The school hallway was dark and quiet. Jack had been closing his eyes and lying prostrate for the last five minutes trying to concentrate on relaxing and resting. Coach Roderick had insisted the entire team sequester themselves for the next forty five minutes to re-charge and re-focus on the game against the Angels. No matter how hard he tried to to relax, Jack couldn't stop thinking about the missed free throw. Most of his team sighed in relief when the shot didn't fall and there was very little celebration on the Davis bench. Coach Roderick immediately escorted them to the dark hallway.
After replaying the missed shot in his mind for the hundredth time Jack finally sat up. He looked around at his teammates. Jocelyn was reading a book, David was reading his Bible, Arturo and Cisco were whispering to each other in Spanish, Ox was asleep, and Keevan was listening to music on his MP3 player. Jack was proud of his team's efforts to relax, but couldn't figure out why he was so restless.
After gawking at everyone and getting no response Jack started stretching his muscles. He felt tense and he thought the stretching would calm him down. Deep breath after deep breath entered and exited his lungs. Jack's mind finally wandered to the gym at Davis. He could somehow smell the stale odor of perspiration, gym equipment, and industrial air freshener. Relaxation was coming and so were his thoughts of how to beat the Angels.
His thoughts shifted to the Angels victory over the Mustangs. The Angels Center had been the focus of the team's offense. Every offensive play filtered through him making him the most important player on the court. Jack's theory was simple. Slow the pace of the game for the first half of the game and let Ox try to draw fouls from the Angels Center, then in the second half turn on the jets and run the Angels right out of the gym. Jack could visualize the strategy; he hoped Coach would go for it.
After Jack has stretched what felt like every muscle in his body and closed his eyes for a quick power nap Coach Roderick announced it was time to go back to the gym. The entire team stood up and looked groggy. Jack still felt energized and led the team to the gym. On the way he relayed his strategy to Coach Roderick. Coach had a different idea that Jack hadn't thought of. His plan was to double team the Center with Ox and Arturo and frustrate the Angels offense. Jack hadn't thought of that, but was willing to go with it.
When they got to the gym the clock was winding down with the six seeded Vikings dribbling out the clock. They had an eight point lead over the Warriors and seemed to be ecstatic over their victory. Coach Roderick leaned over to Jack.
"This is their first year in the league...glad to see another inner city team advance."
"What part of the city are they from?"
"They're from Northwest Denver. The high school over there invested money into developing a larger player base to prepare their future players. Looks like it might be working."
Coach Roderick smiled at Jack. Jack looked at the Vikings celebrating they were primarily comprised of Latino kids. He turned to look at his own team and for the first time saw a rainbow of difference in color, skill, background, and beliefs unified in one purpose. He knew they had beaten the odds no matter what happened on the court.
The opening tip was won by the Angels Center. Jack was a little surprised by Ox's lack of aggression in going after the ball. The Angels methodically distributed the ball around the court. After several passes the ball went into the Center. Arturo and Ox collapsed on the Center forcing him to kick the ball out to an open player. The player quickly released the ball and scored two points.
Keevan had no trouble bringing the ball up the floor. The Angels did not apply any pressure to Keevan until he got to the three point line. Ox was covered well by the Angels Center and the other players were holding their position. Keevan eventually passed the ball to Arturo who was cutting toward the basket. As he caught the pass he jumped in the air to lay the ball in. The Angels Center flew in out of nowhere and blocked the shot. The Angels picked up the loose ball, slowed down the ball, and resumed their casual pace into their offense.
Jack felt like the Angels were lulling them into a trap. He wondered if his plan or Coach Roderick's would truly work. On this offensive trip the ball once again found the Angels Center, but this time he was fouled by Ox. He went to the free throw line and made both shots. Davis was down by four points early.
Jack asked for Coach to call a timeout, but Coach signaled for them to keep playing. Keevan brought the ball up court uncontested. Jack signaled for him to drive the ball down low. Keevan easily took the ball all the way in the point, put up a shot and was blocked by the Angels Center. Jack cringed at the thought of not having an inside game.
The Angels offense went to work again and once again came away with two points on an easy lay in from their Center. Jack was getting frustrated, but knew he needed to keep things calm. Keevan brought the ball up the court. David set a pick for Jack who got open and released a three point shot that missed. Nothing was going right for Davis.
The Angels offense went to work again and once again the ball was distributed through their Center. He found another open player who made an easy two point shot. The Angels were in control of the tempo and rhythm of the game. Jack couldn't think of any ideas to spark his team. Then he remembered something from the Angels Mustangs game. He remembered the Center having a tendency to block every shot taken in the paint. The only way the Mustangs scored was when he wasn't in the paint, but on one play Jack saw that a blocked shot could have been an easy two points if the Mustang player had passed the ball instead of shot it.
Jack grabbed Ox as the trotted down the court. He pulled him close to him.
"You're gonna get the ball and head fake, then pass to Arturo. Got it?"
"I's gonna take dis guy."
"Just do it Ox!"
Jack called for the ball and Keevan passed it to him. Jack dribbled his defender inside the three point line, he turned and passed the ball quickly to Ox. Ox faked a shot drawing the Angels Center off the ground. He bounced pass to Arturo who as wide open in the paint and Davis was on the board. Jack rallied his team down the floor to set their defense. The team was energized by the score.
