Hi everybody! My name is Wilson. I’m a basketball!
I’ll bet you didn’t know a basketball could write, did you? Well…I can’t, but I was able to get two very nice writers to tell my story for me.
I was born in a factory in China, where my brothers and sisters were also born. I have millions of them, but I don’t see a lot of them because we get sent all over the world. Personally, I was nervous at first to see where I’d be sent. But soon, I went to an amazing place called St. Bonaventure University.
I’ve gotten to meet some great people since I got here: Jaylen Adams, Idris Taqqee, Mariah Ruff, Gabby Richmond, and the list goes on and on. But, honestly, the two loudest have been these guys, Mark Schmidt and Jesse Fleming. I think they’re the coaches or something. All I know is they yell a lot and then throw me to the players.
If I’m lucky enough, I get to be used during a game in the Reilly Center. It’s a tough selection, and each time I’m chosen, I am honored. I can’t even describe the atmosphere the RC collects. Most people don’t know this, but sometimes I feel like I’m the most important part of the game. Without me, what do you have? Nothing.
I’ve experienced some great moments throughout my young life. To start with some from this season, I was the ball used in the exhibition game played against Alfred. I thought it was pretty cool to be involved in the game Schmidt coached against his sons, Nick and Derek. They’re not too bad of players. I also was used during the home game against St. Joseph’s.
Sometimes I feel guilty when I’m not going through the hoop for the Bonnies, because I don’t want them to think it’s my fault. I try my best but sometimes it doesn’t work out. Thank goodness for that second half comeback. I’m not going to say it was my doing, but c’mon….I was the ball.
I’ve talked with my sister, who I love very much, about what the women’s team is like in practice and games. Like I said before, I’ve met some of the players and they seem nice. My sister said the women’s games are fun and there have been some exciting ones.
She told me about the game against Stony Brook when the Bonnies proved who the real SBU is, which I got to watch since the men played Siena right after that. Even though they lost, my sister got to be the ball for the Pink Game, which supported cancer research. I think it’s really important to do your part for those kinds of things. I hope I get to be in a game like that someday.
Then there was senior day against VCU, which my sister was also a part of. I’m surprised the players were able to hold onto her, since she had been crying all day. She’s really going to miss Imani Outlaw and Gabby Richmond; they were really great players.
I told my sister that she would still get to see them when they come back to campus, which made her feel better. She’s also happy that she still gets to hang out with the rest of the team.
After the game is always fun because I get to go to the storage room and talk to all of my friends I have made at Bonaventure. They always ask me what the most exciting parts of the game were and what the coaches were saying in the huddle, if I was lucky enough to be close to them. My sister and I love being basketballs for the Bonnies and wouldn’t trade it for the world.
To fully explain this, look at Kiley O’Donnell’s basketball manager article headline typo from a couple of weeks ago. As for the Final Four, we’re just as confused as you are. Go UNC.
April Fools! We’re Having a Ball
wilsonbball@bonaventure.edu (actually by Kiley O’Donnell: odonneke16@bonaventure.edu and Mike DeSanto: desantmj13@bonaventure.edu)
