Ring. Ring. Ring. The phone blasted the annoying ring tone as it echoed throughout the house. Slowly opening his eyes to turn off the noise, Meleake wanted to go back to sleep. Then again he saw the poster which took up most of his room. It was a poster of Michael Jordan. That was the dream and goal for most kids coming out of SeaTac. To be like Michael is what everyone wanted. He was truly the greatest basketball player of all time. The young boy, Meleake, already knew the routine. Wake up, get dressed, and get ready for another day at the basketball court gym. His dad was out of town so it was time he did everything on his own for this week. It was a true test of his dedication and drive since his dad was his largest source of motivation. With the gym, LA Fitness, opening every day at five in the morning, it was important to get there at the earliest time to have as much alone time as possible. Doing this was hard because the bus arrived at four-thirty in the morning and meant he’d have to wake up around three-thirty. Whenever he wanted to skip a practice or get more sleep he remembered the quote his dad would always utter with great passion, when you want to succeed as much as you want to breathe then you’ll be successful.
Giving up sleep was worth it as long as he was getting better at the game he loved. It was more than a game, it was a life style.
Dribble, dribble, dribble, the ball hit the concrete as Meleake took his granola bar out for breakfast. He wore a large backpack draped over his shoulders with, two basketballs, sweat pants, and a sweater which kept him from getting sick in the rain. After taking the bus, he finally arrived at the facility. Things were different today since usually his dad would meet him at the gym to practice some drills. Meleake went straight to the gym and took a shot and it the back iron missing from the three-point line. He wasn’t even changed yet, just a practice shot to get him hyped up for the day. It was the way he liked it this morning, not a person in sight in the gym which meant more room for drills. Before taking the court, he changed to shorts, t-shirt, and basketball shoes. The shoes displayed the Jordan logo. He always liked it that way. Shooting shots isn’t the most important thing when it comes to training. Before doing that it’s necessary to work on conditioning because without that he wouldn’t have the strength and stamina to keep a quality shot in a game. After a sweaty and intense practice, he walked and went back home. His mom was home and greeted him when he entered.
“You have a game this weekend,” she said.
“I know mom. It’s for the state championship this weekend.”
“Good luck then son. I hope you guys win and wish you luck.”
Practicing in the morning was just the beginning of the basketball lifestyle he lived every day. After school there’s a team practice and on top of that there’s a school life he had to balance at the same time. Getting bad grades to be great in basketball wasn’t an option since anyone with an “F” would end sitting out a game. Meleake looked at his calendar as he knew this Saturday was a big day for himself and his whole school. Everyone was talking about it from students in the hallways to the faculty in the staff room. He walked with his good friend and teammate, Jeff to the gym and got ready for another day at practice. Jeff was one of the best players on the team and co-captain with Meleake. They always pushed each other to perform better so he was the ideal training buddy. One thing worried Meleake though. Jeff usually was a “ball hog” and wasn’t much of a team player. His ego got in the way of his skills.
“What kind of defense is that? I know you’re better than this,” Jeff joked.
“I just don’t want you to end up in the hospital if I go to hard and break your ankles with my moves,” said Meleake.
“Nice try but we’ll see how that ends up,” said Jeff.
This practice was more intense and fast paced than the others. The coach was paying attention to every detail due to the important game the next day.
“Good job guys. I admire your effort today and I’m expecting a lot of that to carry over to tomorrow in the state championship. There’s a championship on the line and were ready to take what’s deserved to be ours.”
Everyone got in for a team huddle and that was it for the day. Meleake woke up the next day and it was game day. The morning announcements always stated where the game was held and the details for it. Throughout the day people would walk up to me telling me to tear it up today or to smash the other team and get the win. There was a heavy amount of pressure as the school, family, and friends all expecting great things for him tonight. Just an hour until the game and he was dressed in the uniform shooting around getting warmed up for the championship. He looked at the other side and noticed players who were known around the state for being excellent athletes.
Tip-off was about to start and the game was to begin. It was the Aviation Pilots vs the Mt. Rainier Rams. After the first quarter, the score was twenty-four to eighteen, Rams leading. So far it was a down game for most of the Pilots’ key players including Meleake and Jeff. They each had four points and it was half time already. That was a career low for both players. Getting behind early aggravated the coach as he called a timeout halfway through the fourth quarter.
“We have to protect the ball better. You can’t give the other team easy baskets and expect us to win. There’s only thirty seconds left in this game so make every dribble count,” he exclaimed.
After digging a hole for themselves, Meleake knew this was his time to shine.
This is what I worked for.
I can’t disappoint my family and people who supported me.
I must step up because there’s no way I’ll let this season end with a loss.
With thirty seconds left Jeff had the ball in his hands. Meleake knew this wasn’t good because Jeff didn’t like to pass and would end up throwing up a forced, low percentage shot. As the seconds wound down he dribble towards the hoop and was triple teamed. Meleake screamed his name and demanded for the ball. The coach also yelled for Jeff to pass it but he threw up a wild shot and it didn’t go in. Meleake ran inside for the rebound and got fouled while putting a shot back in.
Holding the ball in his hands, sweat pouring off his forehead into his eyes, he stared confidently at the hoop, ready to shoot his first free throw. His team was down by one and needed these two free throw shots to win. His teammates were lined up behind him at the half court line yelling words of encouragement. He shot his first shot and the ball flew through the air. After what seems like centuries, it went in the rim with a loud swoosh, and the crowd roared. His teammates rushed up to him, high-fiving and slapping him on the back. The game was tied and he had one more shot. The referee tossed him the ball and the gym fell silent. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Meleake shot the second free-throw. It rolled around the rim and fell in. The gym was alive with excitement as the final buzzer sounds and all his teammates were on their feet jumping, cheering, and crying with joy. They won the state championship!