no-look pass surprised Ben and bounced out of bounds.
“Simple passes!” Coach George shouted again, but this time he left Hud in the game.
It was a good decision. On defense, Hud reached out and tapped a crosscourt pass loose. He grabbed the ball just before it bounced out of bounds, then leaped and fired a perfect overhead pass to Ben, who sprinted downcourt for an easy basket.
Logan rebounded a missed shot and tossed a quick pass to Hud, who took off, dribbling furiously. He outran two defenders, spun, and found Ben set up at hisfavorite spot—on the left wing, just behind the three-point arc. Hud shot the ball right to him.
Ben wasted no time and sent the ball flying toward the hoop.
Swish!
The score was tied, 30–30.
The game went back and forth, with the teams trading baskets. Coach George shuttled players in and out, substituting for Ben, Logan, and Hud. But as the clock ticked down to the final minutes, all three were in the game.
With less than a minute to go, the Tigers sent up a shot. The ball bounced around the rim and fell away. The two teams battled wildly for the ball. A Tiger grabbed it.
Another shot.
Another miss.
This time, Logan soared above the crowd to snap down the rebound. He passed the ball to Hud, who dribbled calmly downcourt.
Ben quickly checked the scoreboard as he ran toward the basket.
The game was tied, 42–42, with just twenty seconds to play. Coach George stood at the bench, holding up one finger. “One last shot!”
Everyone in the bleachers was standing up and shouting. Hud kept control of the ball, constantly checking his teammates’ positions.
I’ve got to get open
, Ben thought. He was closely guarded, so he faked right and sprinted left, running the defender into Logan and getting open for just a split second. Hud spotted him and slipped a pinpoint pass through a tangle of hands and bodies.
Ben grabbed the pass.
Not much time
, he thought.
I have to shoot … quick
. He spun and squared his shoulders to the basket.Eyeing the front rim, he let go a smooth jump shot.
Swish!
The Raiders were ahead!
The Tigers tried desperately to inbound the ball. But the buzzer sounded before they could get a shot.
The Roosevelt Raiders had won, 44–42! As the team swarmed off the bench, Ben looked across the court at Hud. Hud pointed at him and mouthed the words, “Nice shot.”
It was almost like being at Westwood.
Chapter 8
O ne … two … three … four,” Ms. Rackey counted off. The Roosevelt jazz band started the winter concert with “Jeru,” the Gerry Mulligan tune. Sitting with the saxophones, Ben concentrated on the sheet music and tried to play the song the way he had practiced it so many times.
Here comes the tricky part
, he thought as his fingers slid up and down the keypads.
After his part of the song was finished, Ben relaxed and laid his sax across his lap. He listened as Adam and Tina played their solos, letting his mind wander from music to basketball.
So far, the season was going great. After their close opening win, the Raiders had won the next three games easily. Coach Georgestill complained about Hud’s “fancy French pastry” passes and played Levon more often, but at least the team was winning. Of course, Coach didn’t seem to mind during the last game when Hud had hit Logan with a cool, behind-the-back pass for an easy layup.
Ms. Rackey lifted her baton and the last notes of Adam’s tenor sax echoed through the auditorium. Ben picked up his own instrument again and joined the rest of the band for the last part of the song.
The band was doing great. Logan and the rest of the percussion section had set the rhythm, and the bass plucked out the beat. Even the horns were all playing together.
The band is a pretty good team too
, Ben thought.
Loud applause washed over the band as the song finished. Adam and Tina took a bow. Then everyone filed offstage to make room for the Roosevelt chorus.
Later, sitting in the back of his family’s car
“Simple passes!” Coach George shouted again, but this time he left Hud in the game.
It was a good decision. On defense, Hud reached out and tapped a crosscourt pass loose. He grabbed the ball just before it bounced out of bounds, then leaped and fired a perfect overhead pass to Ben, who sprinted downcourt for an easy basket.
Logan rebounded a missed shot and tossed a quick pass to Hud, who took off, dribbling furiously. He outran two defenders, spun, and found Ben set up at hisfavorite spot—on the left wing, just behind the three-point arc. Hud shot the ball right to him.
Ben wasted no time and sent the ball flying toward the hoop.
Swish!
The score was tied, 30–30.
The game went back and forth, with the teams trading baskets. Coach George shuttled players in and out, substituting for Ben, Logan, and Hud. But as the clock ticked down to the final minutes, all three were in the game.
With less than a minute to go, the Tigers sent up a shot. The ball bounced around the rim and fell away. The two teams battled wildly for the ball. A Tiger grabbed it.
Another shot.
Another miss.
This time, Logan soared above the crowd to snap down the rebound. He passed the ball to Hud, who dribbled calmly downcourt.
Ben quickly checked the scoreboard as he ran toward the basket.
The game was tied, 42–42, with just twenty seconds to play. Coach George stood at the bench, holding up one finger. “One last shot!”
Everyone in the bleachers was standing up and shouting. Hud kept control of the ball, constantly checking his teammates’ positions.
I’ve got to get open
, Ben thought. He was closely guarded, so he faked right and sprinted left, running the defender into Logan and getting open for just a split second. Hud spotted him and slipped a pinpoint pass through a tangle of hands and bodies.
Ben grabbed the pass.
Not much time
, he thought.
I have to shoot … quick
. He spun and squared his shoulders to the basket.Eyeing the front rim, he let go a smooth jump shot.
Swish!
The Raiders were ahead!
The Tigers tried desperately to inbound the ball. But the buzzer sounded before they could get a shot.
The Roosevelt Raiders had won, 44–42! As the team swarmed off the bench, Ben looked across the court at Hud. Hud pointed at him and mouthed the words, “Nice shot.”
It was almost like being at Westwood.
Chapter 8
O ne … two … three … four,” Ms. Rackey counted off. The Roosevelt jazz band started the winter concert with “Jeru,” the Gerry Mulligan tune. Sitting with the saxophones, Ben concentrated on the sheet music and tried to play the song the way he had practiced it so many times.
Here comes the tricky part
, he thought as his fingers slid up and down the keypads.
After his part of the song was finished, Ben relaxed and laid his sax across his lap. He listened as Adam and Tina played their solos, letting his mind wander from music to basketball.
So far, the season was going great. After their close opening win, the Raiders had won the next three games easily. Coach Georgestill complained about Hud’s “fancy French pastry” passes and played Levon more often, but at least the team was winning. Of course, Coach didn’t seem to mind during the last game when Hud had hit Logan with a cool, behind-the-back pass for an easy layup.
Ms. Rackey lifted her baton and the last notes of Adam’s tenor sax echoed through the auditorium. Ben picked up his own instrument again and joined the rest of the band for the last part of the song.
The band was doing great. Logan and the rest of the percussion section had set the rhythm, and the bass plucked out the beat. Even the horns were all playing together.
The band is a pretty good team too
, Ben thought.
Loud applause washed over the band as the song finished. Adam and Tina took a bow. Then everyone filed offstage to make room for the Roosevelt chorus.
Later, sitting in the back of his family’s car
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