Tears Fall

The Tar Heels defeat The Tigers

Our Clemson University bus pulls up to the Dean E. Smith Center. The Clemson Tiger Men’s Basketball team had never beat the North Carolina Tarheel Men’s Basketball team on their home court.

As for me I had experienced a measure of success at The Dean Dome. A rush of images race through my mind.

All four divisions of the North Carolina high school boys state championships are to be played here at the Smith Center. It’s my senior year at R.S Central High School.

In the closing seconds: I assisted on the go-ahead bucket, stole the ball from the opposition, got fouled, and with 5 seconds remaining sank 2 game-sealing free throws. Forever cementing my R.S. Central Hilltoppers into North Carolina basketball history.

The burning question that comes to my mind: will my Clemson Tiger team make a bit of history on this fateful winter evening. We enter the Terror Dome with the best chance a Clemson team has had in decades.

Less than a month ago we slayed the Dragon in Tiger Town. One of the greatest victories in our school’s history at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Tonight I visualize what it’s going to take to win. A perfect game and nothing less from my band of brothers. In order to defeat an Empire led by the God-like figure of the building’s namesake: Dean…