Hoops

It was a cold and windy day in the Bronx, and the dribbling of my basketball was the only sound to be heard. I was on my way to the comunity gym. It was early in the morning so nobody was outside, and nobody would be in the gm. That is the way I liked to practice my jump shot though, in the quiet. I had been coming to this gym everymorning for about two weeks now, and I planned to keep coming. Basketball was my only way out of this city. I had never done that great in school, and by this point in my life I was just getting by. I am a Senior at the Upper Bronx high school. I have been on Varsity for two seasons now, but I haven't played that much. I have been working extra hard lately so I could lead our team to the State Tournament this season. Our coach said he was really looking forward to seeing what I bring to the team this season.
By the time that I reach the gym my ears are practically frozen. It is warm inside though, and with all the sweat dripping from working on my jump shot I started to warm up first. I love these quiet mornings where it feels like I am the only one in the world that is up. This particular morning I was really stroking it. I actually wished there was somebody to play against, but I am glad there wasn't.
I haven't exactly said this yet, but one of the reasons I haven't played that much is because of my height. I am close to 5"8, and coaches don't really need another short kid. I had something that other height challenged players didn't though. That is determination. I am determined to make it out of the Bronx with using my basketball skills.
The next morning I woke up and remembered it is Monday, and basketball try-outs were after school. I decided I needed a good breakfast so I could play my best that afternoon. I cooked up a big plate of eggs and scarfed it down. By the time I was done I was late for school. I hurried out the door, and ran all the way to school.
Waiting at the door is the principle to hand me my tardy slip. I greet him with a big smile, but he doesn't seem to happy. What do I care though, basketball try-outs are today. Isn't it weird how classes seem to go slower when you are looking forward to something after school. When the final bell finally rings I go to my locker to grab a quick snack, and hurry down to the gym.
It seems like I am always the last one into the gym, no matter how fast I change. Coach doesn't seem to happy today, so I just give him a big smile and say sorry. He blows his whistle and everyone huddles around. Coach goes threw the normal introduction speach, and we finally start warm-ups. We go through the layups and jump shots. Those are the boring part though. We finally get to the scrimmage which is the best part. I look forward to showing off my skills to the coach.
When we get going he puts me on the number one team. That really makes me happy. The ball finally goes up for the opening tip. It gets tipped to me, and I immediatly break for the basket. I go up for the layup, but out of nowhere comes the defense. I decide to reach around and make a sweet dish to my big center who lays it in. Off to a good start, this is great. The other point guard can't handle very well, so I pick him and take it to the other end for a layup. This is awesome! After a few more times up and down the court, coach gives me a break. He tells me how good I am playing, and that I should keep it up. I have played awesome, and now I get to relax. After try-outs coach names the teams. He says that for now I will be the starting point guard. I know I can keep that job.
The next day at practice coach says our first game is in one week. I am totally excited for this. We have a hard practice, and when it is over I feel like throwing up. Coach calls me over and says I will be his main option during the season, and that I better be ready.
The day of our first game finally rolls around. School is a blur and I don't remember what happened. We get into the locker room for the game and our jerseys our waiting there for us. I get number 23, since Michael Jordan is my hero. We go out onto the floor for warmups and the crowd goes wild. When the game finally starts I get the tip. I immediatly break for the basket, but somebody cuts me off. I bring it back out, and set up the offense. Our other guard breaks up for the ball, and I give it to him. I then break into the lane, and cut to the corner. He feeds me the ball back, and I knock down the three pointer. I am so ready for this. The other team comes down the court, and gives it to their big man. He takes a quick turn around jumper and swishes it. We have to stop him. I get the inbounds pass, and take off. I noticed my defender has a weakness going to his right. I decide to take advantage of this. I come down and give him a cross over he breaks down easily and I hit a jumper in the lane. I may be short but I am quick. We end up winning the game 76-65.
After the game coach calls me into his office. He says I played great, which I did. He also says that their is one problem. My grades are to low, and I will have to sit out until I get them up. I am so mad, how could this happen to me. During the walk home I decide that I need to get those grades up or I will become just another hood. When I get home I decide to study for the math test the next day.
The next few games I had to sit out, and we lost all of them. I am studying like crazy, but it isn't helping that much. I decide to ask coach for help. He says that he will help me out everyday after practice. After a week of studying with him I finally get them high enough to play. Coach comes up to me one day after practice when I am getting my books out, and hands me my report card. They weren't the greatest, but who cares. I could finally play!
The next day we have a game, and I can play in it. We win it by at least 30 points. I think I had about 20 points. The next few games go on like this, with us winning by a lot. Their isn't a lot of teams that can compare to our talent.
One day towards the end of the season I get a phone call. It is from the coach at Villanova. He says he will be at my next game, and hopes I have a good game. At the next game I look around for the coach, but the gym is too packed. I must have been really excited, because I lit up the other team for 25 points. The Villanova coach aproaches me after the game, and says I might be the right material for their program.
My team won the rest of our games, and made it to the state tournament. The day coach told us our team went crazy. We were so happy and we couldn't control ourselves. I thought the fun would never end. That night when I got home, my mom didn't look too good. She said she was really sick, and had to go to the hospital for an operation. That made me mad. How could this happen, this was supposed to be a happy day.
Well, the operation didn't turn out to good. My mom kept getting sicker. She was probably going to die. There was nothing I could do. I was so mad, why did this have to happen to me. What did I ever do to deserve this. My mom passed away the next day while I was still sleeping. I couldn't save her, and that made it worse.
The funeral was on the day of our first state tournament game. My team said they would win it for me. Sure enough they kept their promise. It wasn't that exciting though, with the weight of my moms death still on my shoulders. The next day my dad found a note from my mom in her dresser. It said that I couldn't do anything to save her, and I should keep living my life. She said I should follow my dreams and win the state tournament.
I decided I would win the tournament for my mom, and nobody would stop. Nobody ever did stop me , as I lit up every team we played. I got tournament MVP and a scholarship from Villanova. My life was starting to get better, and I was even doing good in school. I know my mom would be so proud of me if she was still living.