Basketbol - Noon at Ngayon (Finale)

Now armed with new basketball shoes, and wearing my lucky boxers (the one saying World Series of Poker on it), I was ready to rock this fuckin basketball tourney.

Our next game was on a Thursday and by Thursday morning, I was hopping up and down with excitement. I take a look at the bulletin board and check who our next opponents are. Hmmm... it says logistics department. I don't seem to know anybody from there. And does our company even have a logistics department ? I mused while scratching my head.

Game night rolled around and the place was rocking. Well, not really. There were a few staff people watching but it was pretty much an empty gymnasium. I sat down on our side of the bench and gleefully pushed my feet into the Lighstpeeds. Ahhh.... feels like my feet got swallowed by this soft cocoon. I could feel the adiprene watchamacallit working already. I jumped up and down a few times and stretched. The referee blew the whistle and it was game time.

It turns out that the aforementioned logistics department is composed of delivery drivers and pahinantes. If your company has these kinds of employees. Then you probably know what we're up against. Pretty much short dark guys with "bato bato" muscles and who run up and down the court like bunnies on steroids.

I look at my team composed of pale, pasty faced, limp armed programmers and some senior supervisors and managers with love handles and I knew we were in for a looong night.

First play of the game and I was designated point guard. Not because I dribbled like chris paul, but because the only other guy on our team who could dribble worth squat had to go home. His wife did not allow him to play that night bec. of some petty quarrel. Mweheheh.

I dribble slowly past the mid court line and I see a teammate flash to the middle holding his hand up. I quickly whip the ball to him expecting a turn around jumper or maybe a strong post move down the middle. He dribbles once, bounces the ball off his foot and straight into the waiting arms of an opposing player. And it was off to the races as I suddenly find myself running backwards while 3 players are coming down fast. I commit to the guy dribbling and a quick bounce pass to the guy on the wing and swoosh. 2-0.

Won't bore you with the exact game details but suffice to say, we were run out of the courts. It was fastbreak galore for the opposing team. The first half was close just because I made a couple of outside shots (ehem) and we had this guy on our team who played commercial league level before. I basically passed him the ball every chance I got and watched him make his move. But eventually he also got tired and by the 2nd half, we got creamed pretty good.

Final score 53-42. I scored 10 pts. The commercial league teammate scored 26. And the other 6 pts was shared between the pathetic losers we call our basketball teammates. Yes, I'm referring to you programmer guys. =)

Did the shoes help at all ? Heheh .. well, I still couldn't dunk. I don't think I jumped any higher or ran any faster. But I thought it offered better support and traction. I know its all mental, but it did help my confidence a bit and I think that's the reason why I made some of those jumpers.

The game was obviously played differently from when I was in HS and I knew I was going to wake up the next day with muscle pains everywhere. But basketball is basketball. All pinoys love to play it and I was surprised to note just how much I enjoyed it and how much I missed the game.

I'm thinking for our next game. I need to get one of those DRI-FIT shirts from Nike. The ones which wick away the sweat to the outside so that it evaporates faster. With new shoes, I scored 10 pts. Imagine what I could do with these babies. (grin)

THE END

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