PAUL LEE AND JVEE CASIO: DIFFERENT ANIMALS, SAME BEASTS

The Paul Lee - JVee Casio thing has sort of taken a backseat to Gary David's scoring exploits and Rain or Shine's 12-deep offensive arsenal in the PBA Playoffs, but I still see the two young bucks doin' work. And the great thing about this is this debate is going to be great for years to come so we can still enjoy the Gary David show while it's still in the box office.

I personally like comparing and contrasting great players: MJ vs Kobe, Magic vs Bird, Jaworski vs everyone and what-have-you. Because at the core of this great game of basketball are the players, putting work into their own games so they can contribute to the team. If you want your team to be great, your game has to be on point, and Lee and Casio are some of the most talented rooks to ever step on the PBA floor. So The Lethal Weapon and GShock Casio make a great case when you pit these spitfire guards head-to-head.

I am a huge, huge fan of the spectacular Paul Lee. I became a believer when he crossed up his homeboy Eric Salamat on an iso and scored on a double-clutch layup with the foul in a UAAP elims game during Lee's first year. During that time Eric was crossing up every cat in the UAAP, and Paul virtually took the stage and declared "My homie's not the only guy who can break ankles." When Coach Lawrence Chongson handed him the keys to the UE Red Warriors offense, Paul literally went supernova on the league, leading the league in scoring, winning awards and breaking ankles. Defending him became a puzzle: he could torch you from long distance, or bully his way in the paint and score on your big man. At a strong 6'0", Lee was a monster for opposing guards, and he played with a certain Pinoy playground swag that assured teammates that if you give him the rock, he'll give you the chance to win. So get the heck out of his way. He has a quick trigger jumper, a thousand finishing moves around the rim, and dribble moves you only learn in playground pickup games. He's just that type of guy: his takeover play has been sharpened by the mean streets of Tondo where he mastered his daredevil drives and fantastic forays to the rim. His game screams "I'm the Man up in this joint. Basta bigay mo sa akin bola, ako ang bahala."

Jospeh Evans Casio is a different type of silent assassin. At 5'10" on a good day and in street clothes, and with a nickname that sounds like the name of a Pokemon, JVee's the poster boy for Milo's Best basketball aspirants: great basic ballhandling skills, passes first before looking for his own shot which happenes to be as smooth as silk, and with a schoolboy demeanour that never changes throughout the game, no matter the situation. Plus, after he silently drops 27 points on you on a vast array of jumpers and floaters, he'd smile at you and shake your hand after the game. Schooled by some of the game's most bemedalled coaches Ato Badolato of San Beda College and Franz Pumaren of De La Salle University, JVee is a coach's dream: a player who sticks to the plan and plays honest to goodness hoops, a basketball scholar who uses his smarts to overcome the game's greatest challenges. His moves may not be as spectacular as them cats on the playgrounds, but his game is so fundamentally grounded that he does ordinary things extraordinarily well. You know those crossovers, mid-range jumpers, and teardrop floaters are coming, but JVee's game is so smooth, defenders can't stop him. Just ask Iran, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and all them other dudes JVee schooled as a Gilas hotshot.

But at the core of Paul and JVee are competitors: ballers who care about nothing but the W. They may do it in different ways, but they want the same result. Paul Lee's hang-time pasabit layup gets two points just like Casio's off-the-screen 15 foot jumper. Lee's 30 foot three point bomb gets three points just like JVee's corner three off a David pass. Paul's no-look pass to a cutting Beau Belga for a deuce is an assist, just like JVee's basic shovel pass for a Doug Kramer layup.

When the game is on the line, JVee and Paul want the ball in their hands. They want the responsibility, the chance to win or lose, they want it on them. Just like when Lee hit a crucial triple against Ginebra and JVee got the hoop and the harm to cut RoS's lead to 1 in the 4th quarter, both players let out a primal roar. Underneath the cool, calm, and collected exteriors lie competitive beasts, who would do anything for the sweet taste of victory.

