"How do you want to play?" Aaron asked again on the court, staring fixedly at the two boys in front of him.
"3 games to 21, best of 2 wins," said the African-American boy who held the ball in his hands.
"Alright," Aaron replied decisively, while taking Drew aside to discuss how they were going to play.
"Very well, friend, it's time to see how much you've improved," Aaron began to say with his arm over Drew's neck while his gaze watched the other 2 subjects who were also discussing how to play.
"I don't know, dude," Drew said, giving a hesitant look toward the 2 opponents in the other corner.
"Everything will be fine, dude, you're even taller than one of them," Aaron tried to encourage him while pointing to the boy in question, who was a forehead shorter than Drew. "You cover that one and I'll take care of the other," Aaron finished saying while patting a nervous Drew on the back.
"Alright," a hesitant Drew ended up saying while both headed back to the center.
"Ready?" asked the short boy with a friendly smile.
"Go ahead," Aaron said, preparing for the game.
"My name is Marquise, by the way," said the boy while throwing the ball toward Aaron. "Take the first possession," Marquise finished by throwing the ball toward Aaron's chest, who received it while he and his friend entered the perimeter and flexed their knees, ready to defend.
Dribbling the ball, Aaron analyzed both of their positions while watching how Drew stood like a stake in the ground, not knowing what to do.
"Move!!" Aaron shouted toward his friend, making him react, and then headed toward the corner of the hoop's perimeter.
Seeing how the taller boy headed straight to cover him and the shorter boy stayed under the hoop, Aaron couldn't pass up such an opportunity. Getting into position, he flexed his knees slightly to then jump and, at the highest point, release the ball, which traced a parabola in the air before entering cleanly into the net.
"Swishh" was the only sound that could be heard on the court at the moment the ball entered cleanly into the hoop.
"Phew," Marquise couldn't help but whistle, as he was right under the hoop seeing such a clean shot. "Not bad," he couldn't help but say before picking up the ball.
"Our turn," he said with a smile, this time with the positions inverted on the court.
Dribbling the ball, he headed quickly toward the hoop, being quickly intercepted by Aaron, who blocked his path in a straight line.
"You won't pass," Aaron said, lowering his head.
"That's what you think," Marquise said with a smile while he began to move the ball between his hands.
Moving the ball between his legs, Marquise began little by little to get closer and closer to Aaron, who received him with extended hands and his gaze fixed on the ball. "Pum Pum," the bounce of the ball against the ground was heard while both stared at each other, analyzing one another.
Taking advantage of his low center of gravity, the boy in question performed a quick spin-move to pass Aaron and have a clear path under the hoop, but before he could claim victory, Aaron reacted quickly, cutting off his direct path to the hoop. Surprised but without losing his calm, the boy made a pass to his side where his teammate was ready to receive it and make a clean shot.
2-2, score tied.
"They know how to play," Aaron thought, seeing how both played with good coordination, taking advantage of their skills. "The little one is probably a point guard," Aaron thought, seeing the ball handling the boy had. "The other could be a small forward or power forward," Aaron thought upon seeing how he penetrated the hoop and made the layup.
Grabbing the ball, Aaron threw a quick pass toward Drew, who with slight hesitation began to bounce the ball while quickly being blocked by the short boy who stuck to him like glue.
"You won't pass, dude," Marquise whispered into Drew's ear while sticking to him and pushing him away from the perimeter.
Drew, remembering what Aaron had explained to him, began to slightly flex his knees while his gaze sought Aaron, who was equally blocked by the opposing player. Heading to the right to be able to cut toward the hoop, a hand slammed against the one holding the ball, causing the ball to be lost, and before Drew could react, Marquise took the ball and quickly took distance from Drew.
"Too slow," Marquise said, jumping and throwing the ball toward the hoop. With light bounces on the rim, the ball finally went in, putting the opposing team in the lead.
2-5, current score.
With a smile, Marquise and his teammate high-fived while they prepared to resume the game.
"Let's go," Aaron encouraged, this time taking the ball and then leaning in to whisper to Drew, "Give me a screen," before resuming the game.
At the hoop this time, Marquise and his friend were more vigilant, seeing that Aaron was the true threat between the two. Giving a meaningful look toward Drew, Aaron headed straight toward the hoop, followed quickly by Marquise, who sought to hinder his path, but perhaps out of confidence or oversight, he didn't notice that Drew was heading directly toward him and putting his arms against his chest to set a screen, which was exploited by Aaron to enter the basket.
"Good attempt," said Marquise's teammate, who was now in front of Aaron ready to intercept him, but before he could fully block him, Aaron jumped, followed seconds later by the other boy. Once both were in the air, the boy in question extended his hand with the goal of blocking the layup, but to his incredulity, he saw how in the air Aaron switched hands and threw the ball without interference.
4-5, current score.
