Returning Cell Value

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Probably an easy question here (I'm very new to excel)
Here is a small sample of the data I am using

Start of 1st Quarter
(12:00) Jump Ball Dalembert vs Smith
Johnson Jump Shot: Missed
Williams Foul: Personal (1 PF)
(11:04) Jump Ball Iguodala vs Smith
Williams Jump Shot: Missed
Smith Rebound (Off:1 Def
Johnson Layup Shot: Missed
Smith Jump Shot: Made (2 PTS)
Assist: Johnson (1 AST)
Claxton Layup Shot: Missed
End of 1st Quarter
Start of 2nd Quarter
Claxton Foul: Offensive (1 PF)
Claxton Turnover: Foul (1 TO)

What I have to do is read the text between each of the quarters and return a value to a database.
The idea I have is to read through the entire column using =MATCH("Start of 1st Quarter",A:A,0 to give me my starting cell then using =MATCH("End of 1st Quarter",A:A,0 as my ending cell then use the =COUNTIF(A(my previously returned vales), "*assist*") and thus return the amount of assists in the first quarter. But how do I write the COUNTIF ranges in. I had the values stored in D3 and D4 but =COUNTIF(A(D3):A(D4), "*asiist*") this logic doesnt work. Could someone please help me fix this. Thanks in advance.

[Bryan Hessey]

Probably an easy question here (I'm very new to excel)
Here is a small sample of the data I am using

Start of 1st Quarter
(12:00) Jump Ball Dalembert vs Smith
Johnson Jump Shot: Missed
Williams Foul: Personal (1 PF)
(11:04) Jump Ball Iguodala vs Smith
Williams Jump Shot: Missed
Smith Rebound (Off:1 Def
Johnson Layup Shot: Missed
Smith Jump Shot: Made (2 PTS)
Assist: Johnson (1 AST)
Claxton Layup Shot: Missed
End of 1st Quarter
Start of 2nd Quarter
Claxton Foul: Offensive (1 PF)
Claxton Turnover: Foul (1 TO)

What I have to do is read the text between each of the quarters and return a value to a database.
The idea I have is to read through the entire column using =MATCH("Start of 1st Quarter",A:A,0 to give me my starting cell then using =MATCH("End of 1st Quarter",A:A,0 as my ending cell then use the =COUNTIF(A(my previously returned vales), "*assist*") and thus return the amount of assists in the first quarter. But how do I write the COUNTIF ranges in. I had the values stored in D3 and D4 but =COUNTIF(A(D3):A(D4), "*asiist*") this logic doesnt work. Could someone please help me fix this. Thanks in advance.

Hi,
try

=COUNTIF(INDIRECT("A"&D3&":A"&D4), "*assist*")

note, double s rather than double i

hth
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