Manila Sports Coliseum — Press Day
The lights were too bright to blink under.
You could hear the hum of the LED banners — BIG DRIBBLING ENERGY™ PRESENTS: THE MANILA SHOWCASE — looping like a chant.
Cameras rolled. Drones hovered. Manila's air buzzed with brand and bass.
Flowstate walked in like a ghost from the wrong century — gray warmups, no sponsor patches, eyes cold.
Renz, Riki, Drei, Bornok, Teo.
Five kids in Cubao standing in a billion-peso light.
Behind them, Thea, holding a clipboard like armor.
Across the court came the storm — Team BDE — loud, polished, perfect.
Zo Baskin in gold shades.
Lamel with a camera pointed at himself.
Rico last, hoodie up, face unreadable.
Two tables waited midcourt.
Microphones lined up like bullets.
Team Introductions
Flowstate
Riki Dela Peña — rhythm on instinct.
Renz "Air" Alonzo — Air Drift Step in midair magic.
Drei Santos — cold from mid-range.
Bornok Rivera — Mudwall Screen, immovable.
Teo Alvarado Jr. — silence made center.
Lars "Bisaya Bolt" Vergara — 6th man, Lightning Step on ignition.
Mario "Fishball" Dela Cruz — rotational chaos, Fishhook Floater.
Thea Cruz — manager, strategist, heartbeat.
Coach Alvarez — speaks in tempo, not tone.
Team BDE
Zo Baskin — oldest brother, calm storm.
Lamel Baskin — highlight reel with shoes on.
Rico Baskin — reluctant prodigy.
Connor Dane — imported wall from Perth.
Jay Reid — shot-blocking shadow.
Coach Big D Baskin — walking megaphone; salesman in motion.
The crowd chanted itself into rhythm —
"B! D! E!"
"Flow! State!"
A perfect 808 loop.
Press Conference
Reporter: "For Thea Cruz — how's it feel to go viral twice in one week?"
A ripple of laughter.
She didn't blink.
Thea: "Feels like losing a game you didn't play. You just wait for the next one."
That killed the chuckles.
Lamel tried a grin, started to talk—Rico's elbow cut him off.
Big D's voice filled the room like an ad jingle with lungs.
Big D: "Ain't no bad blood here, Manila!
Big Dribbling Energy don't do beef — we do BUSINESS!
Thea's tough! She got crossed, she got up, she got merch!"
Flashbulbs. Awkward laughs.
Thea's jaw set.
Coach Alvarez leaned in. Calm. Sharp.
Coach Alvarez: "We appreciate the invitation.
We just hope this stays basketball, not branding."
The silence hit like a buzzer.
Big D recovered fast, grin unbothered.
Big D: "Coach talk! I respect it!
But you can't stop a spotlight once it's on, my man!"
Between the Lights
When the cameras turned away, Thea moved to the shadows.
Rico followed.
He looked different — tired, real.
Rico: "You didn't sign up for that 1v1."
Thea: "Neither did you."
Rico: "Still ended up playin' it."
Thea: "Difference is—you had a jersey. I had paperwork."
Rico: "I told him to stop."
Thea: "Your dad or your brother?"
Rico: "...Both."
For a beat, there was just air between them.
Big D's voice thundered over the PA:
Big D (over speakers): "Photo time, baby!
Manila Showcase tips off tomorrow — one night only, one crown, one brand!"
The light found Rico's face.
Thea faded back into shadow.
Two sides of the same frame.
Backstage — Flowstate Locker Tunnel
Reporters gone.
Only the buzz of the coliseum left above them.
Coach Alvarez stood by the door, arms crossed.
Coach Alvarez: "Tomorrow they'll play for cameras.
We'll play for rhythm.
Don't chase the spotlight — make it chase you."
Renz cracked his neck.
Bornok rolled his shoulders.
Drei tied his laces tighter.
Teo breathed once — slow, clean.
Lars spun the ball, smirked.
Thea adjusted her clipboard, eyes steady.
Coach Alvarez: "They built a show.
Let's remind them what the game sounds like."
Outside, thunder rolled.
Inside, the echo of sneakers built a beat.
The Flowstate beat.
The Cubao heartbeat.
END OF PART IV — "THE SHOWCASE"
(Next — Part V: "The Game.")