“Wooooooaaaaahhhh!! He just stole the ball and hit a three right after that," someone from the crowd shouted.

“He seems to have improved," Lucas acknowledged with a grin on his face.

“It was only a three, nothing special. I’m still in the lead!” Hans clarified.

He didn’t have to say that because I know exactly how it is. Hans leads 6 to 4. But I’m on the attack.

Another three and I’ll even out. Should I try? Hans defends tightly, so it’s gonna be hard. If Hans gets back in possession of the ball it will be hard for me to get the ball back.

In this situation, he will most likely expect me to shoot again, so I just have to take advantage of it. I pretended to dribble but I didn’t. Then I went into my shooting position and faked a shot.

It worked.

Hans jumped up to block my shot and fell for my fake. I drove full speed to the basket and tried a layup.

But Hans was already back!

He jumped up to block my layup.

But I took that into account. I didn’t let go of the ball yet and used another fake. He jumped past me and I did a simple layup.

I looked at Hans with an arrogant smile and that was all it took to make him completely angry.

“You little bastard!!"

Hah always those vulgar people. I didn’t even do anything bad.

“He completely out played him. He fell for both of his fakes!” someone from the crowd shouted.

“Mike really is good!” Kilian said to Junior.

“I didn’t know he had improved so much," Junior only replied.

’Just one more point then I’ve evened out.'

I was still on offense and thought about what to do this time. Hans defended very aggressively. He probably didn’t want to give me a chance to score.

But I didn’t let myself be pressured. I carefully dribbled the ball and made sure it didn't got stolen. Then I suddenly went full speed over right. Hans kept up well, but I didn’t expect to beat him with it either.

I slowed down and acted as if I wanted to restart the attack, when I suddenly drove past him full speed again.

Obviously surprised Hans tried to keep up.

But he didn’t succeed.

I thought I was past him and tried a layup when I saw Hans from the corner of my eye.

’He wants to block the shot!!'

He jumped up and stroke with full force. But what he hit was not the ball but... MY ARM.

“Fouuulll!!!!!” the captain shouted.

But the ball still rolled in the rim. Is it going in or not?

It went in!!!

“And one!!!!” the captain shouted this time.

“LET’S FUCKING GOOO!!!!!!"

I screamed as loud as I could.

“Wooooooaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!“ the crowd exploded.

“What’s going on? Why is everyone so hyped even though Mike was fouled??“ Kilian asked obviously confused.

“If you get fouled while attempting a shot and hit it, the shot counts and you get a free throw," Junior explained,

“So Mike can take the lead now!”

I made the layup and was fouled. If I make the free throw now I'm in the lead.

I looked at Hans who didn’t seem to realize what just happened. He looked angry and desperate.

But then the captain came on the court.

“HANS I HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU LOSE?!" the captain spoke with a clear tone that just made his words even more threatening.

When Hans heard these words, he began to look even more desperate. It was just like back then when Hans lost against me and the captain came.

’What does the captain mean?’ I just thought.

The captain gave me the ball and explained that I could throw a free throw and that it would count one point. After he was done, he went back to the spectators.

I stood behind the free throw line and focused. If I make this shot I lead.

I took a deep breath and threw the ball.

I made it.

Now it’s 7:6 for me!!

I looked at Hans and just said,

“Doesn’t look good for you."

I wanted to provoke him like always but he didn’t react. Since the captain said those words to him earlier, he was muttering something to himself all the time.

“I can’t lose,I can’t lose, I can’t lose, I can’t lose, I can’t lose...."

’Does he say I can’t lose?''

He was very quiet but I think he says I can’t lose. What’s wrong with him? What happens if he lose? What will the Captain do to him??

I kinda feel sorry for him because he’s clearly traumatized or something, but I’m still going to win!

||HANS POV||

“I can’t lose I can’t lose I can’t looe....“ I just muttered in front of me.

The captain’s words just reminded me again of what will happen if I lose.

I can’t lose!

[[[[ FLASHBACK

Two weeks before 1v1 Rematch

It was a good day. The sun was shining and I decided to play basketball outside to prepare for the 1v1.

I still haven’t forgotten my defeat to the sixth grade. I still feel the anger that I felt at that time.

It was a disgrace.

And then the captain had to come and find out everything.

A shame.

I couldn’t even look the captain in the eyes. I knew I had failed. I embarrassed the basketball club.

But now I have the chance to redeem myself. The decision that I can play against this guy again is the best thing that could have happened to me.

All I have to do is destroy him!

If I destroy him completely, my previous defeat will only be seen as a slip-up. Yes, I just have to defeat him completely!!

I was highly motivated and went to the court I used to go to. Normally, the court was always free but this time there were three primary school students. They were playing basketball there. I watched them a bit and came to a conclusion.

They’re completely trash.

But that is obvious they are only primary school students. I went to the opposite basket and just ignored them. They also seemed to have noticed me and were watching me.

I didn’t get distracted by them and started my training with some ball handling exercises. It wasn’t any spectacular moves I did, just stationary dribblings. I started with regular crossovers and then continued with between the legs dribblings. Finally, I did dribblings behind my back.

I was very focused but I could still feel the eyes of the children staring holes in me. They were standing in front of me now and started admiring my moves.

“Wow that’s really good!” one of them, who had a band-aid on his face, marveled.