Lee and Casio play different games, but they want the same result. Lee will specactularly score in bunches. JVee will scatter points with surgical precision. But in the end, what matters to them is if they have another W, if they're the ones whose fists are raised in the end.

As to who's the better baller? I'm gonna postpone judgment on that. I'm going to enjoy the show first, coz these big time ballers are gonna be duking it out for a long, long time.

SALUTATIONS FOR A MENTOR: ELY "THE KITI-KITI KID" SUAISO

I've asked a lot of people to help me improve my game. My cousin Kuya Mark taught me how to shoot. My blockmate Paulo Parel tweaked my lay-up. My one-on-one games against my longtime homeboy Uzzi Asuncion help me test out moves I've been practicing. My shotblocking little brother Totep, all 5'9" of him and his near 5'11" wingspan, made me adjust my shot and practice different ways of scoring in the paint. But there's one guy I gotta thank, my main man Ely Suaiso, aka The Kiti-kiti Kid, aka The Captain. This guy taught me how to love and enjoy the game.

Kuya Ely is the best baller I've ever played with. He had hang-time moves, a mid-range jumper, and a behind-the-back dribble that always got me scrambling after him as he sashayed to the rim, laughing at me and the shot blocker he was going to embarass at the rim.

I remember one time we played 4on4 with a couple of guys, "Dayos" we'd call them coz they weren't from my 'hood, and they had this one ultra-athletic guy who made fools out of me and my other teammates. After racing to a 5 point lead, my main man Kuya Ely turned on the jets and put on a scoring clinic. And he did all his scoring while laughing and smiling at defenders who tried to stop him. Him and Kuya Tristan basically carried us to victory. Thus, The Kiti-kiti Kid's legend was made.

During an inter-church tournament, Kuya Ely showed me how he played like when he's serious. It was a complete 180 from the Ely I knew in pick-up games. This guy did not smile at all, drove stronger to the rim, and defended opposing guards with ferocity. Think Dwyane Wade in a 5'7" body, who made impossible dipsy-do layups and swatted shots of 6 foot centers. We lost in the finals though, but Kuya Ely stuffed the stat sheet. The Captain carried us when we needed him.

While I'm in awe of his take-over mode, the thing I really liked about Kuya Ely was his contagious joy when on the court when we played pickup games. He laughed, pulled down defenders' shorts, did cartwheels after he hit three-pointers, and flashed the Manny Villar pa-pogi sign as he hit fastbreak layups. He had all these sound effects when dangling the ball in front of me, then whipping it between his legs and behind the back as I tried in vain to steal the ball. I think we spent as much time laughing while we played from 6 in the morning to 1:30 in the afternoon.

He was also like the confident kuya for us youngsters back in the day. My favorite memory on the basketball court with him was one Easter Sunday game between us Youth and the Men from our church. I hit 12 points, 4-8 from three-point range, then my best career game hehe, all of em set up by my main man. After every shot I'd make, he'd jump into the air like them million-peso winners on noontime variety shows. When I missed my shot, he'd shriek in disbelief with matching facial expression, but then he'd tell me "Ayos lang boy! Bawi tayo boy!" as we jogged back on defense.

That joy on the court taught me how to love the game of basketball. If anything, Kuya Ely showed me how to really play - no problems, no baggages. When I step on the court, I check my problems at the door. "Wala munang problema-problema pag nasa court" I remember him telling me. The court then became my place of zen, my very own Fortress of Solitude. I am never more at peace, I never feel more alive than when I'm on the court playing basketball. Doesn't matter if I'm, the best player on the floor at the time, or the worst stinker of a turnover machine jacking up ill-advised three-pointers, the court is my sanctuary.

