Personal Narrative: The Villanova Men's Basketball Team

I remember my earliest introduction to basketball was my sister trying to get me to stay up with her to watch the Heat win their first championship back in 2006. I was half-asleep as I watched Shaq and Wade celebrated. Fast forward 11 years later, sports have me wide awake and I can't wait to cover my first championship series.

’ll Always remember the time when the cleveland cavaliers won their first nba championship series in a long time. The golden state warriors were leading the series and the cavaliers were losing. In the last game of the series was when history was made. The cleveland cavaliers made the greatest comeback in nba history. The reason i like basketball is because it is fun,competitive and it’s good for your health.

There's fifteen seconds left in the game, and we're down one. It’s summer league game, but there is a large crowd of red and black screaming their support. The crowd is nervously sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting to see the outcome. The tall, player from the other team, with sweaty hair matted to her forehead shoots the ball, and it clangs off of the rim into Brooke's awaiting hands. With lightening speed the orange ball hits Ally's open hands before finally landing in mine. I pound the bright ball up the floor and towards the waiting basket. Planting my right foot I push off the ground for a layup. As my body connects with the opposing player, knee to knee, I hear the high-pitched sound of the referee's whistle. With a sickening

I know I will never forget my first WNBA basketball game. It was the inaugural season, the inaugural game in Madison Square Garden, June 27, 1997. The president of the WNBA Val Ackerman tossed the ball up in center court as cameras recorded Kim Hampton of the New York Liberty and Lisa Leslie of the L.A. Sparks reached to tip the ball. This was a huge event and the crowd's noise level was a complete acknowledgement of that fact. Madison Square Garden was packed, the lights went out and the screams got louder; this was history.

It was the Pennsylvania State Championship. Almost everyone in the state was at the game it seemed like. The Panthers were playing the Lions. The ball game was tied. The Panthers took a timeout with 10 seconds to set up a play. The Lions were also thinking of what to do on defense.

I ran back to the ball with all of my might pick up the ball with 10 sec left...10...9...8...7...6...5...4... I shot the ball! 3...2...SCORE!

SWOOSH!! I made my first basket ever, but it was only 1 minute into the the first quarter, and only the first game of the season. I still had ways to go, but when the crowd stated cheering for me that's when I realized that I love basketball and that it was going to be a good season.

With less than one second on the clock, NBA all-star for the Portland Trail Blazers-Damian Lillard, chucks up the basketball from behind the 3-point line. In the ball, contains the possibility of a playoff series winning shot. Millions eagerly watching the basketball float through the air like it was in slow motion. Eyes glued to the orange-brown leather ball with black stripes. Almost slowly rotating through the air, gravity does it’s thing and the ball slips through the net; most likely making a soothing sound that no one could hear because of the deep noise that erupted in the Moda Center. Damian Lillard had beat the buzzer just in time to create history.

That day still feels like it was yesterday, that day was one of the greats, we were playing the undefeated team for the championship. Boy wasn't I excited, the park gym was packed to me it felt as if I was playing at Staples Center. Before tipoff I had all these thoughts and doubts running through my mind cause everybody in that gym was rooting for the other team. This game was close as we both fought for the title, there were many lead changes in the game who knew who was gonna come out on top. Clutch time, fourth quarter ten seconds left, tied game, the crowd is going wild as it felt like the building was about to collapse. My coach calls a timeout as I run towards the huddle I glance at the score tie game with ten seconds left we have a chance to prove everyone wrong. This was it, this is what he feels, this is why we practice, I knew I had to make this shot. As we set up in our positions that our coach had scribbled on his clipboard, the referee hands in the ball and we begin to run the play, as i struggle to get open I knew the clock was ticking I had no time to waste as soon as I catch that ball. Finally

High volumes of laugher and cheering filled the court as the crowd stands up working wild. The audience got up to start chanting for their favorite teams. The beginning of the game the referees treads towards the center of the court, blows his whistle alerting the teams for the tip off. The opposing team starting the game off with a mega alley-oop scoring the first two points of the game. Going up! I always had my teachers, parents and even close friends of mine always concerned or asking me this million-dollar question. Kristoff, what you want to be in life? What motivates you? The same two questions constantly on repeat in the back of my head.

With two seconds left in the first half, Wes Washpun was at half court and time was running down, so he shot the ball and it went through the hoop! ¨WOOOO!¨ I jumped up and down and saying to the players as they were going into the tunnel, ¨Let's go boys! We can do this!¨ UNC was up 41 to 32 at halftime.

Our 8th grade basketball team were putting on a show! Opponents would enter bobcat territory where our team would play a hard fight to take another win. Every game spectators are left in astonishment after witnessing determination, willingness, and our spirit until the clock expires down to its last second.

Leaping into the air like a graceful ballerina, I pull my right arm back to load. When my hand contacts the ball, I slam it at an open hard-angle, zone 4. My team and I cheer hysterically. I hear a loud, “Do it again!” in the crowd, and I turn to see my mother with proud eyes and a permanent smile plastered across her face staring intently at me. The score now shows 13-13. Everyone rotates, and Erica serves a fast, float serve. Number 24 shanks the ball, scoring us a

5 seconds on the clock there no time I have to shoot; I don’t know how I’m gonna do it but I have to. The ball is yet to be inbounded I have to do this the ref hands the ball the player on the baseline, he passed me the ball in the corner I shot *clank*. I missed I closed my eyes for so long but when they opened again I was in my room laying in my bed not in a championship game but I told myself I’d never do that again I never miss that shot. Ben! I hear as I slowly get up out of my bed I look around at all my basketball posters on the wall, I slowly get to my feet and start getting ready for school. When I’m ready for school I go outside and I play basketball whether it be by myself or with my Brother I’ll play basketball. When it’s time to go to school I take my basketball, I sit in class and all I can think is basketball. Basketball is my Life.

Can you recall the greatest experience of your life? Football has been a love of mine since I was a undersized kid. I really grew attached to a team called the Washington Redskins. A lot of my sundays were spent in front of the television gazing as the Redskins put in work. On September 24th my dad came home with pale papers in his rugged hand. He placed the papers in my grip which were tickets to go see the Redskins play the Chiefs in Kansas City on October 2nd.