The Last Game of the Season | Teen Ink

The Last Game of the Season

November 19, 2014
By Marco Magardichian BRONZE, Glendale, California
Marco Magardichian BRONZE, Glendale, California
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."- Marianne Williamson. I remember listening to my father say this quote to me before the final basketball game of the season. I was incredibly nervous, my palms were sweaty and my heart was beating as fast as lightning. Concentration was present on my face ,and my eyes showed something as fierce as fire, motivation. It was 9 am when I arrived at the gym two hours early where we would be playing the final game. The gym smelled like fresh oak trees and I could imagine the crowd sitting at the bleachers and players running up and down the court. Beginning to practice I felt the not so favorable "what ifs" beginning to surface my mind. What if I can't make a shot? What if I "choke" in the 4th quarter? I never thought about these things in previous games ,but this game was different. If we won we would go to regional. Being the starting point guard also put some extra pressure on me. One hour later, My teammates arrived looking equally as nervous as I was. Our coach began our drills and I started to feel more confident as my teammates continued to make great shots. The last ten minutes were the slowest I have ever went through. My whole team was in the locker room and our coach was giving us a pep talk. We heard the whistle and it was time to go. After an exchange of words from my father I was ready. My team got into their positions for the tip off. We won the tip off and I started dribbling the ball down the court. The ball felt a part of me with its stitches connected to my finger tips and its smooth leather surface on my palm. I felt everything slow down in my eyes as I spotted my teammate open under the basket. I "shot" the  ball out of my hand as fast as bullet for an easy two points. Nothing special happened until the 4th quarter of the game. It was "crunch time" and my team was looking for me to put up big points to win the game. The score was 48-50 with us down by two points and twenty seconds left. The other team started with the ball, the player with the ball dribbled it down the court. Then it happened the break we were looking for, a bad pass made by the other team, my teammate jumped to grab the ball and got it. The crowd was dead silent and I received the pass from my teammate. Ten seconds left, nine, eight, seven, I dribbled down the court, six, five, four, I pump faked  my shot, three, I jumped and released the ball 20 ft from the basket, two, one, I looked and saw it swishing the back of the net. The crowd went wild and my teammates running to me and hugging me. My shot had led us to regional.


The author's comments:

I was inspired to write because it was a memory I liked to share. My story shows how you should never give up and believe in yourself.


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on Nov. 21 2014 at 9:49 am
TeAra Webber BRONZE, Indianapolis, Indiana
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
nice book!