The sound of my heartbeat was louder than a crowd of stomping elephants but pumping faster than a cheetah viciously chasing it's prey. The sweaty aroma stings through my nostrils. As I finish my last gulp of Glacier Freeze Gatorade, the coach yells "Come on, hussle, hussle!". I realize halftime is over. We all huddle around our coach. The referee blows his whistle to indicate that the game was about to be in session. It was time.
The sound of a ball dribbling repetitively beats against my eardrums. Beads of sweat roll down my face. One. Then another. I look at the scoreboard: 14-14. We're tied. Whoever makes the next shot will win. The smell of competition stains everyone’s jerseys. I breathe heavily as I glance at the stopwatch. 2 minutes remain until the outcome of the champions of the playoff game.
My eyes look around for the orange sphere, the gold of the game. It's in a teammate's hands. She walks slowly down the court, my eyes chasing the ball as it goes. Then she stops. There's only two options now: pass or shoot. She stands about ten feet away from the hoop but the nearest teammate stands about the same distance- and that teammate would be me. I breathe heavily and run up to help her- 1 minute remains. "I'm open, pass the ball," I scream. She looks up at me and whoosh, I snatch the gold in the air. Butterflies kick at my stomach, eager to get out. Nervous yet determined, I stand as the crowd hunts me down with their eyes. I could feel eyes burn through me, burning holes all over my body. The play is up to me. Whatever I do is the make it or break it of the season. As thoughts race across my brain, I focus closely to plan for the next forty five seconds I have before the timer goes off.
I speed up with every step I take towards the hoop. 15 seconds remain and I look ahead as I see an opponent standing to defend against me. I slow down and with my right foot, I fake my direction and continue going for the basket. When there's five seconds left, I come to a stop. I get my shooting form ready and three... two... I shoot. The ball hits the backboard, rolls around the rim, and jumps through the net. That's when the buzzer goes off.
I stand there and smile. I made it. We made it. I felt so accomplished. I felt complete. I felt like I had the whole world in my hands. Without my teammates dedication, teamwork, and perseverance, we would have never came this far. With all honestly, I was proud- of myself and my team.
I turn around and look at my teammates. Expecting them to acknowledge my great play, I'm surprised to see the exact opposite. Looks of sorrow and disapproval fill their eyes. I look at the opposing team as I see them crying with glee. Confused and worried, I stare at the scoreboard. It reads 14-16. My jaw drops. I had scored... but in the wrong hoop.
