Scoring You

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I have been playing basketball since I was able to walk. My parents got me one of those miniature basketball hoops and I spent countless hours outside with that thing until I was able to finally move to a real hoop. My whole life has been revolved around this one year, my senior season. This will determine if I can declare for the draft. If any teams will want me. If we start the season off with a loss, the road back will be even harder.

It's November 5th. My whole family is coming out for tonight's game, which just so happens to be at Madison square garden. Every year the top four teams play their first game here and this year is no different. My mother called letting me know that her, my father, older sister and little brother had landed in New York City and that they will see me after tonight's game. She was crying the whole time, something about her little boy growing up.

After talking with Ethan earlier he said the girls already planned a watch party at the apartment so everyone's eyes will be on me tonight. The whole world will have a chance of seeing me win, but they also have a front row seat if I lose. With 3 seniors and 3 juniors on the team, I am curious to see the starting lineup for tonight but at the risk of sounding cocky, there is no way he won't be starting Reece and I.

As I am lacing up my shoes, I look up and see that everyone is in the game day trance. Each of them doing their own pregame ritual to prepare themselves for what is coming. We were given 2nd place overall by the committee, I believe we should have been number one but two is good enough for right now. We are playing Duke, the damn Blue Devils is our first game of the season. We finally will see who the better blue crew is, and if I were a betting man I would pick us.

They lost 4 starters after last year's season, 2 being seniors and then 2 juniors who chose to go into the draft early. A choice I faced last year but after losing in the final four I chose to come back and get a championship for my school. To add a year to the banner in the gym is what I have wanted since I started here freshman year and every year we were bested in the last possible games. This season is my last chance to fulfill that dream before moving on to the next level.

At the sound of Coaches voice I look up from the hole I was staring into the ground and see that everyone's attention is now on our coaching staff. Each in the same black suit and a Kentucky blue tie.

"Okay boys, it's the first game of the season and for many of you this could be the last first college game you play. We have spent the last couple weeks busting our asses in the gym and watching tapes of the blue devils last season but none of that will matter unless you apply what you learned on the court tonight. Now I need to make sure the front has the lineup correct and Coach B will let everyone know the plans for tonight." And with that Coach K is out of the locker room and making his way to the court up above.

"Starting five for tonight's game and I won't repeat myself so please listen up. Reece Jones, Tyler Hunter, Marcus Shaw, Kole Jennings and Vincent Rushland. For the rest of you be ready to go in at any time, we are going to try and keep Duke on their toes tonight so we will be taking you in and out all night. Freshman it is your first game of the season and it is in the Garden, don't let the noise get to your head. Now we head out in 5 so finish up your makeup and let's do this!"

Reece will be caring the ball tonight and as our best far out shooter he is our best option on the outside, Marcus is the tallest on the team almost 7 foot so anything down low will be his, Kole is our main weapon on defense, the kid moves so swiftly that there is not a chance you will get by him, Vincent is the man for anything on the corners and making sure the ball is in our hands, dude is nasty on the court. So for the starting five tonight I am pretty thrilled with their choosing and I would have chosen the same five if it were up to me.