CHAPTER 223: CHAPTER 210: THE PRACTICE MATCH

Coach Ron, standing tall in his Piedmont Spartans jacket, surveyed the Vorpal Basket team with a calm, critical gaze. "Now that you all are here..." His words trailed as he let the silence stretch, the weight of his presence making even Coach Fred shift nervously.

Ethan’s eyes flicked to Coach Fred, who looked like a slightly embarrassed, overweight man trying to atone for past mistakes. Fred forced a smile and extended his hand. "Coach Ron," he said, shaking firmly.

Ron nodded once, acknowledging the gesture without breaking his calm demeanor.

Ethan turned toward his team, catching Lucas’s wide, sunny grin. "Ethan... I’m excited to play with you again, after you being out for a week." Lucas said, eyes bright with honest enthusiasm.

"Well, me too," Ethan replied with a grin, feeling the familiar warmth of his teammate’s energy.

Before the mood could settle, a new voice cut through.

"You all are here... nice having you." said a tall boy with a composed aura. Ethan recognized him instantly: Darius "Steady D" Coleman, captain of the Piedmont Spartans. His handshake was firm but controlled, radiating quiet confidence. Ethan shook it, analyzing the subtle cues of his posture.

"Meet my team." Darius continued, gesturing to his starting five.

Ethan’s eyes scanned each player methodically, his basketball system overlay quietly ticking in his mind, assessing stats, strengths, and weaknesses in a near-instantaneous analysis.

Piedmont Spartans – Starting Lineup:

Darius "Steady D" Coleman – Point Guard (Captain)

Calm under pressure, excellent court vision, clutch decision-making.

Strengths: Passing, ball-handling, reading defenses.

Weaknesses: Limited scoring range, moderate speed.

Skills: Precision Pass, Steady Drive

(System Note: Key playmaker. Neutralize or bait into overcommitting.)

Malik "Flash" Johnson – Shooting Guard

Quick, agile, natural scorer, excels in fast breaks.

Strengths: Layups, mid-range shooting, speed.

Weaknesses: Defense inconsistent.

Skills: Lightning Layup, Sneaky Steal

(System Note: Spark plug. Can turn turnovers into points instantly.)

Tyler "Skywalker" Brooks – Small Forward

Athletic, high vertical, versatile.

Strengths: Dunking, rebounding, perimeter defense.

Weaknesses: Ball-handling under pressure.

Skills: Jump Hook, Rim Protector

(System Note: Athletic wildcard. Needs containment near paint.)

Cody "Tank" Wilson – Power Forward

Strong, determined, dominant inside.

Strengths: Rebounding, inside scoring, setting screens.

Weaknesses: Slow on perimeter, limited agility.

Skills: Power Drive, Brick Wall

(System Note: Anchor of interior. Force him into perimeter play.)

Brandon "Brick" Thompson – CenterTallest on team, strong rim protector.

Strengths: Shot-blocking, rebounding, close-range scoring.

Weaknesses: Poor ball-handling, slow on fast breaks.

Skills: Shot Blocker, Rebound King

(System Note: Physical intimidation. Exploit mobility weakness.)

Ethan shifted his weight, taking mental notes. (Okay... Darius is calm and smart, the real threat comes from the PG-SG combo. Brick and Tank are predictable if we keep pace. Skywalker is athletic... Lucas, I’ll need your backup on him.)

Lucas leaned in slightly, whispering, "Looks like fun, right?"

Ethan smirked, nodding. (Yeah... time to see if my system and instincts can keep up with a full team like this.)

Coach Fred fumbled with a clipboard, muttering, "Alright, let’s... uh, show them what we’ve got, team..."

Darius raised an eyebrow, a small smirk crossing his face. "We’ll see how steady you really are."

The tension settled like a charged wire across the court, each team sizing the other up. Ethan’s fingers itched to dribble, (One step at a time... but every movement counts. Let’s see if they can handle our pace.)

...

..

After minutes

Evan Cooper stepped forward, adjusting his wristband and nodding at Ethan. "Let’s keep our tempo clean. No overcommitting. We control the floor, we control the game."

(Smart... as always. Good, Evan. I can trust the floor general to read the plays), Ethan mused silently, giving a subtle nod in return.

Louie, never one to miss a chance to stir things up, leaned toward Kai with a mischievous grin. "Bet you can’t keep up with me in a dribble race after this!"

Kai chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Ha! Keep dreaming, Louie. I might just embarrass you in front of the new team."

Coonie Smith snorted from the bench, tossing a water bottle between his hands. "If you two turn this into a circus, I swear I’m switching sides... straight to their team." His sarcasm drew a few stifled laughs from the group.

Brandon Young, the quiet anchor in the paint, just shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Just... don’t get too distracted. Focus on the fundamentals first."

Ryan Taylor leaned against the wall, folding his arms with a sly grin. "Yeah, or Louie will make you all look bad before the first tip-off. I’ve seen it happen."

Josh Turner adjusted his sneakers, eyes narrowing slightly. "I’ll just... make sure the perimeter coverage is solid. Don’t need surprises on the court."

Aiden White tapped his palm against the ball lightly, bouncing it in rhythm with his heartbeat. "I’ll support wherever needed. Let’s just make sure we’re ready for anything they throw at us."

