Author’s note

I would like the reader to understand that even though real place names (for the most part) comprise its setting, The Squared Circle is exclusively a work of fiction. All characters—as well as events—in it are products of imagination, with no basis in any actual person, living or dead.

The setting for The Squared Circle is real because it is designed to function centrally in the story. The southernmost tip of the state of Illinois, traditionally referred to as “Little Egypt,” has long been a basketball hotbed, particularly at the high school level.

As an author with southern Illinois roots, I hold Southern Illinois University and its athletic program in high esteem. All coaches, players, fans, administrators, and events in this story are fictitious, no link to SIU history or procedures is intended.