Chapter 8: The Test: Part 2

20 minutes after catching the subway... Holcombe Rucker Park, Harlem, New York

Rucker Park, the mecca of Street Basketball, this place is what made Streetball into what it is today a show of quick reflexes, grand speed, and devastating power. It was what the 'Ruck' gave in the end, a show. Named after Holcombe L. Rucker the man who started the first known streetball tournaments in New York in 1947, it grew to massive proportions when Wilt Chamberlain; known to score one-hundred points in a game, made it into his own playground. Since then, street greats like, "Dr." Julius Erving, winner of the first ever slam dunk contest, as wel as Hall of Famer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, have graced the courts of Rucker Park. This place has clout; here, the courts are more updated then the any of the other courts in all of New York. However, one thing has always remained the same. The green court concrete, which is notorious around the basketball world.

"So," Jerome would say after finally getting to their destination. They were outside of the court that they were supposed to play today, sitting on the fence that surrounds this very court. "So today is the start of Rucker Park's biggest tournament, the entertainers basketball classic. Its gonna be a crazy day. We are going to face some true college players, and maybe see..." He looks over to see what he should have expected, but hoped not to... "Morgan." He said darkly.

Jake Morgan walks in with the rest of his team, he's in his patented Aviator sunglasses, Light gray sport vest, which is open, a light blue shirt, and matching jeans. He was out looking like a mobster coming to work,

"Well, Jerome, interesting team you have here." He brings that trademark smirk, the same smirk that was in front of Jerome when he lost for the second time, in the state semis.

"Morgan, shouldn't you be at the kiddie pool in Syracuse?" Morgan was known to be second fiddle to Jerome in almost every aspect. Even when going to Syracuse. Morgan only received the scholarship because Jerome declined it. In everything Jake has always been the silver medal even when winning the gold. When Jake led his team to a state title last year, Jerome was still crowned the best player by New York Basketball Magazine, the authority in Basketball in this state.

"You really want to say that when your conference is the kiddie pool?"

"The Pac-10 is a power conference!"

"Because of Football! You know that Jerome, USC made that conference and basketball is the LAST thing they truly worry about, I mean the proof is in the last few years," Morgan for all of his arrogance was right to a point. The Pacific-10, in the last four years, has been weakening basketball wise, with a declining number of teams that have been making it to the tournament, let alone going very far. The only light showing of hope has been UCLA, who has made two straight final fours, but then even they couldn't make it last. Conference experts think it's a rebuilding stage, but others think it's something else.

"Aren't they adding more members next year?" Morgan says smirking.

"Yeah, so?" Jerome snarked.

"Colorado and Utah, aren't those guys strength in football as well?"

"Maybe..."

"The Fact is, your going to disappear in a Football Conference that also has basketball and I will be flourishing in one of the best conferences in all of college basketball." True, the power the Big East Conference has over the rest of College basketball is comparable to what the Roman Empire had on the rest of the world. It's not just the biggest conference in the nation, but the deepest, as they would break records on how many teams that would be in the tournament.

"Man they don't give a damn about you, you were sloppy seconds, remember?"

"Jerome, the fact is you could have any big time program in the country, and yet you went to Washington?" At this point they were dangerously close together and people on both ends were getting nervous...

"Okay guys, we are done here." Rudy finally came in-between them and things cooled down. Both turned around to walk back to their teams but Morgan turned back around.

"Oh and one more thing," Morgan said, Jerome just stopped not turning, "Diana and me had a VERY interesting night before she left, if you know what i mean." And yes, they had a interesting night, it was the night that she broke up with him. But Jerome didn't know that, and what Jerome didn't know was bound to hurt him, at least, Jake hoped so. Jake succeeded as that comment struck a nerve in the smaller guard and he came charging at Morgan. Luckily though, with Rudy right beside him he wasn't going to get very far.

"Let me at that idiot! I wanna whoop that ass so bad! I got you Morgan!" Jerome screamed while in being held back by Rudy dragging him back to his team. Jake was laughing heartily back towards his chuckling team also.

"Rome, you need to calm down, Diana was never yours to begin with and you know it." Rudy said after reaching their team.

"Rudy, Diana is one of our best friends and we went out remember?"

"But Rome," Rudy retorted, "Didn't you and Diana break up because of the rivalry you and Morgan had?"

"Yeah, Can we not talk about that please?"

"Okay," Rudy takes his fitted baseball cap off and rubs his head over in frustration and puts it back on "Look, we have 10 minutes okay, let's talk to our team."

