Again, get settled in. This chapter is a little longer than usual. Settle in and enjoy.
Chapter 62
At seven o'clock, the charter bus pulled onto the drive-through in front of the hotel. After the game and celebrating with family and friends, the team made their way to the locker room. They changed clothes after a shower. For some weird reason, no one was in a hurry to leave. They had won a huge game. Tomorrow, they would be playing for a state championship. They were excited about that. However, the seniors realized that would be the last time they would wear a Hamilton East jersey. They were sad about that fact. Tomorrow would also be the last time the seniors would play together with their brothers.
The seniors looked at each other. The unspoken bond and conversation were unquestioned. They knew the stakes that were before them. They were excited and a little sad. It took the seniors a little longer to take off their jerseys. Their shared looks also cemented the bond between them. At that moment, the starting seniors made a pact to play for each other tomorrow.
The bus stopped just off the entrance door of the hotel. Coach Franklin stood in front of the bus. "Mr. Underwood has dinner ready for us tonight in the same conference room where we ate breakfast. Please make sure you thank him before we retire for the evening. Ten o'clock curfew is in effect for tonight. You had a hard game today. You also have a huge game tomorrow. Get plenty of rest. Please take your bags to your room and return to the conference room in fifteen minutes."
"Yes, coach." The team replied.
"Let's go, men."
The guys started to file off the bus. Their families were all inside the hotel lobby waiting for them. Each guy found his girlfriend and or his family.
Jack walked into a hug from Nana. She was in front of the Thornton Thatcher clan.
"Thank you for coming, Nana."
"Oh JayJay, we wouldn't miss it for anything!"
"Hey, Pops," Jack spoke as he hugged his grandfather. "Thank you for coming. This means a lot to me."
"Jack, we wouldn't miss this for anything in the world. We love you, grandson."
"I love you, Pops."
"Good game, bro," Tom stated as he fist-pumped his brother.
"Thanks, man."
Jack spent a few minutes hugging the whole group and thanking them for coming. He loved having Adam and his mom, Pastor Frank and Abagail, Susan and her mother, and his two immediate families present. He felt so loved by the large group of people there to support him. Their presence made these important few days even more special.
Elizabeth waited, somewhat impatiently, for everyone to have their two minutes with Jack. She knew she couldn't just step in and take all his time, even though that was precisely what she wanted to do. She smiled as each person loved on her boyfriend. Finally, Jack hugged the last person in front of her. Now, it was her turn to have his attention.
As he stepped into her hug, they heard a voice call out.
"Jack!"
"Good grief. Why can't I have four seconds of your time without someone wanting to take that away from me." Elizabeth huffed.
"You sound like you miss me."
"You're kidding, right?" She looked at him.
"You always give me a hard time when I tell you I miss you."
"I miss you." She flirted.
"Uh-hum." He hummed in a sassy manner.
"Uncle Bill," Elizabeth stated as he called out to Jack once more as he walked up to them.
"Sir." Jack nodded his head.
"You played a great game tonight. Very impressive young man."
"Thank you, sir. It was Steven who carried us today."
"Yes, that young man had a great game as well. Now, we will all be eating together tonight. Would you two please join me as we enjoy dinner?"
"Sure." He stated after he looked at Elizabeth. She nodded her head in approval.
Bill stepped back and got everyone's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen. You are invited to the conference room for dinner in honor of their great victory. Tonight, we celebrate with each other for today's victory and in anticipation of their championship tomorrow. We have enough for everyone. Please join us."
"Thank you." Was mentioned by everyone.
As the group broke off to walk to the conference room, some players took their bags to their rooms. Shane offered to take Jack's bag to their room. Jack walked up to William.
"Dad."
"Yes, son. Do you need anything?"
Jack took William's arm and pulled him to the side. "I just wanted to thank you for all of this." He whispered so no one would hear him.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
William saw Jack's little smirk as he nodded his head.
"Well, from me and all the guys, thank you anyway."
"Come on, son. We have dinner waiting for us."
…
"So, a four-year-old Elizabeth decided that standing in a hotel lobby was way too boring for her to spend her morning. She stepped out of the lobby without us knowing she did. The flowerbeds in front of that particular lobby were just finished. Some wildflowers were planted. I love wildflowers, and I love the little animals that come and feed on them. There were always hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other insects during the summer months.
"So, William and I were talking about some items that need to be shipped here and to another location. After a few moments of showing William around the lobby and discussing business, we stepped back to the front desk. Then all of a sudden, we heard a little girl scream."
"Seriously, Uncle Bill?" Elizabeth challenged him as she repositioned herself in her chair. "Oh good grief, why would you even tell this story?"
"Oh, what did she do?" Jack asked as he leaned forward. He was completely invested in the story.
"When we heard a child's scream, we instantly looked around, trying to find Elizabeth. We didn't see her. As we looked out the front windows, we saw Elizabeth jump from the flowerbed. All we saw was a red streak that began to run and scream. Her little red dress was waving in the breeze as she ran as fast as she could." He chuckled at the memory. "William and I ran out of the lobby. By that time, Elizabeth was at the end of the parking lot, running as fast as she could and screaming at the top of her voice."
"But you caught her before she left the parking lot, right?"
"No, Jack. I haven't seen anyone run that far and that fast."
"I was like the wind," Elizabeth smirked to everyone's laughter.
"Where did you catch her?"
"That little kid ran four blocks down the sidewalk before William caught her. He reached for her and picked her up. She just screamed until William wrapped her in his arms and held her tight."
"Ok, so why Flower Bug?"
