FADE IN: INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY The head coach of the Raiders, Coach Thompson, stands in front of his team, reviewing the upcoming schedule. COACH THOMPSON Alright boys, we have a tough season ahead of us, but we're ready for it. We're going to work hard and fight for every game. Player 1 raises his hand. PLAYER 1 Coach, what about the NCAA tournament? Are we going to make it this year? Coach Thompson sighs and looks down. COACH THOMPSON Well, as you all know, we have a bit of a curse when it comes to the NCAA tournament. The players murmur in agreement. COACH THOMPSON (CONT'D) But we're not giving up on it. We're going to keep pushing and striving for excellence. Player 2 speaks up. PLAYER 2 But Coach, what can we do differently? We keep losing in the first round. Coach Thompson nods, deep in thought. COACH THOMPSON We're going to need to step up our game. Improve our defense, make more strategic plays, and work as a team. We can't let our past defeats define us. We have to believe in ourselves and our abilities. Player 3 nods in agreement. PLAYER 3 Yeah, and we can't let the pressure of the tournament get to us. We have to stay focused and stay confident. Coach Thompson smiles. COACH THOMPSON That's what I like to hear. And who knows, maybe this year will be different. Maybe this is our year to break the curse. FADE OUT.