Final-Day Game; Part-One

The game started with the tip-off.

This time there were no restrictions, and Gilbert stepped forward for the tip-off, to match him, Roger stepped to the center for the first possession of the game.

Gilbert did some shallow hops on the spot and said.

Gilbert: "I haven't jumped for the tip-off in so long."

He looked at Roger and spoke.

Gilbert: "You should just give up and hand the ball directly to us."

Roger smiled but didn't say anything in response.

Gilbert clicked his tongue and muttered.

Gilbert: "Pretty boys with their perfect smiles should just die."

But, the next moment, both put on serious expressions and got into positions for the tip-off.

Albert came to the center of the court. He saw that all of the players were ready for the game.

Albert: "Well, it looks like you guys are ready. So, without any delay, let the game begin."

With that, he threw up the game ball for the tip-off.

Gilbert and Roger jumped for the ball, Gilbert, who was taller and had a greater vertical jump than Roger got to the ball first.

Gilbert: "Here we go. The ball is all mine."

Gilbert caught the ball and tipped it straight to Shun, who caught the ball and slowly dribbled forward while the other players took positions.

Ming stayed behind to defend Shun.

Shun watched Ming, and without hesitation closed in towards in, and stepped into his range.

Without giving Ming time to try anything on defense, Shun did a smooth spin-move.

The speed of the spin wasn't fast, and it allowed Ming to step back to catch up to the ball, but when he laid his eyes on Shun, he was startled.

Ming: "Where is the ball?"

The ball wasn't with Shun. He had passed the ball during the spin-move when the ball was out of Ming's line of sight.

Shun smiled as he saw the ball go straight to Rafael, and moved to a position suitable for shooting from outside, ready for a pass if the team required him to shoot from outside.

Rafael posted-up against Antony and pushed him back. He came near the basket but didn't score on his own. And, passed the ball in a bounce-pass right in front of the basket.

The ball bounced once, and Bruno caught it right in front of the basket, who jumped towards the basket.

Roger jumped for a block, but the timing wasn't perfect, and Bruno was strong. The force pushed Roger's hand, and Bruno scored with a powerful dunk.

-*-*-*-

Shun clapped his hands and said loudly.

Shun: "That was a nice play."

But, then he saw Roger throwing the ball to Ming, who was moving away from Shun.

Shun saw the ball flying to Ming, so he ran towards him.

Ming caught the ball and ran. He turned his head to look at Shun, who was running towards him.

Ming smiled at Shun. Shun felt confused, but then his eyes narrowed as he saw the positions of the players change.

He clicked his tongue when he saw Ming passing the ball in the other direction from where Shun was approaching while looking at Shun.

Shun frowned in displeasure as he looked at the blind pass being caught by Ivan, who ran towards the basket with everyone a good distance from him.

Shun: "Damn."

Gilbert and Rafael tried to chase after Ivan, but the man was way ahead of them and scored with an easy layup.

Ming smiled and called out to Shun.

Ming: "That pass was smooth, but no way you're are going to get the lead so easily."

Shun smiled in excitement and looked at the players around him and spoke to himself.

Shun: "Oh, this is going to be so much fun."

-*-*-*-

Sarah smiled as she looked at Shun and Ming's play.

Sarah: "Shun has good ball-handling skills. That pass, hidden in the transition of the spin-move, was very well executed.

But, unfortunately, Ming has much experience than Shun, a fast play right after the score. He must've instructed his teammates to be ready."

She glanced at Leonal, expecting a reply.

Leonal stayed silent for a while before answering.

Leonal: "The complexity of pass routines changes when you switch from middle school to high school.

Shun still isn't used to complex plays, but Ming has been playing with those plays for a long time.

Plus, everyone here other than Shun has played for their country at an international level, we all have received guidance by the best in our country.

Give him time, and he will catch up in a couple of years. He can copy almost everyone here, and that itself shows that he remembers how we play, which means he has a lot of reference material to work on."

Sarah nodded and turned her attention back to the game.

-*-*-*-

Shun dribbled the ball to near the right side three-point arc and threw it straight ahead to where Bruno was standing.

Bruno wanted to charge in, but Carlos closed in on him, not giving him any space to work in, so Bruno threw a lob pass back to Shun, who was now at the top of the key.

