Bad-Luck Basketball Read Online Free PDF

team drew closer to the gym, they watched in horror as the double doors started to swing closed.
    â€œHey!” Jeff shouted. “Don’t close ’em yet. The Clovers are here!”
    Brandon watched his teammate speed up even more, catching the door just before it closed for good on their chances in the play-offs.
    Made it , Brandon thought, letting out a sigh of relief as they ran inside.
    Broken down and wiped out from their trek through the woods and up the hill, the Clovers had just made it to the play-offs.

CHAPTER 11
JUST IN TIME
    The Clovers ran across the gym floor toward the visitor locker rooms. There wasn’t time for a proper warm up. The entire team quickly threw their uniforms on and ran back out onto the court.
    The referee waited at center court with a basketball in hand as Jeff arrived for the jump. As the Clovers’ starting lineup got into position, the visitor section of the crowd erupted in applause. “Let’s go, Chesterfield!” someone yelled.
    â€œCutting it pretty close, aren’t we boys?” the referee asked.
    â€œJust lucky to be here,” Jeff replied. He nodded to Brandon, who smiled in response.
    The referee blew his whistle and tossed the ball up in the air. And just like that, the Chesterfield Clovers’ first play-off game in decades was underway.
    * * *
    There was no getting around it. The Clovers spent the first quarter of the game getting dominated by the Hornets. No matter what they did, they seemed to come up short.
    This isn’t what we came here to do , Brandon thought as he watched the Hornets tear through their lackluster defense for another easy two points. It was beyond frustrating to watch.
    It’s not enough that we made it to the game , Brandon thought. We still need to play like we deserve to be here!
    He watched as Jeff made a great rebound and drove it down the court through Hornets’ defense. But as he neared the basket, Jeff turned and the referee blew his whistle loudly. Double-dribbling. Brandon groaned. That never happened to Jeff!
    Before they knew what was happening, the Clovers were trailing by almost twenty points.
    Coach Hanson called a time-out, and the starting lineup for the Clovers came in to gather at the bench. “Guys! What is going on out there?” the coach asked. “We are literally getting crushed by these guys, and the game has barely started!”
    Tony shrugged. “I’m wiped out,” he said.
    â€œOkay, take a seat, Tony. Rest up for a few minutes,” Coach Hanson said. “Charlie, you’re in.”
    â€œI don’t know what’s happening,” Stephen said. “But these guys seem way better than I remember them being the last time we played them.”
    â€œThey’re playing better because they know it’s go time, boys,” Coach said. “They know if they lose tonight, they’re out. You guys need to remember the same. We got here, but now we need to play!”
    The referee whistled, signaling the end of the time-out. The Clovers put their hands in and shouted, “Break!” before heading onto the court. Brandon couldn’t help but notice how slowly his teammates were moving. If the Clovers didn’t step it up, their time in the play-offs was over.
    As soon as the ball was in play, the Hornets hijacked a pass from Kevin to Drew. They slipped through the Clovers’ defense, passing it back and forth easily. Their star center popped a beautiful shot up from the free-throw line and sank it.
    â€œC’mon guys!” Brandon shouted desperately as Drew passed the ball in from under the basket. “This isn’t how we play ball!”
    Charlie caught the ball and bounced it to Brandon. Faking to the left and then spinning around his guard, Brandon dribbled around him and popped a shot up. It hit the backboard, rolled around the side of the hoop, and dropped back into the hands of a Hornets’ player.
    Great , Brandon