In the school bus, the Maaravi Warriors players await their incoming battle. Mark and Justin sit beside each other with Cesar and Kevin sitting beside each other behind them.
They didn’t talk much but Justin defied this.
“We’re gonna beat them, guys.”
The entire team is silent.
“Pfft. Killjoy,” he whispers to Mark.
“You know why they’re silent, bro.”
“I know. I know. We’re facing the best of the best in the tournament in just our first game. No big deal. We’re gonna beat them.”
“Not only the best of the best, Justin. They’re the reigning champions. Nevertheless, I hope we will win.”
“Don’t just hope, Mark,” says Kevin. “Believe. We’re gonna beat them.”
“That’s the spirit,” says Justin.
“We just have to tighten our defense,” interjects Cesar. “We can stop them momentarily inside the paint when they drive. Our problem will be their threes. They have an elusive shooting guard, number 25 Mark Velazquez, who can shoot threes. But as long as he’s not on the floor, we’re gonna take advantage of it.”
“Got it, master,” says Mark.
They arrive at the court of the VCF Lions and they start to warm themselves up. Mark shoots his threes with accurate precision.
“Nice one, Mark,” says Justin as he high-fives Mark.
While they’re at the back of the line, they watch the Mark Velazquez of the VCF Lions.
“Sheesh. Velazquez sure knows how to move and shoot,” says Justin.
“Yeah, I know. I wish I could move like that,” says Mark.
“Don’t worry, bro. You’re gonna beat him to it. You’re our best three-point shooter in here, we’ll leave it all up to you with him, Splash.”
“I will not disappoint.”
“Besides, we still have a secret weapon waiting to be unleashed.”
“I know. We have the Slenderman.”
The game is about to start and Coach Perez calls the Maaravi Warriors Team to huddle to form a circle.
“Let us kneel for our Lord Jesus,” Coach Perez says and the team kneels including himself. “Team Leader, start the prayer.”
“Yes, coach,” says Cesar. “Lord Jesus, grant us victory for victory comes from you. Grant us peace and wisdom on how to play today. Give us the strength to push on with today’s game. In Jesus’ name.”
And the team says, “Amen.”
The game starts with the Maaravi Warriors lineup: Number 1, Justin Banderas as Point Guard; Number 30, Mark Mercado as Shooting Guard; Number 24, Cesar Owens as Small Forward; Number 35, Kevin Rebias as Power Forward; and Number 40, Jerwin Caballero as Center.
Maaravi Warriors 0:0 VCF Lions
10:00
1st Quarter
The crowd roars as the game is about to start. The Warriors is in the Lion's Den.
The referee prepares to toss the ball for the jumpball and the centers prepare to hop. The crowd cheers the Lions vehemently as if the ground is shaking from it. Finally, the ball is tossed and the centers jump high. The Lions center tip the ball to his teammate who passes the ball to their point guard.
The Warriors retreat in defense, employing their man-to-man defense.
The Lions point guard crosses over the half-court line and calls out a play. He dribbles to the wing where their three-pointer, Velazquez, is located and handoffs the ball to him. Velazquez dribbles the ball by the point of the three-point line and passes the ball to their center who cuts up by the top of the three-point line a distance away from him. Velazquez, with Mark guarding him, cuts across to the wing while using the screen of their power forward. Mark trails behind him and their center passes the ball to Velazquez. Velazquez receives the ball and shoots the three-pointer. Mark tries to contest the shot but he’s long gone. The shot goes in for the first blood.
The crowd goes berserk.
"COBRA!! COBRA!! COBRA!!"
Mark looks at Velazquez in awe.
‘Wow, a fellow three-point shooter. And Cobra for a monicker. This is gonna be fun.’
Maaravi Warriors 0:3 VCF Lions
9:49
1st Quarter
Kevin inbounds the ball to Justin and they jog across the court. He calls out a play while crossing the half-court line.
