Slam Dunk

by Matt Christopher

  Grady hit two straight.

  After everyone had taken a turn at the line, the coach said, “All right, we’ll run another scrimmage in a little while. Take a minute to think about what you need to work on.”

  Mick walked up to Julian, who was trying a few more foul shots. After Julian had shot, Mick said, “I like Coach Valenti. My old coach was into ‘rah-rah’ stuff, but he never spent much time working on technique.”

  Grady came up in time to overhear this. “Yeah, you’re right. The coach really gives good tips on style. He’s good on height, too.”

  Mick stared at Grady. “Huh?”

  Grady nodded, straight-faced. “Sure. When he started working with Julian, Julian was only five-three. And look at him now.”

  Julian said, “Yeah. I do height exercises every night. I tie weights to my feet and hang by my hands from my closet door.”

  Mick’s laugh was loud enough to make heads turn in his direction. He started to explain, “Grady says...he says that...he says the coach...”

  He burst out laughing again.

  Grady spread his hands and shrugged. “I didn’t say anything. He just started laughing like that for no reason.”

  “It’s all right,” Julian said, pointing to Mick. “I don’t think he’s dangerous. He’s just a little... weird, that’s all.”

  The coach came back out on the floor, clapping his hands. “Let’s run another scrimmage. This time, we’ll focus on passing.”

  He rearranged the squads. Now Julian’s team consisted of Len, Roger, Terrell, and Brandon. Grady, Anthony, Mick, Cal, and Warren made up the other group.

  “This time, use man-to-man defense and make five passes before taking a shot,” said Coach Valenti. “Keep the passes quick, move without the ball, and remember: whether you’re on offense or defense, always know where the ball is. Keep those heads on swivels! Grady, put the ball in play.”

  Grady’s squad took the ball into the offensive zone and passed it around the perimeter. Julian worked hard to keep Cal from getting easy shots from under the basket. Then Anthony got away from Len long enough to sink a fifteen-foot jump shot.

  As his squad went over to offense, Julian thought he had a fast-break opportunity — but then he remembered that the team had to make five passes before shooting. So he decided not to waste his energy racing down the court. A minute later, he crossed through the key and took a bounce pass from Roger that somehow got between Grady and Mick. It was the fifth pass. Julian pivoted and jumped, his arm cocked for a shot. But when two defenders leaped toward him to try to block it, he threw a pass to Terrell instead. Terrell’s shot was too hard off the board, but Julian soared high to pull down the rebound and put it back up for two points. The coach, acting as referee, blew his whistle.

  “Cal, you were all over Julian on that shot. Julian, to the line for a free throw.”

  Julian went to the line, took a deep breath, and remembered to arch his shot more. He sank it to complete a three-point play.

  Everyone played hard in the scrimmage. Mick got hot and hit three straight jumpers. Mick’s squad wound up with seventeen points to fifteen for Julian’s group.

  Finally, the coach called it quits. “Good work, everyone! Okay, take it easy till Monday. We have a few more practices before we play the Falcons Friday afternoon. I think we’ll be ready to give them a game. Julian, can I see you for a bit?”

  Julian turned to Grady. “What’d I do now?” he whispered.

  Grady shrugged. “Don’t sweat it. You did great today. See you in the locker room.”

  Julian walked over to the coach, who was making notes on a clipboard. “Just a sec,” the coach said.

  Finally, he stuck the clipboard under his arm. “I’d been worried about you last week, but today you looked like the player I remember from last year. I just wanted you to know that I’m happy to see that guy back with us.”

  Julian felt a flood of relief. “Thanks.”

  “It makes my job easier when a veteran on the team sets a good example. I appreciate it.”

  Julian smiled, and the coach smiled back. “Okay, then. Take off. Have a nice Sunday.” Julian thought he probably would.

  10

  On Sunday mornings, Mr. Pryce always made waffles for breakfast. Julian realized that he was starving as soon as he smelled the waffles and sausages from his bedroom. He raced downstairs to find the rest of his family already digging in.

  “Hey, bro,” said Megan, who was pouring syrup on her plate. “How’s the team looking? Still awful?”

