The midday sun beat down on the courts, baking the blacktop and the players with equal intensity. Lucas, Jaylen, and Miguel gathered near their assigned court, finishing their water bottles as they watched the Oakwood Knights warming up.
The Knights looked exactly as they'd been described by other players: sloppy. Their mismatched blue jerseys and nervous energy painted a picture of a team that was just happy to be there. One kid, shorter and stockier than Miguel, was trying (and failing) to spin the ball on his finger. Another, tall and gangly, had the uncoordinated movements of someone who grew too fast for his own body. The last one, an overweight boy with glasses, stood near the fence, clearly out of his element.
Miguel scoffed, spinning his ball casually. "You sure we're in the same tournament as these guys? They look like they just learned how to dribble yesterday."
Jaylen smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Let's not get cocky. Bad teams can get lucky if we're sloppy."
Lucas stayed quiet, his eyes locked on the Knights. "Let's make sure they never get the chance to think they belong on the same court as us."
The ref stepped onto the court, blowing his whistle to call the teams in.
"Alright, same rules. First to 11 wins. Scoring by 1s and 2s. Keep it clean and call your own fouls. Good luck."
Lucas stepped into the circle for the jump ball, squaring off against the gangly kid from the Knights. The kid wobbled nervously, his knees bent at an awkward angle.
Lucas arched an eyebrow, offering a small smirk. "You ready for this?"
The gangly kid gulped but nodded.
The ref tossed the ball into the air, and Lucas easily tipped it back to Jaylen, who grabbed it and immediately dished it to Miguel on the wing.
"Let's get to work," Lucas said, jogging into position.
From the very first possession, it was clear the Knights were in over their heads.
Miguel caught the pass, took one hard dribble to the right, then hesitated, faking a step-back jumper. The stocky defender bit on the fake, leaning forward just enough for Miguel to cross over viciously to his left. The kid's legs tangled beneath him, and he stumbled backward, nearly falling to the ground as the crowd let out a loud "OHHHH!"
Miguel grinned, taking a step closer to the arc and letting a two-pointer fly.
Swish.
"2-0," Miguel said, flashing a cocky grin at the kid, who was still recovering his footing. "You good, man? Looks like you tripped over a ghost."
The kid glared at him, his cheeks red. "Lucky shot."
The Knights tried to answer on their next possession, but their offense was a mess. The gangly forward fumbled the ball twice before awkwardly lobbing it to the kid with glasses, who hesitated for too long before launching a wild shot that hit nothing but air.
Jaylen snagged the rebound, passing it out to Lucas, who quickly pushed the ball up the court.
"Jaylen, screen!" Lucas called as he dribbled toward the left wing.
Jaylen set a solid pick, forcing the stocky defender to switch onto Lucas. The mismatch was obvious, and Lucas took full advantage, driving hard to the right before stopping on a dime and pulling up for a midrange jumper.
The ball arced high and dropped cleanly through the net.
"3-0," Lucas said, his voice calm but steady.
The game quickly turned into a rout. Lucas orchestrated the offense with precision, running pick-and-rolls with Jaylen and finding Miguel on the wing for clean looks. Miguel, riding high off his ankle breaker earlier, played with flair, hitting a tough one-handed floater over the stocky defender to make it 4-0.
Jaylen dominated the boards, grabbing every rebound and keeping the Knights from getting any second-chance opportunities. On one play, he snagged a loose ball under the basket and passed it out to Lucas, who immediately found Miguel for another clean two-pointer from the corner.
"6-0," Lucas called out, glancing at the Knights. "You guys awake yet?"
The Knights finally managed to score on the next possession when the gangly kid banked in an awkward layup. He threw his arms up in mock celebration, trying to get the crowd hyped, but the applause was half-hearted at best.
"Cute," Miguel muttered, rolling his eyes as he grabbed the inbound pass.
The next possession was a masterclass in ball movement. Miguel brought the ball up, faking a drive before passing it to Lucas at the top of the key. Lucas caught it in rhythm but didn't shoot, instead dishing it to Jaylen, who had slipped into the paint. Jaylen caught the ball, drew two defenders, and kicked it back out to Miguel, who was wide open on the wing.
Miguel squared up and launched another two-pointer.
Swish.
"8-1," Miguel said, turning to the crowd with his arms spread wide. "Somebody stop me!"
The Knights managed another point off a free throw after calling a foul on Jaylen, but it was too little, too late.
On the next possession, Lucas took matters into his own hands. Catching the ball on the wing, he jab-stepped twice, freezing the stocky defender just enough to create space. Lucas rose up for the shot, his Bronze Catch & Shoot badge kicking in as the ball left his hands.
It sailed through the air, spinning perfectly before dropping through the net.
"10-2," Lucas said, jogging back with a confident nod.
The final possession was almost too easy. The Knights' defense was in complete disarray, leaving Lucas wide open at the top of the key. Miguel drove into the lane, drawing two defenders, then kicked the ball back out to Lucas.
Lucas didn't hesitate, catching the pass and launching the game-winning two-pointer.
Swish.
"Game!" Lucas shouted, pumping his fist as the crowd clapped politely.
As the teams exchanged quick handshakes, Miguel couldn't help but smirk. "You guys sure this is your second game? Felt like practice out there."
The stocky kid glared at him but said nothing, stalking off the court with his head down.
Lucas turned to his teammates, grinning. "That's how you handle business. Quick and clean."
Jaylen nodded, grabbing his water bottle. "Next round's gonna be tougher, though. Let's not get too comfortable."
Miguel shrugged, his confidence still sky-high. "Let 'em bring it. We're ready."
As they walked off the court, Lucas couldn't help but feel the same way. They were rolling now, and the quarterfinals were just around the corner.