Extra Basket

Chapter 121: Chapter 108: Plan is not working

Hey guys, author here! 😅

So... I’ve been doing a little sneaky experiment. I intentionally made some small mistakes, like mixing up names or adding confusing little details, hoping readers would catch them and start commenting. You know, stir up some discussion and engagement. But... no one said anything. Not a single comment.

Honestly, it’s kinda sad. 😢

I guess I was hoping someone would notice, say something, anything. But silence is louder than I thought.

Anyway, thanks for reading if you are your presence means more than you know.

.....

Jamie’s strategy was unfolding perfectly, the Vultures were choking Vorpal’s offense, not by attacking the ball directly, but by controlling every inch around it.

Darnell lashed out a pass toward Lino, who was positioned near the basket.

But Coonie Smith was already there.

With the smooth, quick reflexes of a predator, Coonie intercepted the pass mid-air. The ball clattered into his hands, and the crowd erupted.

Jamie’s eyes flicked instantly toward Coonie’s movement, a slight smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

"I saw that coming," he muttered under his breath, his voice calm but deadly.

"Lino, cut off Coonie’s next move. Don’t let him breathe."

Lino’s massive frame shifted, blocking Coonie’s path with precise footwork, muscles coiled like springs ready to snap. The giant forward’s shadow loomed, forcing Coonie to hesitate, disrupting his rhythm.

From the sidelines, Ethan’s jaw clenched tighter. The weight of Jamie’s plan pressed on him like a physical force. They’re not just defending, Ethan thought, they’re orchestrating a suffocating trap.

Jamie’s mind was three moves ahead, he wasn’t just reacting, he was dictating the pace, the flow, the very heartbeat of the game.

"Pressure forces mistakes," Jamie whispered under his breath, barely audible, but it carried a lethal certainty. "Make them pay for that interception."

The Vultures didn’t just block; they anticipated, anticipating every step, every glance. Jamie’s eyes locked on the ball like a hawk on prey, and the rest of the Vultures moved as extensions of his will.

"Control the space, control the game," Jamie said firmly, the command sharp and clear.

Louie, Vorpal’s point guard, felt the pinch immediately. Every movement he made was met with resistance, Troy shadowed him like a phantom, denying the easy dribble, forcing him into uncomfortable angles. Kai was boxed out, no room to breathe. Brandon was buried under Lino’s presence.

Louie’s breaths came quicker, his mind racing to find an opening. But it was like trying to force water through a steel mesh.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle blew. The referee called a traveling violation, Louie had stumbled under the pressure.

"Damn it," Louie cursed, rubbing his forehead as he retreated to the bench.

Ethan caught Louie’s eye and gave him a subtle nod. (Stay calm. Jamie’s pressure is a puzzle there’s a way through it, but we have to stay sharp.)

"Jamie’s got us right where he wants." Evan said quietly from the bench, his tone edged with frustration but also respect.

Josh, arms crossed, nodded slowly. "He’s not just playing defense. He’s controlling every inch of the floor."

The crowd, sensing the shift in momentum, grew restless. Vorpal’s usually fluid offense was grinding to a halt under the Vultures’ relentless grip.

Kai dribbled hard down the right flank, eyes flicking for a pass. He spotted Aiden cutting through the lane, but before the ball could reach him, Troy intercepted, stealing the ball with a lightning-quick swipe.

The crowd roared again.

Jamie’s smile widened. "Phase Two is working exactly as expected."

Jamie’s voice barely rose above a whisper, but it carried weight to his teammates. "Fast break. Push hard. Keep them scrambling." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Jamie sprinted downcourt, ball in hand, weaving past defenders with the finesse of a master chess player executing a checkmate.

Coonie was already retreating, trying to recover, but the gap was too wide.

Jamie launched a perfect pass to Darnell streaking toward the basket.

With one smooth motion, Darnell took off, soaring past Brandon, who was caught flat-footed.

The slam dunk that followed was thunderous, a statement, a declaration that the Vultures weren’t just defending, they were dominating.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. The gap was 66 to 29, but this felt like a battle for survival, not just points.

"We can’t let this spiral out of control," Ethan muttered, tightening his fists. "Jamie’s pressure is tactical, but it’s not invincible."

"Then what’s the play?" Lucas asked, voice low but urgent.

Ethan’s mind raced. He replayed every move, every shift in position. Jamie’s strength was controlling space, forcing Vorpal to make predictable moves.

(If we can’t push through the defense by force, then we have to break their pattern.)

"We have to reset the tempo," Ethan said firmly. "Slow down, spread the floor, force them to chase. Use the pass fake, the off-ball movement — make them run, make them lose position."

Kai wiped sweat from his brow and nodded. "I’m in. Let’s make them uncomfortable."

...

Back on the court, Louie took a deep breath. His eyes locked on Jamie, who was already signaling his defense to tighten further.

The whistle blew, and the ball was inbounded.

Louie dribbled low, shifting left, then right, baiting Troy to commit.

At the last second, Louie faked a drive toward the basket — Troy lunged forward.

With a quick pivot, Louie passed behind his back to Kai, who had slipped free on the weak side.

Kai caught it clean, took a step back, and launched a three-pointer.

The ball soared, a perfect arc slicing through the tension, swish.

The crowd exploded, energy surging through the Vorpal bench.

Jamie’s smile flickered for a split second, a crack in the armor.

"Adjust," Jamie barked, voice sharp. "Troy, don’t bite on the fakes. Stay disciplined."

Troy clenched his jaw, nodding. But the shift in momentum was palpable.

Ethan watched, heart pounding. The pressure was relentless, but now the Vultures had to react to adapt.

Jamie’s plan was brilliant, but every strategy had its counter.

The game was no longer just about skill or speed it was a battle of minds, wills clashing on hardwood.