"Would you like to tell him?" Bill turned his attention to Elizabeth with a little bit of a smirk in his tone and a challenge to her.
"Go ahead. I know you love to tell the story. You know, it gets better each time you tell it." Sassed Elizabeth as she took a drink of her tea.
"It was a spider, wasn't it?" Thomas asked.
"We don't really know…" Bill stated thoughtfully. "All she kept saying was that it was a bug, and it was huge, and it was hairy."
"What kind was it?" Jack asked.
"He told you. It was huge and it was hairy." Elizabeth defended herself.
Bill laughed at the memory. "The whole walk back to the hotel was a four-year-old Elizabeth crying. "It was a bug, and it was huge and hairy. She repeated that phrase endlessly."
"I was four!" Elizabeth squealed her defense.
"Ever since I have called her Flower Bug."
"And I'm still not too fond of it." She pointed her finger at her uncle. Then she turned her attention to Jack pointing her finger at him. "And don't you get any ideas!"
…
At a quarter 'til ten found Jack and Elizabeth in a little lobby just off the elevators on the third floor. They enjoyed their time with everyone but wanted just a few minutes alone.
"I've missed you." She stated as she moved closer to him. He placed his hands on her hips and gave her a gentle squeeze.
"Really?" He asked as he leaned in and placed his cheek against hers.
"Didn't you miss me?"
"I tell you that all the time, and you always sass me. I'm almost ready not to tell you anymore."
"I'm sorry. I do miss you. It's been busy this week."
"It has been very busy."
"When all this is done, and we are home, it's you and me. Date night with my guy."
"I love the sound of that." He stated as he gave her a soft kiss on his cheek. "I need to get in my room. I have to sign in before ten."
"But Jack…"
"Do I hear a little whining in your voice?"
She huffed at his teasing. She knew that was what she did to him all the time. She didn't like it because she just wanted to be with him for a few more minutes. She understood he had rules to follow. Now, she was beginning to understand how he felt.
"Maybe…" She flirted as she stepped closer to him. "I love you, Jack."
"I love you, Flower Bug."
"Jboy!" She warned him.
He couldn't keep the laughter from rolling out of his mouth. "I love you, Elizabeth, but I really do need to go. I'll text in a few minutes."
"We have another minute…" She flirted as she worked her way along his jawline to his ear.
…
"Men, today will be a battle from tip-off to the final buzzer." Coach Franklin stated as he stood before his players. "They will want to run at every opportunity. They want to make it a track meet. We can't play their game. We have had a great season because we have forced teams to play our type of ball game. We need to make them grind. They have to work for everything they get today.
"We are going to slow our offense down. Grind them with each possession. Make them defend you every inch of the court—no fast breaks. If you steal the ball and there isn't anyone in front of you, run it. Otherwise, slow everything down. We are going to work them to death.
"When we shoot, I want the guards to fall back on defense immediately. The furthest two guards will fall back to keep them from running. Cory and Steven, this will leave you two on an island on the boards. You will have to rebound by yourself. You up for that?"
"We got it, coach." Cory and Steven stated at the same time.
"I know it's unfair, but we must keep them from running and turning this into a track meet."
"Coach, we will own the boards," Cory stated.
"I promise," Steven added.
"Sam, you are guarding their best guy. He went off yesterday. However, he didn't play against a guy like you. Sam…" The coach became very serious. "…your sole focus today is defense. Pick him up full court. Stay in his back pocket. Everything you have must be spent on defense. While we are on offense, take that time to rest. If you're open, take the shot, but we need all of your focus on the defensive side of the ball. He's a great player and you won't be able to completely shut him down. However, you have to slow him down."
"I'm on it, coach."
"Sam, we'll pick up your offense. We've got you covered. You do your thing on defense."
"Thanks, guys. Coach, I'll shut him down."
Coach Franklin smiled at the determination written on Sam's face.
"Guys, we have had a great season because we have made teams play how we want them to. We also play with one heartbeat, playing as a true team. Men, if we do that today, we will have an excellent opportunity to walk off that court as a state champion. That's what you have always wanted: a chance. Play with that one heartbeat, and let's let the chips fall where they may.
"Now, you have been a great blessing to me. This team is just special." He looked around and saw his players nod their heads. "Now, seniors, this is your last time to wear that uniform. Some of you will go to college and play ball there. Others, this will be the last time you wear a uniform. Play for each other. Take in every moment. Underclassmen, these seniors have led you. It is your responsibility to give them all you have." Coach Franklin turned his attention to Jack. "Jack, the team is yours."
Jack stood in front of the team. "This will be a dog fight in its truest form from the very beginning. We have to leave everything out on the court. Guys, we need you. We need you all, and we need everything you've got. This is our last game. I promise I will give you everything I have. Sam, you've got to slow that stud down. Joe, we have to pick Sam up on offense. He can't do what he has to do on defense and have any offensive stats. Sam, rest when you can on offense."
"We've got you, brother," Joe stated as he patted Sam on the back.
"Steven and Cory, you are our only rebounding chance. I know abandoning you two down low is unfair, but we can't let them play their game."
"No worries, brother. We'll own the boards." Cory stated.
"Joe, Malachi, Shane, we grind them. We make them work on offense and defense. We each have to do our thing for the team. Don't worry about stats. Don't worry about what others think. This is about us. This is our game…played our way. Cory and Steven will own the boards. Sam will own their stud. Joe, Malachi, and Shane, we've got to back them up any way we can. One heartbeat. They haven't played a team like Hamilton East before today."
…
"Are you lost?"
