3rd quarter 4:52
--Mitty 29 - 29 Summit--
The Monarchs are stunned. Skyhawks came in the game soaring. They were aggressive on the defensive end and much more on the offensive side of the ball. It was a 10-0 run.
'What the hell is happening?' Lucas was nonplussed.
Coach TK called a timeout right away.
"We've been through this in the first quarter. I've also told you at the break to have it put in your heads the "next play mentality."
"So this is what we're about to do." The coach continued. "Controlled aggression, we'll gonna be aggressive but we won't be losing our composure." He said resolutely.
"Aaron, you will still stay in the game but you can't get another foul. You got 3 already. If we want to win the championship, we need your help in both offense and defense.
"You and Brandon will fight for the rebounds. Put it back yourselves when you're free or pass it to your teammates when you get surrounded." The coach told both of them.
"Colin, you will still man the point and direct plays but if you think you can take your man one-on-one I'll give you the green light. Also, you need to control your fouls. You now got two. I need you playing in the fourth, so you finish this quarter without another one."
"Brent and Lucas, you need to be aggressive on offense. Give screens, use screens and get to your spots faster and smarter. Your jobs will be to score anywhere in the court."
"This time, we will be the ones giving them a taste of their own medicine. 10-2, 10-3, 15-3, it doesn't matter. What matters is that we're gonna get that run no matter what."
"Do you understand me?" He said loudly.
"Yes, coach." The players replied in unison.
"Now, go and make it happen.'"
The game continues.
Colin is dribbling the ball on the left wing. He take a look at his teammates to see if any of them has a favorable position. They don't.
"Brent" He called for him to receive the ball.
Brent who was in the right wing made his way to the top of the 3-point line and tried to play iso against the player guarding him.
"Ball" He said to Colin and passed it back. Brent's unable to break down his defender.
Colin saw Aaron who was closely guarded by Dorian at the left block and thought that an entry pass to his teammate will be surely intercepted by the man guarding Lucas who was at the left corner.
Brandon was in a much favorable position at right short corner but with the shot clock about to run out, he decided to do it himself.
Colin was in a triple threat position. He took a jab step with his right foot but his man remained unmoved, so he decided to take his right foot back and pumped fake at the three-point line. That's when the defender bit and jumped. He then quickly dribbled to the left elbow and drained a bank shot.
"Yo, that was smooth bro." Lucas shouted.
"I was lucky." Colin responded with a grin.
31-29. Mitty regained the lead.
Summit's point guard, Devon Alexander, wanted to get back at Colin. He showed a bag of dribble moves then took a step-back at the top of the key and shot the ball but it came a bit short.
Aaron secured the rebound and immediately pushed the pace. Monarchs tried to score on the fastbreak but the Skyhawks already set up their defense.
"Reset" Aaron yelled at the right wing.
He took two casual dribbles then suddenly burst forward to the basket. The opponents hurriedly triple teamed him, so Aaron opted for a pass to Brent on the right corner.
Brent shot the ball without hesitation.
It went in. 34-29, Monarchs lead by 5.
"Sh*t!" Dorian cursed as he got the ball below the rim and took it for the inbound. Then, he passed it to Devon.
Devon dribbled the ball through the court.
His teammate, Isaiah Taylor, a junior guard who is their second leading scorer behind Cason asked for the ball from the right wing.
He looked at the player guarding him and smirked when he saw Lucas.
"White boy, I'll make you dance."
Lucas just shrugged which made Isaiah's smile disappear and a serious expression can be seen on his face.
Isaiah dribble forward twice to right then a crossover to the left. Lucas tried to steal the ball but Isaiah rapidly brought it back to his right hand with a consecutive crossover.
Lucas staggered to his right side from the "double crossover" move Isaiah put him in. From that, the right side of the ball handler became wide open but instead of bursting through Isaiah talked trash to him.
"You reach, I teach." He poked fun at Lucas.
Lucas' eyes became serious. It was now filled with deep focus and intensity.
Upon seeing this, Isaiah sneered at him and made his move.
He did a slow crossover from his right hand to the left to bait Lucas into reaching in, but Lucas didn't take the bait and just slide a lil' bit to his right. Isaiah then followed it up with a very fast double crossover from his left to right back to his left hand which made Lucas lose a step. Isaiah quickly burst through to the left leaving Lucas behind but when he tried to dribble again, he realized his pocket was picked from the back and lost the ball.
Brandon, who was about to go and provide help defense, collected the ball at the elbow and passed to Lucas who ran immediately after poking the ball.
He was on an island when he reached the center of the court but after arriving to the free throw line, he noticed Devon was just about 3 steps behind him.
When he reached the paint, he jumped with all his might to dunk the ball but at the last second he changed his mind and delivered a behind the back pass to a trailing teammate.
