Silas said looking at Harley, Jake and Kyran leave "do they even practice outside of matches?"
Lucas sighed "no they don't. But one day they will fall behind." Lucas picked the ball up from by the net. "But who ever said we all didn't practice," Lucas said passing the ball to Silas. "Now let's find ways for you to use your natural ability to misdirect people." Silas nodded. "First we need to work on the foundation do you know how at least bounce the ball more than once." Silas nodded again bouncing the ball continuously as proof.
"I can't shoot through," Silas said. "I won't be much help until then."
"How said," Lucas smiled. "You don't need to be able to shoot to be useful. We will work on shooting later first lets get some passes only you could do." Silas passed the ball back to Lucas swinging his arm while doing it. The ball curved round and to Lucas. "Well that's one." Lucas smiled, "now use the bottom of your fist to hit the ball back to change it's direction. Like this." Lucas threw the ball at the ball and when it bounced back he slammed the bottom of his fist into it changing it's direction to go behind him.
Silas received the pass and then tried himself. His first try he missed, second missed, third contact the ball. Suddenly both of their phones buzzed. "Notification for basketball club, green road school have challenged you to a game. Tomorrow at midday. Your classes are optional before the time."
"Well isn't that surprising," Silas said. "How they know about the club when it just was created again."
"Nico," Lucas said, "he must of been the one to challenge them. The club isn't even fully ready as by the basketball association we need 6 players to enter the high school basketball competition. We should start packing up we need to be ready for tomorrow."
"Alright," Silas said. "Got to admit though you noticed me even when we played and the others didn't. You have good eyes."
"Well," Lucas started. "I might just be my glasses noticing a distortion in the space where you are." Both of them walked out the gym and Lucas locked it behind them. "How about we jog back to are houses then we will have slightly better stamina," Lucas suggested.
"Why not," Silas replied. Both started Jogging but it was obvious Lucas was slowing to Silas's speed. "What do you four even play for?" Silas asked.
Lucas looked surprised, "well never really thought about that. I guess to have fun. I don't know way the others do though." Silas smiled, "I started playing to find someone that could truly see me then I came to this school thinking no one ever would. But then you appeared and noticed me." Right as Silas finishes they both had to go other direction to each.
Morning came quick the others had gotten the notification about the game that morning as they ignored it until Lucas mentioned it after Jake was dreading about going to science. "Where's Silas?" Nico asked when the group arrived. All of them didn't know until Lucas pointed to beside himself. Silas had been standing there for the last half an hour. "He has been next to us for half an hour," Lucas said.
"Oh," Nico sounded surprised. "Well you need to get into the basketball kit I got before you go to lesson if you're going to lesson." They started walking to the changing rooms and Nico started going over the plan. "So Lucas your incharge of Silas as only you seem to see him constantly, Harley go are to get everyone close to the hoop. Jake you can go into the paint unless you need to block a shot, rebounding or dunking otherwise it's a violation. Kyran shoot as many threes as possible." Nico looked around and fround. "And if Silas is in here your invisible to almost everyone so you need to help with passes. People will notice you if you have the ball." Nico then noticed Lucas looking at him but slightly down. Nico jumped as he noticed that Silas was right under him.
After three hours of lessons, considering Lucas wouldn't allow the others to miss lessons, the team was all standing in front of green road school. The drive had been long taking an hour but they were there. The school was big. It spanded most of green road but luckily the basketball court was in the middle of the school. Other than the school's size it wasn't anything special like some schools where the world miracles appeared. 6 players that could only be beaten by each other. As soon both teams stepped into the court everyone was cheering for green road. No one came from Hudders school (Lucas, Harley, Jake, Kyran, and Silas's school) to watch them play.
The whistle blew signaling the games start. Jake jumped into the air but Neil, green roads centre, won the ball. "You don't even jump high this game will be easy," Neil said instantly annoying Jake. Green Road's point guard, Fred, got the ball and started dribbling. But that didn't last long. The ball flew from Fred's control and Lucas already where it was going. Fred looked at where the ball was and for a split second Silas appeared. Lucas instantly passed to Silas who curved the pass back to Lucas. "What the?" Kyran shouted, "Lucas usually works best with Harley so how is Lucas and Silas linking a play like this." Fred moved to block Lucas's path but Lucas burst forward faster. "Neil don't let them them near the hoop they are all short rang shooters I've seen them play in primary. Only their Small Forward has a long range shot. Jake was stood just outside the paint waiting but clearly wanted to get back at Neil. So Lucas throw the ball just to the right of the hoop. Jake jumped into the paint and dunked the ball right on Neil. "What's that for not having a high jumping," Jake said sarcasticly.
The ref blew the whistle, "number nine green road Neil in paint for more than ten seconds so violation." Jake had moved out the point quick enough so he wasn't caught. The score was now 2:0. Hudders scored for the first time in history. "Since when Hudders have good players?" Fred questioned.
