Game by Walter Dean Myers Page B

slapping at the ball with one hand while putting his hand onFrankie’s butt with the other. That messes with a lot of guys, but Frankie didn’t give up the ball, so I left my man and double-teamed him.
    Frankie passed the ball behind his back, through me and Ernie, to their center. Donald had slipped around me and could have cut for the deuce, but instead of that he tried to mess with Ruffy, I guess because Ruffy had fouled him before. I caught up with Donald just as their center threw up a sky hook from the foul line. I blocked Donald out and he went over my back, but the ball still came to me.
    I passed it out to Ernie and we were heading downcourt. Ruffy got the ball at the foul line, faked a move, and spotted Abdul picking off Tomas’s man. Ruffy passed the ball in, and Donald went toward the board. What happened was that Donald didn’t think he could stop the shot but he was blocking out for the board. The only thing was that Tomas didn’t shoot the ball.
    â€œShoot!” Ernie shouted.
    Tomas froze, looking around. I got to him and snatched the ball from his hand and went up, releasing the ball just as the buzzer sounded. The game was over. I turned as I came down and sawthe referee signaling that the basket counted. We had won.
    The Chargers were heading off the floor, fists pumping, when I felt something grab my arm. I was off-balance as I was spun around.
    â€œWhat did you do that for!” It was Tomas.
    I had never seen Tomas mad before, but I didn’t care if he was mad or not. I was being cool when I turned away again, and he was being very uncool when he spun me around again.
    â€œI asked you a question!” he yelled into my face. “When I ask you a question, you answer me!”
    â€œLater for you, fool!”
    Tomas started toward me again, and Ruffy grabbed him around the waist, lifted him off the ground, and slammed him to the gym floor. He started to get up and Abdul pushed him down again and told him to chill before he got killed.
    By this time Fletch and Mr. Barker, who had been at the game, had rushed over and were pushing us toward the locker room.
    â€œC’mon, guys! C’mon!” Mr. Barker was big and strong. “Everybody cool down.”
    I didn’t know what was bugging Tomas. We hadwon. House came over and knelt next to him on the floor. He looked all right to me, and I started toward the locker room.
    â€œWhat’s his problem?” Ruffy asked.
    I shrugged. Tomas seemed to be tripping, but I didn’t know why.
    In the shower it was the old team, joking around and talking through the game. Sky found out he had five assists and was making sure that everybody knew that.
    â€œThat’s how Telfair got to the NBA,” he said. “He made all those assists in the All-Star Game. You remember that from the DVD?”
    House had made sure everybody on the team had the DVD and knew how a street dude from Brooklyn had made it to the NBA by hard work.
    Tomas didn’t shower; neither did Colin. They were waiting in House’s office while the team got dressed. House called me and Ruffy in and told us to sit down. Mr. Barker was there too, leaning against the wall, looking good in his gray silk suit and yellow tie.
    â€œI’m thinking of suspending both of you for the last games,” House said. “I think you’re trying tostart racial discord on this team.”
    â€œYeah, I am,” I said. “That’s why I ran up behind him and spun him around and yelled in his face. Or was that him putting his hands on me?”
    â€œWhy did you take the ball from me?” Tomas said.
    â€œBecause I don’t like guys from Prague,” I said.
    â€œAnd I don’t like guys from Africa,” Tomas came back. “You think you got all the moves and you’re the only one who can play basketball. But your moves don’t make you the man. I can play as well as you can. I see you and I’m not