"Viola, don't you dare say anything like that ever again," Ted smirked with a small grin as he looked to his left and then turned his attention to his right. They were stopped at a red light. Truthfully, he was lost. He wasn't trusting his GPS. It had already been wrong once. It told him to turn left when there wasn't a road to turn left on. His inner man's stubbornness shone through in that he wouldn't stop asking for directions.
"You know, if you would have just stopped…" She stopped talking when he reached for her hand and gave it a little squeeze. He simply shook his head slightly. She tried to stop her laughing. She was able to do a little, but not completely.
"Are you laughing at me?" he asked as he turned his head toward her.
"Absolutely." She sassed. "Now, if I'm not seeing things, there is a sign right in front of us that may just be what we are looking for."
"Where?" He quickly looked up in front of them.
"Huh…" He mumbled. He heard her giggling. "That's enough from you." He sassed with a growing grin.
"Is this what I can expect from you in the future when we don't know where we are going?"
"Absolutely." He smiled as he released the brake and gave his car some gas. She laughed as he gave it a little more gas than normal.
…
"What?!" Grace gasped as she looked to her left.
"Mother." Viola smiled as she began to walk toward her mother. Ted was following behind her.
"What are you doing here, dear?" She stated as she stood and opened her arms for a hug.
Viola walked into the hug. "We wanted to come and support Jack." As a mischievous grin grew on her face, she spoke without looking behind her. "I didn't think we were ever going to find this place."
"Didn't you two use GPS?"
Ted playfully and discreetly patted Viola on the bottom. "We did." He stated as he smiled at Grace.
That was the first time he had done that. After she returned the favor, Viola turned toward Charlette and patted Ted on the bottom as he hugged her mother.
"Ted. It's so good to see you." Grace hugged him.
"You came," Charlette stated while giving Ted a hug.
"I didn't want to miss this."
"Don't you have classes today?"
"I just have one."
"So, you're playing hooky from class?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ted smirked. He knew what his aunt was going to say. If anyone were going to call him out, it would be the ex-teacher.
"I don't think you should have skipped class, young man. Shirley is paying good money for you to attend school."
"Yes, Aunt Charlette, but Mother knows what I'm doing today."
"Thank you for coming to be with us."
"You're welcome. Now, is it ok if I crash with you all tonight?"
"You're staying the night?"
"If I can crash with you in your room?"
"Perfect."
"You're staying?" Grace asked.
"If I can crash with you?"
"Perfect. We'll figure something out."
…
The team was lined up to run out onto the court. The music just started, and the team lined up along the wall. Jack was at the end of the line like he normally was. He was bouncing on his toes. His eyes were closed with his head bowed. He looked up when Cory and Steven walked to him and patted him on the shoulder.
"Jack, today's your day. We want you to lead us out on the court." Steven stated.
Cory held out the ball. "It's your turn, man. You need to lead us out there."
Jack stared at his two brothers and friends. He shook his head no when he looked behind them. Joe, Sam, Malachi, and Shane were standing behind them. The rest of the team was standing behind those four guys. He simply nodded his head at the insistence of the team.
"It's my pleasure." He accepted the ball. He walked to the front of the line and took a few moments to look around the arena. He wanted to take it all in at this moment.
"What are they doing?" Steph asked.
Elizabeth, Connie, and Steph were watching the team gather around Jack. They saw the conversation taking place and when Cory held out the ball.
"I think they want Jack to run out first. Steven mentioned it earlier." Connie stated.
"Oh, he won't like that," Elizabeth stated as she continued to watch. She smiled when her boyfriend took the ball and walked to the front of the line,
As Jack stood in front of the line at the edge of the court. He just stood there. He looked down at his jersey. He may have only worn it for one season, but it had become very important to him. He looked up at the ceiling of the arena. Then he slowly looked at the court floor. He loved the variety in the wood of the court. He followed the bleachers as they wrapped around the court. He closed his eyes one more time and took a deep breath. He slowly released the breath through his mouth. He looked up and into the eyes of his girlfriend. She and their family and friends were about ten rows up from the floor behind the scorer's table.
The instant their eyes connected. A long, emotional conversation took place between them. They both saw the love between them. They also saw the emotions they were trying to deal with. She knew about the struggle of this being his last high school game and the last game with his brothers. As sad as that was for him and for her, she knew she needed to be there for him. In the only way she could, she gave him all of her strength through their intimate look. If he wanted or needed all of her strength, she would have freely given it to him.
Jack smiled as he felt Elizabeth's strength. She willed everything she had into him at that moment. This was another moment he knew she was his forever. With them together, he knew he could do anything in this world. This precious woman again showed him that she loved him with more than mere words. The look into each other's eyes may have only lasted a few seconds, but the conversation lasted for a lifetime.
Elizabeth's smile grew when he stopped smiling. She knew he had just set himself for the task that was in front of him. She also knew she helped him, in a small part, to be ready for this moment in his life.
"Us…together." He mouthed to her.
She nodded her head. "Us…together." She whispered. "Now, go and own this!" With the last phrase, her face intensified.
His stare intensified and matched hers as he watched her mouth the words. He tapped his chest twice and then closed his eyes. With one last deep breath, he opened his eyes. All of his senses came alive. He heard every noise and felt the hand on his back. This was their moment. His eyes deepened as he stepped onto the court for the first time, leading his team.
…
After running onto the court, Jack went through the layup line only once. Once he did, he went to the corner of the court. He sat down at the very edge of the court, just inside the white lines. He just sat there. He didn't stretch, nor did he make any attempts to do so. He didn't even look at his teammates as they went through the layup line. He looked up at his cheering section that took up most of two rows. They were all there for him, from little Susan to his Nana and Pops. He rapidly blinked when he noticed his cousin, Ted and Viola. His eyes quickly found Elizabeth. She raised her right hand and held up her thumb. He nodded his head that he was alright.
