A Piece to a Different Puzzle

Chapter 45

The news was all over school by the next morning, and the gym was packed that night for the game, many of the kids holding posters that read ‘Let Amani Play” and “Don’t Pluto Amani!”.  The cheer squad was there and Miss Larson had the string ensemble and recorder choir make a rare join appearance.

Coach Thomas sat at one end of the bench in a beautiful dark blue split-skirt business suit, eleven uniformed players came next and the last seat was filled by Amani, wearing a Bryan-blue blazer over a white silk button down shirt, Bryan-blue slacks and some cute wedge heeled boat shoes.  Just before the national anthem and prayer, Mr. Gilbreth slipped down and handed Amani a graphic novel.  “This is the one I was reading when we beat St. George the first time,” he said.  He clapped Amani on the shoulder with a big smile.

At halftime the Crusaders were up by fourteen.  The instrumentalists were playing Miss Larson’s own arrangement of Has Anybody Here Seen Jackson? while the cheer squad executed a post-football season drill team routine.  Dr. Brooks got a private word with Coach Thomas.  “Are you going to do what I think you’re going to do?”

“Yep, just as soon as we hit a lead of two points for every minute there is left to play.  Already got it arranged with the officials.”

“You’re a first year teacher.  I’m not sure you should tweak the board’s nose like this.”

“I’m a first year coach with an undefeated team at a school with no recent history of excellence, Doc.  Three other schools have contacted me about coaching for them next year and the season isn’t even over yet.”  She winked at him.

Halfway through the third quarter, Coach Thomas inexplicably and uncharacteristically jumped up and yelled at one of the referees, and the other team was awarded a technical foul in response.  A minute later, Coach Thomas left her seat a second time to criticize an official’s call and she was tossed out of the game.

Coach Thomas jogged down and handed Amani her clipboard.  “All yours, beautiful!” the coach told him.

“I should throw the game to teach you a lesson,” Amani said back.

She grinned at him.  “You won’t, though, because you love your team members and always do your best.  Make me proud, sweetie.”

It took the crowd several seconds to catch up to what was happening, but as the coach left the gym and Amani moved down to the head of the bench, the kids started cheering.  The string ensemble and recorder choir began playing the Bryan fight song, even though no one could hear them. 

The Crusaders took it to the next level with the coaching change.  Amani didn’t have to do much beyond keep track of who looked tired and get everybody some minutes.  At the first opportunity, he put in Maria.  “Show everybody what you’ve got,” he told her.  The Crusaders came down court, passed the ball to her and she tossed in a three pointer that didn’t even touch the rim, then stole their opponent’s inbound pass and made an easy lay up.  The students were screaming.

With a minute-five left and the Crusaders up fifty-six to twenty-seven, Amani called a time out.  He pulled the first string together in front of their bench.  “We’re not going to run up the score any more.  I probably shouldn’t call this in a game, but with the other team playing a tight man-on-man, the situation will never be better.”  He looked at Emily, Taylor, Alexis, Sydney and Jennifer and they all looked back, wondering what he had in mind.  “When I was a little kid, we took a trip from Kyrgyzstan to Moscow and I saw big, beautiful, smiling Americans for the first time, playing basketball.  I fell in love right then with that exotic place on the other side of the world, where people were happy and had fun.”  He smiled, tears running down his face.  “I love you all.  Kill the clock with that three-man collapsing and expanding passing drill, alternating out to mid-posts. Emily shoots a lay up when the clock goes under three seconds.”