Few years later, I think I've improved, Kuya Ely. Dati center ako, ngayon guwardiya na :p Malapad pa rin ako, pero kaya ko na yung ibang bagay na ginagawa mo noon, wag nga lang mag-tumbling hehe. Kung di kita napasalamatan noon, eto sinasabi ko na: maraming salamat, Kuya Ely, salamat sa pagtuturo mo sa akin kung paano maglaro at mahalin ang basketball. Ang wish ko, makalaro kita minsan ulit, para makita mo ang resulta nang inspirasyong nakuha ko sa paglalaro mo :D

One on One with Kobe Bryant - July 2011

                       

                       When people ask me what the highlight of my young broadcasting career is, I'm going to tell them about my brush with basketball greatness for the 2nd time. I'm going to tell them about July 2011, about the moment I shook the hand of one of the greatest players to ever play basketball.

                       I'm going to tell them the best moment of my young career was the day I talked to Kobe Bryant, one-on-one, for 5 minutes.

---



                       Truth be told, I used to hate young Kobe Bryant with a passion; brash and vocal about his desire to take on all comers and be the centerpiece of the Los Angeles Lakers despite the presence of a prime Shaq, stubborn and defiant even to the venerable Phil Jackson. He rubbed me the wrong way. I'm used to seeing cats bring it, not sing it. You take the title of Best Ever on the court, not in the papers. You don't call out coaches and teammates and shout to the world how great you think you are, you just prove it. Perhaps I was spoiled by 2nd Three-peat Michael Jordan, who after coming from retirement, became a somewhat nicer teammate while remaining an uncompromising leader and winner for the Chicago Bulls. Perhaps I felt slighted that this kid from PhiladelphiaslashItaly, and 2nd generation baller, challenged Grant Hill, then the L's Mr. Nice Guy, for the title Heir Apparent. Perhaps, while I tried my darnest best to hide it, I felt threatened by this kid, who showed no fear going up against the G.O.A.T. when no one else dared to tug on Superman's cape.

                        I became a Chris Webber-Mike Bibby-Peja Stojakovic Sacramento Kings fan because they were good and they posed a threat to Kobe's Lakers in the West. I became a Tracy McGrady fanboy for a while because he had nice kicks and he was a threat to Kobe in the best gunslinger in the league duel. But Kobe Bryant is brash. He is stubborn and defiant. He simply refused to lose. Yes, it helps to have a 7-1, 300 pound behemoth and a Hall of Fame coach by your side, but Bean wasn't no slouch during their time tearin' up the league. They vanquished the mighty Kings and Kobe outplayed and outlasted T-Mac and any other young high flying scorer who dared challenge him.

                        More than the challenges on the court, Kobe was challenged in the game of real life as well. The Colorado Scandal. His media feud with PhilJax and Shaq. Haters 'round the world. More than the dismal showing of the post-Shaq Lakers, I feel that Bean felt the most damage from the off-court stuff. That's real life, dawg, there ain't no time-outs, no halftime breaks, no overtimes. When that final buzzer sounds in real life, that's it.

                       During this difficult time, Kobe went back to the one thing he loved the most. He went back to basketball. The take-no-prisoners, leave-bodies-in-his-wake type of basketball. He likes to call it "Balls to the Wall". He trained. He lifted weights. He shot the lights out at the gym by himself, hoisting jumper after jumper. He got his life and game back on track. The results include an 81-point game, a string of 50 and 60 point games, a regular season MVP, back-to-back NBA Championships and Finals MVP awards, and an Olympic Gold Medal.

                      And most of all, respect and recognition. Y'all can love him or hate him, but regardless of what you feel about him, you gotta respect the best in the game.

                      ---

                       I was first on deck for the interview session since I arrived hours before everyone else. I shared the room with some of the industry's best: Slam Magazine's Mico Halili, ABSCBN's TJ Manotoc, Solar's Jinno Rufino, TV5's Chiqui Roa-Puno. Yeah, I made sure I was there early. I was pretty excited.

