Chapter 331: Halftime
Tuesday, January 31st, Evening
After the game clock brought to an end of the second quarter and Lucas's experiment, the two teams retreated to the locker room. The scoring as Lucas blueprinted out slowed down, to a trickle, in fact. South Brunswick scored just seven points; Tree Hill put up nine. The score at halftime Tree Hill led thirty-six to fifteen. Lucas didn't expect them to double up on South Brunswick.
In the locker room, the girls took a seat on various benches. Lucas looked them over and let the trainer check on the few banged-up players. He stood by his office door and looked at his two assistant coaches.
"So, what do you think?" Kiera asked.
"What's gotten into the seniors?" Ashlyn asked.
Lucas nodded and looked across the locker room at a redheaded player. "Simple, Ash, you've gotten under Brett's skin, and she got her friends hyped up not to be outshined by you," Lucas said.
"Well, we'll have to fix their attitude," Ashlyn said.
Lucas shook his head, "Not tonight, we'll finish them off, and at practice, we'll fix the attitude," he said.
"You're not…" Ashlyn said.
"You're pulling a Tom Beckett," Kiera said, interrupting Ashlyn.
"Does that work?" Ashlyn asked.
"It could if planned right," Lucas said.
"Who do you have in mind?" Kiera asked.
"No," Lucas said.
"It could if planned right," Lucas said.
"Who do you have in mind?" Kiera asked.
"I have a few candidates in mind," Lucas said.
"Any hints?" Ashlyn asked.
"No," Lucas said.
"No fun," Ashlyn said.
"It's more effective this way," Kiera said.
Lucas looked over to see the trainer coming up to the group of coaches. "Yes?" Lucas asked.
"They're all in shape to play. Had to re-tape Cory's ankle but nothing major," The Trainer said.
Lucas nodded, "Good," he said and turned to his assistants, "Go make your adjustments."
Ashlyn and Kiera headed over to the girls. The players divided into the forecourt and backcourt players; they spent a few minutes with their position coaches going over their adjustments. Lucas stood back and listened. He looked down at his clipboard and referred to his few notes he made. The assistants were addressing every detail he brought up.
Once they finished, Lucas walked up to the team and looked them over. The two assistant coaches stepped away, giving him the floor. Lucas looked over the players and made eye contact with each of them. Once finished, Lucas centered his gaze.
"Who's still hungry after that half?" Lucas asked.
As typical, no one wanted to raise their hand. Lucas nodded as he looked over the team. This group had a certain dynamic, and of course, no one wanted to upset it.
"That's okay, at least it's an honest answer," Lucas said, "With the score on the board, I wouldn't expect any of y'all to be invested anymore."
Lucas studied the girls as they nodded, in some cases robotic agreement. Taking it in, Lucas nodded. "Here's the simple fact we're only six three-pointers ahead, and there's still another half of basketball to play, do y'all understand?" he said.
"Yes, Coach!" The team replied.
"No, do you really understand? You can still lose this game. Has it gotten through to y'all yet?" Lucas asked.
"Yes, Coach," The Team replied.
"I'm, surprisingly, not believing y'all, but I can't fix that; you have to fix that," Lucas said.
"Yes, Coach," The Team replied.
"Yes, Jewell?" Lucas asked.
"How do we do that?" Jewell Loyal, number twenty, a freshman guard and sister of Jade Loyal, the starting small forward, asked.
"Good question," Lucas said.
"Thanks, Coach," Jewell said.
"Don't thank me, yet, Jewell," Lucas said and looked the team over, "All of y'all should at least be asking yourself that question."
Lucas looked the team over as they all nodded. "The answer is you play for yourself, your pride, your knowledge you gave your all out there, that's why you don't check out, that's why you stay hungry. You saw what they did for the women who brought in the first state title. Do you think they weren't hungry every game?" he said.
"They were, Coach," Brett said.
"Do we want to win?" Lucas asked.
"Yes, Coach," The team yelled.
Lucas nodded and looked over the team. "Well, one good thing y'all have done, especially in the second quarter with the tough defense, that's put the fear of God in them," he said.
The team nodded, and Lucas looked them over. "What we're going to do is go out there with the starters. We're going to break them, crush them, and their will," Lucas said.
"Yes, Coach," The Team said.
"Our defense and our offense will break them. When we break them, but we will put the fear of God in them. With that, we will send them and everyone we face the rest of the season," Lucas said.
Lucas looked around the team and smiled. "Yes, Khloe?" he asked.
"Are you sure god will be in the gym?" Khloe Kennedy, number eight, a freshman guard, asked.
"It's more of a metaphor, Khloe," Lucas said.
"Oh, so who is god in your metaphor?" Khloe asked.
"In this metaphor, Khloe, I'm a basketball god, and y'all are my avenging angels," Lucas said.
"Yes, Coach," Khloe said.
"So, what are we going to do?" Lucas asked.
"Put the fear of God in them, break their will, and win the game," The Team said.
Lucas nodded and looked the team over. "Brett," Lucas said.
"Yes, Coach," Brett said.
"Take the team out for second half warms up," Lucas said.
"Yes, coach," Brett said and stood up, "Let's go."
The team stood up, jogged out of the locker room, and handed two basketballs on their way out. Lucas looked as they left the locker room. Slowly, he walked towards the door and met up with his two assistants.
"Dark Lucas came out there," Kiera said.
Lucas nodded, "How do you think I got them to re-engage," he said.
"It brought me back to my junior year," Ashlyn said.
"Don't remind me of that year," Lucas said.
Kiera nodded, "It was a dark year," she said.
"It births the team we honored tonight," Ashlyn said.
"Yeah, it did," Kiera said.
Ashlyn nodded, "I think we should get out there," she said.
"Why? They can handle themselves," Kiera said.
"Let the relied-up inmates run the asylum?" Ashlyn asked.
Lucas nodded, "They have the taste and are on the scent now," he said.
Kiera nodded, "Are you sure?" she asked.
"Let's go out there to keep them leased," Lucas said and led his two assistants out onto the court. Once seen on the court, a loud cheer went up from the bleachers.
