The Final Four by Paul Volponi

Author:Paul Volponi [Volponi, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781101566954
Publisher: Viking
Published: 2012-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

“I’m not a role model… Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.”

—Charles Barkley, Hall of Fame basketball player and TV analyst

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

MALCOLM McBRIDE

7:42 P.M. [CT]

“Force him left! Make him use his off-hand!” Malcolm hears an assistant coach screaming from the sideline, like a ventriloquist’s dummy, with the near voiceless Coach Barker anchored at his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Malcolm’s thinking, Damn it, Coach. Don’t scream it out loud for this Euro-boy to know, too.

That’s when Malcolm notices Roko adjust, fighting for more room to his right.

“Don’t matter if you know what’s coming,” snaps Malcolm, as he cuts off Roko’s dribble completely, forcing him to pass. “I could put you inside our huddle and give you the whole game plan. You’d still be a step behind me.”

“I already know the game plan. Everyone does,” Roko responds. “It’s don’t let Mr. One and Done stop us from playing like a team.”

Malcolm follows Roko around a screen, sliding his feet on defense, and never crossing them, so he can move in any direction.

“Want to hear our game plan?” asks Roko, as Malcolm corners him. “Let McBride shoot the ball all he wants, do it all himself. Then we’ll be playing five against one, in our favor.”

“Except that five of you against me aren’t enough,” says Malcolm. “It’s still not even close to being even.”

With the shot clock winding down, Aaron Boyce takes a fallaway jumper in the lane. He misses, and Baby Bear gobbles up the rebound for the Spartans.

Malcolm gains control of the rock and starts up court.

Now it’s Troy’s turn to defend, with Michigan State leading by a bucket and less than four minutes to play.

“Come on and catch some of this one-man show,” taunts Malcolm. “’Cause nobody can stop it.”

“Bring it, son,” mimics Roko from every movie he’s ever seen about the hood, as he balances low to the ground with his arms spread wide.

“Oh, you’re my daddy now?” Malcolm comes back. “Never gonna happen.”

Malcolm fakes right, and then he crosses over to his left.

But he can’t shake Roko, who’s still right in front of him.

“Just me and you. Nobody else,” says Roko. “You can’t—”

There’s a loud crunch as Baby Bear steps out of nowhere, knocking Roko flat with a hard screen.

Unguarded now, Malcolm takes a step back behind the three-point line. He turns the rock between his fingers, feeling for the grips. Then he lets the shot fly with his hands, falling into a perfect gooseneck over his head.

The shot goes in, and the ref raises both arms in the air to signal that it’s a three.

“Red Bull-shit,” crows Baby Bear at Roko, who’s still on the floor.

Down by five points and with Roko dazed, Coach Kennedy calls for a Trojan time-out.

“Money McBride!” says Baby Bear, taking a running start at a powerful chest bump with Malcolm. “We’re the new Shrek and Donkey.”

“No, he’s Donkey,” says Malcolm, pointing at Roko. “But I’ll take that Money tag.”

From that morning’s national newspaper:

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