Hard work, dedication, and focus; 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯 just wanted change in his hood, his parenting, and off his previous mindset, while growing interest in someone he felt was above his level.
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The day of Blaze Prep's first home basketball game, inside the East Campus Gymnasium, newly built just a year ago, was full of the players family and friend spectators occupying the court's purple bleachers. The design gave the feel as if the players were in a pro arena.
Sitting four rows high behind the seated BP Panthers bench players, Dante focus was solely on the basketball court and watching the young home players show their trained skills and teamwork with the awareness of the college scouts being in the bleachers, scrutinizing their every move and their focal points, and the home game being live-streamed on the boarding schools YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands viewers.
He leaned forward resting his elbows comfortably on his knees, dressed for the sunny but chilly fall weather outside the fourteen thousand sqft. facility. His fresh faded, 360 wave pattern was covered by the fitted hat. The Under Armour hoodie was breathable over his brawn muscles and the big light blue logo stretched over his immense chest and matching fleece joggers. Clean white Nike 270 sneakers on his size elevens. Number seven on the Panthers shoots a crisp three at the line, getting cheers from his supported side. Dante clapped himself when a familiar voice spoke beside him.
"My baby down there pissed."
Dante pivoted his stare to Camila next to him. Syn and Inala in attendance too. It was just a glance since he looked to the player on the bench with a towel hanging over his head. Donye. Lately his eldest child had convey his displease about the Varsity's head coach, Cory Givens, putting him on the back burner instead of on the court for the past five scrimmages they had before the season started. Similar to his father and twin uncle, he was fiercely passionate in his skills. Been perfecting it since he was the age of four. He had the talent and had the confidence that he was better than the players his coach chose over him.
Donye had the trait of getting into his own selfish mindset, all about him when it came to ball, that he didn't recognize the strategic movements Coach Givens was doing with his senior players. The fifteen-year-old was so caught up in his own anger of being benched that he didn't realize he wasn't the only one on the bench. With him, if that was how the athletic school was gonna be, he would be better off going back to Douglass High where his gift was appreciated.
"Com' wit the territory," he said.
Once he felt his bladder start to fill up, he let it be known he was going to the restroom and then standing up and descending the steps. He reached the benched players and specifically squat behind Donye seat. Feeling the tap on his arm, Donye turned slightly, his eyes quickly lowering to his father.
Once he tilted his head to hear him, Dante said, "Look where you at and appreciate. Get out yo' head and take that anger you feel out on showing why you the only sophomore on Varsity."
A slight piece of the advice lifted his attitude but not enough. Just for his father to let it go, he nodded. Afterward, Dante kissed his forehead and continued out the gym for the bathroom. Out in the large corridor was quiet and bright. Each wall captured Blaze Preps history. The glass display of the National Champion trophies, and the list of McDonalds All-American players. Then progressed into wall-sized photos of notable alumni's that went to the WNBA and NBA along with their draft years. The large purple 3D United States map had hundreds of college logo patches magnetically on the states the graduated athletes went on to after.
