Box Out

by John Coy

  “Go Red! Go White! Go Blazers. All right!” The cheerleaders dance around in front of the Horizon student section.

  Liam studies Clearwater. They’ve got size and a quick left-handed point guard. They’ve won three games in the playoffs by big margins, just like Horizon. At this point, the remaining teams are all good. “What do you think?” He turns to Darius.

  “Simmons is tough.” Darius watches the guard making three-pointers. “And Cartwright’s strong underneath. Leah and Jess are going to have their hands full.”

  Jessica goes up against Cartwright, who’s got three inches on her. Cartwright wins the tip and Horizon sets up on defense. The person Iris guards has a height advantage of a couple of inches, too. Simmons feeds the ball to Cartwright and the referee blows her whistle. “Foul on forty-four, Red.”

  Jessica, who barely touched her, turns away in disbelief.

  “Let them play, ref.” Liam recognizes Mom’s voice. She’s standing and shouting while Dad tugs at her arm. Liam didn’t know they were coming.

  Simmons zips past Leah for a layup. She’s the best opponent Leah’s faced all year.

  On offense, Leah goes right at Simmons and draws a foul. Liam claps. Leah’s fearless. She sinks both free throws to tie it up, and the Horizon crowd stomps their feet and cheers.

  Back and forth they go. Neither team is able to go up by more than four. Clearwater’s outside shooters drain any open shot, so Leah and Chloe have to stay with them when the ball goes inside. That leaves Jessica and Iris battling underneath with taller opponents. Iris calls out a back screen for Jessica and jumps out on the switch.

  “Watch forty-one,” Darius calls. Forty-one bumps Jessica as she sets the screen. Jessica pushes past her and the whistle blows.

  “Foul on forty-four, Red.” The ref singles out Jessica. “White ball.”

  “Time-out.” Jack signals.

  Leah makes a T with her hands and the ref calls time.

  “They’re calling it close underneath,” Jack says. “Jess, you’ve already got two. Avoid silly fouls. Leah, speed up the pace a bit.”

  Liam’s right heel taps a fast beat. Playing provides a way to burn off some of the energy. Sitting here watching is harder. Darius stands up and sits down twice during the time-out. He’s feeling it, too.

  Right before halftime, Iris is fouled on a move to the hoop. “Two shots,” the ref calls.

  Iris stands over to the side at her new free throw spot. The ref waits under the basket, expecting her to move to the middle. Iris points to her spot and the ref passes her the ball.

  She spins the ball, lines up the seams, and shoots. The first shot is good. She shoots again and makes it. Horizon’s down by one. Cartwright passes the ball in and Simmons launches up a desperation shot at the buzzer. It falls short.

  Liam and Darius go down to the concession stand at halftime. “Two fouls on Jessica.” Liam squirts mustard on his hot dog. “She’s got to adjust to the refs.”

  “Yeah,” Darius says. “We can’t afford to have her sit.”

  “What do you think Jack’s talking about in the locker room?”

  “Who knows?” Darius laughs. “Maybe some sixteenth-century Chinese potter.”

  “Or Arapaho warriors on a buffalo hunt.”

  “He might not be talking at all.”

  “Maybe they’re doing lights-out visualization,” Liam says. “With him, you never know.”

  In the second half, Jessica picks up her third foul on a drive to the basket. Close call. It could have gone either way. Iris switches over to guard Cartwright even though she gives up a lot of height. She races downcourt to set up and keep Cartwright from posting up under the basket.

  Iris grabs a rebound and passes to Leah. Leah jets up the floor and finds Chloe on the wing. Chloe goes strong to the basket, and Cartwright bumps her. Liam watches the ball roll around the rim twice and then fall in.

  Darius nudges Liam. “Look.” He points to Chloe, who’s on the floor, grabbing her ankle and grimacing in pain.

  “Where’s the foul on that?” Jack yells.

  Leah calls time-out and the trainer runs out to examine Chloe.

  “Call the foul when our player gets hit in midair.” Jack’s going at it with the ref. “You can’t call it tight underneath and then let that go.”

  “That’s enough.” The ref raises her hand for calm and walks away.

  Jack follows her. “You need to protect the players on both teams.”