Elizabeth realized all those times Jack would separate himself and sit to stretch weren't necessarily only to stretch. Or at least he wasn't at this moment. He was mentally preparing himself for a very difficult game. As the two young people only stared at each other, everyone on the court and in the stands began to fade away. The only two people in the world were the two who promised each other they would always love and care for each other.
Elizabeth saw the man she would dream about when she was younger. A man who was genuinely a good guy. A man who had an internal strength that could move mountains, and he shared that strength with her. Someone who loved people and loved children. A man who had high morals and would lead her and her family. She knew he would protect her by standing behind her, giving her all of himself. He would also stand in front of her to protect her from whatever was in front of her, wanting to cause her harm. With Jack being so handsome was just a huge bonus. She loved everything about this guy. Even his silly, playful side. She wouldn't admit it publicly but even loved his 'I'm right' face.
Jack saw the woman of his dreams looking intently at him. She loves completely and wholly. Elizabeth made him want to be a better man…a better person. She made everyone around her better. She had an internal strength that was subtle yet stronger than anything he had ever experienced. Her love of children and her desire to be a teacher was attractive to him. She took her studies seriously and pushed him. He even loved her little smirking expression when she thought she was right. He was the best version of himself when she was in his life.
They both smiled, knowing they didn't have to say anything. Words weren't necessary for the two of them to communicate. Their connection was just something different than they had ever experienced. They were thankful for that. Even when Shane came and sat beside Jack, that didn't break their connection. It wasn't until the warning buzzer, which was two minutes left in warmups, that Jack and Elizabeth broke eye contact. They had no idea how long they looked at each other.
"You've got this!" Elizabeth mouthed as their eyes reconnected.
"I love you." He mouthed just before she reciprocated the same phrase.
They patted their chest at the same time.
Nana leaned toward Grace and Charlette. They never took her eyes off Jack and Elizabeth.
"I don't think I have ever seen anything so intimate in my entire life." She whispered. "That…that was…" Her voice trailed off.
"Yeah," Grace and Charlette said as the announcer came on the loudspeaker to introduce the starting lineups.
…
Coach Franklin just stepped out of the small huddle of the starting five, plus Malachi and Shane. He only spoke a few words. He felt his team was ready for the game and didn't believe he needed to encourage them any further. He didn't want to overload them. He had already shared with them how he wanted them to play the game. This team wasn't one that he had to remind them constantly of what they needed to do. He smiled, knowing they were ready for the dogfight that was awaiting them.
Jack stepped to the center of the small huddle. This had become his custom months ago. He looked each man in the eyes. He knew they were ready by their eyes and demeanor. He simply spoke.
"Let's get to work!"
Jack turned around with everyone. They walked onto the court at the same time. After fist-bumping the other team, Cory assumed his normal position for tip-off. Jack went to the free throw line, where he always does. Sam, however, went straight to number twenty-three. He was at the other free-throw line. This was odd. You don't pick up someone there for tip-off. He stood right beside him with his arm touching him.
"What are you doing?" His opponent moved so Sam wouldn't touch him.
Sam didn't say a word but stepped even closer to him. Along with their arms touching, his foot was against his opponent's foot.
"Get off me!" Twenty-three demanded when the ref tossed the ball in the air.
Southwest's player won the tip-off. Sam and his opponent ran up the court. Sam kept his hand on his guy. The guy swatted it away a couple of times, but Sam was persistent and placed it back on him instantly, making sure he didn't grab his jersey. He ran around from the left to the right side of the court. Sam never removed his hand from his back. As he approached the right side of the court, he received a pass from his teammate.
Sam was directly in front of him and was in a great defensive position. His knees were bent, and his left hand was outstretched to the side. His right hand was in front of his opponent.
"Take him, Kyle!" His teammate shouted.
He faked left and tried to turn immediately to the right. Sam didn't buy the fake and was in great position. Kyle lowered his shoulder and collided with Sam, knocking him down. The ref blew the whistle. He called a charge on Kyle. Jack and Joe were immediately at Sam's side to offer a hand to help him up.
"I told you, man, he hasn't played against a guy like you." Jack stated as he swatted him on the backside.
"Great job, man." Joe patted him on his back.
Jack received the ball and slowly walked up the court. He was in no hurry. He called out the play as he crossed halfcourt. Sam went to the corner. Even though the game had just begun, he knew he had been in for a long, hard game. He wanted to save all his energy for defense. He was trying to save himself for the later part of the game. While he participated on offense, he would do it sparingly and only when left open.
Jack passed the ball to Joe. Joe squared up for a shot. Instead of following the shot like he was taught his whole life, he immediately begins to backtrack down the court along with Jack. Steven and Cory crashed the boards to get in position to rebound. Sam left his corner and found twenty-three. Again, he reached for his back and remained close. Steven rebounded the miss. He pump faked the shot, and his opponent jumped up. When he did, Steven took one step to the center of the court and jumped. He laid up the ball and made the shot. By the time the ball fell through the net and the other team touched the ball, Sam was glued to his guy, and Jack and Joe were already at halfcourt with everyone in front of them.
Sam was playing so well and so close to his opponent that the other guy had to take the ball up the court.
"So, this is how it's going to be?"
Again, Sam didn't say anything. He just remained close and replaced his hand on the guy's back after it was swatted away.
