The crips morning air carried a sense of intrigue as three girls strolled through the premises of Charlie Queens Academy. It was immediately apparent to anyone who saw them that they were outsiders, for the school uniforms they wore bore no resemblance to the distinctive attire of the Charlie Queens Academy students.
The trio moved with purposeful stride, their gazes sweeping across the campus as if searching for something or someone. The students who crossed their path couldn't help but cast curious glances their way, wondering who these strangers were and what had brought them to the academy
Meanwhile at the Queens' gym….
"WHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!!!" The Queens screamed in unison; their eyes wide with shock.
"Charlotte High School lost?" Oluchi stammered, her furrowed brow reflecting her incredulity
Mrs Lawal smiled knowingly. "I went to watch the game alone since you girls said you weren't interested. But when I arrived at the arena, it was already over. I asked around and learned something astonishing"
The team leaned in; curiosity etched on their faces
"Charlotte High School has Emmanuella, the prodigy, as their most potent weapon," Mrs Lawal revealed, holding up her white tab to display photos. "She is their ace and is capable of turning the game around on a good day. But on the other hand, African Church International High School shouldn't be underestimated"
Tosin's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Coach, what do you mean?"
Mrs Lawal's expression turned serious. "The African Church International High School team is similar to ours from 3 years ago. They are a new team this year, making waves in the playoffs. I'm not sure why they haven't participated until now, but like the Charlottes, they've got their own potent weapon." She paused, scrolling through her tab. "In fact, they've got 3 hidden gems"
The Queens leaned in, intrigue, as Mrs Lawal displayed the pictures of 3 girls from African Church International High School
"Unfortunately, even Emmanuella couldn't take on these 3 all on her own. They're unstoppable," Mrs Lawal explained
The girls murmured amongst themselves, exchanging worried glances.
Recognizing the 3 girls in the picture, Tosin turned to Shalom, "Shalom, isn't that Ruth?" she asked, her voice laced with concern
Shalom nodded; her expression serious. "Yeah, and she is not alone"
Tosin's eyes widened, "Yeah, Margaret and Nkem are with her"
The Queens were surprised to discover that Tosin and Shalom knew the girls in the pictures
"Do you girls know them?" Oluchi asked, curiosity etched on her face
Just then, a strange voice echoed from the entrance
"Yes!" The voice said
The Queens turned to see who had spoken, their eyes scanning through the doorway. The Queens were stunned into silence as the 3 girls they had been discussing; Ruth, Margaret and Nkem stood at the entrance smiling.
"Hey, long time no see," Tosin greeted, her expression serious. "Ruth, Margaret and Nkem."
Ruth's smile widened. "Yooooooooooo! Tosin, it's been ages! I can hardly recognize you. You've grown even taller, I see. How have you been?"
Shalom chimed in, "Hey, don't forget about me. I'm here too."
Ruth's eyes sparkled. Oh, sorry Shalom. What's up?"
Shalom felt irritated by Ruth's casual attitude and didn't respond. Instead she glared at Ruth, her anger simmering
Margaret noticed Shalom's expression and intervened. "Hey, come on Shalom, we're friends, right? We haven't seen each other in a while, so let's not fight. It's a happy reunion, right Tosin?"
Tosin's expression remained serious "I supposed so."
Nkem checked her watch. "Girls, let's hurry. Or we will be late for morning assembly"
Tosin's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?" she asked, her tone firm
Ruth attempted to calm Tosin down, "Hey, slow down. We are not here to fight. We figured, since you guys are our next opponents, we might as well stop by to say hi. We've got no foul intention."
Tosin's eyes narrowed. "Oh, really? That's why you interrupted our training session?"
Nkem chimed in with a heavy sigh, "Look, Tosin, we came to confirm if you girls still remember our promise. From the looks of things, it seems you girls are fine, so there is nothing to worry about. We will take our leave soon. But first, I have a challenge for you and Shalom"
Shalom turned to Nkem "Huh?"
Tosin raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Nkem smiled mischievously. "A short duel. You and Shalom against me. Right here, right now. What do you say?"
