On the bench, Lamont Harris looked up into the scoreboards, and noticed that their lead had ballooned to a game high of 24, at 52-28, with a minute left in the half.
"The rookie's fucking good!" He heard Caleb cheering beside him.
"Yeah, bro, the TO didn't faze him at all!" Lamont couldn't help but agree with his friend's assessment.
Back on the court, Kawashima spotted a wide open man in the corner. The breakdown on the defense was caused yet again by another one of his dribble penetrations to the inside.
Tremaine was once again caught on the backfoot of his much more explosive foe, with his veteran smarts unable to cover the innate disparity in a pure speed contest.
That called Jaylen Mitchell into action, who so far, had sealed Harvard's premier shot maker all game. He's been tasked to shut him down, and he'd done much better than Roughan expected. He even was specifically called back to the game a few minutes ago after this man reentered the game. His role for today was not to be the lead offensive scorer, but to be more of a complementary one, while focusing more on the defensive side of the ball.
Harvard's main three ball specialist had missed all three of his ranged attempts, and barely managed to create breathing room for himself to fire away due to the continued man coverage of Jaylen Mitchell.
This time, however, is different.
Taiki kicked the ball out to the corner, right as Jaylen arrived to double team him.
He's a better than 40% three point shooter, in more than 10 attempts a game, throughout his college career. Sure, the percentage dips a little when contested, but he's an elite marksman in any sense of the word. So, he won't miss this shot.
It was like a layup to him when unguarded.
52-31.
Jaylen rarely gambled on defense, but for some reason, he thought they'd have a better chance of a stop if he helped.
It didn't work out.
But on the sidelines, Coach Roughan liked what he saw. At least not the part where an automatic shooter was left wide open in the corner…
Tremaine was watching the play develop with the ball in his hands, under pressure from Kawashima.
He could try and just blow by him, but it would most likely fail. Or he could try and ask for a generic pick and roll from the wing.
Or… there!
Tremaine slung a decisive, piercing pass that broke through the teeth of the defense in one motion. The vision to be able to make a pass like this one, and the quick twitch decision making was sublime.
One pass, one basket.
However, a bounce pass like this was useless if it didn't reach the target!
The intended receiver of the ball ran through two crunching back screens, before finding the opening in the defense.
It was his best buddy Deshaun.
He himself had to avoid those screens and untangle from the defenders that made it out alive.
Deshaun actually didn't expect that Tremaine would have observed his run that swiftly. The ball accurately accounted for his exit speed and the moment he would be able to make contact with it perfectly.
'I… never expected less! I think!'
Deshaun grabbed it, and took a single step, before rising high into the rim.
'We are finally able to do this at the NCAA stage!'
Alas, sometimes, the world doesn't follow the whims of any man.
Jumping in late, the Harvard center coming in from the other side, was lost by Khalil.
He became a nuisance enough to stop the easy jam from happening.
Deshaun can't bail out from his position anymore, so he changed his shot and forced a layup, which didn't work at all. It bounced off once on the rim, and fell on the other side.
It was a good thing, though, that Khalil was there and came down with the rebound.
But just like last time, the defense had caught up to them.
Maybe Khalil should've stuck that ball back in.
Taiki had swung by, who's a menace trying to dispossess him of the ball. The center was about to come down too, forcing Khalil to make an instinctive choice.
I will force my way through!
Khalil leaped high, his legs and feet firing, and his arm muscles bursting to its limit. It will not take long for him to slam this rock down.
His choice might be the safest choice for him, however, to most of the people watching, Khalil's choice had been foolish at best. He didn't spot whatever's coming for him.
Once his hands reached the level above the rim, someone else reached the ball just before he dunked it.
It was that same center that screwed Deshaun's shot over. It was the man he was supposed to not let pass. His first jump was fast, and his second jump was even faster.
He realized it a little too late.
The Harvard big man slapped the ball away from the rim like it was nothing but a beach ball, sending it straight towards the left wing…
Where Tremaine Mills was lurking in wait.
"As expected." Tremaine had expected this outcome, from his position just outside the arc. He consoled himself that they would still score even without his assist, but Taiki Kawashima moved in to cover, upon seeing that Tremaine was unmoving. "Good things come for those who wait!"
Tremaine might not be playing as proactive, and as smart as a sly veteran right now, but it's working.
One, catch the ball low.
Two, raise your arm along with your entire frame into your jump shooting mechanics.
Three, release the ball at the apex point.
Four, send the ball on its merry way with a great follow through.
Five, as Khalil said, don't watch the explosions.
55-31!
"Yeah!" Cheers erupted from the Illini bench. Those were hard earned points if they'd ever seen one.
On Harvard's next possession, Taiki wanted to leave Illinois with as little time on the clock as possible. The shot clock and game clock differential was a measly 3.5 seconds, and everyone on Harvard knew that.
Taiki Kawashima closed his eyes just inside the half court line.
He knows his brother was watching on the sidelines…
'The bastard's probably even wearing his Illinois varsity jacket over there.'
Is this the guy you're telling me to take note of?
Tremaine got up close and personal, upon observing him close his eyes. 'Oh God, he's just like me overseas what the fuck. He's lucky I'm the opponent and not someone else.'
Any sane player would waste the clock here.
As the packed arena heaved up and down, counting down the seconds remaining on the game clock, Taiki slowly walked over close to the three point line.
'I wonder how fast this guy's release is?'
Within the next second, the ball shot out of Taiki's hands.
Fuck it's fast!
Tremaine reacted late to the shot attempt, but there's something wrong with his facial expression…
Tremaine ran to their side of the floor in hopes that his hypothesis was right.
The ball clanged off the front of the ring, and Khalil Ogwuzeni will not be denied for the rebound.
With only several ticks remaining on the clock, his eyes locked onto the rookie Tremaine Mills, who got a head start over Kawashima.
"Take it home, rookie!" Like a quarterback that found a wide open receiver downhill, Khalil threw a one handed hail mary towards Tremaine.
People followed the ball's quick ascent and descent like it was the greatest they ever imagined.
Meanwhile, Tremaine Mills had reached its endpoint, just outside the arc.
It could possibly be his last play of the game.
***
Extras:
At some point within the last minute or so, Taichi walked out of the arena due to a phone call.
On the other end of the line, an unsteady, cracking voice talked shakily.
"What? Where are you right now?" Taichi's face contorted in shock and concern. "Is that why you aren't here?"
"Yes… I'm in Albuquerque."
"Shit… I wanna visit… but it's Sunday..."
"Meet Coach Roughan post game. He has a plan."
The line cut off with static sobs.