                      When I finally shook Kobe Bryant's hand, I had to stop myself from grinning like a frickin idiot. I was telling myself "Be cool. BE COOL. It's no big deal. Yeah so he's the best player in the world today. But be cool." I had the most ruthless competitor in the game today for 5 minutes. So I decide to pick his brain about what drives him.

                      Kobe lights up as he hears me recount his epic battle with the Boston Celtics. He smiles as he sees me imitate the scowl he showed in the finals against the Orlando Magic. I ask him about what drives him at this point in his career, what he has left to prove:

                     "It's always the challenge of winning. I don't necessarily feel like I have to prove something to somebody, in order to perform at a high level, this is just who I am, when I get out there on the floor, I'm ready to go, ready to win." 

                      He's been in the country four times (once with Adidas as a youngster, thrice with Nike) and he relishes each and every visit, because he admits he has never seen a country so smitten with the game of basketball like the good 'ol PHL.

                      Kobe Bean Bryant, for lack of a better term, is a basketball nut. It's like he was bred to have a basketball in his hands. As a kid, he told me when he's not out playing (against older, bigger, faster kids to toughen himself up), he'd watch taped NBA games sent to him by relatives, usually Michael Jordan and the Bulls or Magic Johnson and the Lakers. So he feels right at home in this country of fellow basketball nuts who are only too willing to welcome the best player in the world today. He says he will definitely try the beaches in the future, and maybe even sample the local cuisine like sizzling sisig. Thanks to yours truly, Kobe has learned how to say "Salamat" to his Pinoy fans.

                       "I enjoy sharing the game of basketball, and Manila of all the places I've traveled, has so much passion and enthusiasm for the game. That's why I love coming back because I enjoy being around kids, I enjoy being around people who have the same passion as I do."

                       On this side of the planet, it's not everyday I get to meet of the greatest athletes in the world not from our country. It's not everyday I get to meet a basketball player whose name, image, and likeness is on most of my shirts and shoes with the swoosh. So when people ask me about that one day in my career that I'll never forget, I'm going to tell them proudly that for 5 minutes, I got Kobe Bryant one-on-one.

                        Until I get Michael Jordan one-on-one for an interview, this moment with Kobe Bryant will be on top of my list.

PRIDE

                        Juan Manuel Marquez, with his counterpunching brilliance, granite chin, and the heart of a true Mexican warrior, proved that he's a real bad motha'. In a fight he was supposed to lose badly to my main man Manny Pacquiao, Dinamita basically told his critics to shut the heck up by landing big time counters and left uppercuts. I swear, that counter right straight-left uppercut 1-2 combo landed flush on Manny so many times me and my little brother were the ones cringing for Manny. Scared for the 8-division world champ. Scared for supposedly the best in the world.

                        Manny Pacquiao, with his otherworldy stamina, blitzing handspeed, and iron will, stood toe-to-toe with his vaunted foe. He fought a smart fight, darting in-and-out, landing combinations and sticking Marquez with jabs to measure the distance before unleashing his left. He drove straight into the kill zone to risk getting hit by the best counterpuncher in the game today because he needed to score. Manny knew he had to be careful, but he still tried to pound his foe to kingdom come.

                        I've said it a million times over and I'm going to say it again: aside from Manny, I fear no other boxer than Juan Manuel Marquez. The guy is simply the best at what he does, and that is to counter. He makes you fight his fight and the moment you fall into his trap, BOOM, right straights and uppercuts all day. Even Freddie Roach admitted that no other fighter has Manny figured out better than JuanMa.

                       I've had the privilege to have covered Manny Pacquiao up-close-and-personal, and if there's one thing I can say about the guy, it's that Manny Pacquiao is a very, very proud man. I've seen how he pushes himself to the limit to make sure he brings it every time he steps in the ring. He's fought them all - skilled veterans like Erik Morales, big bruisers like Antonio Margarito, ring legends like Marco Antonio Barrera and Oscar De La Hoya - and he always found a way to dominate them. He's racked up accolade after accolade on the way to be called the best in the world, and he actually didn't even have to prove himself against a foe who has come close to beating him. Business-wise, his camp could've just focused on the bigger draw against Floyd Mayweather Jr. But Manny Pacquiao is a proud man. Technically, he has already defeated Marquez twice if not for a crucial mistake one of the judges made in their first fight followed by a split decision in 2008, and to risk himself to a possible loss would've only hurt his legacy and a chance for the megabuck showdown with Money Mayweather.

