Healing Her: Kate Martin

First Game

Italics are the commentators 

Reese's Pov: 

We are warming up before the game and almost all of the nerves are gone. Jada and I are joking around with each other and singing to the music playing. I stop immediately when I feel a basketball hit me in the back. I turn around and I am met with Brooke slightly smirking at me before saying "Oh I'm so sorry Reese the ball slipped from my hand" in a very fake voice. I roll my eyes internally before replying back saying "It's fine Brooke." while giving her the ball back.

"What was that about?" Caitlin asks me while I walk back over. "Apparently the ball slipped from her hands." I say back imitating her voice and rolling my eyes. "Bullshit" I hear Kate say while she looks over at Brooke. "It's fine, let's just get to the locker room." I say attempting to drop the topic and lock in for the game. "The last thing we need is someone to get hurt or thrown out." I say while the other girls all nod in agreement.

"Okay girls this is the first game of our year and I believe that we will do amazing things this year. With our experienced upperclassmen and our new players who are ready to improve and learn. We have all that we could ask for to have a successful year. I could not ask for a better team to work with this year. Let's play hard and win this game. Hawks on 3!" Coach Bluder says as we get ready to run in. "1! 2! 3! Hawks!" The whole team says with passion. 

The stadium is packed with excited Hawkeye fans ready to see the beginning of their Iowa Women's Basketball Team's season. And there they are, with our captains leading the way, our very own Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin! Both experienced players and encouragers on and off the court. Along with the rest of this remarkable team. And down on the court Holly is going to be talking to Coach Bluder about their first game of the season. 

"Thank you John, and I am here with the highly respected Coach Bluder." "Thank you Holly" "How does it feel to back for another season?" "It's amazing to be back and with such an incredible team I know we will have a great season." "Along with Caitlin Clark you have gained another Clark onto your roster, how is it to have Reese Clark joining your team?" "It's great to have Reese on the team, I know that she will do great things here at Iowa." "Well I will let you go Coach, thank you for talking with me." "Thank you Holly" Coach Bluder says while walking back to our bench.

And now our starters for the Iowa Hawkeyes. The glue, #20, Kate Martin!  Sharpshooter, #22, Caitlin Clark! The defensive lockdown, #24, Gabbie Marshall! The big time post, #25, Monika Czinano! And the newest addition, #5, Reese Clark! 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I'm starting because Molly has not been feeling the greatest for the past couple of days. 

Whoopsies

And we're off, with the Hawkeyes gaining first possession. Caitlin brings the ball up the court passing to Kate who dishes it off to Monika with an open layup. What a great start to this highly anticipated game. 

Of course I am guarding Brooke, of all people. I remember her pattern before she goes up the shoot a three so when I see her start that pattern I jump in the air and block her shot. Ohh Reese Clark starts her season off well. These basketball genes must run in the family. And a great block with a smaller guard. With Reese only being 5 ft 3 getting such a clean block is quite difficult and impressive. When I'm running back down the court I hear Brooke say "Bitch" under her breath. And I know that I am definitely fucked. 

We are up by 8 points right now with 3 minutes left in the half. It's our ball and I'm dribbling up the court with Brooke right in front of me, swatting at the ball (my arms) any chance she can get. I'm slowly getting more and more fed up with her and we're only in the second quarter. I dribble past Brooke and call for a screen from Monika. I use the screen and look over at Caitlin ready to pass when I see she is being heavy guarded along with my other teammates. I pull up and shoot my first three pointer of the game. But as the ball is released from my hand I feel a body collide with mine sending me onto the floor. 

Cheering is heard all around the stadium. I made the three with a foul being called on Brooke but just a regular shooting foul. "Hey you okay baby?" I hear from Kate as her and Caitlin help me up while Coach Bluder is talking to the refs about that being a flagrant foul. But they don't listen. "Yea I'm fine, just what I expected" I say back as I walk up to the line for my free throw and end up swishing it.

By the time the game is at half time we are winning 51:42. But through out this game I have been getting pummeled by Brooke. And obviously the refs are blind because she only has the one foul from second quarter. All of my teammates are pissed along with our coaches at the refs for not calling the game even. We are walking into the locker room and catching our breath when Kate walks up to me and says "I am going to kill Brooke if she keeps fouling you like that." "It's okay Kate, I knew it was gonna happen." "It still doesn't make it right." Caitlin says chiming in. "Agreed" Monika says while patting me on the back. "It's okay guys let's just get ready for the second half plus I'm gonna be fine" I say back to them. 

After Coach B's little motivational speech she pulls me aside and tells me that she trying her best to fight the refs on the lack of calls. "It's alright Coach, I'm gonna be fine." I say while jogging ahead to the girls. I jump on Caitlin's back much like I would do as a kid to annoy her. "Reese I swear I'm gonna hit you." She says to me in a joking tone. "Gabbie help Cait's threatening me" I say while running to Gabbie. She is definitely the mom of the group and one of the girls I've gotten closest with. 

We are back in the game and it is the beginning of the fourth quarter. I have scored 22 points so far with 6 assists, 4 rebounds and my 1 block. Not bad for my first game especially since all the other girls have also done very well. Through out the third quarter I only managed to piss Brooke off more in the fact that I was still scoring and playing good defense on her. I know that she is beyond pissed and she just keeps getting more physical with me. It's safe to say my teammates especially Caitlin and Kate are both ready to deal with her. Coach has been fighting the refs all game but had to lay off some because they threatened to tech her up. 

It's almost the end of the game only around 3 minutes left in the fourth and we have pretty much secured our victory. With the scoring being 92:68. Almost all of the bench players have had some playing time along with some of the getting some points. But Coach has the starters in due to Iowa State players (Brooke) becoming very aggressive, she knows that our starters can handle the emotions a little better. 

Gabbie passes the ball in to Caitlin to bring the ball up the court. I am getting pushed around by Brooke while trying to get open. All the other girls are getting guarded from quite a distance because the other Iowa State players have given up. I get away from Brooke after She gets caught up in a screen. Caitlin passes me the ball as I cut for a layup. Just as I jump up to lay it in I feel a body collide with mine in the air. Hard.

A/N: This is the longest chapter I have even written with over 1400 words, let me know what y'all think of it.