reviewed a little in each class, and the rest of the time talked about what they had done during their
vacation. It seemed as if even the teachersweren’t anxious to do schoolwork this first day.
The next evening the Sabers played the Gators, the team that was leading the loop. They had lost only one game so far, and
that to the Blue Waves. News had gotten around that Dick Koles, their star center, was aver-aging nineteen points a game.
Dick started off hot as a torch. He sank two field goals and a foul shot to put the Gators in the lead, 5–0, in less than
a minute of play. Frog sank a long one to start the Sabers off. It seemed as if that was what they needed. For the rest of
the first quarter neither Dick nor the whole Gators team could keep more than two points ahead of the Sabers.
Glenn had gone in during the last few minutes of the quarter. He stayed in at the beginning of the second quarter, dropped
in a basket to tie the score, then fouled his manon a layup shot. The Gator made both baskets, putting them ahead again by two points.
Then Glenn got fouled. The referee’s hands went out, one finger extending from each. If Glenn made the first shot, he had
another coming.
He missed the shot, and his hopes fell.
Paul went in for Benjy, but he never got the ball. No one passed it to him. Not once.
The Gators led at the half, 27–25. The Gators’ big gun, Dick Koles, had scored nine points so far.
The Gators cut loose in the second half. Their little left forward, a red-headed kid whom Glenn was guarding, dumped in two
long set shots. Then Dick Koles laid one against the boards for two points. A moment later he was fouled as he tried to do
it again. His layup missed. He was given two shots, made them both.
I guess he is a star, Glenn muttered to himself.
The Sabers called time out. Coach Munson got into a huddle with them. Jim and Andy had to guard that Koles kid better, he
said. And Glenn had better guard that little redhead closer, too.
“He flits around like a fly,” Glenn said, smiling.
“You flit after him,” the coach told him.
After time in was called, Glenn tried to flit after the redhead when the redhead flitted. It paid off. He intercepted a pass,
bounced it to Jim. Jim dribbled it to the front court for a basket.
Jim and Andy kept glued to the Gators center. There were fewer passes to him. Little by little the strategy worked. Now and
then the Sabers pumped one in, and gradually the score on the Sabers’ side edged nearer the Gators’.
Two minutes after the fourth quarter started, Chet Bruner, in Glenn’s place, sank a set shot from the key. The Sabers went
ahead by one. With three minutes to go the coach sent in Paul.
“Oh, no!” Glenn heard Don moan. “What’s he doing that for?”
Glenn was surprised, too. But if Paul was given the ball, and was fouled …
Paul was in the clear at the side of the keyhole. Jim had the ball, trying hard to keep away from two Gators who were after
him like hornets. He flipped the ball to Paul.
“Shoot, Paul! Shoot!” Glenn yelled from the bench.
Paul looked at the basket for a fraction of a second, then shot. The ball rolled around the rim, dropped through!
The fans screamed. Glenn leaped up, clapping thunderously. “Thataway, Paul!” he cried. “Thataway, of kid!”
Later, with the ball in the Sabers’ possession again, Paul was called on a holding violation. The Gators took it out. They
passed wildly. It went out-of-bounds and it was the Sabers’ ball again. They worked it up-court. Jim, surrounded by Gators
beneath the basket, tried a hook shot. He made it!
The seconds ticked away. Fifteen to go … fourteen … thirteen … Amidst cheering shouts, the Sabers walked off with the game,
58–56.
“Paul Marlette,” said the
Evening Journal
the next day, “was the spark that ignited the Sabers. His field goal in the last quarter was the turning point of the game.…”
12
T he Sabers continued on a
vacation. It seemed as if even the teachersweren’t anxious to do schoolwork this first day.
The next evening the Sabers played the Gators, the team that was leading the loop. They had lost only one game so far, and
that to the Blue Waves. News had gotten around that Dick Koles, their star center, was aver-aging nineteen points a game.
Dick started off hot as a torch. He sank two field goals and a foul shot to put the Gators in the lead, 5–0, in less than
a minute of play. Frog sank a long one to start the Sabers off. It seemed as if that was what they needed. For the rest of
the first quarter neither Dick nor the whole Gators team could keep more than two points ahead of the Sabers.
Glenn had gone in during the last few minutes of the quarter. He stayed in at the beginning of the second quarter, dropped
in a basket to tie the score, then fouled his manon a layup shot. The Gator made both baskets, putting them ahead again by two points.
Then Glenn got fouled. The referee’s hands went out, one finger extending from each. If Glenn made the first shot, he had
another coming.
He missed the shot, and his hopes fell.
Paul went in for Benjy, but he never got the ball. No one passed it to him. Not once.
The Gators led at the half, 27–25. The Gators’ big gun, Dick Koles, had scored nine points so far.
The Gators cut loose in the second half. Their little left forward, a red-headed kid whom Glenn was guarding, dumped in two
long set shots. Then Dick Koles laid one against the boards for two points. A moment later he was fouled as he tried to do
it again. His layup missed. He was given two shots, made them both.
I guess he is a star, Glenn muttered to himself.
The Sabers called time out. Coach Munson got into a huddle with them. Jim and Andy had to guard that Koles kid better, he
said. And Glenn had better guard that little redhead closer, too.
“He flits around like a fly,” Glenn said, smiling.
“You flit after him,” the coach told him.
After time in was called, Glenn tried to flit after the redhead when the redhead flitted. It paid off. He intercepted a pass,
bounced it to Jim. Jim dribbled it to the front court for a basket.
Jim and Andy kept glued to the Gators center. There were fewer passes to him. Little by little the strategy worked. Now and
then the Sabers pumped one in, and gradually the score on the Sabers’ side edged nearer the Gators’.
Two minutes after the fourth quarter started, Chet Bruner, in Glenn’s place, sank a set shot from the key. The Sabers went
ahead by one. With three minutes to go the coach sent in Paul.
“Oh, no!” Glenn heard Don moan. “What’s he doing that for?”
Glenn was surprised, too. But if Paul was given the ball, and was fouled …
Paul was in the clear at the side of the keyhole. Jim had the ball, trying hard to keep away from two Gators who were after
him like hornets. He flipped the ball to Paul.
“Shoot, Paul! Shoot!” Glenn yelled from the bench.
Paul looked at the basket for a fraction of a second, then shot. The ball rolled around the rim, dropped through!
The fans screamed. Glenn leaped up, clapping thunderously. “Thataway, Paul!” he cried. “Thataway, of kid!”
Later, with the ball in the Sabers’ possession again, Paul was called on a holding violation. The Gators took it out. They
passed wildly. It went out-of-bounds and it was the Sabers’ ball again. They worked it up-court. Jim, surrounded by Gators
beneath the basket, tried a hook shot. He made it!
The seconds ticked away. Fifteen to go … fourteen … thirteen … Amidst cheering shouts, the Sabers walked off with the game,
58–56.
“Paul Marlette,” said the
Evening Journal
the next day, “was the spark that ignited the Sabers. His field goal in the last quarter was the turning point of the game.…”
12
T he Sabers continued on a
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