Free Throw, page 2
The ref’s whistle blew. “Personal foul.”
Oh no, thought Derek. I have to make a free throw again!
Chapter 9
FREE THROW
Derek walked to the free throw line. Players from both teams lined up on the free throw lane.
“The game’s in your hands, Derek,” said Cody. “If you make both of these shots, we win.”
The ref handed Derek the ball.
Everyone is watching me, thought Derek. He lifted the ball and carefully studied the basket.
“You’re going to miss!” someone yelled from the bleachers.
Derek shot the ball. It sailed through the air and hit the backboard. Then it bounced off the rim and fell to the ground. I hate free throws! he thought.
Derek looked over at Coach. Coach touched his knee.
Knees, thought Derek. I forgot to bend my knees when I threw.
The ref handed Derek the ball. This is my last try, thought Derek. If I make this, we can tie it up. Derek lifted the ball, bent his knees, and shot.
The ball sailed though the air.
It hit the front of the rim and bounced off. A forward from Curren grabbed the ball. The buzzer sounded.
We lost, thought Derek. We lost again because of me! Jason ran up to Derek. “Don’t you ever practice?”
“The game’s over,” said Cody.
“Derek’s over too,” said Jason. “Coach will have to take him off the team now. He can’t keep a player who makes the team lose every week.”
“Boys,” said Coach, “what’s done is done. Coach O’Reilly’s team beat us. It happens. But don’t worry about it. We’ll come back.”
“But, Coach,” said Jason, “we have a losing record.”
“The season’s not over yet,” said Coach. “We have plenty of time to win.”
Coach looked at Derek.
“Son,” he said, “I think we need to move you back to forward for a while. Jason can play center for a few weeks while you work on your free throws.”
“That’s fine with me,” said Jason. “We did that last year and we had a winning record.”
“Yes, we did,” said Coach. “And we will again. It just takes a little practice.”
Jason patted Derek on the shoulder. “Just practice those free throws, buddy, and you can be as good as me.”
I’m going to practice all right, thought Derek. I’ll keep practicing until I’m better than you!
Chapter 10
HAMPTON VS. ALLEN
The next week, as he walked into the gym, Derek thought, Here we go. My first game this season as forward, now that Jason got his way.
“Hi, Derek,” said Coach Taylor. “Have you been practicing your free throws? Remembering to bend your knees?”
“Yeah,” said Derek. “See?” Derek picked up a ball and went over to the free throw line.
He lifted the ball, bent his knees, and shot carefully.
The ball sailed right into the basket.
“That looks great!” said Coach Taylor.
“Thanks,” said Derek.
He turned around and saw Jason walk in with Ryan.
“The Hornet’s center has arrived,” said Jason. He lifted his arms and looked at the bleachers as if he were a rock star.
The Hornet’s center was already here, thought Derek. Just you wait, Jason. I’ll get my position back.
“Time to warm up, boys,” said Coach.
The Hornets did drills as the team from Allen arrived.
“That was a good warm-up, boys,” said Coach Taylor. “Now come over here so we can talk about defense.”
Derek walked back to the Hornets bench. Jason shot one more basket before he came over.
Show-off, thought Derek.
“I’m glad you could join us,” said Coach Taylor as Jason joined the huddle.
“Sure,” said Jason.
“Let’s get down to business,” said Coach Taylor. He showed them his clipboard. “I want to try the one-two-two defense this week. Derek, you defend the point.” Derek nodded.
“Guards, you two stay close to the basket.”
“Yes, sir,” said Cody.
“Sure thing,” said Garrett.
“Jason and Ryan, I want you two in the low post. If all the other defenses fail, it’s your job to keep the other team from scoring.”
“Okay,” said Ryan. Jason nodded.
Coach Taylor turned around. “We’re ready for the tip-off. Jason, you’re playing center, so it’s up to you.”
“I can handle it,” said Jason, “unlike some people we know,” he added.
“What was that?” said Coach Taylor.
“I’m ready to start,” said Jason.
Great, thought Derek. Go Hornets.
Chapter 11
THE GIANT
The point. I’m defending the point, Derek said to himself as he walked onto the court. I hope I remember to stay there! he thought.
Derek looked at Jason in center court. I should be doing the tip-off, he thought sadly.
Then Derek saw the center from Allen. What a giant! The guy was at least five inches taller than Jason.
