One practice missed.
Catch.
Move.
Breathe — careful! She’s right behind you.
Move. Right. Dribble. Left. Dribble. Repeat. Crossover. Eyes, use your eyes! She moved. Your right! Fake to the right. Pivot, make sure it’s sharp.
Breathe.
Maya, she’s on your left. Step. Dribble. Step. Pass.
Got it.
Don’t stand there admiring it, loser, MOVE!
Cut. You’re open. Eyes. Catch.
Shoot. Wait a second.
Breathe.
Shoot!
In. Repeat.
Number 22 of the Stuyvesant Phoenix. Power forward. Speed, endurance, aggression: all are necessary to uphold the position.
Arrogance…was it needed? To a certain extent.
After being the top scorer for three consecutive games, number 22 overflowed with arrogance.
Practice? Why? They need it, she doesn’t.
Two practices missed.
Next game.
Coach? Just a warning.
Whistle starts and ends it.
15 points, number 22 on top again.
Third practice missed.
Next game, Townsend Harris. A rival.
Coach? Benched.
Watch. Only wat, with bated breath.
No! Audrey! Pass it back! Don’t shoot! She can’t run as fast!
Number 22 needs to play.
Coach? No. Benched.
Game lost. Pride shot. Arrogance grew.
Fourth practice missed.
Thanksgiving break, 2008. Practice at home? No. Doesn’t matter. She knows it…how to win.
Back to school. Townsend rematch.
Off the bench.
Caoch? She liked winning, too.
Build the arrogance.
Game 25-23, them. 44 seconds.
Number 22′s locked by defense. Townsend number 96: a stubborn one.
22 cuts. Blocked. Cuts. Blocked. Cut. Cut. Cut.
Barely breathing.
Maya passes. 22 catches.
Dribble. Stop. NO. Why stop?! Dammit. Shoot or pass.
Pass means certain tie, Audrey’s open with a good shot. Shoot means the best comeback ever.
Arrogance.
She shoots. She missed.
She didn’t breathe.
