The locker room buzzed with tension and excitement. The final of the Fall Invitational Tournament was minutes away. The players were already dressed, bouncing their legs, rolling their necks, tapping their shoes—each one caught in their own storm of nerves and anticipation.
Ryan stood near the whiteboard, arms crossed, his voice calm but steady.
"This is the moment," he said, eyes moving from face to face. "We didn't come all this way to watch someone else raise the trophy."
The room quieted.
"We're not the biggest, not the most hyped team. But what we are… is us. We've got heart, we've got hustle, and every single one of you knows what it's like to fight for something bigger than yourselves."
He looked toward Jordan, then the rest of the starters. "Stick to the game plan. Control the tempo. If they speed it up, we slow it down. If they try to muscle us, we move the ball. Every second counts. Defense first."
Coach Reilly, standing next to Ryan, added, "They're fast. They shoot from everywhere. Don't give them space. Communicate. Rotate. Crash the boards."
Ryan stepped forward again. "And listen—when it gets tough, when you feel like it's slipping, look at each other. Because the second you forget who's got your back… that's when you lose. But if you remember we're one unit?"
He tapped his chest.
"We don't break."
They clapped hands, one by one, a wave of energy sweeping through the room.
"Rosehill on three," Jordan said.
"One, two, three—Rosehill!"
Chapter 147: The Final – Part 2: Early Pressure
The gym roared as the game tipped off. The opposing team, Ridgefield Academy, wasted no time. Within the first two minutes, they nailed back-to-back threes and forced a turnover.
"Stay composed!" Ryan shouted from the bench, standing beside Coach Reilly.
Jordan responded with a drive and dish to Tyler, who laid it in. The score was 6–2. Rosehill had some catching up to do.
The first quarter was rough. Ridgefield pressed with speed and confidence, clogging passing lanes and forcing difficult shots. Ryan watched closely, calling out signals, reminding players to breathe, to slow down, to move without the ball.
"Get it inside!" he yelled, gesturing.
They followed. Tyler found Sean with a bounce pass on a cut. Basket.
The quarter ended 18–14. They were still in it, but Ridgefield's pace was relentless.
Second quarter opened with a tighter Rosehill defense. Under Ryan's direction, they rotated faster, denied passes, and contested shots. Jordan hit a jumper, then another. Tyler intercepted a pass, went coast to coast. Now the crowd was roaring for them.
At halftime, the scoreboard read 34–33. Rosehill trailed by just one.
Chapter 147: The Final – Part 3: The Shift
Third quarter began, and Ryan could feel the shift in momentum. The Wolves were reading Ridgefield's plays better, disrupting flow. Still, the game stayed neck-and-neck.
Tyler was struggling offensively but playing lockdown defense. Jordan was carrying the scoring load, but Ridgefield kept doubling him.
"Don't force it," Ryan told him during a timeout. "Trust your teammates. Use the decoy. Move the ball."
They returned to the court. Next play, Jordan drove, drew two defenders, and kicked it to Drew in the corner—splash.
Defense held strong. They finally grabbed a lead, 49–46. But Ridgefield wasn't backing down. A fastbreak three tied it again.
End of third quarter: 52–52.
The pressure in the gym felt like a storm waiting to break. Both sides tense. Sweaty. Exhausted.
Ryan stood in the huddle before the fourth began.
"This is it. This is where legacy begins. Fourth quarters don't make players—they reveal them. Let's show them who we are."
Chapter 147: The Final – Part 4: Finish Line
Fourth quarter began with chaos. Missed shots. Fouls. The lead changed hands five times in five minutes. With two minutes left, Ridgefield was up by two.
Timeout.
Coach Reilly looked at Ryan. "What do you see?"
Ryan leaned over the board. "They're collapsing on Jordan every time he touches the paint. Let's fake a screen for him, swing it weak side, and get Drew open again. Use Jordan as bait."
"Let's run it," Reilly nodded.
They executed perfectly. The ball swung wide, Drew caught and released—bucket. Rosehill up by one.
Then came the stop. Tyler, despite his quiet night, forced a turnover and was fouled on the other end. He sank both free throws.
Ridgefield missed a contested three. Rosehill rebounded. The final seconds ticked away.
Buzzer.
Final score: Rosehill 61 – Ridgefield 56
The team erupted. Fans poured in. But Ryan stood still for a moment, watching it all. He turned toward Coach Reilly, who grinned.
"You're ready," Reilly said. "After this season… it's your team."
Ryan nodded, heart pounding, eyes already scanning the future.
But for tonight… they were champions.