Chapter 37

“HEY! SNAP OUT OF IT, guys!” Dennis blew his whistle to get the attention of the girls lackadaisically shooting in the drill.

“What?” Leanne moaned.

“Come into a circle and sit your butts down on the floor,” he said calling them to him. “What is it, girlfriends? Why is everyone so down today? You act like you’re going your execution instead of the regional finals.”

“Isn’t that what we did to those girls from Putnam last night?” Judith asked. “We slaughtered them. It just doesn’t feel right.”

“Okay, let’s take a moment to all feel bad for the Tigresses,” Dennis said. He got some scowls and stared each of the girls down. “Now, take a moment to feel bad because you are all too fucking good.”

“That’s not fair,” Daniella said.

“No, it’s not,” Dennis came back. “Do you know why it’s not fair? Because in two days you are going into the regional championship game against Washington Central and you could be on the receiving end of that kind of a loss. You will be if we don’t pull ourselves together. The Tigresses were thrilled that they lasted the entire game against us. They proved they wouldn’t give up. And now you are upset about the game and are acting like you want to give up. I have to ask you what the Putnam Tigresses would think of our team then. Even if we got behind forty points in the last quarter, would you ask Coach to concede the game? What a slap in the face that would be to those girls. I’ll bet that whole team will be at the game Saturday and do you know who they’ll be cheering? Not the Washington Central Bulldogs, I’ll tell you that. They have so much respect for this team that they won’t want revenge; they’ll want you to win—to show everyone what kind of team it took to eliminate them from the tourney. If you win Saturday, they’ll feel like they won, too. But if you keep up the ‘oh, poor me I shouldn’t have beaten those girls’ routine, they’ll lose again on Saturday.”

“We’re sorry, Dennis. We need to pull things together,” Natalie said. “You’re right. Team, we need to get our heads on straight.” There were nods around the circle and a couple of sniffles.

“Girlfriends,” Dennis said softly. He motioned them all in closer and leaned forward. “I love each and every one of you. I know what great sports you are and how much empathy you have for others. I’ve been on the receiving end of that and it’s one of the reasons I love you. But I also love your courage, determination, and downright skill when it comes to round-ball. Let’s hit those drills with a little enthusiasm and show the Bulldogs it wasn’t a fluke. Who are we?”

“Angelines!” the girls shouted. They stood and grabbed the basketballs, lined up in formation and ran the shooting drill. Six baskets out of nine shots. Dennis lined them up again. They made eight baskets out of nine shots. The third time through the drill, each girl made her shot.

“Crossover drill,” Dennis shouted. They looked at him in surprise as he set out the cones.

“What are we doing?” Brenda asked.

“Getting back to basics,” Dennis said. “Plus, I have something new I want you to try. First, twice down and back, once on the right side and once on the left. Ready!” He blew his whistle and joined the girls as they ran the drill. Lana hastily grabbed a ball and attempted the drill as well. She only made it once around in the time the girls had done twice.

“What’s the new move?” Roberta asked.

“A double cross-over,” Dennis replied. “I’ll take it slow to demo. So far, we’ve been dribbling down and back with the right hand and then down and back with the left. This one you’ll switch at the top of the circuit. Watch.” Dennis took off, dribbling the ball with his right hand and ran a step past the cone. He bounced the ball once behind his back and picked up the dribble with his left hand as he crossed over with his right foot behind his left and dribbled backwards back to the start line.

“Are you kidding me?” Amy cried. “That’s impossible!”

“No, it’s not. A simple behind the back pass as you’re dribbling is completely within your ability. I know I’ve seen Diane and Roberta do it. Ladies, show them.” Diane and Roberta took off running toward the cones, stopped a step beyond the cones, passed the ball behind their backs, and started backwards to the line. “It will take a couple of tries for you to get used to the feeling of where to place the ball on the pass so you don’t kick it or lose it, but that’s okay. We’re going to run this drill a lot. Line up. Ready?” He blew the whistle and they were off again. There were a few lost balls, one fall, and two balls that bounced off the cone, but after about five times through, they all made it around the cone and back. Then Dennis made them do the drill five more times.

“Hey, Lana,” he said. “You’re trying to do what it’s taken them all season to learn. Don’t get frustrated with it.”