  Julian speared a couple of waffles and reached for the butter. “Nope. They’re looking pretty good. Don’t hog the syrup.”

  Megan passed her brother the pitcher. “No kidding? What happened? Did you get some replacements? Or did the guys you said were terrible suddenly become superstars?”

  Julian smiled. “Okay, I was wrong about the team. I made a mistake. Satisfied?”

  “Hey, if you’re satisfied, I’m satisfied.” Megan shoved the platter of sausages closer to Julian’s side of the table. “Does this mean it’s okay for us to go to the games? You don’t want us to stay home?”

  Mr. Pryce turned around from the counter, where he was pouring more batter into the waffle iron. “Megan...”

  “It’s okay, Dad,” Julian said. “When Megan’s right, she’s right. Not that it happens often... but this time, she was. I was making a big deal out of nothing. The team probably won’t be as good as last year’s, but it’s going to be okay. And the new guys are cool.”

  “Is everything all right between you and Grady?” asked Mrs. Pryce.

  “Sure,” Julian said. “Barry helped to straighten that out. He made us come visit him together, and that was all it took, really.”

  “How is Barry?” Megan asked. “Is he coming home soon?”

  “I think he’s coming home today,” Julian said. He explained what he’d heard about Barry’s physical therapy. Megan winced.

  “Wow! That sounds pretty heavy. And he’ll have to do this therapy for how long?”

  Julian cut off a piece of waffle. “A few months, they say. It sounds tough, but Barry is a tough guy. He’ll do what he has to do. Anyway, after hearing about physical therapy, it seemed pretty lame to be whining about basketball practice and maybe losing some games.”

  “But once the therapy is over, will he be able to play again?” asked Mrs. Pryce.

  Julian looked up from his last bite of sausage. “They don’t know for sure, but probably. He’ll give it his best shot. I’m going to call his house later, see if he’s home and if he wants company.” He grabbed the syrup again.

  “Julian!” said Mrs. Pryce. “How can you pour so much syrup on that waffle?”

  Julian grinned at his mother. “It’s all in the way you use your wrist, Mom. Otherwise, you don’t get a controlled stream from the pitcher.”

  Julian called the Streeters just after noon. Mr. Streeter said that Barry was home and would be happy to have company. Just as Julian put down the receiver, the phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Jools, it’s Grady. Barry’s home.”

  “Yeah, I talked to his father. I’m going over in a while.”

  “Me too. Hey, there’s a good NBA game on the tube. Maybe we can watch.”

  “Cool. See you there.”

  Half an hour later, Julian found Barry and Grady in the Streeters’ living room. Grady sat in an armchair, with a big bowl of chips in front of him. Barry was in a wheelchair, with his injured leg propped up. He looked tired, and Grady gave Julian a look that was meant to send Julian a message, but Julian didn’t understand.

  “Hey, good to see you home,” Julian said, reaching out a hand for Barry to shake. Barry looked at it as if he didn’t know what it meant, but finally he reached out his own hand. His shake was brief and unenthusiastic. Julian sat down and said, “It must feel great to be out of the hospital, huh?”

  Barry nodded. “Yeah, pretty good. Uh, you want anything? Som
ething to drink?” His voice was flat. Something wasn’t right.

  “Not right now,” Julian said. “I pigged out on waffles a while ago, and I’m totally stuffed. Maybe later.”

  “Okay,” Barry said. Julian sneaked a glance at Grady, who gave a tiny shake of his head. What was going on?

  “Listen, I’ll be right back,” Barry said, and he slowly wheeled himself out of the room.

  Julian and Grady watched him go, and when he was out of sight, Julian leaned closer to Grady and whispered, “What’s happening? Does he feel sick or something?”

  Grady shook his head and, keeping his voice low, replied, “I don’t know. He’s been, like, totally down since I got here. Won’t say anything, won’t do anything. I don’t know. Maybe we should go.”

  Julian frowned. “Did his mom or dad say anything?” “Nope. I mean, they said they’re glad to see me and they’re happy that Barry’s home, but they didn’t say there was anything wrong.”

