The referee's whistle was a piercing shriek that cut through the arena's roar. The leather basketball soared high into the air, spinning under the bright lights, and for a fraction of a second, everything seemed to slow to a crawl. Ian Veneracion coiled his legs, every muscle screaming as he leapt. Across from him, Ibeke Matumba, a titan of raw athleticism, uncoiled like a spring. Their hands clawed at the air, stretching toward the game's first touch, the first official clash of the City Meet Championship.

Matumba's fingertips, inches higher than Ian's, grazed the ball, tapping it with controlled precision toward his captain. The game—the defining chapter of their season—ignited in a burst of red and white fury.

Tracy Romeo caught the ball in full stride, exploding down the court with a speed that was both fluid and violent. His dribble was a dizzying symphony of deception, a blur of crossovers and between-the-legs moves designed to shatter ankles and confidence alike. Even Tristan, whose defensive instincts were second to none, found himself momentarily on his heels, reacting instead of anticipating.

"Screen left!" Marco yelled, but it was too late.

Romeo used the pick from Matumba to perfection, saw the defense collapse for a split second, and threw a sharp, no-look lob. The ball sailed over Ian's outstretched arms, and Matumba, already rolling to the basket, slapped it hard out to the perimeter before his feet even hit the ground. The pass was a laser beam, finding Jace Yap waiting in his favorite spot on the wing.

Jace, the sharpshooter, caught and shot in one fluid motion. There was no hesitation, no wasted movement. The ball arced perfectly, a silent, beautiful parabola against the backdrop of the roaring crowd, and sank through the net with a whisper.

Swish.

Score: Trece Martires 3 — Dasmariñas 0

The home crowd erupted. The sheer efficiency of the play was a statement. Trece Martires wasn't just here to win; they were here to dominate.

Tristan took the inbound pass, his expression a mask of calm resolve. He dribbled slowly, raising a hand to signal the play, his voice cutting through the noise. "Marco, flare left! Aiden, cut to the wing!"

As Marco used a screen from Cedrick, his defender was a step slow to react. Tristan saw the opening and fired a crisp chest pass that hit Marco perfectly in his shooting pocket. Without a moment's thought, Marco squared his shoulders to the basket, rose up, and pulled the trigger.

Swish.

Score: Trece Martires 3 — Dasmariñas 3

The Dasmariñas faithful roared back to life. A message had been sent in return: We will not be intimidated.

From that point on, however, the first quarter became a showcase for Ibeke Matumba. He established a fortress in the paint, a no-man's-land for Dasmariñas. Every time a Trece Martires guard drove the lane, the threat of a simple drop-off pass to their center loomed. When they fed him in the post, he was nearly unstoppable.

With near-effortless power, he backed down Ian Veneracion, who was giving up twenty pounds of muscle. Matumba spun baseline, his massive frame shielding the ball, and rose for a soft hook shot that kissed the glass and fell in.

Tristan, seeing his big men struggle, yelled as he ran back on defense. "Help! Double on the catch! Don't let him turn!"

On the next possession, they tried it. As the entry pass came to Matumba, Aiden Robinson sagged off his man to swipe at the ball. But Matumba showed surprising agility for a man his size. He felt the pressure, immediately spun away from the double team, and scored with an easy layup.

Coach Gutierrez prowled the sidelines, his voice a gravelly bark. "We can't be soft! Body him up! Make him feel you, Ian! No easy catches! Fight him for position before he even gets the ball!"

Cedrick Estrella, his fresh legs and brawler's mentality a new challenge for Matumba. He pushed, he shoved, he made every possession a physical grind. During a dead ball, he got in the big man's face.

"You're tough, I'll give you that," Cedrick gritted out, wiping sweat from his brow. "But you're not getting easy points all game. I promise you that."

Matumba simply looked down at him, a flicker of amusement in his eyes, before turning away without a word. His silence was more intimidating than any trash talk.

The pressure inside was relentless. Tristan knew they had to find another way. As he brought the ball up, he caught Marco's eye. "Our perimeter game is working, but inside… Matumba is a monster."

Marco nodded grimly, jogging alongside him. "We need to get him in foul trouble. Attack his body. Force him to move his feet on defense."

But that was easier said than done. Trece Martires' supporting cast was playing their roles perfectly. JP Simon and Rain Ocampo weren't just standing around; they aggressively drove to the basket, forcing the Dasmariñas defense to constantly rotate and leaving their own big men on an island with Matumba. JP scored two strong layups through contact, roaring at the crowd after each one.

Dasmariñas countered with ball movement. Tristan orchestrated a series of crisp passes that ended with Marco, getting a sliver of daylight. He caught the ball and fired without hesitation, sinking a sharp three-pointer that kept them within striking distance.

Score: Trece Martires 14 — Dasmariñas 12

The duel between the captains intensified. Tracy Romeo put on a dribbling clinic, a nasty ankle-breaker crossover sending Aiden stumbling and forcing the defense to scramble. Tristan switched onto him, matching him step for step, but Romeo's crafty change of pace created just enough of an opening for him to whip a pass to a cutting Ocampo for another easy basket.

"Communicate on the switch!" Coach Gutierrez yelled, his face flushed. "Talk to each other! Don't let them break you down!"

The crowd was a living entity, roaring with every Trece Martires basket, a wave of sound that threatened to drown the Dasmariñas players. Their own fans shouted encouragement, a pocket of defiant blue and gold in a sea of red.

Dasmariñas pushed back. Cedrick, fighting like a lion, ripped a contested rebound away from two red jerseys and immediately looked upcourt. He saw Aiden Robinson streaking down the wing and threw a perfect outlet pass. Aiden caught it, took one dribble, and pulled up for a mid-range jumper. It was pure.

Score: Trece Martires 18 — Dasmariñas 17

The momentum felt like it was shifting, if only for a second. But then, Ibeke Matumba reminded everyone whose court this was. Ian tried to challenge him at the rim with a layup, but Matumba rose up and viciously swatted the shot against the backboard. He collected the rebound himself, took two thunderous dribbles, and finished on the other end with a rim-shaking dunk that sent a shockwave through the arena.

Cedrick put his hands on his knees, panting, his frustration etched on his face. "We're trying everything…" he muttered to Ian.

Ian leaned in close, clapping him on the back. "So we try something else. We adjust. We stay in the fight."

Tristan, sweat dripping from his chin, gathered them in a quick huddle as Trece Martires inbounded the ball. His eyes were fierce, burning with intensity. "Heads up! Focus! We fight for every inch. This quarter is still ours if we take it!"

The final seconds ticked away with a missed shot from Romeo. The horn blared, a jarring sound that signaled a momentary truce. The players walked to their benches, chests heaving.

The scoreboard glowed above them: Trece Martires 20 — Dasmariñas 17.

In the huddle, Coach Gutierrez looked at each of his exhausted players. "Okay. Breathe," he said, his voice composed despite the battle. "Matumba is a monster. We knew that coming in. But every monster has a weakness. He's playing with pure power. We need to counter with speed and intelligence. We adapt, we push harder, and we play as one. This is a four-quarter fight. We just finished the first one."

Tristan clenched his fists, his knuckles white. He looked at his teammates, their faces streaked with sweat and determination. "It's a battle," he said, his voice low and steady. "But it's not over. Not even close."

As the players grabbed water and towels, an unspoken pact solidified between them. No matter how dominant the opponent, no matter how loud the crowd, Dasmariñas National would fight, adapt, and survive. The true test had only just begun.

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