The ref threw the ball into the air and the game began. Derek watched as Jason jumped up. But the Giant was too tall for Jason. He slapped the ball away.
Yes, thought Derek. Jason didn’t do it.
Derek turned. The ball was coming right at him. He put up his hands and caught the ball.
The Giant ran toward him. Derek passed the ball to Cody, then he ran toward the basket.
“What are you doing here?” said Jason as Derek ran under the basket. “I’m playing center now.”
“Uh, sorry,” said Derek, and he moved back to the center of the lane.
“Pay attention!” said Jason.
Derek turned and Ryan passed him the ball. Derek jumped and shot the ball toward the basket. It went right in!
Two points, thought Derek. I scored the first two points of the game!
“Why didn’t you pass it to me?” said Jason, who was running to the other side of the court.
Why should I? thought Derek. You’re not the only player on our team.
Derek ran to the point and guarded his spot. He watched Jason run over to the low post. The Giant jumped up, and bam! Two points! Jason wasn’t tall enough to block him.
Cody took the ball out and everyone scrambled. Derek ran back into the key.
Jason ran past him.
“Can’t you do anything right?” said Jason. “This is my area now. Go out and get the ball.”
You bet I will, thought Derek. As he moved toward center court, Derek saw Ryan catch the ball. Ryan pivoted. He did a fake to the left and then threw the ball right to Derek!
Derek caught the ball. He turned and jumped. Off the ball flew. Bam! Right into the basket.
Yes! I did it again!
“Attaboy!” yelled Coach Taylor.
Jason came over with a scowl on his face. “I’m the center. Pass it to me.”
Chapter 12
SURPRISE!
Derek scored.
The Giant scored.
Derek scored.
The Giant scored.
The fourth quarter was almost over and the score was 53 to 51, Allen.
Coach Taylor called a time-out. “Jason, you have to stop their center from scoring.”
“I’m trying, Coach,” said Jason, “but he’s a giant.”
“I can see that,” said Coach Taylor. “But you still have to guard him.” Coach looked at his clipboard. “I think it’s time for someone else to play center.”
“But, Coach!” said Jason.
“If you can’t do the job,” said Coach, “then we need to give it to someone else. We’re zero and two this season.”
“Because of Derek,” said Jason.
“Derek has scored most of our points this game,” said Coach Taylor.
“He never passes to me,” said Jason.
“Their center has you blocked,” said Coach. “It’s not about you, Jason. It’s what’s best for the team.”
“I know,” said Jason, “but—”
“No buts about it,” said Coach. He turned to Derek. “I want you to play center for the rest of the game, Derek. Jason, you go back to forward.”
“Derek!” said Jason.
“Okay, Coach,” said Derek.
“It’s the element of surprise,” said Coach Taylor. “They won’t be expecting us to move our top scorer to a new position so late in the game.”
Jason gave Derek a dirty look.
“We’re only down by two points,” said Coach Taylor. “Let’s win this one!”
The Giant had just scored, so the ball went to Hampton.
Cody took the ball out.
Derek ran back toward the basket. I have my job back! Now I have to show Coach I can stay here!
Cody passed the ball to Garrett. Garrett did a fast pass to Jason. Jason passed the ball to Ryan. Ryan turned around and jumped! The ball went in the basket. Two points! The score was tied at 53.
Now the Giant’s team had the ball. Derek ran back to the other basket. I have to keep the Giant from scoring.
Just like clockwork, the Allen team passed the ball to the Giant. He came up to the low post, and Derek jumped up to block his shot. Whap! The ball flew back to center court.
“What!” yelled the Giant.
It was a surprise, thought Derek as he ran to the other side of the court. Derek ran to the low post and Garrett passed him the ball. Derek jumped up. Now we can win.
Wham!
Suddenly Derek was flat on his back.
Tweet! The ref blew the whistle. “Personal foul.”
Derek picked himself up off the floor. Man, that Giant can hit! Derek’s back throbbed as he walked over to the free throw line.
He glanced at the clock. Two seconds left in the game!
“You can do it, Derek” said Cody.
Derek rubbed his aching back.
The ref handed him the ball. “You have two throws,” he said.
Derek nodded his head. He lifted the ball and studied the basket. Then he bent his knees and shot the ball.
