The scoreboard clock was gradually winding down, with the result already decided as to which team would take home the trophy; yet, that did not diminish the intensity being experienced on the court.
In this final quarter, the Crusaders seemed to have caught their second wind, becoming more aggressive and playing with more strength as they sought to reduce the lead the Royals held over them.
It seemed they were achieving this because, while they were going to lose, at least they wouldn't lose by a large margin; the Royals had shifted to a more passive attitude in the last quarter due to the simple fact that victory was already secured, and there was no reason to keep pushing to increase the score.
Darnell held the ball in his hands while Aaron stood before him with arms extended and knees flexed, his gaze fixed on the ball, carefully watching every move.
Attempting a sharp feint to the right, Darnell tried to blow past Aaron using physical strength, seeking to score his team's last basket before time hit zero. But despite his best attempts, Aaron was alert and cut him off, causing the two to collide in a test of who would topple whom first.
Seeing that he couldn't get past Aaron easily, an idea sparked in Darnell's head. He continued wrestling with Aaron until the shot clock was near its end, at which point he passed the ball to his teammate on the perimeter. Seeing the ball headed his way, the teammate didn't hesitate for a second and shot it directly toward the net.
Swish was the sound of the ball as it went through the rim.
Immediately after, the referee blew the whistle, ending the game and crowning the Royals as the champions of this year's Tournament of Champions.
As soon as the whistle blew, the Royals' players sitting on the bench didn't hesitate for a second to run onto the court to celebrate with their teammates, while the final score was visible to everyone present:
84-55 Final Score
The Royals had managed to win the game by a large margin—a 29-point difference—after the Crusaders did everything they could to cut the lead in the fourth quarter.
Aaron, with his hands on his hips and catching his breath after playing almost the full 32 minutes, couldn't help but have a smile on his face thinking about his performance today and the fact that today was likely the last time he would wear the Royals jersey on this court.
Aaron Reed (C)
Points: 34
Assists: 7
Rebounds: 12
Blocks: 4
Those were the stats Aaron averaged in this game, which was why he would undoubtedly be crowned with the MVP trophy of this final.
Thinking about this, Aaron couldn't help but realize he would have to make space on one of the shelves in his room again to place the new trophy and the medal he would receive shortly, as soon as the stage was set up once and for all.
"We won!!" Drew shouted as he shamelessly jumped onto Aaron's back with his arms raised, celebrating under the spotlights and the cheers of the crowd. "Get off, man," Aaron said, trying to regain his balance with Drew suddenly on his back.
"Sorry, sorry," Drew said, quickly jumping off his friend's back, knowing that if Aaron wanted to, he wouldn't hesitate to let him fall to the ground.
Stepping down, he immediately joined the rest of his teammates to continue celebrating, while Aaron simply stood at the edge of the court watching the rest of his teammates celebrate.
"Brilliant performance as always, Reed," Coach Arbitello said simply, knowing there were no words to describe everything Aaron had achieved in these last four years, during which he gave Christ the King an endless supply of trophies:
4x CHSAA AA Division Titles
4x Stop DWI Holiday Classic Titles
3x Tournament of Champions (ToC) Titles (counting this one)
He had practically given them four years of consecutive winning streaks, demonstrating a dominance that shocked the entire world of high school basketball and attracted the attention of experts and prestigious college programs like Kentucky and Duke.
On the other hand, if we moved to individual awards, Aaron's trophy case might be even fuller than the team's:
MaxPreps Freshman All-American
3x All-City First Team
1x All-City Second Team
Sophomore All-American
Junior All-American
2x All-State
2x Mr. New York Basketball
3x Gatorade Player of the Year
1x CHSAA MVP
Adding the fact that Aaron would win his second CHSAA MVP and would once again be Gatorade Player of the Year, Aaron's trophy case was one that many young basketball players would envy. Given how Aaron performed this season, there was no doubt he would take home the Gatorade National Athlete of the Year this time.
"You know, I'm sad to see you go this year," Coach Arbitello said with a nostalgic smile, also looking at the rest of the players celebrating on the court. His mind was already thinking about the restructuring that would take place once Aaron, along with Drew and the other seniors, left the team.
It would be difficult; he would have to put together a new tactical plan now that he didn't have a player like Aaron, who could protect the paint and play-make at the same time. Nor did he think he could find a player who could do what Aaron did or even handle the immense load that came with it.
Shaking his head, Coach Arbitello decided not to keep thinking about that, deciding it was a problem for tomorrow and concentrating on celebrating with the rest of his players the last game of this year's seniors.
Perhaps it was because he was lost in his own thoughts, but Coach Arbitello didn't see Drew and Jordan carrying one of the 5-gallon Gatorade coolers between their arms as they slowly approached the coach from behind.
