Fred Bowen - Hardcourt Comeback

L ayup drill! Coach Giminski shouted above the sounds of pounding basketballs. The Wildcats, a team of seventh graders in the Rising Stars League, snapped into action, moving swiftly to fill the shooting, rebounding, and passing lines. Count em off, the coach ordered.

Brett Carter, the Wildcats star forward, caught a bounce pass from Will Giminski, his teammate and best friend. Brett took a quick, confident dribble to the basket. He pushed off with his left foot and laid the ball against the top right corner of the square outlined on the glass backboard. The ball dropped through the net. Swish.

One, Brett called. He circled under the basket to the back of the rebounding line. Each player shouted out a number as the ball went into the basket.

Two

Three

Four

Make em all, the coach instructed. Remember, you guys cant scrimmage until you make twenty in a row.

Five

Six

Seven

On the eighth attempt, Antwon Davis, a reserve guard, put the ball up too hard against the backboard. It bounced off the front of the rim and fell away. The Wildcats groaned.

Come on, Antwon, Brett barked. Concentrate. We gotta make twenty.

Start it over, Coach Giminski called.

The count began again as the coach watched from the sidelines, a silver whistle dangling from his neck. Come on, the layup is the easiest shot in basketball, he said. Use the backboard. Take it strong to the hoop.

The count was at sixteen when Brett bounced a perfect waist-high pass to Will. But his friend fumbled the ball and it slipped out of bounds.

Start it again! his father demanded.

Brett and Will stood in the rebounding line together. Choker, Brett teased.

Give me a break, Will muttered. It slipped.

You choked, Brett insisted.

Just make your shots, okay? Will snapped.

The count gradually got closer and closer to the magic number: seventeen eighteen nineteen.

Antwon tossed a pass to Brett. Without hesitation, Brett dribbled hard to the basket, laid the ball against the backboard, and watched the ball fall through the net.

Thats twenty! he shouted. He turned toward his cheering teammates and pumped his fist into the air.

The coach blew his whistle. All right, scrimmage time, he said.

Seconds later, the Wildcats cheered even louder as Coach Giminski began to divide the squad. Okay, lets have Brett be captain of one team and Will captain of the other.

Brett and Will stood across from each other at midcourt. As the Wildcats starting forwards and best players, Brett and Will were always the captains in scrimmages. They were both tall and athletic. With their dark hair, they could have been mistaken for brothers. But though they were close in ability, Brett was always a bit quicker and better than Will.

Jeremy Sims, Robert Maldonado, Christian Reyes, and Antwon Davis, youre on Wills team, Coach Giminski said. Ellis Lee, Gabriel Matos, Troy Jensen, and Garrett Fox, youre with Brett.

Hey, Dad, what defense do you want us to play? Will asked.

Man-to-man, Coach Giminski said. He bounced the ball to Garrett to start the game. First team to ten baskets wins. I want to see lots of passes and picks out there.

Brett and Will ran upcourt side by side.

Ready to lose again? Brett kidded his friend.

What are you talking about? Will said as he began to play defense against Brett. Weve got Jeremy. He can score.

Bretts team jumped off to a quick lead as Brett canned two jump shots. So when are you guys going to start playing? Brett said as he backpedaled downcourt after the second basket.

Will charged by Brett for a quick layup. Then Jeremy, the Wildcats starting center, tapped an offensive rebound back to the basket. A minute later he tapped back another rebound. Swish again!

Now it was Wills turn for a little trash talk. You guys taking a rest on defense, or what?

Brett answered by hitting a jump shot from the corner to tie the score, 33. What did you say, Will? he said, still needling his friend.

Dont let him have that shot, Coach Giminski warned his son. Go out and cover him.

Will got the ball on the right wing, but Brett kept up his chatter even while playing defense. Listen to your old man, Will, he said. Better not let me have that shot.

The game went back and forth. Neither team was able to get more than a basket ahead. All the Wildcats were playing hard. Everyone wanted the bragging rights of a win against their teammates. Finally Will hit a turnaround jump shot, even with Brett draped all over him. The game was tied at 99.

Youd better not let me have that shot, Will told Brett as they ran upcourt.

Next basket wins, Coach Giminski called.

Brett ran down the right side of the court with Will trailing close beside him. He leaned to the left and started heading to the other side of the court. His friend stayed close. When Brett suddenly stopped and pivoted to the right, Will kept going, then turned and ran toward Brett.

Garrett was bringing the ball up, saw the move, and hit Brett with a pass about 20 feet from the basket. Brett caught it and pumped the ball high as if he were going to shoot. Will leaped to block the shot. As Will flew through the air, Brett pulled the ball down and dribbled past him, threading his way to the basket. With one final step, Brett angled by Jeremy and laid the ball against the backboard. The ball splashed through the net.