Margaret frowned. "2 against 1? That's not a fair matchup"
Nkem waved her hand dismissively with a smile. "Don't worry, I'll be fine on my own. You guys should just watch, okay?"
Tosin's anger boiled over, and she accepted the challenge. "Fine, let's settle this with a duel. I'm going to make you pay for disrupting our training"
Shalom stepped forward, her eyes flashing with determination. "I'm ready. Let's show her what happens when you make a Queen angry"
The gym echoed with rhythmic bouncing of the ball as Nkem, Shalom, and Tosin took their positions on the court. Their spectators watched with bated breath, from the sidelines; curiosity and anticipation etched on their faces
Mercy, her concern evident in her voice, suddenly questioned Mrs. Lawal about the wisdom of allowing the duel to proceed. "Coach, is this really a good idea? I mean, shouldn't we stop them?"
Mrs. Lawal's expression was a grim. "Huh? No, it's fine. I just have a bad feeling about this. But it doesn't feel like the duel is a bad idea so I think it's fine." She said
Nkem, meanwhile had begun to bounce a ball, her eyes fixed intently on Tosin. "Alright whoever reaches 5 first, wins," she said, a confident smile spreading across her face
Tosin and Shalom responded in unison, "Right!" They launched a tight double team, determined to stop Nkem
Nkem tried to dash through their middle, but their defense was too strong. Shalom stole the ball with ease
Tosin sneered, her eyes glinting with triumph, "Did you honestly believe you could dribble through our middle easily?"
Shalom displayed a secret sign to Tosin, who immediately sprang into action. Tosin dashed towards the hoop, her movements lightning-fast. As she closed in, she took off, soaring into the air. Her head cleared the hoop, leaving the onlookers in awe
"So high?!" Ruth exclaimed; her eyes wide with amazement
Shalom bounced the ball, using just the right amount of force to enable it to reach Tosin in mid-air. The ball sailed towards Tosin, who caught it with ease. In one fluid motion, she slammed the ball into the hoop behind her back, executing a perfect alley-oop
As Tosin landed on the floor, she declared, "That's 1-0. Four more and it's game over!"
The Queens erupted into cheers, their excitement echoing through the gym as they celebrated Tosin's impressive alley-oop
Margaret was still reeling from Tosin's impressive jump. "The last time we played basketball together, she could jump really high but not beyond the hoop. That's crazy"
Ruth nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and that pass from Shalom was incredible. Tosin and Shalom have both made huge improvements, especially Tosin"
Margaret turned to Nkem, a smug expression on her face. "I warned you, didn't I? Two against one was too much. You underestimated those two
Nkem smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Hah! Well, I did let down my guard. Tosin and Shalom have both improved. I'm glad to see that they are working hard to make our dreams come true too. But it's time to get serious. No more fooling around"
The game resumed, with Nkem gaining possession of the ball. She strolled up to Tosin and Shalom, who were poised to defend. Nkem momentarily halted her movement, continuing to bounce the ball right in front of Tosin and Shalom's double team defense and taking a deep sigh
Margaret, who recognized the gesture, whispered, "Here it comes."
Suddenly, Nkem swiftly bent down with the ball and launched into a jump shot. The ball soared through the air, ultimately sinking into the hoop, stunning everyone in the gym. Tosin and Shalom were caught off guard, seemingly frozen in place
Margaret's eyes widened in awe. "Who the hell woke this monster up from her slumber?"