                       But when the chance to fight Juan Manuel Marquez came up, did you hear Manny refuse? Did you hear him make excuses and say he's got nothing to prove against the Mexican legend? Manny didn't. He stood up and accepted the challenge and promised to train for the fight of his life against his arch-nemesis. He basically ran himself ragged (post fight quotes say Manny suffered cramps from the 4th round onwards) just to make sure he left no stones unturned against a technical ring warrior whose game seems tailor made to beat him.

                     If anything, Manny proved he had the balls to face his greatest challenger for the third time. Compared to some people who only care about their streaks, Manny cares for the people who wanted to see him and Marquez duke it out for the third time. When it's all said and done and Manny decides to hang up his gloves, people ought to look beyond the bodies the Pacman left in his wake, beyond the spectacular stoppages and down-the-wire finishes. They ought to look at his courage to fight the best out there. That should be Manny Pacquiao's legacy.

                     The fact that Manny didn't dominate from opening bell only proves that Marquez is truly the Joker to Pacquiao's Batman (or if you're a Marquez fan you can turn it the other way around), the familiar foil for the Pinoy protagonist. Both of them the best with their respective boxing styles, both of them able to raise the level of their games whenever they step in the ring. Manny likes to throw, JuanMa likes to counter. One blessed with tremendous physical gifts, one armed with incredible technique. They can exchange blows until the world crumbles but the fact of the matter is that these two will almost always have a close fight because of their styles. But that doesn't mean Pacquiao or Marquez is the lesser man because of the inability to dominate the fight. If you ask me, it just means that Pacquiao and Marquez are truly the greatest of rivals, each of them willing to duke it out, no round given or taken.

                    Manny Pacquiao had everything to lose in this fight - the WBO Welterweight title, his number 1 ranking as Pound-for-Pound king of boxing, his aura of invincibility. But Pacquiao rose to the challenge to give the people what they wanted - to see the greatest of rivals clash once more. Manny Pacquiao doesn't run from challenges. He knocks them the heck out. Manny Pacquiao is a proud man who will fight whoever, whenever. That should be his legacy.

PBA Superstars

                      I was talking to a couple of friends and colleagues in the sports writing biz yesterday while enjoying PBA Wednesday at the Big Dome and it made me happy to be in the company of sports nuts just like myself. We broke the games down, came up with our respective wisecracks about this team or the look-alike of that player, and weighed in on the high level of basketball you can enjoy especially when you watch live.

                     The exhilaration you feel when you watch these titans of the hardwood play live, these Picassos with 94 feet of canvass to call their own, is incomparable. You can literally feel your heart climb up to your throat when you see Arwind Santos streaking down the court alone because you know it's gonna be a slam dunk. You've been part of that Big Dome chorus of "OHHHHHH" whenever Japeth Aguilar swats shots to the 15th row. You've stood in ovation and cheered in awe of speedsters like Jason Castro and clutch shooters like James Yap. And just like me, you can never get enough heroics from Mark Caguioa as you join the throng of fans in chanting GI-NE-BRA as they buck the odds and come back from behind to turn an almost certain loss into victory.

                     My main man Jaemark Tordecilla summed it up best: "Iba pa rin ang level ng basketball sa PBA lalo na if you watch live. Sa college basketball, take away the fandom, you'll see the difference in skill and talent level." Later in the night, I had a blast with my sportswriting MJ (which makes me Kobe hehe) Rick Olivares talking about the players we liked the most.

                    Thus the inspiration for this list - my favorite PBA players today.

