During the previous Gunners timeout…
Frank got off the bench and approached the Coach, towering over the Coach. The Coach had been verbally blasting the second unit before Frank stepped in.
"Sub me back in." (Frank)
"And why would I do that?" (G Coach)
"I'll close the gap. If you don't like what I'm doing, you can sub me out anytime." (Frank)
The Coach sighed and just went along with it. At that point in time, everyone had such Low morale that they might as well walk out of the game.
Back to the present…
The Gunners had managed to close the 19 point deficit to 11 after an 8-0 run by Frank.
Joseph dribbled the ball up the court, looking to burn some time off the clock.
Humi stood at the three point line.
Joseph did a right to left crossover between his legs before driving left, keeping Humi to his right. Joseph was able to drive by Humi, but was met by Frank in the paint.
Crox was behind Frank, but nearby was Toby and Jared. The paint was too crowded.
Joseph tried to throw a bounce pass to Crox, but Jared extended a leg and accidentally kicked it out of bounds.
"Red kickball, Blue ball." (Referee)
Joseph sighed and signalled to Toby. Toby walked out of bounds to inbound the ball, Jared following him out.
The ball was inbounded to Joseph, who passed it to Theodore at the left wing. Theodore faked a three before driving, stopping in the midrange and elevating for a shot.
Frank boxed out Crox as best he could, lowering his 7'1 frame to almost the same height as Crox.
The ball hit off the back rim.
Crox tried to get a rebound, but ended up shoving Frank aside. Frank stumbled forward.
'BEEEEP' (whistle)
"#33 Blue Loose Ball Foul, Red will inbound the ball." (Referee)
Joseph rubbed the back of his neck.
"Damn, they're in the bonus." (Joseph)
Before Frank could inbound the ball, the referee stopped him. Coach Dom was signalling to the referee for a substitution.
Leonz got off the bench and high-fived Rodney, who sat back down. John tapped out with Toby.
The Gunners took the opportunity to make substitutions of their own. Jared was subbed out for their starting Power Forward, Bash.
***
Beasts Substitution:
[#14 6'3 Rodney Totem]—> [#22 6'2 Leonz Lovehart]
[#6 6'8 Toby Garland Jr]—> [#0 6'0 John Harper]
*
Gunners Substitution:
[#6 6'10 Jared Bocn]—> [#25 6'9 Bash Hadma]
***
***
Time: 4:00
Score: 49-38 (Beasts lead by 11)
***
Leonz walked into the court with John, stretching. He walked by Frank, who towered over him.
The Beasts set up their zone defence, a move which was largely directed by Joseph. Humi dribbled up the court.
Coach Dom had decided to play small, leaving Bash with a mismatch. Theodore stood in front of Bash, arms raised and ready to intercept any passes.
Joseph stood about a step away from the three point line, not too far away from where Frank was in the high post.
Humi threw the ball high to Frank, who caught it. When he brought the ball down, Joseph reached in and pressured him, not swiping for the ball.
The Gunners were in the bonus, if Joseph got a reach-in foul, that would just be free points for the Gunners.
Joseph extended his hands, watching the ball and not letting Frank lift it easily.
Frank threw the ball back out to Humi, who stepped into a three point shot.
Joseph let him take the three.
The ball bounced off the left side of the rim and right into the hands of Bash. Theodore backed off as Bash jumped, leaning in Theodore's direction. He hung in the air a little too long before releasing the layup.
The ball rolled off the back rim. Crox reached out and grabbed the board, Frank in no position to rebound.
Crox passed the ball to Joseph, who passed the ball to John.
John was faced with Humi, who decided to switch onto him. Kenny was guarding Joseph instead. Leonz was being hounded by Dominico (SG), much like the first quarter.
It was blatant for everyone on the court how tired Humi and Kenny were getting. They had played the entire second quarter thus far without rest.
Joseph set a screen for John. John drove left to be met by Kenny. Joseph cut into the paint, Humi following him.
Joseph changed direction suddenly and ran out. John passed the ball to Joseph, Humi running back to cover him.
Joseph dribbled out to the three point line, one foot outside. Leonz ran towards Joseph.
Dominico hit into Joseph, unable to get around the screen. Joseph handed the ball off to Leonz. Humi was too far away when Leonz released the shot.
'Swish' (net)
"Bang!" (Leonz)
If the Beasts were unable to score in the paint, they could light it up from three.
They ran back on defence, Leonz guarding Dominico tightly.
Frank got into high post position. Humi waved it off, Joseph getting too close to Frank.
Bash ran out to the corner. Theodore followed after him. The rest of the Gunners other than Frank were at the three point line.
Frank set a left screen on Joseph, allowing Humi to drive left. Crox shifted over to cover him. Frank slipped behind Crox, pointing up.
"Oi! Alley!" (Joseph)
Crox realised it too late. Humi threw a pass which Crox was unable to intercept. Frank caught the ball and dunked it in easily.
Joseph shook his head before approaching Crox.
"Drop defence. Let him take the shot, I'll try to cover him." (Joseph)
Crox nodded and inbounded the ball to Joseph.
Joseph dribbled up the court, looking as the clock winded down.
Joseph passed the ball to Theodore, who tried a jab step. Bash shifted his feet.
Theodore drove by him, the bigger man too slow to stay in front of Theodore. Theodore saw Frank.
Theodore was a step away from the paint, driving in from the right at a 45 degree angle. Frank had a foot outside the paint.
Theodore collected the ball, took a step and threw up a floater.
Frank jumped, fully extending his arm. He grazed the ball, the trajectory changing. The ball fell behind Frank, into Crox's hands.
Crox was about to jump for a dunk, but hesitated, glancing back at Frank, who was already behind him, ready to block him from behind.
