The Battle Continues

The second quarter started with the same relentless pace. Hyde Park had been pushing the tempo from the start, but now, Lincoln Park was starting to catch up. They weren't breaking under pressure anymore. They were fighting back.

Lucas stood at the top of the key, gripping his shorts, breathing steadily. The scoreboard read 15-21, but the game felt closer than that. They had finally found a rhythm late in the first quarter, but Hyde Park was still in control.

Miguel slapped Lucas on the back. "We good, bro. Let's get this lead back."

Jaylen cracked his knuckles. "We just gotta hit 'em harder."

Lucas nodded, stepping back onto the court. They had to execute.

Hyde Park ball to start the quarter.

Jamari Holt brought the ball up, his eyes scanning the floor. He was crafty, fast, and always looking for a weakness. Lucas stayed low in his stance, mirroring his every move.

Jamari smirked. "You trying real hard, huh?"

Lucas didn't respond. Talk after the game. Play now.

Hyde Park ran a high pick-and-roll, but Lucas fought through the screen, staying attached. Jamari shifted gears, trying to drive inside, but Jaylen stepped up, cutting him off.

Jamari kicked it out to Malik Johnson in the corner.

Miguel rushed to contest.

Malik rose up.

Splash.

15-24.

Lucas clenched his fists. Malik was killing them. They had to find a way to slow him down.

Lincoln Park's possession.

Lucas walked the ball up, keeping his dribble tight, his pace controlled. Hyde Park's defense was still swarming, but he wasn't letting them dictate the game.

He called for a screen from Evan, dribbled off it, and spotted Miguel curling around the opposite wing.

Lucas whipped a pass across the court—right into Miguel's hands.

Miguel hesitated for a split second, then fired.

Swish.

18-24.

Miguel turned to the Hyde Park bench, smirking. "Yeah, y'all might wanna step up."

Hyde Park's coach clapped his hands. "Get back! Run the play!"

Lucas was already moving, pressing up on Jamari before he could get comfortable.

The next few minutes were a war.

Lucas hit a pull-up jumper over Jamari.Hyde Park answered with a fast-break layup.Jaylen muscled inside for a tough and-one finish.Hyde Park responded with a putback dunk from Rashad Morris.

Every basket was a counterpunch.

The crowd was loud, the energy rising. Neither team was backing down.

Three minutes left in the second quarter.

Lucas had the ball, trying to find a weakness. He dribbled left, then cut back right, shaking Jamari for a split second.

He took the space.

Step-back jumper—

Cash.

25-29.

Hyde Park quickly inbounded, but Lincoln Park wasn't backing down.

Jamari drove inside, trying to collapse the defense, but Lucas saw it coming. He slid in, anticipating the pass.

Steal.

Lucas sprinted down the court, scanning the floor. Hyde Park's defenders were scrambling, trying to recover.

Miguel filled the right wing. Jaylen was trailing down the middle.

Lucas made a decision.

He faked a pass to Miguel, then dropped it off to Jaylen inside.

Jaylen went up strong—contact!

The whistle blew.

And-one.

The Lincoln Park bench exploded.

Jaylen flexed as he got up. "Too strong!"

Lucas helped him up, nodding. That was momentum.

Jaylen stepped to the free-throw line, took a deep breath, and—

Missed.

Hyde Park secured the rebound, pushing the ball up quickly.

Lucas sprinted back, but Hyde Park found Malik Johnson in the corner again.

He pulled up, barely guarded.

Splash.

27-32.

Lucas exhaled. Damn.

The game was still close, but Hyde Park always had an answer.

Final possession of the half.

Lucas held the ball, letting the clock wind down.

Miguel set a screen, but Lucas waved him off. He wanted this one.

Jamari was waiting, locked in.

Lucas dribbled between the legs, step-back, crossover, then planted hard and rose up for the jumper.

The release was clean. The form was perfect.

The ball hit the back rim and bounced out.

Halftime buzzer.

Lincoln Park 27 - Hyde Park 32.

The locker room was tense.

Miguel threw his towel onto the bench. "Man, they don't miss."

Jaylen exhaled. "Every time we get close, they hit some wild shot."

Coach Harrison leaned against the chalkboard, arms crossed. "They're a good team. But so are we." His eyes swept the room. "We've adjusted well, but we're still making the same mistakes. Turnovers. Bad passes. Rushing shots."

Lucas clenched his jaw. He hated that it was true.

Coach sighed. "We're in this game. But if we don't start playing smarter, they're gonna run away with it."

Lucas took a deep breath. "Then let's fix it."

Coach smirked. "Exactly."

Third quarter.

Lucas took a deep breath as he stepped back onto the court.

This was the quarter that would decide the game.

Hyde Park started off hot.

Jamari hit a tough floater. Malik splashed another three.

27-37.

Lincoln Park was on the verge of losing grip.

But Lucas wasn't done yet.

Lucas called for a quick-hitter play, making Hyde Park's defense scramble.

He used Jaylen's screen, flared to the wing, caught the pass, and launched a three.

Buckets.

30-37.

The crowd erupted.

Lucas sprinted back on defense, locking in on Jamari. "Not done yet."

Jamari smirked. "Good. I was getting bored."

The third quarter turned into pure chaos.

Lucas hit another deep jumper.Hyde Park answered with a dunk in transition.Miguel hit a step-back three, pumping his fist.Hyde Park pushed the pace, forcing a bad turnover from Lincoln Park.

Lucas could feel it. Hyde Park wasn't slowing down.

As the quarter ended, the scoreboard read:

Lincoln Park 41 - Hyde Park 45.

Both teams dug deep.

Jaylen powered inside for a tough layup. Hyde Park answered.

Miguel drilled a corner three. Hyde Park responded with a midrange pull-up.

With one minute left, the game was tied 51-51.

Lucas had the ball. Game on the line.

He called for a screen. Hyde Park switched, putting a taller defender on him.

Lucas hesitated—just for a second.

That was enough.

Jamari jumped the passing lane.

Steal. Fast break.

Jamari scored the layup.

51-53.

Lucas clenched his fists. Damn it.

Lincoln Park called timeout.

Final possession.

Lucas took the inbound. Ten seconds left.

Miguel cut, but he was covered. Jaylen fought for position inside.

Lucas drove, looking for an opening.

He stepped back, launched a deep three—

Short.

Hyde Park grabbed the rebound. Foul.

Two free throws.

They hit both.

51-55.

The buzzer sounded.

Game over.

Lucas bent over, hands on his knees.

They had lost.

Hyde Park's players celebrated, their crowd roaring.