The Game Begins Now

On the court, the Shizi Dogs' and Yin Yang Knights' benches sat unnaturally still. It had finally sunk in that they were in the semi-finals, just one more round until the championships. 

For a team they had already faced, it felt as though they were beginning all over again. This wasn't the same familiar match-up from the Interhigh Preliminaries. 

The stakes were higher, and every player on the bench knew it. 

Coach Guanyu, known for being calm, crossed his arms tightly across his chest, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He walked back and forth, his eyes never settling on one point for too long. 

His mind raced, though outwardly, he remained calm. This was the farthest his team had ever come. No, scratch that—he had been here once before. His own team, years ago, had made it to the semi-finals. But they never advanced. He could still remember the sting of that loss—the feeling of having been so close yet coming up short.