                    ARWIND SANTOS - He dunks. He rebounds. He blocks shots and sinks high-arcing pull up jumpers. He can shoot the three, smile at the camera, and always points to The One Above to thank Him for the blessings of basketball in his life, staying humble and hungry. Is there anything else you can ask for in a player? This local boy is certainly The Man right now, a player from the masses, for the masses, dominating in the highest level of hoops in the country.

                     PAUL LEE - I have been a fan of his since his college days in UE. His game is built on courage and street swag, with a constant need to prove himself and leave his signature on the game. Dynamic guard who will find a way to destroy defenses with his brilliance with the basketball, whether it be scoring inside-out, passing, or rebounding. Relishes the spotlight and pressure moments. You can be Kobe frickin Bryant guarding him and Paul will still do his thing and take you to the rim for his trademark double-pump pasabit shots. I'm still in pain that he didn't go to Ginebra to be its future star, a team that Paul told me was his favorite PBA team growing up.

                    CHRIS LUTZ - my favorite player from Smart-Gilas. Bullstrong slasher and determined defender, always looking to put the clamps on the opposition's most dangerous scorer. Athletic and a certified basketball junkie, always looking for a way to be on top of his game. A player I'd recommend to kids to emulate. And Chris, I wanna see you dunk in a game, come on now!

                   GARY DAVID - I've always told people that Gary David is the best scorer in Pinoy hoops. He has an endless arsenal of finishing moves at the rim and a pure stroke to his jumpshot. He will go through you, over you, around you, and will leave you scratching your head at his ability to put the ball in the bucket. I'm glad he's turning heads now. If he can stay consistent at around 20++ ppg, with a couple of monster 30 and 40 point games on occasion, and if Marcio Lassiter continues to play Pippen to his MJ, Powerade can string together some wins.

                   KERBY RAYMUNDO - I will never forget Kerby yelling to the camera during an interview, after beating San Miguel (I'm not sure), basta Rico Villanueva was BPC for that conference. Kerby was asked how he feels after leading his team to victory. Kerby yelled: "ALAM KO SA SARILI KO, AKO ANG MVP!!!" then walked away. BAD. ASS. That aside, a healthy Kerby is a low-post scoring artist. Drop steps, pump-fakes, fade-away jumpers, and a face-up drive that's difficult to stop because he can take it strong or pull up from 15 feet.

                   JC INTAL - my favorite Blue Eagle of all time, now playing for my all time favorite PBA team. Has all the tools to be a superstar in the league. At one point, when I think Ginebra's stars were on loan to the national team, JC stepped up and became Ginebra's go-to-guy, carrying Ginebra to the playoffs where the team just fell short. But man was he balling out of his mind. He was slashing and finishing strong at the rim, sinking his mid range bank shots and three pointers, and setting up teammates for easy buckets. I hope he gets his groove back soon.

                   And of course the finishing touch....

                   MARK CAGUIOA - The Franchise. He inherited the proverbial torch from Ginebra's past superstars with his unbelievable skills with the leather, his grit, and his heart. This guy plays Never Say Die basketball and does it with flair. This dude was a walking 30, 40 point game waiting to happen. Always willing to strap the team on his back and single-handedly tow them to the finish line. Blessed with the ability to ignite the crowd with his killer crossover, dipsy-do layups, teardrops, and three-point bombs, not to mention his early 2000s blond 'do, Mark The Spark made sure Ginebra was still the toast of the town even after the glory days of the 80s and 90s. As he aged and the killer speed sort of waned, with injuries piling up, Mark being the never-say-die type found a way to refine his game. While he may not be blitzing past defenses like he used to, he refined a part of his game to still be a dangerous scorer: the mid-range pull up j. Coupled with his still razor-sharp ball-handling, The Spark still proves to be a dangerous scorer in the PBA, armed with smarts, experience, and that heart that will never-say-die until he hangs up his sneakers.  

