net.
“
Yes!
” Danny shouted, and Wes whistled to end the game.
“Good shot, Danny,” he said. Turning to the JuniorWizards, he shook his head. “You guys still have a lot of work to do. Tomorrow, we'll work on a few of the biggest problems,
and play some more three-on-three. I want to see more concentration on the court tomorrow! Keep your eye on the ball! Anticipate
on defense! Remember that you're a team! Okay, that's it for today.”
Lou came up to Seth and Pete as they headed off the court. “You guys looked all right out there. Seth, that was a great pick
you set.”
Pete looked around to make sure that the coach was nowhere nearby, but Wes was talking to Con and paying them no attention.
“You'd never know we ever did anything right if you listened to the coach,” he said, scowling. “He never lets up, never eases
off.”
The three boys left the gym and headed for the parking lot, where Mrs. Pender would pick them up. “I felt the same way you
do,” Seth said to Pete, “but now I've changed my mind. I think he knows what he's doing.”
Lou laughed. “I can't believe my ears! After the way you were putting him down last week. What happened between then and now?”
Seth smiled. “I just see things a little differently, that's all.”
“Well, I don't!” Pete's expression was stony. “I still think he's just a bully who gets off on bossing us around.”
“Well, I think he's teaching us a lot, and not just about basketball,” Seth replied. “Like he said, we have to learn to be
independent, and he wants us to toughen up. That's why he is the way he is, I think.”
Pete looked surprised. “You're defending him? Well, I don't agree with you. Anyway, I better go. See you tomorrow.”
As he left, Lou asked, “Is he mad at you?”
“I hope not,” Seth said. He saw Danny just behind them and nodded.
“That was a really good pick you set,” Danny said. “Also, I heard what Pete and you were saying. Don't worry, Pete isn't in
any trouble. But I have to tell you, you sure have come a long way. You'd never have talked like that when I first met you.
You're doing great!”
He raised a hand, and he and Seth exchanged high fives. It was a moment Seth would remember for a long time.
10
S eth looked at himself in the locker-room mirror, admiring the black jersey with
WIZARDS
across the front in gold letters, with gold lightning bolts running down the sides. Pete came up alongside him and smiled.
“Lookin'
good!
” he said, adjusting his own jersey. The Junior Wizards' jerseys had belonged to Danny and Con's older Wizard team. Seth and
his teammates were about to play their first game, at the school where several of their opponents were students.
Danny came up and asked, “How are you guys feeling? You up for this?”
“Absolutely!” Seth replied, hoping his voice didn't sound as nervous as he felt.
“We're
ready!
” Pete added.
“Remember,” Danny cautioned, “this team has been playing awhile and they're well-coached. We played against one of the Tiger
coaches last year. Just remember what you've learned and stay cool.”
Seth's throat felt dry, and he licked his lips. If they could give this team a game and not get blown out, that would be fine
with him. His family and Lou were out there, and he didn't want to be embarrassed.
From the locker-room door, Wes called out, “I'd like the team on the court in a minute, so we can go over a few things. Con,
Danny, come with me.”
Danny clenched a fist and raised it over his head. “All right! Play tough and take no prisoners! See you outside.”
As he came out of the locker room, Seth looked down to the end of the court, where the Tigers were warming up. They were doing
the same drills that Seth and the Wizards did, but, somehow they looked
better
, as if this was stuff they had worked on for a long time, not just a few weeks. The Tigers looked assured, and they talked
it up during the warmups. They
“
Yes!
” Danny shouted, and Wes whistled to end the game.
“Good shot, Danny,” he said. Turning to the JuniorWizards, he shook his head. “You guys still have a lot of work to do. Tomorrow, we'll work on a few of the biggest problems,
and play some more three-on-three. I want to see more concentration on the court tomorrow! Keep your eye on the ball! Anticipate
on defense! Remember that you're a team! Okay, that's it for today.”
Lou came up to Seth and Pete as they headed off the court. “You guys looked all right out there. Seth, that was a great pick
you set.”
Pete looked around to make sure that the coach was nowhere nearby, but Wes was talking to Con and paying them no attention.
“You'd never know we ever did anything right if you listened to the coach,” he said, scowling. “He never lets up, never eases
off.”
The three boys left the gym and headed for the parking lot, where Mrs. Pender would pick them up. “I felt the same way you
do,” Seth said to Pete, “but now I've changed my mind. I think he knows what he's doing.”
Lou laughed. “I can't believe my ears! After the way you were putting him down last week. What happened between then and now?”
Seth smiled. “I just see things a little differently, that's all.”
“Well, I don't!” Pete's expression was stony. “I still think he's just a bully who gets off on bossing us around.”
“Well, I think he's teaching us a lot, and not just about basketball,” Seth replied. “Like he said, we have to learn to be
independent, and he wants us to toughen up. That's why he is the way he is, I think.”
Pete looked surprised. “You're defending him? Well, I don't agree with you. Anyway, I better go. See you tomorrow.”
As he left, Lou asked, “Is he mad at you?”
“I hope not,” Seth said. He saw Danny just behind them and nodded.
“That was a really good pick you set,” Danny said. “Also, I heard what Pete and you were saying. Don't worry, Pete isn't in
any trouble. But I have to tell you, you sure have come a long way. You'd never have talked like that when I first met you.
You're doing great!”
He raised a hand, and he and Seth exchanged high fives. It was a moment Seth would remember for a long time.
10
S eth looked at himself in the locker-room mirror, admiring the black jersey with
WIZARDS
across the front in gold letters, with gold lightning bolts running down the sides. Pete came up alongside him and smiled.
“Lookin'
good!
” he said, adjusting his own jersey. The Junior Wizards' jerseys had belonged to Danny and Con's older Wizard team. Seth and
his teammates were about to play their first game, at the school where several of their opponents were students.
Danny came up and asked, “How are you guys feeling? You up for this?”
“Absolutely!” Seth replied, hoping his voice didn't sound as nervous as he felt.
“We're
ready!
” Pete added.
“Remember,” Danny cautioned, “this team has been playing awhile and they're well-coached. We played against one of the Tiger
coaches last year. Just remember what you've learned and stay cool.”
Seth's throat felt dry, and he licked his lips. If they could give this team a game and not get blown out, that would be fine
with him. His family and Lou were out there, and he didn't want to be embarrassed.
From the locker-room door, Wes called out, “I'd like the team on the court in a minute, so we can go over a few things. Con,
Danny, come with me.”
Danny clenched a fist and raised it over his head. “All right! Play tough and take no prisoners! See you outside.”
As he came out of the locker room, Seth looked down to the end of the court, where the Tigers were warming up. They were doing
the same drills that Seth and the Wizards did, but, somehow they looked
better
, as if this was stuff they had worked on for a long time, not just a few weeks. The Tigers looked assured, and they talked
it up during the warmups. They
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