Banijan head coach, Oscar Laboto, waking up the morning of Banija's Round of 16 matchup at IBC 41 against Quebec
It had been a rough tournament for Banijan hoops, and therefore, had been a rough tournament for Oscar Laboto. A team ranked 4th in the multiverse, that he thought he could make one last deep run with at the tournament- was on the verge of crashing out of the tournament in the Round of 16. Two group stage losses to lesser opponents, who didn't even make the knockout stages- Ralsalin and Abanhfleft, respectively- had really sunk Banija's seed far lower than their talent level. And yet- you are what your record says you are, and that was certainly true for the Lions of Banija.
They were more talented than 5-3. Many inside the camp said it didn't reflect who they were, how good they were. And yet- here they were. This team- slow, inconsistent, and just got too far behind early, in a way that they could not catch up. Not so far behind they were doomed, of course- they were here in the knockout stages, here among the last 16, and here, technically speaking, with a chance to win it all. But when we say technically speaking- it was technically speaking.
There were some people who thought this could be the tournament that the Banijans, finally got over the hump, and retook their place atop the sport of basketball. But that was before the tournament. Now? One would be hard-pressed to find a soul who thought, deep down in their core, that the Banijans had what it took to win it all. And that was before one took into account who Banija's opponent was here in the Round of 16 at IBC 41- Banija's archrivals, and in recent years, Banija's personal Grim Reaper- Quebec.
Four of the last 5 tournaments, it was Les Quebecois who ended Banija's run. And now, a top-seeded, 8-0 Quebec team were sitting as 9.5 point favorites, the team likely to end the Lions run- and officially send Banijan basketball into the wilderness. So many questions to be litigated, so many things unanswered. Why did Banija bring back the same team from last time, when that wasn't anything special of a run? How did the Banijans get beat so badly, on MD1, by an Abanhfleft who would eventually go 2-6 in the group stages? How did Banija not only not win this group, but finish in fourth, of all places?
The mental pressure had been nearly unbearable. A negative energy around the team, players pressing- but the Play-In Game was a reprieve. For once, the story wasn't about how Banijan hoops sucked, or how this Generation was embarrassing, or whatever- the attention was on Omugabe Kato, and his new girlfriend, Missy LeCrown, making their debut .The Prince's attendance lifted the spirits of the entire team. They all played free, and for one game, for one game only, they looked like the talented Banijan teams of old. A 24 point win, in the knockout stages, over a skilled team from Cardenao, where the Banijans dominated from beginning to end. And highlight reel plays to impress the royal- no one will ever forget the high-flying Kizza Kaba putting the Card center on a poster, with a massive dunk to start the second half.
But, that was a one day reprieve. A stay of execution, if you will. Nobody thought that the Banijans could avoid beating eliminated by Les Quebecois for the fifth time in their last 6 IBCs. And when Laboto grabbed his phone, and looked at the headlines, he saw it.
"IBC 41: The Promise- and Only that- of a failed generation"
"The Ancients turned gray- why Banija's terrible IBC 41 experiment will come to an merciful end at the hands of the Quebecois"
"The Luster of a Generation- Golden, yet tainted"
"Your Deeds Become your shackles- how Banijan hoops have entered a death spiral of failure at the International Basketball Championships"
The challenge in front of them was immense. Could Laboto garner a sense of belief? It was one of those interesting games- Banija had no business winning this one. But it's not about what would happen if they played a best of 7- it's about what will happen, on this very night. One chance. If they could go on a good run early, garner some belief... There would not be a bigger Round of 16 match in Banijan history that would completely flip the perception of the national team, and turn the legacies of so many- players, execs, and coaches- on their head, than a shocking victory here. Could it happen?
Banija, looking ahead at impending doom, ponders what a loss- and what a win- would mean against Quebec at the IBC Round of 16
MEMPHIS, RANORIA- And we're walking in Memphis. The Banijans have arrived, with their own horde of fans, for yet another IBC renewal of a classic rivalry- Banija v. Quebec, in basketball. Banija is one of those countries, where, depending on the sport, the answer to 'biggest rival' changes. On the gridiron, it is Ranoria. In baseball? Maybe South Newlandia- although Ranoria are certainly rivals there as well. Chromatika is probably the only nation that can credibly claim to be a serious Banijan rival in three of Banija's four biggest sports- soccer, gridiron, and baseball. But in basketball, the answer is as clear as day- the rival is Quebec.
There is so much rich history. From battles at the Commonwealth Games, to many, many battles here at the IBCs, these teams have met, time and time again, on the bigger stages, in the biggest spots. Largely, the rivalry goes in waves- Banija will have a run, and then, the Quebecois will have a run. Right now, Quebec is at the very top of their game- and the Banijans are wondering how, or if ever, they can dislodge the Quebecois from their dominant place in the rivalry. They've eliminated us from the IBCs in four of the last five cycles, and they are likely to make it 5 of 6 here in Memphis.
There are plenty of things to look at, on the court. And, of course, Banijan basketball probably just gave its first, confidence-inspiring victory of the entire tournament against Cardenao- a 84-60 win in the Play-In round, that gave the team new life. But, let's be real- 6-3, against an 8-0 Quebec team that has gone to four straight Finals. A win? Unlikely. But what does that mean?
It is the exclamation point, on a confirmation that, despite our ability to remain high in the IBC rankings, Banijan basketball is in a freefall. It's been a rough time leading to this moment. The last edition of the NSCAAs- no Banijan teams really doing anything of relevance there. Banijan hoops at the Olympics- the Banijan men's team did not even qualify for the Olympics proper, being eliminated in Qualifying. The bar was high there, and it was just one bad game- but that's how these tournaments work. And now, repeatedly, in the big moments, the Banijans have floundered here at this tournament.
The goal is to avoid teams like Quebec until as last as possible. How do you do that? Win your group. Not only could we not do that- we finished fourth. We started 0-2, and then climbed back to 4-2- before a devastating loss to Ralsalin put us down to 4-3. But we've all watched this tournament. Here we are. This tourney has been quite a synopsis on Laboto's career as a HC, has it not? Just tough loss after tough loss- showing a flash or two of life, but ultimately, never really capable of doing enough in the biggest moments.
But- what if they win?
"Look- we know the line, we know the history. But the game isn't play at a sportsbook- it's played live, on the Riverfront, with 20,000 fans screaming their heads off. We know what this game means." Said the team's starting SF, Philemon Abonyo.
"Look- this game defines our generation. We're hungry. We're absolutely desperate. We know what outsiders say about us- not just this cycle, but what they've said about us over the years. About this team over the last decade. We are not failures. And this game might be our last opportunity to prove that." Said Kizza Kaba, a key bench player for Banija.
"Well, look- this might be my last ever game playing for the Lions." Obasie Khoza said. "This one means even more- it hit deep, emotionally. I think about my legacy- what will my kids read about me? My grandkids? This game might have a lot to do with it- and I am playing for them. And for the name on the front of my jersey."
These players are speaking boldly. And they thoroughly understand- an upset W here, completely changes the paradigm of how you view Banijan basketball. Right now, most people, rightfully, view it as a place where Patrick Zervos needs to clean house- fire everybody, start over, rebuild the program. But what if they get an upset W? Is that necessary? Can Laboto be seen as a successful coach? What does that mean for these many players- are their careers now successes?
It's hard to say. But it is easy to talk- it is far easier to actually do. We'll see, tonight in primetime, if the Banijans can pull off what would almost surely be the upset of a lifetime.
