The league hosted the annual tournament at one of the larger high schools in South Denver. Coach Roderick had informed his team that even though they'd be playing the third game on the first day of the tournament they were required to watch the other games in the tournament. Jack was extremely excited to participate as a spectator and participant in the tournament. The entire week of practice had gone off without a hitch. Everything from drills to running plays was orchestrated by Keevan and Jack. Coach Roderick took a hands-off approach and the team felt incredibly unified.
Coach Roderick has shared how the brackets looked the practice before their first tournament game. The rankings had the Hawks 1, the Sharks 2, the Yellow Jackets 3, the Angels 4, the Raiders 5, the Vikings 6, the Warriors 7, Davis was 8, the Mustangs were 9, and the Bruins were 10. Coach Roderick focused the team on their first game. He urged them not to get caught up in how the bracket was set up. Their first game would be against the Raiders. Davis had not played the Raiders during the regular season and Coach Roderick didn't know much about the team since he didn't have any assistant coaches to help him scout. What Davis did have were two great leaders and scouting didn't make that much of a difference. Davis would run what they had been running with Jack and Keevan and hopefully it would be good enough to get them past the Raiders.
The day of tournament was mild day in late January. There was still snow on the ground, but the sidewalks and streets were free from ice and snow. The Davis team arrived together on a school bus and approached the school ready to play.
Each team in the tournament had a sectioned off portion of bleacher where they could observe from. Davis was at one of the top corners. Teams 7, 8, 9, and 10 were all in top corners while teams 3, 4, 5, and 6 were on middle sections of the bleachers. The Hawks and Sharks however had special courtside seating on the opposite side of the team benches. The arrangement was indicative of the rewards for having a good regular season.
When the Davis team walked by the Sharks, Jack could sense some tension and muffled comments from some of the players. Even though Coach Roderick had not allowed his team to study the bracket Jack was aware enough to notice that they would need to beat the Sharks again to make it to the championship game. Despite the thoughts that tried to swirl in and out of Jack's mind he refocused on the game at hand. The first game of the afternoon would be the Yellow Jackets against the Bruins.
The opening tip went just like any other game. While Jack was curious about the game he was also intrigued by all the teams observing and the large crowd that had assembled to see the tournament. Jack could see coaches from all the different teams making notes and talking with their assistants. He saw players joking with each other and others who were extremely focused on the game. Parents were screaming and there were some strange observers who held stop watches, laptops, clipboards and roster sheets. Jack presumed that they were college scouts or high school coaches.
After people watching, Jack returned his focus to the game. The Yellow Jackets had already established an eight point lead only four minutes into the game. The next four minutes the Yellow Jackets increased the lead to sixteen. By halftime the Yellow Jackets were up by twenty. Ox leaned over to Jack.
"Dem Bruins ain't lookin' like dey got better."
"Don't judge em' Ox...they're working hard and the Yellow Jackets expose weaknesses. They're forcing everything to the perimeter."
"What you be doin' to adjust den?"
"Well...I'd stop posting my big man down low and bring him out to the perimeter. Maybe he could set some screens or picks to free up my guards for easy layups."
"Ain't you jus' smart!"
"Hey buddy! You asked...what do you want me to do?"
"Dat's cool country boy...you just be on yo game when dem Raiders come out."
"You can count on it."
Jack and Ox walked around the school to stretch their legs at the half. There was a busy concession stand that was open and Ox let the smells get the better of him.
"I's got to get somin' to eat."
"We don't got time Ox...we need to be back for the second half."
"You go and save me a spot....I be back."
"Coach said no food before the game...that's why we at a huge breakfast."
"I's still hungry."
"Fine! But hurry back."
Jack hustled back to the gym. The game was just getting ready to resume when he came in. The rest of the Davis team was in their spot on the bleachers. Jack ran up the bleachers and sat by Keevan.
"What up Cap?"
"Nothing...Ox is getting food."
Keevan started chuckling.
"That fool won't ever stop being hungry...what'd y'all eat for breakfast?"
"That's the thing. My mom got up and made us a huge breakfast. Eggs, toast, fruit, sausage, and muffins. I guess it didn't fill him up."
"Last year dat fool ate a bunch fore his final game...he tore it up!"
"When he's focused I don't think he can be stopped."
"You got dat right Cap."
"Do you think he wants to win this tournament as bad as we do?"
