Lamont Harris was a polarizing man.
He was an average 3 star prospect when he committed to Illinois. He had no standout skill as a freshman, bar his above average three point shooting, and his generally well rounded game.
He told everyone he never needed the scholarship on his first day, but instead only took it as vengeance on his father that turned his family upside down.
Lamont lamented the fact that he was gonna rely on his rich, abusive father for college tuition, so as vengeance, he left home, and took the college basketball scholarship. He told coach Michael Roughan that he didn't even want to pursue his basketball career, but only took the scholarship offer out of spite, and pride.
Lamont only played basketball in his youth because his disgraceful father, and his arrogant little brother forced him to.
So during his middle school and high school, even if he was a talented player, he only thought of it as nothing but a chore. A way to release his pent up anger, and anxiety inside the home.
Michael Roughan challenged him to find his way, to find his purpose in basketball. He didn't buy into the idea that this rookie only committed to the program out of spite. There's got to be some passion and love for the game somewhere in him.
And find his purpose he did.
Now a junior, Lamont Harris was still a role player, albeit as a starter. He found that basketball isn't just a way for him to find a scholarship anymore.
It was a place where he could be free to express himself. It was a place where his true colors shine.
As a freshman, he was unsure if he'll last more than a year in the program… Now, it's not a question.
He loved it here.
He used his absolute abhorrence of his father and his younger brother to fuel him and push him through the roughest patches of his first season. His blatant disgust of his family was apparent to most of the team, as he spent major holidays alongside the other members who can't celebrate it with their families, even if his family lived less than five minutes from downtown Chicago.
Now, his fuel is passion, not hate.
He considers every single one of the members of the basketball varsity, be it male or female, as his new extended family. Mind you, the coaches are included.
For many, this game against Chicago State is just a formality. Barring any catastrophic collapse, this is an automatic W on the schedule.
But for Lamont Harris, this game would be something more than just an easy, exhibition game.
It would be the first time he'd be seeing his brother ever since he left for university.
And, it was on opposing sides too.
Just the way he liked it.
Right now, he's staring down at his brother's eyes. He was an inch smaller than him, with the same kind of lazy eyes. The two of them were pretty much cut from the same mold.
However, his demeanor was way worse than Lamont.
"Think you can go past me? You aren't really the dribbling type." The younger Harris was provoking Lamont.
"Nope. It's not like I need to on my own." Lamont moved to his right, and mirroring him was his brother. At least until his brother slammed head first into the brick wall that was Quandre Thornton's biceps.
He was completely wiped out from the play, after the recoil of the collision sent him spinning to the ground. When he looked up, his older brother Lamont had already drilled a wide open three.
"I told you I don't need to." Lamont helped his brother up, in a show of sportsmanship.
However, he smirked at him afterward and ran off.
The Illinois lead had risen to six, in the middle of the first half, 28-22.
Illinois didn't get off to the best of starts, but they did not let Chicago State have a smooth sailing one either. The two teams were evenly matched throughout most of the first 10 minutes, however, a fastbreak and one, and Lamont's three finally gave Illinois a cushion.
Chicago State's unexpectedly close deficit however, was thanks in no small part to Lamont's brother Lorenzo Harris' contributions. The sweet shooting sophomore swingman's 16 points was pivotal.
He might've been scum on and off the court, but he unquestionably is the number 1 option, the big fish, in this weak program.
In the first few games of the season, he had been one of the highest scoring players, and highest usage players in the nation. Detractors might say his 30+ points per game is due to weak opposition, but he's ballin' out against a Big Ten conference team like Illinois.
Lamont didn't argue much about that.
However, in the next five or so minutes, he morphed into a steel wall.
Why not let my emotions take the wheel this time?
Lorenzo received the ball at the right wing, unsurprisingly his favorite position. Immediately, Lamont was there to cover.
He had not made a single field goal in the last five minutes, resulting in their deficit ballooning to 15, to 39-24, during his scoreless run.
If his shots aren't falling, Chicago State's offense grinds to a halt.
"Mont, your face is pretty serious now huh." Lorenzo chided his older brother. "Mind if I just go past you?"
"I would mind." Lamont defended his younger brother impeccably, to a point where he had no choice but to stop and pivot.
"Dammit, you bastard, you're too annoying!"
One of Lorenzo's teammates ran to the center to provide an outlet to get out of his predicament. However, Lorenzo didn't even look in his direction.
"Oh, you're still this cocky?" Lamont wants nothing more than him forcing a low percentage shot. "You haven't changed one bit, Zo."
"Shut your mouth!" Lorenzo does not care if his team wins or loses. All he wanted was to triumph against his estranged brother stats wise. "You're weaker than me. That's the truth."
He completely disregarded his teammate waving his hands in the middle.
Instead, he immediately turned around and delivered a fadeaway jumper right at the three point line.
Right as he released the ball though, Lamont Harris' hand rose overhead, and tipped the shot up.
"Thanks man." Quandre Thornton swiped the ball from the air and sent it ahead, where backup point guard Sean Nguyen had broken free on the other end.
Lamont knows how selfish this guy truly is, and the way he played the game encapsulated that perfectly.
He might be one of the leading scorers of the country, but he averages less than 3 assists per game, despite his ridiculous usage rate. Put his tendencies and add his animosity towards his older brother together, and you got someone that would never pass when he's against Lamont.
Sean laid it off the glass, to extend the lead to 17.
"Grow up, kid." Lamont walked off with a disappointed sigh. He knew that his bratty brother was a handful, but to get better he had to change. "That way, you can earn people's respect."
Just like he did.
***
Extras:
Tremaine and Sofia's game changed dramatically once they started playing as a team.
However, the score didn't see that much of a difference. Despite their improvement, the seniors just kicked it up a notch and the lead only went down by two.
It's still 15-8.
"I know you can do more, Tremaine. You can't fool me." Ryan Brown had accepted the fact that this unlikely, rookie walk-on had the potential to be something special.
He had the aggressiveness, the grit, the passion, and the smarts to make it. He might earn major doubts due to his lack of explosiveness and vertical athleticism, but aside that? He's as good as anyone.
Tremaine's switch was lit. "Then, I'll start."
He immediately attempted an overhead ball fake, which unsurprisingly failed. Before attacking to the left of Ryan, who kept in step. He drove from the outside, all the way to the paint, without shaking his pesky senior off.
Sofia didn't stop moving off the ball against Hannah criss-crossing left and right trying his hardest to lose her.
Tremaine continued to power himself deep into the paint, this time, he had one option in mind.
First, after hitting the brakes, he made a quick pump fake, in an effort to dislodge Ryan.
Upon failing, he immediately sent the ball overhead toward the cutting Sofia, who brilliantly got the inside track over her captain.
Seeing Hannah in duress, Ryan's insane defensive awareness moved in to cut her off.
But that was all just a distraction.
Sofia returned the ball to Tre after a single dribble, and Tremaine laid it up the basket uncontested.
They still lost though...