The Rookie - Basketball

Chapter 10

Later that day, Tim and Lucy did their workout that they do daily. After their workout they had some fun in the shower. Tim was cooking food for them when his phone goes off.

Lucy: "Who's that?"

Tim: "Could you check my phone please?" Lucy goes to get his phone.

Lucy: "It's Wade, he's asking for all the guys to come to the courts with their girls."

Tim: "I wondering what's going on." The food was done and placed in the microwave to keep it warm. Tim drives them to the stadium, they were the last to arrive.

Aaron: "Okay, what's going on? For the message it sounded urgent."

Luna: "It is. We were contacted by the league so were the other teams."

John: "Did we do something wrong?"

Zoe: "No you didn't, quite the opposite. The league was impressed by the game the girls played for the fundraiser, how it was highly supported and the spectators loved it. The league wants to add women's team in the NBA, so the guys would play and the ladies would verse the other team."

Angela: "You want to put a team forward for the Lakers?"

Wade: "Yeah we do."

Nyla: "But we can't, our work? And we're one woman short to be a team."

Aaron: "I could help out on the second part of that."

Wesley: "What do you mean?"

Aaron: "I found myself a girlfriend, her names Celina."

John: "Why don't you invite her to training then?"

Aaron: "Is it okay (the coaches nod). Okay, I'll send her a message."

Luna: "As for your jobs, that's up to you whether you want to keep it or not."

Angela: "I mean our captain was flexible with our hours so maybe he might support this." Lucy stayed silent as she was thinking about this.

Jackson: "Will the girls have a captain or something."

Wade: "That's up for the girls to decide. We do need an answer so we can respond as the girls fixtures will start next week."

Angela: "Yes."

Nyla: "Hell yeah."

Bailey: "Yes." Before anyone went to ask Lucy, someone walked in. Aaron ran over.

Aaron: "Hey babe, ready to meet everyone."

Celina: "Yeah." Aaron introduced Celina to everyone, they all welcomed her. Zoe gave Celina the short version of what the others were told and she agreed.

Luna: "Lucy, you're the last one to answer." Tim could see the fear on Lucy's face.

Tim: "Hey, don't overthink. Forget the media, we'll tell them to fuck off if we have to. The world knows the truth about that situation. Besides, you'll have your own personal cheerleader on the side of the court." Lucy looked up at him.

Lucy: "Really? Who might that be?" She looked around, he acted hurt.

Tim: "I'm insulted, you're amazing boyfriend will be cheering you on."

Lucy: "Yeah?" Tim nods.

Lucy: "Okay, let's do it." The girls were excited.

Nyla: "Why don't we have a captain unlike the guys. Lucy, you should be captain."

Lucy: "Me?"

Angela: "Yeah, I can't think of anyone better to lead us."

Celina: "When do we start training?"

Luna: "Well, depends on you girls. We can start whenever you want to." The girls all walked away and huddled up.

Bailey: "What are we thinking?"

Celina: "I'm new to the group so I'm happy with whatever you decide."

Nyla: "We don't know who we'll be facing."

Angela: "More than likely the Houston Rockets because that's who the guys are playing. We all know that the guys are the roughest in the league, who's to say the girls won't be the same."

Bailey: "Cap?"

Lucy: "Well, from the sounds of it we should start training now." The girls agree and walk back to the others.

Angela: "We have decided as a team that we would like to start training now."

Luna: "Okay, the guys can train with Wade or they can watch."

Wade: "No, I reckon the guys should also train especially going against the Rockets, we all know how they go." There was a mixture of groans and sighs from the guys. The teams split off and start walking up. Wade was leading the guys through their drills.

Luna: "Okay girls, I don't want to bore you with the simplest drill but we can do the one-hand form shooting. You'll be lined up on these lines (pointing to the lines) and then you go to shoot like normal but with only one hand. As we going through this drill, you'll move back when I say." The girls paired up, one of the benched men joined in for the girls. They ran through that drill until all girls were confident with having to shoot one hand.

The girls ran through more drills such as; bunny shooting, power layup, flick pass, V-cut & catch, 5 man swing, different defence drills and rebound drills. Luna got the girls to attempt the jab, pump & go drill, but for Lucy she wanted to see Lucy's execution of this. 

Luna: "Lucy, just a quick thing. You can slow your fakes down, there's no rush. Even if you do it like this." Luna demonstrated for Lucy and then got Lucy to try it a few times.

Lucy: "That's so much easier and nicer on the body, compared to rushing through it." After some more time training, the girls have become close, they were just a little worried about not having a spare player.

Lucy: "You know how we do have a sub, I have someone that we could ask later." The girls agreed.

The guys were discussing improvements on their play.

Wade: "Guys, you really need to have a captain. It's so much easier."

John: "Definitely not me. We need someone that's amazing."

Aaron: "Wesley or Tim." Tim and Wesley look at each other.

Wesley: "I'm happy to not be captain."

Tim: "Fine, I'll do it." It was time for the scratch match.

Lucy: "Are you guys going to gossip or are we playing ball?" That earn giggles from the girls.

Tim: "Okay captain, let's play. Oh and before I forget, I'm captain of the guys."

Lucy: "Congrats babe, but at the moment I'm focused on one thing."

The match starts, the girl incorporating everything they practiced. The guys were putting up a fight though. Lucy went for a shot doing the jab, pump & go. Mid shot Jackson was defending and he accidentally pushed Lucy causing her to fall.

Jackson: "Omg, Lucy. I'm so sorry." Tim rushed over.

Tim: "You all good baby?" Tim glared at Jackson then focused on Lucy.

Lucy: "I'm okay, but there was no need for you to do that." Tim helped her up. They continued, the guys were leading by a few points and at the end the guys won the scratch match.

They cool down and then showered. All heading home, Lucy asked Tamara and was happy to be their sub.

The rest of the week, the girls and guys all trained for the upcoming match. The girls got their uniforms and the fixtures for the season.