Coach Ron, standing tall in his Piedmont Spartans jacket, surveyed the Vorpal Basket team with a calm, critical gaze. "Now that you all are here…" His words trailed as he let the silence stretch, the weight of his presence making even Coach Fred shift nervously.
Ethan's eyes flicked to Coach Fred, who looked like a slightly embarrassed, overweight man trying to atone for past mistakes. Fred forced a smile and extended his hand. "Coach Ron," he said, shaking firmly.
Ron nodded once, acknowledging the gesture without breaking his calm demeanor.
Ethan turned toward his team, catching Lucas's wide, sunny grin. "Ethan… I'm excited to play with you again, after you being out for a week." Lucas said, eyes bright with honest enthusiasm.
"Well, me too," Ethan replied with a grin, feeling the familiar warmth of his teammate's energy.
Before the mood could settle, a new voice cut through.