Lucas walking to mark him said "Since us 5 joined." Neil passed the ball to Fred who jumped to catch it. Kyran went to help Lucas deal with Fred. But Fred thread the ball through Kyran and Lucas's legs before switching to his left hand. "By the time this game is over the won't be able to leave this your dignaty," Fred said as his dribbling caused Silas and Harley to fall. Jake got back quicker than Fred expected. "I was going to equal the score but I guess winning from the beginning is better," Fred said as he pushed his body back into a fade away shot. Swish. Score becoming 3:2 to green road. Jake picked the ball up to restart he needed to pass to someone who could get to the hoop. Then he remembered Nico's plan. He passed the ball straight to Harley. Harley rushed towards. "You can drive past me," the small forward of green road, John, said. It seemed like Harley was going to drive past until he suddenly brought the ball back past his back and then driving. John didn't expect this and went the complete wrong way. Harley got pass the three point line. Kyran and Lucas called for a pass being completely open. But Harley still tried to shoot with Neil in front of him. It was going to be blocked. Suddenly the ball disappeared from Harley's hand and went to Kyran. Silas had just managed to reach preventing a tern over. Kyran shot from beyond the three point line. Swish. The ball went in. 5:3 to Hudders. "Why didn't you pass?" Jake shouted at Harley, "if Silas hadn't got to you it would have been a tern over." Harley did answer. After 8 more minutes then break began. "Right the scores only 18:16 to green road but we can still win this." Nico spoke, "you done good anyway even if we lose you all done better than all of are school's clubs."
"We told you we wouldn't lose," Lucas stood up. "So we aren't losing. I'm changing the plan now we only go for Kyran's threes but if we can't get to Kyran it's up to Jake and me to get as many twos as possible. Silas you keep doing what you're doing."
"What about me," Harley asked.
"Currently I can't see a good plan with you that doesn't result in a turn over." Lucas's word was final. So the plan was used. Lucas started with the ball he had watched Harley carefully for years and he knew how Harley played. Suddenly for a single second Harley appeared where Lucas was but it was only Lucas. Lucas went to drive to the net. But as soon as Fred stepped in front he brought the ball back and behind his back driving the other side. Everyone looked surprised it was just what Harley had done in the first few minutes. But instead of shooting he passed to Silas while looking at Jake. Silas had his back to Kyran. Everything seemed to slow to Silas as her rose his fist hitting the bottom of his fist against the ball redirecting it to Kyran. Silas had been at an outdoor court after he left Lucas practiceing. Lucas only knew this as he saw through his window that Silas actually lived right next to him. The pass got to Kyran successful and he drained another three. Fred said astonished "a Gong pass that's hard to pull off. If I remember correctly only 10 people can put the force into it. Guess that is now 11. Good thing you Lucas can't pull it off."
"That you know of," Lucas replied. Both teams continued to score but the score quickly turned back and forth. By half time the score was 36:27 to green road. Back at the break road Nico was very surprised. "If we win this," Nico said carefully. "It would be the first for the school. Who knows we might get a 6th member to join. But Lucas i have one question how did you use Harley's move without practicing it?" Lucas looked up at the roof and said "I knew the fundamentals of it. He used it on me almost every time we did a 1 v 2 with Harley and Jake against me. And now I know it's counter."
In the other break room Fred punched the wall. "How," he shouted. "How did he copy Harley. Even when Lucas played football (Soccer for those from USA) he was always on defence so what changed." John tried calming Fred down, "it has been 6 weeks since you and him were in primary. He definitely changed his style." Fred didn't calm "no he's a copier but he never used it before until he started basketball."
"Meaning," Neil asked.
"Only one other player in basketball can copy," Fred stared at John's basketball Prodigy book. "The world miracle's point guard Dave. If Lucas understands his actual skill he'll rise fast but have no skill that's truly his." After everyone exited the break rooms John went straight to Lucas. "you know if you only rely on perfect copies of others you won't have a skill of your own." John said as a fact. Lucas just smiled "I don't know how my copy works cause it's different to who ever else has it. Also my dribbling is mine, my speed, jump height and strength all mine. I will always have something that's mine. But I will say this one day I'll beat Dave and show that no matter who they are they have a weakness." Lucas walked back to the court. Tip off began and it looked like Neil would win tip off again until Jake reached higher. Lucas's way of giving hope to the team always worked. As long as they won the school would no longer be looked down on. And they had a promise to keep. The ball landed Infront of Lucas. Zion, green roads power forward, and Fred instantly went to pressure Lucas but Lucas never touched the ball. Instead Silas grabbed it and drived to the hoop but got blocked halfway there. Lucas was at the three point line. "John I should tell you your overhead shot is easy to work out." Silas threw the ball to Lucas. Lucas caught it, jumped and pulled it behind his head as it throwing. Swish. It went in. 36:30 to Green Road.