Extra Basket-Chapter 129 - 116: Thunderhawks vs Ridgewood Lynx

July 29, 2010

The gym buzzed like a hornet’s nest.

Parents, students, and scouts packed the Ridgewood Middle bleachers, their chatter rising above the rhythmic bounce of basketballs echoing through the court.

The glossy hardwood gleamed under the lights. The sharp squeak of sneakers, the crisp sound of net swishes, and the occasional boom of a backboard slap set the stage. Coaches barked orders. Managers scrambled with clipboards. The energy was electric.

This wasn’t just a game.

It was Step 1 of a journey toward national glory.

The Thunderhawks stood across from the Ridgewood Lynx, black and gold uniforms shining with pride.

They were last year’s defending national champions, a team forged through pressure, pain, and perseverance.

But Ridgewood was no underdog either.

They were the District 14 titans, known for precision plays and cold-blooded execution. Many thought they’d take down the Thunderhawks here and now.

No one expected an upset.

Except the girls wearing black and gold.

...

Coach Lory Moore knelt in the huddle, fists clenched, voice burning like a wildfire.

"We’ve trained for this. We’ve bled for this. Play Thunderhawks basketball—fast, fearless, and full-hearted. Leave. Nothing. Behind."

His eyes locked with Charlotte Graves, the point guard, the heartbeat of the team.

Charlotte nodded. Her jaw tightened.

"They’re not ready for us. They think we’re a warm-up. We’ll show them who we are."

Her hands curled into fists as she stood.

This is our shot. This is my shot. I won’t let it slip.

....

Tip-off

Center court.

Carmen "The Tiger" Delgado, Thunderhawks’ enforcer, crouched low and focused, facing Ridgewood’s 6’1" shot-blocking machine, Brielle Thompson.

They exchanged a glare as the referee stepped in with the ball.

Tweet!

The whistle pierced the air.

The ball launched upward. Carmen exploded with a spring-loaded leap—higher, faster.

TAP.

Thunderhawks’ ball.

"Let’s go!" Charlotte roared, already on the move as she caught the tip.

In a blink, the black-and-gold blur was slicing through the court.

Izzy Moreno sprinted to the right wing, fingers raised.

Charlotte drove left. A fake. Two defenders bit.

She spun out, cross court no look.

WHIP.

Izzy caught the ball clean feet set, form perfect.

Release.

SWISH.

"Bang!" the announcer howled over the mic. "Izzy Moreno for three!"

That’s how we start. Charlotte smirked, falling back into a defensive stance.

The Thunderhawks’ bench exploded in cheers.

But Ridgewood didn’t flinch.

Their captain, Maya Frees, moved with calm poise, dribbling the ball up with robotic rhythm. Her every motion was deliberate—eyes locked on the shifting defense.

"Set two!" she called out, raising her arm in a triangle signal.

Her teammates scattered—then reformed with eerie synchronization.

Screen left.

Zoe Kim darted behind Brielle’s massive frame, leaving Jasmine trailing a half-step behind.

Charlotte saw it too late.

Curl. Corner. Catch.

Zoe rose.

SWISH.

The crowd erupted behind the Ridgewood bench.

Clean. Cold. Deadly.

Charlotte clicked her tongue.

That’s their rhythm. Like clockwork. Efficient. But let’s see how they do when we speed it up.

As Charlotte walked the ball up the court again, Coach Lory clapped once.

"Push tempo!" he barked.

Charlotte grinned.

"Time to wake them up."

She crossed half-court and took off—driving right, dragging two defenders.

Carmen slipped under the rim.

Bounce pass. Power layup.

THUMP. Net.

No whistle. Just two more points.

...

[Ethan side]

Thunderhawks 5 – Ridgewood 3.

The scoreboard blinked, and the gym lights reflected off polished floors like the calm before a storm.

Up in the bleachers, away from the roar of the crowd, Lucas Graves sat motionless, hands clenched between his knees. His eyes didn’t leave the court. They didn’t blink.

Beside him, a figure leaned back, legs crossed, hood down, Ethan Albarado. Calm, confident, and unreadable.

Charlotte’s voice echoed faintly from the court below.

"Time to wake them up."

Lucas exhaled slowly, his voice quiet but tight.

"Sis..."

Ethan turned slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching with a small smirk. His gaze drifted toward the court, where Charlotte darted across defenders like a shadow.

"She’s gonna be fine," he said without hesitation. "They’re the defending champs. And besides..."

Lucas turned his head slowly, his gold-flecked eyes locking with Ethan’s.

Ethan’s voice dropped, cool and absolute.

"I trained her enough to defeat every team."

Every. Single. One.

Lucas’s gaze returned to the floor. Charlotte drove baseline and kicked the ball to Lena for a floater.

SWISH. freewebnoveℓ.com

Thunderhawks 7 – Ridgewood 3.

