Varsity Basketball Reflection: Memories

On March 15, the ISAC tournament officially started. Our assistant coach, who was also our school principal gave a short speech in the opening ceremony. His speech was brief. I thought it was the perfect most fitting speech that could have been given at that moment. The speech was about making memories. In 30 years, I'll remember less than 1% of the things I've lived through(maybe even less). At the end of the tournament, we have all made ourselves a memory, individually and as a team, a memory that I'm sure all of us will never EVER forget.

Before the tournament, I knew our team was strong but I had no perspective on where we would stand amongst the teams, but either way, we were going strong and going for the win. Our first game with Baguio showed not only to us but everyone watching that we were a championship worthy team. With the home crowd cheering and chanting, our momentum would only increase and Baguio stood no chance. When the buzzer buzzed, we shook their hands before we celebrated with moderation. Though as irrelevant as it seems, I believed our celebrations were what separated us from the other teams, and leading us to our championship. When we won that first game with Baguio, indeed we cheered and was happy for the win, but none of it were offensive to other team, our moderation showed not only that we had class, but also that we knew we would win. Just like making a jump shot, unless it's an impossible behind the backboard or half court shot there's no need to cheer excessively because YOU KNOW ITS GOING IN (at least that's what you should be expecting). Credits to Coach Thompson for engraving this philosophy in our heads, which was a big game changer for our team last year last year, in which we were unsure of what we were doing, dribbled with the lack of confidence and making shocking shots. Although we showed class and sportsmanship, we started to slide down just a tiny bit, knowing that we just defeated possibly the strongest team(besides us) Brent Baguio by 16 points, this led to some dirty and ugly games, however we still cruised through the round robin losing only one game to Faith Academy.
In the 3 days, we played a total of 6 teams: Baguio, Manila, BSM, EIS, FAM, and Southville. What was different with this year's tournament was that every single game that we had was unique and had a story worth telling, that's what got the crowd and audience so into it and the competition so interesting. We had something to learn in every single game we played. Every game was a hard game. Adjusting to coaches change in positions and plays, keeping composure, maintaining the motivation, and dealing with dirty plays from the other team, these were all that we had to face in the 3 days and I'm proudly to say that we are the Champions because we have overcame all this.
The following week after ISAC, we were all excited (for the first time) to bounce back to school, with our heads held high and see our coaches and teammates again to share some of our many experiences and thoughts. Literally, as soon as I stepped on campus, a little girl starts pointing at me and runs away, the same thing happened throughout the week and even until now, I'm getting a lot more greetings and Hi's from the younger kids that I have never encountered in my life. We had one last practice after ISAC for our tournament in Angeles, and Coach mentioned something that I was thinking to myself too, and that was "Great power comes great responsibility." With this "fame" and "attention" we received, it VERY important that we act the right way and set ourselves as role models to the younger ones. This came into my mind because the many times in a day when I was stoked and realized we won basketball, I would always recall those lower school days, going to sleep picturing myself playing on the team with the big boys, and telling myself everyday that I would one day be just like them. The day has come, and now I'm the BIG boy, and the awareness in school is now on the Basketball Team, each and and every one us can impact the lives of the younger ones, and that's great power and truly a responsibility I would never in my life mind taking.
In such a short span of time we've not only gotten better in the game of basketball but also without a doubt, all of us on the team has grown in character, something we showed more than any other team in the tournament. I really cannot thank the coaches enough for this, allowing us to experience such richness of physicality, mentality, and intensity in just 3 days. It made all the hard work in practices, late night watching basketball videos and training outside of practice worth it.
I was glad that my high school varsity sports career. It meant to me more than just the basketball season and the championship itself. It summed up everything up for me since the start of my career in grade 6, a sub on the basketball, volleyball and soccer team with a maximum of 5 minutes playing time, running in the cross country team and working out in the off-season to increase my stamina and strength hoping that I could get more playing time, and have the worse health problem that could ever happen, crippling me for my freshmen year, losing my chance to get better and finally make the team but even that did not stop me from going forward. Personally this championship that we won showed how far I have came and shows that hard work does pay off. It was the best way to end my own little story.
That last moment when the buzzer buzzed, I cannot emphasize enough how wild the crowd went, the next 20 minutes of celebration was a blur to me right now, but I'm sure it was a blur that none of us on the team would ever forget in addition to those who supported us along the season and along the tournament and have witnessed our progress. I have never seen so much school spirit in our school, this was exactly what I dreamed about. This win was for the SCHOOL.
After reviewing my activity proposal I posted in the beginning of the season, I believe I have reached my goals, which was to work hard,play hard so that I would not regret anything, and most importantly implement this same ideology to my teammates, and us working hard throughout the tournament shows that we have given it all. With the win, Brent Subic Basketball has officially built itself a basketball culture, which is that all players play hard and be gentlemen on and off the court.
In 50 years from now, I can with confidence say that I will still remember this moment of my life because of how much it has defined me as a person. This indeed is a "Memory".
I LOVE THIS TEAM.