By Sanaa Sivuyile Mumba-Mang’ula (Y9)
3:15 p.m. The fog hung low and moved with a light, dewy breeze. The moment we stepped onto the bus, the mental battle began. We did not know exactly what was coming, but we knew what to expect: aggression, competition, and ego. These were common traits, but they were also important. You attack the basket with aggression. You become the competition. Your ego has to show, or you might as well not be on the court.
We finally arrived at CDL, and our first matchup was against Nations. This time, something felt different. Their coach had brought the kind of players you build a strong team around. They were aggressive, competitive, and full of confidence. They were dangerous.
Warmups started, and you could feel the tension right away. The pressure in the air felt heavy. When the referee blew the whistle for the three-minute mark, Coach pulled us in. His eyes were focused, and his voice cut through the noise as he reminded us how important this game was.
Nations had two players who could really play. We knew they were not just there to compete. They were there to take over the game.
The jump ball started everything. I won it and tipped it to a teammate, who scored an easy layup. It was a quick two points, but Nations did not let it slide. They responded with force. The game went back and forth with lots of physical play until halftime.
In the huddle, Coach gave me my defensive assignment. After that, we took control of the game. We stayed calm, ran our plays, and finished with a win.
Next up was CDL.
We had played them before, and they were nothing special, but this time they had a player who looked like he should be playing with seniors.
At the three-minute whistle, Coach called out plays and matchups. We were running man-to-man defense. Just like I expected, he put me on the one player who, honestly, scared me.
At the one-minute mark, Coach looked straight at me and said, “This will show whether you want to play in better tournaments and get more time on the court.”
The rest of the story was left on the court..