The other guy dribbled the ball up the court, but not as fast as they would have liked. Jack picked him up at half-court. Jack's guy dribbled, looking for an open man. Kyle ran around the court to shake Sam, but Sam never left. His hand remained on Kyle's back.
Joe's guy passed the ball down low to Steven's guy. Steven played good defense, but his guy made the shot. Jack received the inbounds pass and slowly walked up the court. This time, Sam stayed closer to the free throw line by the three-point line. Kyle stayed on him. Sam did run from one side to the other, but you could tell he wasn't trying to get open for a shot.
Jack broke free from his guy and took the ball to the free-throw line. Cory and Steven's players stayed on them. Jack pulled up and took the open shot. When he landed, he and Joe began to backpedal to halfcourt. Cory and Steven fought for the rebound position. Sam instantly went into defensive mode and placed his hand on twenty-three's back. He could easily tell his guy was getting frustrated. Sam wouldn't let him receive the inbounds pass. As Jack was backpedaling, he watched the ball fall through the net.
…
This was how the first period went. Sam played very close defense on Kyle. Jack and Joe took up Sam's absence on offense. Steven and Cory rebounded very well and scored several second-chance points off the rebounds. They consistently fought against three players for rebounds, but they held more than their own. Joe and Jack always made sure they were back after a shot. That prevented the other team from running the ball up the court. Even though Southwest tried to run the ball a few times, Jack and Joe were always in position to prevent the fast break.
The lead switched several times over the first period. No one was ahead more than four points. They were mostly tied. When one team would get three or four points ahead, the other team would make a big basket and close the gap. No one was allowing the other team to pull away.
"Wow! This is going to be incredible to watch." William stated.
"It's a heavyweight title fight," Thomas stated.
"One throws a punch, and the other one responds with their own punch," Bill stated.
"I'm not leaving my seat. If Elizabeth wants a snack, she'll have to wait until halftime or go and get it herself."
Thomas looked at Elizabeth in the row in front of her. "William, I don't think she intends to leave her seat."
Elizabeth watched the game, but her main focus was on Jack. He was intently focused on the court. While she did miss his frequent glances, he would still steal a glance every so often. Her throat was already getting a little sore from cheering. While her father, mom, and Pops were screaming their heads off at every little thing, she focused on cheering for Jack. Nana, Alice, and Susan joined her. Connie cheered for Steven, while Steph cheered for Cory. The crowd was loud for both sides, and everyone enjoyed the close game.
"Great job men. I'm so stinking proud of you. Sam that has to be the most impressive defense I have ever seen. He's a stud and only has two points. Cory and Steven, I can't believe how great you are doing against their three defenders. You are doing a great job. Joe and Jack, great job in getting back and stopping their fast breaks. However, you have got to start getting a little more aggressive on the offensive side of the ball. Create your shot. Cory and Steven own the paint. They'll get every rebound. Jack…" He stated as he stood and left the huddle.
Jack leaned forward. "Come on, Joe, we've got to pick it up. I'm sorry, Sam. We have let you down. Not from this point going forward. Sam, Cory, and Steven, keep doing what you are doing. If you keep this up, we'll win this game when Joe and I pick it up. Malachi and Shane, don't let Sam down when you come in."
…
The second period began just like the first period ended. Sam's defense was tremendous, and Kyle was beginning to get very frustrated. Cory and Steven continued to battle down low. They were winning the rebound battle despite constantly rebounding against three people. About two minutes into the second period, Jack took to heart what he needed to do. He slowly brought the ball up the court. Without any fakes, he exploded to the right side of the court and quickly made his way to the painted area. Cory and Steven's players stayed on them. They were told never to leave their guys because they were getting beaten out on the rebounds. Jack pulled up about six feet from the goal and made the small jumper.
Sam stayed glued to his guy like he had the whole game. Joe ran back to half-court to prevent a fast break. Cory and Steven turned to run down the court with their players. Instead of turning to run like he had all game, Jack stayed close to the guy he was guarding. The Southwest's player wasn't paying much attention when he threw the ball inbound. When he turned to dribble the ball up the court, Jack stole the ball. He turned and dribbled the ball once for a layup. The guy fouled him as he made the shot. Jack made his free throw. It made his team up by five. That was the biggest lead by any team in the whole game.
That play lit a fire under Hamilton East. It gave them the confidence that they could not only play with Southwest but they could actually pull away from them.
During Southwest's next possession, Sam stole the ball from Kyle. In his frustration of being shut down, he fouled Sam pretty hard. That was his second foul. His coach pulled him out so he wouldn't get a third foul before halftime. When he did, Coach Franklin grabbed Shane's arm. "Go get Sam. Shane, if it's there, run it. But it has to be there. Let Jack know."
Shane jogged on the court and told Jack what the coach said. Jack raised an eyebrow at the coach.
"If it's there." He mouthed to Jack. He simply nodded his head.
The two teams exchanged baskets, and the lead was still five. With his quickness, Shane stole the ball off a deflection. He raced down the court and scored an easy layup. After making their shot, Southwest closed the lead back to five. After a foul that stopped the clock, Kyle stood and went to the scorer's table to check back into the game. Sam immediately stood and went to the scorer's table to check in. On his way, Coach Franklin asked, "Where are you going?"
"He's my guy. Who do you want out?" He nodded toward the scorer's table.
"Joe."
"Have a seat, young man, and get you something to drink. Don't get too comfortable." Coach Franklin told Joe as he walked past him.
Jack and Shane made two other fast-break baskets. Jack stole the ball twice but quickly passed it to Shane for easy layups. Shane had spent so much time with Jack since he hurt his ankle that he was thinking like Jack. He saw the game the same way Jack did.
