'𝐓𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 ( League Series #1 ) [ Paige Bueckers ]

008.

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The game started, and a few minutes in, our team was leading by four points. I saw Nika guarding Caitlin, preventing her from scoring. When Caitlin realized she couldn't shoot, she passed the ball to a teammate. That player tried to shoot but missed. Kk grabbed the rebound and dribbled to the opposite side of the court. I signaled that I was open, and she passed me the ball. I confidently took the shot, and it went in! The crowd went wild as I scored a three-pointer.

More minutes passed when the buzzer dingned, signifying the first quarter is over. I looked up and squinted at the scoreboard, it was 26 and 24, Iowa is now leading by 2 points. I sighed and walked towards the bench to rest for a few minutes.

As I sat down, Geno instructed us to stay focused and work on our defense. I grabbed a bottle of Gatorade and took a sip. Glancing over the bleachers behind us, I saw Whimsy, busy talking with June. She was smiling and nodding to whatever June was saying to her. Her gaze suddenly landed on me. I swiftly looked away, hoping she didn't catch me staring at her.

"Girl, are you good?" Kk asked, noticing my awkward movement.

"Yeah... I'm fine," I replied, trying to play it cool.

"Who are you looking at—" Before she could even turn her head to look behind us, I blocked her by putting my arm around her neck.

"No one," I said, trying not to sound suspicious.

Kk raised an eyebrow. "You are acting weird, Paige."

I scoffed. "I'm not. Stop giving me that look."

Before we could get into an argument, Geno called out, "Alright! Go back in!"

We stood up and walked back to the court. I took one last glance at Whimsy. Her eyes were fixed on the court, following our every move. Knowing that she was watching added a different kind of pressure on me. For the first time, I could feel that I wasn't just playing for myself, the fans, and the team, but for someone special.

"Stay focus, Paige" Nika whispered to me, I gave her a reassuring nod.

The second quarter started quickly, and we were going back and forth. I managed to block Caitlin's shot and get the rebound before passing it to Azzi. Azzi went for a three-pointer, and it was a success. By the end of the second quarter, we were leading by five points.

"Good job, guys" Aaliyah praised us during the time out.

When the third quarter started, the game became more intense. We tightened up our defense and aimed for two-pointers and three-pointers. Iowa began to take the lead, but with a few assists and points from me and my teammates, we swiftly closed the gap. As the third quarter ended, the score was tied at 68-68.

"It's the last quarter. We need to kick it up a notch," I suggested to my teammates during our pep talk.

"Remember, it's not just about winning. It's about playing our game," Nika said, motivating us.