  The ref blows her whistle and dramatically signals a T at Jack. “Technical foul, Red. One shot.”

  Leah rushes in, grabs Jack, and turns him toward the bench. “Calm down, Jack. We need you.”

  Jack glares at the ref. His face is red with anger. Liam’s surprised to see this side of him. Maybe that’s why Jack’s always telling them to relax—maybe he knows how easy it is to lose it in the heat of a game.

  Iris and Jessica support Chloe as she limps gingerly off the court. She can’t put any weight on her left foot. The fans stand and applaud as she wipes her hand across her eyes.

  “Nikki.” Jack waves her over. “Go in for Chloe. Take a deep breath. Relax.” He sounds like he’s reminding himself as much as her. “Box out. Go after every rebound, every loose ball. Make the extra pass. You know what to do.”

  Leah passes to Jessica, who turns baseline, stops, and spins the other way. Simmons is waiting for her and falls to the floor.

  The ref blows her whistle. “Foul on forty-four, Red.”

  “That’s a flop,” Jack says. “She was falling down before she got touched.”

  “Bad call.” Liam stomps his foot.

  “Smart play by Simmons,” Darius says. “Four fouls on Jess. They’ll go inside every possession.”

  Simmons passes inside to Cartwright, but Nikki doubles down at the right moment to help out. Iris plays great position defense and denies the entry pass. Jessica moves her feet and avoids fouling. Leah burns up the court to increase the tempo. Both teams are making their shots, and the game moves back and forth with speed and skill.

  With twelve seconds left, the game is tied. Leah bounces the ball at the top of the key, fakes a three, and slips past Simmons on a drive to the hoop. Cartwright leaps to alter the shot. The ball rolls around the rim and off. Iris grabs it and goes straight back up. Simmons whacks her on the wrist, and the whistle blows.

  “Two shots.” The ref holds out her fingers.

  Iris looks at the scoreboard and exhales a deep breath. Six seconds left. All she needs to do is make one. She lines up at her spot and the ref passes the ball.

  Liam crosses his fingers and buries his head in his hands. He can’t look. He can’t stand the pressure. It’s taking forever.

  He peeks up as the Horizon fans explode with cheers. She made it. He jumps up and pounds fists with Darius. Iris made it. Horizon is up by one. Iris smiles and Jessica pumps her fist.

  “You’re my hero, Iris.” Chloe hops up and down on one foot.

  Iris bounces the ball at her new favorite spot. She buries the second one. Horizon’s up by two.

  Clearwater doesn’t call time-out to set up a last shot. Instead, Simmons flies down the side.

  “No fouls,” Jack hollers.

  Leah’s tight on Simmons.

  “No fouls!”

  “Four, three,” Horizon fans count down the clock.

  Cartwright sets a screen and Leah slams into it.

  “Two, one.”

  Simmons launches the ball from half-court.

  “Zeroooooooooooooo.”

  Everybody watches the ball in the air.

  No way.

  No way.

  It’s going to be close.

  The ball hits the backboard and banks in.

  It’s good. Three points. Clearwater wins.

  The Clearwater players scream and pile on top of Simmons, while the Horizon players stare in disbelief.

  Leah has an arm around Iris. Jessica barks at the ref about the fouls. Leah leads the t
eam over for the post-game handshake with Clearwater. She hugs Simmons, the player who kept her from going to State. Chloe hops along on some crutches somebody has found for her.

  “Over here,” Jack says. The girls put their arms on one another’s shoulders as they surround him. “That’s a tough loss.” He takes off his glasses and wipes a towel across his face. “I know all of you are feeling it deeply.” He drops the towel to the floor. “You were right there. You battled and gave everything you had. Tonight’s a game you’ll remember the rest of your lives.” Jack looks around. “I’m proud of you.”

  Liam wipes his eyes and bows his head. It’s over. The season is finished.

  “One more thing,” Jack says. “Don’t ever let go of the thread.”

  “What about these roses?” Mom and Dad are sitting together in front of a crackling fire, looking through a seed catalog when Liam gets back.

  “That variety won’t grow in our zone,” Dad says. “Too cold.”

