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// Spike & Moondancer Shoot Hoops 
// Story: Spike & Moondancer Shoot Hoops 
// by Chrysalis P0n-3 
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	'Where is everypony?'  Spike thought as he was shooting some hoops by himself at the new park in Ponyville.  Dr. Hooves was sitting on a bench reading the Ponyville Express, but there wasn't anypony else anywhere in sight.  It was only the 2nd day the park had been open and most of the ponies were listening to Mayor Mare's speech at the town hall, he supposed.
Just then, Moondancer starts walking towards them.  "Hey Spike!  Hey Dr. Hooves!"
"Moondancer!  I almost thought no one else was gonna show up," Spike replied.  "I bet I can beat you in a game of one on one using my superior speed and my dead aim."
The mare chuckled.  "Oh Spike I can easily block all of your shots and we'll see who's quicker.  You're on!  Doctor you have a stopwatch, don't you?  Can you referee for us?"  She turned to Spike and asked "Is a ten minute half court game ok by twos and threes, Spike?  Whoever has the most points after ten minutes wins."
"Fine by me," came the reply.  "Doctor?"
The stallion put his newspaper down on the bench and got his stopwatch out of his bag.  "Alright.  You guys shoot to see who gets the ball first then.  Moondancer why don't you try first since Spike challenged you?"  He replied.
Moondancer trotted out to the free throw line after Spike handed her the ball.  She dribbled a couple times, then stood up on her back hooves while she shot the ball with her two front ones.  The ball hit the front of the rim, bounced off the backboard, and fell innocently to the left.
Spike rebounded the ball and walked to the free throw line where she gave way.  He dribbled a couple times just as she had and threw the ball towards the rim.  It bounced off the middle of the backboard and went through the hoop.  He had won the chance to go first.
"Good shot, Spike," Moondancer said as she rebounded the ball and threw it back to him at the top of the arc where he now stood.
Dr. Hooves started the stopwatch and after checking the ball, they were off.  Spike took a couple steps and attempted a jump shot, but Moondancer was quick to block him.  She collected the ball before it reached mid-court and drove past Spike straight to the hoop unmolested for a layup.  2-0.  "Who's quicker now, Spike?"  She razzed.
On his second possession, Spike stayed behind the three point arc and performed a really nice fake pump.  Moondancer fell for it and ended up way out of position to defend.  He got a good look at the rim, dribbled the ball once, and put up his jump shot.  Swish!  3-2.  "This dragon still has it," he bragged.
Moondancer attempted a jump shot from the free throw line, but it bounced off the rim and the ball went out of bounds.  After retrieving the ball and checking again, Spike tried another three pointer that was partially blocked by Moondancer.  It hit the front of the rim and bounced right back to her where she was waiting on it.
She took the ball back behind the arc and tried a three of her own, but  it clanged off the rim and Spike was there for the rebound, but Moondancer ran straight in before he could get full possession, cleanly snatched the ball away from him and tried again to drive past him to the lane.  She put up a quick jumper, but this time Spike was quick on his feet and got some air underneath himself to block the shot.  The ball went out of bounds.
"Defensive foul!"  Dr. Hooves said.
"Aww come on!  That was all ball!"  Spike complained, but the referee was silent and Spike could tell he wasn't going to change his mind.  He waited at the base of the rim for Moondancer's two free shots.  She missed the first, but made the second. 3-3.
Spike took the ball back, checked it, and drove to the lane.  Moondancer stepped in front of him, so he made a motion as if he were going to  put up a shot and then attempted a fadeaway instead.  It hit the middle of the backboard and went in.  5-3.
Moondancer again tried driving to the lane.  She put a move on Spike and went up for a layup which went in. 5-5
"Come on, ref, you should give her frequent flyer miles she travelled so much there," Spike again complained.  Moondancer knew he had a good argument this time, but was mum.
Spike took the check and ran straight for the basket.  Moondancer was out of position and caught off guard.  The dragon went air borne and she had to slide over to try to stop him from easily laying it up.  The shot went in anyway.  7-5.  Both fell down, but seemed fine after they collected themselves.
"Defensive blocking foul!"  Dr. Hooves proclaimed.  Spike lined up at the free throw line and swished his free throw.  8-5.
Moondancer once again tried to drive to the lane, but this time, Spike stole the ball and executed  a quick pump fake which fooled Moondancer again, then put up a long two pointer barely inside the top of the key, but it clanged off the side and Moondancer collected the rebound.
She took the ball to the left side of the hoop and had planned to just put up a jump shot, but Spike was a little too quick for her, so she attempted a three point hook shot.  It bounced off the top of that side of the rim, slid off the inside part of the opposite side, and fell in.  8-8.
Spike once again checked the ball.  He really tricked Moondancer with a spin around move to the left, so he put up a little jumper from that side.  It clanged off the rim, but came right back to him.  He threw the ball up.
Moondancer thought she had time, so she jumped up and blocked the shot.  It went out of bounds.
"Goaltending!"  Called the referee. 10-8
"Oh come on!"  Moondancer complained.  Nevertheless, she took the check from Spike and twirled around him in the lane.  She jumped up and dunked the ball.  10-10.
Spike checked the ball again.  He drove for a few feet, double pumped the ball and shot it with his hand behind him so Moondancer couldn't block his shot again, though she tried.  Just then the stop watch alarm sounded and Dr. Hooves called "Time!,"  But the ball was in the air.
It seemed like an eternity to the two competitors.  The ball hit the center of the backboard as a couple of Spike's shots had, but this time, it had been shot just a little too hard and it bounced past the rim and fell innocently to the court.  He had missed the go ahead shot.
After a couple moments, it sank in that they had tied.  "Wow I really thought that shot was going to go in.  You're really good, Spike!"  Moondancer complimented.
"You too, Moondancer!"  Spike said.  "Brohoof!"  He pounded his fist to her hoof.  They decided that they would play again one day.