Clank! The first shot hit the rim and bounced out.
I have to make this second one, thought Derek.
The ref handed Derek the ball again. “Last shot.”
Don’t I know it, thought Derek. I have to show Coach that I can shoot free throws!
Derek lifted the ball and looked at the basket. Here goes nothing! He bent his knees and shot the ball.
The ball sailed through the air.
Swish! The ball dropped right into the center of the net!
Bzzzt! The buzzer rang.
The game was over.
Game point, thought Derek.
We won! I did it!
About the Author
Anastasia Suen is the author of more than seventy books for young people. She enjoys watching basketball because the game moves so quickly! Anastasia grew up in Florida and now lives with her family in Plano, Texas.
About the Illustrator
When Sean Tiffany was growing up, he lived on a small island off the coast of Maine. Every day, from sixth grade until he graduated from high school, he had to take a boat to get to school. When Sean isn’t working on his art, he works on a multimedia project called “OilCan Drive,” which combines music and art. He has a pet cactus named Jim.
Glossary
clipboard (KLIP-bord)—a board with a clip at the top for holding papers
clockwork (KLOK-wurk)—smoothly and as planned: “The play went like clockwork.”
defense (di-FENSS)—when players on a team try to keep their opponents from scoring
element (EL-uh-muhnt)—the simple or basic part of something
foul (FOWL)—making unfair contact with another player
huddle (HUHD-uhl)—a tight grouping of team members
key (KEE)—the area in front of the basket
offense (aw-FENNS)—when players on a team try to score
pivot (PIV-uht)—to turn suddenly
roster (ROS-tur)—a list of players on a team
Cool Facts … About Basketball
In 1891, the athletes at Dr. James Naismith’s school were bored in the winter. So he invented a new game he called basket ball. There were nine players on each team. To make a point, the players threw a soccer ball into a peach basket.
Professional basketball began in New York in 1896.
Basketball became an Olympic sport at the Summer Games in Berlin in 1936.
On March 2, 1962, Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlin scored one hundred points during a game against New York. That is the most points ever scored in a single game.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar, who played for twenty seasons in the NBA, holds the most points for a career, 38,387.
The NBA began the three-point shot before the 1979–80 season.
A basketball court is ninety-four feet long and fifty-four feet wide.
Home teams normally wear light-colored jerseys and visiting teams wear dark-colored jerseys.
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think about “trash talk” in sports? In the book, the character of Jason is mean to Derek. Do you think it’s okay to “trash talk” the players on your own team?
2. If you were Derek, what would you have done if the team lost because you missed a free throw?
3. Have you ever played sports with someone like Jason? How would you deal with someone like that?
Writing Prompts
1. The main character, Derek, hates doing free throws. Has there ever been something you’ve had to practice to become better at? If so, write what it was and how you felt after you succeeded.
2. Throughout the game, Derek never tells the coach about Jason and his bad attitude. Do you think this is a good idea or not? Explain.
3. What are some of the reasons the coach kept Derek at center for so long?
Discover More:
VIDEOS & CONTESTS
GAMES & PUZZLES
HEROES & VILLAINS
AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATORS
www.capstonekids.com
Find cool websites and more books just like this one at www.facthound.com. Just type in the book I.D. 9781598890600 and you’re ready to go!
Impact Books are published by Stone Arch Books,
A Capstone Imprint
1710 Roe Crest Drive
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
www.capstonepub.com
Copyright © 2007 by Stone Arch Books
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Maddox, Jake.
Free Throw / by Jake Maddox; illustrated by Sean Tiffany.
p. cm. — (Impact Books. A Jake Maddox Sports Story)
Summary: Since Derek is now the tallest player on his basketball team, the coach decides to have him play center, but Jason, the former center, has little confidence in Derek and will not pass him the ball.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59889-060-0 (library binding)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59889-238-3 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4342-8848-6 (ebook)
[1. Basketball—Fiction.] I. Tiffany, Sean, ill. II. Title. III. Series: Maddox, Jake. Impact Books (Stone Arch Books) Jake Maddox Sports Story.
PZ7.S94343Fr 2007
[Fic]—dc22
2006006076
Art Director: Heather Kindseth
Cover Graphic Designer: Heather Kindseth
Interior Graphic Designer: Kay Fraser
Jake Maddox, Free Throw
