Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Monster
The spectators erupted in unison—a scene so rare in NCAA history that even seasoned analysts were stunned.
Normally, a crowd's excitement would build gradually, responding to the rhythm of the game.
But this?
This was different.
This wasn't just cheering.
This was a movement.
The entire arena had turned into Oliver's home court.
The shift in allegiance was unmistakable. It wasn't about school pride anymore—it was about the underdog defying the odds.
Everyone had seen it.
How Georgia Tech, a top-ranked team, had resorted to desperate tactics to shut Oliver down.
How they had tried to bury him under a mountain of defense.
And yet—
He broke through.
The double-team.
The suffocating pressure.
The towering defenders.
All of it.
He cut through their scheme like a blade slicing through air, reached the three-point line, faked out Bosh, and sank a perfect step-back three—all in one fluid motion.
Such sequences were typically seen in the NBA, executed by superstars, by franchise players.
But now—
A 5'9" point guard was doing it in an NCAA game.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
—
The psychological pressure on Georgia Tech's players was immense.
They weren't just facing an opponent anymore.
They were facing an unstoppable force—and an entire arena that had turned against them.
Georgia Tech's head coach had no choice but to call a timeout.
Not just to adjust their strategy—
But to stop the bleeding.
He pulled his players in, his voice sharp, commanding.
"Aina University has nothing special except for that small guard! As long as we lock him down, the game is in our control! Ignore the crowd! Winning is all that matters in the NCAA. Nobody remembers how well you played—only whether you won!"
His words were a stabilizing force.
His players took a deep breath, steadied themselves.
Because he was right.
In the NCAA, competition is brutal.
Only those who fight to the end are remembered.
And only they can build their careers.
Bosh, ever the leader, stepped forward and roared.
"VICTORY!"
"VICTORY!"
His teammates echoed him, their morale rekindled.
—
Meanwhile, on Aina University's side, Coach Boeheim was calm, collected.
He had already seen through Georgia Tech's plan.
He addressed his players with a firm but steady voice.
"Move more! Give Oliver better passing opportunities!"
The more pressure Oliver put on Georgia Tech, the more desperate they would become.
They would double-team him.
Maybe even triple-team him.
And that?
That was their mistake.
Because every extra defender sent at Oliver was one less player guarding someone else.
Which meant—opportunities.
Oliver was his playmaker. He believed Oliver would see it.
Wide-open shots. Plays that would break Georgia Tech apart.
But the team had to step up.
They had to be in the right place, at the right time.
They had to trust Oliver.
Boeheim's plan had one more goal.
To conserve Oliver's stamina.
The battle was far from over.
—
After the timeout, both teams returned to the court.
Georgia Tech looked ready for war.
Their point guard, Wilson, inbounded the ball straight to Jack.
And right beside him—
Oliver.
Their duel resumed.
Jack tensed, gripping the ball tightly.
"I admit, you're better than any of us ever expected. But we will win this game. We're the better team."
He dribbled cautiously, refusing to make the same mistakes.
No reckless plays. No unnecessary risks.
He believed in himself again.
With a few sharp crossovers, a feint to the right—he tried to break past Oliver.
Tried to prove he could handle him.
But Oliver?
He didn't move.
Not an inch.
Like a shadow that refused to be shaken.
Jack's dribbling got faster, more erratic. He couldn't escape.
What's going on?! Does he have no weaknesses?!
The panic crept in.
And then—
Just like a phantom in his worst nightmares—
SWOOSH!
Oliver stole the ball!
One swift motion, clean and precise.
Before Jack even realized what had happened—
Oliver was already gone.
—
"DEFENSE! DEFENSE!"
Georgia Tech's head coach screamed from the sidelines.
Coming out of a timeout and immediately losing possession—
This wasn't just bad.
This was embarrassing.
Jack's mistake wasn't just making him look bad.
It made the whole team look bad.
And it made the coach look incompetent.
But Georgia Tech had a plan.
The moment Oliver took off—BOOM.
Two defenders rushed in.
Wilson and Bosh.
Their long strides cut him off before he could reach the rim.
It was a trap.
Their strategy was airtight.
Oliver had nowhere to go.
But Oliver?
He wasn't playing alone.
Just as the defenders closed in—BAM!
A no-look pass.
Fast. Crisp. Precise.
A single movement, so quick Georgia Tech didn't even have time to react.
Left wing—wide open.
Rives.
Oliver had already seen the gap before it even appeared.
By the time Georgia Tech realized what had happened—
It was already too late.
Rives took the shot—
SWISH!
Bucket!
—
The crowd exploded.
"DAMN! Did you see that pass?"
"That was insane! How did he even know Rives was open?"
"This dude's basketball IQ is off the charts!"
"He can steal! He can score! He can dunk over giants!—AND HE CAN PASS?"
In NCAA games, hero ball was common.
Young players wanted to shine, to put the spotlight on themselves.
But Oliver?
He wasn't just a scorer.
He was a point guard.
The team's organizer.
And that one play—that one assist—
Changed everything.
—
Georgia Tech, who had just recovered their confidence—
Felt it crumble again.
They had planned to double-team Oliver…
But his court vision was too sharp.
His basketball IQ was too high.
No matter how tightly they marked him—
He would find a way.
Their dilemma was clear.
If they focused only on Oliver—
They left everyone else open.
If they tried to defend everyone—
They couldn't stop Oliver.
A no-win situation.
And now—
They were the ones feeling the pressure.
—
Bosh stepped forward, signaling for the next play.
The battle was far from over.
Bosh knew Oliver's teammates weren't on his level.
They had the right strategy—double-team Oliver, force him to pass.
They wouldn't always make their shots.
"Snap out of it! They can't always make their shots!"
And like a prophecy—
On the very next play, Oliver threaded the needle again, a picture-perfect pass to the right wing.
But then—
CLANK!
A miss.
The ball rattled off the rim, a cruel reminder of the gap between Oliver and the rest of his team.
Aina University was playing great basketball. Oliver was creating open looks. The team was moving well.
But—
They weren't Oliver.
The shots that should have gone in? Didn't.
And Georgia Tech?
They made sure every chance counted.
Bosh powered through inside for a layup.
Jack found space for a pull-up jumper.
Wilson drilled a three from the top of the arc.
Aina University? Two missed jumpers in a row.
The scoreboard shifted.
Georgia Tech 24 – Aina University 19.
Momentum was tilting.
Georgia Tech could feel it.
Their rhythm was back. Their confidence was returning.
Oliver was a monster, but monsters could be contained.
They just had to stop one man.
So they tightened the noose.
Another double-team. More bodies thrown at him.
Oliver adjusted, hands angling toward an open teammate.
A subtle twitch of his fingers. A shift in his stance.
The defenders tensed.
They had seen this play before.
They knew what was coming.
Anticipation surged through their bodies as they lunged—
But this time—
The pass never came.
Oliver reset his feet.
And pulled up from deep.
SWISH.
The arena detonated.
Score: 22-24.
And then—
They realized.
Men could never win against monsters.