As the Angels set their offense the point guard surveyed the defense and called the play. As he was watching their star Center he took his eyes off the ball. David dove for the ball and knocked it loose. Keevan picked it up and raced down the court for an easy layup. Jack smiled, he knew his team was waking up from their rest in the dark hallway.
The rest of the first half was a see saw battle as the Angels were still able to run their offense and Davis exposed the chink in the Angels Center defense. Arturo and Ox were the primary scorers for Davis. Jack did not take another shot the entire first half and at half time Davis trailed by three points.
Coach Roderick called the team together at halftime. He wasn't upset, but he certainly was not pleased by the first half of basketball.
"I'm going to make this real clear. If we keep playing at their pace we will lose this game. They have our base defense figured out. I've let you stay in it because we've already played once today. It's time to press this team. I do not want them to get past half court without a fight. They will use their Center to try and beat the press. You've got to be ready Ox! This game depends on you...stick to their Center at all costs and don't foul him! I'm putting in Cisco for Jack to start the second half."
Jack lowered his head and gave a deep stare at Coach Roderick. Coach scowled and dismissed the stare.
"Cisco and Keevan are going to run this team into the ground. Arturo and Jocelyn will continue to rotate in and out...Jack will relieve David if we can pull ahead. Let's get focused and run them down!"
Jack was shocked, but his teammates all cheered at Coach's plan and followed him energetically back to the court. They took the court and immediately applied a full court press on the Angels. The strategy worked as the Angels lost their
first possession to a bad pass. David picked up the lost ball and scored a layup. The Angels couldn't break the press again and got called for a five second violation. The Angels coach was irate over the call.
Davis inbounded the ball and Cisco drove the ball in and dished a pass to Ox who went up and over the Angels Center for a hard fought basket and was fouled on the shot. He turned the two point play into a three point play as he made his free throw shot and the full court press was on again. This time the Angels got the ball past half court and set their offense. They got the ball into their Center who struggled against Ox one on one. Ox stood his ground and when the Angels Center leaned into him Ox fell to the ground and the Center made a basket, but a whistle was blown and the basket waved off. Ox drew a charging foul.
Davis was off and running again. Keevan pushed the ball up the court and stopped to shoot the ball just outside the right side of the paint. The Center came flying in for the block and Keevan hit Ox with a perfect pass for another two point score.
After the basket was counted Jack found himself on his feet cheering his team on. He couldn't believe they were rising to the occasion. Not only had Davis taken a four point lead, but it looked like they were in complete control of the game. The Angels inbounded the ball to be greeted by Davis's full court press again. The Angels called a timeout from the sideline and all the Davis players on the floor either pumped their fists or made a motion indicating masculinity or dominance.
Coach Roderick huddled them together.
"That's a good start team...before you get too excited I want you to hear something. They are going to figure out how to break the press at some point and when they do we need to be ready. I want Ox to sprint the court on defense and cover the paint. You own this guy Ox! You hear me! You own him! Arturo. You stay at the free throw line while David, Keevan, and Cisco press. Guard the long range shots. We can take them! Get out there and keep pressing."
Jack was completely enthusiastic by Coaches speech. He hadn't seen him with so much vigor before.
The Angels inbounded the ball and the press was once again in full force. The Angels managed to pass the ball enough to avoid losing another turnover. They somehow got set in their offense in a very clunky manner. Once their offense was set they ran a similar offense to what they were running in the first half. As the pass came into the Angels Center he was met by a ferocious Ox. Ox didn't let him gain position or back him down. A pass was distributed back to a perimeter player who made a quick shot and cut the lead to two.
Ox quickly inbounded the ball. The Angels turned and tried to trap Keevan who got the ball. Keevan split the trap and passed the ball to Cisco. Cisco ran right by the Angels Center and put up a shot, but he wasn't completely clear from the Angels big man. He was fouled hard and landed on his wrist awkwardly. He stayed on the ground and winced in pain. Coach Roderick went to check on him. After a few minutes Cisco was escorted off the court. Coach Roderick pointed to Jack and told him he was in for Cisco. Jack jumped up off the bench and went in and shot Cisco's foul shots. He made both shots.
As the Angels were lining up to inbound the ball Keevan called for Jack to fall to half court. Jack complied. Keevan and David smothered the player who got the inbound pass. The player let go of a wild desperation pass hoping that one of his teammates would pick it up. Jack raced toward the ball and picked it up. He was immediately surrounded by a couple of Angels. David broke free towards the basket and Jack mustered a pass that David was able to pick up. He scored an easy layup. Davis had a six point lead and Keevan called for another press.
Jack could sense that the Angel players were beginning to get discouraged. This time the Angels got off a clean inbound pass and immediately made quick passes up the floor avoiding the press. Jack turned around to see Ox tangled up with the Angels Center below the basket. Jack stayed on the perimeter thinking the Angels would try another midrange shot. Keevan yelled for Jack to help Ox. Jack went down low and helped Ox. The Angels offense ran their offense and put in a high lob to their Center. As he caught the ball he tried to get position on Ox and simultaneously dribbled the ball. Jack was in perfect position to steal the ball. He picked it away and immediately hit Keevan with a chest pass. Keevan raced past his defenders and laid the ball in through the hoop for a Davis eight point lead.
Davis did not let up for the rest of the half and as they dribbled off the final seconds of the half they had a thirteen point lead and a secured spot in the final four. Keevan threw the ball in the air as the final buzzer sounded. In congratulatory mode Davis shook the hands of their defeated opponents then cheered their convincing victory.