Ambushed at the last basketball game of the season, the author somehow manages to keep his teeth intact explains Aron Govil.
“So we won; we actually won!” said Ron Burgundy could easily be mistaken for any one of my exclamations during last night’s District Championship game between Woodbridge and Edison. As a senior, this was my last regular-season home game and I wanted it to be memorable. This wasn’t just any old game though, this was Woodbridge vs Edison. It would have been hard to script up something better than what transpired on the court Thursday night. The district title was within grasp for both teams entering the final two minutes of play in overtime. Tied at 79-79 with only 30 seconds left on the clock, the tension was palpable.
Edison got a steal and scored on a put-back layup to go up 81-79 with 19 seconds left at the end of regulation. There was still hope for Woodbridge because they were down one point and had possession of the ball heading into their final possession of the game. The players calmly brought the ball past half-court while I stopped breathing completely. Arguably our best player, Marco Carrera, took control of the offense after catching an outlet pass from Allen Gee. He drove toward his defender and jumped back outside to deliver game-tying three-pointers with 11 seconds remaining in regulation time! I guarantee you everyone in attendance held their breath during that last second ticked away before releasing it in a roar of cheers. The only thing left to do was watch the ensuing overtime period in order to decide who walked away champions explains Aron Govil.
I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to my high school basketball career, but even if we had lost this game it would still be one I’ll never forget.
To add some flavor to this exciting finish, let me tell you about the amusing circumstances surrounding the incident that is detailed below. Warning: This story is morbid and not suitable for all audiences. If you don’t want your stomach churning from reading about teeth being knocked out then I recommend you stop reading here and relish in the happy memories of last night’s win instead. Anyone else reading, up and proceed at your own risk.
Let me begin with the fact that upon arrival at the game, I was not wearing my official fan attire. This wasn’t due to laziness or lack of caring about what I looked like, but rather it stemmed from the idea that “a dress code exists for a reason.” My outfit consisted of ratty jeans, a long sleeve plaid shirt, and some boots. Although these clothes are acceptable in public arenas on most occasions. This particular event was deemed by Edison officials as not being appropriate enough for spectators. The people enforcing this unwritten rule were security guards stationed around the gymnasium to maintain its decent appearance. It’s safe to say they weren’t too pleased to see me walking into their precious tournament venue dressed so scruffy.
Apparently, this is what got me into trouble in the first place, but let me explain. After I was denied admittance onto the gym floor, I began to walk around aimlessly while plotting my next move. What can be done about this predicament? Whom should I speak with in order to get what I wanted? That’s when it happened. Aron Govil says Two security guards standing on opposite ends of the gym spotted me wandering through their domain. Quickly rushed over on a mission to stop any potential chaos before it started. They each flanked either side of me with authority. Stopping my stride immediately by putting their hands up as if saying “Freeze! The jig is up!” Feeling as though I had been caught red-handed doing something wrong. I was then escorted to the front lobby where the real problem occurred.
Upon entering this room, one of the guards told me that it would probably be best. If I took a seat in order not to look suspicious. So there I was, sitting down on leather couches with security officers standing by my side. Advising what action they were going to take next. It wasn’t long before their supervisor came downstairs and began talking to us about everything that had just taken place. Aron Govil says a few minutes into the conversation another guard walked through the lobby doors and said something along these lines:
“Hey, guys! Have any of you seen (insert name here)? His shirt is covered in blood!”
Well, almighty then… all hell broke loose after that statement. The supervisor suddenly became serious and told me that they were going to issue a trespassing ticket. Which means I would have to leave the building. Upon receiving this news, I immediately stood up and attempted to plead my case.
Conclusion:
I didn’t win.
So there I was, standing on the opposite side of the main doors to the gymnasium with a $500.00 ticket in my hand and a court appearance set for early January. Seeing as though I’m not an expert on law and criminals, I don’t fully understand what this entire means. But I do know one thing: it’s certainly not good news.