Coach Sullivan stood in the huddle, his voice cutting through the timeout noise like a scalpel through skin. Calm. Surgical. The man didn't raise his voice because he didn't need to.
"Julian, you're not guarding him one-on-one anymore," he said, pointing at Darius across the court. "Cameron, you're switching every screen. Mason, you're helping on the strong side. Make him give the ball up. Force his teammates to beat us."
Julian nodded, no ego in his response. Just understanding. "Got it, Coach."
"They've found a rhythm. That's fine. We adjust." Sullivan's eyes swept across his players. "But we don't panic. We don't change who we are. We just make them work harder for everything. Understood?"
"Yes, Coach," the Striders responded in unison.
Sullivan clapped once. "Good. Now let's show them what system basketball looks like when it's executed perfectly."
On the other side of the court, Coach Anderson was fired up in a completely different way.
"That's the energy!" he said, his voice carrying that edge of excitement mixed with urgency. "Darius opened it up for us. Now we keep attacking. Daren, Eli, be ready. They're going to try and take D out of it. That means you two are going to get your opportunities. Don't hesitate. Take what they give you."
Daren nodded, that competitive fire already burning in his eyes. "I got you, Coach."
Eli cracked his knuckles, jaw set. "They want to help off me? Cool. I'll make them pay."
The whistle blew.
Both teams returned to the court, and immediately, Darius felt the difference.
Julian picked him up at half court again, but this time Cameron Wells was already lurking, ready to show on every screen. Mason Lee kept his eyes on Darius even while guarding Marcus, ready to rotate at a moment's notice.
They're loading up on me, Darius thought, dribbling at the top of the key. Good. That means someone else is open.
He called for a screen from Eli. As expected, Cameron Wells jumped out aggressively, showing hard and forcing Darius to his left. Julian recovered quickly, cutting off the drive.
But Eli had already slipped the screen and was rolling hard to the rim. Derek Grant tried to step up, but he was a half-second late.
Darius fired a bounce pass right into Eli's hands.
Eli caught it in stride, rose up strong, and threw down a thunderous one-handed dunk.
Striders 19, Bayview 18.
OBJECTIVE PROGRESS: 4/4 Assists (COMPLETE)
Eli landed and let out a roar, pounding his chest once. The Bayview bench went wild. Even Malik was on his feet, hyped beyond belief.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Daren shouted, sprinting back. "Keep feeding the big man!"
Julian brought the ball up, calm as ever, like that dunk didn't even register. He dribbled at the top, surveying the floor. The Striders ran their motion offense again. Pass to Cameron, swing to Mason, drive and kick back to Julian.
This time, Julian didn't pass. He rose up from the elbow and hit a smooth mid-range jumper over Darius's outstretched hand.
Striders 21, Bayview 18.
Darius inbounded to Daren, who pushed the pace up the court. Cameron Wells was already tracking him, hands active, body low. Daren hit him with a quick crossover, but Cameron stayed in front.
Daren pulled it back out and swung it to Darius at the top. The moment the ball touched Darius's hands, both Julian and Cameron closed out hard, not giving him any space to operate.
Darius didn't force it. He kicked it to Daren on the right wing.
Cameron Wells scrambled to recover, but Daren was already rising into his shot. Nothing but confidence in his eyes.
The ball left his hands with perfect rotation, arcing high and dropping clean through the net.
Striders 21, Bayview 21.
"Let's go!" Daren screamed, backpedaling with his arms spread wide. The crowd was on their feet now. This was a game.
Coach Sullivan remained standing, arms crossed, watching his team with the calm of a man who'd seen this movie before.
"They're settling in," he muttered to his assistant. "That's fine. Let them get comfortable. Then we turn the pressure back up."
The Striders came down and ran another beautiful set. This time it was Andre Simpson who got the ball on a back cut. He caught it in the paint, pivoted once, and finished with a soft floater over Eli's outstretched arms.
Striders 23, Bayview 21.
Darius brought it back up, and sure enough, the defense collapsed on him immediately. He didn't even try to force it. He swung it to Marcus in the corner.
Marcus shot-faked, got Cameron Wells in the air, then drove baseline. Derek Grant rotated over, but Marcus kicked it back out to Eli at the top of the key.
Eli caught it, squared up, and launched a three-pointer.
Swish.
Bayview 24, Striders 23.
The gym erupted. Bayview had their first lead since the opening tip.
Eli turned and jogged back with his hand raised, a rare smile breaking across his usually stoic face. "That's what happens when you leave me open!"
"Keep shooting, big fella!" Daren shouted, clapping him up.
Julian didn't flinch. He brought the ball up and immediately ran another set. Pass, screen, cut, pass again. This time it was Mason Lee who got an open look from the corner off a beautiful ball movement sequence.