Clutch-game -

He spun back toward the top of the key. Miller tripped, his sneakers squeaking desperately as he tried to recover. Elias saw the window—a sliver of space between the defender's outstretched hand and the rim.

Elias rose. Everything else faded. The roar of the crowd became a distant hum, like wind through trees. He released the ball at the apex of his jump, his fingers flickering in the follow-through. clutch-game

The arena erupted. Elias stood frozen, his arm still raised, as his teammates swarmed him. He had never been the "clutch" player, but in that final second, he wasn't just a bench warmer. He was the game. He spun back toward the top of the key