Panthers

“Okay girls… here’s what needs to happen.” Hayward said looking toward his team captain. “Can you make the shot?”

“What a stupid questions.” She responded laughing, her eyes sparkling. The rest off the team chuckles lightly. Their tired and bruised bodies rejoicing at the hopeful play, even the pros can’t handle five over times.

The Pittsburgh Panthers were a group of eleven girls, or rather young women, who made up Pittsburgh’s girls basketball team. They don’t get much recognition. But what do you expect when the other basketball team isn’t well quite frankly they have no hope of ever winning a title, let alone a championship. So the girls pretty much play on their own. Fans have gradually begun to poor in the past four years; most of this probably had to do with their team captain. Kind of like the capitals had no one and then Alex Ovechkin hit the scene and their fans rival Pittsburgh, Montreal and Boston.

“Oh my god! Steph you miss and I’m gonna kill you.”

“Guess I can’t miss then.” Steph responded smiling.

The ref blew the whistle calling for both teams to return to the court. The game was tied 148 to 148, both teams undefeated. Mia, the center for the Panthers passed the ball in to Stephanie, their point guard. Steph quickly dribbled up the court rushing past defenders and dishing the ball to Andria on the left base line. Andria quickly passed the ball to Lauren at the foul line who then dished back to Steph on the right base line behind the three-point arc. The shoot was up, bounced off the edge of the rim and thankfully fell into the basket. Cheers ran out through the arena and from the bench.

Steph released a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Looking to Hayward a slight smile on her face while being hugged by Mia, he shrugged nodding his head towards the locker room. She nodded gathering the girls and heading into the locker room, the team high fiving fans as they went, smiles and cheers never failing.
Hayward clapped as the girls filed in to their lockers, all but Steph that is. She decided the ground was a wonderful sleeping face. “Great job tonight ladies, I’m proud of you!”

“Yeah and super woman over there.” Sean Joyce, their assistant coach said.

“Yes this super woman has found her kryptonite. Why are these floors so squishy?” Steph muttered through her arms.

“Keep the skates in good shape.” Dana, their medical trainer said walking into the room. “Anyone need anything.”

“Nope.”

“I’m gone then.” She replied leaving the locker room.

By now most of the team had chosen to skip the shower and go home and sleep. Hayward laughed at Steph. “The media wants to talk to you.”

Steph groaned her one blue and one green eye darkening. “You’re lying to me. No crazy ass media person stayed here to talk to us at one in the morning.

“Oh yes they did. Come on you live for this stuff.”

“Oh yes. I love the media. They’re such a lovely and kind group of people. They always know just what to say to make me feel completely encouraged, and they always have cute little reminders for me on when the last time I had a triple double was or what my shooting percentage is. I actually look forward to it almost as much as I look forward to smashing my face into a brick wall.” Steph laughed.

“Let’s go appease the masses.”

*Press Conference*

“Miss Nickerson how do you feel you’re team played tonight?”

Steph paused thinking before responding. “I feel like we did a great job. The Wildcats are our biggest competition this year. Both of us have strong young teams with a love for the game and up until tonight, both of us were undefeated. Everyone expected a tough game, yes it would be nice if we didn’t go into five overtimes and I could be in my bed right now but I can not complain we did and awesome job tonight.”

“Coach Hayward?”

“Steph said it all, I think the only thing I can complain about is the game is too long, the season is too long, and the players are too long.”

“WHAT! Yesterday you told me I was short!” Steph exclaimed laughing. “But no in all seriousness this year the girl’s basketball season has expanded to be as long as the NHL season.”

“Do you feel as if the team will be able to handle it?”

“Diffidently.”

“Speaking of the NHL next week is one of five by weeks for your team this season because of an over load from the Penguins schedule. Any bitter feeling about this?”

“Not at all. From what I know the Penguins are having a incredible season. And the scheduling really is not their fault at all.”

“Are you a fan of the penguins?”

“Of course. I grew up playing hockey recreationally. I loved it. Sadly our season makes it a little hard to keep up with all their games but I catch as many of the as I can.”

“Think they have a chance at the Stanley Cup this year?”

“Now I don’t want to go jinxing anyone have you seen Geno and Staal. They’re huge! They could kill me! Last people in the world I ever want to piss off.” Steph responded relaxing and joking with the media.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I promise next time the boys will be in the story. I just wanted to use this chapter to introduce Stephanie to you all.
Please Comment!