And that's a wrap

2009 (Head Coach): We were just happy to be there. After beating mighty Liceo de Costa Rica as the third seed, we made it to my first Finals. We won the first game in Escazu, breaking a very long losing streak to Barva. We then lost two pretty close games at Barva in which we displayed some horrible free throw shooting. Then in the fourth game of the series, we lost a heartbreaker as Ike St Rose banked in a three point shot with seven seconds to go to win the game, a loss that has always haunted me. While I felt our chances would have been pretty good in a fifth game, that was only the Finals of Clausura; it was doubtful we would have outlasted Barva in a subsequent series. For personal reasons, I walked away from the team after the Finals.

I've now been Sub-Campeon four times, twice as Head Coach and twice as an Assistant Coach (and GM). It doesn't get any easier...if anything it's getting harder. To come up short time after time is a draining experience. I have to ponder my future as I look back.



2011: I joined the team at the very end of the season. Even though I was the team's architect, I was mostly in the background all season long. I decided to come back to the bench at Jorge Arguello's urging. After beating San Ramon in a rough semi-final series, the team faced Barva yet again in the finals of Clausura. The best of 3 series was tied 1-1 with the deciding game played in Escazu. Amir Alvarado won the game, driving by Jose West on the final offensive possession. We had a good team, though we were short one post from having a great team.

2012: Teaming up with Neil Gottlieb, we rolled the dice with the Sanatura project and took our talents to Desamparados. We put together a strong team, a mix of veteran talent, athleticism and scoring punch. During the season we added in Henry Martinez and John Chappell to give us an edge. This team won Apertura and then coasted for most of the Clausura tourney, losing in the semis of the Clausura tourney. Then we got to the National Finals, took a two game lead before San Ramon made an impressive comeback and won the series. To come so close and fall short haunted me immediately. Less than 24 hours after the last game, I made a commitment to return the following season.



2013: This has probably been the most frustrating season for reasons off the court. My team posted the best record in Apertura, only to get swept out of the semis by San Ramon except I didn't get to coach the second game because the Federation decided to fuck me.  I decided to retool on the fly for Clausura, gambling on a Ike St Rose / Michael Jackson pairing for Clausura. On the cusp of the Clausura's beginning, Jeff Dixon bolted for another team. All season long we battled through adversity, turning the on/off switch at the most inpportune times. A brutal loss to Limon had me questioning everything, but the team bounced back and posted the best regular season record.

Then the playoffs rolled around and we started playing with fire. In the semi-finals, we dropped the second game to Grecia (my pick for the next contender), forcing a third winner-take-all game. Then we moved on to San Ramon, dropping the first game before buncing back and pulling out the second and third game to win the Clausura title. That was quite an accomplishment...I felt like San Ramon had the best team in the tourney.

Celebrating the Claurura title for 15 minutes.

And then we got blitzed by Barva in the first game of the Finals. All week I had been warning my team about this game...to see a prediction come true was very disheartening. We played better in the second game, but still lost. With our backs against the wall, we finally played with some urgency and pride, winning the third game on the road. Last night we lost our fourth game by two points, giving Barva the National Title. Even though we never had a lead in the game, there we were with less than a minute to go and a chance to win the game or force overtime. Who knows what would have happened in a fifth game, but it sure feels like another title slipping through my fingers.

All season long it was pretty apparent that there were three good teams; it was going to be a dogfight to see who ended up with the spoils. I'm not hanging my head losing to one of these teams; Barva has a great team and I'm genuinely happy for several guys in that locker room. Gabriel Moya has been like a son through the years, and he was able to salvage a disappointing season by coming up big in the Finals. Carlos Melendez has been one of my warriors in the past (and my wife's favorite player). Chava and Henry were right there with me last year coming oh so very close. And Jorge Arguello has been a good friend; his life is basketball and I know a title is fundamental to his family's well being.  To see these guys win it all is bittersweet and I know they felt for me.



Finally, there is my team. I tend to tear up in the locker room after the end of every season. These guys put in so much effort and sacrifice, most of it doesn't get recognized. We don't play for money or glory...we play because of an enormous passion for the game. Guys like Sebastian Lacayo who waited for his opportunity so patiently for the past two seasons. Or Reinner Little who sacrificed so much from Apertura to Clausura with a major shift in his role; there he was waiting the arrival of his second daughter and sweating out the San Ramon game. All our Sub 21 players who put in a ton of work, never knowing which one would get the call to play in games. And then there's the guys like Dave, Carnegie, Busta and Michael who went back-to-back seasons of heartbreak, losing in consecutive finals, capping a long stretch of grueling basketball.   That's what's most on my mind as this season comes to an end.