Chapter 637: In The Locker Room

Saturday, March 11th, Afternoon

The room was silent as Doctor Ashlyn Perry, MD, was shown in and went right to the trainer's room. Once they came in for halftime, Jade was shown right in. From the floor, she noted Jade was off; everyone knew she was hurt, especially since someone accidentally stepped on her hand. They must think it was serious since they brought in Doctor Perry to look at it.

Sitting in her locker, Brett leaned back and closed her eyes. Though she grew up with Baylee and Avril, Jade was right behind them, a year younger and just as hungry. Jade had always been the eager little sister on the court and one of the best-scoring forwards in the conference. Brett reflected that if she couldn't go, it was time for the next in line to step up. Flannery was a good player, but she was more of a power forward, a defensive specialist, than a scorer on the parameter.

"Do you think she re-hurt her hand?" Cameron asked.

"I don't know," Jewell said, "She was fine the other day and even seemed so this morning."

"What happens if she can't go?" Cameron asked.

"Flan goes," Avril said.

"Flan?" Cameron asked.

"Yes, me," Flannery said.

"You come off the bench," Cameron said.

"Next one up, Cammie," Flannery said.

Brett took a sip of her water. They were out of experienced players; Flannery was the last junior at forward. They just had Evalyn at the center, who was also a junior. That meant the sophomores and freshmen were going to have to step up. Which one was going to fill the role? There is still a half of basketball to play. In her last half as a high school player, does she guild into college or storm in a winner? Her momma and Auntie Tall told her to be prepared to not be special in college. In high school, you are a big fish in a small pond; in college, you're just another fish in the ocean.

Brett nodded and sipped her water. It is when times are rough, the plan has failed, and nothing is going right that the truly great rise and the average fall behind. Brett sipped her water again and looked over the rest of the post players. Brett just nodded.

"At least we're leading," Jewell said.

"Five points, that's nothing," Evalyn said.

"But we're in the driver's seat," Jewell said.

"They can come back," Cameron said.

"Never say that, don't think it, don't manifest it, don't let doubt creep in at all," Brett said, finally.

"What?" Jewell asked.

"Ninety percent of the game is half mental," Brett said.

"Huh?" Jewell asked.

"Don't let doubt affect you; you think, you doubt, you second guess, they'll be all over you," Brett said.

"Are you sure?" Jewell asked.

"As you know, there is more to the game than shots and stats," Brett said.

"Oh yeah?" Jewell asked.

"It is said that Bill Russell would affect a shooter just being on the court," Brett said.

"The OG," Evalyn called out.

"Who is Bill Russell?" Jewell asked.

"The Goat of Goats," Evalyn said.

"Only the winningest player in history, he won everywhere, high school, college, the Olympics, and eleven times in the NBA," Evalyn said, "and especially as a person."

"He must have been a scoring machine," Jewell said.

"No," Evalyn said.

"Russell was a defensive center that was the stuff of nightmares; he was the prototype; he was the guy that kept Wilt Chamberlain human," Brett said.

"Never heard of him," Jewell said.

"He played before our parents were born," Evalyn said.

"The point is that just his mere precedence altered things; he was in the opponent's head and messed up their game. Don't let it happen," Brett said.

"So, if Jade can't go, what are we going to do, B?" Cameron asked.

"We step up," Brett said.

"We few, we happy few, we band of sisters," Avril said.

"Every sports movie inserts a locker room speech," Flannery said with a laugh.

"Hey, they're copying Henry V," Avril said.

"I wonder if they have in the script insert Saint Crispin's Day Speech," Avril said.

"They could call it the Gipper Speech," Flannery said.

"All I know is the fewer the women, the greater share of honor," Avril said.

"We few, we happy few, we bands of sisters," Brett said, laughing.

Avril chuckled, "You're right," she said.

"Hey, I think Coach is coming out," Flannery said.

Brett nodded and wiped her face with a towel. Avril nodded and drank her water. They watched as the three coaches came out of the trainer's room. Coach Sinclair and Coach Pierce-Scott stood to the side as Coach Scott walked to the center of the room. He looked over all his players sitting at their lockers; his gaze swept over them all but lingered on the empty locker of Jade Loyal.

"First, Flannery, you're starting the second half," Coach Scott said.

"Yes, Coach," Flannery said.

"Second, Jade re-injured her hand and can't go. She's getting patched up and will be back on the bench for the second half cheering y'all on," Coach Scott said.

"Yes, Coach," the girls said.

"We're done a good job in the first half; once we've got used to them, we showed them what we can do, and it's time to go out there and let them know who we are," Coach Scott said.

"Yes, Coach!" the girls said.

"Who are we?" Coach Scott asked.

"Ravens!" the girls yelled.

"Bring it in!" Coach Scott said.

The eleven girls came together in the room with the three coaches. Everyone's hand was on top of another one. Everyone made eye contact with Brett.

"Ready for combat on three," Faye said, "One…two…three!"

"Ready for Combat!" the girls called out, turned, and started to head for the hallway to the court.

girls called out, turned, and started to head for the hallway to the court.