Game Changers--A Benchwarmers Novel by John Feinstein

Author:John Feinstein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

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The Haverford girls’ team wasn’t nearly as good as its boys’ team. There was no female equivalent of Michael Jordan or anyone close to that. They were tall, but not very athletic. Debbie Lee was as tall as any of them and more talented.

Of course, Coach Josephson insisted on the same five starters, so the score stayed close for a quarter—11–10, Merion. But when she put Andi and Lisa Carmichael into the game to start the second quarter to join Eleanor, Maria, and Jamie, the game became a runaway quickly.

Haverford didn’t have any guards who could handle the ball against the quickness of Maria and Andi, and with Lisa joining Eleanor inside, Merion dominated, in spite of Haverford’s height. In the first four minutes of the second quarter, Merion outscored Haverford 13–0, pushing the lead to 24–10. The Haverford coach called time and Coach Josephson took all five players on the court out—insisting that Dove and Medley need a rest.

“We’re fine, Coach,” Maria said when Coach Josephson explained this in the huddle.

“I’ll decide that,” Coach Josephson answered, giving Maria a sharp look.

The last two minutes were even and Merion led 28–14 at the break.

In the locker room, Andi, sitting nearest to the corner where the coaches went to talk while the players rested, overheard Coach Tuller saying, “Amy, we’ve got to go with the kids who started the second quarter. They’ve earned it.”

“Bonnie, you’ve been to one practice and been part of the first half of one game and now you’re the expert on who should play?” Coach Josephson answered.

Andi didn’t hear the answer. The two coaches had apparently walked out of earshot.

Maybe the group that had started the second quarter had earned the right to start the third, but Coach Josephson went with the five who had started the game. Fortunately, Eleanor and Maria were part of that group, and the third quarter ended with Eleanor catching a lob pass from Maria for a layup that made the score 40–23.

Everyone played in the fourth quarter. Andi hit two open threes and was fouled while making the second one. As she walked to the free-throw line, she saw Brooke Jensen and Jamie Bronson reporting to the scorer’s table. Bronson came in for her pal Jenny Mearns. Jensen, however, stayed at the table, indicating to the official that she was coming in for the shooter—Andi.

Andi wasn’t that surprised. There was only 2:14 left in the game and the lead was now a very comfortable 53–31. Jensen was part of the second five that Coach Josephson had played while leaving Andi and Lisa Carmichael on the bench, but in reality, she was probably the twelfth-best player on a twelve-girl team. Getting her some playing time in the last couple minutes of a blowout made sense.

Andi made the free throw, exchanged a hand-slap with Jensen, and received congratulations from her teammates as she came out. She had played about fourteen minutes—a season high—and had scored fifteen points. She had taken four three-point shots and made them all.

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