The Queens college, still shocked by how good the Charlie Queens turned out to be, they took their opponents more seriously as they were now aware of the challenge they faced. With six minutes gone in the second quarter, and Charlie Queens leading by twelve points, the Queens college team knew they had their work cut out for them.
As play resumed, Fortune passed the ball to Grace, who found herself marked closely by Chioma, quickly scanned the court for options. In a nervous move, she passed to Favour, hoping to create an opportunity. However, Tolu, who was undetected, swooped in and intercepted the pass, seizing the chance for a fast break. Chioma picked the loosed ball, yelling "Counter!" Chioma sprinted down the court, leaving the Queens College players scrambling to recover
The crowd gasped as Chioma, in a clever display of teamwork, tossed the ball high into the air. Mayowa, seemingly defying gravity, leapt over Chioma's head. In mid-air, Mayowa contorted her body into the Jordan logo, before slamming the ball into the hoop with a thunderous one-handed slam dunk.
The Charlie Queens' bench erupted in cheers as their team extended their lead. The Queens College players, momentarily stunned by the jaw-dropping display, quickly restarted the game. Grace bounces the ball as she moves up the court to attack.
Back at the bench
"Mayowa seems to be having a great game today, doesn't she?" Tosin asked
"Yeah. She seems to be in synch with Chioma too" Mrs. Lawal said
"But she's been doing one thing ever since the game started" Eno said
"Alley-oop, huh? It's almost as if it's her signature move" Shalom said
"Yeah" Eno nodded
"That's not the only thing she's done today. Didn't you see her post play in the first quarter? Are you guys really watching this game at all?" Mercy asked
"Yeah, there was that dunk following Chioma's amazing elbow pass in the first quarter too" Tosin said
"Yeah" Mercy said
There was silence as the girls realized that Mercy and Tosin were right.
"Anyways, can you really call the alley-oop a signature move, though?" Mercy asked.
"What do you mean?" Eno asked
"An alley-oop in basketball is an offensive play in which one player passes the ball near the basket to a player who jumps, catches the ball in mid-air and either dunks or lays it in before touching the ground. It requires 2 players to carry it out. Though, some NBA players have attempted the self alley-oop but they are rare" Mercy explained
"Hey, come on now. From the name, I kind of have an idea of what the self alley-oop is but you mean some people have attempted it? That's crazy" Tosin said
"What if I told you some people have actually done it in games and scored points off it?" Mercy asked
"Huh?" Tosin said, looking surprised
"That's why you have to watch games. Though, due to the time difference, most games usually take place early in the morning. I recommend watching the full recap of the games during your free time. That's what I do when I'm free." Mercy explained
"I see." Tosin said
There was silence for a short period of time as the girls watch the game
Oluchi sighed, "Hmm. You're not wrong. The alley-oop does requires two players and it's Mayowa's favourite move too. Mayowa is like a shadow who relies on another player to shine. This player has to be a very good play maker. Put it another way, she likes pairing up with someone. All the players I've seen her pairing up with are point guards."
"I see" Shalom said "In other words, her partner must be a good passer, right?"
"Exactly. When it comes to jumping, in this team, Mayowa is second to only Tosin. On another team, she'd easily be a regular. However, she just couldn't win the center battle in this team. We've got a monstrous defender in Eno. I used to be her partner. But it seems she's found a new dependable partner in Chioma. She seems to be having fun. It must have hurt to watch from the bench, especially when you used to be a regular during your primary school playing days." Oluchi said, smiling. "Chioma is a formidable point guard; probably better than me. But, I'm not gonna lose to her, no matter what"
"That's the spirit." Tosin said, smiling
The ball sailed through the air and landed in Grace's hands. As expected, Chioma was hot on her heels, making it nearly impossible for Grace to break through her stifling defense. With the 24-second-shot-clock running out, Grace made a desperate pass to Favour, who was standing just outside the three-point line
Without hesitation, Favour took the shot, draining a much needed three-pointer. The Queens college bench erupted in cheers, and Grace breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the ball fall through the hoop
Now trailing by 11 points with 9 seconds left in the first half, Queens college were starting to look alive again. Grace could feel the energy on the court shifting and she knew that if they continued their smart play and capitalize on their opportunities, they could still turn the game around
However, the Charlie Queens Academy were not about to give up their lead easily. As play resumed, Chioma received the ball and began driving towards the basket. Grace, determined not to let her slip through again, stayed on her toes, ready to stop Chioma.
