The arena roared like thunder. The lights shined down on Royal Court as they jogged onto the hardwood. Their next elimination opponent stood across the court: Crimson Vipers, a fierce club known for lightning-fast breaks and a venomous three-point game. Their captain, Victor Kane, was infamous for hitting deep shots as if the basket were magnetized.
Coach Tunde pulled the squad into a tight huddle."Listen up. Crimson Vipers thrive on speed. They'll try to outrun you, bait you into turnovers, and punish with quick threes. Stick to discipline, keep the ball moving, and when it comes down to the wire—trust each other."
King nodded firmly. "We've got this."Treasure grinned. "Just give me the ball when it matters most."Cadel's eyes burned with focus, Jasmine cracked her knuckles, and Mia tied her ponytail tighter.
The game began.
First Quarter: The Snake's Bite
The Vipers struck first. Victor drilled two threes back-to-back, and their guards sliced into the paint like arrows. The scoreboard lit up: 20–8. Royal Court looked rattled.
King answered with a drive and-one, pounding his chest as the crowd erupted. Jasmine picked Victor's pocket and hit a transition jumper. Slowly, Royal Court clawed back, ending the quarter trailing 30–26.
Second Quarter: Venom Spreads
The Vipers accelerated. Their offense was chaos—screens, step-backs, no-look passes. They rained threes from the arc, forcing Royal Court to scramble. At one point, they led by 15.
Coach Tunde called timeout. His voice thundered:"Calm down! Defense first! Don't play their game—make them play yours!"
The switch flipped. Mia locked down her matchup, stripping the ball clean and sparking a fast break. Cadel lobbed it to Jasmine, who finished with a silky layup. Treasure drilled a corner three to cut it to 65–60 by halftime.
Third Quarter: King's Takeover
King exploded out of the locker room. He bullied his way inside for buckets, then swatted a shot into the stands to fire up the crowd. "NOT IN HERE!" he roared.
But Victor answered, trading blow for blow with deep threes. Every Royal Court bucket was answered. The quarter ended knotted at 100–100.
Fourth Quarter: Down to the Wire
The game turned into pure chaos. Every possession mattered. Jasmine's passing picked apart the Vipers' defense, while Treasure hit clutch shots to keep them alive.
With 10 seconds left, Royal Court trailed 222–220. Timeout.
Coach Tunde looked at Treasure."This is your shot."
The play was drawn: King would drive, draw the double, then kick to Treasure in the corner.
The whistle blew. The ball was inbounded. King dribbled hard, attracting two defenders. The arena held its breath. He whipped the ball to Treasure—wide open in the corner.
Treasure rose, released the shot… the buzzer echoed…
SWISH!
Final Score: 223–222. Royal Court wins.
The arena exploded into chaos.
Treasure barely had time to land before Cadel and King tackled him to the floor, shouting at the top of their lungs."LET'S GO!!" King roared, pounding Treasure's back."You're insane, bro!" Cadel laughed, his face lit up with disbelief.
From the bench, Ebun screamed with pure joy, her voice cutting through the roar of the crowd. She jumped up and down, waving her arms wildly, "YES! YES! YES!!"
Before Treasure could even catch his breath, Jasmine darted forward and wrapped her arms around him tight, her smile brighter than the arena lights."You did it, Tre!" she shouted in his ear, refusing to let go.
On the sideline, Mia covered her mouth with her hands, tears streaming down her face. She looked at King, who was still hugging Treasure, and whispered through the noise, "We're really going to the next round… we actually did it."
Coach Tunde stood with arms folded, a proud smile tugging at his lips. "That's my boys… that's Royal Court."
The crowd chanted their name over and over. Treasure lay on the hardwood, overwhelmed, staring up at the ceiling as his teammates surrounded him. In that moment, it wasn't just a win. It was proof. Proof they could take on anyone. Proof they belonged among the legends.