“They need two shots to win” Selene shook her head. She’d never been more interested in the sport. That was some save by the twins, she thought. With the ball that high, no one could block it. It travelled the needed distance as fast as it could. Once there, Logan and Jae handled the rest.
“Now, my stomach feels funny,” Alex complained. Her breathing labored a bit, “These two minutes better finish quickly. I don’t think I can last longer than that.”
A North Valley player went to the outer court and passed the ball back into the game. His teammate caught it. Max blocked him from behind, keeping him and the ball in place. Jae also took a side. This way they could control his movements.
Logan immediately went into action. He jogged over to the blind spot. Side stepping, he snatched the ball and jumped. He was suspended in the air with his legs apart. It wouldn’t give him a smooth landing but, at least, it kept opponents away.
Then, he dunked the ball into the basket.
61-62
1.5 minutes left.
“Aaahhh…!” Selene squealed. She bounced on her heels, clapping at the display. None of the players even reached the three point line before Woodlands scored another 2 points. Their supporters stood up and waved their long balloons. Shouts and cheers encouraged the team to take the last shot.
Alex let out a breath. She didn’t know that she held it in all this time. The clock continued to move. The ball had been taken to the other half of the court. She let go of the camera and kept her hands closed to her chest.
Both teams ran back and forth. They passed the center circle multiple times. Red foxes intended to keep the lead. What they aimed for was to keep the ball away from their opponents. Any shot at the basket was still welcomed.
Chipmunks had the same goal—except they only wanted one shot at the basket. They needed the gap of seconds to be too short for the other team to catch up. There shouldn’t be enough time to run over to the other side and make a shot. A shot near the center circle wasn’t impossible.
They couldn’t risk anything more than 5 seconds of gap.
If possible, a buzzer beater was their ideal option.
Furrowing her eyebrows, Alex rethought the bet. Wouldn’t winning for the team be the priority instead of a bet? How much faith did the team have in order to cooperate with Logan’s shenanigans? Why did Logan need to win the bet? Would he really risk the championship for a buzzer beater?
Felix’s voice broke her out of her reverie.
“Oh! That was some slide! A bad move for the red foxes,” He exclaimed, “Logan now gets a free throw for their team. If he makes this basket, they would be in the lead.”
Alex snapped her head towards the free throw line at the other side. She glanced at the clock. There was still half a minute left before the game ended. An ominous feeling clouded her.
His back facing her, Logan dribbled the ball. He held the ball with the tips of his fingers. He gnashed his teeth. He wasn’t allowed to stall during a free throw. He had to shoot within ten seconds.
Then, he’d have to make it the time count.
He lifted the ball and stared at the basket. Elbows raised, he got ready and inhaled. The countdown reached less than 20 seconds. He stretched his arms to have the ball overhead. He only needed to flip his hands.
The scowl on his face made him seem deep in thought.
Alex knew better.
He would toss it with 2 seconds to spare—
“Logan!” She yelled. She cupped her hands around her mouth, “Shoot or I’ll shoot you myself!”
The ball left his possession and hit the ring. It toppled off and landed on the floorboard.
61-62
15 seconds left.
Alex cursed. Using one hand, she gripped the front of her hair. She hissed through gritted teeth. Of course, he’d miss! 15 seconds was still a lot of time for the red foxes to suddenly change the score. They’d be more aggressive at seizing the lead. That’s why Logan let them keep it until the final second.
He wanted them to relax.
Then, they could pull off a surprise attack.
She knew it! She had known it and yet…
Why…
… the hell…
… would Logan risk a free throw?
Bet or no bet, the team had trained for this day. They spent hours, days and weeks for this championship. They had given their best at every game to get here. They sweated buckets and lived through muscle pains. They constantly pushed their limits to grow stronger and better.
For the seniors, it would be their last game.
For the new members, it would be their first championship.
Alex buried her face in her hands. She couldn’t bear to see the rest. This was her fault. If they lost, it would be on her shoulders. It was just a stupid bet! Why did Logan have to take it so seriously?!
“10 seconds left on the clock!” Henley informed the audience, “Then, it’s all over, folks!”
Logan couldn’t hear him. He didn’t hear the crowd either. The sensors in his ears blocked them out. The ball was in his possession, dribbling it in one place. He only listened to the opponents near him.
He counted to three.
7 seconds left.
He leaped out of their reach and crossed the centerline. He faked a left and walked around them. One still stayed on his tail. He squinted his eyes, aiming the ball between that player’s legs. It passed through and landed in Jae’s hands.
2.5 seconds left.
