Game-Winner?

By the time Jay had fully integrated the dynamic athletic abilities from the Ray Allen template card, his defensive skills had improved significantly. At least now he wasn't being blown by on the first step.

With his respectable perimeter defense in the NCAA, Jay could keep up with most players. However, his stamina remained a critical issue. Even though switching to an off-ball style reduced physical contact and preserved some energy, off-ball movement itself was highly taxing.

On defense, it seemed like Jay was getting bullied into the paint. In reality, he was deliberately guiding players inside, staying in position to disrupt shots and working with teammates to shut down drives.

Despite this strategic approach, Jay's stamina didn't last much longer. Even with reduced contact, his time on the court remained limited.

Jay sat on the bench, panting heavily as he recovered, watching his teammates trade blows with Michigan. He let out a helpless sigh.

When Coach Calipari called him back into the game, Jay wasn't fully rested.

Once on the court, he resumed his off-ball role, creating space and pulling defenders out of position with his movement.

On one possession, with 20 seconds left on the shot clock, Jay caught a pass from Harrison in the corner. Stauskas closed out hard, but Jay released the three-pointer without hesitation. As he shot, both the Corner Specialist and Catch and Shoot badges activated.

The ball traced a high arc through the air and dropped cleanly into the net. Kentucky led 63–59.

Jay quickly retreated on defense without a word to Stauskas—he had learned his lesson.

On the next possession, Stauskas brought the ball up for Michigan. He slowed down at the arc, raising a hand to signal his teammates to clear out.

He locked eyes with Jay and started his trash talk. "Kid, basketball isn't just about running around. Are you a marathon runner? Let me show you how it's really done—"

Before he could finish, Stauskas suddenly drove to the basket, trying to catch Jay off guard again.

"You think I'd fall for that twice?!" Jay thought, staying locked in. He stuck with Stauskas, cutting off his path.

Stauskas, in his eagerness to shake Jay, overcommitted and lost control of the ball under pressure. Jay's quick hands snatched it away.

"Steal! Kentucky's number 5 just stripped Stauskas clean!" the commentator shouted, spittle flying in excitement.

Jay sprinted up the court with the ball. Stauskas chased him down, and the rest of the defense scrambled back.

At the top of the arc, Jay saw his moment. Stepping just inside the three-point line, he executed a sudden step-back, creating space as Stauskas lunged forward.

Jay fired a three-pointer.

Stauskas turned to watch, helpless to contest the shot.

The ball soared through the air, and Jay held his follow-through, wrist bent, as the crowd fell silent.

Swish.

The crowd erupted. Cameras captured the perfect moment: Stauskas staring at the hoop, the ball swishing through the net, and Jay still frozen in his shooting pose.

"Wow!!! He hit it! Kentucky's number 5 drains a step-back three!" the commentator shouted, barely able to contain himself.

Michigan called a timeout. Jay's teammates mobbed him in celebration, crashing into him with chest bumps, ruffling his hair, and—"Hey! Who just slapped me on the butt? Cut it out!"

When play resumed, Kentucky led 66–59. Jay stayed on the court, but his exhaustion was obvious.

Seeing Jay drenched in sweat and barely holding on, Stauskas finally smirked. "You're tired, aren't you? I'll admit, that last shot was impressive, but it's my time now."

Jay ignored the trash talk. He knew he didn't have much left in the tank and resolved to make the most of his remaining time on the court.

On defense, Jay stayed glued to Stauskas, while on offense, he pushed himself to keep moving off the ball. His unpredictable rhythm earned him two more scoring opportunities, sinking one of the two shots.

On his second attempt, Jay's shooting form wavered, signaling his body was reaching its limit.

Beep!

Coach Calipari called a timeout and approached Jay on the sideline. "Jay, great work out there. Your job's done. Let your teammates take it from here," he said, patting Jay on the shoulder.

Jay nodded, too exhausted to speak.

As he sat down, Kentucky led 78–75 with three minutes left.

The final minutes were intense, but both teams' shooting percentages dropped due to fatigue.

With less than a minute left, the score was 81–79 in Kentucky's favor. Michigan had possession.

Stauskas took control at the top of the arc, assessing the defense as he sized up his options.

Suddenly, he made a sharp sidestep to his right and drove toward the basket. A solid screen from Michigan's center disrupted Kentucky's defense, giving Stauskas a clear path to the rim.

Stern rotated over to contest. Stauskas hesitated, feigning a pass to the left. Stern turned his head, only to realize too late that the ball was still in Stauskas's hands.

Taking advantage of Stern's split-second lapse, Stauskas pulled the ball back, adjusted mid-air, and finished with a crafty reverse layup.

"Stauskas with the fake and the finish! What a clutch play! This kid's got ice in his veins—lottery talent right here!" the commentator exclaimed.

Beep!

Coach Calipari called Kentucky's final timeout. The score was tied at 81 with 30 seconds left—enough for two possessions.

In the huddle, Calipari laid out his plan. "We're going to run the clock. If the shot doesn't fall, we'll play for overtime. The advantage is still ours."

He turned to his players. "Jay, you're back in. Space the floor. Randle, you'll inbound. Aaron, you take the pass. Randle, after you inbound, set a screen for Jay. Jay, draw the defense. Randle, roll to the low post and seal your man. Aaron, as soon as Randle's in position, feed him the ball. We're going for two—no need to rush."

Jay listened intently. He was just a decoy for this play, but that was fine. Game-winning shots were for team leaders like Randle, not him.

As the timeout ended and players returned to the court, Stauskas noticed Jay re-entering the game and hesitated for a moment before refocusing. This was no time for trash talk—he was locked in on winning.

Randle stood on the sideline, took the ball from the referee, and prepared to inbound.