The Basket Counts by Matt Christopher

Author:Matt Christopher [CHRISTOPHER, MATTHEW F]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780316095907
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2009-12-19T05:00:00+00:00

The game, ending the first half of the season, was with the Polaras at the Grafton Middle School gym in Grafton, a town about sixteen miles from Trexton. The Titans left by bus at three o’clock, one bus carrying the players and cheerleaders, another carrying the spectators.

The Polaras, in orange uniforms with white stripes, started off with a three-point lead within fifteen seconds from the time the opening whistle blew. Herb Jones, their six-foot center, was fouled by Mel as he went up for a layup. The basket counted and he sank the foul shot.

“Hooray, Jones!” yelled the Polara cheerleaders and fans.

Mel saw Caskie shaking his head disgustedly. Stoney took out the ball, passed to Caskie. Caskie passed to Skeet. Rick curved around in front of Skeet, took Skeet’s pass, dribbled to the corner. Guarded closely, he wasn’t able. to get off a shot. Then Stoney darted past his man and Rick bounced the ball to him. Stoney caught it, went up and pushed it against the boards. In!

“Yea, Stone! Yea, Stone!” yelled the Titan cheerleaders.

The Polaras chalked up another layup by Herb Jones, then a set by a fast little towhead. Mel tried a set when he got the ball, missed, rushed in for the rebound, got it, tried to tip it in. Failed.

A scramble followed. Mel got the ball. A Polara tried to take it from him. Jump ball.

Mel tapped it to Skeet. Skeet dribbled in close, was blocked by a guard, leaped, passed to Rick. Rick passed to Mel going in toward the basket from the corner. Mel caught it high, jumped, sank it.

“Yea, Jensen!”

The Polaras sank a couple more. Rick dumped a twenty-footer. At the end of the first quarter it was Polaras 11–Titans 6.

The Polaras were just as strong during the second quarter. They sank one from the corner, another from the keyhole. A layup by Jones.

Caskie, running constantly, kept chattering at his Titan teammates. “C’mon! Let’s go! Let’s stop ’em! Rick, get in there! Don’t let ’em pass! Skeet, keep moving! Mel, guard your man! You’re slowing down!”

Caskie seemed to have more energy than three guys put together.

He sank a long one, drove in for a layup, made the basket, and was fouled. The crowd screamed. The sounds died away. The crowd waited, silently. Caskie bounced the ball, shot. In!

Andy Head went in, Stoney out. Darryl went in. Caskie out. But not for long. Caskie was back in with two minutes to go in the first half. In those two minutes he scored four points. Pedro, in for Mel, was fouled and scored his shot. Both teams had found the basket and were plunking them in. The score at halftime: Polaras 29–Titans 27.

The Titans struggled hard through the third quarter, but something was different this time. Their long shots were not hitting, as if something had been taken away from both teams during halftime.

Then Caskie exploded, sinking two layups, one after another. The Titans tied the score. They went into the lead. They began stretching the margin wider and wider.

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