Chapter 95 National Championship 7
After hearing that Jake had won Eva was very pleased, she was very worried about this particular game, despite being confident in Jake’s ability, Eva could not forget what happened last year in which although she was confident the team your son still lost.
It was good that in the next game she could go personally to watch the game, it was very distressing for her to have to wait at home for news of her son, in that final game even if he asked her not to be Eva would still, for her this game it was so important that it was like Jake’s graduation from Middle School.
When the first week went by Jake knew that many of his acquaintances had confirmed presence for this game, Joseph would go with his father Oliver to see the final and Anna also confirmed that he would when he heard of Eva’s important game.
Tiffany and Clara had confirmed that they would go to this game too, the two of them were happy mainly because of Jake’s success and the realization of his desire to be closer to winning the national championship, and they were happy because they knew that only Jake was in the final of this championship was already a great promotion for both companies.
As well as friends of Jake and like the representatives of the companies that sponsor him both had to attend this game even though because of the improvements of the companies they were very busy.
But what made Jake truly surprised and happy was that his teammates at his old school last year said they would also go to the game to see Jake be the champion of the national championship.
He was happy that his teammates from last year would go to that game to support him, which Jake did not know was that although he was not happy with his team’s results last year, his teammates were very pleased with the who succeeded and were grateful to Jake who was responsible for all the good that happened.
In those weeks before the games, Jake did something different from what he usually did and trained every day with his teammates, so everyone saw that his captain was struggling more than they did which gave a great deal of encouragement to all Team workout more.
Coach Mike also passed several instructions on what the players could do in some hypothetical situations that could happen in the final so they would not be nervous and also went through the tactics trained earlier so there were no mistakes in the final.
Jake had to admit that he admired Coach Mike’s knowledge, he thought that someone with that ability despite not being able to get to train any college team was at least good enough to train his high school team, that left him curious who the school chose to train the high school team with all that investment made.
In that time he also took time to talk and play chess with Oliver, even though the two became really friends Jake and Oliver were very busy people, often Oliver also had important business to solve in his company.
After all, even if lawyers have a lot more time to stay home sometimes cases start to accumulate and have to be resolved, even the rich sometimes have lawsuits that they have to resolve.
Jake also after he got sponsorship and decided to travel on vacation with his mother did not have much free time either, but as a major game was coming Jake wanted to play some chess with a friend to relax a bit.
And so the days went by and the day of the final came, in the morning Eva was again preparing a breakfast full of things to eat, Jake also felt that her mother’s food had gotten much better after a few weeks that she began to do those classes.
Jake was sitting on the couch staring at the wall with red-faced eyes for not having slept well last night, no matter how confident he was in his team it was impossible for him not to be nervous and eager for this end game that was the last chance to be champion of the national championship.
Probably both teams and the two coaches would be the same, Jake was able to relax a little after even his mother was more relaxed for that game.
"Jake you have to be calmer, I know better than anyone how much you trained and did your best to get to this end, now it’s no use getting nervous, I know you can win this game and I’ll be there to see."
"Thank you, Mom, I do not know why I’m so nervous, so it’s no use trying to be quiet on my own, as I’ve fallen asleep now, I do not care, I just know that when the game starts I’ll calm down."
Eva also knew what her son was like and just smiled and said nothing else, then they had breakfast and went to the game site together.
After arriving there Jake greeted the coach and all his teammates and began to warm up, the two teams had already arrived even though it was still a long time before the game started.
When it was not enough time for the final to begin Jake called all his teammates to give a word before the game began.
"I do not know what all the reasons were for you to bring your families to Miami and go to Elite school, but one thing I know, all of you who are here love basketball and want to be the national champions as much as I am."
"Do not treat this as the journey of this season, for all of us here the path we went through until this final did not start this season, but throughout all our 3 years of Middle School."
"I do not know if any of you intend to be a professional player in the future, but I want you to remember that if we win that game in 1992, we’ll be the best basketball players in the world of our age."
"It will be a glory that can be remembered throughout our lives, so let’s give our best in every minute of this game, I will not keep anything and play my best and I hope the same of each of you, we will win."
After Jake finished speaking they were all very excited and the morale got to the maximum they could, they had the confidence that their team was the best and they trusted their champion who was the best player and today would do their best then it was just to play and win.
After making the speech and everyone vow to finish warming up, Jake called David to the corner once more.
"David, I’m counting on you in this game, I know you’re good, even if you can not do a lot in defense, pay in the attack, and use all the energy you have to make better plays and do not get lost in that game."
"You can trust me, in this game I’m going to give my best, I want to be the best in the world after that game too."
So Jake was pleased he was not lying when he said that if they could win today they would be the best in the world in their age range, so Jake the United States was the place with the best basketball players in the world, so the best were the best in the world.
Everyone in the stands were cheering and very excited for this particular game, many reporters had also come to make the coverage of the final if the players could make dunks also this game could even be broadcast on television.
Nobody else thought that the Elite team did not deserve to be in the final and much of the stand even praised them, it was cool to see a dark horse come to the final, it was a team nobody knew and so nobody even the Miami media expected them could reach so far.
Who was happier in the stands beside Clara and Tiffany was Eric, just for having come to this game without mentioning that he expected the Elite team to win this game the matter was already guaranteed and so he had won a lot with his bet to follow the team since the first game of the regional.
It was a matter that would be seen across the country now after it was published, Eric was now more than convinced that following Jake was the right decision he made, after that matter, his position as a journalist would be more consolidated, and in some years he felt he could again cover Jake’s games.
Then when the game was about to begin Jake went to his seat and put on the bandana, the bracelet, the arm protector and the protective equipment on the knee and cinnamon all with the trademark of the companies, the referee just took a look at it and left in peace, now the uniform that had a shirt and blue shorts was with several blank equipments in the arms, legs, and head.
Although knowing that they were protective equipment would not be prohibited by the referee he decided to just put everything just before the game, so nobody would have time to say anything, and he was right, probably if he had come to the court that way the referee was asked to take this out before the game.