  “Of course,” Mom says. “I forgot to check if they were suitable for Siberia.”

  “These ones will work.” Dad turns back a couple of pages.

  “I’m sorry, Liam,” Mom says. “I thought we won with those free throws.”

  “What a game.” Dad sets the catalog down. “Horizon played great.”

  “Yeah.” Liam sits down in the chair. He picks up the bowl Jack made for him from its spot on the coffee table. He runs his fingers over its surface. “Dad, do you see now why I’m glad I practiced with the girls’ team rather than sticking it out with Coach Kloss?”

  “I do.”

  “Have a chocolate.” Mom offers Liam the box. “Your dad picked up an early Saint Patrick’s Day present.”

  Liam chooses a leprechaun. “Dad, we haven’t played Around the World in a long time. I’ve got a new version and I can beat you.”

  “We’ll see,” Dad says. “I’ve been practicing myself.”

  Mom’s looking at her painting. “Tell him what you told me the other day, Liam.”

  “What?”

  “About your road.”

  “I’ve got my own road, Dad. I must travel it myself.”

  Dad smiles. “Whitman. You’ve been reading Whitman?”

  Liam nods. Dizzy pads over and jumps in his lap. Liam strokes her back as she purrs contentedly.

  “He’s one of my favorites,” Dad says. “Mrs. Stabenow is having you read Whitman for English?”

  “No.” Liam shakes his head. “I’m reading him for basketball.”

  27

  Challenged

  Liam holds his phone out like he’s waiting for it to talk to him. The silver lining of losing last night is that Jack’s rule number three is over. He takes a deep breath and punches numbers.

  “Hey, Iris. It’s me, Liam.”

  “Hi.”

  “You played so well last night. I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe the season is finished.”

  “I know,” she says. “It ended too quickly.”

  “Yeah. I keep seeing that last shot floating toward the hoop. I keep hoping it’s going to miss.”

  “It’s not going to, though.”

  “Iris.”

  “Yes?”

  “Jack told me when I started practicing that one of his rules was no dating anyone on the team during the season. Now that the season’s over, I’ve been thinking. Do you want to go to a movie? Will you go out with me?”

  Iris doesn’t respond. He’s made a huge mistake. It’s too soon. He should have waited a few more days. Why did he have to be so impatient?

  “I can do the first one,” she says quietly. “Not the second.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t date boys.”

  What? Are her parents that strict? “Why not?”

  “I’m not into boys that way.”

  The silence hangs.

  “Liam, are you there?”

  “Yeah, I didn’t know.” He almost says I’m sorry, but that wouldn’t sound right. What signs did he miss?

  “My good friends know,” she says. “And you’re a good friend now.”

  “Thanks.” Liam bites his lip.

  “We can still go to a movie, though. I like hanging out with you.”

  “Okay.” One out of two is so much less than he was hoping for.

  The all-school assembly to honor girls’ basketball, boys’ wrestling, and mock trial is the last period of the day. Jack invites Liam and Darius to sit with the team. Seth’s sitting beside Coach Kloss on the other side of the auditorium. Both Coach and Seth pretend not to see him.

  Jack calls out the players’ names one by one and they come onto the stage. Leah whispers something in his ear and he laughs. Chloe hops up on her crutches and waves. Jessica gives Jack a bear hug, lifts him off the ground, and whirls him around.

  When the entire team is on stage, Jack leans toward the microphone. “We’d like to recognize two other individuals who have been valuable to our team: Darius Buckner and Liam Bergstrom. Please come up.”

  The audience applauds while Liam and Darius pound fists. As they climb the steps, their teammates break into a cheer. “Vada vim. Vada vom. Yom. Yom. Yom. Go Darius! Go Liam!”

  Liam shakes Jack’s hand. “Thanks, Jack. The river is never the same twice.”

  Jack beams. “I’m honored you remembered.”

  As Liam walks back to his seat, he catches Drake’s eye and gives him a thumbs up.

  After the assembly, Drake finds Liam in the hall. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He imitates the thumbs up.

  “It means you’re the greatest, Drake.”

  “You’re so full of it and so is Buckner. That whole girls’ team thinks they’re superior.”

  “They are. Twenty-four and two. What were you guys again?”

