Hustle Vs Muscle

Chapter 5: On With The Game

I am about to say something back, but then the sound of a whistle interrupts my heated conversation with D'amato.  "Line up on the baseline." yells Coach Anthony from the doorway. I head to the baseline, next to Chase. "We'll be doing wind sprints." announces Coach Anthony.  "You need speed to play basketball. But first, let me address something." Coach Anthony pauses. "There is a girl with us today." he says. My face feels hot. Everyone's eyes are on me. "And most of you here seem to feel like you should go easy on her, because she's a girl. But no. I want you playing hard, whether you're against a boy or a girl. Got it?" All the boys nod. Right now, I might as well be holding a neon sign that reads COME AT ME. But I  don't care. At least now, nobody will underestimate me. "Wind sprints." says Coach Anthony. "Go!" We run wind sprints. I manage to beat the other boys every time. "Dang, you're fast." says Chase, breathing heavily after our tenth sprint. "Especially for a girl." a boy to the right of me says. Coach Anthony blows his whistle, signaling for us to join him by the bleachers. I sprint over.

"We're going to pick teams." says Coach Anthony. "Ty, D'amato, Warrick and Gutierrez will be the team captains. You'll play eight minutes. There will be eight players on each team so you're gonna have to sub someone out every game." Coach Anthony numbers us off into teams. I end up with Chase of course, because for some reason he begged Coach Anthony to put me on his team, Jason Jameson, Jack Allen, and Cody Johnson. Jason Jameson is the only boy there who is shorter than me, at exactly five feet. Cody Johnson seems pretty athletic. He is one of the taller players, at five foot five. Jack Allen is slightly taller than me, enough for it to be visible but not enough to make a difference.

We're playing first, against Gutierrez's team. Cody Johnson volunteers to do jump ball. He is against Gutierrez himself. I feel nervous, but I know it's not bad. It's the typical pregame and ingame nervousness. I stand outside the jump circle. I have already selected who to guard: Gutierrez

Coach Anthony blows his whistle, alerting me that he is about to toss the ball. Seconds later I see the ball go up and I see Gutierrez tip it to their point guard, Kent Williams. He is trying to dribble around Jason. I see Gutierrez open and I guard him. He looks surprised at first and then starts trying to push past me, but I stay on him, not letting him get open. Kent passes to Zahn Kaye, a forward and Kaye shoots it. My eyes follow the shot as it goes up. It bounces off the rim and bounces to the left. Gutierrez and I go for the rebound. Our hands claim the ball at the same time. Gutierrez slams into me and I fall, still holding onto the ball.  Immediately Gutierrez and Kaye double-team me. I can't stand up or it would be travel. I look at Chase. Our eyes meet and I  pass to him. He catches it and dribbles down the court with it. I stand up and sprint to the basket, with Gutierrez behind me. I hold my hands up for the ball. Chase passes to me and I go for a layup. The ball goes in. That's two points for us in the first one minute.

On with the game.