November. 14 2019

   My name is Celso Affalabi i'm from india and ive came to the united states to play basketball for Weber.St University i'm a 7’2 Center and i'm nervous because today i have the first game of my collegiate career today and it's against the USC Trojans they are the #16 school in the country but i'm 5’ taller than their center so that gives me some confidence. we arrive at the game and i'm instantly interviewed by espn analysts channel 6,7 and 8 news. I finally managed to fight my way through and get stretched out when i'm done with that i start shooting taking layups and even dunking i felt unstoppable. it was finally gametime when i walked out to the center of the court the referee through the ball in the air and me and the other center jumped up into the air but i was the one that tipped the ball back it landed right in my point guards hands, he started to walk it down the court and then he swung it to the corner and then eventually the ball was passed to me i pump faked the ball and made him jump in the air so i just went under his body and got the easy lay up.

the game went back and forth with 7 lead changes and 4 ties we were down by 3 points with 10 seconds to go in the 2nd half when the ball was passed to me in the corner i put up the shot and got fouled i look up and the ball makes a SWOOSH through the hoop i get one free throw and if i make it we win but if i miss it goes to overtime i take my time and shoot it the ball hits off of the glass and bounces straight through the center of the hoop.

Later that night

I was invited to a party but i didn't go because i wanted to get my homework done so my family can come to america so when i get to my dorm i open up my backpack and grab out my books i read around 400 pages and write around 2.5 pages before i finally pass out on the floor. when my roommate comes home he wakes me up and asks me to go down to the court and shoot some hoops with the rest of the team so i get up throw on a shirt and my shoes and follow him out the door when i got to the gym i felt something fishy but then i realized it was just josh cooking some fish i walk in the gym when i'm swept off of my feet and carried but not only that they gave me a crown and then gave me a ball and put me down they all started chanting

“Dunk it , Dunk it “ so i took two steps jumped and 360 dunked it. the head coach for the portland trail blazers came over to me and said

“that was really something special kid how would you like to come to portland next year?”
i answered back almost instantly
“yes”

November. 17

At practice the next day coach named me the game mvp so our point guard demarcus lagrant came over and started talking to me
“good game the other day man”
as i replied “thanks you too”
demarcus asked a question
“do you think were ready for MSU”
i don't think we are but i lie and say
“of course were ready” but i could tell he knew i was lying.

November. 20 game day

We see the #3 ranked MSU Spartans and we are instantly intimidated when i look up in the stands i see the trail blazers head coach terry stotts and there point guard damian lillard. when the ball is thrown in the air i jump up and tip it back to demarcus who throws up the alley oop to me. later on in the 2nd half with about 6 minutes left we are winning by 26 points so the coach takes me out so i don't get injured but he hold on to win it 96-83. 

January. 15

we are undefeated this season and we are also ranked 6# in the country we play the 3# ranked TCU horned frogs

when the game starts the coach doesn't put me in for the whole game because we already clinched march madness and doesn't want me to get hurt
we lost that game 89-76 

January. 22
we are on a 3 game losing streak and now are ranked 16# and coach finally decided to put me back in. 
March. 14

MARCH MADNESS IS HERE!!!!! we are the #14 seed coming into it i'm so pumped when i heard the news i go back to the dorm and i can't believe it a letter from india i open the envelope up and read the letter.

                                                                                                                         1-12-17
Dear Celso,
When you were a child we all knew you would do great things and sure enough you have.
WE had your baby brother yes i said brother
your mom passed during birth but we do have some good news me and the baby are coming to america. we should arrive just on time to catch your big game!

Sincerely, Dad

When i heard that my mom had passed i Screamed my lungs out and balled and balled and balled
but then i thought of my new baby brother and smiled and smiled and smiled

March. 16
Today we leave for our first round in omaha nebraska. we have to play the #3 seeded Dayton flyers. i decide to go talk to demarcus before the game
“hey man you ready?”
“Yeah of course i've been dreaming of this moment my entire life”
“haven't we all.”

Game Day.

I walk out of the locker room and see my dad and brother at center court wearing a TCU Jersey i go give him a hug and i whisper in his ear
“you've got the wrong jersey dad”
“oops” he said as he slipped off the jersey
i take a peek at my new brother as i look at him my eyes fill with anger and sadness 
“YOU KILLED MY MOM” i scream at the baby
my dad steps in and calms me down.

It is now the opening tip off i win the tip without a challenge
and we go on to win the game 96-79

the next round.

We play the #7 seeded wichita st shockers.  we arrive at the stadium and do our warm ups and then the tip off is up but i lost its the first time the whole year that i've lost and at halftime we are losing 26-34.
we take the court and come back almost instantly with a couple open 3 pointers from demarcus we go on to win the game 76-73

Sweet 16.

we play the 4 Seeded kansas jayhawks

i win the tip off and we are blowing them out at halftime 56-22

in the locker room coach says i'm out for the remainder of the game so i ask him if i could go up in the stans to socialize with my dad and i didn't expect this from him but he actually said yes i go up and ask a couple questions about back home and he said great but i look him in the eyes and ask him for an honest answer but he just looks at me with a tear in his eye when i go back on to the court were still winning 92-86 with just 3 seconds left which i knew meant that we were going to win

Elite 8.

We now face off against the #1 seeded kentucky wild cats the game goes back and forth for a while but then kentucky goes on a cold streak and we start to pull away from them at halftime the score was 48-36 we were up we keep a steady lead for the whole game and end up winning 76-68

The fans rushed the court and started chanting our school name. i was so proud.

Final 4.

We play the #2 seeded Arizona wildcats

when we take the court we know that we should zoom bye them easy because their star player is injured and out for the game we end up winning by just 6 points 57-63 i ended the game with my 14 triple double of the year! i was also congratulated by damian lillard portland trail blazers star point guard.

Championship game.

We play the #6 seed Duke blue devils

The game goes back and forth with 26 lead changes at halftime the score is 48-52 duke is winning
we go back on the court and i see a flag that says in memory of sandy affable my mom this practically gave me that title i push through the pain and drop 32 second half points and we win the game the coach cuts down the nets and everyone was chanting my name.  and I finally become a champion.

THE END