Coach Anderson turned to his starters as the fourth quarter break ended. "Darius, Daren, Eli. You three sit. Kenny, Marcus, Troy, you're going back in with Malik and Devon."
Darius looked up, surprised. They'd just taken the lead. Why pull them now?
"Coach, we got momentum," Daren said, standing up.
"Which is exactly why I'm trusting the second unit to maintain it," Coach Anderson replied firmly. "You three have been running nonstop. You need a breather. Two, three minutes max. Then you're back in."
Darius sat back down on the bench, towel draped over his shoulders, watching as the second unit jogged onto the court. His legs were grateful for the rest, but his mind wasn't. They'd clawed their way back into this game, and now he had to trust guys who'd barely played.
Next to him, Eli leaned forward, elbows on his knees, watching intensely. Daren sat on his other side, leg bouncing with barely contained energy.
On the court, Kenny brought the ball up for Bayview. The Striders were still running their starters, all five of them looking calm and composed despite trailing by two. Julian Hayes picked up Kenny at half court, his defensive stance perfect as always.
Kenny dribbled left, then crossed back right, trying to create some separation. Julian mirrored him effortlessly. Kenny called for a screen from Troy, who lumbered up and set a pick at the top of the key.
Julian fought through it, staying attached. Kenny tried to drive baseline but Derek Grant stepped up, cutting off the lane. Kenny picked up his dribble and swung the ball to Marcus on the wing.
Marcus caught it and immediately looked to attack. He drove hard toward the middle, but Andre Simpson slid over, his feet quick despite his size. Marcus stopped and kicked it to Devon in the corner.
Devon caught it and shot a three-pointer. Cameron Wells closed out late, his hand reaching toward the ball but not quite getting there.
The shot hit the front of the rim and bounced out.
Derek grabbed the rebound and immediately passed to Julian.
"Box out!" Coach Anderson shouted from the sideline. "You have to finish the defensive possession!"
The Striders pushed in transition. Julian drove into the paint, drawing Troy's help defense, then kicked it to Mason Lee on the left wing. Mason caught it in rhythm and shot a three-pointer.
Swish.
Striders 78, Bayview 77.
Darius's jaw tightened. Just like that, the lead was gone.
Kenny brought it back up, this time slowing the pace. He swung the ball to Marcus, who swung it to Malik in the corner. Malik caught it and looked toward the basket, but Mason was right there, hand up, denying any shot.
Malik pump-faked. Mason didn't bite. Malik passed it back to Kenny at the top.
The shot clock was winding down. Fifteen seconds. Kenny tried to drive, but Julian stayed in front. Kenny kicked it to Devon, who swung it to Troy in the high post.
Troy caught it, turned, and tried to shoot over Derek Grant's long arms. The shot was contested hard.
Miss.
Andre grabbed the rebound.
On the bench, Darius felt his stomach drop. The second unit was working hard, but the Striders' system was just too tight, too disciplined. Every possession felt like climbing a mountain.
Julian brought the ball up and ran another set. The ball moved quickly. Pass to Cameron, swing to Mason, then back to Julian at the elbow. Julian rose up and hit a mid-range jumper over Kenny's outstretched hand.
Striders 80, Bayview 77.
"Come on," Daren muttered next to him, his leg bouncing faster now. "They gotta get a bucket."
But Kenny wasn't panicking. He brought the ball up and immediately attacked. He drove hard into the paint, forcing Derek to step up. Kenny jumped and kicked the ball out to Malik on the wing.
Malik caught it and this time he didn't hesitate. He shot-faked, got Mason to bite, then drove baseline. Andre rotated over to help. Malik kicked it to Troy under the basket.
Troy caught it and finished with a layup.
Striders 80, Bayview 79.
"There we go!" Coach Anderson clapped from the sideline. "That's the ball movement we need!"
On the bench, Marcus was nodding to himself, his internal thoughts racing. This is my chance. Coach always talks about earning minutes. Well, here's my shot. I gotta show him I can play with these guys.
The Striders came back down, and Marcus locked in defensively. He was guarding Mason Lee, who was trying to get open off a screen set by Derek. Marcus fought through the screen, staying attached to Mason's hip.
Julian swung the ball to Cameron instead. Cameron drove baseline, but Marcus rotated over from the weak side and forced him into a tough shot.
Miss.
