theyâre up by six, but we come back, with me sitting on the bench, and at the half itâs all tied. I was mad and feeling bad at the same time. It was like my whole life was going down the drain.
We came out with four minutes left in the intermission and ran a few layups before the start of the second half. The whole team was down, and Skyâs Hollywood pep talk wasnât doing anything to help. By the end of the third quarter we were losing by seven. I had started the second half, but House had me on the bench again.
I watched Tomas play. He and Ruffy were both working deep, changing the game, making Powell play in unfamiliar territory. I thought about the X that Fletch had made on the floor. For the first time Tomas was leading the scoring.
We got into the last quarter, and Sky fouled outwith four minutes to play and us behind by five. House looked at the bench and called Needhamâs number.
âNo, man!â Ernie got into Houseâs face. âBring Drew in! I donât want to lose this game!â
âDonât tell me how to run this team!â House pushed Ernie away.
Fletch stepped between House and Ernie and whispered something in Houseâs ear.
Whatever Fletch said pissed House off, because he gave him the hardest look I had ever seen.
House didnât say anything. He pointed to me and made a thumbing motion to the floor.
Fletch came over to me. âDonât disappoint yourself, Drew,â he said.
I checked the time. Four minutes and two seconds. I knew I had to bust it big-time.
One of their men was on the foul line for a one-and-one. He made both shots, which put them up seven. I brought the ball down with Ernie and watched Ruffy come out for the high pick. He wanted me to go around Frankie. I faked left and ducked in toward the pick. Somehow Frankie got past Ruffy and was on my case when I hit the paint.Their center was already sliding over when I went up. Their big man wasnât that good, but he got all ball and slapped my shot away. The ref blew the whistle and signaled foul.
Their coach jumped up but it didnât do any good. I still got the shots and made them both. Back down to five.
They tried slowing the game, but we pressed them and got a close-guarding call and possession. Ernie threw up a three that banged off the rim, and Ruffy got the bound and threw it to Tomas. Tomas looked around and threw the ball out, almost giving it back, and we set up again.
This time Ernie cut across the middle, passed to Tomas, who handed it off to Ruffy, who made the layup.
They made a deuce on a short jumper and we cut it to three again on a long pass to Ernie from Ruffy when the guy guarding him fell asleep or something.
With a minute and five seconds left, Frankie brought the ball down again and passed it to Donald. Donald cut across the top of the key and got past Ernie, but Ruffy cracked him in his ribs with arighteous elbow. He doubled up for a moment and then told Ruffy what he was going to do to him after the game. That was a joke, because nobody messed with Ruffy without a piece.
Donald missed the first half of the one-and-one and I copped the bound. We flew downcourt and I found myself one-on-one with Donald. I gave him a head fake to the left, then went to the left and almost by him when he hit me. The ball rolled off my fingertips, against the backboard, rolled on the rim, and fell through.
I was standing on the foul line when I realized that the ref hadnât called a foul.
We were still trailing by one and they had the ball. Frankie held one finger up. I glanced at the clock and saw there was too much time to hold the ball for one shot, so I figured it must be a play. They were spreading the floor, and we were playing tight around the key. I motioned for the guys to go out after the ball. We didnât want to give them a last shot if they were up, and we didnât want to give up a late three, either.
Ernie went after Frankie big-time,
We came out with four minutes left in the intermission and ran a few layups before the start of the second half. The whole team was down, and Skyâs Hollywood pep talk wasnât doing anything to help. By the end of the third quarter we were losing by seven. I had started the second half, but House had me on the bench again.
I watched Tomas play. He and Ruffy were both working deep, changing the game, making Powell play in unfamiliar territory. I thought about the X that Fletch had made on the floor. For the first time Tomas was leading the scoring.
We got into the last quarter, and Sky fouled outwith four minutes to play and us behind by five. House looked at the bench and called Needhamâs number.
âNo, man!â Ernie got into Houseâs face. âBring Drew in! I donât want to lose this game!â
âDonât tell me how to run this team!â House pushed Ernie away.
Fletch stepped between House and Ernie and whispered something in Houseâs ear.
Whatever Fletch said pissed House off, because he gave him the hardest look I had ever seen.
House didnât say anything. He pointed to me and made a thumbing motion to the floor.
Fletch came over to me. âDonât disappoint yourself, Drew,â he said.
I checked the time. Four minutes and two seconds. I knew I had to bust it big-time.
One of their men was on the foul line for a one-and-one. He made both shots, which put them up seven. I brought the ball down with Ernie and watched Ruffy come out for the high pick. He wanted me to go around Frankie. I faked left and ducked in toward the pick. Somehow Frankie got past Ruffy and was on my case when I hit the paint.Their center was already sliding over when I went up. Their big man wasnât that good, but he got all ball and slapped my shot away. The ref blew the whistle and signaled foul.
Their coach jumped up but it didnât do any good. I still got the shots and made them both. Back down to five.
They tried slowing the game, but we pressed them and got a close-guarding call and possession. Ernie threw up a three that banged off the rim, and Ruffy got the bound and threw it to Tomas. Tomas looked around and threw the ball out, almost giving it back, and we set up again.
This time Ernie cut across the middle, passed to Tomas, who handed it off to Ruffy, who made the layup.
They made a deuce on a short jumper and we cut it to three again on a long pass to Ernie from Ruffy when the guy guarding him fell asleep or something.
With a minute and five seconds left, Frankie brought the ball down again and passed it to Donald. Donald cut across the top of the key and got past Ernie, but Ruffy cracked him in his ribs with arighteous elbow. He doubled up for a moment and then told Ruffy what he was going to do to him after the game. That was a joke, because nobody messed with Ruffy without a piece.
Donald missed the first half of the one-and-one and I copped the bound. We flew downcourt and I found myself one-on-one with Donald. I gave him a head fake to the left, then went to the left and almost by him when he hit me. The ball rolled off my fingertips, against the backboard, rolled on the rim, and fell through.
I was standing on the foul line when I realized that the ref hadnât called a foul.
We were still trailing by one and they had the ball. Frankie held one finger up. I glanced at the clock and saw there was too much time to hold the ball for one shot, so I figured it must be a play. They were spreading the floor, and we were playing tight around the key. I motioned for the guys to go out after the ball. We didnât want to give them a last shot if they were up, and we didnât want to give up a late three, either.
Ernie went after Frankie big-time,
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