Coach Saint walked into the locker room with a little pep in his step he carried a clipboard but didn't even look at it as he addressed his team.
"Alright, fellas, first off who said you could have this much fun on my court?"
The room broke into laughter, Isaiah Marshall throwing a towel over his head as Quintin Powers leaned back in his seat with a grin.
"Q, nice dunk out there, but don't think I didn't see that missed rotation on defense," Coach Saint said, pointing at him. "You got lucky Jacob bailed you out with that block."
"Gotcha, Coach," Quintin replied, nodding, still smiling.
"And Jacob beautiful job locking down the paint, but don't let their big man get comfortable on the catch. Stay up in his chest make him think twice about posting up."
"Yes, sir," Jacob replied.
Coach Saint slapped his clipboard. "CJ, way to push the tempo, but let's cut down on the turnovers. Theres no need to force it when we've got shooters like Quintin and Isaiah. Find your spots."
"Will do, Coach," CJ Evans said, adjusting his wristband.
Coach Saint turned serious for a moment, his tone dropping. "Listen up, we're up big, but we're not done. I want more ball movement on offense quit settling for jumpers. Attack the rim, make them foul us, and get to the line. On defense, keep communicating, and don't let them breathe."
"Yes, Coach" the team said in unison.
"And for the love of the game," Coach Saint added with a grin, "someone get Amir to smile. You look like you're going to a funeral out there, not a basketball game!"
The locker room laughed again, Amir Taylor cracking a rare grin as his teammates teased him.
The coach glanced at the clock. "Alright, grab water, and let's run 'em off the floor in the second half. The starting lineup stays the same, but be ready to rotate in. I want everyone involved tonight."
The mood was far more dreadful in the visiting team's locker room. Coach Watson Bloomingtons head coach stood with his arms crossed, staring at the whiteboard covered in X's and O's.
"16 points in a half?" he asked, his voice low and sharp. "That's not going to cut it, gentlemen."
He pointed at their guard, who had struggled all game. "You've got to handle their pressure better. Stop dribbling into traps and look for the skip pass. They're baiting you into mistakes."
Coach Watson turned to their center, who had been shut down by Jacob Wilkins. "You're bigger than their guy, so play like it. Stop hesitating on your post moves. Go up strong, and if you don't have a shot, kick it out. We can't have empty possessions."
He moved to the chalkboard, drawing up a new play. "We're going to focus on spreading the floor and getting their bigs in foul trouble. Attack the basket; force them to make decisions. If we're going to get back into this, it starts with smart, aggressive basketball."
The Bloomington players nodded, trying to muster some confidence.
"And one last thing," Coach Watson said, his voice rising. "They're good, yeah, but they're not invincible. Show some fight out there play for each other and make them work for every point."
As halftime ended both teams returned for the second half. Gary West's starters took the court, facing a desperate Bloomington North trying to mount a comeback with a full-court press. CJ Evans caught the inbound pass and immediately broke through two defenders with a quick crossover. The crowd cheered as he made a perfect pass to Amir Taylor under the basket for a two-handed slam.
"Too easy!" BJ yelled from the stands, laughing as he nudged Xavier.
After a quick stop on defense, Coach Saint called for substitutions. "Travis, Terrence, Jalen get in there! Isaiah, CJ, Jacob, take a breather." The starters jogged as the new lineup hit the court, eager to keep the momentum alive.
Travis McNeil made an instant impact, nailing a pull-up jumper off a clean feed from Jalen. Terrence Washington followed with a steal, sprinting coast-to-coast for a smooth finger roll. The defense smothered Bloomington North, forcing rushed shots and turnovers. On the bench, Isaiah and CJ grinned as the younger guys took over.
"They're running laps around them boys" Isaiah said, shaking his head in amusement.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was 58-25. Coach Saint cleared the bench for the final stretch. "Amir, Quintin, CJ you're done for the night. Malik, Darius, Anthony show me something."
The bench squad didn't disappoint. Malik Stone drained a contested jumper at the elbow, and Anthony Fields knocked down a three from the corner that had the crowd roaring. Jalen Moore sank a deep pull-up three on a fast break, there was loud cheers, while Darius Collins muscled through a foul for a tough and-one layup.
Bloomington North managed a minor scoring run in the closing minutes, but the game was already sealed. The final buzzer echoed through the gym, the final score 66-40, a dominant victory for Gary West.
In the locker room, the energy was high as the team celebrated the win. Coach Saint clapped his hands, bringing the noise to a halt. "Alright, good win tonight, gentlemen proud of you all tonight."
The players nodded "But," Coach Saint added, pointing a finger, "we're not done. This was just step one. Southport's next, and they're gonna come swinging. Monday, we're back in the gym. No days off."
On the other side of the gym, Bloomington North's locker room was depressing. "We got outplayed in every way tonight lazy passes, no communication, no fight on the boards. That's not our basketball!" His glare swept the room as players sat quietly, heads down. "But," he said after a pause, softening his tone, "this isn't the end. We'll learn from this, and next time, we'll be better. This is just one game. Remember that."
"Yes Sir" the Bloomington team said before heading to their buses