"Yeah," Jerome looks back towards where Morgan was and he turned to leave. It destroyed him when he found that Diana didn't even go to their graduation and disappeared with only her parents saying she went to college. It was stunning that she just left but it was understandable, the last time he saw her, the rivalry just got to him. It was humbling.

"Let's go then," So they would walk towards his team and Jerome spoke first.

"Sorry about that. I almost made a mistake back there but now I am ready and focused. That is the main thing." Jerome pointed at every one, "and i would like to see the same for you guys, I know the work we pulled here today and its going to be worth it by the end of the day, believe me." Everyone shared a worried glance, it was nerve racking, what was about to go down today.

They have never faced talent this good before. It was so evident that even Freddie realized that. But, Jerome believes that they can pull off an upset. He was always a believer in bold calls.

His whole family was bold: from his Cousin Sean, to his girl Tameka, to himself, and other cousins. He knew that his people were bold people one way or another. It was family tradition. "Grab life by the horns," was the family saying. They lived life by that moniker proudly.

"Okay men, let's go to war!"

Upon hearing this Freddie's stomach sank to his feet.

The Players finally reach center court as the tip-off is about to begin. Jerome's team is wearing Red with white outline on the edges on the jerseys, while the opponent's team was wearing black and white out-line.

The notable player was a top Recruit from Upstate New York that will be going to St. Johns. Small Forward at 6'7 204 all muscle and impressive shooter. He's not as fast as he is strong. He's known for running people over to get to the basket and twice destroyed the glass on top of the rim in high school games. Rudy was on him.

Freddie, however, had a bigger issue. The Shooting guard that he was facing had to be 6'6 and a giant towering over Freddie's 5'9 frame. But what got to Freddie the most was the fact he was forced to start and face up to him... He was a top 20 recruit... In the nation.

The fateful conversation still rang in his ears.

"Benson!" Jerome called out 10 minutes before the game started. Freddie was talking to Gibby about the game, he was so glad that he was not starting and Gibby had some impressive talent he had to man up against.

"Be right back Gibby," Freddie said quickly and went over to where Jerome was sitting. Jerome patted on the ground to sit by him. Feeling nervous Freddie went to sit down anyway.

Jerome was looking around towards everyone else except the guy that was sitting next to him and Freddie was feeling the tension and it just never led to good things when he can feel the tension.

"Alright, I ma-" Jerome Stopped himself, "Okay, WILL regret this but we have no choice."

Freddie suddenly, eyes wide, felt like the oxygen had just left his lungs, "You're cutting me now c'mon man! I tried to work with ya but this is what I-"

Jerome interrupted with his hand to his face... "NO! That's not it Benson… it's actually the opposite." Jerome took a deep breath, "I need you to start." Freddie even now even wide, stared them towards Jerome, and in his mind is thinking that maybe it would have been better to be cut at this point.

"Uhh..."

"Benson, we have no choice, the only other Guard is injured, too sick to play said something in the food got to him..." Freddie's eyes looked up in shock and was about to look back to Jerome and at the corner of his eye, he sees Gibby with his thumbs up. did he-

"So get ready cause you're starting and I hope luck onto us all..." Jerome said with a pat on Freddie's Shoulder. He stood up and went over to Rudy.

Freddie couldn't believe the luck he had, don't know whether to be excited or to be scared for his life...

'No' he thought, 'Scared for my life sounds more sensible right now'

Freddie comes to find out later that Sam told Gibby that it would be a good idea to put some concoction into the other player's food the night before, and now he is way too sick to play. Dude couldn't stay out of the bathroom all morning.

So the lineup looked like this for the game...

Starters

Jerome - PG

Freddie – SG

Gibby – SF

Rudy – PF

Steve Foster - C

Bench

James Morrison – C

Marcus Sanders – PG

Tim Gunderson – SF

Mike Jamison – PF

So, here he was, on the other side of this giant of a player and getting ready to get the tip-off of a big time tournament that Jerome forced them in.

Yay... is all Freddie can think of as the blond headed demon was in front of him in the stands laughing at something that nub...

Nub? Freddie thought, Am I going to need to read another Sigmund Freud book… or I am Jealous...

Then Sam turned to him and gave a sly smug smirk and a wink. That said it all, ah I do love when things come together, YOU FAIL DORK!

There is a moment when you know that you felt in the pit of your stomach that someone wass doing something more than what they were really doing.

This, was one of those moments...

"BENSON!"

Freddie was shaken out of his trance by a yell and a sudden pull of his jersey collar...

"Focus!" whispered-yelled Jerome who is face to face and has a hand on his collar and pulled back and to see the tip-off.

