34: Life and Unwritten Rules

We moved into the semi-final game on Friday with all our cheering section intact. Rachel's mom swung by to pick up both Cassie and Samantha to bring them to the game. Since she was in the neighborhood, she picked up Geoff next. We played North Riley, the other big school in town, at two-thirty. We'd all agreed to stay through our varsity game at five-thirty, so we'd probably be eating popcorn for dinner.

North Riley was big, but not fast. They tended to just get under the basket and push people around in order to get a shot. Coach realized we couldn't compete there so he called us in for a time-out.

"Men and woman," he said, "these guys are too big for us to wrestle with. We're in a one-shot ballgame. We aren't going to get rebounds under our basket. Whit, are you getting roughed up?"

"No, Coach. I can't say they're afraid to touch me, but they don't make any effort to."

"Flag me if that changes. Two fingers straight down as you pass me. I'm moving you to forward. I want those corner shots. Derek, you move to guard with Josh. We need beef in the backcourt. Carl, you'll rotate in and out with Doug at the other forward. Whitney to the left where she's got her strong arm on the shot. You guys to the right and rush the rebound in their court. It'll be Sean and the right forward muscling it out under their basket. Whitney, Derek, and Josh, be moving down court when the shot is taken. Get as many fast breaks in as you can. Got it?"

"Trojans!" we yelled and the five hit the floor. I rode the bench all of the first half.

We were within five at the end of the half, but we were pushing the running game and we were only rotating seven players. They were getting tired. Not taking down any offensive rebounds was hurting us. No second chances. We had a fifteen minute break between quarters and we were all surprised at how Coach used it.

"You six," he pointed at the guys who had played most of the first half, "shower up. Use fresh t-shirts for the second half. We don't have full uniform changes for you. You've got four minutes then Whitney's coming in to shower." There were a couple whoops and Whitney blushed. Coach tossed her a clean t-shirt to wear under her jersey and a towel. She stood back and waited her turn for the showers.

"They are going to look like a new team," Coach said, looking at the rest of us. "You are going to play the game. We're using the same strategy, but it will be Paul and Joe at forward with Ty rotating in and out with Sean. Brian and Bert at guard. Les and Drew will be rotating in and out with you guys. The change in strategy is this. The shot goes to Brian in the backcourt if he's open. Pass off to Bert if you're blocked. No shots closer than top of the key. You two are the deadliest we've got from that distance. Watch for me to put Whitney back in the corner if they start putting too much pressure on." He looked up and saw Whitney was gone and the other six guys were pulling on their t-shirts. He counted to make sure no one was missing and grinned at us. "Just had to be sure. Brian!"

"Yes, coach."

"What's life rule number one?" How the fuck did Coach know about my life rules? I hadn't told many people. Except that English paper I wrote at the end of first semester. Crap.

"Rule number one is to do whatever is necessary to protect and defend the ones you love, Coach." The guys all looked at me a second as they started nodding.

"In this club, you do whatever is necessary to protect and defend your teammates. These guys are big. Don't be afraid to gang up on them."

Whitney walked in pulling her t-shirt on over her sports bra. I think every guy in the room noticed, but there wasn't a single catcall.

"Who are we?" Coach called.

"Trojans!"

"What are we gonna do?"

"Beat 'em!"

North Riley didn't know what hit them. They were still playing their first five for the most part and we were all completely fresh. Even the guys who dominated the first half looked fresh and ready to go. They spent the first few minutes looking for the threat from Whitney in the corner and Bert and I sailed three long shots right over their heads. Their zone defense developed holes as it tried to shift from one to the other of us and the first time it happened, Bert dribbled around a defender to feed the ball to Sean who still had enough in him to stuff it. They tried fouling us to stop the drive, but we sank every free throw. They had three of their musclemen in foul trouble in the first five minutes of the third quarter. They had no choice but to start shuffling their second team in. We could see right away why they'd played their first five nonstop. The second team didn't have the skill either to shoot or grab the rebounds. As soon as the complexion of the game changed, coach started rotating our muscle back into the front spots and we dominated the boards. Every time one of their starters re-entered the game, we went back to long ball. They never knew whether to look for me, Bert, or Whitney.

We won and advanced to the finals on Saturday. Nobody thought the little kids could do it.

I made it a point to sit beside Cassie as our Trojan varsity clobbered the St. Joseph team and asked to hold her hand during the game. That might be one of the things I remembered most fondly about our time in sixth grade: just holding hands.

"Brian, will you kiss me goodnight?" Cassie asked as we were heading out of the game. The JV and cheerleaders all had to head for our bus, but everyone else was headed for the parent pick-up. Cassie hadn't let go of my hand all evening. "I don't mean a big kiss, but ... like we used to?" Well, maybe just holding hands wasn't the only thing that I remembered fondly about our time in sixth grade. I leaned in to kiss her soft lips and just revel in their touch. We parted and she smiled at me. "I feel like I'm twelve again. Thank you for still wanting to be my boyfriend."

"You'd better catch up with Rachel. Cassie, I like being one of your boyfriends." She smiled and ran off to join Rachel, Samantha, and Geoff.

I got smashed up against two beauties on the bus. Brenda pushed me into a seat and sat on my lap. Rose squeezed in as tightly as she could. Whitney and Carl hung over the seat in front of me and Doug had a grip on my shoulder from the seat behind me. Sora leaned up next to him and Josh had his feet in the aisle next to us.

