As the second quarter began, Gary West wasted no time turning up the intensity. BJ, back on the floor with Xavier, Tyreek, Malik, and Andre, was in full control, orchestrating plays with speed that left Bloomington North scrambling to keep up. Coach White's plan was simple run the floor, attack the gaps, and exploit every weakness in Bloomington's defense.
The moment Bloomington's point guard dribbled across half-court, BJ was on him, forcing an early turnover the ball popped loose, and Tyreek snagged it, quickly tossing it ahead to BJ, who was already sprinting toward the hoop. BJ breezed past the defender with a quick step and a high-speed crossover, finishing with a clean layup off the glass.
BJ taunted by shrugging his shoulders as he jogged back down the court.
Gary West's offense was in perfect rhythm. They moved the ball swiftly, making Bloomington's size look like a disadvantage as they struggled to keep up with the pace. BJ constantly zipped in and out of screens, while Tyreek and Xavier took turns slicing to the basket off well-timed cuts, each pass finding them perfectly in stride.
Midway through the quarter, BJ found Malik open at the elbow. Without hesitation, Malik drilled a clean jumper. Bloomington tried to counter, but Gary West's defense held firm. Andre boxed out his man perfectly, getting about every rebound and quickly dishing it out to BJ, who wasted no time pushing the tempo.
Bloomington North's coach called another timeout, hoping to slow down the game and reset, but Gary West was relentless. As play resumed, BJ set up another play, motioning for Tyreek to run baseline. He lobbed a quick bounce pass as Tyreek slipped around his defender, and Tyreek finished with a smooth reverse layup, extending the lead.
As the second quarter neared its end, Gary West continued to dominate. Coach White rotated Lamar and Corey for fresh legs, but the pace remained intense. BJ and Xavier worked together on the perimeter, using their speed to draw defenders and create space.
BJ darted past a screen set by Andre, slipped into the paint, and lofted a quick floater over a taller defender's outstretched arms. It dropped in, bringing the score to 28-18.
In the final minute, Bloomington managed to sink a couple of free throws, but Gary West had the last word. With just a few seconds on the clock, BJ sprinted upcourt, drawing two defenders. He quickly dished it out to Xavier, who buried a deep three as the buzzer sounded.
The teams headed to the locker rooms with Gary West leading 30-24. The energy on their side was undeniable, and BJ couldn't help but smile as he slapped hands with his teammates. They knew they had Bloomington figured out, and the second half was theirs for the taking.
In the locker room, the Gary West JV team gathered around Coach White, breathing heavily but buzzing with energy after their dominant first half. Coach White held his clipboard, tapping a pen against it as he waited for everyone to settle down.
"Alright, bring it in," he said, his voice cutting through the chatter. "First off, good half, boys. We're up 30-24, and that's exactly what we wanted—a solid lead. But don't get too comfortable. We're not done."
He flipped his clipboard around, pointing to the stat sheet.
"BJ, you're leading us with eight points and four assists. Good work Xavier, you've got seven points nice job knocking down those outside shots. Tyreek, I like those cuts you're keeping them on their toes with your movement. You've got six points."
He looked up, scanning the room with a satisfied nod. "Andre, solid on the boards five rebounds. Malik, great job positioning yourself for those shots. And everyone, the transition defense? That's where we're killing them. We're making their size irrelevant by controlling the pace."
Coach White paused, letting the praise sink in. But his expression shifted signaling he had more to say.
"Now, we're doing a lot right, but there are a few things we can tighten up. First, on the defensive side, they're setting some high screens to create space. BJ, I need you to fight over those, or if it's too tight, call out the switch sooner. And if they get that screen up top, our bigs need to step up and contest. No easy threes. Got it?"
The team nodded, taking in the advice.
"Also, I want to see us finish stronger at the rim. We've missed a couple of layups because we're rushing. If you've got an open shot, slow down, square up, and take it. Malik, Andre especially you guys in the paint. Go up strong stop be afraid to draw contact."
He glanced back down at the sheet.
"Offensively, they're unable to keep up with our speed, but they're going to try to clog the lane in the second half. So, BJ, Tyreek, and Xavier I want you to mix in some drive and kick plays. Pull in those big guys, then look for the open man on the outside. We're getting good shots when we move the ball, so keep that ball movement up."
BJ leaned back, his usual expression intact, but he slightly nodded, absorbing Coach White's instructions.
"Last thing," Coach White added, lifting his head. "Let's keep up that intensity. They're relying on their size, hoping it wears us down. But we know better. Run them out of gas. Keep pushing, keep the pressure on, and they'll fold."
He looked around at everybody making sure the message was clear. "This is our game to lose. Let's play smart, keep up the hustle, and close this out. Let's go, Bulldogs!"
The team clapped and chanted as they broke the huddle, heading back onto the court for the second half.
As the third quarter began, BJ glanced up and noticed the varsity team now chilling in the bleachers, intently watching the JV game. The energy in the gym seemed to pick up a notch, and BJ felt some excitement as he spotted players like Isaiah Marshall and Quintin Powers watching the game they were the best on the team Isaiah a 3-star forward committed to Butler University a D1 college not too far from Gary.
Quintin was the team's starting shooting guard ranked a 4-star and committed to play at the University of West Virginia where he is originally from.
Coach White's voice cut through the chatter, directing the bench players to the court for the start of the second half. This meant Corey Miles at point, Lamar Johnson at shooting guard, James Preston at small forward, Nick Scott as power forward, and Elliot Murray at center. Coach White wanted to rest the starters, keeping them fresh but watching closely to see how the bench handled the pressure.