Championship Game, Here I Come!

"An and-one! That's an and-one!" the enthusiastic commentator shouted.

"Kentucky's #5, Jay, scores and gets the foul!" This time, the commentator seemed to have done his homework—at least he knew Jay's name.

Jay high-fived his teammates, walked to the free-throw line, and received the ball from the referee. After a slight adjustment, he executed a textbook Ray Allen-style free throw, which cleanly went through the net.

Dekker's eyes were fixed on Jay, his mind replaying the previous possession. It's all his fault, Dekker thought. If he hadn't distracted me with his trash talk, I wouldn't have lost the ball.

Unbeknownst to Jay, the influence of the Gary Payton template card had subtly improved his trash-talking skills. He seemed to instinctively know just what to say to get under his opponent's skin.

Maybe trash-talking is a talent too, Jay mused.

In the following ten minutes, both teams exchanged blows, but under Jay's guidance, Kentucky's offense flowed smoothly. Defensively, Jay was no longer a liability and even contributed with timely double-teams and rotations.

Kentucky was clearly in control. Unfortunately, as Jay had anticipated, his floater—despite its earlier success—remained inconsistent. After hitting two floaters early in the game, he missed the next two. It wasn't reliable enough to become a regular part of his offensive arsenal yet.

With eight minutes left, Coach Calipari called a timeout and subbed in Randle to finish the game, giving Jay a well-earned rest.

By the time Jay left the court, Kentucky had built a 61–51 lead over Wisconsin, thanks to his leadership. Randle's task was straightforward: maintain the lead.

Randle delivered, contributing another 10 points with a mix of post-ups, mid-range shots, and assists.

Seeing the comfortable margin, Coach Calipari decided not to put Jay back in.

The game ended with Kentucky winning 77–70, securing their place in the championship game!

Jay finished with 23 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds. Randle, with a game-high 27 points, rounded out the team's dominant performance.

Headlines immediately lit up with news of Kentucky's dynamic duo:

"Kentucky's Twin Stars Combine for 50 Points! Advance to the Championship Game!""Kentucky's Stars Poised to Bring Home the Championship!""The Legacy of Kentucky Lives On!""Is Jay the Pippen to Randle's Jordan? A Closer Look at the Rising Star!"

Kentucky had captured the public's imagination. As the 8th seed, their Cinderella run to the championship game was nothing short of miraculous.

On the other side of the bracket, UConn defeated Florida 63–53 to earn their spot in the final. Like Kentucky, UConn wasn't an early favorite, entering the tournament as the 7th seed.

The championship game was set: #7 UConn vs. #8 Kentucky—a matchup no one could have predicted.

After the game, Coach Calipari announced that the team would take the next day off. The players, exhausted from the tournament's grueling schedule, breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Calipari knew that at this stage, physical and mental recovery mattered more than tactics or drills. Just as students often get a day off before major exams, his players needed a break to recharge for the biggest game of their lives.

While UConn's roster wasn't deep, they had two key players to watch:

Shabazz Napier: A first-round prospect known for clutch plays and precise shooting.DeAndre Daniels: A second-round talent.

Napier, UConn's star, had been instrumental in leading his team through multiple come-from-behind victories. Stopping him would be Kentucky's top priority.

Jay wasn't too worried. If Napier thinks he can get past me, he's in for a surprise. I'm Gary Payton, remember? he thought smugly.

Of course, he only dared to say such things to himself. With the Payton card not fully integrated yet, he wasn't about to get cocky. Still, his system stats gave him confidence.

Jay's perimeter defense had reached 73, and his steal rating was up to 62. The progress was undeniable, and he felt ready for the challenge.

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

"Bob, you have to take a look at this kid," Cooper, a veteran scout, said passionately over the phone to Warriors GM Bob Myers. "I'm telling you, he has so much untapped potential. He could be the next Steph Curry or Ray Allen! And we're talking late first round—he's worth the risk!"

But Myers wasn't convinced.

Cooper had been thoroughly impressed by Jay's defensive improvements in his last game. What truly amazed him, though, was learning that Jay had only started playing basketball in college, with no prior formal training. To Cooper, that level of rapid improvement was nothing short of extraordinary—a clear sign of a basketball prodigy.

But Myers dismissed the idea. The Warriors were focused on competing for the championship and had no interest in developing rookies. A player like Jay didn't fit their current strategy, and Myers was unwilling to disrupt the team's chemistry.

Frustrated, Cooper felt like he was sitting on a winning lottery ticket that he couldn't cash in. Pacing his office, he tugged at his thinning hair, desperate for someone to see the potential he saw in Jay.

Elsewhere, another basketball legend—one with a signature horseshoe haircut—had also taken notice of Jay. With a red pen, he circled Jay's name on his scouting report.

The championship game arrived quickly. Jay, dressed and ready, joined his team to board the bus to the arena.

While they waited, a slender, blonde-haired girl with fair skin approached. The sunlight made her golden locks shimmer as she smiled shyly.

"Jay, good luck in the game! I'll be watching from home," she said softly.

"Thanks, Eve. Don't forget to wear my jersey while you're watching," Jay replied with a grin.

"I will!" she said, giggling before hurrying away.

Eve was a classmate of Jay's in their business management program. From Jay's perspective, she was the prettiest girl in the class by Eastern standards. But here, she was just another unremarkable face. After Jay extended kindness to her, they became good friends.

Shaking off distracting thoughts, Jay turned to the arriving bus, ready to take the next step toward NCAA glory.