The players came back on the floor, lights burning down, crowd noise smashing like waves. This second half felt more like a final than an opener. Both sides stood in the same way they had before halftime. No switches, no safety net.
The commentators rode the sound.
"Blacklist rolling with the same starting five here in the second half. That's a little risky; they let the Diggers back in it. You'd figure Jinzo or Mac might get a run for some fresh legs, but not this time. Looks like Blacklist will rely again on their captain."
The second commentator backed him up.
"Yeah, it's unusual, but maybe they want consistency. Keep the rhythm, trust the five that started. Could just be a strategy to steady things out."
"And the Diggers aren't changing either. They're betting Salida keeps him chained."
On the bench, Daliah leaned toward Victoria.
"Shouldn't we throw Jinzo and Mac back in this quarter? To balance things a little?"
Victoria didn't lift her eyes from the clipboard.
