Free Hoop Crazy by Eric Walters Page B

get a shot and the ball back. If the game hasn’t been decided in thirty minutes, the team with the most points wins. Any change in possession of the ball from one team to the other and the ball must be taken out beyond the three-point line. Any questions?”
    â€œYeah,” one of the members of the other team said. “We want to see his identification.”
    â€œThere’s no way he’s our age,” piped in a second, pointing at Ned. The third nodded in agreement.
    Debbie came onto the court. “Here’s his birth certificate,” she said, handing it to the ref.
    â€œHe is awfully tall,” the ref said, studying the card.
    â€œTakes after his father,” Debbie said.
    â€œLooks good,” the ref said, handing back the card. “Let’s play ball.”
    The ref tossed the ball to their player. “Check it before starting.”
    As agreed I went out on the player with the ball, Kia covered a second player and Ned tookthe third.
    â€œCheck,” their man said as he bounced the ball to me.
    I bounced it right back out and we were ready to start.
    â€œBreak!” he said and the two players crossed.
    â€œSwitch!” Kia yelled.
    Kia’s player burst free around Ned and was hit with a pass. He glided in and put up an easy shot for the first basket of the game.
    â€œI called switch! Why didn’t you switch?”
    â€œI didn’t know what you meant.”
    â€œIt means that we’re supposed to switch men and —”
    â€œCome on blue team this isn’t the time for a lesson. Take the ball out,” the ref said.
    â€œRemember to yell for the ball,” I said out of the side of my mouth as I walked past Ned.
    I walked the ball to the top of the court and then checked it.
    â€œHere! Here!” Ned yelled, holding an arm high above his head and the outstretched arm of the player trying to cover him. He was a tempting target.
    I turned to look for Kia. She sprinted down, circled Ned and came back out to the top of the key. I tried to send her a pass and it deflected off the hand of the man covering me. Another one of their players grabbed the ball, dribbled out tothe three-point line and put up a shot. Straight into the net!

    â€œThat’s game!” the ref called out as their shot dropped through the mesh.
    We’d lost the game, sixteen to twelve. I hadn’t really expected to win, but somehow I hadn’t figured that we’d lose. Of course, that made no sense. I stumbled over and we awkwardly shook hands with the other players. Mark came onto the court to do the same. Even though he hadn’t played — and wouldn’t be playing the entire day — he was still on our team. Boy, I would have loved to have him out there. Two of his long shots would have won it for us.
    â€œYou did wonderfully!” Debbie said as she reached up and gave Ned a big hug. “You all did wonderfully!” she continued as she hugged all of us in turn.
    â€œBetter luck next game,” my father said quietly.
    â€œYou want a drink?”
    â€œSure,” I said.
    We walked away from everybody else toward one of the refreshment stands.
    â€œThat wasn’t a bad game,” he said.
    â€œNot bad, but not good. Four more to go.”
    â€œI thought there could be eight games today?”
    I chuckled. “Five is all we’re going to play.”
    â€œIt sounds like you’ve already quit.”
    â€œWell … do you blame me?” I asked.
    â€œI think you probably won’t be finishing top two in your division.”
    â€œSo you agree with me,” I said.
    â€œI agree it’s going to be tough, but I think you have a chance if you’d spread the ball around a little more.”
    â€œWe were shooting from all over,” I said.
    â€œYou and Kia were shooting from all over. You hardly used Ned at all.”
    â€œWe threw some passes in to him.”
    â€œNot