Chioma tossed a pass to Mayowa instead of driving in, opting to believe in her teammates. Sensing the pressure from Zainab, Mayowa quickly went for a hook shot, hoping to catch her off guard. However, Zainab's defense was unrelenting, forcing Mayowa to adjust her plans. In a split-second decision, Mayowa executed a double clutch, managing to toss the ball into the hoop despite Zainab's best efforts. But in her desperation to stop Mayowa, Zainab committed a foul, sending Mayowa to the free-throw line for an and-one. With a calm, steady hand, Mayowa sank the shot securing the and-one opportunity. The crowd erupted in cheers as the Charlie Queens' lead was now back up to 14 points with 1.5 seconds left in the first half
Zainab quickly passed the ball to Grace who attempted a full-court shot before the buzzer sounded. The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the first half as the ball sailed through the air but bounced off the glass and landed out of bound. The players made their way into the locker room.
As the first half came to an end, the players return to their locker rooms. The skies opened up, and a light rain began to fall. The sudden change in the weather made the teams' meeting in the locker room a little difficult as the rain grew heavier with loud noise of splashes and thunder rumbling
The Queens College locker room was filled with a heavy silence as the players returned for halftime, the tension in the air palpable. They had underestimated the Charlie Queens and the disappointment and fear were clear in their faces
Finally, Coach Chukwuma broke the silence. "What are we going to do now?" He asked, his voice betraying a hint of uncertainty
Grace, whose spirit was already broken as she felt the pressure of being the underdogs, sighed deeply. "Coach, do you remember our first game of the playoffs last year?" She asked
"Oh yeah. We went up against Wyse international high school. Our score was tripled. It was a horrible experience." Said Coach Chukwuma
"Well, sorry but this game is starting to look like that game. We are in trouble here." Grace said
Meanwhile at the Charlie Queens locker room
Mrs. Lawal took the moment to address the physical concerns. "With this rain, I want everyone to wear their tracksuits to stay warm. We don't want anyone catching a cold"
The girls nodded and began to pull on their tracksuits, eager to protect themselves from the chilly rain
Amidst the shuffle, Tosin, who had been benched with the other 4 regulars in the first half, was persistently pleading with Mrs. Lawal. "Please, Coach, let me play! I promise I won't let you down," she said, her eyes filled with determination
Mrs. Lawal, however, stood on her decision, "Sorry Tosin, neither you nor any of the regulars will play in this game"
Tosin, evidently dissatisfied with the decision, angrily walked to her seat
"At the end of the first half, I saw a third reason why I can't let you girls play today." Mrs. Lawal continued, "Wyse International high school are in the court. They are watching the game"
"Yes, I saw them too." Mercy said
"Who are they?" Tosin asked, "What do they have to do with our team anyway?"
"They are last year's runners up." Mercy explained
"So?" Tosin asked
"Also, just like Rose Newton, Wyse got their hands on one of the members of this Victorious Varsity." Mrs. Lawal said. "She is here as well"
"Yeah, I saw her too" Mercy said
"Who is she?" Tosin asked
"Cynthia James." Eno said. "She plays the same position as you, Tosin."
"Due to her aggressive style and insanely accurate shooting, she is nicknamed 'the unstoppable scorer." Mercy explained
"We can't let them see our regulars play. We have to keep the enemies guessing. That's why you girls won't play a single minute in today's game," said Mrs. Lawal
"But…." Tosin said but was interrupted
"No 'buts'" Mrs. Lawal said. "You girls are not playing today! And that's final"
With the team ready for the second half, Mrs. Lawal gathered them around for a quick strategy talk session.
"In the first half, we used the man-to-man defense zone. With this commanding lead, we will go with something slightly different in the second half. We will continue with the man-to-man formation." Mrs. Lawal said. "This time, we will mount up pressure with double teams and triple teams."
