The crowds filled the stands, eagerly anticipating the day's festivities. Day had just broke in Dhritarashtra's kingdom and it was finally time for Drona's students to showcase the skills they had spent years perfecting. First would be warm-ups; an opportunity for the students to show off and ignite the audience. Next would be the individual skills competition, and finally, the team competition.
The students were introduced and made their way to the center of the arena where they began to stretch and loosen up. Shortly after, they took their places and got started with warm ups. Bhima and Duryodhana sent the spectators into a frenzy with their impressive displays of power, while Yudhistira and the twins showed their quickness, speed, and agility. Arjuna mesmerized everyone with his unmatched range and impeccable accuracy. Neither Drona nor King Dhritarashtra could have been more proud.
As the individual skills competition was about to begin, an unknown young man around the same age as the other students entered the arena. He immediately matched Arjuna's range and pinpoint accuracy. Arjuna was quite annoyed, "Who is this sandal-wearing peasant that intrudes on our competition? Can he not afford the proper footwear?" Duryodhana was elated, however, as he hated the Pandava brothers and anyone that could humiliate them was alright in his book. "You seem scared, Arjuna. He is better than you even in sandals!" Drona intervened, "By rule, sandals cannot be worn during the competition, as they will scuff the floor. Without the proper footwear, this young man cannot partake." The young man dropped his head in shame and began to leave. Duryodhana stopped him and immediately sent a servant to retrieve a brand new pair of high tops for his new friends, Karna. This act of kindness was the beginning of an unbreakable friendship between Duryodhana and Karna and a mutual hatred between Karna and Arjuna.
Karna's New Shoes
Image Author: 2Pacalyp
The individual competitions got off to a fast start with Yudhistira, the twins, and Drona's son, Ashwatthama, participating in the skills challenge, while Duryodhana and Bhima competed in the dunk contest, and Arjuna and Karna facing off in the three point shootout. Yudhistira comfortably won the skills challenge, which tests a player's dribbling, passing, and shooting abilities. Duryodhana narrowly defeated Bhima in the dunk contest, but the judges were less than objective. Arjuna and Karna tied in the three point shootout, with neither missing a shot. This made for a dramatic transition to the final competition, a three versus three pickup game.
What was originally supposed to be two versus two had become three versus three with the arrival of Karna. Duryodhana, Ashwatthama, and Karna would face Yudhistira, Bhima, and Arjuna in a half-court, first-to-eleven (by ones and twos), make-it take-it, win-by-two pickup game officiated loosely by Drona and Krishna. The crowd was in a frenzy.
The game was back and forth throughout. A two pointer by Arjuna would be matched by a two from Karna. Duryodhana and Bhima engaged in a colossal battle in the post, with neither being able to gain the upper hand. Yudhistira was a bit better offensively than Ashwatthama, but his counterpart was the best defensive guard off all Drona's students. With the game tied a nine, the three Pandavas, who held possession, were looking to end the game with a two from Arjuna. Yudhistira held the ball at the top of the key, while Arjuna was to his left on the wing, and Bhima was in the paint. The plan was for Bhima to set a ball screen on Yudhistira's man (Ashwatthama), allowing Yudhistira to drive to the basket. When this happens, Karna will have to leave Arjuna to help with Yudhistira, leaving Arjuna open for a game winning two. Duryodhana knew this play was coming, as the Pandavas had run it multiple times during the game already, so when Bhima set the screen, Duryodhana left Bhima and guarded Yudhistira. After recovering from the screen, Aswatthama helped Duryodhana, effectively trapping Yudhistira, but leaving Bhima completely open. Making an amazing pass, Yudhistira got the ball to Bhima, who was wide open for a game winning two.
Bhima was not known as a three-point shooter. Bhima was a post player who excelled around the rim, and rarely, if ever took a shot outside of the paint. But now he had a chance to win the game. He had to take the shot. With Duryodhana running at him full speed, Bhima went into his shooting motion. The ball left his hand just before Duryodhana's could swat it away. The ball seemed to be in the air forever. Finally, it hit the backboard. Then the front iron, then the back iron, and through the hoop. The crowd was electric and the Pandavas ecstatic. Duryodhana's team, feeling humiliated, vowed to one day embarrass the Pandavas the way they had been embarrassed, leading to a lifelong hatred between the two groups.
Author's note:
The original story is centered around an event displaying students' skills with their preferred weapons. In my story, the students show off their basketball skills. Instead of Karna being rejected by the Pandavas for not being of noble birth, he is rejected for not being able to afford basketball shoes.
I used a lot of basketball specific terminology, so if you are not familiar with the game, this guide could be of some help.
Bibliography. The Indian Story Book: The Five Tall Sons of Pandu by Richard Wilson and illustrated by Frank Pape. Web Source.
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