NBA: Road to glory

A few days had passed.

In that time, we faced off against the Bulldogs. We took them down without much difficulty, just like we did with the Parkside Dragons. Now, we were heading to the state finals to face the Phantom Venom.

The anticipation was building. Everyone in the locker room was focused, but you could feel the excitement in the air. The stakes were higher than ever, and the pressure was on.

The Phantom Venom weren't going to be easy, but I knew we had the talent, the heart, and the drive to pull through. I glanced over at my teammates, each of them with that same determined look in their eyes.

As I walked out of the locker room, I found myself face-to-face with a player from the Phantom Venom—someone I knew very well. It was Jackson Ellis. Yes, you heard me right. Jackson Ellis from NBA 2K14.

My eyes locked onto his, and for a second, everything else seemed to fade out. It felt like a weird déjà vu. The guy was just as cocky as I remembered from the game—tall, athletic, with that smug look that made you wanna shut him down.

"Well, well, well," he said, flashing a grin. "Looks like the Pres is finally here. I've heard a lot about you."

I couldn't help but smirk back. "I could say the same about you, Ellis. Don't think for a second you'll get an easy game."

His eyes narrowed as he sized me up. "Oh, I'm not worried. But I do think it'll be fun shutting you down, Franklin."

I took a step forward, making it clear I wasn't intimidated. "Bring it on. The court's mine."

He stared me down, locking eyes without saying a word. Then, without breaking the gaze, he turned and walked out of the tunnel, heading toward the court.

I watched him for a moment, feeling that fire ignite in me. This wasn't just about basketball anymore—it was about proving who was the best.

Then I followed my teammates onto the floor. The crowd was buzzing, the atmosphere electric. This was it—the state championship. And no matter who was standing in front of me, I was going to leave it all out there.

The game was intense from the very start. The Phantom Venom came out strong, and Jackson Ellis was everywhere. From the tip-off, he was in control, using his size and speed to make plays, knocking down shots, and talking trash along the way. But I wasn't backing down.

Early on, Ellis hit a few tough shots. A three-pointer from the corner, a dunk over one of my teammates that made the crowd go wild. "You really think you can stop me, Franklin?" he taunted, running past me after his dunk, a cocky smirk plastered on his face.

But I didn't let it get to me. I knew the game wasn't over yet. Every time Ellis scored, I responded. I drove hard to the basket, using my height and my left hand to finish strong. I hit a couple of jumpers, including a smooth pull-up three that sent a message—I was in this.

By halftime, we were neck and neck. The score was tight, both teams trading baskets, both players giving everything. Ellis kept trying to assert himself, hitting big shots, taunting me every chance he got. "You're not even on my level," he'd say after hitting a mid-range jumper in my face.

But I kept my cool. I knew this wasn't about trading shots—it was about making the right plays when it mattered.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle. Ellis threw down another dunk, this time on a fast break, and stared me down after. The crowd was going crazy, and it looked like the momentum might be swinging in their favor. But then, it was my turn.

Late in the third, I hit a clutch three off a fast break. Then on defense, I locked down Ellis for the first time in the game. He tried to drive past me, but I anticipated the move and stripped the ball clean. As I grabbed the loose ball, I turned and launched a pass down the court to my teammate, who finished with an easy layup. It was my first big defensive play, and the crowd erupted.

Now, the final quarter was here. The score was close, but I could feel it. This was my moment.

With less than two minutes left, Ellis tried to take over. He hit another jumper, then got a quick steal and took it all the way for a dunk, bringing his team within one. But I was ready.

I called for the ball and moved to the top of the key. The clock was ticking down. Ellis was guarding me, and I could see the challenge in his eyes. "You ready for this, Franklin?" he sneered, but I wasn't phased.

I faked right, crossed over hard to the left, and pulled up for the jumper. As the ball left my hands, I saw Ellis trying to close out on me. The shot was clean, and swish. The ball dropped through the net with 40 seconds left, putting us up by three.

Ellis tried to respond, but I wasn't letting him get a clean shot. On the next possession, I swiped the ball away from him with a steal, then went the length of the court and drew a foul, going to the free-throw line. I sank both free throws with ice in my veins, putting us up five.

The Phantom Venom had one last chance, but with only 10 seconds left, Ellis couldn't find a look. I stuck to him like glue, blocking his attempt to drive to the basket, and the buzzer sounded.

We won. By five.

I walked off the court, adrenaline pumping. I couldn't help but look at Ellis as he walked past me, his head down. "Told you, bro," I muttered under my breath.

My teammates were already celebrating. We had done it. State champions. And I had just proven that, no matter who stood in my way, I was the one who ruled the court.

I looked up to the stands and saw my family cheering me on with pride. Cee-Cee was clapping, My mother was shouting my name, wiping away a tear, clearly emotional, and my dad was grinning.