CHAPTER 58
"METEOR PASS! A GENIUS CAPABLE OF BREAKING THROUGH WALLS WITH JUST A PASS"
The buzzer's shrill echo still lingered in the air as the teams made their way to their respective benches. Fisayo's thwarted attempt at a buzzer-beater, Shalom's lightning-fast steal, and the Queens' lightning-quick counterattack had set the stage for a thrilling contest. Victoria's quick thinking had momentarily stemmed the tide, but Tosin's genius pass to Teni had ultimately sealed the quarter's fate, the three-pointer swooshing through the net like a dagger, narrowing the deficit to just two points
As the teams settled ino their benches, the air was electric with tension. Rose Newton High School led 26-24, but the Queens' hunger for victory was palpable. The question on everyone's mind: would they manage to turn the tide in the second quarter? The players' eyes locked onto their coaches, awaiting the strategies that could dictate the next chapter of this pulsating match
The energy on the Queens' bench was electric. The team eagerly listened to their Coach, Mr. Lawal, as she commended their performance, "Whoa! Incredible! What a game! Great work out there, ladies!"
Mercy, impressed by Tosin's abilities, commented, "Tosin is like Victoria's kryptonite in this game"
"Absolutely!" Eno agreed wholeheartedly
Tolu chimed in, "I'm still trying to wrap my head around Oluchi's rainbow shot, though. That was awesome!"
"Oh, that shot?" Tosin said, turning to Oluchi, she asked, "Oluchi, what did you call it again? The rainbow that what?"
With a grin, Oluchi replied, "THE RAINBOW SHOT THAT SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM AN ANGEL IN HEAVEN!"
Tosin chuckled, "Right"
Tolu, skeptical about the shot's lengthy name, questioned, "Isn't that too long for a shot's name?"
Tosin nodded in agreement, "I asked her the same question"
Oluchi replied, "Nope, it's perfect"
Mrs. Lawal then laid her strategy for the second quarter. "Alright, ladies, we are going with a totally different lineup in the second quarter. Chioma will replace Oluchi, Mercy will replace Teni, Tolu will replace Shalom, Kevwe will replace Tosin, and Mayowa will replace Eno. I don't know if they will substitute Victoria, but if they don't, we will have to score points against Victoria without Tosin for at least five minutes. Tosin needs to rest and recharge her energy. In those five minutes, please do your best, everyone!"
The Queens responded in unison, "Yes, ma'am!"
In the midst of the team's huddle, Tosin initiated a spirited countdown. "3, 2, 1, Charlie Queens! Fight!"
The Queens chorused, "YEAH!"
Meamwhile, at the Rose Newton High School Basketball Team bench, the atmosphere was heavy with anger and frustration
Coach Bankole, recognizing they had underestimated the Queens, addressed the team, "We underestimated them. Consequently, we were caught off guard by their wave of attacks. When did the Queens become this good? Last year, they weren't this good. Hmmmm. Interesting,"
"What is it, Coach?" Fisayo asked
"You see, it's impressive that the Queens have what it takes to counter Victoria. The result of that is as we see now. To think they'd figure out Victoria's weakness so soon. They deserve an award. However, did you guys notice that almost all of the Queens' attacks without Tosin were thwarted? Most of which were stopped by Victoria herself?" Coach Bankole pointed out
The Rose Newton High School Basketball Team were stunned by Coach Bankole's assertion.
"Well," Coach Bankole continued. "The only points they scored without Tosin were from Oluchi's rainbow shot. The rainbow shot takes a lot of practice. However, Oluchi sank that shot with so much confidence. It was as if she wasn't scared of missing. If Oluchi has truly mastered that shot, then we will have to worry about her as well as Tosin. As for Tosin, she should be sent to the bench in the second quarter. It'd be foolish to overuse your trump card. So I feel they'd try to conserve her in the second half. Thus, we will find out if the Queens can score against Victoria without Tosin or not in the second quarter. As for how to counter her when she returns, hmmmm. Double teaming her probably won't stop her from jumping. It's almost impossible to stop her when she jumps. Well, for now, when she returns, double team her. Ensure she doesn't roam about freely!"
