08-23-2009, 08:19 PM
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#3
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Rookie
OVR: 2
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Canada
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Re: Mixin' It Up | An Aloysius Jenkins Road to Glory
It was my junior year, I was playing on the Senior Varsity team and we'd made it all the way to the Arizona High School Basketball State Championship. I'd been averaging 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists. None of that mattered though, as this game would be the defining moment of my pre-collegiate career. Our school, Mesa Heights High, had gone undefeated up to this point (22-0). We'd never been seriously challenged. I, like the rest of my team, expected that to change. Our opponent was Phoenix Sr. High School. They had also gone undefeated in the regular season, and their point guard was the second best junior prospect in the state (behind myself). There were going to be scouts everywhere, watching our every move. I had to put my complete arsenal of skills on display. This game was going to be a battle...
Let's fast-forward to late in the 4th quarter. With about a minute left, the score was tied 67-67, thanks to a smooth runner in the lane by the opposing point guard. He was only 5'10, but he was so talented at floating his shot so that it just made it an inch over the taller defender's fingertips. Our coach called a timeout, I knew what was coming.
It's alright boys, we can take back the lead right here."
Everyone nodded.
Here's the plan. We're going to isolate Aloysius, and let him go to work. That'll be an easy 2 points.
We did a quick cheer, then broke off the huddle. Our center passed me the ball off the inbounds pass at center-court. It was my time to shine. Everyone drew their men to the sidelines. I smiled, there was no help. It was just me and my defender, 1 on 1, some good ol' streetball. I drove full speed to the right starting from about 5 feet behind the 3 point arc. My defender stuck with me, and then I pulled a Wade-esque move. I quickly crossed the ball back over to my left hand. The defender tried to shift over, but lost his balance and flew to the floor. I rose up and knocked down an easy free-throw line J. We were up, 69-67. After the basket, I was waiting for a timeout, but Phoenix never called one. It caught our defense off guard, and their point guard streaked up the court and buried a pull-up trey. 69-70, Phoenix. We were down by 1 point with 15 seconds left and no timeouts. I hustled up the court and spun around the first defender, only to meet a wall of big men in the paint. I whirled out to about 15 feet away from the hoop on the baseline; my spot. There were 2 seconds left. I shot, 1...0. The ball hit the rim and started rolling around it. I screamed in anticipation.
Roll in! Roll in!
It didn't. It was almost like the ball grinned at me, gave me a thumbs down, and flew out of the net like it had somewhere important to get to. Anyway, it didn't matter how I missed. Phoenix had won the title, and it was my fault.
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