Logan did another roundabout, taking the ball back. He leaped towards the three point line and jumped. The ball soared through the court. It headed straight for the basket. It hit nothing on its way. The net swayed as it fell.
It hit the floor, bouncing back up.
It was a perfect shot.
64-62
0 seconds left.
The buzzer reverberated inside the gym.
Felix stood up, knocking his chair backwards. He pumped two fists in the air and whooped. His throat had gone dry, “And that is it, ladies and gentlemen! Chipmunks takes home the championship! Beautiful teamwork by the twins! Logan had made the winning shot! Totally making up for the missed free throw!”
A snort responded to him, “He shouldn’t have missed at all.”
“Woooo…!” Max screamed. He ran for the twins and trapped them into a hug. The rest of their team came at once. They crowded around their best players, admiring them for the execution of the strategy. Their coach headed for the judges table, representing their school for the trophy.
Woodlands Academy supporters went wild. The drum banged its loudest. Balloons popped for victory. Teens jumped on the benches, thudding along the drumbeat. Close family and friends of the team headed for the court.
“Hell yeah!” Emily yelled beside Lauren. She didn’t want to sit with the adults and joined the cheer squad. Their captain was more than happy to welcome her, “This is the second best thing I’ve seen today! The first being Colin’s twerking moves.”
The Chipmunk mascot merely shrugged his shoulders, “That fox challenged me to one. I wasn’t about to let both basketball and cheer teams down. So, I gave it all I got.”
Lauren chuckled. She shifted her attention to Emily, “You recorded that, right?”
“Of course I did!”
“Make sure to give me a copy.”
Carla raised her hand, trying to catch the attention of their friends. The crowd around them was packed. They couldn’t find an opening and stayed off court, “Guys! Your top fans are over here!”
They probably couldn’t hear it but it was worth a try.
Not a second later, Jae broke through the cramped space. He couldn’t tell how many people he talked to. A number of them congratulated him as the team captain. He thanked them politely and left. He let Max hold the trophy for everyone to see.
He had other things in his mind.
Emily had just taken one step when a pair of arms wrapped around her.
Jae had hugged her from behind, spinning her around. She squealed and tucked her knees in. She didn’t want to accidentally hit anyone. They spiraled towards the court while their companions watched from the side lines.
He released her.
Feeling dizzy, Emily opened her mouth to scold him.
She failed as his lips captured hers.
Their spectacle didn’t go unnoticed.
“And there they are! My bride and groom!” Felix howled, “Team Captain Jae, receives his congratulatory kiss from his fair maiden. I can almost see cherry blossom petals raining down. We should add a Kiss Cam next year. It would make things a lot more interesting.”
Henley chuckled, “I’m sure it might but that decision belongs to the administration. If anyone else has a suggestion, please do not hesitate to use our Suggestion Board at the school’s website.”
“Prepare a project proposal while you’re at it” Devin added.
“Anyway, that’s all for today, folks! Enjoy the rest of your day!” Felix quickly concluded the commentary, “See you at the next championship!”
Jae grinned down at Emily. He had his hands on her waist. He ignored the attention around them and pinned her close to him. He had seen her join the cheer squad in their routines. He wasn’t about to let another guy pursue her.
Even if she hit him, he couldn’t let that happen.
Huffing, Emily crossed her arms over her chest, “I’ll let this one slide since you won a championship.”
It was a happy occasion. She knew better than to ruin it. Not to mention, the adults were probably watching. She couldn’t create a ruckus unless she wanted them involved. Heaven knew that they could take things seriously even if she was only joking.
“Hey, hey, hey! You’re not the only ones capable of romantic moments!” Colin remarked. He had his hands on his hips. The chipmunk mask kept its happy expression. He marched over to Lauren’s side and swept her off her feet—bridal style.
“Ah!” She yelped in reply. The chipmunk costume cushioned her back. It reminded her of a blanket. She giggled at Colin’s antic and kissed the chipmunk’s cheek.
Carla shook her head, smiling. Oh, how love can make a person do silly things. She craned her neck and looked at the mass of people. Max was the easiest to spot since his teammates carried him on their shoulders. That image would end up in the paper. She was sure of it.
“Where’s Logan?” She wondered, scowling.
She completed a turn but didn’t find him. She would have thought it would be him instead of Max under the spotlight. A buzzer beater wasn’t something people see everyday. It was a smooth one too. He should be acknowledged more.
She checked the other side of the gym. Selene stood among the other newspaper members. They chatted among themselves while a few still captured moments into photos. There wasn’t a sign of Logan being interviewed. Where could he be then?
A thought ran in Carla’s head.
Her eyebrow arched.
“Where’s Alex?”
