Simon B. Rhymin' Gets in the Game by Dwayne Reed

Author:Dwayne Reed [Reed, Dwayne / Robert Paul Jr.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2023-04-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

THE BLUE JERSEYS WE’RE WEARING AREN’T brand-new or anything, but when I put mine on and walk into the rec center, it feels like I’m putting on armor. I never had a uniform before, even one that was passed down through generations of Creighton Park Panthers.

The team is gathering around in one corner, where Mr. James is passing out water bottles while Coach Thomas runs a few drills with Janay and C.J.

“You’re getting this stuff,” Coach says. “Y’all have come a long way!”

“We got a long way to go!” says Janay.

“It’s all right. We’ll get there. I’m proud of where you all are already.”

On the other side of the court, the Lawndale Tornadoes are warming up. I’ve been telling myself that the other teams are gonna be just as rough around the edges as us, but they look like they’ve been playing a lot longer than we have.

A few minutes before tip-off time, we all gather around in a huddle, and I notice something: Bobby and Louis ain’t here! I shoulda known since it was quiet. Not one person has ripped me about having a new haircut, which Bobby would normally do no matter how smooth I looked.

C.J. looks at Victor G. “Where’s Bobby and his cousin?”

“I ain’t heard from him,” he says. “They’ll be here.”

But a couple more minutes go by and now it’s time for tip-off. Ain’t no sign of either of them!

“I guess we’ll have to play without them,” says Mr. James.

“We’re dead meat without them,” says Janay. “They’re the best players we got!”

“Ahem!” I say. “Best except for C.J. You just being dramatic.”

“Okay, fine, C.J.’s the best. But without them, we don’t have a chance! I say we forfeit and just go have snacks now.”

I hate to say it, but she’s right. Bobby isn’t my favorite person, and it’s nice not to get insulted all the time, but we need him out there on the court. He’s good. So is Louis. Without them we’re in big trouble.

“Well, we got enough players, so the show must go on,” says Coach Thomas. Mr. James opens his mouth, like he’s about to say the thing about giving 110 percent, but Coach says, “Would our team captain like to say a few words to get us all pumped up?”

C.J. isn’t staring at the ceiling or looking like he wishes he could do some doodling right about now. He is zeroed right in on us.

“Okay, Panthers,” he says. “We’ve all been working hard. Just as hard as the Tornadoes, I bet. We might be missing a couple of people, but they don’t know that. Creighton on three. One, two, three!”

We all shout “Creighton!” and for just a minute I feel like we got this. Nothing can stop us!

But that feeling only lasts till about twenty seconds after tip-off.

The Tornadoes seem like they got the right name—they blow right through us. They run circles around us. It’s a wonder we don’t get blown straight into Lake Michigan or whatever. Without Bobby and Louis, we’re hopeless.

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