Southwest made a small run in the last part of the second period. Sam's player, Kyle, had six points by the end of the period. For Kyle, six points was his season low at halftime. Sam's defense was excellent, and he was shutting Kyle down by anyone's standards. Hamilton East was up by three. The game between two very good teams was what everyone was expecting. It was a close-contested game.
…
During halftime, Hamilton East sat down on their seats in their locker room. They were excited about how the first half was played. They were up by three but knew the game was far from over. All the guys knew the game would be played to the final whistle. There was no way anyone was going to blow out the other team. As much fun as the game was to watch, it was more fun to play in. Every possession counted and meant something. Every shot was important, along with every rebound and every pass.
Thomas, Pops, William, and Bill were all standing at the concession stand with a list of snacks and drinks for everyone. They talked about the first half and were happy to watch such a hard-fought game.
Elizabeth, Steph, Connie, and Susan all went to the restroom. Susan was just happy to be with the cool teens. They all made her feel part of the group. She was on cloud nine. Elizabeth stood behind Susan, who was washing her hands in front of the sink. She was looking in the mirror at her hair.
"Susan, you have beautiful hair," Elizabeth stated as she began to fix Susan's hair with her fingers. "I wish I had hair like this."
"Elizabeth, your hair is gorgeous."
"Not like this." Elizabeth continued to play with the little girl's hair. She quickly fixed it a couple of different ways just to see how it looked. "You can wear it in so many ways and styles. It's simply gorgeous."
"I love the different layers to it," Connie stated. "I tried that once, and it just didn't look good on me." She stood behind Susan and began to play with her hair as well.
"A loose ponytail with it over your shoulder," Steph added.
"Oh, that would look great," Elizabeth stated.
Steph pulled a hair tie off her wrist and handed it to Elizabeth. She began working on Susan's hair as they watched in the mirror.
"You need to leave this part." Connie stated as she pulled two strains of hair down each side of Suan's face. It framed her face just perfectly.
"Perfect." Steph added.
"Gorgeous." Elizabeth smiled.
"Beautiful." Connie smiled.
…
The third period was a dogfight, just like the previous two periods. Sam played tremendous defense on Kyle. Steven and Cory battled for rebounds and held their own against three players. Joe and Jack played well on both sides of the ball. Malachi and Shane came in to rest the starters and played well.
The fourth period was no different. The score was always within a couple of points. No one pulled away. The team was evenly matched, and it showed on the court. As the end of the game approached, the crowd just got louder. The fans from the previous games stayed to watch. They weren't disappointed.
Coach Franklin called time out after Southwest scored with fifteen seconds remaining in the game. Southwest was up by one point. The arena, while not completely full, was absolutely rocking with excitement. The game was so good that no one wanted either team to lose. They would match baskets and defensive stops. No one just pulled away. Both teams were so evenly matched.
Jack looked up in the direction of his girlfriend as he walked toward the bench. He immediately found Elizabeth. Her eyes instantly calmed him. Somehow, his breath instantly calmed.
"You're going to win the game." She mouthed to him with her perfect smile.
Jack nodded his head. He looked toward his coach.
"What are your thoughts?" Coach Franklin was asked by his assistant coach.
Jack walked towards the coach.
"Coach Franklin, I mean no disrespect, but I have the ball." He walked past the coach without even looking at him.
"Winners want the ball." He stated.
Jack kneeled in front of his brothers. He looked each guy in the eyes. "Cory and Steven, you two have played the best game I have ever seen you play. You two dominated and owned the paint with no help from us. That is incredibly impressive. Joe, you have stepped up and carried us on offense and defense. Sam, you have owned that monster. He is the best player we have ever seen, and you have limited him to ten points—impressive young man.
"We're down by one. Joe and Sam stay on the wing by the three-point line. Cory, get on the left block. Steven, get on the right block. I'm coming up middle court. With eight seconds left, I'll drive the paint. If your two men stay on you, I'll have the shot. Sam and Joe, follow me in. We all rebound if I miss. They won't have time to rebound and run the court. We all crash the boards. We own this!" He spoke confidently.
"I'll be there, but Jack…you're not going to miss it."
Jack leaned in and extended his hand. His guys placed their hands on top of his. "Let's go men…it's time to become a state champion."
Without saying a word, all five stood and walked onto the court as a team for the last time. Coach Franklin smiled as he listened to Jack talk to the team, and then they walked onto the court as one. He was proud of his team. Win or lose, he felt that he gave his team everything he had.
"You didn't say anything to them." The assistant coach stated.
"I didn't have to. I've been talking to them all season. They already knew what to do."
Jack took the ball and dribbled up the court while keeping one eye on the clock. With nine seconds left, Jack faked left. He crossed over and went to the right. He flew past his opponent and drove to the basket. When he reached the foul line, Kyle pulled off Sam and fouled Jack as he began his shot. He fouled him hard enough, so Jack didn't make the shot. The ref blew his whistle and called the foul. With four seconds left, Jack went to the foul line for two free throws. If he made one, the game would be tied, and the game would go into overtime. If he made both shots, his team would be up by one point with very little time on the clock for Southwest to go the full length of the court to try to score. If he missed both shots, they would remain down by one point with almost no hope of a chance of winning the game. Everything, the championship, the game, the season, rested squarely on Jack's shoulders.
Jack picked himself off the court and walked to the top of the free throw line, where the three-point line was at the top of the circle. He looked up and found his girlfriend. She smiled at him when their eyes connected.