From the sidelines, Ayumi Brooke watched closely, clipboard in hand. Her eyes softened when they lingered on Lucas and Ethan. (They’re pushing each other... like always. But I know they’ll keep each other safe out there. I have to make sure the rest of the team is ready too.) She adjusted her pen, jotting down notes on defensive setups, offensive rotations, and quick transitions.

Lucas leaned slightly toward Ethan, whispering, "You ready for this? They look solid."

(Yeah... let’s see if our teamwork can handle their coordination. Time to push the system to its limits), Ethan thought, giving Lucas a small nod. "I’m ready. Let’s see how they play."

Louie piped up loudly, "Hey, don’t forget me! I’m fast, I’m furious, and I’ve got streetball style that’ll confuse their brains!"

Coonie snorted again. "You mean you’ll confuse yourself."

Kai laughed, shaking his head. "Ignore them, Ethan. Just... watch for the unexpected. They might try to throw us off."

(Good point. Kai’s awareness is solid... everyone’s energy is high. Let’s channel it into precision, not chaos), Ethan thought.

Ayumi called out from the sideline, voice calm but firm. "Focus, team. Keep your spacing, communicate, and remember—look out for each other. This isn’t just about scoring points; it’s about synergy. Lucas, Ethan—you two set the rhythm. Everyone else follows and supports."

Lucas gave her a respectful nod. "Got it. Don’t worry, Ayumi—we’ve got this."

Ethan felt a spark of reassurance at Ayumi’s words. (She’s always watching, always calculating... keeps us grounded. We won’t let her—or ourselves—down.)

Brandon muttered quietly to Ryan, "With Ethan and Lucas leading, this could get interesting..."

Ryan smirked. "Interesting? Yeah. Hopefully fun and not chaotic."

Josh leaned slightly toward Aiden. "Alright, let’s keep our heads in the game. I don’t want surprises like last practice."

Aiden nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "No surprises we can’t handle. We’ve got each other’s backs."

The team huddled briefly, hands stacking together. "Vorpal Basket on three!" Lucas shouted.

"One... two... three!"

"VORPAL BASKET!"

The echo of their unified voices bounced across the gym, a mixture of energy, determination, and camaraderie. Each player’s eyes were locked, not just on the opposing team, but on each other.

(This is it. Every move, every pass, every shot counts. Let’s show them what teamwork really is), Ethan thought, gripping the ball lightly.

On the opposite side, the Piedmont Spartans were already positioning themselves, bouncing the ball with precise rhythm, their eyes scanning Vorpal Basket like predators sizing up prey. Darius "Steady D" Coleman adjusted his wristband, his calm composure radiating confidence. Malik "Flash" Johnson spun the ball on his finger with a grin, ready to unleash his speed at a moment’s notice. Tyler "Skywalker" Brooks stretched, legs extending in a wide split, testing his vertical reach. Cody "Tank" Wilson stomped lightly, letting his teammates know he was anchored and ready in the paint. Brandon "Brick" Thompson simply stood tall, arms crossed, a silent wall of intimidation.

Coach Ron, standing at the sideline in his signature gray blazer, observed the scene with the calm, dangerous poise of a seasoned strategist. Beside him, Coach Fred fidgeted slightly, attempting to hide his nerves behind a forced smile.

"Coach Ron," Fred said, extending his hand once more. "I... I’m glad you could make it. It means a lot to have your insight for this match."

Ron shook his hand firmly, eyes scanning both teams. "I’ve seen your players. Strong, but predictable in moments. Ethan Albarado and Lucas Graves... those two are anomalies. The rest of the team is solid, yes—but the system revolves around them."

(Fred... stay calm. Don’t let him see your doubt), Fred thought, straightening his posture. "Yes... they’ve been training hard. We hope to see them excel today."

Ron’s gaze flicked toward the Spartans, then back to Fred. "Your side has potential, but remember—your role here isn’t to compete directly. You’re guiding. They’ll need structure, but also freedom. Oversteer them, and the match slips out of your control."

Fred nodded, swallowing. "Understood."

The referee, clipboard in hand, nodded toward both sides. "Teams ready?" His tone was neutral, professional. A whistle rested against his lips, ready to signal the start.

Darius raised his head, scanning the Vorpal Basket team with his characteristic calm. "Let’s keep this clean. Play smart, support each other." His voice carried authority, but also encouragement for his teammates.

Malik bounced the ball again, leaning toward Tyler and Cody. "Speed and paint—let’s control the rhythm. Keep ’em guessing."

Tyler smirked, "Let’s see if their star small forward can keep up with my vertical."

Cody’s grin was slow and steady. "And I’ll make sure he regrets stepping into the paint."

On Vorpal Basket’s side, Ethan’s eyes flicked to the Spartans, scanning each player with his basketball system. (Steady D... calm leader. Flash... speedster. Skywalker... athletic and unpredictable. Tank and Brick... anchors in the paint. I need Lucas to handle mimicry and Evan to orchestrate the tempo. Everyone else supports. Simple—but lethal if coordinated.)

Lucas nudged Ethan lightly, bouncing the ball with casual ease. "Ready to make them sweat?"

Ethan smirked, eyes narrowing. "Always."

Coach Ron gave a subtle nod toward the referee, his expression unreadable. Fred followed suit, trying to mirror calm authority. The referee raised his whistle.

(Here it comes... the first tip-off. Every detail counts.) Ethan thought, tightening his grip on the ball.

The gym felt electric, the tension between the two teams palpable. Every bounce of the ball, every shuffle of sneakers, was a heartbeat in the looming storm of the practice match.

To be continue