"May I kiss my boyfriend, quick, before the coaches get on the bus?" Brenda asked. I squeezed her and offered her my lips. The kiss I got was a toe-curler and right there in front of the rest of our group. "That's from all of us," Brenda said. "I just got to be the lucky one who said thank you."

"What? What's this all about?"

"You saved our girlfriend, Brian. I know it's not the same as rescuing Jennifer when she fell off a horse, but you came to the defense of Cassie even against her father. She told Rachel, Samantha, and Geoff, and they filled the rest of us in during the game. When you defended our agreement, you defended all of us. We all wanted to say thank you."

"Uh, it was just ... well, geez! What would you all do if you came on any one of us crying out in the woods? I just did what any of the rest of you would."

"You've got to be kidding, man. You did so much more than I'd ever dare to," Carl said. "I'd think he's an adult and I'm just a kid. I can't do anything. But you did something. We just all figured out what you mean by life rule number one. I know coach borrowed it for our game, but you live it, man. I like Cassie a lot and hope she'll go out with me sometime. You kept her part of our ... uh ... family. I'm sure going to say thank you for that."

"Coach is coming," Sora said. Brenda launched herself off my lap and over Rose to land in the space Josh made beside him and the eight of us were sitting quietly and properly when Coach came down the aisle. He was giving out "good game" to each of the players and "thank you" to each of the cheerleaders when he got to us. He paused, noting that Sora and Josh were sitting with us.

"I won't have to come down the aisle every ten minutes while we're heading back to school, will I?" he asked us.

"No, Coach," Brenda answered. "We won't do more than hold hands, if that's okay. We know the rules. Josh, will you hold my hand on the way back to school?" she asked.

"Thank you, Brenda. I'd love to," Josh answered and took Brenda's offered hand. Coach watched as each of us turned to our seatmates and asked the same question then grasped hands. He just nodded and continued down the aisle to make sure everyone was on the bus.

All the guys had their shorts on when Coach opened the door and let Whitney into the locker room. She had her shorts and t-shirt on, but was carrying her jersey, shoes, and gear. She plopped down on the bench next to Josh and started lacing up while Coach gave us our pre-game talk. There was something a little strange about this. Whitney usually left her bag with the cheerleaders and joined us after everyone else was dressed and ready for the court. Coach must really have some important things to say to us if we dragged her in before we were all ready. We paid attention.

"This is our tournament, team. We play Washington this afternoon and varsity plays Washington tonight. Things didn't go so well the last time we played them did they, Sean?"

"No, Coach. We lost. They're a lot bigger and more powerful than we are."

"Was that an excuse, Sean?"

"No, Coach. Things just didn't go well last time."

"That's right. And Sean's right about the fact they are bigger and more powerful than we are. I think they are even faster. We're out-gunned. Most of these guys are sophomores and juniors while most of you are freshmen and sophomores. They're older. Wiser. They have more experience than we do. The only reason some of them aren't on varsity is because they've got so many powerhouses on their varsity team. Lamar Trane isn't even going to be the tallest guy on the court tonight. But we have something they don't have." Everyone looked at Whitney. Coach started laughing. "Yes. We've got a girl playing basketball. A woman." Whitney sat up straighter. With her sports bra on, you could barely tell she was female from her chest. Her face just glowed, though. "That's not what I was talking about. We have a team. What's life rule number one?"

"Do whatever is necessary to protect and defend your teammates!" Everyone shouted. I wasn't completely sure I liked the fact that Coach kind of changed my life rule, but it was true. Among this group, I'd do whatever was necessary.

"That's right. We have a team. And every person on this team will protect and defend their teammates. It wasn't always like that, was it? What happened after the first practice this season, Josh?"

"Coach. I got my mouth washed out with soap because I badmouthed one of my teammates. I didn't understand life rule number one but her ... real teammates did."

"You learned that lesson. You defended her on the court in the Holiday Tourney. I understand and I'm sorry I had to suspend you for two games. Keep in mind, team, that basketball is not a free-for-all. When you defend your teammates, you have to stay within the rules. What's life rule number two, Brian?" Damn, he was going to use them all.

"Treat others with kindness and respect, Coach."

"Whitney came in here today before you were all fully dressed and she didn't have her jersey and shoes on yet. We've been making her dress with the cheerleaders. Oh, you were all decent and so was she when we sat down. Nobody's here for a peepshow. Right?"

"Right!"

"But I couldn't have brought her in here to be with her team a few weeks ago. Why is that?"

"Because we weren't treating her, or each other, with kindness and respect, Coach," Sean spoke up.

"That's what rules are all about. Rules are about making sure that we maintain an even playing field and treat everyone with the same kindness and respect. That goes beyond our team. That means that you respect those players who face you on the court today. You respect the referees. You respect your coaches and the cheerleaders. And most of all, you respect each other. That's what makes you a team worth defending." There was a moment of silence as Coach Hancock made eye contact with each of us.

"Who are we?" he yelled into the room.

"St. Joe Valley Trojans!" we answered.

"What're we gonna do?"

"Beat 'em!"

We charged onto the court like David ready to face Goliath.

We lost the game, but we stayed with them all the way. We couldn't work them down to a weak spot in their rotation because every player was strong. They even had a player shorter than me who dribbled right around me. Once. He found out he wasn't the only one who could move the ball. But it still wasn't enough. They were all the things Coach said. Bigger, stronger, faster, more experienced. It was all we could do to stay within ten. We were exhausted when we finished. We cheered when we found out Whitney was our top scorer. We all sat in the hall while she got the first shower.