"Yes, sir!" The Rose Newton High School team chorused
"Alright," Coach Bankole continued, "Rita, you will replace Fisayo; Fatima, you will replace Uzeoma; Linda will replace Feranmi; and Rebecca, you will go in for Isioma. That's all for now. Go give them hell!"
Rose Newton High School Team chorused, "YEAH!"
As the buzzer sounded, the teams returned to the court ahead of the start of the second quarter. The game was far from over and both sides were determined to give their all for the sake of victory
Stepping onto the court, the Queens' 5 sub had one last huddle before the second quarter started
"Guys," Tolu began, "I have a request to make"
"Alright, go on," Mercy said, "What is it?"
"Victoria wasn't substituted," Tolu pointed out, "Thus, just like Coach said, we will need to score points against Victoria without Tosin. So, can I trust you?"
"Huh? Ofcourse, you can," Mercy replied, letting out a small chuckle
"I'm serious!" Tolu snapped, her expression growing more serious, "This attack can only work if the pass connects. I feel it's the only way to score against Victoria without Tosin. However, it's a question of whether or not the pass connects"
"You can trust us, Tolu," Kevwe affirmed
"Alright, then. Let's have some fun," Tolu said, a warm smile spreading across her lips
As the huddle broke and the players took their position on the court, Rose Newton High School players noticed the change in the Queens' line-up
"It's just as Coach said, they substituted Tosin," Rita observed
Fatima, with a hint of skepticism, added, "Yeah. Well, let's see if the Queens can truly score without their Captain, Tosin"
As the second quarter commenced, the Queens gained possession of the ball. To Chioma's surprise, Tolu didn't advance forward to attack
"Chioma, toss the ball high up in the air for me, please," Tolu requested, prompting a concerned response from Chioma. "Huh? But…"
However, Tolu insisted, "Just do it!"
Chioma, trusting Tolu's instincts, complied, "Alright then,"
In a daring move, Tolu leaped into the air, forming a volleyball spiking pose mid-air before spiking the ball with all her might. The ball instantly cut across the full court at an incredible speed, faster than the speed of sound, toward Mayowa
The pass was too fast and powerful for Mayowa to catch, hitting her hand and going out of bounds. The entire arena fell into stunned silence as spectators struggled to process what they had just witnessed
"Ah!" Mayowa screamed in pain as the Queens rushed to her aid
"I'm sorry, Mayowa," Tolu apologized, her regret palpable
"What's the point of a pass if it can't connect?" Mercy asked, her tone laced with disappointment, "If no one can catch it, it's the worst pass ever no matter how amazing or attractive it looks"
Chioma chimed in, urging her teammates to remain calm, "Guys, calm down! This isn't the time to argue amongst ourselves!"
Spectator marveled at the speed and power of the pass
"What a pass!" Spectator 1 is speechless
"I couldn't follow it. it was too fast!" Spectator 2 said
"A basketball weighs about 700 grams." Eshe thought, "It requires consistent intense training to be able to shoot and control the ball. Yet that girl made the same ball travel the full court at that speed with just her right hand? Not even Victoria can stop an attack orchestrated with that pass. A pass capable of breaking any wall! To think the Queens had another powerful weapon up their radar. Rose Newton High School Team escaped this time because Mayowa couldn't catch it. But, it's a completely different story when the receiver is capable of catching it. That's when the true power of that deadly pass is unleeahed. It's unknown if Tosin can catch that pass. However, if somehow, Tosin manages to figure out how to catch it…."
Tosin suddenly burst into a loud laughter. Her voice echoed throughout the quiet arena as she shouted, "Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Tolu is truly a genius! That pass was amazing!" Her words caught everyone off guard, including her teammates
"Hey, Tosin, what are you talking about? There is no human alive capable of catching that pass," Oluchi retorted
Tosin, undeterred by the skepticism, replied, "Oh? Sure, it looks impossible, but is this the first time we've done the impossible? Even right now, we're shocking the entire nation, taking on one of the top 5 schools in Nigeria. We're evenly matched. Isn't that enough reason to believe?"
The Queens on the bench were stunned by Tosin's words, but Mrs. Lawal smiled, agreeing wholeheartedly with Tosin's sentiment.
