บท 14: Why, Potato Guy?
Kai followed the trajectory of the ball, hoping they wouldn't take the first point.
Everybody seemed to hold their breaths as they watched the ball's journey to the hoop.
It hit the rim before spinning around, teasing the audience of the outcome.
Then, after a few more seconds, it finally went in, making the crowd go wild.
Jinping smugly glanced at Kai as he ran to the court line. Kai pursed his lips as Bao looked at him apologetically.
"Sorry," Bao mouthed, but Kai merely shook his head as if he was saying it was all right.
As the potato guy retrieved the ball from beneath the hoop, he quickly passed it to Kai.
Jinping already anticipated an easy victory, knowing Kai's history with the sport.
'He's underestimating me,' Kai thought.
Taking advantage of Jinping's underestimation, Kai took a step back, and the people fell in a hush as he positioned himself behind the three-point line.
This move was definitely a gamble. Even as part of their Elementary school's basketball team, Kai had never been great at shooting. It was the very reason why he was their team's center despite his mediocre height.
The ball left Kai's hands in a smooth motion, soaring through the air in slow motion. The arc was perfect, and the net swayed as the ball dropped through. The crown, initially silent, erupted into exclamations of surprise.
Kai, too, was surprised for a moment. However, he quickly got back to the game, a small smile on his lips.
Jinping stood there for a second, dumbfounded. His shooting form just now wasn't terrible. It definitely wasn't varsity-level, but it was also a sharp contrast to his past playing form.
Eva cheered loudly from the side, causing Jinping to frown in frustration.
Jinping narrowed his eyes on him. "Beginner's luck."
The game continued, and Jinping was fired-up after seeing Eva cheering loudly for Kai. He clicked his tongue and took advantage of Kai's inexperienced teammates and sped through them before landing an effortless lay-up.
It didn't stop there. As the potato guy merely walked around the court, cautiously approaching the ball, Yuan took the opportunity to shoot from the free-throw line.
Kai sighed as the trio celebrated, all with smug looks. He also looked around the audience and saw that most of them were rooting for Jinping's team.
However, that wasn't really important for Jinping. In the end, Eva's cheers were the most precious to him.
The score was now 6-3 in favor of Jinping's team.
Undeterred by the circumstances, Kai decided to take another shot to turn the game around.
Dribbling, he positioned himself behind the three-point line, his eyes locked on the basket.
With a swift motion, Kai released the ball, hoping to replicate the success of his earlier three-pointer.
However, luck wasn't on his side this time. The ball sailed through the air, its trajectory slightly off. The collective sigh from the spectators resonated through the court as the ball missed the mark.
Kai's expression briefly registered disappointment, but the moment was fleeting. Bao caught the ball and quickly passed it to the potato guy, who found himself unexpectedly free at the other end of the three-point line.
Hui, realizing his mistake, raced to intercept the ball, but it was too late. The ball was launched into the air, smoothly landing inside the net.
The score now stood at 6-6, and the court erupted into cheers and applause. Kai, a small smile playing on his lips, exchanged a glance with the guy with crumbs on his.
However, that triumph didn't last long as Jinping aggressively took the ball from under the hoop and sped up. He couldn't believe they were now in a tie with Kai's team shooting two mere baskets while his team had to shoot three!
Jinping turned to his lackeys with a dismissive wave. "Just pass me the ball."
Yuan and Hui, sensing their leader's determination, quickly complied. The ball found its way into Jinping's hands, and with a focused gaze, he dribbled his way toward the basket.
Kai ran up to him to stop him, but Jinping's experience and aggressiveness couldn't be defeated. He landed yet another lay-up, a fiery look seen in his eyes.
The score stood at 8-6 in favor of Jinping's team, leaving them just two points away from victory. The crowd watched, unsure of which way the pendulum would swing.
'We can't lose,' Kai thought. Deciding to shoot near the hoop, he quickly caught the ball and landed a lay-up. Jinping's jaw clenched with the thought of such a close score. He was sure he was going to obliterate the opposing team from the get-go!
The tension on the basketball court crackled as the game reached a thrilling tie at 8-8. With the score reset, the first team to score at least two points would emerge victorious.
Kai, wanting to put an end to it all, pondered his next move.
What was a cool way to secure a win and leave a lasting impression?
And then it hit him—a dunk.
The thought seemed almost ludicrous.
He'd only dreamt of pulling off such a move, but in that moment, his vision became clear. An opening presented itself, and he seized it.
Dribbling the ball with precision, Kai counted under his breath.
"One, two…"
Jinping, realizing what Kai was planning to do, quickly ran to stop him. However, Kai had already jumped before Jinping could get to where he was.
As the crowd held its breath, he propelled himself into the air. A gasp echoed through the court as Kai soared, his head aligning with the bottom of the net. The spectators, including an astonished Jinping and his lackeys, watched in awe.
At the peak of the jump, Kai reached out his hand, ready to make the ball enter the net.
However, a realization dawned upon him, and his eyes widened. The magic abruptly dissolved when he realized he had jumped too early. The ball, still in his hand, was nowhere near the basket. He landed gracefully, but the opportunity slipped away.
Jinping, momentarily stunned, burst into laughter at the clumsy move. However, he quickly snapped back into game mode, realizing Kai was attempting to shoot from under the net.
Jinping covered his movements, making it hard for him to shoot. However, utilizing the fake that Jinping used at the beginning of the game, Kai was able to break free.
He positioned himself to shoot from under the net.
But before the ball could leave his hands, the whistle blew, bringing the game to an abrupt halt.
The players turned in surprise to see an old man with a whistle around his neck and a long stick on one hand—a teacher who had stumbled upon their unauthorized game.
"What are you all doing here?" the teacher yelled. "The bell has already rung. Get back to your classes!"
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