ball neatly against the backboard. Swish! A bucket!
Icebergs’ ball out. They moved it to their backcourt. Emmett rushed in, intercepted a short pass, dribbled out of danger.
He took it across the center line, then bounce-passed to Mickey. Mickey passed to Rusty near the baseline. Rusty took a set,
flipping the ball with a graceful wrist motion. The ball hit the rim and bounded off. Rusty and Robin went in for the rebound.
The Bergs got it. They moved it back into their territory. Seconds later the Bergs’ No. 2 took a set and sank it.
“Come on, men!” cried Emmett. “Let’s go!”
They began to drive, led by Emmett’s spark. Rusty dumped in a long set, Emmett a layup. Mickey’s fancy, close-to-the-floor
dribbling had the Icebergs baffled. The quarter ended with the Penguins leading, 8 to 4.
“I’m going to remember what Mr. G. has told me,” Emmett promised himself. “I can’t be afraid. I’ll just play hard, and play
the best I can.”
The Icebergs crept up slightly in the second quarter. In the third the Penguins rolled again. Ed Long put Johnny Clark in
Mickey’s place. Johnny fouled a man almost immediately. The Icebergs’ player tossed in both free throws. A minute later Johnny
made up forhis foul, sinking a long shot that drew loud applause from the fans.
The fourth quarter was even scoring for both teams. The Penguins put the game into their pocket, 32 to 26.
“Now for the Kodiaks!” cried Robin Hood, as they ran to the shower room. “We can take them.”
“They’re tough,” said Rusty. “Toughest in the league. The last time we played them we beat them by only one point. And they
have improved.”
“The tougher they are, the harder they fall,” quoted Robin Hood. “Besides, we have improved, too.”
A heavy snowfall kept Emmett home all that next week, except for attending school. All that time he wondered about Mr. G.
He hadn’t seen Mr. G. since the little redhead had painted Emmett’s picture.
The game with the Kodiaks rolled around quickly. Both teams looked strong and eager for the win as they came out on the court
in their flashy uniforms, the Kodiaks in their red shirts and white trunks, the Penguins in their black satin suits.
The jump ball. The horn. The game was on. The Kodiaks took possession of the ball immediately. Seconds later they dumped in
a basket. Penguins’ ball. They moved it downcourt. A layup missed for Rusty. The Kodiaks took the ball off the boards and
rolled back upcourt — a pass, a short dribble, a pivot, then a shot. Swish! Another bucket.
Robin called time. He talked to his men. “Stop that Number 13,” he said. “He’s dead-eye!”
Time in. The Penguins moved cautiously now. Rustypassed to Robin, Robin to Emmett. A quick overhand to Rusty as the tall center ran for the basket. Rusty caught the ball and
leaped. A layup!
That broke the spell. Both teams continued playing good ball, sinking baskets that drew applause after applause from the crowd.
The score on the electric scoreboard teetered back and forth like a seesaw, first in the Kodiaks’ favor, then in the Penguins’.
The quarters blinked off, one by one. Finally, a minute was left in the last quarter, with the Penguins leading, 39 to 38.
Kodiaks’ ball. They passed upcourt. Emmett followed the ball closely. Then, like a quick, silent cat, he moved in and stole
the ball!
He dribbled toward the center line. The Kodiaks came after him. He continued to dribble, matching Mickey, who was good at
dribbling, too. He moved to the right, left, then right again — always keeping himself between the ball and an opponent.
“Get that ball! Get it before the clock runs out!” he heard a Kodiak man shout.
But they didn’t get it. The horn blew, announcing the end of the game. The Penguins were the champs.
On his way home from the game with his family, Emmet stopped at Mr. G.’s apartment and knocked on the door. No answer.
A window slid open above his
Icebergs’ ball out. They moved it to their backcourt. Emmett rushed in, intercepted a short pass, dribbled out of danger.
He took it across the center line, then bounce-passed to Mickey. Mickey passed to Rusty near the baseline. Rusty took a set,
flipping the ball with a graceful wrist motion. The ball hit the rim and bounded off. Rusty and Robin went in for the rebound.
The Bergs got it. They moved it back into their territory. Seconds later the Bergs’ No. 2 took a set and sank it.
“Come on, men!” cried Emmett. “Let’s go!”
They began to drive, led by Emmett’s spark. Rusty dumped in a long set, Emmett a layup. Mickey’s fancy, close-to-the-floor
dribbling had the Icebergs baffled. The quarter ended with the Penguins leading, 8 to 4.
“I’m going to remember what Mr. G. has told me,” Emmett promised himself. “I can’t be afraid. I’ll just play hard, and play
the best I can.”
The Icebergs crept up slightly in the second quarter. In the third the Penguins rolled again. Ed Long put Johnny Clark in
Mickey’s place. Johnny fouled a man almost immediately. The Icebergs’ player tossed in both free throws. A minute later Johnny
made up forhis foul, sinking a long shot that drew loud applause from the fans.
The fourth quarter was even scoring for both teams. The Penguins put the game into their pocket, 32 to 26.
“Now for the Kodiaks!” cried Robin Hood, as they ran to the shower room. “We can take them.”
“They’re tough,” said Rusty. “Toughest in the league. The last time we played them we beat them by only one point. And they
have improved.”
“The tougher they are, the harder they fall,” quoted Robin Hood. “Besides, we have improved, too.”
A heavy snowfall kept Emmett home all that next week, except for attending school. All that time he wondered about Mr. G.
He hadn’t seen Mr. G. since the little redhead had painted Emmett’s picture.
The game with the Kodiaks rolled around quickly. Both teams looked strong and eager for the win as they came out on the court
in their flashy uniforms, the Kodiaks in their red shirts and white trunks, the Penguins in their black satin suits.
The jump ball. The horn. The game was on. The Kodiaks took possession of the ball immediately. Seconds later they dumped in
a basket. Penguins’ ball. They moved it downcourt. A layup missed for Rusty. The Kodiaks took the ball off the boards and
rolled back upcourt — a pass, a short dribble, a pivot, then a shot. Swish! Another bucket.
Robin called time. He talked to his men. “Stop that Number 13,” he said. “He’s dead-eye!”
Time in. The Penguins moved cautiously now. Rustypassed to Robin, Robin to Emmett. A quick overhand to Rusty as the tall center ran for the basket. Rusty caught the ball and
leaped. A layup!
That broke the spell. Both teams continued playing good ball, sinking baskets that drew applause after applause from the crowd.
The score on the electric scoreboard teetered back and forth like a seesaw, first in the Kodiaks’ favor, then in the Penguins’.
The quarters blinked off, one by one. Finally, a minute was left in the last quarter, with the Penguins leading, 39 to 38.
Kodiaks’ ball. They passed upcourt. Emmett followed the ball closely. Then, like a quick, silent cat, he moved in and stole
the ball!
He dribbled toward the center line. The Kodiaks came after him. He continued to dribble, matching Mickey, who was good at
dribbling, too. He moved to the right, left, then right again — always keeping himself between the ball and an opponent.
“Get that ball! Get it before the clock runs out!” he heard a Kodiak man shout.
But they didn’t get it. The horn blew, announcing the end of the game. The Penguins were the champs.
On his way home from the game with his family, Emmet stopped at Mr. G.’s apartment and knocked on the door. No answer.
A window slid open above his
Similar Books
