Extra Basket-Chapter 175 - 162: Division Cup – Vorpal vs Storm (15)

Time: 1:01 Remaining — 4th Quarter

Score: Vorpal 74 – Roanoke Storm 61

Possession: Roanoke Storm

The gym was electric not from the scoreboard, but from the refusal to lose. Roanoke Storm trailed, yes but they were not dead.

Coach Halter didn’t even stand. He didn’t shout. He just met Kagetsu Renjiro’s eyes across the court and gave a nod.

That was enough.

Kagetsu clenched his fists once, rolled his neck, and muttered beneath his breath:

"Let’s raise hell."

The ball was inbounded to Marcus "Flash" Daniels.

He didn’t jog.

He launched.

Like a slingshot, he exploded across the floor Louie Davas tracking him tight, but Flash was built for this.

Crossover. Stutter step. Hesitation.

Louie stumbled for a fraction that was the opening.

Flash Daniels broke free then snapped a pass to Tyrese Caldwell in the corner.

Lucas rotated fast, nearly beat the ball to the corner but Tyrese didn’t shoot.

Pump fake.

Side dribble.

Pull-up.

"Quick Catch & Shoot!" someone from the bench screamed his signature.

The shot flew, a bullet with backspin.

CLANK!

No good.

But Andre "Tank" Malone was already there.

He shoved into Brandon, boxed out hard, and tipped the rebound to himself mid-air.

Ethan and Lucas turned—

But Tank didn’t go back up.

He fired it out to Kagetsu.

And the Human Thunderclap caught it on the run.

One dribble. Two. Gather.

And exploded.

Ethan pivoted—

BOOM!

Kagetsu slammed it with a force that shook the rim and sent the crowd screaming.

The whistle blew late not for a foul, but because the net got tangled from the impact.

Vorpal 74 – Roanoke 63

Time: 0:48

Ethan wiped sweat from his brow. Breathing steady.

(They’re blitzing every angle now. No more cold calculation — this is raw instinct.)

Kagetsu landed, turned without showboating, and pointed at his team.

"Again!" he barked.

"RUN IT!"

Flash Daniels was already back in his stance.

Tyrese clapped his hands.

Tank’s eyes were locked on Brandon.

Malik Okafor growled under his breath and pounded his chest once, calling for the paint.

They were pressing. Full court. Everything on the line.

This wasn’t a comeback.

This was war.

And Vorpal?

They were ready for it.

Ethan called out:

"Eyes up! Flow spacing!"

Louie muttered, "Tch. Guess it ain’t over yet."

Lucas didn’t speak.

He just smiled.

The storm wasn’t over.

But neither was Vorpal’s fire.

The ref handed the ball to Evan Cooper on the baseline. The entire court ahead of him was chaos in motion Roanoke’s full-court press had been activated like a bear trap.

Flash Daniels was already bouncing on the balls of his feet, waving his arms wide.

Tyrese Caldwell lurked near half-court, eyes darting.

Kagetsu stalked the middle lane, watching Ethan like a lion does prey.

Brandon Young, the immovable wall, turned to seal off Tank Malone.

Lucas was sprinting back and forth an erratic heartbeat made flesh dragging Malik and Kagetsu with him.

Louie Davas, fearless and twitchy, pointed at Ethan as he jetted across the backcourt.

"Gimme a rub screen! I’ll clear it!"

Ethan didn’t move yet.

(Let them lunge. Let them reveal the trap.)

Evan faked one pass to Lucas.

Flash bit.

Wrong read.

Ethan took off.

A dead sprint.

Louie cut into the middle, forcing Roanoke’s defense to bunch.

Brandon screened the inbound lane just enough space.

Bounce pass.

Ethan caught it in stride.

Commentator Jamie:

"ALBARADO ESCAPES! THEY’RE BREAKING IT!"

Coach Doyle:

"They pressed with fire, but left the middle vulnerable. Rookie mistake!"

Ethan crossed half-court with 42 seconds left. He didn’t slow.

He drove straight at Tyrese forced the rotation.

Lucas flared to the corner.

But this wasn’t for Lucas.

Brandon trailed the break and planted high post.

Ethan stop-jumped mid-lane. Pump-fake.

Tyrese flew by.

Drop pass to Brandon.

BOOM!

One-handed slam.

The crowd erupted like a volcano.

Vorpal 76 – Roanoke 63

Time: 0:31

Kagetsu’s face twitched.

He sprinted to inbound fast. Too fast.

(He wasn’t giving up. He was going to burn every second with fury.)

But Vorpal was already falling back.

Ethan raised a hand.

"Wall up. Protect the three-line."

Roanoke surged.

Daniels to Kagetsu. Kagetsu to Caldwell. Swing to Malik at the top.

Shot fake. Dribble. Pass back.

Flash Daniels caught it fired from deep.

Clang!

Lucas rebounded wrestled it from Tank’s hands.

Time: 0:21

Ethan turned to the bench, eyes like steel.

"Run it down. Let’s close this."

No more plays. No more chaos.

Just victory management.

The clock bled.

20 seconds remaining.

The storm had passed.

But Vorpal was still standing.

