CHAPTER 9
Time Left: 22:00:00
Brian stood with Benaiah in the gym.
"You ready?" asked Benaiah.
"Yeah."
The two dashed off towards diagonal ends of the court, each bouncing a ball. Then they came towards each other. Benaiah set a screen for Brian, and in the process, they exchanged balls and dashed off in opposite directions.
But they were getting tired, they had been training since morning, and it was past 11:00 now.
"You should rest. Your match against us is close," said a strange figure.
Brian turned in the direction of the voice.
"You're with Chicago Fury?"
"Yeah," the strange figure replied. He wore a 'Chicago Bulls' jersey and a pair of white sneakers. His eyes scanned Boreal with unshakable calm, like he already could destroy him.
"Looking forward to it," replied Brian.
"Please don't, your plays are half-assed," he replied and walked out of the court.
"Tch!" sighed Brian.
...
[TIME LEFT: 00:30:59]
The Gold Emperors gathered around Jake in the locker room.
"Focus on your strengths, use them, create screens for one another. We'll win this match if you've actually taken all my advice."
Brian put on his golden jersey and strapped on his sneakers.
Then he took a deep breath and flashed back to what Jake had said:
"You're using your intelligence to avoid mistakes."
This time he had to win. He glanced at his teammates. It was the same as last time but this time, Kingsley had stepped up as Captain.
...
[TIME LEFT: 00:00:59]
The teams began to file out, Centres first this time and the Captains last.
"The fifth Intrannual game of the season."
A brief silence followed and once again Brian heard the squeak of sneakers on polished hardwood echoing through the court, but it was quickly drowned out by the ovation from the crowd.
... JUMPBALL!
Tobby reached the ball first and tossed it to Kingsley.
Fair enough, Brian had done his research on Chicago's Fury.
Two figures stood out, actually 3 to be precise.
First was Gerald, the Point Guard, ranked 2nd.
Second was John, the Small Forward, ranked 6th.
Third was Christopher, the Power Forward, ranked 9th.
But they had different styles of play. They didn't link up.
Kingsley passed the ball to Benaiah and Benaiah delivered a bounce pass to Brian.
John reacted quickly.…
"Dribbling is a skill", Brian remembered.
He let the ball slip in between his legs and caught it with his left hand then quickly followed up with a behind-the-back dribble.
The crowd roared.
Brian had shaken off John with ease.
Two lanes opened for him, but Brian didn't take them. Gerald's movement was infinitesimal, he wasn't reacting to anything.
"Kingsley's quiet,"
something whispered to him.
He motioned towards Solomon in the right corner but…
John was right behind him.
Immediately, he released a pass towards Kingsley.
Gerald reacted...
"Tch!" sighed Brian, "was he calculating?"
But... Benaiah caught the pass mid-air.
"Of course, the right play weren't necessarily the safe ones."
Gerald was shocked but quick. He matched up with Benaiah, but Brian set a screen.
Israel, the team's shooting guard assisted Gerald but, — the ball suddenly went missing —
It lingered above the rim as if it had been rebounded and as quickly as everyone saw it, Tobby hammered it in.
The dunk silenced the court and got everyone screaming again.
"A brilliant pass and a sensational dunk!!!"
they commented.
"That... was awesome, I didn't think you'd reach it. You should name that move," said Brian.
"Nah, the pass was better, I dunked it in because I managed to shake off the center. But I'll name it," replied Tobby as they returned back to their half.
Gerald took the inbound from Christopher and moved the ball up the court.Then he passed back to their center just before the half-court line.
Brian didn't understand, so he moved in to block Gerald.
Just then, Brian saw the most inhuman fast break in his life.
The center released a Javelin pass crossed straight for the rim, but—Christopher intercepted in mid air.
Tobby was slow to react to the dunk.
It wasn't as powerful as his, but it had somehow found its way into the net.
"What the hell was that?" quizzled Brian.
Benaiah took the inbound and passed to Solomon. Solomon moved the ball upcourt but Gerald snatched it from him.
"He can't go alone," thought Brian.
Expressionless, Gerald weaved past Benaiah and Kingsley as if they weren't there, he drove towards the wing, took a quick step back and he threw—
-Swish-
Three points
"Is this Gerald, even human?" asked Kingsley.
