The third quarter of the USA vs. Italy match made one thing painfully clear.
The United States team was on a level all their own.
The scoreboard reflected the story everyone had expected—an overwhelming lead for the Aricans. Even with Luca Rossi putting up an impressive fight for Italy, the result seed inevitable.
Kai sat in his seat, arms crossed, as he watched Luca. They'd researched him well throughout the ga—courtesy of Zheng.
They couldn't wait until the end of the ga to satiate their curiosity, so they searched nearly everything about him now. They even knew about his dog's na!
Luca was two years older and already made waves in college basketball.
A prodigy.
The dia painted him as Italy's shining star, a player destined for greatness. But as the ga went on, even Luca's skill couldn't bridge the gap against the U.S.
Luca missed a heavily contested layup. The U.S. imdiately turned it into a fast break, Ethan Myers sprinting down the court before slamming the ball into the hoop with a one-handed dunk.
The stadium erupted in cheers, and the Italian team called for a tiout.
"That's tough," Max muttered. "It's not looking good."
Jimmy shook his head. "They're too quick on both ends. Defense, offense—it doesn't matter. The U.S. punishes every mistake."
Kai leaned forward, watching Luca as he walked back to the bench, drenched in sweat and visibly frustrated. If soone as talented as him was struggling, what would happen to them?
He didn't want to admit it, but there was a creeping sense of unease in his chest.
The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Coach Xu Wei was approaching. "Let's go, boys. We're up next."
The Elite Five straightened in their seats. Kai stood, his heart beating faster as reality hit.
As they made their way to the locker room, Kai's system showed a notification.
[Gamble the ga?]
He pursed his lips, staring at the ssage for a long mont.
He sighed and shook his head. "Not today," he muttered under his breath before focusing on changing once again.
No one said much as they changed into their uniforms. Kai could feel the pressure of expectations on all of them.
It had been years since China qualified for the Global Gas. They'd fought tooth and nail to get here, and now it felt like the world was watching, waiting to see if they'd fail.
When they erged onto the court, the Australian team was already there, warming up. Tall, athletic players moved with confidence, their yellow and green jerseys standing out against the wood floor.
Kai's eyes scanned the team, reading the nas printed across their backs. "Sutton. Walker. McCree. Henderson."
He recognized them. Australia had been a powerhouse, placing fourth in the 2020 Global Gas. They didn't get a dal finish, but they were close enough.
Closer than their country had ever been.
As the Chinese team made their way to the bench, so of the Australians paused, giving them long, asuring looks.
A few of them glanced at Kai specifically, their gazes lingering. It wasn't hard to figure out why. They'd still rember him from the cafeteria and also from the torch-lighting ceremony. He lived up to his na at that mont.
Coach Xu Wei clapped his hands, drawing their attention. "Alright," he started off. "We're starting with the veteran lineup. Muyang, Dong, Jaw-Long, Marcus, Caleb—you're up first. The rest of you, watch closely."
Kai sighed quietly, exchanging a glance with Max, who shrugged. They knew how it went. Coach Xu Wei would obviously rely on the veterans to set the tone early in gas.
The whistle blew, and the ga began.
From the start, sothing felt off. The Australian team played with a new sense of ergence, moving the ball with accuracy.
Their defense was tight, closing every gap the veterans tried to exploit. Muyang attempted a fadeaway jumper but missed as Henderson contested it. On the other end, Sutton drained a clean three-pointer from the corner.
"Gotta close out on him!" Marcus shouted, frustrated as they jogged back on offense.
The next possession didn't go much better.
Caleb tried to drive inside, but the Australian defenders collapsed on him imdiately, forcing a turnover. Walker took off down the court, receiving a perfect outlet pass and finishing with an easy layup.
"Where's the rotation?" Dong barked, visibly frustrated.
Kai watched intently, his fists clenching at his sides. The Australian team wasn't doing anything overly flashy. They were just executing their ga plan with efficiency. Quick passes, strong defense, and constant movent.
anwhile, the veterans looked uncharacteristically sluggish.
Eight minutes in, the scoreboard read 29-20 in favor of Australia. A nine-point gap.
Max leaned closer to Kai. "What's happening? These are our best guys."
Kai didn't answer. He was thinking the sa thing.
This wasn't supposed to happen. The veterans were the backbone of their team—experienced, skilled, and reliable. But right now, they looked completely out of sync.
Coach Xu Wei called for a tiout, his face grim. The team gathered around him on the bench. "What's going on out there?" he demanded. "You're better than this!"
Marcus wiped the sweat off his face. "They're quick, Coach. We're having trouble matching their pace."
"Then adjust," Coach Xu Wei snapped. "Stop giving them open looks, and start moving the ball on offense!"
Kai sat on the bench, watching the exchange with a sinking feeling. He glanced at the scoreboard again, the gap glaring at him.
Coach Xu Wei turned back to the bench, his sharp eyes scanning the players. "Substitution. Jian, you're in."
Kai's heart sank. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying anything, but disappointnt washed over him.
He'd hoped—for a mont—that maybe this was his chance.
Jian stood up, cracking his knuckles. "Got it, Coach."
As Jian jogged onto the court, Kai slumped back in his seat. He tried to tell himself it didn't matter, that it was just the first ga, but the gnawing feeling in his chest didn't go away.
Max nudged him gently. "Hey, don't worry. We'll get our shot."
Kai forced a small nod, but he wasn't so sure. All he could do now was watch and wait.
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