Freddie did his best to focus and looked at the ball that the referee has thrown up in the air and the two centers went for the ball...

There was a light crowd as the day was ending at Rucker Park and their court wasn't of much focus as other teams were playing games at the same time. However, Morgan's team was there, of course, and of all people, Jonah had to be on it. It sickened both Freddie and Jerome to see those guys in the stands. Morgan, with a huge smile through those Aviator glasses, lying back with his hands behind his head just loving the mess his rival's team was going through at this point. Freddie couldn't help but notice that Jonah was having a very animated conversation with his 'ene-friend' right now, that was more enemy than friend. Much, much more.

Freddie was outmatched in almost every way possible. It's on a new level, he couldn't take the physicality of street, Jerome put the team in a 2-3 zone, where there is your point and shooting guard at top and the bottom would be your Small Forward to your left and Power Forward to your Right, and the Center, your true big man in the middle. The team though, as much they tried to teach them what they knew as basketball the opponents, felt otherwise to make mismatches and it was working to a tee. Sometimes they would have the big man outside but they were fast and just easily got into the mid-range where they would double team and it left the guards open for wide open shots.

The offense was an even a bigger mess.

The guys couldn't get anything going, they would have a play set up and then the man-to-man defense the opposing team would play was so close onto each other they could barely move, they were fly paper and Jerome's team was the flies. They just got stuck. It either led to traveling which means moving without dribbling, or steals. And there were many of them.

The war inside was a more to Jerome's team because of Rudy's great athletic ability to grab the rebound, the way he was always there in the air felt like he was flying, kind of like Superman. Gibby was trying to hold his own, but he is learning that being all district in the city of Seattle is not the same being All-Americas and future NBA draft picks either.

So we go back to our hero, which at this point is playing like a zero, Freddie was feeling everything bearing down on him, from taking this position to the added pressure Gibby put him in (For positive reasons) and Sam (for her 'evil and demonic reasons...' quoted Freddie's mind.) Also, the fact the person Freddie has matched up with is too good for his own meager talents to keep up with.

Everett Smallings, Shooting guard that is, from the borough of Queens New York, 6'3 210 pounds, some call him a small forward with the size, but he prefers Shooting guard to frustrate the 'ants', as he would call whose who would match up with him. Because of his size, they underestimate how fast he truly is. Kid ran a 4.20 40 yard dash in track and field, he's pretty fast by University of South Carolina regards as they was the only team to pick him up as a shooting guard.

Freddie, though, wasn't worried about anything else but the fact that Smallings was all over him whenever he got the ball. As he came face to face after a tussle for the ball, Everett tried to take the ball from him. During the tussle Freddie looks over to Sam and Jonah. The smile on her face that was directed towards Jonah and how good they looked together in addition to the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about how those jeans hugged Sam ever so nicely, or the way her lips looked so luscious, like they were meant to be... kissed?

When he takes in the entire scene of Sam and Jonah's interaction his heart is torn to pieces.

But as he was indulging in his angst, Everett saw the opportunity, as the bigger match-up, to make his move. He tore the ball out of Freddie's hands, elbowed him in the head and made a sprint towards his basket with the ball. Freddie dropped like a lead balloon to the court as Jerome made a sprint to catch up to Everett. He was too late, as Smallings did a one handed slam dunk into the basket adding two more points to what was already a rout.

Freddie felt a throbbing headache all of a sudden and didn't have any idea why.

The game went downhill from there, if that was even possible, and ended 64-37 in favor of the opposition. The split in points was like this; 14 points by Rudy, 14 by Jerome and the rest of the team scored a total of nine points. It was an embarrassing showing all around and the worst part of all of this was that the night was just beginning.

Jerome was staring towards his team after this staggering defeat, he sees them sitting on the same fence all day in a line like a mash unit in the army; bruises all over their bodies, ice bags on their heads or eyes, the feeling that they were in a battle and Jerome chuckled to himself. Beofre the game started he boldly declared, 'okay men lets go to war!'. The accuracy of that statement struck his funny bone. As he kept chuckling he turned to see his pissed off best friend who was on the fence bearing down with his stare. The chuckling stopped immediately.

"Rome," Rudy said surprisingly calmly,

"Uh, Rudy?" Jerome looked at him with a brow cocked in curiosity.

"So, what did we learn today?"

"We learned that we need to give these guys a backbone!" He gestured to his team on the fence, "They played like wussies out there!"

"No," Rudy again with the calmness.

"We learned that we can look back and laugh at this?" Now thoroughly confused.

"No," Rudy came up from the fence staring at Jerome and was about to open his mouth and then another voice came into the fray.

