This is Part 2 of a two part series this week on my match-up with Robert Brown, one of the top high school basketball players in the nation.  In Part 1, I shared the back story and how I got the game against such an elite player. Today, In Part 2 I will give an account of our match-up last Friday with results, as well as, share some of the 1-on-1 video.

I WON!  I Beat him 15-11!!

Then I woke up.

It was a little after 5am on Friday morning of last week.  The sun had yet to welcome in the new day, but I felt like a small child on Christmas and I had done all the sleeping I could do.

I was excited! I couldn’t wait to get on the court!

My one-on-one match-up with Robert Brown, one of the top High School basketball players in the entire country was just five hours away!

Pre-game

I arrived at the court around 9:20am to give myself plenty of time to stretch and warm-up for our 10am showdown.

I wanted to be at my best!

Right at 10am Robert showed up and after a couple of shots it was time to play.

Me vs. Robert Brown

Let me end all outside hope that I put on my cape and somehow beat Robert Brown, the 25th ranked shooting guard in the nation.

I didn’t.

Honestly, I couldn’t even get the 84th ranked player in the country to sweat!  Seriously.

We ended up playing two games of 1-on-1 to 15 points (3 pointers worth 2 points, everything else worth 1 point).

-Game 1

I quickly fell behind in game one.

He might have been up on me seven or eight to nothing before I made a weak lay-in to at least get on the board.

I was a little taken aback by his length and size as a defender.  Robert is probably the first 6’4” person I’ve ever played against that wasn’t a post player.

He was doing any and everything he wanted.  Shooting threes, taking me to the basket, making floaters, hooks, and runners.

As the ball came through the chain net on his 14th point of game one, I felt a little dizzy and quickly sucked in some air and collected myself.

I was spent.

After bending over and picking up the ball I looked up, hoping to see just a smidgen of fatigue on the face of this young man, but it was void of struggle.

Game 1 ended with a score of 15-5.

While I had hoped to give a more competitive game, at that point I was just happy that I actually scored!

I caught my breath, we took a picture, and I asked for some more!

-Game 2

Game two began with more of the same.

He opened up nailing two 3 pointers and got ahead on me quite a bit before I got a little hot.

After a string of 3 pointers of my own, I was actually up 12-11, before he shifted gears and beat me 15-12.

Extremely Impressed!

There is no doubt Robert Brown can play some basketball!   I was thoroughly impressed with the ease at which he seemed to do everything.

The guy is so smooth on the court.

What I Learned About My Game

I need to get in a lot better BASKETBALL shape.

While I may be in the best shape of my life overall, I found myself gasping for air trying to stay with the constant quick explosive movements needed in a 1-on-1 match-up.

Next Time!

Yes, there will be a next time!

Robert agreed to play me again when he comes back for holiday breaks from Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia, where he is playing his senior season.

My goal is to improve my conditioning so that the next time I can give him a better game.

I at least want to make him sweat…haha.

Overall Takeaway

Overall, this was such a cool experience for me.  It just doesn’t get better than matching-up with one of the nation’s elite young basketball players and laying it all on the line.

Sure I got my butt kicked.  Sure the games were easy like Sunday morning for him.

I left those games so motivated though!

I left the games feeling that I got a glimpse into how much I need to improve to play against the elite and actually compete.

It was definitely a wake-up call.   One that I am more than happy to do my very best to answer.

I may still be a long way from giving Mr. Jordan a decent game, but I’m getting better with each amazing experience!  I’m loving it!

Shout out to Robert Brown!

I can’t thank Robert enough for taking time from his holiday break and playing me.

Thank you for helping to make me better bro!

I’ll see ya at Christmas!  Oh and I will be better!

Me vs. Robert Brown 1-on-1 (Video):

Here is some video of our 1-on-1 match-up.  Enjoy!
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REVBTUEXf_g

[If you’re reading this via e-mail or RSS the video might not show up, so click here to view it.]
UPDATE:  Read about my other two match-ups with Robert Brown, that followed this initial meeting!
–I’M BACK!!!! (Me vs. Virginia Tech signee Robert Brown – Round 2)
–The Best Don’t Get Tired (Me vs. Robert Brown-Round 3)

Special thanks to Jim Kerkvliet for shooting the video and taking the pictures!  Thanks Jim!

How I Got A Game Of 1-on-1 Against Robert Brown

Back when basketball was at an all-time high for importance in my life, I spent numerous hours playing on the local courts and coaching my brother in YMCA leagues around my small hometown of Clermont, Florida.  It was during those years that I got to know Robert Brown, Sr.

In those days I would see his then, small son working on his game in between our games or on the opposite court.

Due to me not playing hoops as much over the last several years, until I began this journey a couple of months ago, I had lost track of them both until I saw an article this past summer on how Robert Jr. had signed a basketball scholarship with Division I, Virginia Tech.

To have a Division I player come from the small town of Clermont is a big deal!  To have him be the son of someone you know, is even cooler!

I quickly googled him, read some articles and found some video of him on YouTube.

He was dunking, shooting threes, going to the basketball.  Basically, he was doing anything he wanted to do on the court.   He had grown to be 6’4” and the game looked easy for him.

ESPN has Robert ranked #84 overall in its top 100 players in the country going into this season.  They have him ranked as the 25th best player at his position, shooting guard.

I attempted to reach out to his Dad at that point, just to tell him congratulations and that I couldn’t wait to come watch his son play (prior to this season, and transferring to Hargrave Military Academy, Robert played for the local high school).  Unfortunately, the phone number I had from many years ago was no longer good.

Then last Tuesday, something unexpected happened.

The church gym that a group of us usually play at every Tuesday was closed due to the Thanksgiving holidays.  Not to be deterred from our weekly game, we all went to a local outdoor court.  The same court where I usually shoot my free-throws and work on my game.

As I was shooting around, I noticed a familiar face standing on the baseline of the court.  It was Robert Brown, Sr.   I hadn’t seen him in yeeeeaaars.

Robert Jr. was there too dribbling a basketball on the sidelines.  He was home from Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia where he is now playing his senior season, for Thanksgiving break.

We caught up, I told them what I was doing in my journey to face Michael Jordan one-on-one, and asked if he’d be open to shooting around or playing me one-on-one while he was home from break.

He said sure!

A couple of text messages over the next couple of days and the game was set for Friday morning at 10am.

At the time of the last text on Thanksgiving evening confirming the time we would play, I was just hours from playing one of the best high school basketball players in the country.

I was just hours from playing against a young man, who in his last game before playing me had 25 points and 15 rebounds!

Here is a preview of our match-up!

Preview Of My 1-on-1 Match-Up With Robert Brown

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoztqzQax1U
[If you’re reading this via e-mail or RSS the video might not show up, so click here to view it.]

**Be sure to check back on Thursday for results of our one-on-one game, with pictures and video!