Oak Hill Academy – Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
The gymnasium was packed.
The sound of sneakers screeching against the polished hardwood echoed through the court as two teams clashed under the bright arena lights. The crowd roared, a sea of voices rising in excitement as the scoreboard ticked down the final seconds.
At the center of it all stood
Jalen "Flash" Carter
The star point guard.
6'2" of pure speed.
A maestro on the court.
An explosive playmaker.
Jalen dribbled at the top of the key, his sharp eyes scanning the defenders in front of him. His confidence was unshakable— until he saw him.
Number 20.
A player he'd never seen before.
Ethan Albarado.
Jalen's brows furrowed.
"Who are you!?"
Ethan smirked, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"Me? I am Ethan Albarado... and this is my story."
Then, with a flick of his wrist—
The ball vanished.
Jalen's breath caught as his vision blurred for a split second. His instincts screamed at him to react, but by the time he turned his head—
Lucas Graves was already in the air.
The ball was in his hands.
The rim was in his sights.
Lucas threw down a vicious dunk, shaking the entire hoop.
As he landed, he looked at Ethan with a wild grin.
"No. Our story."
The gym exploded in noise.
Ethan exhaled, his eyes burning with resolve.
He was supposed to be a water boy.
A benchwarmer.
An extra.
But now?
He was Ethan Albarado
And this was the rise of Ethan and his team, Vorpal Basket.