THE birthday party was a real success. Barbara Mae received many beautiful gifts. The girls and boys had a good time playing Pin the Donkey’s Tail, Guess Who, and many other games. Everybody won prizes. And Kim sang.
He sang a few solos. The children joined in when he sang songs which they knew.
Then it was time to go to the gym. The Seals wore yellow jerseys, the Arrows blue. Kim was in the starting line-up. The Seals caught the tap from center and passed the ball back and forth upcourt toward their basket. Kim guarded his man every second. He seemed tied to him.
A Seal player shot for the basket, and missed. Kim leaped high and caught the rebound. He tossed to Jimmie Burdette, who passed to Ron. The ball moved fast down-court. A pass was thrown to Jimmie under the basket. Jimmie leaped for a layup.
Two points!
The Arrows sank two more before the Seals got going. In the second quarter Kim was taken out, and Dutchie McBride went in. Dutchie scored three points, a layup and a foul shot. The Arrows led at the half, 28 to 19.
The second half started with Kim back in guard position. His man now was a redhead with freckles. The redhead kept bumping Kim with his hip. Kim gave him a dirty look but said nothing.
Ron sank in a set shot. Then the Seals went crazy and piled up eight points. Ron committed a foul and the Seal player rang up another point.
Score: ARROWS—30, SEALS—27.
Kim was getting angry. His man was still bumping him with his hip. Once he struck Kim with his elbow. Kim thought the redhead did it on purpose, but he wasn’t sure.
“I have to make the referee see him bumping me,” thought Kim. “But how?”
The Seals were passing the ball up-court. In the backcourt the ball went wild, zoomed out of bounds. Kim took it out, bounced to Ron Tikula. The Arrows whipped the ball back and forth till it was near their basket.
Then Jimmie whipped the ball to Kim. Kim feinted toward the basket, then broke around the redheaded Seal player. As he went by, the redhead bumped him with his hip.
The whistle pierced the hall. Foul!
Kim stepped slowly to the free-throw line. He looked briefly at the redheaded player, saw a scowl on the boy’s freckled face. Kim smiled to himself. The referee gave him the ball.
Kim took his time, and made the shot.
Both teams scored six more points before the third quarter ended.
Score: ARROWS—37, SEALS—33.
Kim didn’t start the fourth quarter. When there were three minutes left of the game, he replaced Dutchie.
The Seals were playing hard. But the Arrows kept up their pace. A foul on Kim helped the Seals gain another point.
And then all at once the whistle blew.
The first game of the play-offs was over, the Arrows winning, 46 to 43.
Now all they had to do was win one out of the next two games.
Kim knew it wouldn’t be easy.