Ayumi Brooke stood frozen on the sideline, clipboard forgotten by her side. Her knuckles were white, gripping the strap of her bag as the final seconds ticked away.

The scoreboard blazed:

Vorpal 76 – Roanoke 63

Time: 0:18... 0:17...

The gym was a blur of noise and stomping feet but to Ayumi, everything dulled to a single, quiet thought.

She murmured under her breath, not even realizing her lips moved:

"We’re going to win... there’s no time anymore."

She didn’t cheer. She didn’t jump.

She just exhaled a soft, trembling breath like she’d been holding it for the entire fourth quarter.

Coonie Smith heard her and smiled.

"Damn right we are."

Kai Mendoza leaned forward. "Is this real...?"

Ryan Taylor smacked the bench once, laughing breathlessly. "It’s real."

Jeremy Park had his eyes closed, whispering a silent prayer maybe gratitude, maybe disbelief.

Josh Turner let out a low whistle. "Yo... I don’t care what anyone says. We earned this."

Aiden White nodded silently, gaze locked on the floor as if the weight of it was still sinking in.

The bench wasn’t erupting with cheers — not yet.

Because they all knew the storm was just now settling.

But in Ayumi’s quiet murmur...

Was the truth of it all.

This wasn’t luck. This was growth. This was fire. This... was Vorpal.

Meanwhile In the stands, the roar of the gym echoed like a crashing wave — but for Charlotte Graves, everything slowed.

The scoreboard glowed in the distance:

Vorpal 76 – Roanoke 63

:12 seconds left...

Her heart pounded, but it wasn’t from nerves.

It was pride.

She stood amid the stunned Thunderhawks, her own teammates frozen with awe — Isabella, Sakura, Lena, all wide-eyed, watching the last seconds tick away.

But Charlotte?

She simply murmured under her breath, voice barely a whisper.

"Brother... and Ethan... you really are..."

She couldn’t finish the sentence.

Not because she didn’t have the words.

But because the smile on her lips said it all.

They weren’t just players anymore.

They were leaders.

They were forces.

They were storm-walkers in a game that had nearly broken them a month ago.

Charlotte’s silver eyes shimmered, and for once, she let herself just... watch.

With a smile.

A quiet, proud smile the kind only a sister, and a captain, could wear.

..

Roanoke Storm – On the Court

Time: 00:12 left | Score: Vorpal 76 – Roanoke 63

The air was heavy.

Not with noise, but with realization.

Kagetsu Renjiro stood at half-court, chest rising, sweat rolling down his jawline. The storm in his heart had stilled not from defeat, but from clarity.

He looked at the scoreboard.

00:12.

Just twelve seconds.

Not enough for a miracle.

But enough for a moment.

He clenched his fists, then slowly released them.

Marcus "Flash" Daniels knelt, resting his hands on his knees, goggles fogged up. He stared blankly at the floor.

"...It’s over," he muttered, barely audible.

Tyrese Caldwell wiped his mouth with his jersey, biting down frustration.

"All that prep... all those drills... but they caught us off guard."

Andre "Tank" Malone and Malik Okafor stood side-by-side in the paint, staring at the rim like it held the answer they were missing.

But the truth was on the other side of the court—

Vorpal, united. Burning. Alive.

Kagetsu exhaled slowly.

Then, softly—

"We didn’t lose because we were weak."

The others looked at him.

"We lost because they found something we haven’t yet..."

He glanced at Ethan and Lucas the way they stood side by side, not smiling, but standing strong.

"They became more than players."

A quiet beat passed. Then Kagetsu added:

"...This isn’t the end. It’s just the Chapter before we rewrite everything."

And as the referee readied to inbound for the final possession, the Roanoke Storm tired, humbled, but still burning squared up one last time.

Because if you’re going to lose,

Lose standing.

..

The ball was inbounded to Kagetsu.

No plays. No calls. Just silence and sneakers squeaking on hardwood.

Ethan Albarado didn’t move to defend.

He just stood there center court watching.

Kagetsu looked up briefly, locking eyes with Ethan across the timeline.

Kagetsu thought:

(You’re not challenging me anymore... because you don’t have to.)

(You already did what I couldn’t. You changed your whole team.)

He didn’t rush. He dribbled casually to the wing.

Roanoke’s players moved slowly, some hanging back, some watching the crowd.

The Storm had stopped chasing the scoreboard.

Now they were chasing growth.

Kagetsu took one final dribble.

Then a clean jumper just outside the arc.

Swish.

The buzzer blared.

Final Score: Vorpal Basket 76 – Roanoke Storm 66

The gym exploded into cheers.

Oak Hill Academy’s bleachers thundered.

On Vorpal’s bench, Ayumi leapt up, both fists raised.

Coonie hugged Jeremy.

Kai and Aiden slapped hands.

Josh and Ryan pumped their fists.

Louie yelled, "THAT’S RIGHT! MASTER ETHAN!!"

Evan smiled quietly, tapping Ethan’s back.

And at center court...

Kagetsu extended a hand.

Ethan, breathing hard, stepped forward and shook it.

Kagetsu said:

"You’re the real storm today. Thank you."

Ethan nodded once.

"Next time," he said, voice calm.

"Come stronger."

Kagetsu smiled.

"I will."

To be continue

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