Grow As We Go

Love & Basketball

It was close a game. UCONN had to scratch and claw for every point in the 4th quarter as Oregon played a physical game against them. Referees were of no help as they let the physicality be the tempo of the game and tone setter. With UCONN'S undefeated season, most had suggested that they had a finesse game and would faulter upon coming up against a physical team such as Oregon. From the jump, Azzi had faced just that. Nothing but relenting pressure and physicality whenever she got in the lane or any chance, they had to put a hand on her, Oregon made sure that she felt their presence.

89-84. UCONN was down by five points with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter. With each play, fans sat on the edge of their seats at Gampel, fearing that this would be the night that they'd receive their first loss. The point guard of Oregon, keen on killing time and setting her team up for the best possible play, passes the ball off to her left to her teammate, unaware of Azzi breaking away from her defensive assignment to get in the passing lane to intercept the ball. Seeing that there was still enough time on the clock to run a set, Azzi aborted her original thought to do so as her only thought at that point was to just win the game. Like a surge of electricity pulsing through her veins, Azzi got to a point where she just turned off all thoughts, and all she could do was just react. It was just her in the open court, time dwindling down to the one-minute mark, her team down by 5, Azzi just pulls up and fires off a straight ahead 3-point jump shot. Nailing the three-point jump shot, the crowd roars as she puts them within two points.

The roar of the crowd, forces Oregon into an unforced turnover, giving the ball back to UCONN. Calling a timeout to talk about the next set play, Geno calls for the girls to quickly bring it in so that they could talk. Running over towards the huddle along with the rest of her teammates, Geno grabs the clipboard as the rest of the girls gathered close to hear the play. Hearing the play, Azzi ran it through in her mind as they talked their defensive strategy and then the offensive set, they'd run without any timeouts being called.

"Azzi, how are you feeling about the play?" Geno asks as he looks her dead in the eye. She took in that they were going for the tie, to put more pressure on Oregon, but Azzi thought something else, something that strayed away from what Geno had planned for.

"If I get the ball, I'm not going for the two" Azzi says without even thinking, causing everyone to be surprised by her response in the huddle. Looking over at her girlfriend, Paige wore a look of surprise as that was the last thing she expected her to say. "Coach, my girl is a half-step slower than me. If I get the ball in my spot, I'm pulling the trigger from any area in my spot. You want a monster, I'm ready to be that" she said confidently and securely that only her teammates could smile about.

"Okay, if that's what you feel" Geno said tossing the clipboard over towards the bench as if he was letting Azzi call the shot. Breaking the huddle, Azzi wiped the sweat off her hands onto her basketball shorts. Rushing over towards Azzi, Paige quickly wrapped her arm over her shoulder.

"Az, the two-point shot is there. If you go early, then we can get 2 attempts at taking the lead..." Paige began to say.

"I know its there, but I don't want that shot" Azzi replied.

"Azzi, they know you're going for the last shot, you will get double teamed. So, give yourself the chance to go for...." Paige began to say.

"I'm pulling the trigger if I get to my spot" Azzi snipped at Paige as she wasn't trying to hear what Paige was saying.

"Okay fine, just trying to help you out from what I see on the court" Paige told her as she just backed away, getting the sense that Azzi was not going to hear it from her in this moment.

Nika grabbed the ball from the referee as she prepared to inbound the ball. Breaking free from her defender, Azzi ran off the screen and quickly ran to the top of the three-point arc. Catching with ease, Azzi got in her offensive stance to square up against her defender to decide her move. Her first option to shoot was taken away by the double team coming her way as she suspected. Passing the ball quickly to Aaliyah, Azzi once again demanded the ball as she reset once more at the top of the three-point arc. Driving on the girl towards the basket, Azzi stepped back quickly behind the arc before shooting a laser shot from her spot on the floor. Just the ball released from her hands, Azzi was immediately pushed from behind by a player from the opposing team. Hitting the three as she knew she would, Azzi now felt the impact of the push from behind as she came crashing down to the floor.