His First and His Last

20

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We had been doing good during pre-season we were 12-0 the best record the school has ever had. Today was the first game of season.

I tied my shoes before throwing my jersey over my head. I stood up jumping up and down making sure everything felt comfortable.

"Alright ladies" Coach said grabbing everyone's attention "lets keep the intensity!" Coach said clapping it up.

We headed to the court to warm up. I jogged out of the locker room. I looked in the stands searching for my family. Usually they sat in one of the corner spots but they weren't there. I looked around seeing posters, I saw a big head of my face and I smiled. I waved to them seeing them in the center. I lined up behind my teammates as we got ready for lay ups.

"You ready for todays game?" Ralphy asked coming up behind me

"Hell yeah, Oregon only got maybe two players. We stop them and the rest is easy."

"They got big men in the paint so be prepared to shoot and pass higher"

"I nodded" scoping out the other team.

We were down by five leading to the first half of the game. They were killing us in the paint and we were barely able to get any rebounds. Ralphy wasn't playing too well against all them plus none of us we helping him out. X swung the ball to me. I stood in triple threat figuring out my next move.

I passed it back to the top looking at how Oregon transitioned looking for an opening in there defense. The defender on me was in help once X swung it to the opposite side. I cut back door, he bounced passed it to me in the paint two big defenders came at me. I saw Ralphy from the corner of my eye. I faked like I was gonna pass it before I floated it toward the basket. Ralphy jumped up slamming it into the basket.

"Let's fucking go" I heard from the bench as everybody got excited about that play. I slapped Ralphy hand as we transitioned back on defense.

We had 2 minutes left of the first half and we were now down by three. They passed it to a big man in the paint. He posted up Ralphy trying to get to the basket. He dribbled hard trying to lay it up. They ref blew the whistle indicating a foul. We did a small huddle on the court. "We have to help out in the paint. They have been killing us in the paint. Talk if you need help to" I said clapping before we broke apart lining up at the free throw line. He missed his lay up so he was shooting two. He missed both and I got the rebound. They weren't pressing so I passed the ball to X as I ran back down the floor. We swung the ball well before they swung it to me I was open so I took the shot nailing the three.

"All day baby all day" X said to me as I ran passed him giving him five.

That momentum carried to the second half. We won 101-89. Second half consisted of mostly Ralphy. I was so proud watching him ball out. They did an interview with him after the game. They asked X, me and Ralphy to sit at the panel discussion.

"How do you raise the moral when your down?" One of the reporters asked X

"We do it as a team, sometimes it could be encouraging words and other times it's action. Doing something different to get different results. We saw that today when my boy Dru hit that back door setting Ralpy up for the alley hoop"

"You've transition well from a juco to a 4 year. How was it transitioning?" Another reporter asked me and Ralphy

"I love this game so I took all the necessary preparations to get here. I work hard and I give it all I got everyday" Ralphy stated

"I mean the intensity level is different but it's still basketball. I know basketball so it really didn't feel like a transition just felt like the next step to where I wanna be" I stated flashing the cameras a smile