"That the streets is way too different from a sanctioned basketball game."

Both looked around to see Sean of all people staring at them both with a smug smirk on his face.

"Boys." He came to them and leaned on the fence.

"Hey cousin," Jerome said nervously.

"Rome, you remember what you told me last night?"

"Uh," Jerome stumbling as he tried to feign confusion and denial. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Heartily chuckling, Sean is clearly enjoying this, man I love when I am right his thoughts conveyed. "Okay. Does 'let Caesar work his magic' ring any bells?"

Jerome knew he said it, but he will NOT be outdone by his cousin, "Nope not a single one."

"Okay then, but you can't see that you made a mistake?"

"I made a mistake alright," Jerome seethed getting tired of his cousin's meddling, "I made a mistake of talking to you the night before."

Sean cocked an eyebrow with a big smirk on his face. "You can't seem to understand that you play a different level to the other guys around you except Rudy talent wise," Sean then bowed his head and shook it slowly from left to right, "But, being a leader, well that's a different story."

Jerome stalked closer, almost face to face with Sean "What are you saying, cousin?" Then, for the second time today...

"He Says you are not the leader you think you are." Morgan in front of both of them and both rotated their heads as they were a gas station sign towards the rival.

"See," he saunters over towards both of them with a smug look on his face. "Your 'talent' is respected in this city, but your leadership, as has been proven SO well in high school," he took a moment to lightly chuckle, "Is in dire straits."

Jerome at this point felt like a slowing raging volcano ready to spew out all its lava on everyone on the path, with the way he was getting bombarded by questions of his leadership by his rival and cousin. "Morgan, do me a favor?" Jerome asked calmly "Could you stay the HELL out of this?" he would come out howling at the last part as he felt like he was going to lose it.
Ever the peacemaker, Sean would not let that happen.

"Morgan," Sean insisted quietly, "Could you please walk away now?"

"I got ya Mr. Jackson I am gone, but one more thing to Jerome," Morgan took of his Aviator glasses, came to bore down on Jerome and whispered into Jerome's ear."I hope being the first pick in the SECOND round of the NBA Draft is nice as the first, because I don't think Diana would want a draft bust as a boyfriend you know?"

"Have a nice day Morgan!" Sean insisted hastily, he was getting tired of his antics at this point himself.

Morgan put his dark aviator glasses on and walked away.

"Look Jerome," Sean insisted after turning to him looking face to face. "Morgan AND Diana should be the last thing on your mind. Right now your priority should be thinking of a way to talk to your team. You want to show that you're a good leader, right? This is where you start."

He sighs with regret and slumps down in defeat. "Alright."

During Jerome's quarrel with Jake, Freddie was walking from the bathroom behind the stands which was almost empty, save for a few people who stayed back for one reason or another. It was the end of day one and Morgan made it past the first two rounds and was in quarters of this 12 team city tournament which started tomorrow afternoon.

Freddie watched them play and they were an aggressive bunch. Physical and disciplined. They stuck to their assignments like white on rice. Freddie was also amazed at the fact that they didn't seem to have plays. It was pure basketball, shooting, dribbling, and dunking. Freddie was keenly observant of how Jake led his team. He was the General and he almost flawlessly led his team to open spots and scoring opportunities.

But what impressed Freddie the most was Jonah. Jonah was lights out at one point, scoring ten unanswered points. And most of those shots were past the three point line on the court. His Speed was okay, but it was his strength and technical prowess that got to Freddie the most. He was stunned of how good he was on the court that day. As the game ended Freddie couldn't help but notice the disparity in his talent and Jonah's. He was on a very different level. One that Freddie wasn't sure he would be able to catch up with.

"You were Impressive today, Jonah." Sam's voice rung from above the bleachers as Freddie was walking, making him freeze on the spot. The logical side of Freddie screamed: Eavesdropping can be a felony offense if taken by full state of the law, so I really suggest you to GET OUT OF THERE! His other half, the impulsive lax side, was saying, Might as well hear for a quick minute... at that moment Logic was smashed like a nail by a sledgehammer, and he stayed and listened intently to the conversation of the people above.

"Thanks, when I left Seattle, I learned to play basketball as an after school deal in the gym of my high school."

"Well buddy you did an impressive job just shooting. I remember having a day like that once or twice." Silence... "Okay," Sam piped up. "more than a few times." Her and Jonah laughed at that.

"Well I heard you were a great player." Sam looked at him questioningly, "I heard from the women's team in our high school when they went across the state to face you guys. They said it was like you had two levels with your energy." He said.

"Well, momma's got game when she wants to. Wanted to show the kiddies at your school how to play some real basketball." She was smirking to the last part.

