After a surprise hot streak, Marcus is taunted by teammates who call him lucky and vow to keep him the water boy, denying him rotation minutes. He challenges the claim: "What if I say I want to start?" The coach insists the starter will be whoever's in best form and helps the team win. A rival—claiming he’s Riverside’s starting king—demands a five-point one-on-one at the gym. The stakes: the loser is kicked off the school team and never touches a basketball. A system prompt names champion Zane Ridge as the opponent. Marcus accepts, setting up a winner-takes-all duel.