The Pressure’s On – An Insider’s Viewpoint

As I think back on the last few seconds of our game against Harvard on Saturday, I remember everything in slow motion … 9 seconds remain in the game. Harvard takes the ball out of bounds. I hustle to the sideline to guard the ball as I anxiously wait for my player to throw the ball in. Time ticks, she fakes the ball one way and I see her throw the ball over my head. I jump in the air with my hands up and I feel the ball hit the top of my fingers. As I turn around, I see that I have tipped the ball, which then bounces off of my teammate’s back. The ball is on the ground now and I don’t see anything else on the court but the ball. I dive to grab the ball and I feel someone land on my back. I hear a whistle and am relieved to hear that I was fouled.

I get up and hear the crowd yelling and screaming with excitement. There’s a time-out on the floor, so my teammates and I huddle and listen to coach, who gives us the game plan, “We have to foul right away if she misses this, but she’s not going to miss it.” We break out of the huddle as I walk up to the foul line to shoot a one-and-one, my sister, Brittney, says, “You got it, we only need one to tie it.” The referee throws me the ball.>Surprisingly, my heart is not racing and if it is, I ignore it. I don’t hear or see anything, but the rim in front of me. I think to myself, “I have to make the first one.” I do my usual free throw routine and as I release the ball, I know it’s going in. Whew! Now the game is tied. I have to make the second one to possibly win the game. I do my usual free throw routine once again. I release the ball for the second time and it goes in. With 5 seconds left in the game, Harvard quickly brings up the ball and shoots a long-range shot that is off the mark. As the buzzer sounds, I am filled with excitement! My teammates run up to me and we all hug each other. Everyone in the crowd is yelling and standing on their feet cheering for us because we never gave up.

I will always remember those last 9 seconds.

- Margaret Smith ’10