Bab 8: Zeal
"It's alright, Sean! You did well!" A chorus of encouragement washed away the disappointment from Sean's face as his trademark bright smile returned to his face.
"Thanks for the game, Sean." Tremaine was a gallant winner, although he felt like a scumbag for abusing what he knew was a major weakness. "I'm sorry for abusing that."
"No worries, mate. It should give me more fuel to work on it. Thanks for that." Sean was also spirited, despite losing.
"Everyone get ready." The loud, and crisp voice of head coach Mike Roughan funneled in from the entrance of the training facility. "Women's team, wait for your head coach. Men's team, drag your asses over here to the benches."
Dwayne and Jaylen immediately stopped their neverending brawl, and the rest rushed from their respective positions to the benches. The women's team meanwhile, went to the other side and did their respective exercises as they awaited their coach.
This would be the Illinois men's basketball team's first formal general assembly at the start of the school year.
Ever since last season, the NCAA had allowed their constituent schools and their athletes to practice and scrim within their team on the weekends from the last week of August until regulated practices would start in October. In a move to make NCAA seasons more competitive and improve the quality of both the players and games.
It's Monday though… and not the weekend...
But that doesn't deter Michael Roughan in the least.
"We won't be doing organized practice as per the NCAA rules today, not until next weekend." His clear voice was filled with authority. "You should know that as much as I want you all to duke it out in a team free for all, you will instead be at the mercy of our relentless fitness coaches for three hours on weekdays. On weekends, you'll be at my mercy."
The upperclassmen felt an eerily familiar chill on their spines, somewhat remembering their coach's demonic weekend practices, that most of them thought would be illegal under the league's rules.
"I've been this rugged school's head honcho for more than a decade, and had overseen a dark horse final four appearance six years ago."
Everyone fondly remembered that particular Illinois men's basketball team class of 2035.
They had it all.
An unquestioned senior floor general that stabilized every facet of the offense.
A sharpshooting, defensive dynamo that was always reliable on both ends of the floor.
A level headed freshman rock that was the glue that held the team together.
The power forward focal point of their ferocious offense.
And a center that had 'future NBA superstar' written all over him.
The roster went ten players deep even during the toughest of March Madness contests. It had every single tool necessary in order to win the crown.
But in the end, they fell two games short.
It was the high point of Michael Roughan's coaching career. It earned him a five year contract extension as head coach.
However during the last five years, Illinois missed out on the dance on three of the last five occasions.
Which led to Roughan's long secure head coach seat feeling a little more restless as the years went by.
"Coming into every single year, I always had a singular focus in mind." Roughan's potbelly was stuck out along with his chest. "Enter the dance and win the national title."
Captain Legend stood up. "We'll get there this year, Coach."
Khalil stood up too, and stared at the other members of the team. "We'll all get there this year, Coach."
One by one, the upperclassmen stood up, and raised their spirits to challenges that laid on their road moving forward. They've all fought bravely for their own ambitions before, all they need to do is do it all over again.
For victory.
Tremaine also chased after it when he was younger. Since when did his goals start changing?
At some point, Tremaine started not to care about whether he won or lost games, as long as his excellent individual performances gave him a chance to get to the NBA.
Tremaine almost chuckled in derision of his apparent selfishness.
Maybe this time, he'll get to the NBA and win at the same time.
"I'll do whatever I can to help us get there, Coach!" Tremaine was the first one to stand up among the new members of the roster.
"Let's go man!" Khalil wanted to take the guy under his wing a lot even if he's more than a full foot shorter.
"I'll do everything in my power to contribute, before I go to the NBA next year!" Jaylen Mitchell made his ambitions clear. He was already a consensus top draft pick next year even before the season had begun. He had no plans to stay in college for more than a year.
After their top freshman's declaration, their dignified coach spoke once again.
"I want to see growth from all of you over the next half a year or so. It doesn't matter if you're an expected NBA first round draft pick, or a walk-on freshman I took a massive gamble on. I expect one thing, and one thing only." Tremaine noticed the abrupt change in the way Coach Roughan was speaking. "I want you all to pour your heart out into improving."
Coach Mike Roughan raised his balled up fists, as he stood in attention.
For the upperclassmen, this was something that always made their hearts swell in pride.
"Pursue greatness!"
"Never falter!"
"Never doubt!"
"Welcome change!"
"Always take a step forward!"
The upperclassmen took great pride in Coach Mike's basketball motto. After their gaffer's first zealous words, they offered out their voices to scream out the next four words with passion.
Pursue greatness! Never falter! Never doubt! Welcome change! Always take a step forward!
The five tenets of Mike Roughan's basketball philosophy.
It doesn't tell anyone how he wanted his teams to play. Yet, every single alumnus of his program knew this creed to the bottom of their hearts.
They never played a set system. They did not stick to a certain playstyle. They never seemed to have one certain star player at any given game.
Everything about how the team operated was fluid.
Everyone welcomed change.
"Today, we embark on a different journey. For you returning upperclassmen, don't think your spots are secure. Change always comes to those who are willing." If one were to gaze at the head coach's eyes, they would realize that it's glistening. "For you, new students on the block, work hard. Learn, absorb every single thing your predecessors have, and use it for your own growth."
"I welcome you, Illinois men's basketball class of 2042."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Konkey_Dong
Konkey_Dong FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament is also over!
Luka feasting for Slovenia, Italy stunning Serbia, Mo Wagner showing out for Germany, and Czechia using a fantastic 3rd quarter to destroy Greece.
The Olympics are gonna be fuuuunnn!!!!
Thanks for reading! What are your thoughts? My national team went 0-2 but did their best.
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