Chereads / Leonz’s Basketball, to the top! / Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Friendly Match IV

Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Friendly Match IV

Leonz held the ball in his hands after checking, no space to shoot the three.

Asher had paced out of the paint, Crox following him out. Leonz bounced a pass to Asher, who held onto it as he squared up Crox.

Leonz stood around, noticing that Joseph was leaning more towards Asher. Leonz took a step away and started cutting to the basket.

Asher noticed him and threw a direct pass into Leonz's hands. Leonz got to the basket, no one around him.

Leonz took one dribble before going up for the layup, finger rolling the ball off the backboard.

The layup was too strong, bouncing too high off the backboard. Leonz landed and jumped again for the rebound, managing to get it before Joseph. Leonz went up for another layup, but Joseph brutally blocked it from the back.

The ball was sent downwards, so when Leonz landed, he got possession again. He looked around, seeing Asher running to the rim.

Leonz passed it off, too heavily pressured by Joseph.

Asher caught the ball and took a long stride, getting some elevation. He cocked the ball back with his right hand, looking like he was about to dunk the ball.

Leonz stepped out of his way.

Joseph jumped for it.

Leonz had been to the right, so Joseph was also slightly to the right when he jumped. Asher brought the ball down, extending his left arm to lay it in easily, Joseph's defence completely useless.

15-6

Asher landed and let out another long sigh before walking up to Crox. Leonz walked up to Joseph.

Everyone made mistakes, but missing a wide open layup was not a good look.

Joseph looked around before he checked the ball. He was making sure he knew where everyone was on the court.

When Joseph got the ball in his hands, he shouted.

"Crox!" (Joseph)

Leonz did not glance back. Instead, he let Joseph have some space, keeping an eye on his right arm.

Joseph faked a pass, Crox running to the rim.

Instead, Joseph went up for a three-point shot, lifting the ball above his head. For the shot. Leonz jumped for the block.

Leonz jumped, his hand reaching where Joseph had lifted the ball.

It was a blocked shot, barely.

The ball went behind Joseph, who landed and grabbed the ball, back facing Leonz.

Joseph, from that position, threw a backwards scoop pass with his left.

It was high, perhaps above the rim. Crox jumped, ready to dunk it in.

Asher jumped, reaching out with his length, snatching the ball out of the air before they could spark any offence.

Joseph, who had just turned around, saw Asher stealing the ball.

Meanwhile, Leonz had already started running away from Joseph.

Asher snapped a pass to Leonz.

Leonz had to stop on a dime, setting his feet the moment he stopped and going for the three-point shot.

'Swish' (net)

"Bang!" (Leonz)

18-6

Crox got the ball and passed it out to Joseph, who looked unconcerned.

"This is whatcha get for playing such a dumb game, Crox." (Joseph)

"Shut up man." (Crox)

Joseph checked the ball and instantly threw up a scoop pass. The pass arched high in the air, almost going vertically downwards when it fell.

Crox jumped for the alley-oop, Asher already walking away.

Crox saw the trajectory and made a decision to not touch the ball.

The ball hit the inside of the back rim before going through with a 'thump'.

18-9

"Lucky shot!" (Crox, Coach, rest of the Basketball Boys)

Joseph stared at the rim, holding in a laugh.

"All planned!" (Joseph)

"Bullshit!" (Coach)

Asher was unconcerned when he checked the ball himself again. Leonz returned to the corner, waiting for a pass if it ever came.

Crox guarded Asher, and Joseph guarded Leonz.

"No threes!" (Joseph)

Crox closed the distance between him and Asher, putting an arm out.

Asher glanced in Leonz's direction before stepping away from Crox, dribbling the ball. With some space between them, Asher shot the ball from deep.

Joseph and Crox both collapsed into the paint, aiming for the rebound. Leonz also went into the paint, followed by Asher.

They all knew it was a forced shot to force everyone into the paint, but Joseph and Crox went in anyways.

Joseph boxed out Leonz, preventing Leonz from getting the easy rebound.

The ball fell towards the rim and bounced off the back rim. Crox reached out with one arm, reaching to about the height of the rim to catch the rebound.

