The score was tied 14-14. No players were talking.
Trey held the ball at the top of the court. He bounced it slowly. He looked at each defensive player to assess their positioning. Zion stood in front of him in a defensive stance. His knees were bent and his arms were extended. Zion was breathing heavily. His shirt was wet with sweat.
Zion spoke quietly. "Watch the pull-up shot."
Trey moved his right foot forward quickly, then stepped back behind the three-point line. Zion reacted to the movement by shifting slightly. This created space for Trey.
Trey jumped and shot the ball. His legs were positioned correctly under his body. His wrist snapped downward on the follow-through.
The ball rotated properly and went through the net.
Score: 14-17.
Zion hit his thigh with his hand. "I predicted he would attempt that shot."
Malik retrieved the ball immediately and dribbled quickly up the court. His pace was fast but controlled. Darius ran behind him. His breathing was labored and his legs felt stiff. He had been playing active defense throughout the game, rotating to help teammates and calling out defensive assignments.
Malik drove toward the left side of the basket, planted his foot, and jumped for a layup. Jace had anticipated this move. He moved across the paint and jumped at the same time as Malik with proper positioning.
Jace blocked the shot. The ball hit the backboard loudly.
Jace landed on his feet first and turned around. "Not in my area."
The ball bounced out of bounds. Possession changed to the other team.
The opposing team moved quickly. They needed two more baskets to win the game.
All players increased their defensive intensity.
Trey brought the ball down court and passed to Manny at the elbow position. Manny made one jab step to test his defender, then jumped for a mid-range shot inside the three-point arc.
The shot was flat with insufficient arc. It hit the back of the rim and bounced away from the basket.
Darius moved into the lane and grabbed the rebound with both hands. His arms were tired from the game. His shirt was wet with sweat. He looked around the court. Malik was being defended closely. Zion was bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing hard. The other teammate was not in good position.
Darius passed to the teammate who appeared most open.
The teammate caught the ball, dribbled once, and attempted a shot from the wing position.
The shot was short. The ball hit the front of the rim before falling to the court.
Zion remained bent over. "That shot lacked power."
The opposing team retrieved the rebound and ran a fast break. They moved quickly without hesitation.
Trey led the break and passed to Jace, who passed back to Manny. Manny dribbled once, took two steps, and made a layup using the backboard.
Score: 14-19.
The opposing players began talking.
Jace said, "Are you tired or confused?"
Trey said, "They are running out of energy."
Malik did not respond. His jaw muscles were tense. His eyes tracked all player movements.
Darius called for the ball. "Let's continue."
Darius led this fast break attempt. Zion and the other teammate jogged behind him at a slower pace. Darius looked around the court. No teammate was cutting to the basket. No one was calling for the ball. Darius hesitated, then decided to drive himself.
He dribbled hard once and took a step toward the paint.
The defense moved toward him. Jace reached in and knocked the ball away. Trey picked up the loose ball and ran toward the other basket.
Darius turned and chased after Trey. His legs were very tired.
Trey maintained his speed and made an easy layup.
Final score: 14-21.
All players immediately sat down on the court after the game ended. They were breathing heavily.
Zion lay on his back. "I cannot feel my lungs."
Malik sat down with his elbows on his knees, looking at the ground. He had not spoken since his shot was blocked. His silence appeared focused rather than casual.
Jace walked past Darius and tapped the ball against his chest. "You play like a coach in a player's body."
Darius did not respond. He had heard similar comments before.
Zion laughed. "He moves around the court and makes things happen."
Malik rolled his eyes. "Until it is time to actually score."
Darius wiped his face with his shirt. "I just got out of a coma. By the time we reach high school I will be ready."
This statement caused the other players to laugh.
Zion said, "You mean next high school?"
Jace said, "You mean as a coach?"
Malik did not laugh. He shook his head while smiling slightly. His eyes remained focused on Darius longer than usual.
Darius remained seated while the others laughed. He did not speak. He was tired and the jokes were not directed positively toward him.
Malik stayed quiet. He continued watching Darius as if reviewing the game in his mind. He had observed how Darius rotated early on defense, covered weak-side help, called out switches, and remained active when other players slowed down. He also saw the hesitation, the missed drive, and the turnover.
Darius did not attempt to explain his performance. He understood that Malik had observed everything.
Darius remained seated with his elbows on his knees. Sweat was cooling on his back. The other players continued laughing and making comments about the game. Malik had not looked away from him.
Zion looked over at Darius. "Are you okay?"
Darius nodded. "Yes. Just thinking."
Malik did not respond. He kept his eyes on Darius for several more seconds, then looked away.
Malik did not verbalize his thoughts. However, Darius could sense his evaluation.
The competitive situation between them was not finished.
The Hustle System displayed a notification:
Game Result: Loss Performance Review: Recorded
Skill Improvements: Defensive Awareness: +2 points Positional Intelligence: +3 points Leadership Signal: Tracked for future development Confidence Index: 61 percent