Chapter 2

"So, what do you know about this Humphries guy?" asked Freddie, Still staring out into the New York skyline.

It was, now, two weeks after graduation and they were about to land at La Guardia Airport. He didn't know anything about his potential teammate.

Not even Gibby knew that much about Jerome Humphries, aside from the obvious. "All I know is that he may be the highest ranked player to ever come to Washington. He is a 3-time Sporterade New York State player of the year. He is the National Player of the year in Basketball this year. He is tops in just about every recruiting board in the nation. They call him the Next coming of Magic Johnson, only, more athletic." Freddie, not knowing much about Magic Johnson, decided that he'd look him up later on.

"The only thing that's holding him back is that he has leadership issues. He played for Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School in Brooklyn. The thing is, they never won a state championship, heck, they've never, even, gotten past the state semi-finals. And on two occasions, he was the team captain. Still, he was offered scholarships to many great schools all across the nation: From Syracuse to Kentucky, even Duke… The Duke University, gave him a chance to start from off the bat." Freddie mentally noted that he'd have to look up Duke University as well. He knew of the school, of course, but was unfamiliar with their athletics.

"If he was so highly regarded, why did he come to the University of Washington?" Freddie looked over to Gibby.

Gibby just shrugged "That question will hopefully be answered today."

Freddie sighed and turned back to look out of the airplane window. His excitement and curiosity is giving him "moths" in his stomach, butterflies sound way to girly for the feeling he was feeling right now. This was what he has been waiting for. No matter what he was getting into by joining Gibby in this odd venture, he was still excited.

Then they heard the flight attendant's voice in the intercom, "Please fasten your seat belt, we are about to begin our descent." They were landing. Many of his question would be answered. This is the day that he came down to meet the man that was about to change everything.

While inside the airport, a sullen Jerome Humphries had many thoughts on his mind. Throughout all of his years in High School, and with all of his individual accomplishments, there was one thing kept slipping away from him… a New York State Championship.

In New York City, basketball players go through the same regiment as a Gladiator… in a sense. The streets were his training facilities. He's go in and get 'roughed' up in pick-up games on some of the city's best courts.

Madison Square Garden, in Manhattan, was the Coliseum. There's a battle in that stadium every year for the State Championships. They say that it's the best show, next to the Big East Tournament, as the Knicks and Rangers are not what they used to be. If you wanted a good show, this is where you went.

It is considered quite a feat to get there more than once. Jerome had reached the stage once before. He led them all the way to the semi finals. He failed then. Playing in the Semi-Finals once again… he couldn't let it slip away from him again. Not when he had such a rare opportunity. That was the time when he could show them: the scouts and his critics, just how great a leader he could be.

Ever since the last state Semi final round, which was over two months ago, his thoughts would always go back to that infamous night in Madison Square Garden. He would always remember it as one of the biggest disappointments in his career.

March 1st 2010 New York State Athletic Association Division 1 Semi-Finals

H.S. 119 Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School (Brooklyn, NY)

vs.

H.S. 123 Booker T. Washington High School (Bronx, NY)

Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York.

In New York City, basketball players go through the same regiment as a Gladiator… in a sense. The streets were his training facilities. He's go in and get 'roughed' up in pick-up games on some of the city's best courts.

Madison Square Garden in Manhattan was the Coliseum. There's a battle in that stadium every year for the State Championships. They say that its the best show, next to the Big East Tournament, as the Knicks and Rangers are not what they used to be. If you wanted a good show, this is where you went.

It is considered quite a feat to be here more than once. Jerome had reached the stage once before. He led them all the way to the semi finals. He failed then. and now… playing here in the Semi-Finals once again… he couldn't let it slip away from him again. Not when he had such a rare opportunity. This was that time when he could implement his "leadership".

FDR High is down 3 against a furious, Booker T. Washington, squad; which was led by his main rival: Jake Morgan. He was shooting threes from NBA Range and stifling the offense that the FDR Tigers had become known for. Booker T. Washington was forcing FDR to play to their tempo by negating the speed of the FDR offense.

There's 30.8 seconds left and FDR was forced to foul Morgan, putting him on the line for 2 free throws. In a stroke of luck that could've been mistaken for destiny, he missed both and FDR called a time out as soon as they got the rebound.