"I guess so...too bad you ain't comin' to high school wit us."
"Where are you gonna go next year?"
"My mom's aint sure yet...I need to go big so I can get some college looks...maybe in Denver, but my mom's wants me to go to some Catholic school...they offering me some scholarship to go there..."
"Maybe you should take it?"
"I don't know Cap...dem just a bunch of white boys and sides I don't know no one."
"I didn't know anyone when I moved here...you'll be fine."
"You think I's gonna turn out like the white wonder?"
Keevan laughed out loud.
"You crazy Cap...I'm thinking about it...What about Ox...where he be going?"
"My mom says he can go wherever he wants...I think he wants to go to King."
"Dat school be a mess...ain't no team win nothing in years...they got some new basketball coach...he came to my house trying to see if I was gonna go...my mom's scared him off pretty good...she got it in her head for me to go to that Catholic school."
"Could the Catholic school be that bad?"
"It be white Cap...that's why my mom's wants me there...I don't do white...you it Cap...you the only white boy I'm cool with."
"Would you go there if I went there?"
"Yeah right! You ain't gonna get a scholarship too."
"Well what if I did?"
"Even if you did I'm a year older...I can't hang for a year with the white folk...you crazy Cap!"
Jack watched Keevan refocus on the game. The Yellow Jackets were way ahead of the Bruins and it didn't look like the Bruins were trying to make adjustments. Jack caught sight of Ox who had two hot dogs, nachos, and a bagel in his hands. He also had a huge smile on his face.
"What'd you do Ox? Raid the concession stand?"
"Dis be lunch Jack...I's hungry."
"Well hurry and eat. Looks like this game is gonna be over pretty quick."
Jacks prediction held true as the Yellow Jackets went on to easily defeat the Bruins. As soon as the final buzzer sounded the Angels and Mustangs took the court to warm up. Jack noticed that they had fifteen minutes to warm up before their game started. Jack wondered how he would run warm up drills with only fifteen minutes to do it. The team usually spent at least twenty minutes warming up. He carefully watched the two teams on the court. The Angels were focused on stretching while the Mustangs were shooting the ball. Jack couldn't decide which would be better use of the time.
The warm up time ended almost as quickly as it began and the two teams were ready for tip off. The Angels has a very tall center on their team. He easily won the opening tip. The other Angel players all looked about a foot shorter than their center. Jack was curious to see how they would run their offense.
One of the Angel players brought the ball slowly u
p the floor. The center took position in the post and the other players all played on the perimeter near the three point line. The first pass went to the center; he only had one defender on him. He easily scored and the Angels had the first two points of the game. The mustangs ran down the court as fast as they could and beat the Angel defense down court for an easy layup.
The Angels inbounded the ball and once again brought the ball up the court very slowly. It looked like they ran the same play again and again the big center scored. The Mustangs were off running again, but this time they missed their layup and the Angels grabbed the rebound. The Angels cleared the rebound and methodically pushed the basketball up the court again. Before the Angels could run their play again the Mustangs had double teamed the center. The pass went to one of the Angels on the baseline that made an easy jump shot. The Angels looked like they had an answer for the Mustangs.
The rest of the first half was similar to the first two minutes of the game. The Mustangs pushed the pace of the game and the Angels slowed it down as much as possible. After the Mustangs committed to two defenders on the Angels center there was a definite shift in how the ball was circulated through the center. With the double team came a lot of open looks and the Angels shot the ball really well. The Mustangs strategy though had proved to be effective and trailed the favored Angels by only seven points at half time.
Jack stayed on the bleachers at half time. Keevan and a few of the others walked around the school. Ox had decided to take a nap on the bleachers and was obviously bored with the repetitive nature of the first half. Jack could sense that his teammates were quickly figuring out that they'd be playing soon and their game faces were starting to show. Jack was grateful for their focus.
The second half of the Angels Mustangs game started much like the first half ended. The Angels ran their same offense and the Mustangs ran the ball up the floor. As the game wore on the Mustangs ran out of gas. The Angel's slow style and effective passing had the Mustangs chasing every apparent errant pass and they had increased their lead to twelve points with under a minute to go. As the Angels dribbled off the final seconds of the clock Jack couldn't help but wonder if he ever saw such a lopsided victory that wasn't reflected on the scoreboard. In his mind he had already formulated a game plan for the Angels, but the first matter of business was the fifth seeded Raiders.