Arwin (Win) is infatuated with Lovely (Love) but there is one major obstacle; Lovely's stone-cold elder brother who is the team captain of the University's basketball team, Bryden (Bright). Arwin joins the men's basketball team in an effort to win o...
This is purely a work of fiction. The names of real persons, places, and organizations used in this chapter are for creative purposes only and in no way reflect real-life interactions and connections between said personalities. The other names used in this chapter are also fictional and similarities to any person living or otherwise are purely coincidental. Everything written in this chapter is just a product of the author's penchant for the dramatic and the creative.
Fadeaway shot - a jump shot taken while jumping backward, away from the basket.
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"Ibarra, 2 free throws,"
The game is down to its final 30 seconds. It's a tied ballgame at 88 all. Arwin is again at the free-throw line, trying to even his breathing after taking a hard fall due to an overeager defender.
Bryde hunched forward at the farthest end of the free throw lane, eyeing Win surreptitiously while breathing through his mouth. The two of them had been playing almost non-stop for the past hour, getting a pitiful 2-minute break for the entire ball game. The continued absence of Martin proved to be crucial in the player rotation because Win had to play more minutes than he was accustomed to. Thankfully, Win's crash training for a month yielded positive results especially with regards to how he paces himself to keep his stamina high. But faced against a familiar nemesis in the free throw, Arwin felt a foreboding sense of déjà vu.
"Focus on the goal, Win. Don't let the jeers get to you," Luke said sternly as he stood at the left side of the shaded area.
"Thanks, Luke," Win said with a grateful smile. His and Luke's relationship has been less strained after Joss's birthday surprise for the stoic guard.
Win exhaled harshly before lobbing the ball, stretching his arms as far as he can and letting the ball fly with a deft flick of his wrist for a follow-through. The ball swished past the net noiselessly to the cheers of the maroon crowd.
Win smiled in relief before throwing a glance at the team Captain. They are now up by one but it's still anyone's ballgame. Bryde nodded subtly in a silent encouragement when Win received the ball for his second attempt. This time, he confidently put up the ball with the same technique he used earlier. The ball bounced once in the rim before trickling in, giving them a two-point advantage of 88-90. As soon as the ball hit the ground, the referee called the time-out requested by the UE Warriors.
Bryde tapped Win's shoulder when he noticed the freshman walking sluggishly towards the bench for their huddle.
"Are you okay, rookie?" Bryde asked in his usual impassive tone but there is concern on his face.
"I'm good. Just a little bit more tired than usual," Win almost exhaled the words as he panted from the exertion.
"We have been playing almost non-stop, are you sure you can still play?" Bryde asked worriedly, he can see how Win is struggling to keep up with the break-neck pace of the game but never complained even once.
