My teammates would often say they aren’t holy or spiritual. But there was something very spiritual about how they played yesterday. These are guys I want to learn, grow and win with.
The 2010 PSHS Alumni Basketball League ended with an epic championship game. It was a do-or-die finals game for Team 2003 (my team) and the Admin team (consisting of veteran coaches/players). Our team was trailing for most of the game. Every time we managed to tie, the Admin team would answer back and pull away. It went on this way for 4 long quarters.
Frustration like that takes a heavy mental toll on a team. The picture of going home defeated was getting more and more vivid! Was our championship last year just a lucky break? Were we not really champions after all?
But there was something resilient in my team. There was courage that moved forward after every frustration. And this wasn’t just in one person or instance, you could sense it from the whole unit (and even from the crowd!). It was hustle play after hustle play (defensive and offensive). Then at 1:13 in the 4th quarter, we were tied again. Our intensity did not waver throughout the whole game; at 0:54 we were in the lead. We held on and won the championship.
Could my team lead the way even off the court? Show our generation how to live passionately? There’s definitely potential for that. I’m even more sure because I know them off-court. These guys know my past and respect the transformation Jesus made in me. They don’t foolishly disregard it, nor have they shut their doors or minds.
After the win we came together center court and prayed. Being Christ-like isn’t about being religious or nice. Because that would be kind of weak. Being Christ-like is about living life as a champion. We tasted a little bit of that yesterday. May that have all of us craving for more.
And now, the victory shot:
Visit http://www.facebook.com/pisayalumnibasketball for full game reviews.
