One thing I never want my partner to be sorry for is an accidental pop up. A high ball isn’t a bad thing if you prepare to defend against it. Sometimes when I pop one up too high I say “oh no” but it’s not a bad “oh no.” I’m working on replacing my “oh no” with a big step back in a focused, low athletic stance.
It’s the “oh no” of a good plot twist when the villain ends up with a nice weapon and is trying to figure out how to use it. If I didn’t give that villain the gift of that particularly high, floaty ball, they wouldn’t get the excitement of being able to use that weapon. I get a thrill at the chance to defend against it, and love to see what they do with it. Good players have so many shots in their arsenal that it’s fascinating to see which one they choose. Some players get excited and blow the opportunity. I never really mean “oh no” because I’m happy I get an opportunity to be challenged. If you’re my partner and you pop one up to a good player and I get slammed, I should thank you. Never apologize for giving me a chance to work on a part of my game that I love.