It's Time To Play In A Basketball Team

We got changed in the locker room, listening to music that would get our adrenaline pumping. The game started with a tip-off with us getting the ball and scoring on the first play, but so did the other team. The game was very close. We would score, they would score. No one ever got ahead by more than four points. At the end of the second quarter with ten seconds left, it was their ball and we were down by two. They did a nice play and a girl got a wide open three pointer. Then the buzzer went off and we all looked at our fuming coach and knew what was about to come at half time. You know that scene in the movie, “42” about Jackie Robinson, where the other teams coach is yelling at him saying rude things? And then there’s the heartbreakingly beautiful scene where Jackie goes into the dugout and breaks his bat and screams and cries. That’s what our halftime was like. The coach yelling and us wanting to scream and cry, but still we had determination to win this game. We came back out ready to play and immediately tied it back it up. The game kept going back and forth, until the fourth quarter with a minute left and us up by four. The other teams coach called a timeout and our coach gave us a speech about if we wanted to win, we needed teamwork. Teamwork just like Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers. We came back out and held the game at four points until the buzzer went

I remember that day as if it was like yesterday, it was a warm day, the sun shining, and it was the perfect weather for us to play in. The important day for the Iowa-Grant Panther Softball 5th and 6th grade team, it was our championship game.

As Drew and Andie, came over to my dad and me, we were talking about how they got tickets also. Andie got the tickets from a friend. The teams came out of the tunnel and the second half was about to start. The first two minutes of the second half, UNI did not look very good as they were down 45-34. UNC shot the ball really well which put UNC up 50-34 with 17:13 left to play. I thought that UNI was still going to make a great comback into this game, and they did. Matt Bohannon made a three pointer as well as Paul Jesperson with two three pointers and trimmed UNC´s lead to seven at 50-43. ¨Here we go!¨ Jeremy Morgan made a three pointer and the score was 54-48. It just got even better. Wes Washpun got two layups and trimmed the lead to two. ¨Let´s go!¨ There was a TV timeout with 11:32 left to play, but there was a UNC foul. Jeremy Morgan got two free throws and made one for two. UNC would commit another personal foul, and Matt Bohannon had a chance at the free throw line and made one for two also. The game is tied at

Walking out onto the opponent’s brightly lit turf field setting up for the kickoff of the second half just gave me the feeling that everybody knows, my hair starts to stand up, butterflies began to flutter in my stomach, and everything seems to slow down. Looking into the stands and seeing that our hometown fans had traveled four hours in order to outdo the home crowd gave me a sense of comfort. Looking into East Jefferson’s stands and seeing that our fans, despite having to travel all the way down south, outnumbered their fans by at least 70 people. I found myself thinking that this meant just as much to our town as it did to our school and team. This feeling would be just the motivation we needed in order to finish this game

I wake up and start getting ready for practice. Get in the shower and get dressed. I grabbed my bag and made my way to the bus stop. Basketball is my favorite sport. I consider myself being like my idol Derrick Rose. He is very good on the court. As I make it in the school, I realize I do not have to take that much time with getting ready for practice than I do on a regular school day. I realize my boys was running late as usual. Playing basketball with them is the best. Especially playing with Demacio.

In 2016, more than ever, the team was committed to and had one goal of winning. One of our biggest rivals was St. John’s College High School (SJCHS). My doubles partner and I played the last match of the WCAC championships against SJCHS. During the season, SJCHS was one of the hardest competitors we faced but walking onto the court on the final day of championships, my partner and I knew we would fight and win. After 45 minutes, I hit an ace and we won the match that put us in the lead to win the championships. October 30, 2016 was the single most exciting and overwhelming day for the team all season. Everyone’s hard work paid off.