Jerome stood in the middle of the huddle, looking at his players. They were staring back at him, looking on, as he tried to keep their spirits up, "Look, he missed both free throws and we have a damn chance to get things done! At this point we must go for it right here. if we can get this thing to overtime we could win this game and get to the finals damn it,"

As the team captain, he had a responsibility to keep his players urgent at moments like these. But as he looks on, he could see that his words were just going in one ear and out the other. The team looked as if they were dead on their feet. You could see it in their heavy breathing, and the creases on their eyes. Their hands were either; on their hips, or even worse, on their knees. They weren't ready for a team like this. They weren't fit enough for games like this, and the only person he could blame was himself. He wasn't anywhere near as tired as the others but that was because of his own training regimen.

He knew he should have been more involved with his players, especially since he was the point guard, A position in which you are the general. The point guard starts plays and gets the ball to the open man.

But he had to remain focused on this game. "I know you guys are tired. It's been a struggle but we are almost there. We can tie this damn thing and take it to overtime." He heard groans all over the place as he stared wide eyed at his teammates the shock of them not wanting this as much as he did.

"GUYS! Do you want this thing or what! I know I do!"

"I feel like throwing up," said one player.

"Me too,"

That started a chain of his whole team saying they had reached their limits. It was stunning for him because he felt like he could reach overtime, but his guys couldn't even get past the final 30 seconds.

At this point, Head Coach Eddie Rodriguez had to step in. "HEY GUYS!" he yelled. The team stopped their chatter. "We need to get it together! We have thirty seconds to make something out of nothing here! We may need to drag it out just a little longer but we can win this game!" So he puts out one of their original plays they do in practice. It was easy for Jerome; not so much for the rest of his team.

So they walked back out to the court. Everyone's legs for FDR were just about to give out, other than Jerome's. When he looked over to the opposition's bench he noticed that they looked like they could go five or six overtimes. At that very moment, he knew.

He was a great talent, but such a horrible leader… they were all right.

The papers, the scouts, his coaches… they were all right.

They inbounded the ball to Jerome. He looked at what was in front of him.

Morgan was following his every step. He looked like a spider about that was about to eat his prey alive.

He looked around see that his team was two steps slower than their Bronx counterparts. he noticed that they were easily getting disrupted by the screens Booker T. had set up for them. They would try to stand up straight, but they weren't in position to take advantage of the any of the one-on-one matchups. This was causing trouble for Jerome because FDR's main strength was finding and capitalizing on the mismatches that he created. However, since Morgan was able to play Jerome one-on-one, there was no way to draw a double team and get one of his other players open. He called for a screen and the small forward came and stood to the left of Morgan. However, the small forward was too tired to set an effective screen and it was easily avoided by Morgan. They were tired. All of them were tired way past fatigued and on to the point of exhaustion. Jerome came to a startling realization… The play was dead before he crossed half court. He had to think fast.

He went to the right side of the court and gave it to his shooting guard at the top of the key. The shooting guard tried to cross the defender in front of him to get to the basket but the defender was following him step for step. So he passed the ball back to Jerome who had taken his place at the top of the key.

Jerome looked up at the clock on the backboard that was in front of him and watched as it continued ticking down to the end of his career in high school. All of the work he put in on the many big time courts around this very city could go down the drain. He looked from the clock over to Morgan, who was wearing his trademark smirk on his: sweaty, tired, yet proud face. He had been bested once again, and Morgan knew it.

Jerome looked around to see if his shooters were open but they were closely guarded around the edge of the 3-point line.

Jerome looked up at the clock and saw that there was 5 seconds to go. He had no choice but to launch one up to the basket and hope for the best. So he took his stance and was about to lift the ball up to take his shot but he was surprised to find that he was pulling up air.

Jerome, baffled, looked behind him and saw Jake Morgan with the ball. He running down to his half of the court and Jerome gave chase.

But it was too late, as Morgan laid it in and time expired.

FDR was beaten once again.

Jerome just stood in middle of the court looking at his team who's, usually, bright red jerseys were a shade darker because of the sweat. Their legs looked like a Jenga tower that was about to fall. Some of their heads were down and others were glaring daggers directly at Jerome.

He just hung his head down and that same feeling that he had the previous year was back and this time the sting of this defeat lingered. He was a senior captain and point guard. He was touted to have the ability of Steve Nash, but condemned to be as clutch as bargain brand trash bag. He felt that sinking feeling on the inside and outside. That's when he knew that he didn't lose that game in the final five seconds.

Instead he had lost this one before they tipped off to start the game.

Present Day.

