Unknown - driven

Even as the medical staff checked over strains and minor sprains, Dylan took the floor in the center of the locker room.

“It?s okay, they just changed their strategy midway through. So we?re going to change ours and go back out there and kick their butts.”

Everyone one agreed and paid close attention as Dylan took her place by the dry board. “They?ve got weaknesses in their defense. All we have to do is exploit those weaknesses and turn them into holes. The first thing we need to do is concentrate our efforts on making that Amazon forward of theirs work harder. She has a tendency to lose her concentration if we force her to do two or three things at once, so I want you to be giving her five or six things to do.”

Her hands flew across the board, diagramming plays and defenses that would play on the big forward?s weakness while shoring up their own weaknesses and, hopefully, turning them into points. Her manner was quick, concise and crisp, and her hair, worn down and free for the occasion, fluttered over her shoulders like a pennant banner. Cat decided she liked the look, and paid more attention to the coach than to what she was saying. That was alright, though. She had the words memorized anyway.

When the second half began, Dylan had all the players so charged up, their energy could have lit up Manhattan.

Their coach watched with a great deal of pride as they broke the Spartan defense and ripped their offense into tiny little pieces. Coming back from an eleven-point deficit was going to be a trick but the coach had faith and as she stood there shouting orders and words of encouragement, not once did she bother to look up to the skybox. Right now Horace Johnson wasn?t even a blip on her radar.

The Spartans were becoming increasingly aggressive as the second half ticked away, earning shouts of protest not only from Dylan and the other members of the coaching staff, but from the fans as well. Caulley, in particular, was coming dangerously close to earning the Badgers a technical with her catcalls and her striding right up to the sidelines, almost daring the ref to throw a T at her. Dylan managed to pull the red-faced coach back by one arm, and the look she delivered her assistant had Caulley briefly considering another line of work. Stoking the fires of Hell while Satan?s minions whipped her bloody, perhaps.

When one of the Spartan forwards shoved Cat, Dylan?s hands went up for a time out and she called everyone to the bench before a fight could get started. While the tired players sipped water, and toweled sweaty heads and shoulders, Dylan knelt down and got all their attentions focused on her. “Don?t let them bait you. Let them play rough if they want, but don?t fall for it. We?ve dealt with this before and we?ll deal with it again. You?re all making them nervous and they have to work for this now. Let them work.”

“We?re working pretty hard out there too Coach.” Chaney offered before slugging down more water.

“Yeah I know, and you?re doing a hell of a job. When we win this one it?s going to be by the skins of our teeth, but you?re going to feel great when you take them down. Just don?t let them take you down with them.”

The whistle blew sending them back to the court. The Spartans continued to vary and change their methods of play, causing the Badgers to struggle to keep up even after their tough comeback in the beginning of the half.

With the score tied 40/40 Cat could feel the strain of trying to keep up the blistering pace that was set, but she better than anyone knew exactly what was on the line and she decided that she was going to help her team win this game, or die trying.

Stealing the ball, she sent it down court to Angela who passed it off to Mackey who in a pinch sent it back to Cat. Cat looked for someone, anyone who could take the ball; instead she found an opening and charged through it making a mad dash for a lay-up of any kind and hoping like hell to hit the net.

Even as she let go of the ball she lost her balance and sight of the ball, coming down hard to the floor, she listened to her teammates and the crowd to see if she had made the basket. When she saw Tippens smiling face leaning over her, she had the answer.

“You okay short stuff?”

“I think so,” Cat groaned, taking Angela?s extended hand. Once she was on her feet she walked off the pain in her back, and, glancing up at Dylan?s concerned face, she shook her head to indicate that she wasn?t injured and just had the wind knocked out of her.

She coughed and blew out a cleansing breath before she took a moment to determine what play was being run and finding her position. Over the course of the season the team had become adept at giving a member time to catch up, even when the ball was in play. It was just understood that even in the heat of the moment there were moments when you needed to take an extra breath.

The 40/42 score didn?t last long and suddenly Cat found herself looking at a 43/42 score and cursing a blue streak, even if it was in her head. Looking at the game clock she knew that the next eight minutes would make or break the Badgers, Dylan and even her own career. They needed this win to get to the championships and they all wanted it.

It had to happen.

She called a second time out and led the team back to the bench, where Dylan looked at her with some concern.

“You hurt?”

“No, I?m mad.”

When the rest of the team gathered round, Cat took the playbook and dropped it to the floor. “Forget the book. Sometimes you just can?t play by the book. So here?s what we?re going to do?”

Dylan stepped back and just watched Cat work.

Cat looked at the clock.

Ten seconds to go.

Badgers in control of the ball with Angela leading the charge to the net.

Cat knew the most important thing right now was protecting Angela, making sure she got to make that three point shot. Every member of the team seemed to be working on telepathy as they formed a protective circle around their forward. Even as the Spartans tried to find a hole to get through the Badgers managed to close them up before anyone could even get close to Tippens.

At the three point line, with three seconds left on the clock, Cat turned to find a forearm coming directly at her throat, which she couldn?t get away from. Seeing stars as she fell back, she could barely make out the form of a Spartan player knocking Angela off her feet.

There seemed to be only a slight buzzing in Cat?s ears and she wondered briefly if she hit her head when she hit the floor, then she realized the buzzing was the roar of the crowd and through the tears in her eyes she can make out 63/65 score.

We did it. Cat smiled as she closed her eyes.

She knew she hadn?t been there long when she opened her eyes and found Dylan leaning over her.

“How bad are you?”

“Hey,” Cat smiled, “We won didn?t we.”

“I mean hurt.”

“I don?t think I am. Help me up.”

Dylan pulled Cat to her feet, sheltering her, since was a bit unsteady on her feet. “Are you sure you?re not hurt?”

“No, I?m okay, just banged up.” Cat smiled at the coach, but then noticed the medical staff hovering over Angela. “Shit. What did they do?”

“We?re not sure yet.” Dylan released Cat, who went to her teammate and knelt down by her head.

“Hey Tipper,” Cat used Angela?s rarely used nickname. “How ya doing?”

“I?m good, but my leg seems to have opinions of its own.”

“Well, no matter what happens, you won the game, hero.” Nudging her friend with an elbow earned the grin she?d been hoping for, and she tousled Angela?s hair as the med techs rushed in and deposited the downed woman on a stretcher.

Dylan sat in the hospital waiting room watching as every member of the Badgers paced back and forth waiting for the final word on their injured player.