The Crossover

Josh’s Play-by-Play

The Red Rockets,

defending county champions,

are in the house tonight.

They brought their whole school.

This place is oozing crimson.

They’re beating us

twenty-nine to twenty-eight

with less than a minute to go.

I’m at the free-throw line.

All I have to do

is make both shots

to take the lead.

The first is up, UP, and—

CLANK!—it hits the rim.

The second looks . . . real . . . goo . . .

MISSED AGAIN!

But

Vondie grabs the rebound,

a fresh twenty-four on the shot clock.

Number thirty-three on the Rockets

strips the ball from Vondie.

This game is like Ping-Pong,

with all the back-and-forth.

He races downcourt

for an easy lay—

OHHHHHHH!

Houston, we have a problem!

I catch him

and slap

the ball on the glass.

Ever seen anything like this from a seventh-grader?

Didn’t think so!

Me and JB are stars in the making.

The Rockets full-court-press me.

But I get it across the line just in time.

Ten seconds left.

I pass the ball to JB.

They double-team him in a hurry—don’t want to give

him an easy three.

Five seconds left.

JB lobs the ball,

I rise like a Learjet—

seventh-graders aren’t supposed to dunk.

But guess what?

I snatch the ball out of the air and

SLAM!

YAM! IN YOUR MUG!

Who’s Da Man?

Let’s look at that again.

Oh, I forgot, this is junior high.

No instant replay until college.

Well, with game like this

that’s where me and JB

are headed.