December 22nd.
The Christmas Showcase.
Michael stood in the tunnel of the neutral-site arena, arms crossed as the lights dimmed and music echoed off the rafters. The place looked like a small college gym—thousands in the stands, TV crews setting up, commentary mics ready.
His team, the no-name public school from nowhere, was about to face Ironbrook Prep—ranked #8 in the country.
"Look at them," Jamal muttered behind him. "Matching bags, Nike warmups, three dudes with top-30 rankings."
Michael didn't look.
"They bleed like we do."
The first quarter was chaos.
Ironbrook came out firing. Full-court pressure. Double teams. Backdoor cuts.
They were deep, fast, and disciplined.
Michael didn't panic.
He absorbed the contact. Took mental notes.
Step late on a closeout? Noted. Wrong help rotation on a zone? Adjusted.
He had 4 points and 2 assists by the end of the first—but more importantly, only one miss. And zero turnovers.
His team was down 23–17.
Second quarter.
Michael flipped the switch.
Post entry. One-dribble power fade. Bucket.
Trap? Skip pass to Jamal for a three. Splash.
Fast break? Euro through contact, finish with the left.
Suddenly it was 34–33.
Michael had 12.
The arena started to buzz.
"Who is this kid?" a broadcaster whispered off-mic.
[Progress: 10.28%][Milestone Achieved: National Showcase Performance Unlocked]
Halftime: 38–36, Ironbrook.
Coach Alvarez gathered them.
"They're deeper. They've got stars. But you've got him." He pointed at Michael. "And you've got each other."
Michael nodded. "We take the fight to them. Every possession."
The team rose to their feet as one.
Third quarter.
Michael orchestrated.
He called out switches. Rotated on D. Took over mid-post.
Defender on his hip? Fadeaway. Closeout too hard? Pump fake, step in, pull-up.
On defense, he started reading passing lanes. Two steals in a row.
Fast break. Dunk.
Tie game.
Ironbrook's coach called timeout. Their five-star wing was gassed. None of their schemes were working.
"Double him harder," the assistant shouted.
Didn't matter.
Michael danced through the doubles now. He controlled the tempo like a conductor.
[Progress: 10.76%][Skill Trait Activated: Floor General Tier I]
Fourth quarter.
Two-point game. Less than a minute left.
Ironbrook hit a tough mid-range shot. Up 1.
Coach looked at Michael. No play call needed.
He brought it up slow. Ten seconds. Nine.
Jamal came for the screen. Michael waved him off.
Isolation.
Five seconds.
He rocked the defender left, then right. Hesitation. Crossover. Drive. Stop. Fade.
Release.
Swish.
Buzzer.
Final score: 67–66.
Michael finished with 29 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals.
The crowd roared. The camera lights flashed. And the internet exploded.
[System Triggered: National Reputation Rising][Progress: 11.33%]
As Michael walked off the court, he whispered to himself:
"Let them watch."