Chapter 54: Rough and Friendly Encouragement

Wilt's PoV

"Come on, Sylvester," I muttered under my breath, my heart racing as I watched him on the court. I had hoped he would find his rhythm, but sadly he didn't. He looked like he was trying to blend into the background, and that wasn't going to help us at all.

"Do you think he'll come through?" Natasha asked, glancing at me with concern. 

"I hope so," I replied, my voice tight. "He needs to find his confidence. Not for Drew's sake, but for himself."

As the 3rd quarter came to an end, I yelled some encouragement to Sylvester who just smiled a little.

I tried to smile back, but I wasn't blind to the pain he was filling inside. Maybe I was making things worse by adding to the expectations. 

The game resumed, and I watched as Drew took control of the ball. He was moving with a purpose, darting between Loxus and Jensen, who were both focused and ready to defend. I could see how much he wanted to get Sylvester involved, but every time he got the ball, he got it stolen by Loxus.

Loxus sighed as he went in to steal it again. "Is that all you got?" he asked.

Sylvester gulped.

I gripped my bench. What was that jerk doing? Did he want to break Sylvester's confidence even more?!

"Let him play, you idiot!" I shouted, but my voice got drowned out by the noise in the gym. "He's trying his best!"

Natasha placed a hand on my arm, trying to calm me down. "Just watch," she said, her voice steady. "Loxus might just be pushing him to step up."

Push him? It felt more like he was trying to grind him down. I couldn't stand the way Loxus was taunting him. Sylvester was already struggling, and Loxus seemed to be enjoying it way too much. I knew that in a competitive environment, there was some banter, but this felt different—this felt cruel.

The game continued, and I watched in frustration as Loxus stole the ball from Sylvester again. "Come on, man, focus!" Loxus yelled, turning it into a show for the rest of us. "You can't just let me take it like that!"

I clenched my fists, my stomach churning. "He's not just going to become a superstar overnight, you know!" I shouted, unable to hold back. "Just give him a break!"

Natasha turned to me, her eyes wide. "Wilt, you're not seeing it. Loxus might actually be trying to push him to be better. Sometimes tough love is what someone needs."

"Tough love?" I replied incredulously. "This isn't tough love; it's bullying! He's breaking him down instead of building him up."

I watched as Drew sighed.

Loxus, meanwhile, was just getting started. "You've got to toughen up, Sylvester! You can't let me walk all over you like this!" He smirked, clearly enjoying the moment.

I felt my heart race. "What a jerk," I muttered. "He has no idea what it's like to walk in Sylvester's shoes."

"Maybe he does," Natasha said softly. "But he expresses it differently. He's competitive, and sometimes that means pushing others to find their strength."

"Strength? This isn't strength; this is just making him feel small!" I shot back. I could feel my frustration boiling over. I knew Loxus was a strong player, but there was a line between competition and cruelty, and he was crossing it.

Then I saw it—the moment Sylvester finally stood his ground. After another attempt by Loxus to steal the ball, he threw the ball at Drew.

Drew smirked and caught it. He rushed toward the hoop. Jensen intercepted Drew, blocking his best path to scoring.

Sylvester got closer as Loxus and Jensen both focused on Drew.

Natasha giggled. "Looks like Sylvester is setting them up."

I smiled and nodded.

Loxus eyes widened as he realized what we observers had. He rushed behind Sylvester just as Drew threw the ball back. Sylvester managed to move in time before Loxus could steal it.

"Loxus is overusing his power move," Natasha mumbled. "To defeat Drew, Jensen and he are tiring themselves out."

I nodded. The two were desperate not to lose. Even with me gone, I managed to create a decent gap. One that was now gone, but could easily be made up.

"Go, Sylvester!" I shouted, urging him on. He took a quick glance at Loxus, who was now scrambling to catch up. With a burst of speed, Sylvester dribbled around him, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of hope.

"Don't let him intimidate you!" Natasha encouraged, her eyes sparkling with excitement. 

With Loxus still recovering from his failed attempt to steal the ball, Sylvester found his opening. He pivoted, squared his shoulders, and launched the ball toward the hoop. Time seemed to stretch as I watched it soar through the air.

"Come on!" I whispered, willing it to go in.

Swish! The ball hit the net, and the gym erupted into cheers. I leapt up from the bench, my heart racing with excitement. "Yes! That's what I'm talking about!" I shouted, pumping my fist in the air.

