Chapter 7: The Road to Greatness

The NCAA had always been the biggest talent pool for the NBA. Every year, teams scouted the best young players, looking for the next big superstar.

In recent years, NCAA talents had dominated the NBA, proving themselves as elite competitors. Players like Jason Kidd and Grant Hill had quickly become franchise cornerstones, drawing even more attention to this year's draft class.

This year's NCAA tournament was stacked with future NBA stars.

Among the most highly anticipated prospects were:

Allen Iverson (Georgetown) – A generational talent with electrifying speed and handles.

Ray Allen (UConn) – The smoothest shooter in college basketball.

Stephon Marbury (Georgia Tech) – A fearless playmaker and scorer.

Marcus Camby (UMass) – The best defensive player in the country.

All four were virtual locks to be lottery picks in the NBA Draft.

But now, another name had begun circulating among scouts—Ethan Walker.

A mystery player with no pre-college hype.

A player who seemingly came out of nowhere.

A player who had transformed UMass overnight.

Scouts had taken notice. But because so little was known about him, many were skeptical.

Was he truly an elite talent, or was he just riding the wave of UMass' Cinderella run?

The NCAA Sweet 16 would be the perfect stage to answer that question.

---

March 25th. The day of the Sweet 16 showdown.

The University of Connecticut vs. the University of Massachusetts.

On paper, this matchup shouldn't have been close.

UConn was a powerhouse.

UMass was an underdog.

Ray Allen and UConn were expected to crush UMass with ease.

But this wasn't the same UMass team that had struggled in past tournaments.

This UMass team had Ethan Walker and Marcus Camby.

And together, they had a chance to shock the world.

---

As the game approached, excitement filled the air.

Commentators hyped the matchup.

"In this year's NCAA, we've seen some of the most incredible performances in college basketball history! And now, we're down to the final 16 teams, each looking to take one step closer to championship glory!"

"One of the most anticipated matchups? UConn vs. UMass!"

"By history alone, this game should be a blowout. UConn is a dominant program, while UMass has never made it this far. But this year, UMass has a secret weapon—Ethan Walker."

"He's a mystery. He came out of nowhere. But if he and Camby play at their highest level, could we be in for an upset?"

---

While the commentators speculated, Ray Allen had already made up his mind.

Standing in UConn's basketball hall, surrounded by his teammates, he made his stance clear.

"I don't care about UMass' history," Ray Allen said. "They're not on our level."

His voice was confident—borderline arrogant.

"They've had a good run, sure. But it ends tonight. We're going to the Elite 8—and there's nothing they can do to stop us."

His teammates roared in agreement.

For Ray Allen, the only real competition in this tournament was Allen Iverson's Georgetown squad.

UMass?

They weren't worth his time.

At least, that's what he thought.

---

Meanwhile, in the UMass locker room, Marcus Camby was fired up.

"Ethan, Ray Allen is too damn arrogant," Camby said, slamming a basketball into his hands. "We need to shut him down. I'll handle the paint, but we need you to control the perimeter."

Ethan just smiled.

"Let him talk," he said, draining a perfect three-pointer in warmups.

"He won't be talking much after tonight."

Camby grinned. "That's what I like to hear."

---

As game time approached, UMass head coach Rubin Randolph gathered his team.

He turned to Ethan, his expression serious.

"Ethan, Ray Allen is the real deal," Randolph said. "He's NBA-ready. His shot selection, his footwork, his movement—he's on another level."

He placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder.

"You've got the best learning ability I've ever seen. Watch him. Study him. Because in the second half, you're going to be the one guarding him."

Ethan nodded, his eyes cold with determination.

"I'll be ready."

Randolph exhaled, then nodded.

"Then let's go out there and make history."

Ethan cracked his knuckles.

"Let's do it."

---

The Sweet 16 matchup was finally here.

The arena was packed, and the energy was electric.

UConn fans chanted loudly, expecting an easy win.

But UMass fans believed.

The players stepped onto the court.

Ethan locked eyes with Ray Allen.

For the first time, Ray seemed to acknowledge him.

"You ready for this?" Ray asked, smirking.

Ethan smirked back.

"You?"

Ray chuckled.

"We'll see."

The referee blew the whistle.

The ball was tossed into the air.

The NCAA Sweet 16 had begun.