Chapter 26: Halftime Adjustment

The locker room buzzed with a mixture of exhaustion and adrenaline as Jamar and his teammates took their seats. Coach Anderson stood in front of them, his expression focused yet calm.

"I didn't expect them to have a third scoring option on that team," Coach Anderson began, referring to Gary Ferguson's unexpected impact. "We've played well so far, but we can't let them shake our rhythm. We need to adjust."

He turned to Mark Reese, the team's center. "Mark, I need you to step up this half. You should relieve Jamar of screen duties. We're going to run floppies for the next plays, let Tony lead the way since he's always open from the three-point line."

Mark nodded, understanding the responsibility placed on him. He had been effective under the basket, but now it was time to play a more pivotal role in their offensive scheme.