INDIANAPOLIS — The 44 minutes from the final buzzer sounding to finally retreating triumphantly into the locker room for Yaxel Lendeborg were the type of euphoria a child couldn’t even dream of.
He bounded around the court area with the attention span of a gnat, seeking out hugs and high-fives, determined not to miss anyone. He got to his teammates at the buzzer and celebrated with them as the confetti fell down, holding a “Shock The World Boys Go Blue!” sign that came with him for much of the celebration. Then came his mother Yissel Raposo, who he embraced deeply before being pulled away for interviews. Mom stayed attached at the hip, hugging him, her head on his back as he dutifully tried to answer every question. From there, a trip to see extended family and friends, nearly leaving his championship hat behind in the stands before once again being pulled back to the court to cut down his piece of net. And before that return to the locker room, where a massive water shower awaited, he sprinted to the student section to slap a brown leather belt against the fencing, one final “belt to ass” in a season full of them for the Wolverines.
