Shooting Session

Although the training was different this time, they still lined up back-to-back as before. Coach Marlon divided them into five groups with different angles. From there they could analyse to find out the boundaries that the players had to hit. Like the captain, he can shoot two points from around the free throw line, but once he gets to the far corner of the hoop, he struggles to score from there.

Another example is Kein himself. He's good at getting the ball under the hoop, but he's so far away from it that the ball he shoots sometimes doesn't even touch or go through the hoop. It's a shame to have such a weakness in basic technique, but it's all made up for by the co-operation they've built under Coach Marlon's tutelage.

"Use your brain and feelings! Shooting is not just about throwing the ball, but how you can score points from any angle. This basic technique is the hardest because no matter how good you are at having the tempo of the game, it's useless if you can't score!"

The coach always emphasised that they should not underestimate the basic technique. From sight, shooting is just like throwing a ball, but it is the essence of winning every game. It's not as easy as it sounds, though, because Kein is more concerned with standing out as a playmaker and allowing his teammates to score.

Waiting for his turn, Kein stood fifty centimetres behind the free throw line. This angle is also a free throw, although the distance is slightly different. Kein had taken this shot many times before although the chance of the ball going in was below twenty per cent. However, he did not give up and continued to try how far he could use his skills and manage the power of the ball release.

Kein bounced the ball first before shooting. He took a deep breath and his eyes focused on the ring. When he could predict how much force to release, Kein raised his right hand until his elbow was in line with his shoulder and his left hand as a counterweight to keep the ball in the best position.

He released the shot and the ball spun in the air. His mates could hear the sound of the ball slamming hard enough to roll away from the pitch.

'Bastard! I failed again!' Kein clapped his hands quite hard, showing his frustration at his failure.

The ball he threw had nothing to be proud of or appreciate. Some of them also laughed inwardly and kept their cool so as not to bring down their teammates mentally.

"Nice try, Kein. No need to be disappointed and just need to try again," one of the friends behind him patted Kein's shoulder while consoling him.

Kein could hear his room mate's voice from a different angle. But he was either trying to focus his mind or he was finished at the shooting practice. Shot after shot was fired by the New Ares players. From there Sherla could deduce what they needed to improve and maintain in order to keep up their stunning performance.

After Coach Marlon had had enough of the shooting practice session, he blew the whistle behind them again. Suddenly, no more balls were fired and they were directed to the sidelines. Letting their minds settle down in readiness to receive feedback from the coach and Sherla.

For twenty minutes they listened to the comments between the coach and his assistant. They discovered some of the weaknesses players need to eliminate from their minds, namely doubt. No matter how good a basketball player is, if he is not confident in his ability so far, then he will be a complementary player and will not be needed in any team. Sometimes players only focus on improving their skills without caring about how to manage themselves to stay calm and not rush.

That does not apply to novice players like them, even NBA players will not be able to maximise their abilities when the mind is not focused on the game. Therefore, an expert is needed to teach them how to control their emotions.

After outlining what they needed to improve on, Coach Marlon immediately started the 5 on 5 session. Despite being a little tired, Kein felt more energized than ever. He would pull out all the layups to score points and complete his daily mission.

The players were divided into eight teams. There they couldn't choose to team up with their close friends. They were brought together to measure how well they covered each other's flaws.

This was confirmed because Kein was teamed with Davies. Their strengths will favour the team and their weaknesses will also be covered by other teammates. Davies is the type of player who relies on dribble speed and puts the ball in with a three-point shot from the far corner.

That will be difficult for enemy players to reach because chasing him will take time while Davies is already standing in his favorite position. It's just that they don't really understand each other's game yet. It was only a matter of time how quickly they understood their team's game.

Coach Marlon had appointed eight groups and they would face each other with randomised teams and they wouldn't know their opponents until a roulette app decided. Soon enough, they got their assigned opponents.

Kein was quite excited because he had expected to fight his roommate. Likewise, Damian wanted to make his friend accept a crushing defeat, without mercy. The whistle blew loudly again until they positioned themselves. Kein and Damian left the field as they had their second turn. They would observe what to watch out for when dealing with them. It also makes for a strong foundation when each individual understands the other.

In the first match, Team Gilbert was matched up against Team Justin Carter. They were arguably the greatest rivals despite playing different positions. Since their first meeting, they have often clashed to determine who would be the pinnacle of all players in New Ares. Unfortunately, no matter how determined Gilbert was to surpass Justin, they couldn't leave each other behind and chased each other.