2025/Artleandro P. -

The Court of Memories

Basketball is like my home. When I play, everything else disappears. It's just me, the ball, and the game.

I fell in love with basketball in my hometown, Tagum City (in the Philippines). My friends and I spent hours playing, doing silly things, and having real fun without phones. We met up after school, excited to play on the nearest court.

We played until it got dark, laughing and enjoying ourselves. We didn't care about winning or losing; it was all about being together and having fun.

Basketball helped me make friends in the Philippines. My friends and I taught each other new skills, supported each other, and spent a lot of time together. They saw me experience my heartbreaks, and I saw theirs. We shared our sad times and cheered each other up.

My friends and I celebrated our victories and comforted each other in our losses. Those moments made us stronger and closer. The court was where we learned life lessons together.

These moments in Tagum City taught me the true meaning of friendship. Even now, when I play basketball, I remember those days. It reminds me of simpler times and what really matters.

Basketball is my home because it connects me to those memories and the people I shared the memories with. It's a constant in a changing world, reminding me of my roots and the joy of the game.