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Assalamualaikum and hello.

“A slam dunk (or simply a dunk) is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both of his hands.”

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/slamdunk

Just finished watching Slam Dunk (the anime) on Animax. You can read more about the anime and manga on Wikipedia. I just love this anime. It actually reminds me to the days when I played basketball. Yes, I did play basketball at one time. I’m not very good at it but not that bad either . Started playing when I was in Form 4. Wasn’t representing any school’s house or even the school’s team (already on the school’s rugby and handball team actually). It was purely for fun, a shot or two for the exercises. Wasn’t impressing any girls either.

When I entered PPP (Pusat Pendidikan Persediaan) for the American Degree Program, I started playing basketball more seriously. Most of my roommates at that time either play basketball or tennis, so it was basketball. Still, it was for fun and exercise. My skills are not enough to make it into the ADP’s team. When I left ADP to join TESL matriculation program, I found that a few of us, namely Mat Berg, Ayish, Achai, Azli and myself had the skills for the game and we started playing, once or twice a week. It wasn’t until the TESL 4 gang arrive on the scene that we became a real team. I truly couldn’t remember the names of the those juniors who made up the team but a team we were. (Those who knows, please tell me so that I can put their names here)

We started playing matches and I mostly stayed on the bench, coming in later in the third or fourth quarter. As I said, my skills wasn’t good enough to be in the starting line-up but enough to be in the team. It was most likely because I’m a senior that I was included in the team instead. I can’t remember how many games we played but I do remember I didn’t score any points in any of the earlier games.

Not until this one game. Man, I wish I can tell you more about the team we’re against but honestly, I could not. All I can remember about that game is the score I made. My only point scored in a real game. It was as if we had planned it out in advance. Everyone was in their expected place, doing all the right moves when the ball came into my hands as I was standing inside the D but still outside the free throw area and a bit to the right. There’s no opponent in front of me so I took the shot. It felt like any other shot I made during practice and watching go right into the basket, it felt like time stood still. It was the most unforgettable moment.

I guess we didn’t make the first round since instead of basketball, we played handball. And we were good in handball that we each got a gold medal to prove it. It’s in my treasure chest somewhere (still have a few boxes unopened from the last time we moved). But the memory of that one shot is the one I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. No matter that we lose the game or not that night. Didn’t matter whether we played again or not later that year. That one shot was all I needed to remind me of the entire basketball playing era.

Here is the opening video of Slam Dunk the anime. Enjoy.

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