"That's right, Tosin, Impossibility is nothing!" Mrs. Lawal thought
The gravity of Mayowa's injury became apparent as her broken right wrisy was bandaged, forcing her out of the game. Eno quickly returned to the court as Mayowa, teary-eyed and in pain, took a seat beside Tosin on the bench
Mayowa called out, "Tosin," her voice trembling with emotion
"Hmm?" Tosin responded, her attention focused on her injured teammate
"I heard everyone scolding Tolu, and it hurts me," Mayowa confessed. "I got hurt because I wasn't strong. I'm weak. If I had caught that pass, we would have scored. I want to be stronger"
Tosin, touched by Mayowa's resolve, replied, "Yeah, me too"
The game resumed as Rita led the charge for Rose Newton High School. Catching Chioma off guard, she unleashed a quick jump shot from behind the arc. The ball, however bounced off the rim, creating a rebounding opportunity for both teams
"Rebound!" echoed through the court as Rita, Fatima, Chioma, and Mercy yelled in unison
Eno leaped into the air, trying to grab the rebound. Victoria, however, intercepted from behind, smashing it into the hoop to the delight of the Rose Newton High School Team fans
"Tsk," Eno clicked her tongue in frustration
Chioma quickly regrouped her team, urging them to change gears and focus on attacking, "Don't worry about it! Chsnge gears! Let's attack!"
"YEAH!" The Queens chorused
In possession of the ball, Chioma initiated the Queens' attack, passing to an apparently empty space. Suddenly, Tolu materialized, punching the ball towards Mercy
Mercy, prepared to shoot, almost leaping into the air. Victoria jumped to block the shot but was deceived by Mercy's subtle fake. Seizing the opportunity, Mercy adjusted her position and executed a three-pointer. The ball swished through the hoop prompting a thunderous applause and cheers from the Queens' supporters
"Wow! That was clever, Mercy," Mrs. Lawal praised her player's quick thinking
Tosin, analyzing the play, expressed surprise at Victoria's jump. "Yes, but I'm surprised Victoria jumped. She could have stopped the shot easily without jumping"
Mrs. Lawal agreed, "Now that you mention it, I was surprised too"
Back on the court, Victoria was visibly frustrated, "Damn it! That was a mistake on my part. Why did I jump? It's all because I've been jumping nonstop since the beginning of this game. And it's all thanks to that stupid Tosin. She's the first person other than the members of the Victorious Varsity to make me jump so much in a match. To think we're just in the second quarter of this game," she thought, recognizing the challenge Tosin posed to her team's dominance
As the Rose Newton High School Basketball Team advance with the ball, their attack was abruptly halted by the Queens' unwavering defense.
In a split second, Rita called out to her teammates, "Linda! Rebecca!" locking eyes with them as if to convey a strategic signal
Rebecca and Linda sprang into action, flawlessly executing a synchronized play. Rebecca set a perfect screen behind Chioma, effectively obstructing her movement while Rita and Linda performed a swift and precise one-two pass. Rita then tossed the ball high into the air, meeting the awaiting hands of the airborne Victoria
In a desperate attempt to stop Victoria's attack,, Eno leaped into the air to challenge her
"Incredible hulk dunk!" Victoria roared as she smashed the ball through the hoop, blowing Eno away with her sheer power. The force of the dunk rattled the hoop, but it managed to remain intact
Unfazed by the display of strength, the Queens quickly resumed play with Chioma leading the charge. Despite Rita's efforts to halt their progress, Chioma managed to unleash an astounding pass that caught everyone off guard. The perfectly placed pass landed in Kevwe's grasp
"Nice, now shoot!" Tosin yelled, supporting her teammates from the bench
Still caught off guard, Kevwe quickly regained her focus and attempted a three-pointer. Victoria, however, was quick to react and successfully blocked the shot, securing the rebound
With a confident smirk, Victoria taunted her opponents, "Sorry pals, it doesn't matter if your passes catch me off guard if I'm still gonna stop your shots. You guys are too slow!"
