The basketball team was in shambles. After the heated clash between Raphael and their coach during the semi-finals—where Raphael, consumed by anger, threw a punch—the coach had walked away for good. But there were no repercussions for Raphael. His mother, the school’s chairwoman, ensured that no disciplinary action was taken, leaving the faculty too scared to challenge him.
When Elleri stepped into the gym, the sight before her made her heart sink. The players sat scattered across the benches, doing nothing. No drills, no warm-ups—just silence. Their coach was gone, their adviser was avoiding them, and without leadership, morale had crumbled.
She knew how bad this was. If they didn’t practice, they had no chance against Benjie’s team—the reigning inter-high school champions for two years