Justin dribbles the ball towards the wing where Cesar is and hands it off to him. Kevin and Cabellero go up by the free throw line to form a double screen and Cesar uses it. He rushes towards the rim and the opposing power forward stands face-to-face with him. Cesar puts up a floater and the power forward tries to block it but to no avail. The ball descends and scores.
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Maaravi Warriors 2:3 VCF Lions
9:40
1st Quarter
The opposing point guard dribbles the ball across half-court and shouts, “Another one, Velazquez!”
“Roger that, Ortega!” says Velazquez.
Ortega dribbles the ball toward the wing and handoffs the ball to Velazquez. Velazquez uses Ortega’s screen towards the point of the three-point line and Mark struggles to get past it. Velazquez passes the ball to their center then cuts and uses the screen of their power forward. Mark goes around the screen and Velazquez receives a pass. Mark catches up to Velazquez as he is about to shoot. Velazquez shoots and Mark gives him a perfect contest. The ball goes high like a lob and descends with a swish.
Maaravi Warriors 2:6 VCF Lions
9:28
1st Quarter
"COBRA! GET 'EM!!"
Mark is wide-eyed at what just happened.
‘I… contested his shot. How does he even score with that tight defense?’
Velazquez looks at him and smiles, nodding at him as if to tip him with a hat. Velazquez jogs off and Mark huffs.
“He has class, that’s for sure,” says Mark as he jogs off across the court.
Kevin again inbounds the ball to Justin and the both of them jog across the court.
Justin gets past the half-court line and then dribbles to the wing where Cesar is. Cesar receives the ball from Justin's handoff and uses the screen of Kevin and Caballero. Cesar drives to the paint but sees the opposing power forward drawing near to him before he can drive close to the rim, so he passes the ball to Caballero who is by the point of the three-line. Caballero then skips passes to Kevin who is guarded by a point guard, Ortega, after a screen switch. The twelve-year-old big man mercilessly bodies his defender and slams it home for the score.
Maaravi Warriors 4:6 VCF Lions
9:14
1st Quarter
Ortega handles the ball to their side of the court and dribbles towards the wing where he handoffs the ball to Velazquez and screens for him. Velazquez uses the screen of Ortega who then also uses the screen of their power forward towards baseline. Velazquez passes the ball to their center at the top, and the center passes the ball to Ortega who is attacking the baseline. And as Ortega is about to lay the ball up, a lanky arm casts a shadow over him. But this doesn’t bother him as he reverse layups at the other side of the rim, which earns him a—… Nope still blocked. Kevin blocks the shot and gets the rebound.
The crowd: "Ooooh"
Kevin throws the rock to Mark who is farthest away. Mark sprints in the fastbreak with Velazquez just in parallel and slightly in front of him. They pass the three-line and Mark sees Cesar pointing up, so Mark lobs the ball to Cesar. Cesar catches it with his back to the rim and slams it backwards.
Some people go silent and others turn their faces away and others are wide-eyed.
Maaravi Warriors 6:6 VCF Lions
8:58
1st Quarter
The Lions timeouts.
The Warriors players who were on the court, sat on the bench while others stood, huddling around their coach.
“Great defense, fellas. That’s what I want to see. Now they want to be more aggressive and more defensive. Don’t let them beat us to it, you can catch up to them. Tighten up the defense and keep the ball moving in offense. Don’t be selfish, pass the ball if you’re in a tight spot or if your teammate is open for a shot. Understood?”
“Yes, coach,” is their reply.
The game starts and the flow of the game is still even. Velazquez still shoots endless threes but their drives are almost non-existent because of Kevin. Mark now shoots threes but misses some because of Velazquez’s contests. But when Velazquez is subbed out when it’s six minutes on the clock, Mark lets it fly earning threes. The Lions are now excellent at defense, prompting Cesar to be the point guard instead of Justin.
Maaravi Warriors 35:37 VCF Lions
3:08
1st Quarter
The Lions uses their timeout.
The Warriors huddle around their Coach for their instructions.