  “What?” Drake looks confused.

  “Oh, that’s right. Eleven and thirteen,” Liam says. “I guess we were better.”

  “Prove it,” Drake says. “You and Darius and any three girls against our starting five. We’ll play at the Y. No subs. First team to one hundred. We’ll see who’s better.”

  “We don’t need to prove anything.” Liam walks away. “We know what we can do.”

  Liam joins the team at lunch, and before he can say anything, Leah holds up her hand. “Drake already challenged us. We’ve been discussing it.”

  “There’s nothing to discuss,” Jessica snaps. “He’s a loser on a losing team. We don’t need to play losers.”

  “Of course we don’t,” says Leah. “But it would be fun to beat them and shut them up. Besides, I hate ending my season with a loss. I’d like one more game.”

  “Do it. Do it. Do it.” Chloe bangs her crutches. “I’d play if I could.” She lifts up her ankle. “Beat them for me.”

  “What do you think, Darius?” Leah asks.

  “If you want to hoop, I’m ready.”

  “Me, too,” Liam adds.

  “What about you, Iris?” Leah leans over.

  “I don’t need to play them, but if you want to, I will.”

  “We need you, Jess,” Leah pleads. “Pretty please with sugar on top.”

  “Okay. Let’s kick their butts.”

  From the start, the game at the Y is physical. Drake elbows Liam on a screen.

  “Keep your elbow in, Drake, or I’ll break it off.” Liam’s picked up some talk from the college guys, and Drake looks surprised.

  Nielsen hammers Iris on the arm and she calls a foul.

  “Strong move, Iris!” Chloe shouts. Liam lines up in the lane. He can’t believe how many girls have come to watch: the rest of varsity, girls from JV and the ninth-grade team, and even some girls who don’t play hoops. Only one other guy is watching: Seth.

  Iris bounces the ball at her new spot.

  “You can’t shoot there.” Gund bends over with his hands on his knees. The guys are struggling for breath because they haven’t played for a couple of weeks.

  “Of course I can.”
She buries them both.

  “Pelke loves to go middle,” Liam tells Iris as they move back on defense. Staley shoots a long jumper and Liam holds his ground in front of Drake on the box out. Drake slides baseline, but Liam pushes back with his butt and jumps for the rebound. He clears it to Leah, and she flies downcourt. She whips a pass to Darius at the arc. His three hits all net.

  Trailing thirty-four to twenty-eight, Drake bounces the ball off his foot out of bounds.

  “It went off you, Drake,” Liam calls.

  “Off you.” Drake gets in Liam’s face.

  “That’s crazy.” Liam wipes the sweat from his forehead with his jersey. “Shoot for it.”

  Drake shoots from the top of the key and misses.

  “Justice.” Liam grabs the rebound.

  Leah zips a pass to Iris, who finds Liam, who’s fouled. He lines up at his new spot for free throws. Leah, Jess, and Iris are so good at passing the ball and finding the open person that it’s fun to finally play with them, rather than against them.

  Drake takes out his mouth guard. “Do you shoot from the same place as your girlfriend?”

  “She’s my teammate.” Liam bounces the ball. “Remember team spirit?” He hits both of them.

  Darius rains in threes. Leah’s finding him perfectly off Iris’s screens, and Staley is too slow to cover him. Gund switches over on him, so Darius posts him up and takes him to school.

  Pelke turns middle and Iris blocks the shot. It bounces right off his head. “Great block, Iris,” Chloe shouts. “Next time, shove it down his throat.”

  Darius jets downcourt and drives into the lane. Drake steps up, so Darius bounce-passes to Liam, who catches the ball and banks it in.

  “Good finish, Norbert,” Darius shouts.

  Liam feels the bounce in his step as he boxes out and grabs rebound after rebound. He rebounds from Coach Kloss and quitting the boys’ team. He rebounds from Mom’s pressure and Dad’s disappointment. He rebounds from Mackenzie. That’s life. Things go bad. You rebound.

  Darius lines up for a free throw late in the game. They’re ahead of the boys’ team ninety-four to eighty-four. Pelke stands next to Iris and pushes an elbow against her. “How many of you are lesbians?”