New York – Haverford Prep Campus
Monday Morning – 7:42 a.m.
Kyle stepped off the shuttle van with nothing but a duffle bag and dead eyes.
No music in his ears. No smile on his face. Just heavy footsteps and a hoodie pulled low.
The sky above Long Island was grey. Not stormy. Just cold. Like everything inside him.
A few teammates waited by the gym entrance.
Trey nodded.
Connor scoffed.
Coach DeMarco crossed his arms.
"You back?" he asked.
Kyle looked him in the eye.
"Mi never left."
Practice – Return of the DogHaverford was prepping for the playoffs.
But something shifted in the gym the moment Kyle stepped on the court.
He wasn't loud. He wasn't showboating.
He was locked in.
Every drill—first.
Every loose ball—his.
Every screen—fought through.
Coach DeMarco stopped practice halfway through.
"Everyone, water. Wilson, stay."
Kyle jogged over.
Coach dropped his clipboard.
"You alright?"
Kyle just stared.
Coach lowered his voice.
"You playin' like somebody buried something in you."
Kyle nodded.
"They did."
Film Room – D2 BuzzAfter practice, Coach pulled Kyle into the film room.
On the projector screen:
Emails. Scout notes. Game clips.
Georgia State. Fairleigh Dickinson. D2 powerhouses like Nova Southeastern and East Stroudsburg.
"They like your defense. Real ones see it. You're still raw on offense, but they love your motor, instincts, size."
Kyle leaned back.
One message in bold:
"Kyle Wilson has D1-level defensive feel. Offense coming. Project guy with serious upside. What's his story?"
Kyle smirked bitterly.
What's my story?
Coach noticed.
"You gotta let go of whatever happened in Jamaica."
Kyle's eyes darkened.
"Can't. It follow mi here."
U16 Tournament Update – Virtual MeetingsThat night, Kyle logged onto the national team call.
Coach Barrett's voice came through the grainy WhatsApp stream.
"We bounce back. We fix the selfishness. Next game: Puerto Rico. And Wilson—if yuh can make it back for semis, we start yuh."
Kyle nodded.
"Understood, Coach."
Dre texted privately during the call:
"Yuh cool? Whole island talking bout yuh. Trick in jail. Kyle 'Ghost' Wilson now."
Kyle didn't reply.
Next Day – First Playoff Game ApproachesHaverford was slotted to play West Bridge Academy in Round One.
They had one All-American guard and two bigs committed to D1 programs.
In practice, Kyle clashed with Connor again.
Scrimmage. Last possession. Kyle rotated late to contest a layup Connor gave up.
"Where were you?" Connor barked.
Kyle walked past him.
Connor grabbed his jersey.
"You think you're a hero 'cause you went back to the island and came back all scary? You ain't sh*t."
Kyle stepped in.
"You soft. That's why yuh need to bark."
Coach blew the whistle.
"Enough! Fight tomorrow. Not here."
Game Day – Haverford vs. West BridgeThe gym was packed. Scouts in the rafters. D2 clipboard army in full force.
Kyle sat at the end of the bench, earbuds in, locked in silence.
The game started fast.
First quarter, Haverford down 15–9.
Connor struggling. Trey trapped every play.
Coach looked down the bench.
"Wilson. Go."
Kyle's Playoff DebutFirst possession: Kyle set a screen, popped to the corner, didn't touch the ball.
Next play, he dove to the rim—got hit in the face by a defender's elbow.
No call.
He stood up, lip bleeding, eyes empty.
Then it began.
DefenseKyle blanketed the All-American guard.
No space. No rhythm. Just pressure.
He forced a five-second call.
Stripped him on a spin.
Blocked his floater into the stands.
The crowd buzzed.
"Who's that kid?"
"That's the Jamaican. Wilson."
Offense – The ShiftDre sent a text from Jamaica.
"Play angry. But smart."
Kyle set a back screen, rolled, caught the ball—two steps, and dunked on a 6'8" center.
The gym lost its mind.
Connor stopped freezing him out.
Trey found him on the wing.
Pump fake. One dribble. Pull-up.
Bucket.
Next possession: backdoor cut.
And-1 layup.
Kyle slapped the hardwood on the way back.
He wasn't just playing defense.
He was leading the war.
Fourth Quarter – Battle for RespectHaverford up 63–60.
West Bridge pressing.
Trey trapped. Threw it ahead—too high.
Kyle jumped. Snagged it mid-air.
Landed. Crossed. Drove baseline.
Two defenders met him.
Spin. Step-through.
Bucket + the foul.
Crowd on their feet.
Final MinuteWest Bridge tied it with 42 seconds left.
Coach called timeout.
He looked at Trey.
Then Kyle.
"Final shot. It's you two. Read and react."
Kyle nodded.
Out of the huddle, he ran a ghost screen, popped to the corner.
Trey attacked, drew two.
Kicked to Kyle.
Catch. Shot.
Bang.
66–63.
Final PossessionWest Bridge had a chance.
Their star guard tried to isolate Trey.
Kyle switched late.
The guard shot a stepback three—
Kyle blocked it clean.
Game over.
AftermathHaverford advanced.
Kyle – 14 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks.
The scout emails rolled in that night:
"Wilson a glue guy with alpha edge."
"He plays like someone with something to prove. We want that."
"D2 scholarship pending further eval."
But Kyle didn't read them.
He stood alone in the shower, water hitting his back like a storm.
The court was the only place that felt like peace now.
Last Scene – Phone Call From JamaicaHe picked up.
Dre's voice on speaker.
"We won. Barely. Coach still want yuh back for semis. Fly out Friday?"
Kyle hesitated.
Trey walked by, patted his shoulder.
Coach DeMarco peeked into the locker room and nodded.
Kyle spoke slowly.
"Mi coming."
Dre laughed.
"Good. Cause Puerto Rico got a guard that's ranked. And we need yuh to lock him in a box."
Kyle stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Eyes tired. Shoulders squared.
"Let's lock the whole island."