Education meets tomorrow (Tuesday, November 17th), but winter sports is no longer on the docket after the IHSA announced its Thursday meeting. 

As it stands right now, Metamora's earliest scheduled game is a December 8th home tilt with East Peoria. 

COVID-19 has made the 2020-21 season happening a fluid situation, but there's one thing that's not. This year's version of the Lady Redbirds is definitely worth watching. 

Alex Staab is the play-by-play broadcaster for the Metamora Girls Basketball program and enters his 7th season in 2020-2021. He can be reached by following him on Twitter (@StaabAlex). Fans are also encouraged to follow the team Twitter (@MetamoraGBB) for the best Lady Redbird content.