Marcus Davis brought the ball up court with the Eastbrook crowd roaring behind him, their fury at Darius's shush transforming into desperate energy. He crossed half court and immediately looked to attack, his eyes locked on Darius with new intensity.
The taunt had gotten in their heads. Darius could see it in Marcus's body language—the slight tightness in his movements, the way he was gripping the ball harder than necessary. Anger made players do two things: elevate or collapse. Time to find out which.
Marcus attacked off the dribble, his first step explosive but slightly wild. Darius stayed low, his footwork perfect, reading the drive before it fully developed. Marcus tried to split between Darius and Henderson's help defense.
Darius's hand flicked out—not reaching, just disrupting—and the ball bounced loose. Henderson dove for it, securing possession.
Game Time: 0:34
Darius grabbed the ball and pushed immediately, his dribble controlled as he attacked in transition. Three Eastbrook defenders scrambled back, but Darius had already processed the math. Three-on-three. Khalil filling the middle lane. Davis on the right wing.
Darius drove hard left, drawing two defenders. The moment they committed, he whipped a pass across his body to Davis on the opposite wing. Davis caught it in stride, took one dribble, and finished with a layup.
Riverside 22, Eastbrook 27
Game Time: 0:21
Five-point game. The Eastbrook crowd's volume dropped slightly—not much, but enough.
"Let's go!" Derek shouted from the bench. "That's Riverside basketball!"
On the sideline, Coach Martinez leaned toward Coach Williams, his voice quiet but carrying surprise. "You see what he's doing out there?"
"Yeah," Williams said, his eyes tracking Darius as he positioned himself defensively. "He's not forcing anything. Just making the right play every time."
"It's more than that." Martinez's expression showed something close to wonder. "He's catering to his teammates. Look—Henderson's strength is cutting baseline, so Darius is creating driving lanes that open up those cuts. Davis can shoot but needs clean looks, so Darius is finding him in rhythm rather than making him create off the dribble. He's not just learning from them. He's learning for them."
Williams nodded slowly. "That's advanced basketball IQ. Most freshmen are just trying to prove themselves. He's out there making everyone better."
"He's way better than I expected," Martinez said, and there was weight in those words. "Not just skill. Understanding. Court awareness. The kid sees the game three plays ahead."
Game Time: 0:12
Eastbrook brought it back, running a quick set to get a shot before the quarter ended. Tyler Green came off a screen, caught the ball on the wing, and rose up with Derek contesting perfectly.
The shot missed. Khalil grabbed the rebound with both hands.
Darius was already moving, calling for the outlet. Khalil hit him at half court with three seconds left. Darius crossed the timeline, took two dribbles, and rose up from twenty-five feet as the buzzer sounded.
The ball arced through the air, rotating perfectly—
It hit the back of the rim and bounced out.
End of First Quarter: Riverside 22, Eastbrook 27
Five-point deficit, but the momentum had shifted. The Eastbrook crowd was still loud, but their confidence had taken a hit. That dunk. That shush. That steal. Small plays that added up to something bigger.
Game Time: 10:00 - 5:00 | Second Quarter
Coach Martinez made his substitutions for the start of the second quarter. Jonathan and Terrell checked back in. Derek stayed on the floor. Darius stayed in. Khalil got a breather, replaced by their backup center.
The second quarter started with Riverside having possession. Jonathan brought it up, his dribble methodical as he crossed half court. But instead of calling a set immediately, he swung the ball to Darius on the right wing.
"Motion!" Darius called, his voice cutting through the noise.
The offense flowed naturally. Darius didn't dominate the ball—he facilitated it. Found Jonathan cutting backdoor for an easy layup. Hit Derek spotting up for three after a screen. Drove and kicked to Terrell in the corner when the defense collapsed.
Every pass was purposeful. Every decision maximized his teammates' strengths rather than showcasing his own.
Game Time: 9:31
Jonathan caught the ball on the left wing and immediately looked at Darius. "Screen!"
Darius came up to set it, his positioning solid. Jonathan used it to turn the corner, drawing Eastbrook's defense into the paint. He kicked it back to Darius, who had popped after the screen.
Open look from eighteen feet. Darius rose up and shot without hesitation.
Swish.
Riverside 24, Eastbrook 27
Game Time: 9:14
Three-point game. The Eastbrook crowd's chants were still there, but the edge had dulled. They were watching something unfold that they didn't quite understand yet.
Tyler Green answered for Eastbrook, hitting another mid-range jumper over Derek's contest. The kid was unconscious today—six-for-seven from the field so far.
Riverside 24, Eastbrook 29
Game Time: 8:51
Five-point game again. Back and forth. Neither team able to create separation.
Darius brought it up this time, and the Eastbrook crowd tried to get back into it. "OVERRATED! OVERRATED!"
But Darius's face showed nothing. He crossed half court and immediately saw what the defense was giving him. They were sagging toward the paint, overcompensating for Riverside's ability to score inside.
He swung the ball to Derek on the right wing. Derek caught it, drove one dribble, and kicked to Terrell in the corner. Terrell shot a three-pointer in rhythm.
