The fourth quarter had become a war of attrition. Every possession felt like it lasted an eternity. Every basket was answered with another. The scoreboard kept changing, but neither team could pull away.
Bayview 106, Striders 106.
Kenny brought the ball up for Bayview, his face showing the pressure of the moment. He swung it to Daren on the right wing. Daren drove hard toward the baseline, drawing Cameron Wells and Derek Grant toward him. At the last second, he kicked it to Eli in the post.
Eli caught it with Andre Simpson on his back. He backed Andre down with two powerful dribbles, each one pushing Andre closer to the basket. Andre tried to hold his ground, digging his feet in, but Eli had the size advantage. Eli spun to his left and rose up for a hook shot.
The ball arced high over Andre's outstretched hand and dropped through the net.
Bayview 108, Striders 106.
From the bench, Darius watched with the towel still in his hand, his face expressionless. The bleeding had stopped completely now, but Coach Anderson hadn't signaled for him to go back in yet. He sat there, shoulders slumped, feeling the weight of his failure pressing down on him.
Julian brought the ball up for the Striders and ran another set. The ball moved quickly from player to player, forcing Bayview's defense to rotate constantly. Mason Lee ended up with an open three-pointer from the corner off a perfectly executed screen sequence.
He shot it without hesitation.
Swish.
Striders 109, Bayview 108.
Kenny pushed the pace, bringing the ball up quickly. He passed it to Daren at the top of the key. Daren called for a screen from Eli, and when Eli set it, Daren used it to attack the middle of the floor.
Cameron fought through the screen, staying attached to Daren. Derek stepped up from the weak side to help. Daren jumped and passed the ball in mid-air to Eli, who had rolled to the basket after setting the screen.
Eli caught it and finished with a powerful dunk over Andre's late contest.
Bayview 110, Striders 109.
The Bayview fans were on their feet now, the noise in the gym reaching a fever pitch. Marcus clapped hard as he sprinted back on defense. Malik, from his spot on the bench, was standing and shouting encouragement.
But Darius remained seated, staring at the floor between his feet. His mind kept replaying the drives, the headaches, the blood. He'd tried to push through it and failed. Now his team was out there fighting without him.
The Striders came back down and Julian ran another pick-and-roll with Derek. This time, Kenny went under the screen and Julian pulled up for a mid-range jumper.
The ball went in.
Striders 111, Bayview 110.
Daren brought the ball up and immediately looked for Eli in the post. Eli had position on Andre, and Daren fired a pass into him. Eli caught it, backed Andre down one more time, then turned and shot a fadeaway jumper.
The ball hit the rim, bounced up, and fell through.
Bayview 112, Striders 111.
Two minutes left in the game.
Julian answered immediately. He drove into the paint, drew Eli's help defense, and kicked it to Cameron Wells in the corner. Cameron shot a three-pointer.
Swish.
Striders 114, Bayview 112.
Daren pushed the pace again. He drove hard into the paint and kicked it to Marcus on the wing. Marcus shot a three-pointer that missed. Eli fought for the rebound, grabbed it with both hands, and put it back up immediately.
The ball went in.
Bayview 114, Striders 114.
One minute thirty seconds left.
On the bench, Darius felt someone nudge his shoulder. He looked up to see Malik standing next to him, breathing hard from his earlier minutes on the court, but his eyes were locked on the game.
"Yo, D," Malik said, his voice cutting through the noise. "You just gonna sit there looking defeated?"
Darius looked at him, confused. "What am I supposed to do? I can't play. My nose was bleeding, and even before that, I was screwing everything up."
Malik shook his head. "Man, you're still part of this team. You think sitting here with your head down is helping anybody?"
"I tried to help. I pushed myself and it didn't work. What else can I do?"
Malik pointed at the court where Daren was bringing the ball up, his face showing exhaustion but also determination. "You can cheer them on, bro. You think Daren and Eli and Marcus don't look over here? You think they don't feel your energy? You sitting here giving up affects them too."
Darius stared at the court, watching as Daren drove into the paint and kicked it to Eli, who scored another bucket.
Bayview 116, Striders 114.
"They're fighting out there," Malik continued. "The least you can do is fight with them from here. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your team is just show them you believe in them."
Darius looked at Malik, then back at the court. His teammates were battling with everything they had. Daren was exhausted but still attacking. Eli was dominating inside despite Andre's physical defense. Marcus was diving for loose balls. Kenny was running the offense with poise despite the pressure.
And here he was, sitting on the bench feeling sorry for himself.
Darius stood up.
"There we go," Malik said, grinning. He started clapping and shouting toward the court. "Let's go, Bayview! Lock in!"
Darius joined him, his voice still a little uncertain at first. "Come on, Daren! Keep attacking!"
Julian brought the ball up for the Striders and Mason Lee hit a mid-range jumper to tie it up again.
Bayview 116, Striders 116.
One minute left.
Daren looked over at the bench and saw Darius standing, clapping, shouting encouragement. Something in his face shifted. The exhaustion was still there, but now there was something else. Energy. Belief.
He brought the ball up and called for a screen from Eli. When Eli set it, Daren used it perfectly, driving into the paint and drawing Derek's help defense. He kicked it to Marcus in the corner.
Marcus shot a three-pointer.
The ball hit the rim, bounced twice, and fell through.
Bayview 119, Striders 116.
The bench erupted. Darius was jumping up and down now, his earlier defeat replaced with pure excitement. "That's it! That's it, Marcus! Let's go!"
Devon and Luis and Troy all stood up with him, the entire bench now a wall of energy and noise.
Forty-five seconds left.
Julian brought the ball up and the Striders went into their delay offense, working the ball around the perimeter. Pass to Cameron, swing to Mason, back to Julian. They were patient, not forcing anything, just waiting for the right shot.
With twenty seconds on the shot clock, Andre Simpson got the ball in the post. He turned and shot over Eli's contest.
The ball went in.
Striders 118, Bayview 119.
One-point game. Thirty seconds left.
Kenny brought the ball up slowly, letting the clock run down. Daren waved for the ball at the top of the key. Kenny passed it to him with twenty-two seconds left.
The Striders' defense was locked in, every player focused, hands active, feet moving. Cameron Wells was glued to Daren, not giving him any space.
Daren dribbled at the top, waiting for something to open up. Fifteen seconds. He called for a screen from Eli. Eli came up and set a solid pick.
Daren used it and drove hard into the paint. Derek stepped up to help. Daren kicked it to Eli, who had rolled to the basket.
Eli caught it with Andre draped all over him. He went up strong, absorbing the contact, and released the ball.
The whistle blew. Foul on Andre.
The ball hit the rim and fell through.
The bucket counted. Eli was going to the free-throw line for one more.
Bayview 121, Striders 118.
Twelve seconds left in the game.
From the bench, Darius was screaming at the top of his lungs. "Let's go, Eli! Ice it! Ice it!"
The entire Bayview bench was on their feet, jumping, clapping, shouting. The energy was electric.
Eli walked to the free-throw line, breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. The referee handed him the ball.
The gym went quiet. Everyone in the building knew what this free throw meant. Make it, and Bayview would be up by four with twelve seconds left. Miss it, and the Striders still had a chance.
Eli bounced the ball once. Twice. He looked at the rim, his face showing complete focus.
He shot.
The ball was in the air as twenty thousand eyes tracked its flight.