Troy grabbed the rebound.
Kenny pushed the pace. He drove into the paint and kicked it to Marcus on the right wing. Marcus caught it, squared up, and shot a three-pointer. Cameron closed out hard, but Marcus had created just enough space.
The ball went through the net.
Bayview 82, Striders 80.
Marcus jogged back, his face calm but his heart pounding. Yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Show Coach I belong.
The Striders responded immediately. Julian drove into the paint and found Derek for an easy layup.
Striders 82, Bayview 82.
But Kenny wasn't rattled. He brought it back up and ran a pick-and-roll with Troy. Troy set the screen and rolled toward the basket. Kenny passed it to him, and Troy finished with a dunk.
Bayview 84, Striders 82.
"Let's go!" Malik shouted, clapping hard as he sprinted back on defense.
Devon, who'd been quiet most of the game, was locked in now too. I'm not just here to fill minutes. I can play. I can help us win. Just gotta stay focused.
On the next possession, Devon forced Cameron Wells into a tough contested shot that missed. Troy grabbed the rebound and passed to Kenny, who pushed in transition.
Kenny drove into the paint and kicked it to Devon in the corner. Devon caught it and shot a three-pointer without hesitation.
The ball went in.
Bayview 87, Striders 82.
A five-point lead. The bench unit had not only held their own, they'd extended the lead.
Coach Anderson stood on the sideline, arms crossed, but inside he was nodding with approval. These kids are showing me something. Kenny's running the offense clean. Marcus is playing with confidence. Malik's giving us energy. Devon's not afraid of the moment. This is what depth looks like.
He turned to his assistant coach. "They're earning it, George. They're really earning it."
George nodded. "You think they can hold it?"
Anderson glanced at Darius, Daren, and Eli on the bench. "They might not have to."
But Coach Sullivan had seen enough. He called timeout.
The Striders walked to their bench, and for the first time all game, there was a hint of concern on their faces. Not panic, but acknowledgment that Bayview wasn't going away.
Sullivan gathered his players. "Their second unit is playing well. That's fine. But we are not going to let this slip away. Starters, you're going back in. Let's finish this."
The timeout ended. Both coaches made their substitutions.
For the Striders, all five starters returned: Julian, Cameron, Mason, Andre, and Derek.
For Bayview, Coach Anderson sent his big three back in: Darius, Daren, and Eli, along with Marcus and Malik.
As Darius jogged back onto the court, his mind was still wrestling with what the Hustle System had told him earlier. Attack the rim. Draw contact. Force their defense to commit.
But every time he thought about it, his chest tightened. Flashes of Che's final moment. The collision. The pain. The darkness.
I can't, he thought to himself. Not yet. I'm not ready.
He positioned himself at the top of the key as Bayview prepared to inbound the ball. Julian picked him up immediately, his defensive stance perfect, his eyes locked on Darius's midsection.
Darius caught the inbound pass from Malik and dribbled once, then twice. He looked toward the basket. Derek was lurking near the paint, ready to help if Darius drove.
The Hustle System chimed softly in his mind, text appearing like a whisper.
OPPORTUNITY DETECTED: Drive lane open for 1.8 seconds. Probability of drawing foul: 68%. Recommended action: Attack.
Darius hesitated. His body wanted to drive. His instincts told him the lane was there. But his mind held him back.
He passed the ball to Daren instead.
OPPORTUNITY MISSED.
Darius's jaw clenched. I know. But I can't. Not now.
The system responded, its tone shifting slightly, becoming almost... encouraging.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS: Fear response is normal. Trauma recovery requires gradual exposure. Avoidance reinforces limitation. Small steps lead to breakthrough.
SUGGESTION: Attempt one aggressive drive this quarter. Test your boundaries. You are stronger than the fear.
Darius stood at the top of the key, watching the play develop, the system's words echoing in his mind.
One drive. Just one.
Could he do it?
The ball swung back to him. Julian was on him immediately. The shot clock was winding down.
Darius looked at the rim. The lane was open.
His heart pounded.
One drive, he thought. Just one.
The system pulsed softly in his vision, waiting.
Trust yourself. You are ready.
The shot clock hit five seconds.
Darius's grip tightened on the ball.
And for the first time since waking up in this body, he felt something shift inside him.
Maybe the system was right.
Maybe he was ready.