The crowd jumped. Ridgewood’s bench yelled out defensive calls. But Charlotte? She didn’t even glance toward the scoreboard.

"Let’s lock in!" she barked.

Her voice rang out louder than the noise.

Ethan leaned forward now, elbows on knees, watching like a hunter.

(She’s sharper than before. More ruthless. Good.)

Lucas nodded slowly, a mix of worry and pride in his face.

(She really has changed. She’s not just playing for the win... she’s chasing something more.)

....

The buzzer buzzed faintly overhead, signaling the start of the first quarter and the Thunderhawks were already charging forward with the urgency of a storm.

Charlotte Graves’s eyes scanned the court like a hawk, her mind calculating every possible movement before it even happened. She dribbled hard at the top of the key, her fingers gripping the ball like a lifeline. Around her, the Thunderhawks moved like clockwork, a symphony of precision and aggression.

Izzy Moreno sprinted to the right wing, cutting past her defender with a lightning-quick jab step that left the Lynx scrambling to recover. Charlotte didn’t hesitate. She flicked the ball with a sharp snap of her wrist—an inch-perfect pass slicing through the defense.

"Catch and shoot, Izzy!" Charlotte called, voice calm but fierce.

Izzy squared her shoulders and released the ball a perfect arc, a whisper through the air. The ball hit the rim and dropped in, net swishing like silk.

"Bang! Thunderhawks 10, Lynx 3!" the announcer’s voice exploded, igniting a wave of cheers from the crowd.

Charlotte sprinted back on defense, eyes narrowing as Maya Frees, the Lynx captain, grabbed the ball and began her counterattack. Maya’s movement was smooth, fluid like a dancer commanding the floor. She dribbled upcourt with icy composure, surveying her options.

Charlotte matched her every step, positioning herself with the patience of a seasoned predator.

"Let’s see what you got, Maya," Charlotte thought, a tight smile tugging at her lips.

Maya passed off to Zoe Kim on the wing, who immediately called for a screen. Jasmine Ortiz, the Lynx’s fiery small forward, set a solid pick. Zoe used the space to launch a quick three sharp and clean.

The crowd erupted as the ball sailed through the net.

Thunderhawks 10 – Ridgewood 6.

Charlotte’s jaw clenched. The Lynx weren’t backing down. They were forcing the pace, daring the Thunderhawks to respond.

She glanced to her left where Lena Kowalski was locked in a battle with Jasmine Ortiz. The two wing players jostled for position, each trying to gain the upper hand.

Lena’s eyes flashed with determination. With a sudden burst, she faked left, crossed over, and sliced to the basket. Her floater floated over the outstretched arms of Brielle Thompson, the Lynx center, and dropped softly.

Charlotte caught Lena’s eye and nodded. They were clicking.

On the other side, Carmen "The Tiger" Delgado planted herself firmly in the paint, battling Brielle and Layla Brooks for every rebound. Her presence was a brick wall—unyielding, immovable.

A loose ball bounced off the rim and came straight to Carmen’s hands. With a powerful pivot, she spun around and launched a turnaround jumper. The ball kissed the backboard before settling through the hoop.

Thunderhawks 12 – Ridgewood 6.

Ridgewood’s coach Tamara Lewis called a timeout. The Lynx huddled, sweat dripping, eyes burning with resolve.

Back on the Thunderhawks’ bench, Coach Lory Moore’s voice was a low growl of command.

"Lock down on Maya. Stop their ball movement. Push the tempo. Force turnovers."

Charlotte wiped sweat from her brow and flexed her fingers. The fire inside her was just beginning to blaze.

The whistle blew, and the game resumed.

Maya dribbled the ball hard, trying to break through the Thunderhawks’ press. Charlotte pressed close, her hands twitching to steal.

Suddenly, Maya drove right, breaking free for a moment, but Charlotte anticipated. She stepped in, knocking the ball loose with a crisp swipe.

"Gotcha!" Charlotte thought, snatching the ball and charging forward.

Izzy sprinted again to the corner, wide open. Charlotte fed her a no-look pass that landed perfectly in Izzy’s hands.

But this time, the Lynx defense collapsed, and Zoe Kim barreled toward Izzy like a freight train.

Izzy hesitated, then pulled back and dribbled hard to the baseline. With a quick spin move, she shook Zoe just enough to launch a pull-up jumper.

The shot rattled the rim, but Lena was there for the rebound—quick as a cat.

Without hesitation, Lena pushed the ball upcourt, and Charlotte met her at the three-point line. Charlotte took a step back and released a clean jumper, her form flawless.

SWISH.

Thunderhawks 15 – Ridgewood 6.

The crowd was electric now. Thunderhawks fans shouted, clapped, and stomped their feet like thunder rolling through the gym.

But the Lynx weren’t done.