“Good boys,” says Coach Perez. “You’re catching up and taking advantage of Velazquez being benched. Excellent drives, Owens. We need that.”
“Thank you, Coach,” Cesar replies.
“Mercado, Banderas, Rebias, Caballero.”
“Yes, Coach?” Mark, Justin, Kevin, and Caballero reply.
“I need you to rest for the remainder of the quarter. I need you four by seven minutes of the second quarter. Understood?”
“Yes, Coach,” is their reply.
“Owens, you play until the last remaining minutes in this quarter. And you play the point guard because we can’t underestimate their defense.”
“Yes, Coach. Understood,” says Cesar.
“Why can’t I play point guard, Coach? I can handle them,” says Aguas.
“Their defense is impeccable; Owens needs to keep our turnovers minimal.”
“But, Coach—"
“No buts. Do as I’ve told you.”
Aguas shakes his head as the game commences again.
Mark is between Justin and Kevin so he converses with them.
“What do you think of the game so far, Kevin?”
“It’s fun so far. I can’t believe I could get so many blocks.”
“Why are you surprised, big fella?” says Justin.
“You’re right. Why am I surprised? Haha,” says Kevin. “I just noticed, Aguas is quite salty for some reason. Why is that?”
“I don’t know,” says Mark.
“I bet he has a personal vendetta with Cesar,” says Justin.
“Nah, I doubt that.”
"Me too. I doubt Kyle has a personal grudge against Cesar,” says Kevin.
Maaravi Warriors 43:43 VCF Lions
0:51
1st Quarter
On the floor for the Warriors are: number 24, Cesar Owens as Point Guard; number 00, Kyle Aguas as Shooting Guard; number 6, Gerald Porio as Small Forward; number 21, Fred Berjame as Power Forward; and number 34, Daniel Botanas as Center.
It's Lions ball and the ball is handled by another point guard, number 12 John Benigay.
Benigay is slightly to the left of the point of the arc while their power forward cuts up to the arc aligning to the lane of the paint. Benigay passes the ball to the power forward then screens down the paint for their center. Their center curls around the screen, receives a pass from the power forward, and lays it up the basket and in.
Maaravi Warriors 43:45 VCF Lions
0:40
1st Quarter
Cesar handles the ball for the team. Four are outside the three-line and one inside.
Cesar dribbles towards the corner where Aguas is and passes the ball to him. Cesar sprints across the paint by the baseline towards the corner. Aguas passes the ball to Berjame. Berjame passes it to Porio. Porio passes it to Cesar. Porio then cuts across the paint with Botanas screening for him. Cesar then uses another screen of Botanas and drives. He can’t get a shot as an agile center is in front of him, so he passes the rock to Berjame outside the three-line. Cesar goes to the point and receives a pass from Berjame. Cesar quickly dribbles towards Aguas at the corner and passes the ball to him. He then quickly sprints towards Berjame by the wing and gives him a screen. Berjame cuts around Cesar and towards the paint with an open driving lane for a layup. But Aguas didn’t pass it to Berjame. When a slight slack of defense against Aguas, he shoots the three even though he’s not meant for it. The ball hits only the board.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, AGUAS!?” shouts Coach Perez.
0:18
The Lions center gets the rebound and passes the ball to Benigay who is ahead. The point guard leads the fastbreak and lays the ball up. The ball is up but Cesar soars high and blocks it which bounces off the board.
The opposing power forward gets the rebound and puts the ball back where it belongs.
Maaravi Warriors 43:47 VCF Lions
0:11
1st Quarter
Berjame inbounds the ball to Cesar who sprints across the court. He calls for a screen from Botanas and uses it. As he is about to pass it to Botanas, the center’s defender closes the passing lane. He calls for another screen and uses it and this time he stepbacks and shoots. The buzzer sounds and the ball is in the air. The rock descends and it doesn’t lie, it goes in.
Maaravi Warriors 45:47 VCF Lions
0:00
End of 1st Quarter