Jonah chuckled to that. "Somehow, i agree to that, but..." a laugh was bubbling in him "Did you see how bad Freddie's team was?"

"Goodness that was Lewbert's wart bad," and they were both laughing.

Freddie was feeling it, he should have known this would happen. He hung his head and prepared to leave, but Sam wasn't done yet.

"Look ,let me tell you something about a Mr. Fredward Benson," She said.

"Benson, is a weakling, how much he can pick up? a spec of dirt?" Freddie suddenly was gritting his teeth.

"He is worthless to the team, athletically retarded, he doesn't go after what he wants, I blame that crazy mother of his for that, he never truly worked for it besides him getting his nerd work done. He needs to get his hands dirty."

He felt like he couldn't take it anymore but the next thing somehow got him over the top.

"But most of all," Sam inquired, "He gives up so easily... He usually gives in to what I do to him I mean they only time he showed he had cartilage in those bones when he stood up to the bully when he was fencing, FENCING! I mean if that didn't have nerd all over it. But you would think it gave him confidence, but nah nothing as far as my eyes tell me. Now I think a bet will be won and I will just destroy his college rep and just sit back and enjoy the fireworks."

Even Jonah was stunned on Sam analytical remarks on Freddie, and as for Freddie he wasn't around to see the rest of it.

Freddie went to a nearby wall that was away from mostly every one and the feeling of everything she said just flown into his body, and it kept reverberating in his mind as if it was etched in stone... He turned and started to punch the wall as he repeated everything he heard from her in a soft but stern fury.

"Weak," Left hand.

"Worthless," Right.

"Giving up with no Fight," Left again and as he kept punching into the and blind with fury he felt his punches turned faster and faster and he could have kept going but he felt a hand on his arm and then he sees what he really has done.

Rudy was walking out of the bathroom going back towards his team and he sees Freddie, he look of raw fury, hatred seeping out of his pores. His head towards a wall punching the wall with his BARE hands. He runs sprints to him.

"Yo, dude you ok?" He puts his hand on his Then he sees the wall, and realizes he should be asking that to the wall, the hole in it was as big if not a little bigger than the man who just literally bore into it like a manual Jackhammer. But a bigger problem arose when he looks at his hand, as blood has made a canvas all over both of his hands.

That's when Freddie finally realized the extent of his injuries and let a ear-splitting scream throughout the whole park.

20 minutes, some ice and A LOT of water later Freddie, his bandaged hands and Rudy was sitting on the sidewalk outside of a corner store across the street from Rucker Park. In his mind Rudy couldn't stop thinking about the hole that he seen on that concrete wall. He'd never seen a hole as big as that before that was made by human hands. He had to ask why.

"Ok so why is there a hole as big as your hand on a wall?" Rudy asked.

"Words," Freddie whispered, blankly staring out towards nothingness.

"Words? didn't your momma tell ya 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?'" Rudy said trying to

"Didn't get the memo," Freddie said flatly.

Silence came upon them. They were both staring out towards the Park for no particular reason. Then, after a few minutes Freddie was the one who spoke up, and broke the silence.

"I know I am not a good player, or athletically talented..."

"Whoa kid, it's not about that," Rudy said to him. "It's about knowing your game and what you can do for your team, we all had a rough game out there. You weren't the only one and you had some good assists, and-"

"Can you please let me finish?" Freddie suddenly puts a frigid stare towards Rudy that gave the man goosebumps.

"Yea, sure"

"I know that this week has been hell for me in more ways than one. I never felt any more embarrassed in my life as this week went on and I was about to go down quietly, but some words were said that have convinced me otherwise... If there's one thing us northwest kids are, is stubborn. Think you can help me?" He looks over to Rudy and he doesn't have anger, nor fear in his eyes anymore, Rudy senses ambition and determination in those eyes.

"Look," Rudy said. "You can get help from your friend Gibby, and if you get on the team through walk-on tryouts, I will help you as much as possible, deal...?"

"Yea," and they shook on it.

Freddie continues to look out of his Airplane window as the plane goes back to Seattle the next day. He learned a lot about himself through this trip and found out a lot about who people really are. He now needs to get on this team more than ever, to him, it started as a bet.

"It's so much more now," he spoke to himself as he sees Seattle in his sights. He has two weeks till the walk-on tryouts for the team.

He has work to do.

A/N: I am gonna end this chapter here for now I hope your enjoying this and I can't wait to hear from ya so please keep reading and hopefully reviewing . But thanks for all your reviews and favorites and alerts. I appreciate them all
.