"Rigid Dribbling!" said Brian to himself, "That's what Benaiah meant. Dribblers who use their physicality, explosiveness and speed in play, unlike those who create moves on the spot. Gerald is a rigid-type dribbler."
Brian took the inbound from the court. He was already marveled at Kingsley's positioning, but Gerald's marvelled him more.
Gerald marked Kingsley, but Brian passed to him anyway and moved forward.
Kingsley panicked a little but returned the pass swiftly. He took a step forward and threw
-Swish-
A clean three-point.
"He's no longer taking chances," said Kingsley to himself.
Christopher brought the ball up the court. He tried to push past Kingsley, but the moment he made a cut, Benaiah intercepted the pass and sent it to Solomon, who was running in...
But just as Benaiah intercepted the pass, Gerald intercepted it right back.
A quick pass to John.
- Swish—
Another basket.
"Don't Panic. Stay Calm, but don't be too calm," something whispered to Brian.
Brian motioned towards the left side of the opponent's court, then cut in aggressively. Kingsley picked up the ball and passed it back to him.
He sprinted forward, and passed to Solomon cutting to the basket.
– Swish –
Two points were awarded.
Gerald reacted instantly.
He linked up with John, and they weaved through with short-one-two passes thus drawing attention to the top of the bucket, leaving Israel's wing open.
Gerald gave a precise bounce pass to him and
– Swish –
The Emperors were pressing, but Gerald was rapid with his one-two passes. A quick behind-the-back pass, a crossover, and — swish — the ball was already in.
Brian clenched his jaw. He could feel the gap widening, but he also knew – every team has cracks.
He studied the court, memorizing their movements.
He noticed how Gerald used people close to him to initiate attacks, and how Gerald avoided matching up with him; how their center rarely left the bucket, and how ineffective their shooting guard was
Mid way through the quarter. Brian saw something, Rhythm
His eyes knew the position of everybody in the court.
Jake stared from the sidelines," Court Vision"
He stole a pass, a quick fast break broke through the center and Kingsley laid it up.
Brian could see the lanes more visibly now.
—Whistle—
The scoreboard was 13 - 7 in favour of the Furies.
But everyone knew that the Emperor were far from beginning.
...
Brian sat for a moment, elbows relaxed on his knees
Jake gathered them
"They like speed." He said. "Slow them down. Let's force them to think
...
Pace was beginning to shift in the second quarter.
Brian walked the ball up instead of pushing
Gerald stood on guard.
He passed to Solomon on the wing. Solomon faked a drive displacing Isreal then he passed it back
"Slow them down"
Brian calmed the ball
Kingsley's Front Lane - No!"
instead, he swung it to Benaiah at the top.
Christopher covered him.
Instinctively, Benaiah got creative.
He hesi- ed left, fake stepped the same left again then cut in
"Creativity! Benaiah's a creative dribbler like me?" pondered Brian.
Benaiah's move opened space
Kingsley stepped into the lane, received the pass, and finished through contact.
Another fast break was coming,and Brian knew
The ball reached Gerald, but Brian slid in.
Matchup
"Tch! He's blocking my pass lanes"
Gerald delayed, and Brian pushed the ball from his grip but a little too far.
Nevertheless, Tobby responded.
He reached up and dunked it in effortlessly.
The next possession brought the ball to Benaiah.
He attacked the right wing while Solomon slipped into the middle — with Israel behind him setting a screen.
Benaiah gave a bounce pass to Kingsley in the bucket.
– Swish –
An easy two.
Gerald picked up the inbound and ripped through Tobby and Kingsley.
-Whistle –
Foul
"A deliberate move, the ref counted to two on one"
John received the inbound pass from Gerald at a strategic spot.
– Swish –
A 3-point basket
Benaiah sighed and reacted.
He caught the ball and drove in with Kingsley.
A swift attack, and an effortless basket.
The game was getting tight and defense was becoming more physical
–Whistle –
Foul
Solomon took the free throw
-Swish -
The facility erupted.
Herik looked rattled, Jake glanced at him from the sidelines
"Tch!" he spat, then he stood and issued some instructions, clapping sharply.
Christopher received a swift one-two pass from Gerald and scored 3 points.
Brian took the inbound from Tobby and gave it to Benaiah, who brought it up the court.
He dribbled his way through two defenders and set the ball for Tobby.
The Fury's center acted up, but Tobby was stiffer, he powered up and laid it in.
-Whistle -
Half time...
The scoreboard read 19-15