Jerome would think about that game and that lingering, sinking feeling that never left. he has been told that being unable to let go of big failures is in his blood. He was also told that these failure were to be used so that he could recognize that he had a long way to go until he reached greatness. It was what his cousin and mentor Sean Jackson had always told him.

Sean's a legend already at 20, leading his Newcastle United soccer team to their first Domestic Titles ever by winning the English Premier League and F.A. Cup Tournament in the same season in their first season in England's Top League.

That last semi-finals game basically destroyed any desire that Jerome had, to play in the Big East Conference. The Big East Conference Tournament would be there in that same place, and he can't take that. He has to go far away and go to a place where he can get another chance to be a leader. The University of Washington gives him that very chance.

His last chance.

He looks up to see his players come down the airport hallway...

The players are feeling a sense of excitement as they get off of the plane. They feel as if they're ready for almost anything. Jerome stood up and stared at his freshman, the people that he would lead.

He sees tall kids, short kids, stocky kids, lanky kids. They looked like that would almost fit into their positions, but they needed more work. He knew what he was getting himself into… he wanted this. He was going to give Washington a National Championship before he was done there. Failure meant losing his chance at leading a NBA team… his chance at being the player he always wanted to be.

"Welcome, boys," he would yell out. "Welcome to the special training camp that I made for us before we go back to Seattle for actual training camp. We want to know if you're here to win, or here just to mess around. I've played this game for almost 11 years and I don't play around,"

"Yo," said a taller Mocha skinned man that came and stood behind Jerome.

Jerome turns around to see his good friend and other, future, teammate Rudolph Henderson. "Hey Rudy I was getting worried. Boys this is Rudy Henderson: Power Forward. He's my best friend and balling partner. He is also a recruit that Coach Lo picked up for the next four years."

"Who's Coach Lo," came a voice from the back of the group.

Jerome stifled a growl, "He is the head coach of the basketball team; Head Coach Lorenzo Romar."

Rudy would laugh as he leaned over and whispered in Jerome's ear, "Looks like we got a batch of keepers here." Rudy would chuckle as Jerome shot him a glare, "Hey guys," Rudy would say, addressing the crowd of newcomers, and they would return the greeting.

"Alright guys," Jerome would put his hand up and interrupt, before we get into introductions, I have to do this," he would give each player a booklet, "Open those up please." They opened up and see a ticket.

"There is a saying that 'if you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen', well," he would stare at the freshmen intently, "This kitchen can get to around 90 degrees Fahrenheit… and on our worse days, almost a hundred. If it hits a hundred we'll stop but we'll will feel it."

"You are here and should know that this month that you're going to go through will be an adventure," he holds up his hand to them. "We will push you mentally, physically and emotionally, and if you can't take it, well, there it is. Your ticket to Seattle to start school. But, after this, don't ask me if you can come back. That is for the people that can take the heat and if you couldn't, it wouldn't be fair to them." Jerome knows that he needs to show his ambition as well as his ability to lead. He wants that lingering feeling to be gone. One way or another, he'll make it happen.

"So! Are you guys ready for this?"

Freddie looks around and can see the nerves that are present in all of their faces. He feels it to and begins to wonder if he can make it or if he'll go Insane trying. They all nod, trying to mask the fear that; even if they do have the tickets, they may not make it back to Seattle to start the real Training Camp.

"Cool lets go to the van then we can all introduce ourselves there."

Thanks for reading Chapter 2 and i know you guys are asking about what is a screen and what is the Big East? well I'll help you out with that here...

College Basketball Terminology

Big East Conference - Made in 1979 and now consist of 16 Colleges and Universities amongst the northeast, southeast and Midwest, the schools are Connecticut, Rutgers, St Johns, Providence College, Nortre Dame, Louisville, DePaul, Seton Hall, Pittsburgh, South Florida, Villanova, Marquette, Georgetown, West Virginia and Syracuse. They are the biggest conference in College Basketball on number of Colleges/Universities and holds the record for most teams to get invited into the NCAA Tournament in 1 single season with eight.

Screen - A screen is a blocking move by an offensive player, by standing beside or behind a defender, to free a teammate to shoot, receive a pass, or drive in to score. In basketball, it is also known as a pick. Screens can be on-ball (when set for the ball-handler), or off-ball (when set for a teammate moving without the ball to get open for a pass). The two offensive players involved in setting the screen are known as the screener (who blocks the defender) and the cutter (who gets free from the defender).

Sporterade - another word for Gatorade, the sports drink.

If you want to ask anymore questions just review and pm me also. Please Review and thanks for reading.