Domination

*Sound Effects*

**Language**

'Thoughts'

"Dialogue"

"Nice shot!" the kid who had called out Trevor praised.

"Appreciate it, keep trying to get open, I'll find you," I responded.

"Bet, I'm Miles," the towering center of our team introduced himself, standing at around 6'6.

"Javier," I replied.

We returned to our positions, but this time, it was me, not Trevor, who started with the ball.

The defender on me became more alert and cautious after witnessing my scoring prowess. This led him to play closer and adopt a more physical approach.

Receiving the ball, I used my leverage to nudge the defender away, creating space while shielding the ball with my body. Shifting his weight, I swiftly pulled back and dashed to the right. My defender attempted to keep up and hurled insults my way.

"You ain't going nowhere, you short b*tch," he jeered.

Sigh

'Always the short insults, come up with something new,' I thought.

As he rushed toward me, I initiated a between-the-legs combination to make him shift his weight to his right foot. After the third dribble, I noticed his right foot bearing weight, and I promptly attacked past his right side, dribbling low past his leg and blowing past him. Spotting the approaching help defense, I also noticed Miles open near the basket. I swiftly crossed over to my right side, delivering a bounce pass between the tall defender's legs to Miles.

The ball landed perfectly in Miles's hands, and he scored an easy layup.

"Good pass!" he commended.

I nodded back in acknowledgment.

The game continued with a back-and-forth flow through the first quarter, as I consistently received the ball and exploited openings in the defense.

*WHOOOOO*

"Red and White, first quarter is in the books. Take a minute break, and we'll resume. The score stands at 12-8, with Red in the lead." said Coach Will. Coach Will, in his mid to late twenties, stood slightly taller than me. He sported joggers and a black cap, maintaining a clean-shaven look that highlighted his blue eyes.

After the break, the game continued. Occasionally, I passed the ball to Trevor because I wasn't an asshole, but he only managed to convert 1 shot out of 4 attempts. I continued to distribute passes throughout the game, amassing 10 assists and scoring 20 points on 9-12 shooting, with a perfect 2-2 from beyond the arc. Miles was the second-highest scorer, putting up 8 points, capitalizing on assists from me that drew attention. The final score was 48-31, not particularly high-scoring given the 5-minute quarters.

*WHOOOOO*

"Good game, Red team! Way to get everyone going and being unselfish," Coach Will praised, his gaze directed toward me.

I nodded, then glanced over and observed Isaiah's team wrapping up. I assumed they won, given the opposing team's downcast demeanor contrasted with Isaiah's team, who were smiling and laughing.

"Alright!" yelled Coach Carter. "Everyone, line up!" he commanded.

In the gym, players lined up. Most were exhausted from giving it their all for 20 minutes, with hands either above their heads or resting on their knees. I was a bit tired, but nothing severe, accustomed to playing outdoors all day, enduring much worse. Spotting Isaiah, I walked over to him.

"Yo, how was your game?" I asked.

"It was good; I got 16 points and 3 assists. We won by 6, so it was close," he shared. Like me, Isaiah was used to outdoor basketball, so the game didn't affect him much.

"Alright, we'll get back to y'all tomorrow with who made the team. The list will be outside my office," Coach Carter announced.

"You are all free to go!" Coach Carter declared before hobbling over to his office. Some players went to chat with him, including Trevor. They talked and seemed to get along nicely.

'I don't like that...' I thought before brushing it off. 'Nah, I scored 20, and Trevor only got 2 points, ball hogging the entire time. There's no way he gets a spot before I do.'

I gathered my things and headed out to class with Isaiah. The school day passed in a blur, constantly thinking about the tryouts and occasionally smiling. I listened to music on my MP4 on the bus ride home, it was a Christmas gift from my mom that I had saved up for last year. Reflecting on my mom and dad, my mood swayed. My mom worked a job cleaning toilets so my brothers and I didn't have to worry about a roof and food. My father had left us when I was 10, and I couldn't remember how he looked or sounded. 'I promise once I make it to the NBA, you won't have to work anymore, Mom,' I thought.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! While some may question the term "domination" with a 20-point score, consider that the game only spanned 20 minutes (5 minutes per quarter). Despite this, Javi managed a double-double, achieving both 20 points and 10 assists. Your feedback is crucial, so please leave your comments if you're enjoying the story. Any input is welcomed and appreciated.