Sylvester stood there, momentarily frozen in disbelief, before a wide grin spread across his face. Drew rushed over, clapping him on the back, and I could see the relief and pride shining in both of their eyes.

Loxus smirked and patted Sylvester on the shoulder. 

Sylvester laughed.

I smiled as I leaned back. Seemed Natasha was right. Loxus was just playing the role of heel to encourage Sylvester. Still, it was too risky of a strategy to try on him.

The cheers from the crowd still echoed in my ears as Sylvester took a moment to revel in his newfound confidence.

As the game resumed, it was clear that Loxus was now hyper-focused on Sylvester. Jensen had the ball, and Loxus was practically bouncing on his toes, eager to make his move. "Get ready to get schooled, Sylvester!" he taunted, flashing a cocky smile.

Sylvester, however, stood firm. I could see the determination in his eyes as he faced Loxus. "I'm not afraid of you," he said, his voice steady. 

"So you say, but remember, I play to win," Loxus replied, his confidence radiating as he took a step forward, trying to close the gap. 

Jensen made a quick pass to Loxus, who immediately aimed for the basket. But he wasn't just going for a shot; he was looking to make a statement. He dribbled the ball with a flourish, his eyes locked onto Sylvester, clearly trying to bait him into making a mistake. "You think you can keep up now that you've scored a couple of points? Let's see you try!" 

I could feel the tension mounting. Loxus was playing with fire, and it was clear he intended to push Sylvester as hard as he could. 

"Stay focused, Sylvester!" I shouted, hoping my encouragement would cut through the noise. "You've got this!"

With a burst of energy, Loxus took off toward the basket, using his speed to weave around defenders. He was a force to be reckoned with, but Sylvester was undeterred. He shifted his stance, ready to defend, and I could see the gears turning in his mind. 

"Come on, show me what you've got!" Loxus yelled, feigning left and then darting right, trying to throw Sylvester off balance. "You think you can stop me? You're just a practice squad player!"

Sylvester didn't flinch. He matched Loxus's speed, staying right on his tail. I could feel the energy shifting in the gym; the crowd was holding its breath, completely invested in this one-on-one showdown.

"Don't let him get in your head!" I shouted, my voice rising over the din. "Just play your game!"

Loxus faked another move, trying to get Sylvester to commit. "You're not going to make it, Sylvester! You'll always be second best!" 

But Sylvester was ready. He didn't bite. Instead, he anticipated Loxus's next move. Just as Loxus aimed for a layup, Sylvester jumped, reaching up to block the shot.

"Nice try!" Sylvester called out as he made contact with the ball, sending it ricocheting off the backboard.

The gym erupted into cheers, and I could feel the momentum swinging in Sylvester's favor. "That's it!" I yelled, my heart pounding with excitement.

Loxus stumbled back, momentarily stunned. He recovered quickly, glaring at Sylvester. "You think that was just luck? You got lucky this time!" 

Sylvester shot back, "Luck has nothing to do with it."

The intensity of the game ramped up as the ball was quickly recovered by Drew, who passed it back to Sylvester. Just like that, Sylvester had the opportunity to take control again. 

"Go! Go! Go!" I shouted, urging him on. 

With confidence surging through him, Sylvester dribbled past Loxus, who was now desperate to regain his dominance. Loxus lunged, trying to block Sylvester's path, but Sylvester sidestepped him with ease and sent it back to Drew.

Natasha hummed.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I was just thinking how Sylvester's power move is a difficult one for most players on the team, yet Drew can easily catch his passes."

I chuckled. "Guess that's something to jot down for whenever we have an official match against another team."

She nodded and patted her notebook. She had plenty of notes written down.

"Wow. Are you more of a basketaku than me?"

Nata blushed. "What?"

"A basketball otaku! You've got all these stats and plays written down. It's impressive!"

She rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "I just like to keep track of things. It helps me analyze how we can improve. Plus, all five of you boys are really showing a lot of potential today."

I grinned. "That's great to hear!" My green eyes glanced at my red ankle. Although, my condition wasn't exactly the best. I hated not being able to give my all.

Natasha patted my shoulder. "Relax, as long as you take good care of yourself, it should be fine."

I blushed and nodded slightly. Hopefully.