The players returned to the court, sweat still clinging to their skin, the air thick with tension. The match was entering its final stretch, and every movement carried weight. Bayview trailed by one. Darius jogged beside his teammates, scanning the floor, but his thoughts were locked on something deeper. The Hustle System had been helping him all game — tracking tendencies, reading patterns, showing him what players leaned into when pressure hit. It had made defending easier, almost predictable. But now, something had changed.
The Titans had introduced a new player. No announcement. No position. Just quiet steps and a blank expression. Darius activated the system, searching for traits, anything that stood out — acceleration, spacing, passing angles. Nothing. No unique tendencies. No standout metrics. Just average movement, average spacing. But Darius didn't dismiss him. Anyone who steps onto the court earns their place by how they play, he reminded himself. Not by how they look.
The game resumed. Both teams attacked, but neither could break through. The defense on both ends was sharp, physical, unforgiving. Bodies collided on screens. Drives were cut off early. Jumpers rimmed out. The crowd leaned forward, sensing something was about to shift. Score: Titans 60 – Bayview 59.
Bayview had possession. Darius took control at the top of the key, dribbling slowly as his teammates split and ran their lanes. The defense sagged just enough. Then — the ping. A flash in his mind. A signal from the system. One teammate was free in the paint, cutting behind the help defender. Darius saw it. No one else did. He dropped into a low stance and fired a bounce pass through traffic, threading it between two defenders.
But just before it reached its target, Micah stepped in and snatched it clean.
In a blink, the Titans turned defense into offense. The ball moved fast — outlet to wing, wing to Khalil — and Khalil finished with a soft drop off the glass. Score: Titans 62 – Bayview 59.
Darius stood frozen at half court. How did he know I was going to pass there? No one but me saw that pass, right?
Bayview pushed forward again. Darius brought the ball up with purpose, eyes locked on Tyrese, who stepped up to meet him with a grin. "Try all the passes you want," Tyrese said. "But it won't work. Not with him out there." Darius didn't respond. He just moved.
He crossed left, then right, then hit a hesitation. Tyrese leaned forward. Darius faked a shot — a full shooting motion — and Tyrese bit hard, jumping past him. Darius stepped into the open space and rose for a three. The release was clean. The arc was perfect. The net snapped. Score: Titans 62 – Bayview 62.
Jogging back, Darius kept his eyes on Micah. I've watched his movements. Nothing irregular. That steal must've been a fluke.
The Titans attacked again. Khalil received the ball on the wing, backed down his defender, and powered through contact for another finish. Score: Titans 64 – Bayview 62.
Darius took the inbound and slowed the pace. He scanned the floor, waited for the signal, and saw another passing lane — a diagonal cut from the weak side. He fired the pass, sharp and low.
Micah intercepted it again.
Another fast break. Another finish. Score: Titans 66 – Bayview 62.
Darius's jaw tightened. He turned to the system. "What's going on?" he asked. The system paused, then responded. "No registered pattern. No predictive movement. This was intentional." Darius nodded slowly. So it wasn't luck.
He pushed forward again, determined to test it. This time, he disguised the pass — held it longer, delayed the release, shifted his eyes away from the target. He fired it late, hoping to throw off the timing.
Micah intercepted it again.
Tyrese saw Darius's focus shift and took advantage. He lunged, poked the ball loose, and sprinted toward the paint. Darius chased him down, closing the gap. Tyrese rose for the layup. Darius jumped with him. Contact. Whistle. Foul.
Tyrese landed, turned, and extended a hand. Darius took it. "Come on, man," Tyrese said, half-laughing. "You know he's not the only defender you'll have to face." Darius didn't answer. But he agreed. He's right. I need to focus on the whole team. But I can't do that if that guy's on the court. This is part of their strategy. Their captain knew.
Tyrese made both free throws. Score: Titans 68 – Bayview 62.
Bayview called timeout.
The players gathered. Rotations were made. Darius sat out. Eli too. Malik stayed in. Daren returned to lead. Darius didn't speak. He watched. His eyes were glued to Micah.
Daren took control, calling a simple set. He passed to a teammate beside him — clean, routine. Micah didn't move unusually. So it's not every pass, Darius thought. It's something else.
Daren made a run, curled around a screen, and called for the ball again. He was in space. The pass was clean. Micah lunged and stole it. Score: Titans 70 – Bayview 62.
Darius jumped from his seat. "I got it! I got you!!" he shouted, voice cutting through the crowd.
The system lit up beside him. "Possibility detected: anticipatory interception based on body cues."
Darius's mind raced. He's reading us. Not our eyes — our bodies. The way we shift. The way we lean. The way our shoulders turn before we pass.
The system confirmed. "Eyes are unreliable. They move constantly. But body mechanics — they're consistent. Especially in high-pressure moments."
Darius sat back, eyes locked on Micah. So that's it. He's not guessing. He's reading.
And now, Darius knew what he was up against.