The big game was coming up and everyone was counting on me. I was a great athlete not losing a single game and this one was the same as all of the rest. Us against Norwalk. Piece of cake.

We have beaten them already, but this is more important; this is State. Our school has only been to State one other time and that was last year. We have the same basketball coach and he is expecting us along with the whole school to win. They won’t have to worry because when we win the whole stadium will be cheering my name.

The day came and the team was all pumped up and ready for victory. We got into the locker room and changed. Our coach game one of the greatest speeches the team had ever heard. The sound of the buzzer signaled us to go out, I was last (save the best for last) and our side was up on there feet and I thought I saw a few Norwalk fans’ hands clap.

The ball was tossed up and we got it. The ball was passed to me and I called a play, went back door and scored right off the bat. It worked every time. Our fans cheered and it gave me a good feeling which inspired me to do better. After the first quarter the score was 23 to 15 and we (of course) were winning. Already tired, the Warriors were getting yelled at by their coach.

The second quarter came and I got the ball and called out a play. We ran it but couldn’t get a shot. My best friend got the ball and shot from the three and barely missed by a centimeter. Norwalk had gotten the rebound and made their play that got their two points from a lay-up making the score 23 to 17. Coach wasn’t too happy about. A few more shots went by and we got the fire back within us and made the score 43 to 32 at the end of the quarter (I scored 10 of those points). The fans were on there feet cheering and others were on their way to the concession stands. Coach gave me a high-five and telling me and the whole team what a wonderful job they have been doing.

After half-time the game started again and Norwalk had the ball at the start this time. Before the ball even made it across the half-court line I stole the ball and went in for a lay-up. Swish. Another two points to add to the score. No one else scored any points the rest of the quarter because everyone was tired and were happy when they were saved by the bell. Coach didn’t care if we were tired or even if we threw up. He said get out there and win. So we did go out there.

The quarter started and when I went out they had a new player. I looked up at him while he was guarding me and had been called for a double dribble when I forgot I had already dribbled to get to him. Why would they be putting him on me. He was most likely 7 feet tall and I was roughly 6. He went up to me when they had the ball and just plowed through me like I was a sack of potatoes. He didn’t get called for a charge and Coach argued with the referee getting a technical.

All Big-tough-and-scary had to do was dribble down the court and score. The score was 46 to 47 with us losing and there were 10 seconds left of the game. There was only one play that we could do to get passed this big kid (I’m not sure if he was a kid). I ran down the clock to 5 seconds and I signaled the play. When it was set up I had a wide open lay-up shot I went in adrenaline kicking in and jumped up for the winning last second shot and missed. I had too much strength on it and it bounced off of the backboard. The crowd was silent. I let my team down. I let everyone down. I let myself down. I felt so small that I couldn’t make one stupid little lay-up.