Choke Artist

Dead Silence…..as Shabazz Muhammad steps up to the line. “No pressure 32” Says Kyle Anderson his teammate. Shabazz knew there was actually a boat load of pressure all on his shoulders. He was the number 2 recruit in the entire country and if he makes both free throws his team will win the state championship. As the ref threw him the ball the student section for Findlay Prep started chatting “You Suck…You Suck” When Shabazz got the ball he inhaled and then exhaled. As he released the ball out of his sweaty, oily hands he knew it was in. “Swish” Was the sounds as he made the first. Now with the game tied he stepped back to the line to try to win it. And once again he inhaled and then exhaled. As he was about release the ball it was silence but then….Out of nowhere a Findlay Prep fan yelled “Hey Shabazz you are going to choke” Then the shot went up and it was short. Bishop Gorman fans were stunned such a magnificent player would choke.

At the start of the overtime all of the momentum was on Findlay Prep’s side. They ended the 4^th quarter on a 10-1 run. Shabazz was playing dreadfully in the overtime period. He went 0-3 shooting with four turnovers. As his coach said “Shabazz really let us down out there” “I was chucking up bricks out there” Shabazz  said himself. With a performance like that Shabazz can’t be happy with himself.  Later that week Shabazz Signed with the UCLA Bruins (University of California Los Angeles).