If my math is correct (and it rarely was growing up) I took part in documenting 53 basketball games this year. With our last Sauk Valley-area team falling Friday night, the long season has come to a conclusion for our local players.

There still are some story lines that might be of interest to fans and teams in the area. The Lincoln girls basketball team that ousted the Dixon Duchesses in the supersectional will be playing for the title later on as I write this. The Pecatonica boys team that dispatched Fulton and Eastland will square off against Aurora Christian on Monday for a chance to play in the state tournament next weekend.

Here are few things that that have rattled around my brain as the season concludes: The highest of the high had to be the wonderful season the Duchesses put together. The team rolled through the playoffs, besting local rival Sterling and Boylan for the regional title, then going into Sycamore to beat the home team there and Kaneland for the sectional title. The team went toe to toe with Lincoln for the first quarter but the undefeated Railsplitters were just too much. I definitely think deep playoff experience hampered the Dixon squad a bit.

With every high, there must be a low I suppose. The way the Sterling boys played all season long, I was convinced I would be making the trip to Champaign for the state finals. The team was simply outplayed by La Salle-Peru in the regional final. The Warriors were still by leaps and bounds the most exciting team to watch all year.

Which segues nicely, I guess, into something I don’t find exciting. I suspect I’m going to be criminally disagreed with, but the 3-point shot just bores me. I at one time would have even suggested it ruined basketball, but the more I studied it, what it ruins is basketball photography. Players fighting under the basket or driving the lane or reaching for the rebound certainly are the most exciting images one can bring back. The 3-point jump shot is not. These players are so good nowadays at that shot that there’s very little risk versus reward.

Let’s do one more get-off-my-lawn read. I haven’t noticed it quite as much locally, but I feel like student fans are often more taunting to the other team and fans instead of celebrating their own players. It just breeds contempt and kind of quashes the good vibe of sportsmanship. I get it, school pride and all.

Let’s end on a pair of high notes. First and foremost, Dixon senior Owen Winters’ national anthem rendition at the girls state basketball tournament was beautifully done and a credit to the community. Second and least most, the press room at CEFCU Arena in Normal had a case of Oberweis ice cream sandwiches. If we are offered anything, it’s usually something healthy like a banana or apple and who the heck wants to snack on that.

- Follow Alex T. Paschal @svmphotogs or email me at apaschal@shawmedia.com.