Asher jumped, reaching high and tapping the ball upwards before Crox could get a grip on it. Asher landed and jumped again, tapping the ball up in the air one more time before Joseph could reach it.

With a third jump, Asher snatched the ball out of the air, keeping it close to his body.

Crox was basically leaning on him.

Asher shoved Crox back before leaning away from him for the shot.

Crox, fearing that he would get another Flagrant 1, only reached out. Asher leaned back, his shot stable.

Asher shot the ball , the ball bouncing on the front rim, then the back before hitting off the backboard and in.

Asher landed and had to backpedal several steps to regain balance.

20-9

"I think it's clear that we lost." (Joseph)

Joseph stood at the three-point line again. The deciding was just too big to close.

Joseph checked up Leonz and pointed at the ground to the Leonz's left.

Crox ran up and set a screen. Joseph dribbled to the side before pulling up for the three. Asher, who was supposed to switch onto Joseph, let him shoot the three.

'Swish' (net)

20-12

It was probably the fastest basket yet.

Asher walked out of the three-point line and checked up with Crox.

Before Crox passed back to Asher, Joseph whispered to Crox.

"Do what you did just now, but don't fall back for the rebound. I'll get it." (Joseph)

Ball checked.

Asher stood, seeing the same defence in front of him. He was tired, and seeing the defence they were playing, he did not want to do anything too complicated.

Asher took several steps back and threw up a shot similar to the last possession.

Joseph and Leonz fell into the paint once again, aiming for the rebound.

Asher ran to the rim, but Crox's wide body provided a good enough obstacle to slow down Asher's advance to the rim.

"Tsk." (Asher)

Leonz was out of position, Joseph pushing Leonz out with his ass. Joseph got the easy board and dashed out.

Leonz followed after him, trying to steal the ball. Joseph did a right to left crossover without even looking at Leonz.

Joseph planted a foot outside the three-point line before turning. Joseph dashed towards the rim, his left shoulder against Leonz's chest.

Leonz realised, he was not in a position to body and stop Joseph.

Joseph muscled his way through, pushing Leonz's smaller self aside as he took a strong step towards the rim.

Joseph was at the rim, ready to score an easy layup. Asher was there, rising into the air to smack it out of the court.

Joseph threw the ball high, much like how he threw the passes to Crox. An underhand layup.

The ball arced high, too high for Asher to block.

Asher ended up slapping the backboard instead.

The ball bounced high off the backboard, but was just slightly too hard. It barely bounced off the front of the rim.

Crox jumped out and caught the ball, dunking it in.

"Nice put-back!" (Joseph)

20-14

Joseph high-fived Crox once more before Asher went to the three-point line.

Asher inhaled a long breath before passing the ball to check.

Crox and Joseph played the same defence, but Asher did not care.

Asher went brought the ball low before he jabbed to the left. Crox shifted slightly, allowing Asher to explode to the right instead. Crox struggled to turn around, but managed to somewhat hinder Asher's drive to the basket.

Asher stopped.

Ball in his left hand after a crossover, Asher had his left foot in front of his right.

He did a slight hop, ball in his hand without carrying.

He quickly changed the position of his feet and dashed again.

Asher managed to get by Crox again, who was slow on his feet. When Crox was turning around, Asher had gone up for a shot.

To stop on a dime after a full dash into a pull up midrange jumper.

Joseph had shifted himself to help out if Asher had managed to get under the basket, so Asher rose for a close shot instead.

Smooth release, easy shot.

'Thump' (rim)

The ball hit the inside of the back rim, entering.

Game set.

Final Score:

22-14

Team Rookies:

#22 Leonz Lovehart- 6 points (2/6)

#21 Asher Monegotomy- 16 points (8/13)

Team Not Rookies:

#1 Joseph Quinn- 6 points (2/5

#33 Crox Devonte- 8 points (4/5)

*Missed shots caused by fouls do not count as Field Goals

* Made shots despite the foul count as Made Field Goals

* Blocked Shots count as missed Field Goals