Heart Of A Champion

Debut (PBA) 2/3

Third Quarter

I was subbed back in the game and we were still up by 3, 48-45. The Blackwater team starts the quarter. Banal passes it to Belo and Belo drives in for the easy layup. 48-47 is the score, narrowed by Belo. I wanted to make my team energized for crunch time. I started to cruise inside, faking the pass to my right, left, and then taking an acrobatic, reversed, layup. But I missed it. My bad. Raymond Aguilar then brought back Blackwater to life with his three. They now lead by 2, 50-48, with 9:53 left. Several possessions came, but no one took advantage until Belo hits another layup. We are now down by 4, 52-48, 8:14. As the game was scoreless for the next two minutes, Blackwater just won't let up as Belo makes a three, 55-48 is the score, us trailing by 7, 5:46 left. Belo stole it from me and then threw the touchdown pass to Aguilar and he swishes another three. Things are starting to get ugly as they take a 10-point lead, 58-48, 5:32 left. The horn sounds, signaling for a timeout. "Are you serious? Please, you are a bunch of stars if you can play the way you should, at your best." Coach said. The fire, that burns inside my heart, started to become stronger and stronger, as I said, "Coach, I will take full responsibility." Signals to play came, and we went back on the floor. I passed the ball to Belga, who takes a three, but misses it. Belo runs to the other side, thinks that he is open, attempts a layup. But here comes me, like a hero soaring above the buildings in times of need. I chased down the shot and started to get an adrenaline rush. I started to cruise in and drive, blasting pass through every person in my way, be it LeBron, Kobe, MJ, heck, even Mutombo can't handle me right now. I successfully make the layup. 58-50, 4:43 left. I stole the ball again, then threw the lob from half court to Raymond Almazan, who dunks it down hard! 58-52, 4:36 left. The crowd were fired up, we were fired up, even coach is fired up! Electricity is flowing through the Cuneta Astrodome! I stole the ball again! Lobbing it from half court, Belga is the receiving end, dunks it home, and a foul is called against Belo, after just getting POSTERIZED! I can make this city the lob city even just for a while! Belga makes the bonus throw. 58-55 is the score, quickly enough to be acknowledged. 4:22 left. Blackwater uses all 24 seconds to slow down our momentum. I grabbed the rebound, and with me grabbing the rebound, you know it is gonna be dangerous to stay in my way! I jumped as high as the constellations in space and, KABOOM! Down goes three guys down the paint after I throw down a ferocious slam! A foul was called and I made the free throw. The game was tied at 58, with 3:45 left. There I go again, after grabbing the rebound, throwing no-look passes like The Answer. James Yap was at the end of the pass, resulting to an easy three, with 3:32 left. 61-58. I grabbed another rebound, saw Almazan open inside, and threw it to him for another slam with EMPHASIS! 63-58, 3:21 left. If there was any message it was about to send to the crowd, it is telling them that there was no more game, but pure showdown! And it seems like it was already known by the crowd as they started to erupt like a bunch of volcanoes! Super atmospheric game happening at the Cuneta Astrodome! I grabbed another board, and passed it to Cruz on the left corner for the three, 66-58! 2:56 left. I am telling you, it is over! O.V.E.R. OVER!! I stole the ball again, and saw no one was in front of me, CHOO-CHOO! Here goes the train of pure perseverance! Who slams it, hard! 68-58! 2:45 left. All the critics, that were in my mind, I shouted them all out! I started a sequence that shocked the nation in my first game as a pro. Shot, after shot, after shot, after shot, after shot. Yes, five straight threes! 83-60, 1:01 left. I looked straight at Banal, and stared him down like no one expected a rookie to do so. Banal, can not look at me anymore. My teammates started to do their jobs to finish the quarter, with us leading by 27, 89-62.