dribbling the ball, and Jimmie was guarding him. Suddenly Ron broke for the basket. Jerry bounced the ball to him.
But the ball never got to Ron.
Kim tore in like a shot and caught it. He dribbled once, leaped, and banked the ball off the backboard.
Down it went—through the net!
“Thataboy, Kim!” shouted Jimmie.
Kim looked at Ron. A smile curled his lips.
Ron didn’t do any name calling after that.
8
T HE Arrows played the Bucs on Wednesday, at 6:30. Kim took Dutchie McBride’s place in the second quarter. Dutchie’s man had
scored six field goals and three free throws. Coach Stickles told Kim to get in there and stop that kid from shooting any
more.
Kim tried his best. He found out soon that the boy was one of the fastest he had ever guarded.
At first the boy got away from him twice. But Kim was fast too. He caughtup with his man quickly and prevented him from making any baskets.
The half ended with the Bucs ahead, 18 to 10.
In the third quarter Jimmie Burdette showed some of his stuff. He made three drives in that boosted the Arrows’ score to 16.
Ron sank a long one that tied it up. Then the Bucs rolled for a while and shot their score up to 25.
In the fourth quarter Allan Vargo caught a long pass from Ron and laid it up for a perfect shot. Dutchie came back in and
replaced Kim. He was full of pep. He scored four points in less than two minutes and the crowd went wild.
The Bucs scored again, but the Arrows kept going strong. When the finalwhistle shrilled, the Arrows were ahead, 34 to 32.
On Saturday they beat the Crackerjacks, 52 to 31. But the Crackerjacks were the cellar team, and beating them wasn’t anything
to brag about.
Kim still missed most of the practices. Coach Stickles asked him once why he didn’t come to all of them.
“I have to stay home and practice singing,” Kim told him. “And twice a week our choir meets in the church for practice.”
It seemed to Kim that Coach Stickles couldn’t understand why a boy who liked to play basketball would also like to sing.
“Okay,” the coach said. “But it’s toobad. You’ve got the makings of a good basketball player.”
Kim knew he would never forget what the coach had said.
In the game against the Rockets, Kim went in when the Rockets were ahead, 8 to 4. It was the first quarter. Kim thought the
coach wanted him to stop that tall, dark-haired Rocket from running the score up any higher. He had scored six of the eight
points. He looked very good.
The Arrows had the ball. Allan passed it to Ron, who ran down the right side line, stopped, and faked a shot for the basket.
A Rocket player jumped in front of him and Rod threw to Kim. Kim pivoted as his man tried to hit the ballfrom his hands. He kept his back to the boy, and no matter how the Rocket player tried he could not get near the ball.
Kim saw Jimmie break for the basket. Kim leaped off the floor and flung a one-hand pass to him. Jimmie caught it, bounced
the ball once, then jumped. A perfect layup!
Jimmie smiled as he and Kim ran upcourt. They winked at each other.
Kim ran to cover his man, who was taller than Kim. He seemed to be all legs and arms, but he moved fast. Kim had a tough time
keeping between him and the ball.
All at once a long pass sailed upcourt toward the Rockets’ basket. Kimwhirled, and caught his breath. His man had gotten away from him! The tall Rocket player was running to catch the ball, his
long white legs pumping up speed.
Kim rushed after him, but the ball sank into the Rocket’s hands just before Kim got there. The player spun, started to lift
the ball above his head to shoot, then stumbled. He fell against Kim, who reached out his hands to stop him from falling.
The whistle shrilled, Kim whirled. Up the court came the referee holding up two fingers!
Kim stared. “What did I do?”
“Tripping!” said the referee.
“Tripping?” Kim’s mouth fell open.“But I didn’t—” He paused. He wouldn’t argue
But the ball never got to Ron.
Kim tore in like a shot and caught it. He dribbled once, leaped, and banked the ball off the backboard.
Down it went—through the net!
“Thataboy, Kim!” shouted Jimmie.
Kim looked at Ron. A smile curled his lips.
Ron didn’t do any name calling after that.
8
T HE Arrows played the Bucs on Wednesday, at 6:30. Kim took Dutchie McBride’s place in the second quarter. Dutchie’s man had
scored six field goals and three free throws. Coach Stickles told Kim to get in there and stop that kid from shooting any
more.
Kim tried his best. He found out soon that the boy was one of the fastest he had ever guarded.
At first the boy got away from him twice. But Kim was fast too. He caughtup with his man quickly and prevented him from making any baskets.
The half ended with the Bucs ahead, 18 to 10.
In the third quarter Jimmie Burdette showed some of his stuff. He made three drives in that boosted the Arrows’ score to 16.
Ron sank a long one that tied it up. Then the Bucs rolled for a while and shot their score up to 25.
In the fourth quarter Allan Vargo caught a long pass from Ron and laid it up for a perfect shot. Dutchie came back in and
replaced Kim. He was full of pep. He scored four points in less than two minutes and the crowd went wild.
The Bucs scored again, but the Arrows kept going strong. When the finalwhistle shrilled, the Arrows were ahead, 34 to 32.
On Saturday they beat the Crackerjacks, 52 to 31. But the Crackerjacks were the cellar team, and beating them wasn’t anything
to brag about.
Kim still missed most of the practices. Coach Stickles asked him once why he didn’t come to all of them.
“I have to stay home and practice singing,” Kim told him. “And twice a week our choir meets in the church for practice.”
It seemed to Kim that Coach Stickles couldn’t understand why a boy who liked to play basketball would also like to sing.
“Okay,” the coach said. “But it’s toobad. You’ve got the makings of a good basketball player.”
Kim knew he would never forget what the coach had said.
In the game against the Rockets, Kim went in when the Rockets were ahead, 8 to 4. It was the first quarter. Kim thought the
coach wanted him to stop that tall, dark-haired Rocket from running the score up any higher. He had scored six of the eight
points. He looked very good.
The Arrows had the ball. Allan passed it to Ron, who ran down the right side line, stopped, and faked a shot for the basket.
A Rocket player jumped in front of him and Rod threw to Kim. Kim pivoted as his man tried to hit the ballfrom his hands. He kept his back to the boy, and no matter how the Rocket player tried he could not get near the ball.
Kim saw Jimmie break for the basket. Kim leaped off the floor and flung a one-hand pass to him. Jimmie caught it, bounced
the ball once, then jumped. A perfect layup!
Jimmie smiled as he and Kim ran upcourt. They winked at each other.
Kim ran to cover his man, who was taller than Kim. He seemed to be all legs and arms, but he moved fast. Kim had a tough time
keeping between him and the ball.
All at once a long pass sailed upcourt toward the Rockets’ basket. Kimwhirled, and caught his breath. His man had gotten away from him! The tall Rocket player was running to catch the ball, his
long white legs pumping up speed.
Kim rushed after him, but the ball sank into the Rocket’s hands just before Kim got there. The player spun, started to lift
the ball above his head to shoot, then stumbled. He fell against Kim, who reached out his hands to stop him from falling.
The whistle shrilled, Kim whirled. Up the court came the referee holding up two fingers!
Kim stared. “What did I do?”
“Tripping!” said the referee.
“Tripping?” Kim’s mouth fell open.“But I didn’t—” He paused. He wouldn’t argue
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