Chapitre 52: Chapter 52: Battle of the Egos

Loxus PoV

Drew smirked as he rushed past Jensen. "Bow."

Jensen chuckled as he and I stood our ground.

I dashed behind Drew and stole the ball like a shadow.

"Gotcha!" I shouted, dribbling the ball as I sprinted toward the opposite end of the court. The adrenaline pumped through my veins as I focused on the basket ahead.

But in my peripheral vision, I noticed Wilt springing into action. He was quick—maybe too quick. "Not so fast, Loxus!" he yelled, determination etched across his face. I could see him angling to intercept me.

"Nice try, Wilt!" I called back, using my speed to evade him. I dribbled hard, pushing the ball forward, trying to create some distance. But I knew I had to make a decision fast. Drew and Wilt were both formidable players, and Wilt's energy was infectious.

"Watch your left!" Jensen shouted, his voice cutting through the noise of the gym as he moved to support me.

As I approached the three-point line, I faked a shot to throw Wilt off. He hesitated for just a moment, and that was all I needed. I dribbled sharply to my right, creating space to make a move.

But just as I thought I had a clear path, Wilt lunged forward, his timing impeccable. "Not today!" he shouted, extending his arms to block me.

I quickly adjusted, trying to sidestep him, but Wilt was already there, his energy and focus unwavering as he successfully intercepted my drive to the basket.

"Got it!" Wilt exclaimed, snatching the ball from me with surprising agility. He pivoted and passed it to Drew, who was eagerly waiting for the opportunity to counterattack.

"Let's go, Drew!" Wilt encouraged, a triumphant grin on his face as they switched gears.

As Drew took control of the ball, I could see the determination in his eyes. He was poised and ready to make a play. Jensen and I quickly fell back on defense, knowing we had to regroup after that unexpected turn of events.

"Watch the perimeter!" I called out, positioning myself to anticipate Drew's next move.

Drew dribbled confidently, scanning the court and looking for an opening. Wilt was moving around, setting screens, and creating space, clearly excited to be supporting Drew in this dynamic.

"Keep your eyes open!" Jensen warned, ready to react.

Drew made his move, darting to the left and then back to the right, trying to shake off our defense. I stayed on him, but he was quick, and with Wilt's help, they were working seamlessly together.

"Not so fast!" I shouted as Drew tried to push past me. But just as I thought I could get in his way, he passed the ball back to Wilt, who was already in position for a shot.

"Three points!" Wilt cheered, launching the ball toward the hoop. It sailed through the air like a blazing comet, leaving behind a trail of silver. I watched in awe as it arched perfectly, hitting nothing but net as it swished through.

Drew smirked at Jensen and me as if to tell us we had no chance.

"Let's keep it up, Loxus!" Jensen called out, his competitive spirit ignited. "We need to respond quickly; they're gaining momentum!"

I nodded, ready to rally our team. "Alright, let's show them what we've got!" I said, grabbing the ball from the court and passing it to Jensen. "You take the lead this time."

"Got it!" Jensen replied, his eyes gleaming with determination. He took the ball and began to move, his earlier power surge still crackling around him. The energy in the gym was palpable, and I could feel the excitement building.

As Jensen dribbled, I positioned myself to create space and set up a pick. "Let's go!" I shouted, moving into position. Jensen nodded, utilizing my screen to slip past Drew, who was trying to anticipate Jensen's next move.

"Watch out!" I warned, knowing Drew would be quick to react.

Jensen sidestepped, using his speed to dart around me and head toward the basket. I could see Drew trying to catch up, but Jensen was already gaining ground. "Too slow!" Jensen yelled, his confidence soaring as he approached the hoop.

"Not so fast!" Drew shouted back, lunging to intercept him, but Jensen was ready. With a swift maneuver, he faked a layup, causing Drew to jump, and then he switched direction, passing the ball back to me.

"Loxus!" Jensen called out, and I caught the ball mid-air, pivoting as I assessed my options. I could see Wilt closing in, but I was determined not to let them stop me.

"Here goes nothing!" I announced, taking a few quick dribbles before launching a shot from the top of the key. The ball soared through the air, and I held my breath as it hit the rim.

But it bounced off and came back down, and I quickly repositioned, leaping to grab the rebound. "Got it!" I yelled, landing with a thud and quickly passing it back to Jensen.

"Let's keep the pressure on!" Jensen encouraged, his energy palpable as he took the lead again, dribbling with a newfound intensity.

As Jensen moved, Drew and Wilt were scrambling to adjust their defense. Jensen drove toward the basket, and I could see the sparks flying around him, the energy building as he prepared for another power move.

"Watch this!" Jensen exclaimed, leaping into the air as he launched the ball toward the hoop. It soared with a brilliant glow, and I could feel the anticipation in the air.

"Not this time!" Drew yelled, attempting to jump and block the shot, but Jensen's power was overwhelming. The ball hit the backboard with a loud thunk and then dropped through the net with a satisfying swish.

"Two points!" Jensen shouted, landing back on his feet with a triumphant grin.

"Nice work!" I called out, feeling the adrenaline rise in my veins. "We're right back in this!"

But Drew and Wilt were ready to respond. "Let's go, Drew!" Wilt shouted, their chemistry still strong as they regrouped.

Drew took control of the ball, dribbling confidently as he scanned the court for an opening. I saw the determination on his face, and I knew he was ready to make a play.

"Keep it tight!" I warned Jensen, positioning myself defensively to anticipate Drew's next move.

Drew made a quick move, darting to the left, and I adjusted to follow him. But he was quick on his feet, and with Wilt setting screens, they were working seamlessly together.

"Not this time!" I shouted as Drew tried to push past me. But he was faster than I anticipated, and with a quick flick of his wrist, he passed the ball back to Wilt, who was already in position.

"Three points!" Wilt shouted again, launching the ball with confidence. It sliced through the air, and this time, I knew we had to react fast.

"Get ready!" I called out, sprinting to defend. But the ball sailed through the air, and I watched in disbelief as it hit the net once more.

"Another one!" Wilt cheered, celebrating as the score climbed higher.

I wiped the sweat off from my brow. Dang it!

"Pause!" Natasha yelled as she rushed over.

"What's wrong, Natasha?" Wilt asked, blinking as Drew picked uo the ball.

"You need a break, Wilt."

He grinned. "Me? Nah, I'm fine!"

My eyes went to his ankle. It looked a little reddish. Was it acting up again?

"Sylvester, play sub for Wilt," Natasha said.

"Me?" Sylvester asked, gulping.

Drew eyed the rest of the guys who had walked in while we were playing our 2 on 2. Seemed he wanted anyone but Sylvester.

Jensen smirked. "What's with that look, Drew? Didn't you once say that you could win despite who your teammate is? Well, now it's the time to show you can."

Drew sighed. "Fine. Sylvester, replace Wilt."

"But I'm fine, honestly!" Wilt protested.

Natasha sighed and lightly poked his ankle with the tip of her show.

Wilt winced as soon as she did.

She scoffed and crossed her arms. "Fine, huh?"

He sighed. "Fine. I'll sit the rest of the game out. Happy?"

Natasha nodded and grabbed his hand, escorting him to the bench.

A worried Sylvester slowly stood up. The guy really had no confidence in himself. Well, if they start losing too much, I could always taunt Sylvester like last time to make him give us a good match.