Chapter Four: The Price of Losing

Yunzhou scored eleven straight. Zhou was trapped against the sideline and turned it over twice. During the timeout, she whispered, “They know I always turn left.” “Our playbook leaked,” Xinglan said. Zhou went white. Only coaches and management had received that sideline-release package. Every time Xinglan cut the margin below five in the second half, “load management” removed her. Harbor lost 86–79, tying the series 1–1. The locker room was silent until Qiao punched a metal door. “We didn't lose to Yunzhou. Someone held our heads under.” “Knowing isn't proving,” Xinglan said, pressing ice to her knee. An argument sounded outside. Zhou left and returned ten minutes later. She set a recorder in front of Xinglan.