NBA: Road to glory

The morning after our big win against Kentucky, my phone was blowing up. Instagram was still kinda new in 2013, but my follower count was jumping. I had 92,000 before the game—now? 177,500 and climbing. The comments were crazy.

"Pres really built like that. It comes from the Big Apple."

"Dude's got NBA potential fr."

"Him and Asher lowkey the best duo in college right now."

Even on YouTube, someone had already thrown together a mixtape of my highlights. The edits were fire—slow-motion dunks, no-look passes, step-backs, and that one and-one finish over their center. It had 105,000 views in less than 24 hours.

At practice, Asher pulled out his phone. "Bro, you seen the numbers?"

I nodded. "Yeah. We keep hooping like that, and it's only gonna get crazier."

I already had the hype but this accentuated it.

The weeks passed...

The regular season came to an end. We finished at the top of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) standings with a 27-5 record, just ahead of the Florida Gators,with a 25-7 record. It wasn't an easy road, but we had proven ourselves as the team to beat.

Asher and I had found a rhythm. The tension from that Kentucky game was long gone—we had figured it out. Our chemistry was clicking, and it showed on the court. He trusted me, and I trusted him. That made all the difference.

Now, it was time for the SEC Tournament.

Game 1: SEC Quarterfinals

Our first matchup was against Auburn, a tough, scrappy team that played with a chip on their shoulder. They came out aggressive, pressing full-court and trying to disrupt our offense.

But we were locked in.

Asher controlled the tempo, breaking the press and setting up plays. I was dominant inside, sealing my man in the post and finishing through contact. We fed off each other. Every time Auburn started a run, we answered back.

Late in the second half, we were up 72-65 with three minutes left. Asher called for a high screen, drove into the lane, then kicked it out to me at the elbow. Pump fake, one dribble, pull-up jumper— three...bucket.

Auburn tried to respond, but our defense held firm. Final score: 81-72. We were moving on.

Game 2: SEC Semifinals

The semifinals had us facing Tennessee, a physical team with elite defense. They tried to force us into tough shots, but we adjusted. Asher picked them apart with his passing, while I stretched the floor, knocking down mid-range jumpers and finishing inside.

With two minutes left, we were up by four, but Tennessee kept fighting. Their guard, Josh Richardson drilled a deep three to cut the lead to one. On the next possession, Lucas our Shooting Guard waved everyone off and took his man one-on-one. He crossed him up, drove into the lane, and hit a floater.

The crowd erupted. That was the dagger. We closed it out 76-70, punching our ticket to the SEC Championship Game.

SEC Championship Game: Florida vs Us

This was the big one. Florida Gators vs South Carolina Gamecocks

The Gators had given us problems all season, and this game was no different. They had a dominant forward, Dorian Finney-Smith and sharpshooters on the perimeter. It was a battle from the start—neither team could pull away.

At halftime, we were tied at 41-41.

The second half was a war. Florida's defense tightened up, forcing us into tough shots. We were down 67-62 with five minutes left. Coach called a timeout, and in the huddle, he kept it simple:

"Stay composed. Execute."

We responded.

Asher took over, threading passes through the defense. I stepped up, hitting a huge three to tie the game at 72-72 with under a minute left.

Final possession. Shot clock winding down.

Asher had the ball at the top of the key. He drove, drawing two defenders, then kicked it out to me at the free-throw line. One dribble, fadeaway jumper—money.

We locked down on defense, forcing a contested three that missed. Final score: 74-72.

We were SEC Champions.

Now, the real challenge began. March Madness was here.

The NCAA Tournament was a whole different beast. Every game was win or go home. No second chances. No do-overs. The pressure was at an all-time high, and every team in the bracket was hungry.

Coach gathered us in the locker room after the SEC Championship and kept it short:

"We've made our statement in the SEC. Now, it's time to show the nation what we're about. One game at a time. Lock in."

First Round: A Dominant Start

Our March Madness journey started off strong. We crushed Northwestern State, 92-69. It was never really close—we controlled the game from the tip-off to the final buzzer.

I finished with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, everyone played their role, and we looked like a team ready to make a deep run.

But there was no time to celebrate.

The next round? A whole different story.

UCLA had just taken down Minnesota, 83-63, and one of their guys was Jackson Ellis. 

We had history.

Ever since high school, it was always a battle between us.

As we watched film on UCLA, I already knew what was coming.

A text popped up on my phone.

Jackson Ellis: Hope you're ready to get exposed on national TV, Pres. I'm built for this moment. You? Not so much.

I smirked.

I couldn't let that slide.

Me: You got a memory lapse, bro? Remind yourself who beat you in front of everyone back in high school. Go on, say it.

A few seconds pass. Three little dots appear… then disappear. He saw the message, but no reply. Radio silence. He knew.

Vic: Yo, tomorrow you better cook Jackson. We're all gonna be watching.

I chuckled, shaking my head. No pressure, right?

Me: Bro, it's already done.

I could practically hear Vic laughing through the phone.

I smirked as I put my phone away.

Tomorrow, we were settling this on the court. 'I gotta help him get his memory back, LA sun must've hit his head too hard.'