Chapter 28: Practice Game Part II

Chapter 28: Practice Game Part II

Tamara nodded at her before the game commenced. With a final deep breath, Aria refocused on the court.

----- Team 1:  Flora(PG), Sammer(SG), Niki(SF), Bea(PF), Tamara(C), Freya (Sub) -----

----- Team 2: Nabi(PG), Yuan(SG), Aria(SF), Sherie(PF), Mea(C), Rian(Sub)  -----

As the whistle blew, signaling the start, Aria and her team sprang into action. 

Tamara, leapt into the air for the jump ball. With her impressive reach, she successfully tapped the ball to her teammate, immediately putting Aria's team on the defensive.

On Tamara's team ball possession, they skillfully handled the ball, pressuring Aria's team. Tamara skillfully maneuvered around Mea, the center of Aria's team, and found an opening, she took a confident hook shot. The ball sailed through the air and swished cleanly through the net, scoring the first points of the game.

From the stands, Tamara's boyfriend, Louis, who was sitting beside Orion, cheered happily. "That's my girl!" he shouted, his voice filled with pride and excitement. Seeing their teammate happily cheering on his girlfriend, the faces of the boys in the team soured and teased Louis.

"I-save mo yang energy mo sa game natin mamaya, lover boy!" Orion called Louis out, his tone playful.

Louis, though slightly embarrassed, grinned and shrugged it off. "Di ko mapigilan, guys. Nakakaproud ang bebe ko eh," he replied, his eyes sparkling with pride.

"Lubosan mo na ang pagcheer lover boy oh, baka may extra pom-poms ka diyan!" added another, making exaggerated cheering motions with his hands, causing the whole group to burst into laughter. The boys continued to rib Louis, enjoying the light-hearted moment amidst the tension of the game. 

As the game progressed, the boys gradually shifted their focus back to the action on the court. The teasing subsided, but the smiles lingered. Louis, still beaming from his cheer, watched intently as Tamara and Aria's teams battled it out, his cheers now blending with the collective roar of the crowd.

Meanwhile, on the court, Nabi quickly signaled her teammates to regroup.

"Focus lang guys, let's score a point!" Nabi, their point guard, shouted.

Mea inbounded the ball to Nabi, who began advancing it up the court with confident, controlled dribbles.  Aria moved swiftly into position, scanning the court for openings. She knew they needed to respond quickly to Tamara's early lead but at the same time, she can't help but be distracted.

As Nabi dribbled up the court, her eyes scanned the defense, searching for an opening. She saw Yuan cutting to the three-point line, unguarded for a split second. Without hesitation, Nabi fired a crisp pass to Yuan.

Yuan caught the ball in rhythm, her shooting stance already set. With a defender closing in, she released the shot in one smooth motion. The ball sailed through the air, tracing a perfect arc towards the basket. It hit nothing but net, the swish of the basket echoing through the gym. The scoreboard lit up, signaling three points added to their tally.

"Ganyan, Yuan! Nice shot!" Nabi shouted, clapping her hands in approval.

Yuan nodded, a determined expression on her face as she returned to the defensive end. Tamara's team wasted no time in responding to the three-pointer. Sammer, their sharpshooter, quickly received the inbound pass and dribbled up the court with speed and precision. Aria's team hustled to set up their defense, but Sammer found an opening at the top of the key.

With a quick release, Sammer launched a deep three-pointer. The ball soared through the air, arching towards the basket with perfect form. The ball swished cleanly through the net, adding three points to Tamara's team's score.

"Kita mo yun, Yuan? Di ako papatalo," Sammer remarked, a grin spreading across her face as she jogged back on defense. Her words carried both friendly rivalry and determination. Yuan acknowledged Sammer's challenge with a nod.

Nabi quickly retrieved the ball after Sammer's successful three-pointer, her mind already focused on the next offensive play. She brought the ball up the court, scanning the defense for an opportunity. With a swift pass, Nabi found Aria on the wing.

Aria caught the ball and immediately faced Tamara, who was guarding her closely. Aria's mind raced as she prepared to make her move. She dribbled to her left, attempting to create space, but Tamara anticipated her move perfectly. 

'Ahhh..!!' Aria thought in frustration as the ball slipped from her grasp. With lightning reflexes, Tamara pounced, swiping the ball away cleanly and initiating a fast break for her team. Aria could only watch as Tamara raced down the court.

Tamara accelerated down the court, the ball bouncing in rhythm with her stride. She passes the ball to Niki who is already near the basket. Niki executed a smooth layup. The ball kissed the backboard and dropped through the hoop, adding two points to Tamara's team's score.

Aria's usually sharp focus on the game was slipping. She glanced at Tamara, who was directing her team with confidence on the opposite end of the court. 

'Grabe ang galing ni ate Tamara...Pero ang dami ko ring mali, kung makafocus lang ako..' Aria thought to herself, acknowledging Tamara's prowess while feeling a twinge of envy. She knew that in order to regain the momentum, she needed to refocus and bring her A-game in the second half.

As the halftime break arrived, Aria and her teammates gathered around Nabi, their coach and point guard, to strategize. The scoreboard showed Tamara's team leading, 50-40. Aria couldn't shake off her frustration, feeling the weight of missed opportunities due to her mishaps.

Noticing Aria's demeanor, Orion, who had been observing from the sidelines, walked up to her with a bottle of water and a supportive smile. He understood the pressure Aria was under and wanted to offer some encouragement.

"Hey, Aria," Orion said gently, handing her the water bottle. "You're doing great out there. I know na mahirap kalabanin sila Tamara, but remember, magaling ka rin. Stay focused and trust your instincts."

Aria nodded gratefully, taking a sip of water to refresh herself. Orion's words resonated with her, reminding her to believe in her abilities and not dwell on the mistakes of the first half. 

As the buzzer signaled the end of halftime, Aria rejoined her teammates on the court. As Aria walked on to the court, Yuan noticed her teammate's subdued demeanor. Sensing that Aria might be struggling to regain her focus, Yuan decided to step in and offer some encouragement.

Yuan raised her arm and rested over Aria's shoulder. "Don't mind lang, magsesecond half pa. Makakahabol pa tayo," Yuan said with a comforting smile.

Aria glanced at Yuan, "Thanks, Yuan," Aria replied wtih a nod. Aria took a deep breath, letting go of the frustrations from the first half and refocusing on the game ahead.

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