Ruth shook her head, a mixture of fear and admiration on her face. "It'd have been better to leave her in her dreamworld because once she's awake, it's over. I don't wish to go up against her myself"
Nkem, beaming with confidence, struck a pose, flashing the famous 2-fingers gesture. "Hehe, now it's tied"
The Queens exchanged worried glances, realizing they had been underestimating Nkem's abilities. The fated Quarterfinal clash between the African Church International High School and the Charlie Queens Academy was just 30 hours away. Seeing Nkem in action, they realized they were about to face an even tougher opponent than Emmanuella, a rising star and rival they had earlier anticipated to be their opponent in the Quarterfinals of the playoffs
The rest of the duel was a one-sided affair, with Nkem dominating Tosin and Shalom. As she closed in for the final attack, Nkem bounced the ball with a confidence smirk, her eyes gleaming with a fierce competitive spirit
"I can't believe it ended so fast. Well, it's over" Margaret said as she watched in awe, shaking her head in dismay
"Yeah, I feel for those two too," Ruth replied, her voice laced with sympathy
The Queens were all worried about their upcoming game, scheduled for the next day. They watched in awe as Nkem dominated the court, her movements lightning-fast and her shots precise
Nkem turned to Tosin and Shalom, looking to score her final basket, "Girls, I wished all six of us went to the same school and challenged the Victorious Varsity together. Too bad we have to challenge ourselves as well."
Tosin, feeling irritated by Nkem's comment, shot back, "Quit acting like you've won, will you?"
Nkem just smiled sweetly. "Hehe, sorry sorry. My bad. Okay, it's time to end this. I'm going to leave you girls with a gift, okay. I love you girls."
With that, Nkem bounced the ball to her right, and Tosin and Shalom reacted instinctively. But Nkem was too quick, and she skillfully bounced the ball back to her left, catching Tosin and Shalom off guard. They stumbled, attempting to react and Nkem seized the opportunity to launch a jump shot in the coldest way possible
The ball soared through the air, and the Queens watched in stunned silence as it sank into the hoop. The final score was 5-1 in Nkem's favour and Tosin and Shalom were left reeling from the defeat
Eno, who had been quietly watching the duel suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with awe. "Wow! They couldn't do a thing against her
Mercy, still trying to process what she had just witnessed, shook her head in disbelief. "Ankle breaker? Did she just break both their ankles at the same time? Impossible!"
Oluchi looked at Mercy in confusion. "Ankle breaker?"
Mercy explained, her eyes wide opened in shock. "Yeah. Ankle breaker. A dribbling technique that involves a player suddenly changing direction by switching the ball from one hand to the other, causing the defender guarding that player to stumble or fall and enabling the player to shoot or pass the ball. That's the ankle breaker."
"I see." Oluchi said
"But we hardly see NBA players use it against a double team defense and yet she did it like it was nothing? What is she? Some kind of genius?" Mercy said, clenching her fist
Nkem, Margaret, and Ruth apologized to Mrs. Lawal and the Queen for disrupting their training before leaving. As the trio made their way towards African Church International High School, they found themselves reflecting on the morning's events, analyzing the draw between Nkem and the tag team of Tosin and Shalom
"You really didn't hold back against them. Why is that?" Margaret asked Nkem, curiosity etched on her face
Nkem smiled thoughtfully. "Well, if I went easy on them, I wouldn't be helping them. This is our dream, right? We all promised to make it to the top. So, if even one of us is struggling or lagging behind, the other five should help out and ensure she catches up. Isn't that what friendship is about?"
Margaret nodded, understanding Nkem's perspective. "I see. Well, if this duel is as one-sided as it was, then maybe the Queens aren't a threat after all. There is no doubt they've got potential, judging from Tosin's insane jumps and all. However, right now, they are nothing special. Wouldn't you agree?"
Nkem's expression turned serious. "I wouldn't be so sure"
Ruth chimed in, "Why is that? We saw the duel. It was one-sided. Why give them so much credit?"
Nkem posed a gesture with three fingers. "Three reasons."
Ruth's curiosity was piqued. "What are they?"
Nkem began to explain. "Firstly, how many times have I warned you girls not to underestimate the opponents?"
Ruth tried to interject, but Nkem continued. "No buts. Never underestimate the enemy, no matter what. Underestimate them and you will sorry"
Margaret and Ruth exchanged a knowing glance.
Nkem continued, Secondly, I only played against Shalom and Tosin. I didn't play against the others, and Tosin and Shalom only used one move today. I don't know why but they kept repeating the exact same move. I believe it's some sort of plan. In fact, I only won because they were repeating the same move."
