The Pursuit of My Dream

Everyone wants to be number one after the regular season. Regular season titles are great. To be undefeated during the regular season is even better.

But thats not the ultimate goal.

Every team strives for the post season championship. From rec league to the NBA, every player strives to hold up the final trophy, to be known as the true champion--The last man standing when the dust settles.

For the regular season, we finished 18-18 and got the 6th seed in the playoffs. We were slated to take on the 3rd seed Norrkoping who were last seasons defending champions and considered one of the top teams in the country. We knew we had our hands full but we've been a team of fighters the whole year. We felt we had what it took to beat them.

During the practices leading up to the playoff series you could feel the energy. The excitement was almost tangible as we refined our offense, patched up our defense, and put in new plays that would help us come out victorious. We prepared like champions and, before we knew it, it was game time.

The playoff system is as follows: quarterfinals are best of 5 and semis and finals are best of 7. The higher seed has homecourt advantage with the odd number games on their homecourt. The first game of our 5 game series took place on their court..

Game 1:

The game started with a fierce back and forth pace. Two prize fighters throwing haymakers back and forth, but we were throwing the best of the blows. We tied the game at halftime and we were pumped to get back out there. The game continued with the same high octane pace we had and we battled to a 7 point lead with 5 minutes to go....

We soon found the game tied two minutes to go, and then down as Norrkoping used theirdeadly fast break attack to capitalize on our turnovers and turn them into baskets. It was too much for us and even behind Will's 24 points we relinquished our lead too late into the game and we lost. I finished with 10pts and 9 rebs

Series : 0-1

We dropped game one but we were anxious to move the game back to our homecourt. We have had some hard fought battles on this court and we know we can stand toe to toe with anyone. It was time for us to get a win against this team..

Game 2:

The game starts in similar fashion. We bump and grind and it gets chippy. we exchange the lead back and forth but our leader Oli takes the game into his own hands and with his 26 he does everything he can to get us the win. We find ourselves up one with less than a minute to go. Norrkoping comes down and hits a tough shot with 30 seconds remaining in the game. Norrkoping is up one and it is desperation time. We look to Oli to make the right decision to get us the win. He drives to the basket, gets hit on both arms as he goes up for the jumpshot (no foul called on the play) and hits one of the toughest shots I have seen in a game. We are up one with 7 seconds to go!!

We dont celebrate yet though, we still have 7 seconds to defend our basket. They drive down the basket for a tough layup inside. I jump and block it out of bounds and it lands with .4 seconds left on the clock. One more inbounds play. They run the play and my man gets the ball and heaves up a shot with my hand in his face.

It rims out. I finished with 5 pts and 8 rebs

Series: 1-1

We are extremely pleased with the victory but we know that there is plenty more work to be done.

Game 3:

We took a slight step backwards in game 3, not really applying the defensive prowess we had in the previous two games. We still battled and held close but again we let Norkoppings fast break game beat us and we lost. I had 17 pts and 5 rebs

Series: 1-2

So our backs are against the wall. We have to win to stay alive. If we lose we go home. Nothing more simple than that: Win or go home.

Game 4: It was a game that we held at our place. We were fired up, we were ready. Coach was ready as well. I have heard some very good pregame speeches but this one in particular will remain with me for a long time.

"There will be a day where my family, friends, and loved ones will attend my funeral I hope that my son gets up and says that I was a great father, I hope that some of you will come and say that I was a good coach, but what I really want is someone to get up to speak, look down at the casket and say, 'Oh my Gosh, he's still moving.

Never. Give. Up."

We came out ready for action. The game starts and we begin to trade blows once again. We look to Oli to continue to lead us. We have had Oli and Joe as our strong point guards this season.

And in the second quarter, disaster strikes.

Joe has been playing with a hurt wrist for the second half the season and when it gets wrenched in an awkward position he can no longer play. Oli subs back in and retakes the reins.

Not two minutes later I am running back on on offense and I hear a whistle blow. I turn around and Oli is on the other side of the court standing up with a blank stare on his face. I wait for him to walk over but he doesn't move. I immediately see something is wrong. I along with my other teammates run over to him..

Me: What's up bro?

Oli: My achilles man

Me: Do you wanna walk to the bench?

Oli: I can't move man. I'm done..

In a freak accident our on the court leader had torn his Achilles. Our team had lost its superman and he left his cape on the court as William, Yasin and I carried him off of the court.

With the gap now open Will put the cape on and put a dazzling first half perforrmance with high flying alley oops, three pointers and various other moves to keep us going. We go into halftime down but nowhere near out.

The second half starts and we found our selves down by double digits.

"He was a great father."

We battled back but then quickly fell into another double digit hole.

"He was a great coach."

I'd had enough, if we were gonna go out we were gonna go out fighting.

I picked up the superman cape and did my best to lead our team back into the game.

With 17 second half points I helped lead our team get back into the game. With a minute left we found ourselves down 2.

"Oh my gosh he's still moving."

We battled back, we fought, we lost men, and we stepped up in there stead. We got ourselves into the opportunity we need. And with one second left, we had the ball out of bounds under our basket.

We run our out of bounds play to perfection and Logi gets a wide open 3 that just barely misses...

Series: 1-3

With that our season is over...

And with that this blog is over..

On this site anyways....

Thanks to all of the great followers I have had reading this blog and Hans and Emily Jarvman who are helping me with this project, I have now launched www.adam-constantine.com!!!! This will be the new home of my blog, The Bachelor's Life, and all of my other endeavors. Be on the lookout monday for a new blog that continues right where this one left off..

Until then.

The Pursuit of My Dream

Thursday, September 15, 2011

New Website!!!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

The Playoffs