The opposing team's coach called a time-out. He wanted to try to ice Jack. To make him think about the importance of the free throws. Sometimes, too much time is spent thinking about the importance of the shot, which adds stress that affects the player. Jack walked to the bench and drank a long Gatorade. He wiped the sweat off his face, his hands, and arms. Without saying a word to anyone, he turned and walked toward the free-throw line. There were still thirty seconds left in the time-out. Yet, he was standing three feet from the free-throw line. With the strength given by Elizabeth, he was ready.
"Wow!" Pops and William stated at the same time.
Thomas was so nervous that he didn't say anything. Charlette and Grace had their hands covering their mouths. Nana had her hands clasped in front of her chest. Viola and Ted were holding hands, standing on the bleachers like everyone else. Elizabeth never took her eyes off her boyfriend.
When the other players lined up, Jack took a quick glance over his shoulder. Elizabeth smiled when he blew her a kiss.
Jack stepped forward and accepted the pass from the ref. He settled his feet and bounced the ball two times. He looked at the ball and bent his knees. With one smooth motion, he shot his normal free-throw shot. The ball arched through the air. Everyone in the stands grew silent as they thought the ball was going in slow motion. Elizabeth smiled. She knew he made the shot.
As loud as the arena was, it was just as quiet after Jack released the ball. Everyone watched it fly through the air. When the ball fell through the net, it made its distinct swooshing sound. Hamilton East's fans went crazy as they cheered and yelled. Jack's teammates came and fist-bumped him. Now, the score was tied. The worst-case scenario was that the game would go into overtime. Again, the opposing coach called time out, trying to ice Jack.
Jack looked up and patted his chest two times, and gave Elizabeth a dimpled grin.
"This is crazy!" Viola exclaimed.
"It is, but it's so great to watch, " Ted said as he tip-toed to see over the guy in front of him.
Charlotte, William, and Pops all cheered and jumped when they heard and saw the ball go through the net.
Just like the last timeout, Jack took a long drink and wiped off the sweat. He walked to the free-through line. He glanced toward Elizabeth. "You're going to win a championship." She mouthed to him.
Jack smiled at her confidence. This was when she gave him all her strength and confidence. He loved her support. It just felt so empowering and natural to him. With her added strength and confidence, he calmed down and was relaxed. He believed her. He was going to win the game…partly because of Elizabeth.
The ref passed the ball to Jack. He settled his feet and dribbled the ball twice. Then he shot his normal free throw shot. Again, the crowd went silent as the ball left Jack's hands. Everyone watched this ball spin through the air. For everyone in the arena, the ball took forever to reach its highest arch and then began to descend. As the ball began its downward descent, Elizabeth raised her hands in the air and began celebrating. When the ball swooshed through the net, the crowd got louder than it had ever been during the game. Hamilton East is now up by one point with four seconds left.
Southwest took the ball out of bounds to pass it in to begin play. Cory, Steven, Joe, and Sam all ran to halfcourt to prevent an easy shot. Jack lurked around the free-throw line. The rest of Southwest's players turned to run up the court, trying to get in position. Kyle ran to halfcourt, hoping to run the play called by his coach.
The play was simple. A teammate passed the ball to his player at the free-throw line. Then, he quickly passed the ball to Kyle for a desperation shot. Kyle was good enough that no one would consider it a desperation attempt, even from halfcourt.
Southwest's player stepped out of bounds as fast as possible. Without paying too much attention, he passed the ball to his teammate, who was hovering around the free-throw line. When the ball left his fingers, Jack stepped in front of his opponent and stole the ball. He took off, dribbling and running away from the player so he couldn't be fouled to stop the clock. Before his opponent could reach him, the buzzer sounded, ending the game.
Jack tucked the ball under his arm and began to run full speed toward his cheering section. His eyes were focused on one person among the hundreds and thousands of cheering fans. He fought to climb through the fans, but his eyes settled on his person. As he tried to pass through the fans, they patted him and tried to hug him. They were all excited. Jack pushed through the fans and up the ten rows of bleachers.
Elizabeth was jumping up and down on the seat portion of her bleachers. She was so excited for her boyfriend. He made the winning shot to win the state championship game. She watched him fight through the fans, working his way toward her. The anticipation was growing. He finally reached her.
She had her arms wide open, waiting for him to reach her. Jack finally was in the arms of his girlfriend.
"You did it! You did it!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around him.
Jack reached for her and picked her up with his left arm wrapped around her. "We did it! We did it!" he exclaimed as they tightened their hold on each other, as he picked her up off the floor.
Jack leaned back and looked into the eyes of his girlfriend.
"You won the game!" Elizabeth shouted.
"We did this!" He kissed her. "Us…together."
"Us…together!" She exclaimed.
"Thank you, Princess Beth."
"Jack…!" She warned him.
He gave her a huge, dimpled grin. He handed the ball that was in his arms. "For you."
"I'll keep it for you."
"It's yours, Elizabeth." He stated as he gently pushed the ball into her arms. People were patting him on the back and shoulders. "I want you to have it. Thank you for everything you have done for me. We did this together. "
She did the only thing she could think of. She kissed him on the lips.
"I've gotta go. I'll see you in a little bit."
"I'll be waiting for you." She stated. She enjoyed the growing smile forming on his lips.
Before leaving, he hugged his ma, mom, and Nana. Then he fist bumped his father, his dad, his brother, Pops, Ted, and Bill. They were all cheering and waiting for their one second with him.
He looked and then winked at Elizabeth. He squeezed her hand three times before turning to work his way through the crowd. He needed to join and celebrate with his teammates. He just had to see his person first.
