Meeting the Team

*Sound Effects*

**Language**

'Thoughts'

"Dialogue"

Today marked the day I would meet with the AAU group. It's currently 4:30 in the afternoon, and I've just returned home from school, eagerly awaiting Coach's arrival to pick me up. Having sent him the apartment gate code yesterday, it's only a matter of time before he arrives. I had shared my decision to join the AAU team with my mom the day before, and her excitement was palpable. No matter what I did, she always stood in my corner, which was a relief.

*HONK HONK*

**In Spanish**

**Ma! I'm leaving; Coach is here!** I yelled out, grabbing my gym bag containing all my gear.

**Okay, be safe. Call me when you're on the way home,** she yelled back from her room.

I rushed outside and spotted a sleek silver Toyota Camry waiting by the road. 'Nice car,' I thought as I hurried down the stairs and got into the car.

*Click*

"Hey, Coach, thanks for picking me up," I said as I settled into my seat, placing my bag on the floor and fastening my seatbelt.

"Anytime, Javier. We're about 15 minutes away, so it shouldn't be too long," he replied before taking off.

As we drove, I gazed out the window, immersed in my music as usual. Soon, we arrived at what looked like a gym. "Is this a gym?" I asked curiously.

"It's a gym that rents out courts. We've got court 3 for 2 hours; we'll practice every Monday, Friday, and Saturday; With Saturday being lift day" he explained before turning off the car and leading the way. I quietly grumbled at the thought of having to lift before getting out the car.

I grabbed my bag and followed coach inside. After he scanned what appeared to be a card, we walked around for a few minutes before reaching court 3. The gym was fairly spacious, equipped with various workout equipment, and I even noticed a swimming pool adjacent to the courts. The door to court 3 was already propped open, and as we stepped inside, familiar sounds surrounded me.

*Thump Thump Thump*

*Squeak*

*Swish*

I walked in and I noticed several other players. 'Of course all of them are taller than me' I can't help but think as I followed behind the coach. The other players noticing our arrival, stopped practicing and headed in our direction.

"Good to see everyone's already here," Coach Will remarked. "I know we're in need of a point guard, so I brought y'all a new teammate," he continued, motioning towards me. "Everyone, meet Javier; he'll be starting as our point guard," he announced. Some of the players exchanged sideways glances, seemingly skeptical of my abilities.

"I understand some of you may doubt Javier's skills, but trust me, he's probably better than you," Coach added, addressing the lingering skepticism from a few players.

"Oh, yeah?" a player questioned, motioning with the ball. "How about we run a 1-on-1 and see if that's true," he proposed. Taking a closer look, he was a slim yet muscular black player.

"Dylan, I already said—" Coach quickly stepped in to defend me, but understanding that respect was earned on the court, I promptly stopped him.

"Sure, let's go," I replied, motioning towards the court. I quickly dropped my bag and laced up my not-so-fancy shoes. Though they weren't top-notch, I couldn't bring myself to burden my mom by asking for newer ones. After getting ready, I headed to the court while the other players and the coach took their seats on the side bleachers in the gym.

"1's and 2's?" I asked, seeking confirmation. It was a common pickup ball scoring system where 2-pointers were counted as 1 point and 3-pointers as 2 points.

"It don't matter," he replied with a shrug.

"First to 12; we'll do make it take it," I announced as I prepared.

"You want the ball first?" I inquired.

"Nah, you can have it," he said, likely underestimating me.

'Seriously, you'd think he'd listen to the coach and not underestimate me, but whatever,' I thought before taking the ball at the top of the key.

'Let's show them a little something,' As I took the ball at the top of the key, the gym fell silent. My opponent's casual demeanor hinted at underestimation, but I was determined to prove myself. Adopting a triple-threat position, I eyed the basket, calculating my first move.

With a quick jab step to the left, I feigned a drive in that direction, forcing my defender to shift his weight. Sensing the opportunity, I executed a lightning-quick crossover dribble, smoothly switching the ball to my opposite hand. The gym floor echoed with the distinctive squeak of my basketball shoes as I accelerated towards the basket.

My defender, caught off guard by the crossover, struggled to recover. Seizing the moment, I executed a hesitation dribble, freezing him for just a split second. In that moment of hesitation, I exploded past him with a burst of speed, leaving him reaching for air.

As the rim loomed closer, I extended my arm, shielding the ball from any potential blocks. With a swift, controlled motion, I laid the ball gently off the backboard, completing a textbook layup. The ball kissed the glass and dropped through the net, signaling the first point of the game.

The silent gym erupted with whispers and murmurs. The players on the side bleachers, including Coach, leaned forward, their expressions a mix of surprise and acknowledgment. I retrieved the ball from the net, a confident smile playing on my lips.

"Alright, let's run it back," I said, ready for the next possession, eager to showcase my skills on the court.

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A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The upcoming section will delve deeper into the 1v1 showdown with Dylan. Following that, we'll embark on a brief training montage. Stay tuned for more exciting developments! If you want to see more, leave a comment and if you're feeling moved to, I would greatly appreciate a review!