ABL Game 5

(cue slow motion effect)

4th quarter. Our ball with just seconds remaining in the game.

Sonn grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked it out to me on the left side of the free throw line.

I pulled up for a jumpshot.

The ball bounced off the side of the rim, then off the back of the rim.

Then it went in.

The whole bench was shouting and jumping. Sonn ran towards me and gave me a big chest bump. The crowd was shouting and cheering. Jaye was applauding with a big smile on her face. I faced the bench, raised my fists in triumph and let out a big "YEAAAHHHH!!!"

Game over! We win! Our season continues!

Well, we were already up by 19 at that time and it was already garbage time. The team starters were already resting as they've given the bench players some more playing time. After going 0-7 in the leveling game and 0-5 for the entire season, I finally got my first basket of the season.

Hence my nickname "The Human Victory Cigar". If there are players who can provide instant offense or instant defense, I was the one who could provide instant entertainment. I think every team has this token guy off the bench for this purpose. It's like the modern day Dodot Jaworski.

Plug them in the game during garbage time and you get your icing on the cake. In my case, you never know what I'll probably do next. Hit a three pointer? Lose a rebound off my head? Trip by myself? Gets fouled and hits a free throw?

I actually enjoy the role of being "Mr Instant Entertainment". As a photographer or a lead singer or a team lead or any other role I played, I have never ever generated this much applause.

Actually, I first entered the game in the second quarter and I quickly went to the floor after someone barrelled me over, elbowing me in the gut. Ouch. I fell to the floor and tried to get up quickly. I was too dazed since I was hurt in the play. It felt like someone threw a body shot at me, it felt like getting hit with a bat, it felt like watching DLSU's first 2 games (yes, that painful). I continued to play on and even got a decent shot attempt - the defender bit on a shot fake and I drove in for a spot up jumper which clanked out.

Of course no sequence is complete without me muffing YET ANOTHER REBOUND. This was off an airball that bounced off the board, through my arms and onto the defenders hands. I did get an official rebound in the game though when a missed jumpshot just happened to drop in front of me. I guess just by standing around the rim, you're bound to get these "accidental" rebounds.

I had trouble breathing on this game though since I had flu like symptoms just 2 days before the game. I played another minute in the 3rd quarter and I let Don yank me out since they were going for the winning run then. It was also the time when the opponent started pressing and since I couldn't run, it was an automatic bench ride for me. Overall the team played really really great. Everyone had an extra spring on their steps.

By the time the fourth quarter came, we were already up big time and Fritzie from the spectator stands was shouting to put me in. The opponent called a timeout and Don obliged by inserting the bench players.

Bert got a rebound and ran a fast break with Ferdie and Sonn which was then I realized that we were the "round" lineup. If there's a fastbreak lineup or a tall lineup, we were the round lineup since all of us were on the chubby side. That play set up my jumpshot and with the win, we got pizza the next day instead of the usual donuts.

I hope in our next game we get a chance to light up ole "VC" again. Maybe he does something more than a jumpshot. Maybe he goes for a *shudder* layup! Maybe we get the "space ball" tear drop shot again!