Victoria then began dribbling through the entire Queens team, her style focusing on raw power instead of finesse. She bulldozed through the defense, causing anyone who dared to challenge her to stumble and fall. Seizing the opportunity, she leaped into the air and unleashed her signature move, the incredible hulk dunk. The sheer force of her slam dunk nearly pulled the hoop down, further showcasing her dominance on the court
The atmosphere grew tense as both teams prepared to make strategic changes in their lineups. The Queens' Coach, Mrs. Lawal, readied her trump card, calling out to Tosin and Oluchi
"Oluchi and Tosin," Mrs. Lawal called
"Ma?" Tosin and Oluchi replied in unison, their voices betraying their eagerness to contribute to the game
"Get ready. You will be going in during the next dead ball!" Mrs. Lawal instructed
"Right!" Tosin and Oluchi responded, their determination palpable
Simultaneously, Coach Bankole of Rose Newton High School Team was also making adjustments to his team. He called out to Fisayo, Uzeoma, Feranmi, and Isioma, his voice ringing out in authority
"Fisayo, Uzeoma, Feranmi, and Isioma" Coach Bankole called. out
"Sir?" Fisayo, Uzeoma, Feranmi, and Isioma replied in unison, their voices betraying their eagerness to contribute to the game
"Get ready. You will be going in during the next dead ball!" Mrs. Lawal instructed
"Yes sir" the four players responded, their determination evident in their voice
As both set of players prepared to enter the game, Chioma led the Queens in their next play. Rita, however, halted Chioma's advance in its tracks
Looking over at the bench, Chioma's brows furrowed in shock. "It seems, I'll be leaving soon," she thought to herself
Rita, perceiving Chioma's supposed distraction as an opportunity, attempted to steal the ball. "What are you looking at?" she taunted, her movement swift and calculated
Despite the pressure, Chioma displayed incredible skill and precision as she executed a pass that once again caught everyone off guard. The ball sailed through the air and landed perfectly in Eno's hands, leaving the spectators in awe of her abilities
"How is she making such high level passes?" Rita mused, her expression a mix of admiration and frustration
Eno, seizing the opportunity, leaped into the air, aiming to slam the ball into the hoop. However, the towering Victoria was there to block her shot yet again, causing the ball to bounce out of bounds
With a break in play, both teams made their substitutions. Rose Newton High School replaced Rita, Fatima, Linda, and Rebecca with Fisayo, Uzeoma, Feranmi, and Isioma. The Queens, on the other hand, substituted Kevwe and Chioma for Tosin and Oluchi
As Kevwe and Chioma took their seats, Mrs. Lawal offered them words of encouragement. "Good work, guys," she said, her pride evident in her voice
"Thank you, ma," Kevwe and Chioma responded in unison, their chests swelling with gratitude for their coach's support
Fisayo, Uzeoma, Feranmi, and Isioma stepped onto the court, joining Victoria in their team's defense. Victoria, ever the stern Captain, reminded her teammates, "Guys, no slacking off! Avoid stupid errors!"
"Right!" The four players replied in unison, their expression mirroring Victoria's seriousness
"Let's crush the Queens like we always do!" Victoria declared, further fueling their determination
"YEAH! The four player replied in unison
Meanwhile on the Queens' sid, Oluchi and Tosin joined the game. Tosin, always eager to try new things and improve, immediately requested Tolu's powerful pass. "Tolu, that pass was amazing! Please send me the pass!"
Tolu, however, refused. "No, I won't!"
Taken aback, Tosin asked, "Huh? Why?"
Tolu explained her reservations. "That pass is more like a weapon than a basketball technique. See what it did to Mayowa's hand"
Oluchi agreed, emphasizing the danger. "That's right! No human being born of a woman can catch that"
Tosin, determinied to prove her teammates wrong, assured them, "No! it's a great technique! Okay, you can trust me. I won't get hurt; rather I will catch that pass and turn it into a formidable weapon,"
Oluchi, knowing Tosin's stubbornness, sighed, "Give it a rest, girl!"
Tolu, still concerned, brought up another issue. "Trust you? Hah! That's the same thing everyone said before Mayowa got hurt. And even if you could catch it, how are we going to stop Victoria? Her incredible hulk dunk is strong enough to destroy the hoop! We can't win if we can't stop her!"