  Julian wasn’t sure what to do. “Let’s see what happens. Maybe he’ll lighten up, or tell us what’s going on.”

  The boys sat there quietly until Barry returned and wheeled himself back to where he had been sitting.

  “Sorry,” he said.

  There was an embarrassing silence that Julian finally broke. “Did Grady tell you? We had a really good practice yesterday.”

  “That right?” Barry asked, not sounding like he cared much either way. “Good deal.”

  Grady said, “Maybe Barry doesn’t want to hear about us playing hoops right now.”

  Barry said, “No, that’s okay. I don’t mind.”

  Julian noticed a pair of crutches leaning in a corner. “How good are you with those crutches? Is it tough getting around with them?”

  “A little,” Barry said. “I have to get used to them.” Mr. Streeter came in. “Julian, glad you could make it. Can I get you boys anything? Are you hungry, thirsty?”

  “No, thanks,” said Julian.

  “I’m fine,” Grady said.

  Barry just shook his head.

  “Well, if there’s anything I can do, just holler,” said Barry’s father. He looked at his son for a moment and left the room.

  There was another silence. Grady finally said, “Look, Barry, if you’d rather not have company right now, that’s cool. We don’t have to stick around.”

  “No, really. Don’t leave.” Barry took a deep breath. “It may not sound like it, but I’m glad you came over.”

  “Okay,” said Julian. “It’s just that you seem down, and if you feel sick, or you got bad news or something, or if you want to talk about anything, that’s okay.”

  “Or you don’t have to, you know, if you’d rather not,” added Grady. “But yesterday, you were, like, really happy, and today, well...”

  Barry leaned back and closed his eyes. “This whole thing has been like a roller coaster. Way up, and then way down.

  “At first it was, ‘Wow, I could’ve been killed in the accident; I’m lucky.’ Then they said, ‘You need this operation,’ which was scary, but I got through it. But then I heard them tell my parents that they weren’t sure I’d walk without crutches ever again.”

  “Wow, that must have been.. .” Julian trailed off, unable to imagine what it would have been like.

  Barry nodded. “Yeah, but then they operated, and afterward this doctor says, ‘You’ll need crutches for a while, but not for long, and you should be walking without them in a couple of months.’ So I was feeling great about that, and that was when I saw you guys yesterday.

  “But this morning, before they let me go home, they said they don’t know yet if my knee will ever be able to handle what they call ‘high-impact’ stuff. Like basketball. So now I’m looking at that, plus this therapy, which isn’t going to be any fun at all. If I sound down, that’s why.”

  “I can see how it would get to you,” Grady said. “Not knowing what will happen.”

  “Well, I know that therapy will happen,” Barry said. “And it makes me nervous, I guess.”

  Julian said, “I’d feel the same way.”

  Barry smiled. “But it’s good to talk to someone about this. Sure, I can talk to my folks, but I don’t want them upset, which they would be if I tell them how nervous I am.”

  “I bet they’re upset anyway,” said Grady. “But, yeah, I know what you mean.”

  Barry shrugged. “Hey, whatever will happen, will happen, but sometimes it gets to me.”

  Julian hitched himself forward and looked Barry in the eyes. “I bet you’ll handle the therapy fine. And I bet you’ll play ball again, too. That’s what I think. And you know we’ll be there for you any way we can.”

  “Absolutely,” said Grady.

  Barry said, “You guys are great.”

  “You helped us,” Julian said, “and we’ll be there for you.”

  Barry blinked. “Helped you?”

  Julian looked at his hands. “When I heard that Max was gone and you were hurt,” he said quietly, “and I was the only starter left from last year, it messed me up. I was all, ‘The team is going to be terrible,’ and ‘I’ll look bad,’ and stuff like that.

  “But you turned me around. Seeing you in the hospital, I understood that I was being a jerk, complaining about my little problems. And then you made Grady and me visit you together and work it all out. That’s how you helped me.”

  Barry said, “I didn’t really do anything.”

