ALEC printed a sign and hung it in the store. It read:
BASKETBALL GAME
Lakers vs. Culbert
Sat. 2 P.M. Jan. 14
at the Culbert Junior High Gym
Everybody Come!
It's Free!
The sign stirred up interest. Men asked about the Lakers basketball team. Some of them didn't know that a team had sprouted up in Cannerville.
“Where did they ever learn how to play basketball?” some asked with surprise.
“In the big barn,” Alex told them. “Over there by the creek.”
Women became interested, too. Most of the mothers of the boys who played on the Lakers team had already seen some of the games. After Alec put up the sign, more women wanted to see the games.
“We'll have a crowd there for sure!” said Perry Webb excitedly.
“We probably will,” replied Corny. “But what will they think of us if we lose?”
“Won't be any disgrace,” said Alec. “Everybody will know that Culbert was runner-up for the championship last year. Our fans won't down a new team if it loses to a team like Culbert. But let's get this losing idea out of our heads! Let's think of winning, not losing!”
Alec took Rusty with him on the iceboat nearly every evening. He taught Rusty how to handle the controls. Rusty loved it.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights Alec worked hard with the boys in the big barn. There were a few things most of them still did not do well. Corny still was unable to get his passes away fast enough. Joby still couldn't sink more than one out of eight from the foul line. Bud's dribbling had improved. So had his passes. But he still fumbled the ball a lot. And when he did, it seemed always near an opponent. Ted, Perry, Rusty — they all needed improvement.
Alec put in a few minutes of practice himself. It was fun to watch him. He hardly used his gloved hand. His other one was all he needed. He dribbled swiftly and gracefully. When he jumped to sink a lay-up, his feet lifted high off the floor. His hand seemed to go almost higher than the rim. When he finished playing, perspiration glistened on his face, but you could tell he enjoyed those moments with all his heart.
He probably could have been a great basketball player, thought Rusty. Not me! I'll just be like this. Slow and awkward. I would never play in a game if Alec weren't coach.
The Culbert Junior High gym was packed that Saturday afternoon. Many fans from Cannerville came to see the game and give their boys support. Many, Rusty knew, had never seen a game before.
As usual, Rusty watched the opening of the game from the bench. He wasn't worried. Alec would put him in sometime.
Perry and the Culbert center went up on the jump ball. Perry's long fingers tapped it. Bud caught it, dribbled away, and fumbled!
“Did it again!” Rusty said.
Culbert scooped up the fumble. A pass down-court. A quick dribble. Then a lay-up.
In! Two points for Culbert, and the game was hardly ten seconds old!
Lakers' out. Perry took the pass from Joby, dribbled the ball up-court. He crossed the center line. A Culbert player tried to slap the ball away from him. Perry passed to Corny. Joby started toward the right hand corner, then came forward quickly under the basket. Corny bounced the ball under his guard's arm to Joby. Joby took it, leaped and tried a hook shot.
In!
Culbert's out. A long pass down-court. A Culbert player was there to catch it. He dribbled it toward his basket, leaped for the lay-up. Missed!
Perry was right behind him. He caught the rebound, brought the ball back up-court. Carefully, he passed to Joby. Joby passed to Bud. The five of them ran back and forth in a weaving pattern in the back court. Each looked for a chance for a fast break. But Culbert guarded their basket like a family of lions guarding their cub.
Then Perry faked a pass to Bud, throwing his man off guard. He was at least ten feet away from the basket. He took quick aim and shot. The ball arched, fell through the rim and rippled the net for two points!
A yell broke from the Lakers fans. What a clean, beautiful shot!
The Lakers were tight as banjo strings when the game had started. They had moved about like wooden puppets. Now, as the first quarter drew to a close, they were no longer stiff and nervous. They moved with better timing. They were more careful with their throws.
Tension was growing, interest mounting. Was this the Culbert team that had finished second in last year's championship? Was this the team that almost everybody had thought would beat a little nobody like the Lakers with hands tied behind their backs?
What had happened to their great power?
And what of the Lakers — was this really a nobody team?
When the buzzer sounded, ending the first quarter, every fan in the gym knew that the Lakers were somebody, indeed!
“Boys,” Alec said, while they dried the perspiration from their shoulders and faces, “you're playing wonderful ball. Keep it up, and we'll leave this town gasping for breath. I heard several of these Culbert fans call us hicks.” He smiled. “I think I've already heard their teeth crunching, eating their own words!”
Rusty replaced Mark in the second quarter. Ted went in for Bud.
“Just play the corner, Rusty,” reminded Alec. “You might do plenty of good right there.”
Rusty didn't complain. He was to get in the game.
Culbert started off with fast breaks. They took the Lakers by surprise for a while. They sank two lay-ups in quick succession.
“Come on!” cried Perry. “Let's crush that charge!”
Perry's spark encouraged his four teammates to put on more fire. They not only crushed Culbert's charge, they also breezed past them.
When four minutes of the second quarter was up, the scoreboard read: VISITORS — 19; HOME — 14.
Many Culbert fans, looking at the score, could hardly believe it was their team trailing in the game.
Then, suddenly, the play was near Rusty. Joby had the ball. He could not pass it to anyone else. He had to pass it to Rusty.
“Shoot, Rusty!” he said.
Rusty almost missed the pass. The ball struck his fingers. It hurt the middle finger of his right hand. He moved into position to throw. Just as he flipped the ball, a boy jumped in front of him and struck his hand!
Shreee-e-ek!
“Foul!” yelled the referee. “Number five! Two shots!”
The Lakers fans cheered Rusty as he walked slowly to the free-throw line. The noise quieted down. The referee gave Rusty the ball. Rusty took his time, aimed, and shot.
In!
One more to go. Again he aimed and carefully shot.
In!
21 to 14. The Lakers were really moving!
The buzzer. Culbert sent in subs. Two tall boys.
“Oh-oh,” murmured Rusty. “What's this?”
Culbert's out. They moved the ball swiftly down-court. The tall boys were doing most of the moving. They passed the ball quickly, accurately. A moment later one of them rushed forward, took a pass, leaped.
A lay-up!
The Lakers' out. They dribbled up-court, crossed the center line. Then someone rushed in, intercepted a pass, dribbled down-court! Another basket!
Rusty was taken out. The Lakers needed stronger defense to stop this Culbert drive. Mark went back in.
The electric clock on the wall ticked on. The Lakers put in another basket, but Culbert sank three to the Lakers' one. The half ended with a change on the scoreboard: VISITORS — 23; HOME — 24.
Culbert was coming back!