“I want to be able to lead drills like you do.”

“You will. But you need to start a few steps back in the process. Just stand and dribble until you can dribble without looking at the ball. When you get that with your right hand, then switch to your left and dribble until you can dribble without watching the ball. It’s all about ball control and knowing where the ball is at all times. Got it?”

“I’ll do it. I don’t want to look like a klutz in front of the team.”

In her spot just behind the edge of the bleachers, Ardith watched the practice where she couldn’t be seen. She didn’t quite catch the last part of what Dennis had said when he called them into a circle, but they came out of the circle changed. She’d been ready to call them together and read them the riot act until she saw how they responded to Dennis. Then he started making their drills more complicated and even took time to help his assistant. He was truly developing into a trainer instead of a team manager. She was pleased. But it was time now to start practice instead of training. She stepped onto the court and blew her whistle.

Brenda picked Dennis up Saturday morning and then swung by Lana’s house out in the country to head for school to get ready for their game. There’d been no further developments in Will’s condition and after spending most of Thursday at the hospital, Dot had returned home and picked up with her daily visits in the afternoon. She and Peg were planning to come to the game at South Calhoun Saturday afternoon. At this stage of the tournament, neither school had home court advantage, though Bartley would be in their burgundy away uniforms.

When they reached Lana’s house, they both got out of the car to go to her door. Randolph Brown opened the door.

“You’re going awfully early for a 2:00 game, aren’t you?” he asked, looking at his watch. It was barely ten in the morning.

“Lana and I have a lot of work to do, getting ready for the hour-long bus ride to South Calhoun. We have the uniforms in the car freshly pressed and need to tape ankles on the team so they’re correctly supported,” Dennis said.

“Hi!” Lana said, stepping up beside her father. “Daddy, I never knew how much work the team manager does. I’ll be helping run stretching in the gym while Dennis tapes ankles. We need to keep our team loose!” She seemed extraordinarily happy and chipper this morning.

“Well, good luck at the game. Maybe Elsa and I will drive over to watch.”

“That would be great, sir!” Dennis said.

“Come on, Lana,” Brenda said. “We need to squeeze you in beside the uniforms.”

Randolph watched as the three teens reached the car and drove away. He had to admit that Lana had become brighter and more talkative since joining the basketball team than she had during all the time she was cheerleading.

The girls started gathering at the school just as Brenda pulled into the parking lot. They were a happy, chattering crew as they got excited about the upcoming game. They had decided to just wear their matching red sports bras and panties under their warmups on the way over to the game so their uniforms would be crisp and fresh when they walked onto the court. So, of course, none of the girls was in a hurry to get dressed until they’d been taped.

When he and Lana had taped Judith, Rosie, and the twins, Lana had them pull on their warmups and head for the gym. As she got up to join them, Lana leaned over to whisper in Dennis’s ear. “Enjoy the rest of the show.” The girls they taped had all been wearing just their panties and Lana was giggling about what exhibitionists they were. But as soon as the five girls left, Brenda plopped down in front of Dennis in just her birthday suit. She propped her foot up and lay back on the bench with the other on the floor.

“Wow, Brenda! You look ... really yummy,” Dennis whispered.

“Do you think so? Why don’t you take just a little taste and make sure I’m yummy?” she teased. He looked up and saw the other four girls standing around talking with exactly the same outfit as Brenda had on. They didn’t seem to be paying any attention to them. Dennis quickly leaned forward and licked up Brenda’s slit, separating the inner lips as he went. Brenda gasped. “You did it!” Dennis sat back on his stool and began wrapping her ankle. She propped herself up on an elbow while he worked, making no attempt to hide her crotch or close the open lips.

“You’re really beautiful, Brenda. I love you and of course, I’d lick you any time you want.”

“We were afraid you wouldn’t do it,” Brenda whispered. “I’m glad you did.”

“Why the offer? That’s a little out of the ordinary for the locker room.”

“Because you whipped us into shape this week and we wanted to take the first opportunity we had to show how much you mean to us. You are our trainer and our boyfriend. Don’t forget that, even when we haven’t been able to spend the night the past couple of nights,” she said.