Jack turned to work his way back to the court. Shane was waiting for him at the edge of the court. "You did it, old man!" He yelled as they hugged.
"Good job, young pup!"
Only a few seconds later, the two guys were surrounded by the whole team except for Charles. They were in a tight huddle, jumping up and down celebrating.
…
The celebration lasted a few more minutes before things calmed down enough for the announcer to be heard. Southwest's team gathered around their bench, while Hamilton East's team gathered around their bench. No one in the stands left early. Of course, the fans of Southwest were disappointed their team lost, but they were excited that it was such a good game.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the first runner-up of the 2024 state championship is your Southwest High School!"
Their fan base stood and cheered. They supported their team the whole season and wanted to continue. After the presentation of the second-place trophy and several pictures, the team made its way back to its bench. Hamilton East's fan base began to cheer slowly in anticipation of their team's name being called out.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you your 2024 state championship team, Hamilton East High School!"
The fans cheered, but none louder than Elizabeth, Connie, and Steph. They yelled the best their tired voices could as they waved their arms in the air. Adam was waving his arms with his mouth open. The rest of the group were all yelling and clapping. They were so proud of Jack and the team.
The team began to make their way to center court. Jack was the last member of the team to step onto the platform. He looked in Elizabeth's direction. She stopped waving her arms and cheering. They shared smiles. Their communication was intense and fully understood. They tapped their hearts twice at the same time. Jack took his eyes off her when he stepped onto the platform.
Jack posed for pictures with his team. Afterward, the announcer caught everyone's attention. "This year's MVP is…" He paused. "Well, we have a first for the state tournament. We have more than one MVP. This year's MVPs are Sam, Steven, and Jack."
Jack applauded until he heard his name called. He patted Sam and Steven on the back and then nudged them toward the center of the podium. He knew they should have won the MVP, but he disagreed when his name was called out. He didn't step toward the center of the platform. He kinda hid behind a couple of players.
Jack turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, coach."
"Hey, young man."
"Congratulations, coach. It was a tremendous season."
"It really was. Jack…thank you."
"Thank you, coach."
"You really should learn to accept praise."
"I'll work on it." He smiled.
…
When all the pictures and chaos on the court finally settled, Coach Franklin told everyone they had fifteen minutes before they needed to be in the locker room. He nodded toward all the families and friends standing on the side of the court. "Go, thank them for coming all this way to cheer you on and celebrate with you."
Jack turned toward his group. The first person to meet him was Adam. His arms were waving high in the air with his mouth wide open. Elizabeth wasn't sure, but she thought she heard something come from Adam. She knew he was nonverbal, but she still thought she had heard him grunt or something like that. Adam ran toward him. He leaped the last two feet into Jack's arms. Jack caught him and turned around two times before placing him back on the ground.
"You have been so good to me. Thank you for always getting me Gatorade."
Adam smiled before placing his head on Jack's shoulder. He patted Jack on the back.
"Congratulations, son," Charlette stated as she hugged her son when Adam let go of him. "You did so well. I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, Ma," Jack said as he melted into her arms. He placed his head on her shoulder. She remembered when he was eight when he would hug her when he needed her comfort. They held each other for a few long moments. The whole group patiently stood around, admiring the scene in front of them.
"Well done, son. I'm proud of you." Thomas stated.
Jack melted into his arms as well. "Thank you, Pa. For everything."
Thomas tightened his hold on his son. He was so proud of him.
Grace gave him a warm smile before hugging him and congratulating him. When he melted into her arms, he felt like he was hugging his mother.
"Thank you for your support, mom. Thank you for always coming to my games."
"My pleasure, son. I'm so proud of you."
William stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the young boy he considered his son. He held onto the hug much longer than normal. "Well done, young man. Well done."
"Thank you, dad. Thank you for always supporting me."
"You are welcome, son."
After William, Jack sought out Elizabeth. She walked into a hug. He laughed when she had the basketball hidden under her jacket. She wasn't sure if someone was going to come looking for it. She wasn't going to give it up without a fight. Jack spent a few minutes speaking with everyone else, with Elizabeth standing beside him, holding her hand.
…
Coach Franklin walked into the locker room in a somber mood from his players. He was a little surprised when everyone was so quiet. He looked around and noticed that no one had taken off their jersey yet. He smiled, knowing what they were struggling with. Everyone knew this team was done. The underclassmen will be back next year, but that team will be different. The seniors knew this would be the last time they would take off their jerseys. This was hard for them.
"Listen up, men." Coach Franklin caught everyone's attention. "First of all, congratulations on a great season. You did it!" He shouted. All the guys cheered. When they calmed down, he continued. "All too often, life moves on. We lose some great seniors. Seniors…thank you for raising the bar for our program." All the underclassmen jumped up and cheered the loudest as they chanted for their brothers. "Underclassmen, you need to take up the gauntlet given to you by these young men. To truly honor them, you need to return next year and build on what you have laid the foundation for. Seniors, you are forever members of the Hamilton East basketball program.
Now, to honor the seniors for a state championship year, the jersey you are wearing is yours to keep. The program's gift to you."
"Thank you, coach."
"To celebrate your victory, curfew has been pushed back until midnight." All the guys cheered. "Now, you are not permitted to leave the hotel or the building. You may visit with family and friends in the lobby, the cafeteria, and the conference room."
Jack, Sam, Cory, and Steven all stood. They nodded toward Jack to speak.
"Coach, thank you for guiding us. Thank you for trusting us when we were exhausted and needed to rest. Thank you for everything you did for us. We appreciate it, and we love you." The team stood and cheered for their coach.