Once on the ground, Aaron headed toward Drew and began to whisper his next game plan while Marquise and his teammate discussed with furrowed brows.
"The tall one knows how to play," Marquise gave his verdict after seeing both of Aaron's plays.
"His suspension is crazy," his friend responded, remembering how Aaron stayed in the air.
"Don't even say it," was the only thing Marquise said upon remembering that play.
"Let's keep going," Marquise finished by sentencing while both separated and stood in positions ready to resume the game.
This time Aaron gave the ball to Drew while he headed under the post, ready to receive the ball in the low post. Drew, bouncing the ball, played in a more calm and paced manner this time, dribbling the ball while trying to keep Marquise at bay.
"Pass it," Aaron said, raising his hand while pushing with his body against the boy next to him who was fighting with him in the low post of the basket.
Looking toward his friend, Drew prepared to pass the ball, getting ready to release it, but at the last moment, he did something that baffled Aaron as well as the other 2 boys in question. Instead of passing the ball to Aaron, Drew made the fake of passing it only to then recover it and cut through Marquise's left side and head toward the right corner of the court.
Reacting quickly, Marquise turned as fast as he could with the goal of blocking Drew's shot, but he arrived a second late because just as he was about to reach him, he saw how Drew was already jumping and releasing the ball, which traced a parabola in the direction of the hoop.
"Pling Pling," the ball gave a few bounces against the rim before bouncing out of it, causing a rebound. Marquise's teammate jumped with the goal of getting the rebound, but before his hand even touched the ball, he saw how a faster hand reached the ball and took it.
"Plaf," Aaron's firm feet were heard as he took the rebound while flexing his knees and slightly sticking out his elbows, ready to block the opposing player, and jumped again for a dunk.
"Pum" was the final sound heard at the rim upon receiving the strong impact of the dunk from Aaron, who was still with both hands on the hoop.
Releasing the hoop and falling to the ground, Aaron turned to Drew with whom he high-fived and then laughed.
"You fooled me with that pass," was the first thing Aaron said to Drew as soon as they were together.
"I thought 3 would be better than 2 points," Drew responded, giving Aaron an apologetic smile for having fooled him.
"Are you upset?" Drew asked toward his friend.
"Not at all," Aaron said, downplaying Drew's action. "3 is better than 2," was Aaron's frank response, agreeing with Drew's thoughts toward the play. Aaron knew that every player must always seek to do what's best for the team; as long as they win, Aaron doesn't care.
6-5, current score.
After that, the game continued progressively and with quick changes of positions, the sound of the ball and the shoes being the only indications of how far the game had progressed. Without any of the 4 realizing it, a small crowd of spectators began to gather around watching the game on the court.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Aaron looked at a Drew who was in the same or even worse state than him while he wiped his sweat and tried by all means to control his breathing.
"UF, I'm tired, dude," Drew said in the middle of the 1st of the 3 games, not knowing how he would manage to play the other 2 without fainting in the process. "How much are we at?" he asked without remembering the score.
"18-15," Aaron responded, trying to speak as little as possible while regulating his breathing.
The last few minutes had been a madness of plays and shots, with neither of the two teams willing to give an inch. The biggest surprise for Aaron was not only the level of Marquise and his teammate who was beside him but also how Drew's level was even better than he thought.
While he couldn't be compared to his level or to Marquise's and his teammate's and he made mistakes at certain moments, if you consider that it's only his first game after a training session, you could appreciate the potential he has. Maybe he couldn't be a starting point guard yet, but he could easily become a reliable 6th man in the game; he just needed to polish his shot and his game awareness.
"Ok," Aaron began while approaching Drew. "This time it depends on you. I'll draw them in while you shoot from outside the perimeter," Aaron finished, looking seriously at Drew, who became nervous at what his friend said.
"Are you sure?" Drew asked, swallowing hard, not expecting that winning this game would depend on him.
"Relax, dude, there are still 2 more games to play," Aaron responded, trying to calm his friend and alleviate the pressure.
"Fine," was the last thing Drew said, taking the basketball and dribbling it, hoping the sound of the ball would calm him. "You can do this," Drew thought, remembering what Aaron had told him about the shot.
Resuming the game, Aaron approached the hoop more aggressively while Marquise's teammate tried to block him, but as he applied more force, it was seen how the boy in question struggled to push him.
Seeing that, Marquise decided to go and support his teammate, but the moment his sight lost Drew for a second, he saw out of the corner of his eye how Drew jumped high. With horror in his gaze, Marquise approached and jumped as high as his legs allowed him to with the goal of altering Drew's jump.
But it was a heartbeat too late; the moment he rose, he saw how Drew reached the highest point of his jump and released the ball. Tracing a more prominent and elevated arc than the previous ones, the heads of the 4 followed the ball, which headed toward the hoop, waiting for the result of the basket that would decide if the game would continue or end at that very moment.
Author thoughts
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