And Vorpal Basket was ready to fight back.

..

Score: 69-29, Vorpal Basket still leading.

Jamie caught the inbound pass, dribbling with sharp focus. His eyes flicked across the court, taking in Louie guarding him tight, Kai watching the wings, Aiden hovering near the paint, Coonie ready to pounce, and Brandon protecting the rim.

(Tsk... only 29 points? We can’t let them run away with this. I need to push harder. Darnell’s the key, if anyone can break their defense, it’s him.)

Jamie dribbled hard right, forcing Louie to react quickly.

"Hold steady. Set it up for Darnell."

Troy moved up to screen Louie, buying Jamie a sliver of space. Jamie didn’t hesitate, he executed a lightning quick crossover and slipped past Louie’s defense by an inch, enough to gain momentum.

Kai rushed forward to close the gap, but Jamie’s eyes were already scanning for Darnell.

Darnell, the Vultures’ fiery ace was already in motion, muscles coiled, eyes burning with raw determination. His reputation as the team’s hot-blooded scorer wasn’t just talk. Darnell thrived in pressure, the kind of player who’d fight tooth and nail to swing the game.

Jamie slid a sharp, precise pass right into Darnell’s hands.

Darnell caught it mid-stride, knees bending for the explosive power he was famous for. He danced past Aiden, whose outstretched arms couldn’t stop the surge.

With a savage roar that echoed in the gym, Darnell launched himself into the air, soaring with fierce intent.

The ball left his fingertips, curving perfectly in a blazing arc toward the basket.

Coonie launched up in a desperate attempt to block, but Darnell’s shot was pure fire, unstoppable, fierce, and flawless.

The net rippled.

"Yes!" Darnell shouted, pounding his chest with pride.

The crowd roared back in shock and admiration.

Jamie’s smirk widened.

"(That’s how you break their momentum,)" he thought, eyes locked on the scoreboard. They might be behind, but now the Vultures were fighting back and with Darnell leading the charge, the momentum was shifting.

..

Ethan sat on the bench, jaw tight, watching every move carefully.

Jamie is smart. He controls the team well. But Darnell? He’s the real threat — quick, aggressive, and not afraid to take over the game.

Ethan looked at Maco and Lino — the Vultures’ big men down low.

Lino is huge and strong, and he’s pretty fast for his size. Maco knows how to use his strength smartly — not wasting energy, but stepping up when it counts.

The Vultures worked well together. Jamie led with his calm style, but Darnell brought the fire that made Vorpal nervous.

Jamie stole the ball pass towards Troy, then Darnell suddenly sprinted across the court, slipping between Aiden and Brandon. He moved fast and hard, making space.

Troy passed the ball perfectly to him.

Darnell caught it, spun quickly, and pushed for a layup, even as Brandon tried to block him. The ball went in.

The crowd gasped. The Vultures were fighting back.

Ethan’s mind raced.

Vorpal’s lead is still big, but if we don’t adjust, Darnell and Jamie will take control.

He looked at Lucas Graves, who was watching just as closely. Lucas’s eyes narrowed, focusing hard on the players’ every move.

Ethan whispered, "I need more data."

Lucas thought, (I need to copy his movement...)

The tension in the gym was rising — both teams pushing harder, knowing the game could change at any moment.

.....

Back to the Court

69-33 — Vorpal Basket still leading, but the gap was slowly closing.

Aiden caught the inbound pass and quickly sent it toward Louie.

Louie’s hands gripped the ball firmly as he caught it, eyes scanning the court. He started dribbling forward.

"(Jamie’s already on me...)" Louie thought, feeling the pressure tightening like a vise around him.

Jamie was a shadow on Louie, moving with sharp focus and speed. His eyes never left Louie’s every twitch and step.

"(He’s not giving me an inch. I have to be smarter.)" Louie’s mind was racing, searching for the slightest opening in Jamie’s relentless defense.

From the sidelines, Ethan leaned forward, his gaze locked on the two players.

"Jamie’s pressure isn’t just physical — it’s mental. He’s trying to force mistakes, make us panic." Ethan’s voice was low but full of urgency in his mind.

Next to him, Lucas’s eyes flicked between Louie and Jamie, analyzing every subtle movement, every feint and shuffle.

"(If I can copy the moves perfectly, maybe I can help break their defense later,)" Lucas thought, his mind sharp as a blade.

Ethan’s brain was already working fast, connecting dots.

"(If Louie breaks Jamie’s grip, we keep control and stop their momentum. But if Jamie keeps this up, the Vultures will climb back into this game.)"

The gym pulsed with energy. The crowd was silent for a moment every second, every play could flip the entire game.

Louie took a deep breath and shifted his stance, ready to make the next move.

As the clock ticked down. The crowd held its breath.

Louie made a sudden fake to the right, then exploded left, trying to break Jamie’s grip once and for all.

Jamie stumbled for a split second, just enough for Louie to dart past him.

The gym erupted with gasps and cheers.

But Jamie wasn’t done.

He recovered quickly, sprinting to cut Louie off near the three-point line.

Louie’s eyes scanned the court, 1 minute and 40 seconds left, the clock ticking down fast.

He spotted Kai sprinting to the corner, open and ready.

"Pass. Now." Louie thought urgently.

With a sharp flick, Louie whipped the ball toward Coonie.

Coonie caught it cleanly, squared up, and launched a perfect three-pointer.

The ball sailed through the air; time seemed to slow.

Swish.

The shot dropped, adding to Vorpal’s lead.

The scoreboard blinked:

72-33, Vorpal Basket.

Ethan let out a slow breath.

"Nice Louie."

Lucas nodded beside him, eyes still locked on the court.

Jamie’s frustration was clear, but the Vultures weren’t finished yet.

The game was far from over.

To be continue