by Kate Harrison
Kaia Hammond from the Cockburn Cougars has LED her team to a premiership win, and scored herself a position in the Australian Youth National Basketball team.
“There were three thousand people in the crowd, and 20 seconds left on the clock, we were only one point down and it was up to me not to mess it up,” recalls Kaia.
Kaia felt as though her future came down to this one moment.
“With 20 seconds left Kaia she was pushed to the floor and given two free shots,” Anna added.
The coach was gripped with anxiety, sweat was dripping down her face and the crowd was dead silent.
“Everything went dead silent and all eyes were on me,” said Kaia.
As she prepared for the first shot someone from the crowd yelled out ‘miss it!’
“Life moved in slow motion as I watched that ball bounce off the inner rim and drop to the ground.
“I could have killed that boy who screamed ‘miss it!’ right before she took the shot,” Kaia’s mum added.
Luckily, the second shot went straight through the hoop and before Kaia could hear the sound of the ball bounce on the ground, the stadium was on the feet yelling and screaming in disbelief.
“I had won the game and was selected for the National Youth Team,” said Kaia.
The Cockburn Cougars had a bad start to the season with three consecutive losses in the first three matches.
With several key players injured early on they were not seen as favourites to win the premiership.
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