Tosin, unfazed by the challenge poised by Victoria, smiled, "Leave Victoria to me! If I can catch that pass, stopping Victoria's dunk will be a piece of cake"
Oluchi rolled her eyes. "Geez, what a stubborn Captain!"
The game resumed, with Oluchi leading the Queens' charge. Determined to kickstart her team's comeback, Oluchi leaped into the air to unleash another rainbow shot. This time, however, Victoria managed to block the shot, leaving the Queens stunned as the ball bounced out of bounds
Oluchi's eyes widened in shock. "How?"
Victoria, ever the calculating player, explained, "How? You asked? It's pretty simple. Your rainbow shot is a high arced shot. It's too high even for me. However, before it goes up into the air, it's always in your hands. It's not like you can fly. So all I had to do is block it before it goes up. With the right timing, I can stop the shot"
From the stands, Eshe thought about Victoria's defense, "Victoria, that monster, she completely shut down the Queens on her own. Nobody can stop her now. Plus, even the spectators have been silenced by her. This game is as good as over. The Queens lost again! They have potential, but right now, I don't see how they can stop Victoria and win this game"
Back on the court, Tosin's frustration was mounting. "Bring the ball here!" she screamed, her tone a mix of determination and frustration
Mercy tossed the ball towards Tosin, who received it and leaped into the air, looking to shoot a three-pointer. Victoria reacted quickly, jumping to block the shot. In mid-air, Tosin attempted a pass
"I'm sick of that technique!" Victoria knocked the ball off Tosin's hands in mid-air just before she released the pass, "Don't you have another technique in that dusty arsenal of yours?" she taunted
Fisayo grabbed the rebound and smiled, "See? You just can't beat her defense. She's a headache to her opponents"
Fisayo launched a fast break, and just when it looked like the Queens might stop the attack, she tossed the ball into the air. Victoria leaped to meet the airborne ball, but Tosin, fueled by her frustration and determination, leaped even higher to block the shot
"Incredible hulk dunk!" Victoria yelled, attempting her signature move. Tosin tried to block the shot but could only reduce the force as Victoria slammed the ball into the hoop. Thankfully, Tosin's presence prevented the hoop from being damaged by the impact
"Tolu, don't stop! From here on out, we will attack with your pass!" Tosin instructed, her expression a mix of frustration, determination, and seriousness
Looking into Tosin's eyes and noticing the unwavering resolve burning within them, Tolu couldn't help but give in
Oluchi resumed play. Surprised to see Tolu standing nearby instead of advancing to attack, Oluchi questioned her, "Tolu, what are you doing? We are attacking. Wait, don't tell me you are trying to use that pass of yours."
Tolu explained, sharing her experience and inspiration for the pass, "Hey, Oluchi. Thie inspiration I got for that pass came from a volleyball game I watched during summer. As I watched the game, I remembered Victoria and Cynthia. I thought that these girls are extremely fast, but what if we hit them with something even faster? At that point, I began to train on my own to master the pass. Each pass I attempted would walls and burst the ball, leaving me no choice but to buy a new ball. I lost count of how many balls I used during training. At a point, I thought it'd be impossible for anyone to catch the pass, but after looking into Tosin's eyes, maybe she can catch it if we try. come on, toss the ball for me"
Oluchi, though reluctant, gave in to her teammate's request. "Geez, I can't stand you girls. Alright then. Do what you want."
Oluchi tossed the ball high into the air. Tolu leaped and hit the ball with a powerful volleyball-like spike, sending it soaring across the court at a speed faster than sound
Tosin attempted to catch the superfast pass but failed as it dashed past her and ended up in the stands before she even reached the apex of her jump. She analyzed the situation, "Oh? It;'s that type of speed, huh? Just as I thought, this pass is amazing. I've got the timing now"
"Tosin," Tolu called, worry evident in her face
"Tolu, we will try again. Having seen it up close, I'm positive that I can catch it. However, we will change our strategy," Tosin said, demonstrating her unwavering resolve
Mercy Chimed in, worried about the consequences, "Tosin, what are you talking about? Tolu, I told you not to use that stupid pass again!"