Shun wasted no time and did the same lob pass to the left side of the basket near the baseline to Douglas, who immediately posted-up against Roger and pushed him towards the basket.

Near the basket, Douglas did his patented drop step, got past Roger, and jumped for the basket.

But, Roger wasn't going to lose so easily and jumped to put a hand on the ball, which messed up Douglas's dunk, and it bounced off the rim.

Douglas: "Aaah, man. You are nimble!"

But, all wasn't lost as Gilbert was always ready for a rebound. He jumped for the basket and tipped the ball into the basket.

-*-*-*-

Ming dribbled the ball, and as he crossed the half-court line, and directly passed the ball to Antony, and yelled.

Ming: "Clear the way!"

Immediately Team Ming's players set up screens for Antony, a clear path emerged, and Antony charged in without hesitation.

Antony: "You guys are awesome! Here I come!"

But, there was one problem in Antony's path, which was that Shun wasn't guarding Ming, and was still inside the three-point arc.

As Antony charged inside using his full speed, Shun appeared in Antony's path just as he was about to pass through.

Antony smiled and stopped just in front of Shun.

Antony: "Young Shun. You're becoming a hassle to deal with."

Shun smiled at the compliment and primed his reflexes to stop Antony from going any forward.

Antony looked to the right and got into pass motion.

Shun reacted and speared his hand towards the ball, but just before his hand could reach the ball, Antony pulled back his hand, and Shun heard him say.

Antony: "You might be a hassle, but not to the level I would have to be worried."

Antony followed with a turnaround to the left side and jumped for a mid-range jump shot.

Shun wasn't going to stop after one try at defense and tried to close the gap and contest the shot, but the height difference and space difference between them made Shun come up short.

The ball followed a projectile arc and landed into the basket.

Antony looked at Shun and smiled.

Antony: "There was a time when I charged in every time and then got blocked almost every time, that was when I learned how to shoot from mid-range.

After that, I learned a few ways to get my shot into the basket without any hindrance, but you already knew that, don't you?"

Shun nodded as he smiled in frustration.

Shun: "Yes, I know that because I know how you play."

Antony tapped Shun's shoulder as he fell back on defense and said.

Antony: "You're doing well, just give it time."

-*-*-*-

Roger and Douglas were on the left side of the court, inside the three-point arc.

Roger had the ball, and Douglas was defending against him.

Roger tried to push Douglas back with his left shoulder, but Douglas was steadfast and wasn't moving from his position.

Roger sighed as he murmured.

Roger: "He isn't moving, let's switch the approach."

Roger pivoted on his right foot and brought his left to his backside, he was now facing the basket.

Douglas moved accordingly and squared up on the path between Roger and basket.

Douglas: "Come on, don't give up so easily. You should've tried harder."

Roger smiled and immediately did a pass-fake to the right side, followed by a jab-step to the left side, making Douglas confused about where he was going to move.

Roge wasn't going to move anywhere and jumped for a short-range jump shot.

Douglas wasn't able to jump for a contest and could only raise his arm.

Douglas: "Damn you, and your tricks!"

-*-*-*-

Shun passed the ball to the inside and ran to another direction to put up a screen.

Near Bruno, who had the ball, struggled to get anywhere as Carlos was in front of him, and Antony, who was guarding Rafael, was trying to pressure him by closing in on him.

Near the baseline, Douglas shouted.

Douglas: "Pass!"

Bruno, who heard his teammate, passed the ball immediately.

Douglas didn't score on his own and threw it to Shun, who was just inside the three-point arc.

Shun caught the ball and said.

Shun: "Leave it to me!"

He looked at Ming and did a wide jab-step to the left side and made Ming shift to the left side, before jumping back in a 'Heaven' fadeaway shot.

Ming clicked his tongue as he jumped for a contest.

Ming: "Dammit! I forgot about his fadeaway shot."

Shun's 'Heaven' shot had a pretty high release point, so Ming wasn't able to reach it. Shun shot a long-range two-pointer, which swished into the net.

Shun: "Yeah!"

Shun fell back on defense, and as he ran back, he saw the three-point arc.

Shun: 'I need to make sure not to score long-range two-pointers.'

Long-range two pointers were the shots with the worst efficiency.

They scored the same point as a mid-range shot, and if you just moved back a step or two, you would be able to attempt a three-pointer.

Shun was learning as he played, and he was learning things about himself that he didn't know about himself.