Coach Arbitello was soon pulled from his thoughts as he felt the liquid and ice cubes fall over him, completely soaking the suit he was wearing. "HAHAHA!" were the laughs heard from the rest of the players who saw everything unfold, while the coach simply stood there silent and still.
Turning slowly, Coach Arbitello immediately fixed his attention on the two clowns who were still laughing while holding the cooler they had just dumped on him. "Very funny, isn't it?" the coach asked slowly toward both of them, who, upon hearing the coach's tone, subconsciously stiffened.
"DeLuca," the coach said, causing Drew to flinch and open his mouth ready to defend himself. But before he could say a word, Jordan spoke faster. "It was his idea, Coach! I only helped him," he said frantically while pointing at Drew, who gave him a look of incredulity upon seeing Jordan throw him straight into the wolf pit.
"I'll deal with you later, Fuchs," the coach told Jordan seriously, causing the latter to shut his mouth, swallowing whatever words he was going to say next.
"DeLuca, this may have been your last game, but until the year is over, I am still the coach," Arbitello said seriously, until a sinister smile appeared on his face. "So, starting Monday, I expect you in the gym at 7 in the morning for an extra training session." Upon hearing those words, Drew felt his soul leave his body; if there was one thing he hated more than anything, it was morning training sessions—which he thought he was rid of since this was the last game. "The same goes for you, Fuchs," he said, turning toward the other young man, who also lowered his head in a clear sign of defeat.
While both young men were dejected at the idea of more training, it didn't stop the atmosphere within the team from remaining celebratory as the stage finished being assembled.
"Aaron!!" a voice was heard throughout the court, making Aaron immediately turn in the direction the voice came from, easily spotting his mother, followed behind by Hector, Paola, and Mia.
Without stopping for a moment, Melissa immediately hugged her son, barely reaching the height of his chest, while her arms immediately wrapped around the body of her not-so-little-anymore son. "You did wonderful," Melissa told him immediately, still clinging to Aaron.
"I hope you liked the game," Aaron told her while also wrapping his arms around his mother, deepening the embrace even further.
"You played wonderfully," Paola said behind them, watching the tender mother-son moment taking place. Meanwhile, upon seeing Aaron, Mia immediately extended her arms in his direction while starting to babble, catching his attention.
"Well, look who's here!" Aaron said in a high-pitched voice as he approached Mia, taking her from Paola's arms and lifting her up, earning a childish giggle from the little girl as she was held in Aaron's arms.
When Mia was born in 2011, Aaron immediately took on the role of her big brother, looking after her when neither Paola nor Hector could, or simply playing with her, immediately winning her affection and becoming her favorite person.
Deep down, Aaron felt it was his duty, remembering how Paola had become like a second mother to him; so, the best way to repay it was to be a role model for his little sister, who at that moment was laughing with joy in his arms.
While holding Mia, Aaron's gaze immediately fixed on a head of blonde hair heading toward their group, causing a smile to break out on Aaron's face as he handed Mia to Hector and went straight to meet her.
Without even giving her time to say anything, Aaron pressed his lips against the person coming toward them, causing her to relax as she wrapped her hands around Aaron's neck. "Good game," Hannah said once she pulled away from Aaron, giving him a large smile without even seeking to move away from him.
"Ahem." A throat-clearing sound pulled both lovebirds from their moment; it was Paola, clearing her throat in their direction to let them know the three of them were still there.
Turning, Hannah was immediately enveloped by Aaron's arms as she gave a cordial smile toward the four pairs of eyes fixed on them both. "It's good to see you all," Hannah said with a warm smile. "The same here, sweetheart," Melissa said, giving her a sweet smile.
The moment Melissa met Hannah, she knew she would like her—an intelligent, focused, and calm girl. Seeing the glances they discreetly threw each other, she knew it was only a matter of time, something time had proven her right on, leading them to this moment.
"When are you coming to eat with us?" Paola asked, who also held Hannah in high regard and shared the same thoughts as her friend about her.
While the five of them talked among themselves, the stage was quickly set up and the ceremony began. The Crusaders were the first to go up to receive their second-place medals under the polite applause of the spectators as they waited for the main event.
As soon as the Royals team went up, the crowd became more frantic, applauding louder as they received the championship trophy and the first-place gold medals were placed around each player's neck.
"And finally, the MVP award goes to..." one of the event organizers said, dragging out the phrase to build suspense, although everyone present already knew who it was. "Aaron Reed!" he finished, over the roar of the crowd.
Not surprised in the least, Aaron went back up onto the stage to receive his trophy under the watchful gaze of everyone. As his gaze swept across the stands, a nostalgic look crossed his face, thinking that this beautiful stage of his life had come to an end.
Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Aaron decided to simply stop thinking about it and focus on what was happening now as he lifted his MVP trophy over his head, causing the noise of the crowd to surge even higher.
Authors thought's
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