Tosin addressed Mercy's concerns, saying, "Mercy, leave her alone. You're afraid that someone might get hurt. Well, as long as I'm the one who gets hurt, you don't have a problem, right?"
Tosin's words left Mercy speechless
Turning back to Tolu, Tosin shared her new strategy. "From now on, I want you to match my movements. Semd the pass after I jump. Also, send it directly to my hand"
Tolu agreed, "Right!"
Meanwhile, the Rose Newton High School Basketball Team continued to dominate the game. A successful three-pointer from Uzeoma increased their lead, adding to the Queens' mounting pressure
Spectators couldn't help but discuss the game's progress, with one saying, "The gap is getting bigger,"
Another spectator added, "I thought the Queens had a chance after their first quarter performance. Perhaps, the might of the Victorious Varsity was too much for them"
As Oluchi tossed the ball into the air, Tosin leaped, adjusting her body in mid-air in anticipation of the pass. Tolu sent the same super fast pass to Tosin's hands. The force of the pass was immense, hitting Tosin's hand and landing on rim before hitting Isioma's and going out of bounds
Reflecting on the experience, Tosin thought, "I see. I get it, now. Just like the speed, the force is also immense. Alright, testing is over. I will get the next one!"
Eshe, despite having written off the Queens earlier, couldn't help but ponder what Tosin's plan might be. "That pass is like a bullet, a rocket. There is no way a human being can catch it. But Tosin has been desperately trying to catch it. What is Tosin thinking? Well, even if she does catch the pass, she still can't stop Victoria. If the Queens have no way of stopping Victoria, they can't win this game!" she thought to herself
On the court, Oluchi questioned Tosin's actions, asking, "Tosin, what the heck are you doing?"
Tosin smiled, "I finally understand how the pass works," she said
Tosin's revelation left her teammates in shock
"The speed is one thing but the force is also immense. Don't worry, I'll score the next one," Tosin assured her teammates
"Tosin," Tolu muttered, her eyes wide with surprise
"Hey, Tolu, do you have a name for that pass yet?" Tosin asked
"Huh? A name?" Tolu asked, confused by the question
"Yes, a name. Do you have one?" Tosin asked again
Eno questioned Tosin's focus on naming the pass, "Why is that so important?"
"Well, a cool pass like that should have a cool name, wouldn't you agree?" Tosin replied
"Huh?" Eno snapped
"No, I don't have a name yet. I haven't thought about it," Tolu admitted
"Alright, how about we call it the Meteor pass?" Tosin suggested
Mercy didn't seem impressed by the name, "What a lame name," she said as the Queens burst into laughter, momentarily forgettimg the tension of the game
With only 2 seconds left in the firsthalf, Oluchi resumed play and tossed the ball high into the air for Tolu
"Meteor pass!" Tolu yelled as she leaped into the air and spiked straight into the hands of the soaring Tosin. The ball travelled from one end of the court to the other in less than a second and lamded smoothly in Tosin's hands. Tosin caught the pass this time, shocking the entire arena. She swiftly dropped the ball into the basket just as the buzzer sounded
The refereen announced, "There will be a short check to see if the shot was made before the buzzer or after the buzzer,"
As the officials reviewed the play, the arena was still trying to process Tosin's incredible feat
Eshe thought to herself, "Impossible! She caught that pass?" her eyes widened in shock
Mrs. Lawal watched with a smile, thinking, "Tosin, I've always known you were destined for greatness"
Coach Bankole admired Tosin's tenacity, "She has been giving Victoria a run for her money through out this game. I gotta admit, she's really good"
Tolu couldn't contain her excitement as she exclaimed, "Tosin, you caught the pass!"
Tosin replied, "Yeah, believe it, babe"
The Queens rushed towards the duo, jumping on them in a celebratory huddle
The referee returned to announce the result of the review. "After the review, we've confirmed that the shot was made before the buzzer. Thus, the basket stands!"
The Queens erupted in a cacophony of cheers as both teams returned to their locker rooms for halftime break. With the score standing at 49-29, the Rose Newton High School Female Basketball Team maintained a commanding lead, going into halftime