  “Sure you did,” Julian insisted. “And we’re going to help you. We’ll be with you all the way. We’ll see that you don’t even think about giving up on yourself.”

  “Right!” Grady agreed. “Before you’re finished with your therapy, you’re going to be sick of us. But we’ll be there anyway.”

  “And you’ll do what you have to,” said Julian. Barry didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he nodded. “I guess I will.”

  “So that’s that,” said Grady. “Um...I think that NBA game may have started. And did I hear someone offering something to drink?”

  11

  Practices went on, and the Tornadoes geared up for the game against the Falcons. On Wednesday, Coach Valenti put in a new play that he thought might work for either Len or Anthony, the two best outside shooters among the guards.

  “It’s a double screen,” he explained, drawing a diagram on his clipboard. “The center — Julian or Cal — has the ball, and a forward, like you Mick, moves up next to him, here or here.” He pointed to spots just outside the foul line and five feet from the key. “The shooting guard uses the double screen to get loose from his defender, takes the ball from the center, and shoots from fifteen feet.

  “We can also use the same setup to start a pick-and-roll, with the center pivoting and going to the basket. Any questions?”

  “Will this work against a zone?” asked Grady.

  “It should work against either a zone or a man defense,” the coach replied. “If they’re playing man-toman, the screen picks off the defender. If they use a zone, we flood the zone, and someone should be open. Either way, it could be effective. Let’s work on it. Julian, you’re the center. Mick, you set the screen with him. Len, you’re the shooter. Then we’ll try it as a pick-and-roll.”

  The three players ran it by themselves first, and Len banked in the shot.

  “Good. Cal, Terrell, and Anthony, go in on defense,” said the coach.

  Though the double screen gave Len the open shot, the shot missed, and Cal pulled down the rebound when Julian reacted too slowly.

  Coach Valenti said, “Julian, when the ball leaves Len’s hands, slide across the key while Mick moves closer to the baseline. Look to block out. Try it again.”

  After a few more times, the coach had them try the pick-and-roll version of the play, and then had the offensive trio switch with the defenders so that they could learn the play.

  Finally, Coach Valenti said, “Good. Let’s move on. Before we scrimmage, time for a sidestep drill. Julian, did you say something?” />
  Julian put on his most innocent look. “I was only saying how much I love this drill.”

  The coach smiled. “That’s what I thought. Okay, set up!”

  After the drill, the coach set up the scrimmage. “Today, I want to try moving from man defense to zone on my signal. Most of the Falcons have worked together for more than a full season; I want to try to rattle them a little and maybe catch them off guard. You boys who played them last year should remember how good their passing game is.”

  Julian was teamed with Grady, Len, Mick, and Warren. They started on defense, and the coach signaled them to use a 1–3–1 zone. Brandon brought the ball across the midcourt line, and Grady picked him up. Julian moved down close to the basket, guarding Cal, who settled into the low post just to the right of the key. Brandon fired a hard pass to Roger, who dribbled twice, faked a pass inside, and tossed back to Brandon. Cal kept moving without the ball, shifting back and forth across the key, darting outside, then backing up toward the baseline. Julian stayed between Cal and the basket, making sure he knew where the ball was at all times as it was passed around.

  Terrell took a pass from Anthony, quickly flipped the ball to Brandon, and came up next to Cal to set up a double screen. Brandon threw a pass to Cal, whose back was to the basket, and Anthony came up behind the screen. Cal threw Anthony the ball. Len, trying to guard Anthony, couldn’t get through Cal and Terrell.

  Cal suddenly turned toward the basket, and Julian recognized the pick-and-roll being set up. Instead of staying with Cal, he took a step toward Anthony and leaped high, arms extended, deflecting Anthony’s pass and then catching the ball. Len immediately broke for the other basket, followed quickly by Mick and Warren. Julian threw the ball to half-court, where Mick took it in full stride. Running as fast as he could, Roger caught up to Mick and tried to poke the ball away. Mick passed to Warren, running to his right. Warren stopped short, ten feet from the basket, and put up a shot that went around the rim and off. Mick was able to grab it and put it through the hoop.