"Will he make it? Will he finally make it?" David asked, his voice echoing throughout the court.
The crowd watched as the ball bounced slightly on the board. Some already sighed in disappointment. However, they swallowed their disappointment when the ball made its way to the hoop.
The crowd turned to each other with wide eyes, stunned gasps, and cheers blending in with the murmurs of disbelief.
The scoreboard clicked up.
30-17.
Kai felt his heart pound amidst the noise, but he didn’t let the shock set in.
He turned quickly, eyes locking onto his teammates, who were already staring at him in disbelief.
"Come on!" Kai’s voice cut through the court. "We’re not out of this. Play like we’ve always practiced!"
The clarity in his voice snapped the team out of their stupor. They nodded, adrenaline surging.
Kai’s play seemed to strengthen his words before the quarter started—that the Juren Champions were similar to the teams they had played with before.
Jet patted his own shoulder. "You have nothing to be afraid of now," he whispered to himself. "You’ve come too far."
Across the court, Chaoxing’s eyes widened.
He narrowed his eyes as he watched Jian push forward, with Kai mirroring his every move.
Kai met his gaze for just a moment, a challenge passing between them.
However, Kai pumped his legs faster, giving it his all. He didn’t rely on one skill.
He realized that the key to beating Jian was using every single skill that he had.
He feinted left, his feet a blur as he ran past Jian.
Jian chased after him, but there was a moment—just a fraction of a second—when Kai’s speed proved to be the edge.
Chaoxing rubbed his eyes, wondering if it was an illusion, but it was real. Kai was pulling ahead, every ounce of training and experience coming into play.
Jian shook his head. Was it just him, or he really couldn’t run faster than Kai?
He had no time to dwell on it as he saw him move from his peripheral vision.
Jian’s focus on Kai was so absolute that he didn’t see the pass coming.
At the last second, Kai passed the ball to Andy, who was waiting just outside the three-point line.
Andy’s eyes were wide with surprise, but he caught it, took the shot, and nailed it.
The crowd screamed again as the scoreboard ticked up to 30-20.
"Yes!" Andy exclaimed. "We can do this. We can actually do this!"
Chaoxing, gritting his teeth, managed to sink a clean shot on the next play.
32-20.
The crowd barely had time to catch their breath before Jet slipped on a quick pivot. Jimmy’s eyes lit up as he lunged for the ball, knowing this was the perfect time.
From the stands, his father leaned forward, eyes following his son’s every move.
"Come on," he muttered.
However, the ball bounced off the rim, clanging loudly. Kai surged forward, leaping with everything he had. His timing was perfect as he soared up beside Jian. For a split second, they were both suspended in the air, battling for control.
Jian’s eyes flickered with surprise as Kai’s grip closed around the ball, stronger than he expected.
Kai’s feet hit the court, and he realized it then—there were aspects where he was better, quicker, and more agile.
But Jian’s overall skill was definitely better.
That was the natural talent most people had talked about.
He had to admit it. But admitting it didn’t mean he was going to surrender. It meant knowing what he was up against and using that knowledge to push harder.
On the bench, Yuze’s eyes widened, glancing at Lina beside him. She looked just as stunned.
"What’s happening?" she whispered, inaudible over the roar of the crowd.
But there was no complaint in her voice, only disbelief and hope.
The commentators stuttered, their usual polished banter broken by shock. "Did you see that?" Gina’s voice trembled with excitement. "Kai is... I don’t even know how to describe this! The Shizi Dogs are fighting back, and with Kai leading them, this is turning into a real game!"
David leaned in, his tone serious. "This isn’t the same Shizi Dogs team we saw in the first quarter. Kai found something, and he’s bringing everyone else along with him. I’m just not sure what that something is."
On the sidelines, Sir Dao stood tall, his eyes fixed on the court.
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"Sit down, old man!" a young voice called from the stands behind him, but he didn’t budge. His gaze followed Kai.
"You better win this kid," he muttered.
It felt like the Shizi Dogs found their resolve. Every player’s focus sharpened, which made their movements tighter and their plays more precise. The doubts that had clung to them like shadows were chased away by the light of possibility.
Jimmy’s fumbles were no longer just mistakes. They became the cracks in the armor of the Champions—opportunities the Shizi Dogs seized with fierce intent. They were working together now, as they realized the key was not in fighting Jian alone but in facing him as a team.
Zheng stood with his arms crossed, nodding with approval as he muttered, "Good. Good," he muttered.
A perfect setup saw three of the Shizi Dogs close in on Jian. He pursed his lips, unbothered by the pressure as he pushed through, but then his eyes darted around, searching for Kai.
Kai had vanished from his immediate line of sight, moving like a shadow, slipping behind the defenders.
"Where is he?" someone in the crowd shouted, scanning the court.
"Is this some kind of trick play?" another voice asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
Just as Jian pushed forward, Kai appeared out of nowhere, hands steady and eyes locked onto the basket. He was beyond the three-point line, but he didn’t hesitate. The court fell silent as he jumped.
Every eye followed its path, every breath held until—
Swish.
32-23. The scoreboard clicked down to a single-digit gap. The crowd erupted into chaos. Find your next adventure on Freewebnovel
"Nine points! There’s only nine points between them!"