Chapter 60: First Game of the Season V
{This story is ready to read on my P-a-t-r-e-o-n. If you wish to read ahead then the link is https://www.p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/easyread. Be sure to remove the dashes. I hope to see plenty of you there and enjoying this novel.}
{This story is going on hold for a while as I write for a new one on P-a-t-r-e-o-n.}
~~~(POV: Ulysses Kennedy)~~~
~~~(Date: October 28th, 2025)~~~
~~~(Time: 5:11 PM)~~~
~~~(Location: Nicolas-John Highschool)~~~
I watch as Tyler tries his best to stay composed. It's not fun being chewed out by Coach Rodgers in public. I was able to stop the scene, but the damage has already been done. I watch as Tyler's attitude shifts, and he starts to become angry.
I'm standing in front of him, trying to help calm him down. "Tyler, don't let Coach Rodgers get to you, man. He's just frustrated like any coach would be. When the other team made a dumb play, their coach got mad too." This is true as well. When NJ made a mistake, their coach would get just as mad as Coach Rodgers.
It's just how Coaches are. They can't help it. Tyler glares at Coach Rodgers, and I turn him away and walk down the sidelines with him. He's not resisting, which is good. "Why the fuck do they let him get away with that?! He shouldn't be allowed to treat students like this!!" Tyler begins to rant, and everything he says has merit.
I honestly don't know why the school continues to let Coach Rodgers be a coach. He's a good guy off the court and during practice. When it's game time, he turns into someone else, and I don't know why.
I let Tyler get out all his frustration, and he's having a hard time just taking his eyes off Coach Rodgers. "Focus on the game." He turns to me and looks up just a bit.
He's 6'8, but I'm still much taller than him. "Drown out everything, push away the thoughts that are bothering you. None of these people matter to you. Coach Rodgers doesn't matter to you. Don't let any of them get to you." I watch as realization sets in Tyler.
What I'm saying is the truth, he shouldn't and doesn't care about these people. He doesn't know them. Why let them get to him.
He nods his head, and I see a new determination in him. Eliminating all the noise and people filling you with doubt will help your path to success. The refs blow their whistles, signaling the end of the time out. I make my way back towards the court, and Tyler walks by my side.
I look in the stands, and I see Ellie waving and blowing my kisses. It's great that she's here to watch. We move to our side of the court, and the refs blow the whistle. I stand out of bounds, and I inbound the ball to Lenny. He stands behind the 3 point line and calls for a screen from me.
I rush and screen his defender. Once free, he starts his drive to the basket, but he's blocked as he puts up a normal layup. NJ gets the ball, and I'm running on defense. I'm right behind the point guard of NJ as he brings the ball down the court, and my very presence causes him to lose the ball and kick it off his feet.
Sending it out of bounds halfway down the court. The refs blow their whistle, and the game comes to a stop. Now it's our ball again. I can hear the NJ coach yelling at the point guard for blundering the ball away.
I walk towards the ref with the ball since I'm going to inbound it again. Laden is waiting for the ball, and I toss it to him. Starting the possession as I do. I jog to my spot on the offensive end, and my defender is pushing against me. He's an absolute pest, and I admire that.
He reminds me of Patrick Beverly. I start some off-ball movement trying to get away from this defender, but he's sticking to me like glue. As the ball is passed to be at the elbow of the key, I put my back to the basket and start to back down the small guy. He's 6'2 with his hair the way it is.
He calls off help defense, and NJ's coach starts yelling, saying to help anyway. Before anyone can heed the coach's command, I shimmy to the left and get him to jump. I move to the right in the opposite direction and hit a perfect turn around fadeaway. That's 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks. I'm 100% from the field with 4/4 made, 1/1 from 3 point, and 1/1 from the free-throw line.
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