Good.
Riverside 27, Eastbrook 29
Game Time: 8:27
Two-point game. The momentum was shifting possession by possession.
Eastbrook came down and ran a set for Marcus Davis. He came off a double screen, caught the ball at the top of the key, and attacked immediately. His drive was aggressive, forcing Darius to stay low and fight through contact.
Marcus got into the paint and rose up for a floater. Darius's hand reached the ball at its apex—not blocking it, just altering the trajectory enough.
Miss. Jonathan grabbed the rebound.
Game Time: 8:04
Riverside pushed in transition. Jonathan brought it up and immediately looked for Darius on the right wing. The pass came quick. Darius caught it and attacked his closeout without hesitation.
His first step was explosive, getting him past his defender. He drove into the paint where Eastbrook's center stepped up. Instead of forcing a shot, Darius kicked it to Jonathan who had relocated to the top of the key.
Jonathan caught and shot a three-pointer. The ball hit the front of the rim, bounced high, and dropped through.
Riverside 30, Eastbrook 29
Game Time: 7:41
Riverside had the lead. For the first time all game.
The Eastbrook crowd's noise dropped noticeably. Not silent—they were too disciplined for that—but quieter. Uncertain.
On the Riverside bench, Marcus Thompson was on his feet clapping. The energy had completely shifted. This wasn't just about scoring anymore. This was about Darius orchestrating an offense that was making everyone better.
Tyler Green answered for Eastbrook with another jumper—his seventh straight made shot. Kid was playing out of his mind.
Riverside 30, Eastbrook 31
Game Time: 7:18
One-point deficit. Still anyone's game.
Darius brought it back up, and this time he felt it—that lightness in his body, that clarity in his mind. Everything was flowing. Not just his individual play, but the team's collective execution.
He crossed half court and ran a set that got Derek an open look from three. Derek caught and shot.
Miss. But Riverside crashed the offensive glass. Their backup center grabbed it and put it back up.
Good.
Riverside 32, Eastbrook 31
Game Time: 6:53
One-point lead. The game was completely even now, both teams trading shots, neither able to create separation.
Marcus Davis attacked for Eastbrook, his determination visible. He drove into the paint and finished through contact. The whistle blew.
And one. He made the free throw.
Riverside 32, Eastbrook 34
Game Time: 6:29
Two-point deficit. The back-and-forth continued relentlessly.
Darius brought it up and immediately went into attack mode. His first step got him past Marcus's initial pressure. He drove into the paint, absorbed contact from the help defense, and kicked it to Terrell cutting baseline.
Terrell caught it and finished with a layup.
Riverside 34, Eastbrook 34
Game Time: 6:07
Tie game. The Eastbrook crowd tried to lift their team with renewed chants, but the energy felt forced now. Riverside was matching them possession for possession.
Tyler Green came off a screen for Eastbrook and caught the ball on the left wing. Derek's contest was perfect, his hand right in Green's face. But Green was in that zone where everything felt automatic.
He rose up and shot. The ball arced through the air—
Swish. His eighth straight made shot.
Riverside 34, Eastbrook 36
Game Time: 5:44
Two-point game again. Green was carrying Eastbrook on his back, but the rest of his team was starting to feel the pressure of Riverside's execution.
Darius brought it back and ran motion offense. The ball moved from him to Derek to Jonathan to Terrell. Five passes in eight seconds, Eastbrook's defense rotating constantly, trying to keep up.
Finally, the ball swung back to Darius on the right wing. His defender had closed out half a step late. Darius rose up from twenty-three feet.
The shot felt pure leaving his hands. Perfect rotation. High arc.
Swish.
Riverside 37, Eastbrook 36
Game Time: 5:18
One-point lead. The Eastbrook crowd's noise was noticeably different now. Still loud, but the confidence had been replaced by anxiety.
On the sideline, Coach Martinez turned to Coach Williams again. "You seeing this?"
"Yeah," Williams said, his eyes tracking Darius as he positioned himself defensively. "Kid's not just playing well. He's making the entire offense better. Every decision maximizes what his teammates do best."
"That's elite-level understanding," Martinez said quietly. "Most players take years to develop that. He's doing it as a freshman in his first official game."
Game Time: 5:00
Eastbrook brought it back down, and Tyler Green demanded the ball again. He caught it on the wing, came off a screen, and rose up for his ninth consecutive shot.
Derek's contest was perfect. Terrell rotated to help. Two defenders converging.
The shot went up anyway—
And clanged off the rim. Finally. Green's hot streak broken.
Darius grabbed the rebound, his positioning perfect despite being the smallest player in the area. He immediately pushed the pace, attacking in transition before Eastbrook could set their defense.
He drove into the paint, drew three defenders, and kicked it to Jonathan on the left wing. Jonathan caught it in rhythm and shot a three-pointer.
Good.
Riverside 40, Eastbrook 36
Four-point lead. The largest lead either team had held all game. And the momentum was entirely with Riverside now, driven by a freshman who was playing like he'd been on first string for years.