“Go!” Yelled my coach as the ball was passed in bounds. It was December 10, 2020, we were playing Edgewood in basketball. We hadn't won a game yet that season, we were 0-2. Eleven seconds left on the clock the ball is in. The crowd and bench roar as Parker takes the ball. At halftime Edgewood had a decent lead, since then we have cut it.

Then Will gets the ball off a dribble hand off on the other side of the court. “Palms sweating, knees weak arms are heavy” as Will dribbles to my side. Brayden gets the ball with five seconds left but their best player wouldn't let anyone with the ball get an open shot. I ran up to help Brayden and got the ball. Their best player switches to me as I glance up at the time, 4 3 2. Time slows as I jump to shoot. 1 ERRRRRR!

I got the shot off, but missed because the player clubbed me as a shot. I look at the ref as the gym went silent. My eyes burn from sweat as I stand there. TWEET! The ref called the foul! My heart starts to pound out of my chest as the excitement goes through my body. As the bench goes crazy and I step up to the line I try to calm myself. The ref holds the ball for what seems like eternity. 

Then I get the ball and all I can hear is the bounce of it hitting the ground. Bounce bounce, spin bounce. I take a deep breath and I bend in my knees and shoot the ball. It goes long and my heart sinks as I think I have already missed the first shot. But… it goes in off a bank!!! Our coach and bench jump up in excitement! The crowd roars! Then the other coach yells at the refs since they were going to let me shoot the next two shots even though we already had won. At this point I already have gotten what we needed and didn't care what happened on the next two shots and missed both. 

Our whole team, 7th grade coach and our coach go wild and run towards me screaming and jumping in joy. It felt like I was on top of the world. Then a minute later we go to the locker room and we run in jumping and screaming. We get hype and talk for a few minutes.  

This was our first win of the season, but more importantly, our coach's first win of his career. We went on to win three more games in a row after this, but then lost to Negale. We have five wins this season so far, but the Edgewood game is more than just a win to me. Now I know that in life if you don't get picked first it can be discouraging. But you can't get discouraged because eventually you'll get that opportunity. Because what you do with that opportunity is what makes you stand out.