Challenge Accepted

The second quarter was about to begin, and Jamar Carter sat on the bench, his leg bouncing with anticipation. The first quarter had been a test of patience and strategy, but with his team, The Ripples, trailing behind, he knew it was time to remind everyone why he was the tournament's scoring leader. Malik Thompson's trash talk had been getting under his skin, but now, it was time to turn that irritation into fuel.

Coach Anderson gathered the team as they hydrated, his voice calm but firm. "Listen up, boys. We need to tighten up our defense. Malik's getting too comfortable out there, and that's on us. Kevin, great job with that buzzer-beater. Keep that killer instinct going. But we need everyone to step up. We're switching to a zone defense this quarter. I want every pass they make to be a struggle. Make them work for every point."