The second quarter opened with Ryan finally taking a breather. The Roarers rolled out a lineup of Darius, Lin, Malik, Sloan, and Stanley. Across the floor, Hardell checked back in for the Starships, his presence alone shifting the atmosphere inside Celestial Arena.
Right out of the gate, Hardell struck. He danced to the three-point line, his left hand dribbling with lethal calm, and faced Stanley's tenacious defense. With a quick crossover and a step-back, he created just enough space, rising for a silky three.
Swish.
The net barely moved, and the Starships snatched a one-point lead, 33-32. The arena erupted, a Nova City lightning bolt under its neon glow.
On the other end, Lin tried to answer, but his corner triple clanged off the rim. Candela vacuumed up the rebound and fired the outlet. Hardell was already in full sprint, pushing the break with a blur of dribbles.