I felt that this was the game in which our team found our groove and finally connected together for an entire ninety minutes. From then on we took each game one step at a time and considered our opponents one at a time, and in doing so, focusing on the smaller goals allowed us to achieve our greatest goals. This season is the first time in program history that women’s soccer at Fairleigh Dickinson has gone undefeated. Not only that, but it is the first time FDU has won the women’s soccer title in the NEC tournament and therefore, it is our first birth into the NCAA tournament. Having all of these accomplishments all happen in senior year makes these moments even more special, and looking back on it now, having the hardships of our past is what prepared us for greatness this

Finally the game started and we played well and so did they. The game was close the whole way threw and we came to the final inning tying them. We were the home team so we got to bat last. Two of the three outs

It was 7:00 in the morning when we arrived at the Johnston City High School. Once everyone arrived at the high school, we got on the bus and headed off to Benton. As we stepped foot on the bus, we all sat there quietly, nervous about the results of this game. This was the game that determined whether or not we went on to state. Coach Simon and Coach Shane gave us one of their what we like to call "before the game warm-up talks". We were all nervous of course, but we were all determined to win this game. We had been looking forwards to winning regionals and going to state the whole season and that day was the day that we gave us the opportunity to go to state. After the thirty minute bus ride, we finally got to Benton and once we got there,

Even the air was trembling. The gym was filled with a mixture of nervous and urgent, and all we need was another basket to break the deadlock. The score was 19-36, nearly 2 minutes left, however, the unstoppable cheering was still there, as well as our spirits. None of the girls on the court gave up, though we were not close to winning; every one of our eyes were blazed sharp and focusing, waiting for another steal or chance to shoot. In brief, before the timer buzzed, we would never give up on our game---which is the most valuable spirit in CCA sports. Our girls basketball game has the power of inspiration, because though they didn’t win, they supported each other with encouragement when difficulties come. All they do is to turn the failures

The crowd went absolutely wild, and everyone was hugging (compound). My team and I were in a group hug in the middle of the court with our coach. When we turned to the crowd, it erupted with applause (complex). I went over and hugged my best friend, Delaney, and we told each other that we each did outstanding. We then were presented with medals and the State Championship trophy. We all stood huddled on the floor, holding the trophy high above our heads. After that, all the fans and parents came onto the floor. I could tell that my parents were ready to embrace me.

The team was ready, we had been working extremely hard for the past seven months for this. We were all in great shape and very rested. A few of the returning players were meeting me at my house to carpool to the final game of the state championship tournament. Everyone knew that the hard work had paid off when we won the semi-final game the preceding day.

“Basketball is my favorite sport, I like the way they dribble up and down the court” – Kurtis Blow. My love for basketball started when I was very young, fifth grade to be exact. Growing up I always wanted to try out for my school’s basketball team. When I was young I use to always hear stories about my mom playing basketball throughout junior high and high school. Some of which made me want to play and do something that she loved to do. I eventually started loving the sport as much or even more than she did. This story goes way back to the fifth grade when I first tried out for the basketball team at my elementary school.

With the game tied 6-6 that is when I went into my own little zone and was in my moment. The crowed was electrified and cheering us on. I thought about all the hard work the coaches put us through doing two a days and keeping us late after a hard practice, spending all of that time and hard work just for this one little moment when the game was on the line. Back to reality our quarterback had started the play and it looked like it was going nowhere and we might have to got into overtime. Then after about 6 crazy seconds he threw the ball to our halfback and he broke a couple tackles and the somehow stretched across the goal line by about 2 inches and we had taken the lead 8-6 with 52 seconds to go. When the game clock hit 00:00 for the first time in our schools history the football team had beaten Aberdeen and none of us could believe it. This was a special moment.

One rainy night in November, I arrived to the church gym for my first basketball practice of the season. As I walked in the doors creaked and you could smell the gym floor. As I already heard the basketballs hitting the ground, bouncing up and down. My friends Brittany and Destiny walked in right behind me through the door. That was when we realized we were the only girls surrounded by all guys. As practice came to a start we began to run, it felt like we were never going to stop. Up and down the court as we ran suicides, you could hear the squeaking of shoes as we went from the next line back and then on to the next. Before we started scrimmaging, the two captains were boys. Brittany, Destiny, and I stood in amazement as we were the last three standing there. You could see by their expressions they didn’t want any of us on either team.