"Pass!" (Joseph)
Joseph ran into the paint, Kenny close to him.
Crox took a single dribble, backing Frank out of the paint.
He then threw it to Joseph, who was close to the rim. Joseph caught the ball and jumped, aiming for a finger roll.
Before he could get the shot off, the shot clock expired.
'Bzzzt' (shot clock)
The basket did not count.
While running back, Joseph patted Crox's shoulder.
"Don't mind. Just check the shot clock next time." (Joseph)
***
Time: 2:46
Score: 52-40 (Beasts lead by 12)
***
What felt like was going to be a blowout started feeling slightly more competitive. Although the Beasts still kept their double-digit lead, the deficit was closing slowly but surely.
Frank caught the ball in the high post once again. He spun right, dribbling. Theodore strayed from the left corner and tried to steal the ball.
Frank threw the ball out to Bash, who set and fired the corner three, wide open.
The ball bounced around before going in.
"Cover your man!" (Coach Dom)
Joseph brought the ball up, Kenny near him. John was being denied the ball by Humi.
Joseph lowered his shoulder and drove in. Kenny took the bump and stumbled back.
'BEEEEP' (whistle)
"#1 Blue Offensive Foul, #20 Red two free throws." (Referee)
Joseph was about to argue, but he stopped himself.
They went back to their side of the court.
Kenny shot the free throws.
(1/2) made
(2/2) made
The double digit lead the Beasts once had was no more.
Joseph passed the ball over to John, who passed it to Theodore. Theodore passed it to Leonz, who was running along the three point line.
Leonz caught the ball and stopped, bringing the ball up. Dominico, thinking it was a fake, did not jump, only closing in on Leonz.
Leonz rose into the air and released the shot. He landed and walked backwards, feeling good about the shot.
The ball hit the inside of the back rim, going in.
"Bang!" (Leonz)
***
Time: 2:02
Score: 55-45 (Beasts lead by 10)
***
Humi brought up the ball. This time, instead of Joseph, John was guarding him. Frank did not get into the high post position, instead, screening for Humi.
Humi drove left again, Crox falling back as Frank drove to the rim.
Humi noticed the space he was given and took a midrange jumper. The shot fell short. Crox tried reaching out for it, but the ball was too far away. Humi ran forward, grabbing it and laying it in from the left.
John brought the ball up for the Beasts, dribbling and taking his time. Leonz was trying to get free, but Dominico was still hounding him.
Theodore ran out.
John passed it to Theodore. Joseph screened Bash, letting Theodore drive to the right. Joseph then fell back to the three-point line while Bash and Kenny temporarily double-teamed Theodore.
Theodore whipped a pass back to Joseph.
Joseph set his feet and shot a three. The ball arched high, too high.
Frank and Crox fought for position under the basket.
Crox got a better position, but Frank had the length. The two of them fought at the right, but the ball bounced off the rim to the left.
Leonz tried running in for the loose ball, but Dominico was being physical, bumping him out of the way.
Dominico got the ball and passed it to Humi.
Joseph and John were already back on defence, so Humi slowed it down. The Beasts managed to set up their defence, and the Gunners managed to set up their offence.
Joseph stayed on Humi, John guarding the taller Kenny. Humi passed the Kenny, who passed it back.
Humi threw it high, so high that Frank was only able to tap it up instead of catch it. Frank jumped in the air, grabbing it with both hands before swinging his tall frame towards the rim.
Crox extended his hand towards the ball. Frank's arm was just too long, and he got a left handed finger roll finish.
***
Time: 1:07
Score: 55-49 (Beasts lead by 6)
***
The final minute.
Joseph expected Coach Dom to call a timeout, but nothing was done.
Joseph dribbled up the court with the ball. Leonz was still trying to get free to no avail.
Joseph did a crossover and drove in. Frank stepped up, but was still close enough for Crox to defend him. Joseph took a hard step to the right, Frank shifting his feet.
Joseph then brought the ball over to his left and laid it in quickly.
Frank stepped out of bounds and inbounded the ball to Humi as quickly as he could. Joseph and Crox were still at the opposite end of the court.
Humi dashed to the rim, no one else in front of him.
Humi got an easy layup.
He landed, breathing hard.
***
Time: 0:46
Score: 57-51 (Beasts lead by 6)
***
The Beasts could try to get get a 2 for 1.
Joseph caught inbound pass at the half court, Kenny already on him.
Joseph passed it to Theodore, who pulled up for a three over Bash. The ball rolled around the rim and out. Crox grabbed the rebound and threw it out to Leonz, who caught and shot a contested three.
The ball fell short.
Dominico ran and caught the long rebound.
He passed ahead to Humi, who slowed everything down.
***
Time: 0:30
Score: 57-51
***
Frank set a screen, but Humi decided to pass the ball to Bash, who had gotten close to the basket.
Theodore lowered his body to try and push him out of the paint. Bash was unable to get much progress backing down Theodore, so he passed the ball to Frank in the high post.
Frank did a half spin fake before raising his right arm high above his head. The sky hook.
Crox reached out in an attempt to contest it, but it was no use. The shot was taken.
The ball hit the back rim before bouncing off the front rim, missing. Bash jumped and got the rebound. He attempted to lay it in, but missed.
Theodore grabbed the next rebound, throwing it ahead to John.
John grabbed the ball, the time on the clock already winding down.
He stopped at the three point line and heaved it up.
'BEEEEP' (end of first half)
The ball fell short, airballing.
Both teams went back to their benches.
***
Time: 00:00
Score: 57-51 (Beasts lead by 6)
***
***
Half-time key player stats:
Beasts: #22 SG Leonz Lovehart [24 points, 1 steal, 8/14 3PFG]
Gunners: #2 C Frank Contid [18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 1 TOV, 2/5 FT, 8/9 FG]
***