Breakthrough

CHAPTER 3

Another chance encounter.

I guess it was our thing.

...

HIS POINT OF VIEW

"Teng, good job last game ha!"

"Hayuuup, Jeron! Lakas!"

"Nice game last Saturday from you, bro!"

Buong Monday morning, 'yang mga bati na 'yan ang narinig ko from almost everyone. Maybe they were remembering 'yung three-pointer ko na nagpalamang nung 4th quarter and 'yung two free throws ko na nagpalayo nung seconds nalang natitirang time. 'Yun kasi ang madalas nilang nababanggit.

Nakalimutan ata nila 'yung turnover ko dahil sa malamyang pasa and 'yung isa pa na maling pasa naman. Pero, aba, okay lang. As long as I remember it, I can work on it. Hindi na naman kailangan maalala nung iba. Hahaha.

'Yung mga pagbati were unexpected, but in a good way. It made me feel nice. Like I may be doing something right since they're starting to appreciate what I have to offer the team.

Kahit mga kaklase at professors ko nga nakikilala na rin ako. Some of them already recognized me naman na even before pa pero mas dumami lang sila ngayon. Maybe it had something to do with me greeting them on-cam, but I cannot be sure.

In one class nga, when I was about to get out of the classroom na, biglang nagsalita 'yung prof namin.

"Jeron, can you please come here in front?"

"Uhh.. Sure.." I answered hesitantly. Bakit kaya?

"Class, this guy right here will be one of the future stars of our Men's Basketball Team. Jeron, congratulations on your win last Saturday. We expect to see more of you and more from you in the coming games ha."

Huh. Fan siguro si Sir ng team.

Nagpalakpakan naman 'yung mga kaklase ko. Feeling ko they felt obligated lang naman 'cause our prof sounded so excited. I just gave them a smile and a barely audible 'Thank you'.

And though the attention was something of a validation for me, something that made me feel like I was where I should be, it has also made me feel just a little bit more pressured. Now, they will be looking at me and my game. They will expect me to improve and improve or, at least, be consistent.

And that was one of the reasons why I decided to train harder. No one wants to be a disappointment, right?

The next day, mas naging active ako sa training. Lahat ng drills and reps dinagdagan ko. But still, I didn't feel like it was enough.

Kaya naman after my last class kinabukasan, Wednesday, I decided to go to Razon to practice more kahit na meron na kaming training nung umaga.

Mag-isa lang ako ngayon since nung niyaya ko 'yung iba, none of them were available. Either busy sa school works or may ibang pupuntahan. That would have stopped me just a week ago. I never liked practicing alone. But now, I went through with it since I have more reasons to do it na than before.

Ironically, parang mas dumami 'yung kailangan ko i-prove nung gumanda 'yung performance sa isang laro ko. Parang kailangan kong ipakita na I am that and more.

I've already done a lot nung highschool ako, but really, college is a totally different ball game. Here, I have start all over again to prove myself.

...

I went to Razon and I got my varsity bag from the backseat of my car na naka-park in front of the building lang. I rode the elevator alone and the moment I entered the court, narinig ko nang may tao. I looked for them and I found them sitting on the bleachers.