“He can even dribble through his legs!” the blonde child said this time.

“Can you shoot and hit?” the young kid with the glasses asked excitedly.

“Yes?” I answered unsure of what would be so hard about it.

“Do it!” they all shouted together.

I did a simple layup and looked at them.

They were completely stunned.

“Omg how could you hit so easily?”

“Are you Micheal Jordan?”

“Can you do a dunk?”

“Calm down, I just made a layup," I replied to get them down.

“Layup.... what is that?”

“Teach us!”

“Yes, teach us!”

What do they want from me? It feels surprisingly good to be so adored by young children, but I don’t have time to teach them basketball right now.

“I’m sorry but I don’t have time to teach you anything. I have to train!”

“It doesn’t matter, play with us!"

“Please play with us you’re so good!”

“Please!!“ they begged me all together.

Goddamn it!

“Okay well, we can play together for a while, but only for a while!”

“Thank you!” they said this time together again.

“Let’s play us three against you. That’s fair because you’re so good," the blonde kid suggested.

“Three of you won't be enough to make it fair,“ I answered confidently.

We played and as expected they didn’t stand a chance. I blocked every shot of them and of course they couldn’t defend me, so it doesn’t matter if they’re one or three.

But surprisingly, it was a lot of fun. How should I say this....It just felt good to destroy them.

With a smile on my face, I blocked another shot as the ball rolled far out of bound. I went to get the ball as a person picked up the ball for me.

I looked at the person and began to tremble.

How?!

The person who picked up the ball was no other than the Captain!!!

“Hans what are you doing?!"

What the hell is the captain doing here? And how am I supposed to answer his question? I can’t say I’m destroying a few primary school students here, but that wasn’t the reason I came here anyway.

“Are you really out here playing against children to make yourself feel better? Pitiful!”

“Tha... That’s not true! I came here to train!” I answered to clear up the misunderstanding.

“But this doesn’t look like training. I hope you take the upcoming 1v1 seriously!”

“Of course I do!”

“If you lose again, I won’t forgive you. Someone from the basketball club can’t lose twice to a sixth grader!”

“I will never lose to him again!”

“I can’t trust your words. I think I should motivate you a bit since you obviously don’t have enough of it." While he was saying this, he was pointing at the primary school students. He probably still doesn’t believe me.

“What exactly do you mean by motivating?” I asked hesitantly.

“If you dare to lose again you have to LEAVE THE BASKETBALL CLUB!!"

Huh?

Leaving the basketball club? Is he serious?That’s the captain he wouldn't joke about such things. But why? Just because I lost?Isn’t that too extreme? No, it’s not! If I really want to be a member of the basketball club, I can’t lose twice!

“I accept!"

The captain looked kinda surprised but that just for a little moment he than continued with his cold glance.

"As I said I won’t lose!!!" ]]]

||MIKE POV||

I’m on the attack and I have the momentum. I have just taken the lead. I should be way more confident, but why am I feeling so uncomfortable?

Ever since the captain talked to Hans, Hans is completely different. At first I thought he was desperate but his gaze is not just despair.

It’s determination.

The determination to give everything on the court. The determination to never give up. The determination to put everything on the line.

That’s how he looked like.

I was careful and didn’t dribble the ball yet. Hans now had a whole new aura around him. His eyes were burning with determination, his dyed blond hair reminded me of a lion. It was a different feeling to what I got from Jones or Lucas, but just as threatening. I felt that any mistake could cost the game.

I dribbled carefully and protected the ball with my off hand. Hans remained unchanged. I made a crossover on my left hand and pretended to go left, when I immediately made a crossover and went right.

But I couldn’t get past him. My moves didn’t work and Hans still blocked my way to the basket.

I stepped back two steps to restart the attack, but Hans seemed to have foreseen this and put me under pressure. He went for the steal and was able to strip the ball away. In the end, however, I managed to save the ball and stayed in possession of the ball.

’That was close!' I just thought.

Hans defense felt completely different now. He didn’t seem to have any more gaps.

I tried a quick drive over left but Hans was still ahead of me. In the end, I tried a desperate shot and missed. Hans got the rebound.

’Fuck! It’s gonna be hard to get the ball back.'

Hans dribbled out quickly and started his attack. I stood in front of him and defended. Hans dribbled and kept coming towards the basket. I stayed between him and the basket and didn’t let him through. Suddenly he turned his hip towards me and began to push me away.

’He goes into the low post?!'

I tried my best to stop him from coming to the basket but it didn’t work. He was way stronger than me! When he was close enough, he turned around and went up to finish. I held my arms up to make it as hard as possible for him to make it, which apparently worked.

He missed!

But that wasn’t a problem for him. He just jumped up and got the rebound. Then he finished again and made it this time. He took full advantage of his physical superiority!

Without a great reaction he ran out and wanted to check up again. I could still hear him mumbling ’I can’t lose'. His gaze also remained unchanged.

“Wasn’t that a foul?! He just pushed him away!” Kilian asked Junior screaming.

“No, it wasn’t. He just went into the low post and took advantage of his physical superiority. That’s what a lot of bigger players do when they play against smaller players. If you start basketball, you should do that too," Junior explained.

“That’s just unfair! What’s Mike supposed to do about it?”

“I don’t know. But if he doesn’t come up with anything, HE WON'T TOUCH THE BALL AGAIN!”