Glory On the Court
The lights beat down on my neck. The sneakers squeak. The crowd roars. The clock ticks. The basketball hits the ground with a soft thud before it bounces back up to meet my hand again. I stare ahead at the line of defenders guarding the goal, hands in the air to block any attempts of my team making a basket. Player number twelve sprints toward me, crouching down as I continue to dribble in place. I glance at the scoreboard mounted high on the huge gymnasium's wall. 60-62, fourth quarter, thirty seconds on the clock. We're only down two points, now twenty-seven seconds left to go. It's now or nothing.
The defender directly in front of me surveys my movements very carefully, waiting for me to make a mistake. Another second passes and I hear the coach screaming in his booming voice, "Find an open player, Michael!" I get distracted for a moment, but it was enough for number twelve to have a chance to reach for the basketball. My reflexes take over and I switch the ball to my opposite hand, dodging his steal with ease.
I take off dribbling down the court, faking out defenders, spinning, jumping, and sprinting. Sweat trickles down my bald head as I break through a line of players from the other team, the ten second countdown already beginning.
"Ten! Nine! Eight!" the crowds on the bleachers chant. I feel everyone's attention directed on me, every eye watching and waiting. Time slows down as I reach the three point line. Quickly adjusting my feet I leap high in the air, muscles rippling, taking the shot. The orange basketball leaves my hands, hurtling toward the basket.
"Four! Three! Two!"
My feet reunite with the court floor once more.
"One!"
The loud buzzer rings throughout the air, everyone silent now in the gymnasium. They wait. The fate of this entire game rests on one shot. My shot. The ball lands on the rim of the basket before rolling around on the thin metal. My heart flutters as I realize it's not going to make it in the net. I close my brown eyes and turn away. Suddenly the entire room is rumbling with shouts and cheers and screaming. I reopen my eyes slowly, nervously and glance back at the goal. The basket ball falls through the net. It took me a second to realize that I had won for the team! My teammates swarm over to me, hugging and patting each other on the backs. A smile of victory flashes across my awed face. Cameras click. People scream with excitement. Reporters ramble on. Fans flood around us.
This is what basketball's about. This is glory on the court.
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