Ruth's eyes widened in surprise. "Good point"
Margaret chimed in. "Now that you mentioned it, I was wondering why they kept launching the same attack no matter how many times you stop them"
"Always keep the enemies guessing. That's what I can think of" Nkem said, her expression turned serious. "The third reason is that they've got Tosin. Sorry but after playing against her, I feel like she might be on the same level as the Victorious Varsity."
Margaret's eyes widened in shock. "Huh? Are you joking now?"
Nkem shook her head. "Sorry, Margaret, but here is the truth. Tosin has the most formidable weapon in basketball right now, but I have a strong feeling that she has another talent hidden inside her. And if we push her too much, she may unleash it. Beware! This game isn't going to be easy."
As they walked, Margaret couldn't help but revisit Nkem's final point about Tosin's potential. "But really, Nkem, Tosin on the same level as the Victorious Varsity? That seems like a stretch," she said, her voice laced with skepticism
Nkem shook her head. "I'm telling you, there is something about her that feels…. Different. It's not her impressive jumps, but her determination, focus and love for the game. She could be a game-changer if we are not careful."
Ruth chimed in. "I'm with Margaret on this one, Nkem. I just don't see it. Sure, Tosin's got skills, but comparing her to the Victorious Varsity?" She lets out a small chuckle, still unable to take the idea seriously
"You can laugh all you want but mark my words," Nkem replied. "Though, I'm still in SSS 1, but I've been around the game long enough to know that there is always more than meets the eye. The real question is, how do we counter someone like Tosin if she truly has a hidden ability?"
The conversation shifted towards devising strategies to handle the Queens, particularly Tosin with her monstrous jumps.
Nkem suggested. "We need to be adaptable and unpredictable. Mix up our plays, keep them guessing. If Tosin is as good as I think she is, she'll most likely be unstoppable but we will have to deal with her if it turns out that way."
Margaret nodded in agreement, "That makes sense. We should work on new plays in addition to Coach Blanc's tactical instructions. We must make sure we are always ahead in every aspect of the game"
Ruth chimed in with a bright smile. "The game is gonna be fun. I can't wait"
It's matchday! The atmosphere in the gymnasium was electric as the Queens, donning their vibrant pink away kit, prepares to face off against the formidable African Church International High School, who stood united in their crisp white and blue striped uniforms. Both coaches, Mrs. Lawal and Coach Blanc, offered their final words of wisdom to their respective teams, as the buzz of anticipation from the eager spectators filled the air.
At the African Church's bench, Coach Blanc reinforced the game plan they had meticulously developed during their strategy sessions. "Remember, ladies, we need to keep an eye out for their fast breaks! Stay focused and stick to the plan!"
The African Church players responded in unison; their determination etched on their faces.
Meanwhile at the Queens' bench, Mrs. Lawal discussed their approach to counter the threat of the opposing team's star players. Clutching her white tablet, she addressed the team with confidence and poise. "Our strategy revolves around Oluchi, Shalom and Eno, whom we have entrusted with the task of stopping the monster trio of the opposing team. The rest of you must work in harmony to support them and ensure our plans come to fruition."
The Queens replied with a resounding chorus of agreement, their spirits high and their resolve unwavering.
As the moment of truth approached, the Queens rallied together, their bond unbreakable as they voiced their commitment to victory. Their captain, Tosin took the lead. "Alright, in 3! 2! 1! Charlie Queens!!! FIGHT!!!
The Queens let out a loud war shout in unison which reverberated through the gymnasium, sending a shiver of anticipation down the spines of the spectators. "YEEEAAAHHH!!!" Their passion and determination on full display
With the final words of encouragement spoken, Tosin slipped into her iconic pink number 10 kit, her expression steely and focused, her eyes blazing with determination as she walked onto the court. "Now then, with all that is being said and done, shall we give our passengers a great ride to destruction city?" She declared, her voice dripping with confidence
The Queens responded with another deafening "YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAH" as the crowd erupted with cheers, eager for the match to begin