Colin caught the ball and float it up softly.
Lucas and Devon went out of bounds from the momentum.
Colin ran to him and they high-fived.
"Cool pass, bro. How'd you see me?"
"I always knew you'll be there in every fastbreak opportunity." Lucas replied.
"You really know me." He laughed.
Mitty Monarchs 36 - 29 Summit Skyhawks
Coach Steve Hickey called for a timeout.
The players made their way to the bench.
"Great run. Keep the same intensity on both sides of the court." Coach TK praised them.
"There's less than two minutes to go in the quarter. We must keep the lead heading into the 4th." The coach reminded the players.
"Yes, coach." The team responded loudly.
"Kyle, you're in for Brent. Jason, you'll sub in for Brandon." He instructed both of them.
"Got it|Okay coach." They replied together.
The buzzer sounded and the game resumed.
The Summit coach must have talked the shit out of his team 'cause they came with such intense eyes it looks like to about to kill us.
Devon dribbled the ball a step away from the 3-point line at the top. He viewed every player's position on the court then attacked.
A forward dribble with his right hand while using his left forearm to create separation from his defender, followed by a behind the back dribble from right to left then his own step back move and finally he shot it calmly.
Devon went from the 3-point point line to the right elbow then to the free throw line and ended up at the left elbow.
Colin was lost, atleast 3 steps away from the ball handler. He tried his best to recover and contest the shot but all he was able to reach was the shooter's right forearm and fouled Devon instead. The ball swished. The basket counted plus a free throw.
"Damn, he got you there dude." Lucas said.
"Yeah, but I almost had him." Colin replied.
"No, you didn't. He even did you dirty."
"I guess he did." He sighed then laughed.
They looked at Devon and saw a focused expression on the player's face.
"He's ice cold too." He whispered to Colin.
Colin was about to respond but the buzzer sounded. A substitution has been made.
"F*ck, I can't even have the chance to get revenge." Colin murmured.
"Don't worry, there's still the fourth quarter. We'll keep the lead and later you can score on his head." Lucas reminded him.
Brent subbed in for Colin. Devon went to the free throw line and shot the ball. He made it.
Mitty 36 - 32 Summit 1:36 left to go in the 3rd
"The coach told me that you, Aaron and me will rotate in holding the ball on offense." Brent informed Kyle of the coach's plan.
"Alright. I got it." Kyle replied while dribbling.
Kyle passed to him and Brent gave an entry pass to Aaron at the low post on the right block. He was being guarded by Dorian.
Aaron pounded the ball with his left hand; next, a spin to the baseline then a spin back. He was about to pump fake and shoot it but realized that he was being double teamed. He could force it but decided to kick it out to the open Brent on the right wing instead.
Brent wanted to shoot ball but his defender closed in on him fast, thus he just pumped fake to get the opponent to jump and have himself a free lane to the basket or enough time to shoot the ball uncontested but the player didn't do that and just stayed close.
That's when he saw Jason Anderson giving Lucas an off-ball screen on the left corner.
His eyes lit up and he swiftly dished a cross court pass to his open teammate.
Lucas slid a step to his left to make full use of Jason's screen, received the ball with his new and improved "71 points" hands, then let it fly in one smooth rhythmic motion.
Splash! Lucas didn't waste a great assist.
"Yeah! that's what I'm talking about Lucas." Brent shouted cheerfully to his teammate.
"Nice pass, man." Lucas yelled back and then praised Jason. "Great screen, dude."
39-32. The Monarchs' lead is back to 7.
Mitty scored but Summit players look like they don't even feel any type of pressure. One of the Skyhawks' forwards threw in the ball to start their teams's trip down the floor.
"Dorian" Devon called for a pick.
Devon used the screen and dribbled to the high post on the right. Lucas provided help defense to prevent the ball handler's free lane to the rim. Upon seeing this happen, Devon looked at the open Isaiah on the right wing and pretended to pass to him. Lucas scrambled to regain his defensive position on the player he's supposed to be guarding.
But instead of feeding Isaiah, Devon made a flashy no look dime to the rolling Dorian. He nutmegs Jason who was torn between the driving Devon and a slipping Dorian Cason.
Dorian received the ball and laid it up easily.
'Wow! We just got served with a nasty pass.' Lucas can't help but praise it in his mind.
The Summit cheering section was booming. Even Mitty fans voiced with ooh's and aah's.
39-34. The Skyhawks keep the lead close.
"We'll get them back." Aaron declared.
"Yeah| Let's do it| Let's go| I'll score again. His teammates replied simultaneously.
They didn't. Their opponent did instead. Isaiah dunked the ball on a fastbreak after the series of misses from both teams.
39-36. The quarter ended with that slam.
"It's gonna be a long day." Lucas sighed.