Chapter 634: On The Sidelines
Saturday, March 11th, Afternoon
She nodded, put down her clipboard, and crossed her arms from her position on the bench. A small smile cracked on the stone-cold visage she presented. This was more like it; her players finally established control of the game. Brett was all over the place, setting up screens, picks, and scoring.
"So, are you impressed with Brett?" Coach Kiera Sinclair asked.
Ashlyn nodded, "I knew she was going to break out," she said.
"I can see your style in her," Coach Sinclair said.
"Funny, I see more of Huck's," Ashlyn said.
Kiera shook her head, "Huck didn't have the same killer instinct; that's more you," she said.
Ashlyn shrugged, "Then how much is Candi?" she asked.
"Ah! The mamba mentality," Coach Sinclair said.
"Exactly," Ashlyn said.
"I see it, but Candi is a whole another world," Kiera said.
"Don't I know, two years in college playing with her," Ashlyn said.
"Jade and Eva in for Avril and Flannery," Coach Scott said.
"Are you sure you don't want to change the guards?" Coach Sinclair asked.
"They are good for a bit; Flannery needs a rest, as does Avril," Coach Scott said.
Ashlyn nodded and looked down the bench. "Eva, Jade, you heard, Coach," Ashlyn said.
"Yes, Coach," Evalyn said.
"Yes, Coach," Jade said.
Ashlyn watched the two girls get up, take off their warmup, and go to the scorekeeper's table. They checked in and knelt. Turning back to the game, Ashlyn nodded as the game moved on. There had to be a stoppage of play coming up. A moment later, a miss-que on a pass caused an out-of-bounds turnover.
The center and forward ran out onto the court. The big girl, Avril, jogged off the court. Flannery followed behind; the two girls took a seat on the bench. Flannery took a towel and wiped her face; Avril got a water bottle and took a deep pull. Ashlyn nodded, picked up the clipboard, and looked it over.
Ashlyn tilted her head and watched Jade on the court. The junior small forward was having issues with her ball handling; her hand was bothering her. Ashlyn could tell how the older Loyal girl was handling the ball; it wasn't as smooth as it usually was. Thankfully, Jade switched hands and passed to Faye.
Faye moved it around a bit and tossed it blind. Ashlyn shook her head; she never liked the Magic Johnston stuff. It is too easy to become a turnover and minimally an embarrassing bouncing the ball off the receiving player's back of their head.
Fortunately, Baylee was on the ball and caught the ball. Pivoted, she planted her feet and went up for a mid-range jumper. The ball was a perfect rainbow, and swish went the net. Ashlyn nodded, two more points for Baylee; this first half was largely Brett and Baylee.
Looking up at the scoreboard, she saw that the second quarter was ending. Ashlyn wondered what Coach Scott would do with the last few minutes of the quarter. Will he leave in the set or give the three starters that have played every minute so far, a rest?
Coach Scott looked down the bench. He nodded, then sighed, "Flannery, Cory, and Grace in for Brett, Baylee, and Faye," he said.
"Yes, Coach," Coach Sinclair said; she turned to her guards, "You heard what Coach said."
Corynn got up and removed her warm-up shirt. She headed over toward the scoring table. It took Gracelynn a little bit later for it to settle in, but she stood up, removed her warmups, and followed Corynn. Ashlyn watched as Flannery finished her water, wiped off her face, and followed the other two girls toward the scoring table.
Ashlyn sighed and waited for a stop in play. Slowly, the three starters walked off the court and took a seat. Baylee and Brett took a seat on either side of Avril. Avril handed each a towel, and they got water. The two seniors looked tired. Ashlyn looked to see Jade still on the court, and she was starting to struggle with her hand.
"Are you noticing, Jade?" Ashlyn asked.
Coach Scott nodded, "Yes, her hand is not doing so well," he said.
"The trainer said it was fifty-fifty," Ashlyn said.
Coach Scott nodded, "I'm thinking of having Ashlyn look at it before the second half," he said.
"Can we do that? What would she be able to do without any equipment?" Ashlyn asked.
"Well, Ash owes me, and it would be a second opinion," Coach Scott said.
"I think she's here," Ashlyn said.
Coach Scott nodded, "She is; she's between my mom and Brooke's group," he said.
"Do you want me to send someone?" Ashlyn asked.
Coach Scott nodded, "Send Micha," he said.
Ashlyn got up, walked to the end of the bench, and talked to one of the team managers. Micah nodded and slipped away. Ashlyn returned to her seat.
"Micah is on the way," Ashlyn said.
Coach Scott nodded, "Hopefully, it's not too bad. We could use Jade all game," he said.
"It would be Cammie or Jewell next up behind Flannery and Brett," Ashlyn said.
"Both are so young," Coach Scott said.
"We've won with a large inexperienced freshman taking the final shot," Ashlyn said.
"Only because they over-committed to Angela," Coach Scott said.
"I'm still surprised she did an MJ," Ashlyn said.
"What do you mean?" Ashlyn asked.
"Two of the six titles were won on buzzer beaters by Paxton and Kerr," Lucas said.
"I didn't know that," Ashlyn said.
"Stuff overshadowed by the legend of MJ," Coach Scott said.
"I see," Ashlyn said.
Coach Scott nodded, "Let's see how this quarter finishes up," he said to which Ashlyn nodded.
