Basketball never ends

Basketball is every where. You go anywhere in the Philippines whether you're in the city or the province, dirt, concrete or hardwood. You will find a group playing the best sport in the world. Young and old, they're ready to give you buckets while wearing their favorite player's jersey.

April is the start of the NBA playoffs and many hoopers are still hungover from the March Madness. April is also the time of the year where fiestas are held in the Philippines. Fiesta means basketball leagues and tournaments. For many hoopers, it's a place where you can showcase your talent and fight for your pride. For the real ballers, this is the time to make your move because scouts from all over the country will travel to some of these fiestas to find a diamond in the rough.

Besides watching Manny Pacquiao fight, many Filipinos are basketball junkies and Benny is no exception. He just finished watching the Rockets game where James Harden went off for 50 points. Watching another lefty dominate the game encourage him to keep working on his game. This also strengthen his beliefs that he can be one of the best players. It's been a couple of weeks since he met Old Bean and Benny haven't gotten his ball back.

"Smh, Old Bean really hustled my ball. All good though. Luckily, I found this Spalding in the lost and found. Hopefully nobody recognize it. No worries, by the time they figure out it's their ball I will already worn it out. Hehe."

"Benny Bricks!!!" - somebody shouted from far.

Benny turns around and saw a familiar hooper from the neighborhood. As the guy got closer, Ben shot his jumper from the left wing then turns around as soon as the ball left his fingertips. He then dab up Gaspar as the ball hit all net.

Gaspar, "Dammmnnn! Instead of Benny Bricks, Imma start calling you Benny Buckets!"

"How are you livin', Benny Buckets" said Gaspar as he dab Ben.

Ben, "Livin good, bro. What brings you back to our turf?"

Gaspar is well known in the neighborhood for being one of the better hoopers. He stands at 5-9, scrawny but the way he carry himself he seems like he is 6-0 tall. Gaspar is 5 years older than Benny and they grew up playing in this court. They regularly hoop here for hours. Benny's game was heavily influenced by Gaspar so Benny looked up to him.

Gaspar, "School is out. I wanted to check on the little homie. Yet, you're not so little anymore. We're the same height now. Is your game catching up too?"

Ben, "Bro, you know it! With those big a$$ calves no wonder you can dunk. I might not be able to dunk but I can still ball you up."

Gaspar went to go pick up the ball and proceed to dribble it down the basket.

Dribble, Dribble, Toss of the glass...

Gaspar plants two feet, jumps to catch the ball at it's highest peak, turns his back to the basket and pump the ball down between his thighs.

Benny watch as Gaspar slams the ball over his head. He was a bit surprised because Gaspar cleanly double pump dunk with no warm up. Benny would be ecstatic to smack the board after a lay up. He wasn't shocked with Gaspar's ability to jump because he has been witnessing Gaspar's game for years.

Gaspar, "Check up then little punk!"

"I thought you everything you know. I recall you haven't beaten at 1on1. What is my record against you again?"

Crickets....

"Whatever, Gaspar. Today is different. I got that Mamba Mentality now."

Gaspar laughed, "Hahahahaha, bruh there is level to this game. You think you're the only one who watched Kobe's documentary. I'm more of an MJ fan but Kobe is my guy too."

"Gaspar, you know I idolize all lefties like Ginobili, Harden and Dragic. We are all basketball junkies. I might as well learn from the best and be the best lefty in the world."

"Homie, you're all left. Even when I force your right you end up laying it up with left on the right side."

Ben walks to the top of the key and checks the ball up to Gaspar.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it. All left is all I need to shut you up."

Gaspar, "Try me!"

Benny went into his jab series where he uses his right foot pivot. Jab left, rocker step, two dribbles to the left side of the paint.

In his head, "If I take an extra dribble he's going to toss my sh-t off the glass. F—k it, Watch this new move I got."

Ben took off with his left foot to throw Gaspar's timing. In the aerial battle, Ben extended the ball to his left side like a left hand lay up. Gaspar is thrown off with the change of timing but with his vertical he can contest the shot with left hand by going across Ben's body.

"Checkmate!!! Got him!"

Ben faked the left hand lay up and exchanged the ball to his right hand. He flips the ball off the board and the ball spun into the basket.

"Filayyyyyy!!!! And 1!!!!!!" Ben yells as he flex under the basket.

Gaspar was not faced with the basket. "You got your 1 point for the day."

It was Gaspar's turn with the ball. There are so many way to humiliate your opponent and one of those ways is to copy the same move and make it yours.

Gaspar pivots with his left foot and jabs right then he abruptly cross his feet to the left and dribbles to the same angle as Ben's drive.

Ben knows he cannot keep up with Gaspar's speed and athleticism so when he was playing defense he sagged off a step so he can recover for the drive and make Gaspar a jump shooter. It's a good strategy when you know you can't defend a blur like Gaspar.

Gaspar decided to take another step further. He took off as soon as Benny was on his back. He jumped 5 feet away from the basket. He shows the ball with his left hand similar to Benny's move. Then he double pump the ball by swinging it to his right hand. He gripped the ball with two hands as he did a 180 turn.

Booooommm. The ball went through the hoop so hard that the old wooden backboard shook.

"C'mon maaann! You don't got to embarrass me like. That dunk look like MVP Derrick Rose I saw on Sports Center!"

Gaspar chuckled, "Yeah and you know who tries to be the Filipino D-Rose, right?"

The one on one game went on for 15 minutes and Benny Buckets is back to being Benny Bricks. He could not defend against Gaspar in all of his possessions. The game end with a score of 11-1 and Ben never got the ball back. The a$$whopping reminds him that he need to work on defense.

In between the lines, only the strong survives. The greatest thing about hoops is everyone starts with 0-0 until the tip off. Tall or short, fast or slow, big or small, you decided the outcome. If you want it bad enough you will find a way to go get it. If you don't really want it then you will find all kinds of excuses.

They ended the game and sat together sipping on Gatorade.

Gaspar, "Hey, how do you feel about playing with my team in the town fiesta tournament this weekend."

Ben, "Are you going to let me play shooting guard or you gunna start me on the left bench again?"

"Dawg, if you're capable then you can take all the shots too. Besides scouts are going to be there. I heard there is a scout from the the city showing up. I saw on IG that the host for the tournament is suppose to be some big shot from San Miguel (one of the pro teams in the Philippine Basketball Association). They are sponsoring all kinds of tournaments and the prize money is suppose to be $10K. We got 11 players and I save a spot for you. You know I got your back bro."

Benny thought nothing gain nothing lost. He believes it would be a great opportunity to go against the best players in town.