Never Promise Again

Chapter 25

Naya's Point of View

"Go, Allendale University!"

Sigaw naming mga supporters ng basketball team ng university namin. Present kaming squad at ilang mga schoolmates to support them. Tapos na ang semi-finals at isa ang team namin sa nanalo. Ngayon naman ay championship game na and the victor of this game will be the champion of this year regional basketball tournament.

May hawak-hawak kaming mga banners to cheer our team at ng maka-score si Kuya ay agad kaming nag-hiyawan kami.

"Kuya ko 'yan!" Proud kong sigaw. Lumingon naman si Kuya sa pwesto namin at binigyan niya 'ko ng thumbs-up.

4th quarter na at lamang ng dalawang puntos ang kalaban pero mahahabol pa naman nila 'yun.

The game continued and the rollercoaster feeling is building up in everyone of us here at stadium because of the game. Kapag nakaka-score ang kabilang team, i-iscore rin kami and it was taking our breaths. They're all persistent at talagang ayaw mag-palamang at mag-patalo.

So, this is a championship game. It was totally like do or die.

We're watching them playing, moreover I can see the way how Kuya instructed his teammates. Their offense and defense gets strengthened but the opponents are somehow dominants kaya nahihirapan talaga sila Kuya.

"Argh!" Agad naming react ng pumuntos ng tres ang kalaban. Mas lalo tuloy lumaki ang lamang nila. Limang puntos na ngayon ang lamang ng kalaban.

"Kaya 'yan! Mahahabol pa 'yan!" Pag-eencourage ni Alice sa buong team.

Tumingin ako sa time at halos isang minuto na lang ang natitira. Kaya pa kaya? Nakikita ko naman sa mga mukha ng team namin ang ka-paguran. Hindi na rin sila pwedeng tumawag ng time-out dahil nagamit na nila 'tong lahat.

Tumingin ako kay Kuya na naka-patong ang mga kamay sa tuhod, naka-yuko at hinihingal-hingal. Sa lahat ng players ng team namin alam kong siya ang pinaka-pagod. His stamina is sure now exhausted.

Ano ng gagawin mo, Kuya?

Tumunog na ang pito at ang bola ay dinadala ni Dexter. The time was running but Dexter managed to passed the ball to Joshua and Joshua to Kuya as he jumped and shot another tree points.

Pasok!

"Three points for Number 7!"

Agad naman kaming nag-hiyawan at halos lahat ng nanunuod ay napa-tayo na. Nag-apiran naman ang team. Dalawa na lang ang lamang, kaya pa, kaya pa 'yan!

Nag-patuloy na ang game, while the time is running. 40 seconds na lang ang natitira! Ang kalaban ang may dala ng bola at mabilis niya itong pinasa sa kakampi niya. He tried to shoot the ball but he it didn't shoot the ring. The ball was rebounded by Dexter and he quickly passed the ball to Kuya at the back.

20 seconds!

Bilisan mo, Kuya!

Kuya ran towards their ring and his opponent was able to keep up with him. But he still positioned himself, trying to make another three points shot.

10 seconds!

Kuya shot the ball but his opponent slightly touched it.

"Pumasok ka." Mariing sabi ko at lahat kami ay umaasa na pumasok ang bola.

Pero.. hindi 'to pumasok.

"Eeekkk!"

The game is over.

Agad nag-hiyawan ang kupunan ng kalaban naming team ng manalo sila. 

"B-bakit hindi pumasok 'yung bola? Maayos naman 'yung posisyon ni Nasiv, right?" Malungkot na sabi ni Alice.