Chapter Five: The Twelve-Free-Throw Trap

After three straight victories, the old Northport gym sold out for the first time. With no television broadcast, fans raised a hundred phones. Shipyard workers came directly from the night shift. Others wore Embers jerseys ten years out of date. Since the anonymous shoes arrived, water, tape, and handwritten tactical suggestions had appeared at the doors every morning. Meanwhile, the edited clip passed ten million views, and the league disciplinary committee opened an inquiry into Lu for “sideline pressure upon officials.” Their fourth opponent, Iron Harbor Shipping, specialized in drawing fouls. Han had two fouls after four minutes; Lin had three by the end of the first.