Adaeze

87

I stretched a bit while the girls were in their fourth quarter of the game.

I was in the locker room with a few of the guys. Some were in the stands watching and some were in here stretching too.

While I was finishing up, the door opened and the rest of the team walked inside.

Coach came in behind them.

"Alright. The girls got 30 seconds left. Everybody ready?" he asked.
"Yes, sir!"
We heard the buzzer for the end of the game.
"Let's go."

He led us out of the locker room and we saw the girls passing out high fives to the other team. They won by twenty.

Half of us grabbed a basketball to start doing our layups while the other team started to get on the court.

Should be an easy enough game. We beat them the last three years. What's one more?

~

The game was starting and the two centers were in the middle of the court ready for the jump ball.

Jalen got it first and gave it to Trent.

Trent took it and dribbled down the court while we all got to our spots.

They started defense.
The shit actually hurt. He kept elbowing me in my ribs trying to stay in front of me.

But I saw Trent wondering who to pass to so I ran in front of the guy guarding me.
"Hey!" I yelled.
Trent passed it and I caught it before the guy could block it.

Now was just trying to get around him.

I looked around to see if I could pass it back to anybody.

Then I realized, Dylan had a point.
Their defense was tight and we only just started. It was like they weren't giving us any room to breathe.

I couldn't pass it so I had to take the shot before the clock was up.
I moved one step to the left for a jumper but when the guy came to block, he bumped into me while I was in the air. It fucked up my landing and I stumbled.
The fuck is his problem?
The ref blew the whistle while my shot went in.

I looked up at the guy who was guarding me while everybody cheered.
He just stared at me then walked off.

Jalen and KJ came and helped me up.

"Good shot." Kj told me.

I walked off to the free throw line.

I got one.

They gave me the ball and I dribbled it twice before taking the shot.
It went in.

I jogged to the other side of the court with everyone else while the other team passed the ball in.

I went to the guy that guarded me. Now I get to return the favor.

I stayed on him.
Followed his every move.
He looked annoyed by it.
Good.

"Fucking move, bro!" he stated and tried to get around me.
Not how the game works.

One of his teammates passed to him and I blocked it then took the ball and dribbled up the court.

I took it and ran all the way to the net for a layup. It went in.

Everybody cheered.

I looked at my opponent.
He was already mad and staring at me.

I like when this happens. Singling out a player to be a rival. Makes the game more fun.

We jogged back to the other side while they had to pass the ball in.
He bumped into my shoulder on purpose while he went to go check the ball in.

Asshole.

~~

We were in a timeout right before the end of the first half. The score was 36 to 40. We were up but barely.

"So you guys can see that they've strengthened their defense since the last time we played, right?" Coach asked.
"Yes, sir." we responded.
"Then you speed up the game. They may be aggressive but they're not faster than you. You're letting that defense get in the way, it's nothing you've never experienced before. We've played tougher teams. Let's get on the court and play like we've been here before."
He put his fist up and we all bumped it while the buzzer went off for the end of the timeout.

We got back on the court and it was the other team's ball.

I went to guard my usual guy.
Nobody had been subbed out yet because of how tight the game was. Usually I would be sitting down by now because of how far the lead would be but unfortunately I still have to work. Great.
I'm sweating.

I watched their point guard dribble up the court while I kept my arms out against the guy behind me.

He kept trying to get around me and at one point he succeeded. That's when he got the ball.

I got in front of him.
Watching the ball so I could either force him to pass it or make him drop it as a whole and then steal it.

But he started trying to force me closer to the net with his arm against my chest.
I couldn't do anything or else they'd call a foul. I could just stay on him.

He backed up and tried to take the shot but I got closer and jumped up.
He didn't take it and I landed back on the floor.

He backed up and looked around to see if anyone was open but our team upped their defense too. So he had no other options.
He looked back at me then charged forward with the ball.

He jumped but slipped from the damp floor due to all the sweat and rammed into me.
I fell first from the weight while he shot it and all of a sudden I felt the most pain I've ever felt in my life.

I laid on the floor while a gut wrenching scream left my throat.