Maya, regaining her composure, dribbled up with renewed fury. She passed to Jasmine Ortiz, who tore down the lane with explosive speed, forcing a fast-break.

Charlotte sprinted back but saw Maya sprinting behind her.

"Switch!" Charlotte yelled, voice slicing through the noise.

Izzy slid over, meeting Jasmine head-on with fearless intensity.

The two collided at the three-point line, each fighting for position.

Jasmine twisted, trying to shake Izzy, but Izzy’s feet were glued to the floor, her defense relentless.

Maya spotted the momentary hesitation and lobbed a pass over the defense to Zoe.

Zoe caught it mid-air and launched a three—deadly accurate.

The crowd groaned as the Lynx clawed back.

Thunderhawks 15 – Ridgewood 9.

Charlotte clenched her jaw, heart pounding.

They’re tougher than I thought. This isn’t just a game; it’s a war.

She gestured sharply, signaling a full-court press.

The Thunderhawks surged forward, pressure like a tidal wave.

Emily Tran, Ridgewood’s quick backup guard, tried to thread a pass, but Charlotte anticipated, leaping to intercept.

Charlotte dribbled hard, dodging defenders, pushing the pace.

She whipped the ball to Carmen in the post, who backed down Brielle with powerful footwork.

Carmen spun, dropped a perfect pass back to Charlotte cutting from the wing.

Charlotte exploded to the basket, rising over Maya’s outstretched arms for a thunderous layup.

The gym erupted.

Thunderhawks 17 – Ridgewood 9.

Coach Tamara called timeout again.

.....

[Timeout]

As the Lynx huddled, Maya’s face was fierce.

"We’re not letting them run us off the court. Defense, defense!"

Back with the Thunderhawks, Coach Lory smiled and nodded to Charlotte.

"Keep pushing. Play your game. Lead."

Charlotte’s chest rose and fell, sweat streaming down her face.

Her teammates circled, eyes shining with trust and hunger.

"We’ve got this," she breathed. "One play at a time."

.....

The whistle blew for the final 30 seconds of the quarter.

Ridgewood came out swinging.

Layla Brooks took the ball, driving hard into the paint, battling Carmen with every inch.

Charlotte slid over just in time to help, swatting Layla’s shot with authority.

The ball bounced out, and Brielle Thompson grabbed the rebound, immediately passing to Maya.

Maya darted down the court, weaving through defenders, and launched a floater over Charlotte.

The ball kissed the net.

Thunderhawks 17 – Ridgewood 11.

The buzzer sounded for the end of the quarter.

Both teams retreated to their benches, breathing heavy, dripping sweat but eyes burning with intensity.

Charlotte glanced at her teammates, a slow smile breaking across her face.

"This is just the start," she thought. "We’re ready for whatever comes next."

...

Meanwhile Ethan Thoughts

Ethan’s eyes never left the court, drinking in every move, every pass, every shift in momentum.

"(The Thunderhawks move like a well-oiled machine. Fast, precise, and aggressive. Charlotte’s leadership is obvious she’s not just playing; she’s orchestrating)."

He admired how Charlotte controlled the pace, using her vision to find teammates in perfect spots. Izzy’s quick shooting kept the Lynx on their toes, slicing through defenses with confidence.

"(But Ridgewood’s no pushover. That Maya Frees girl is smart, she’s patient, knows when to push and when to slow it down. Their screens and off-ball movement are sharp, even if they’re a step behind the Thunderhawks’ intensity.)"

Ethan noticed something else.

"(The Lynx struggle when forced into tight pressure. Their ball-handling isn’t as clean under the Thunderhawks’ full-court press. They’re missing quick passing options when trapped too many risky dribbles that give Charlotte chances for steals.)"

He frowned slightly.

"(Still, Ridgewood’s shooters are confident. They don’t panic and keep taking those tough shots. They need to improve their interior defense, though. Carmen and Charlotte’s teamwork inside is dominating Lynx are getting pushed around in the paint.)"

Ethan’s gaze sharpened as he tracked Lena and Izzy.

"(The Thunderhawks wing players show great chemistry, reading each other’s movements before the ball even arrives. Ridgewood’s defense is reactive, not proactive too slow to anticipate.)"

But Ethan knew this was just the beginning.

"(They’re strong now, but if the Lynx adjust, change their pace, they could expose some weaknesses. The Thunderhawks sometimes overcommit on defense, leaving gaps for quick cuts. If Maya can exploit that, Ridgewood might claw back.)"

He glanced over at Lucas.

"(Charlotte’s got fire, but she’s only as strong as the team around her. This game isn’t over. They have to keep their focus, not let pride or momentum slip away.)"

Ethan’s mind was already racing with advice, plays, and adjustments, ready to share when the time came.

"This is their trial by fire. And they’re passing—so far."

To be continue