Chapter 5
The first game of the season was at the end of the week. PJ and Isaac sat on the bench in the Wildcats locker room, tying up their sneakers.
“Are you still mad?” PJ asked.
Isaac sighed. “To be honest,” he said, “yes.”
“You need to get over it before Coach T kicks you off the team for good,” PJ said. He stood up and bounced on his toes.
“I can shoot and dribble circles around Dwayne,” Isaac said. “And you know it.”
PJ shook his head. “Whatever. Let’s just play, okay?” he said.
The two boys headed out to the gym. The team gathered around the coach.
The starters stood, and everyone else sat on the team bench. Other students and parents sat in the bleachers. They cheered as the Westfield Middle School Wildcats took the court.
PJ won the tipoff for the Wildcats and got the ball to Isaac right away. Isaac brought the ball up to the key and called a play. Dwayne would have to get open.
Isaac dribbled well. He controlled the ball with his right hand, staying out of reach of his defender.
Dwayne didn’t have much trouble getting open, either. Isaac spotted him and passed the ball.
Dwayne hurried, but he didn’t get to the ball in time. It flew out of bounds off a defender’s fingers.
“Still Westfield ball,” the referee called out.
“Nice catch, Dwayne,” Isaac said with a laugh, rolling his eyes.
“Oh, you think it’s my fault?” Dwayne said angrily.
The coach called over to Dwayne, “Keep your eyes open out there, Dwayne! That was a good pass.”
Isaac smiled smugly at Dwayne, but he could see that Dwayne was mad.
After the throw in, Isaac took the ball to the top of the key and called the play again. He glanced up at the basket.
I should just get the two points myself, he thought. Dwayne can’t catch a pass anyway.
Dwayne darted across the lane, and he got open for a few moments here and there. Isaac could have passed to him, but he didn’t. Instead, he faked a jump shot, drove down the lane, and went for the layup.
But just as his foot left the ground, he got blocked by a defender who was nearly as tall as PJ. Isaac ended up on his butt in the paint.
“Time out!” Coach Turnbull called. He strode out to where Isaac sat on the court. The coach leaned over and gave Isaac his hand to help him up.
“Are you all right?” the coach asked as Isaac got up.
“Yeah,” Isaac said with a nod.
“Good,” the coach said. “I’m not happy,” he added. Isaac looked at the coach’s face. It was beet red. “If you pull another stunt like that,” Coach Turnbull went on, “you’re off the team. Dwayne was open five times, and you know it.”
“What?” Isaac said, shocked.
“You heard me,” the coach replied. He turned to the ref and nodded, then walked back to the Wildcats bench.
The referee blew his whistle. “Let’s go,” he said. “Visitor ball.”
Isaac stomped his foot once, then fell back on defense. It was going to be a long game.