CHAPTER 30 — "No Margin for Error"
Rockaway City vs Inwood City – Game 3 (Series tied 1–1)
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PAGE 1
Wide shot: Game 3 tips off in Rockaway's home gym — standing-room only. Farfield Ward's crowd is deafening.
COMMENTATOR (off-screen):
"Both squads know what's at stake. Win tonight, and momentum swings hard."
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PAGE 2
Opening play: Soulo crosses up Inwood's PG, floats it in off the glass. First bucket of the game. Rockaway comes out aggressive.
SOULO (grinning):
"Let's run 'em out the gym."
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PAGE 3
Defensively, Quan swats a midrange jumper into the crowd. Rockaway's bench erupts.
MITCH (clapping):
"Set the tone early! No freebies!"
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PAGE 4
Reign Winters responds with a deep three for Inwood, but Picasso counters immediately with a catch-and-shoot trey from the wing.
COMMENTATOR:
"Trading bombs early. Picasso's dialed in tonight."
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PAGE 5
Mid-second quarter: Teddy gets a block and follows it up with a trail three — a rare moment of finesse for the big man.
CROWD (chanting):
"TED-DY! TED-DY!"
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PAGE 6
Inwood struggles to find rhythm. Rockaway traps hard on ball screens and rotates like a machine. Leo picks off a lazy pass and throws down a windmill slam in transition.
COMMENTATOR:
"Rockaway's defense is a clinic tonight."
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PAGE 7
Halftime score: Rockaway leads 49–36. Coach D rallies the team in the locker room.
COACH D:
"We gave 'em one. That was charity. But tonight? We take it."
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PAGE 8
Third quarter: Inwood tries to claw back. Greystone Ward's SG hits a fadeaway, but Mitch responds with a slick post move and bucket.
MITCH:
"Too small. Too soft."
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PAGE 9
Fourth quarter. Eli puts the exclamation point on it with a thunderous two-hand slam off a missed shot. Crowd erupts.
COMMENTATOR:
"This one's all but wrapped up. Rockaway bouncing back like champions."
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PAGE 10
Final score on the scoreboard:
Rockaway City 91 – Inwood City 72
(Rockaway leads series 2–1)
Last panel: Tabar walking off the court with the squad, laser-focused but smiling for the first time in a while.
TABAR:
"One more. Then it's Channel time."
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NEXT — Chapter 31: "Back Against the Wall"
Inwood must fight or fall. Game 4 decides everything.