IT'S THE SHOES! Air Jordans

                   

                       This is what a genuinely happy man looks like. Air Jordan XI Space Jams on my feet on a Saturday night. Doesn't get any better than this.

(Air Jordan XI Space Jams)

                    I will never play the game of basketball Like Mike. I can't dunk, I can't hang in the air, stick my tongue out, and sink-dipsy-do layups after like 5 seconds, and I topped out at 5'7". The closest I will ever be to Jordan is in NBA 2k where I own all challengers with the '96 Bulls. But hey, I may not be able to rule hard like Jordan, I can most certainly try and dress up Like Mike.

                   It's the shoes. Whenever I lace these bad boys up, I feel like I'm legit-ly reppin MJ. I feel like I'm wearing a piece of basketball history. I've only worn Js on the court twice in my life; once in the 5th grade wearing OG AJ XIIIs during P.E., and a month ago rockin white/red XIIs for my last game ever as a GMA7 employee. I don't think I'm worthy of playin in my Js, I just rock 'em to look fly.

 

(Air Jordan XII White/Reds)

                        Any Jordan fanatic must have felt that at least once in his life; flashing that smug look as we count the heads that turn in the mall when we walk past them rockin our Js fresh out the box. The satisfaction in our hearts whenever we have Jordans on our feet, as we swish a fadeaway J with a hand in our face on the playgrounds. The genuine joy we feel as we watch re-runs of our favorite Michael Jordan moments on TV, with stacks upon stacks of Air Jordans in our rooms. The pride in being able to say, hey, I got those exact same Jordans that Money wore when he played in (insert memorable Jordan moment here) 

                        

(Air Jordan XIII Flints)

                Aside from the second three-peat Js (XI, XII, XIII), I got white/red 1s, and the Black/White/Maize XX3s (are they the Stealths?) Hit y'all up soon with those and the kicks I use to ball in.  

The Sanctuary

Whenever I'm on the court, I leave all my worries out of bounds.

The basketball court has been my sanctuary since I taught myself how to play. My own Fortress of Solitude. On the court, under the summer sun, wind in my face as I race down to finish coast-to-coast layups at 5:30 in the morning, sweat dripping down my arms after shooting my heart out at 1 in the afternoon. Heck, if the village turned the lights on I'd keep shooting under the stars.

I don't claim to be invincible around these parts, but I hold my own. I've won and lost my fair share on the court. I can't remember how many times I've played 1on1, 2on2, 3on3, 5on5 pickup ball, but I can remember the faces of the guys I've played, beaten, lost to. Some of em have become friends. Dear friends, in fact, that even if we don't know each other's numbers or connected on Facebook and Twitter, we talk as if we've known each other forever. Then we go hard at each other in character building games, laughable games, rain or shine we be ballin', son. If I win, I get to gloat all the way home and tell everyone - my little brother, my mom, my dog - how I nailed the game clinching hoop.

The game has always given me sanctuary. For a few precious minutes or hours, I forget all of my problems, worries, and heartaches. I am granted an opportunity to sort things out as I set my sights on that orange hoop with the rock in my hand. I get to block out distractions, filter my thoughts and focus on my goals as I launch jumpers again and again. I get to talk to God in my own little way, and He gets me to listen in the only place other than the church where I feel most at peace.

If I were to physically meet God anywhere other than the church, I would like to meet him on the court. We can shoot around, play one-on-one (hopefully he'd let me win a game but I doubt it - ever since I was a kid God wanted me to appreciate my blessings through hard work which is cool), because I believe He was right there with me, during those early morning shootarounds, teaching me how to survive life through the game of basketball.

I learned that I should never force the issue and let the game come to me, take what the defense gives me. I learned how to play hard and smart. I learned when to defer and when to take over. I learned how to earn victory and accept defeat. I learned, that when life gives you a shove, you shove back. You never back down.

Whenever I'm on the court, I feel at peace. Whenever I play, that's when I feel the most alive.