"Coach, that'd leave some players opened." Said Mayowa
"Yes, you are right. It's weak if the opponents manage to pass the ball to an opened teammate." Mrs. Lawal said, smiling "However, that's if they manage to pass the ball
"Huh?" Mayowa said, her eyes widened in shock
"You guys are forgetting Tolu." Mrs. Lawal said, smiling
"I don't get it." Mercy said. "How is Tolu going to stop them from passing the ball?"
"Well, it's going to be a pain if I explain it now. Experience will explain it instead" Mrs. Lawal said. "For now, that's our plan for the second half. Put them under pressure. Force to make mistakes. Capitalize on those mistakes"
"Yes ma!" The Queens chorused
"Don't let them go wherever they want. Don't them do what they want. Force them out of their comfort zone!"
"Yes ma!" The Queens chorused
"Go out there and win this!" Mrs. Lawal said, smiling
"Yes ma!" The Queens chorused
"Guys on 3, 2, 1, Charlie Queeeeeens!!! Fight!!!" Yelled Tosin
"Yeaaaahhh!!!" Yelled the team
The Queens were preparing to head back to the court for the second half. They were praising especially Chioma for her performance in the first half
"I'd admit Chioma is good. Her ball handling is impressive too. She's unstoppable when she drives. Her passes are great too. But she still has zero points in the game so far." Oluchi suddenly said
The locker room was suddenly filled with a tense silence as Oluchi's words hung in the air. Chioma taken aback by the observation, looked at Oluchi with a mix of confusion and frustration
"What's that?" Chioma asked, her eyebrows furrowed
Sensing the tension, Tosin stepped in, trying to diffuse the situation. "Come on guys, let's focus on the game. We are a team, remember?" she said, hoping to redirect the conversation
Undeterred, Oluchi continued, "Look, as a fellow point guard myself, I know how important it is to score and draw attention from the defense. Chioma hasn't scored yet, and I think the Queens College might start to ignore her if she doesn't start putting up some points. And that would make it difficult for Chioma to make plays. It's the duty of the point guard to run the offense. If Chioma starts struggling to make plays, what happens to our offense? We need a capable point guard. Not one that drag the team down."
Chioma, still not quite sure how to react, simply responded with a curt. "Oh?" as she processed Oluchi's words
The second half of the game was about to begin, and both teams were ready to fight for every point. The Queens college players were determined to stage a dramatic comeback, while the Charlie Queens aimed to increase their lead even further
The whistle blew, signaling the start of the half, and Kevwe passed the ball to Chioma, who Immediately and dribbled up court with confidence. As she crossed the half-court line, Chioma turned to her teammates and shouted, "let's take it easy!"
This simple phrase carried a lot of meaning – Chioma was reminding her teammates to stay composed, focus on executing their game plan, and avoid making careless mistakes that could cost them the game. Chioma, now tightly guarded by Grace, released the pass to Kewve. Kevwe, received Chioma's pass and, spotting an opportunity, quickly squared up for a 3-pointer. Unfortunately, the shot clanged off the rim, giving rise to a scramble for the rebound between Zainab and Mayowa.
Zainab, utilizing her height, and positioning, leaped high into the air and secured the rebound, snatching the ball away from Mayowa's grasp. With the ball safely in her hands, Zainab passed to Grace as everyone rushes to the opposite hoop.
As Grace attempted to navigate through Chioma's tight defense, she desperately sought an open teammate. Seeing her struggle, Bisola rushed over to double team Grace, hoping to force a turnover
Grace, aware of the situation, spotted Fortune, momentarily left unguarded. Seizing the opportunity, Grace whipped a pass towards Fortune, hoping to capitalize on the open look. However, Tolu, who had been lurking nearby, anticipated the pass and swooped in to intercept it.
Seeing the ball in Tolu's hands, both teams rushed to the opposite hoop. Tolu, spotting Chioma running towards the opposite hoop, threw a long pass towards her. Chioma caught the pass, stopped at the edge of the 3-pointer area and launched a 3-pointer shot. The ball sailed through the air and landed in the hoop, shocking everyone in the arena, and increasing the Charlie Queens' lead further by 3 points