Mr. Basketball Ch. 12

"He doesn't have to worry about me," she smiled. "I'm stronger than he thinks I am."

"That you are baby."

She rolled over and found her phone on the night stand.

"Hey daddy," she cheered. "Guess what?"

"I don't know baby, tell me."

"They said they liked me and that I was being given a verbal offer."

"That's great Taylor," he cheered.

"They want me to come back for an official visit and give me a written offer."

"I'm so proud of you Taylor."

"I'm still going to visit State but I know this is where I want to go."

"I know you do baby. I'm so excited for you. You deserve this."

"I get to meet the team tomorrow and practice with them too."

"That's great. I hope you have fun."

"I will," she smiled.

"Where is Jake at?"

"Sitting next to me."

"How's he taking it?"

"Super excited about it daddy."

"You be sure and thank him for going with you and helping you out."

"I did," she smiled at me.

"What time are you coming back tomorrow?"

"The flight lands at 630," I said.

"I'll be there to pick you guys up. Listen, I have to meet Tara so I have to go."

"Hey daddy?" Taylor questioned.

"Yes baby."

"If you knew about Jake and I, why didn't you say anything?"

I could hear him laughing. "It's not my place Taylor. This is something between you and him."

"Thank you daddy," she said.

"You're a big girl now, I can't stop you from falling in love. Stay out of trouble and I will see you tomorrow. I love you baby."

"Love you too daddy."

The next morning we walked into the gym a half hour before we were expected. There were a few girls in there already shooting around.

"Can I help you?" one of the girls asked me as I looked around.

"Hi," I said. "I'm Jake Tillman and I played for coach K from 2005 to 2008 until I had an injury and I had to give up basketball."

"Oh hi," she said more friendly now that we had something in common. "I'm April." We shook hands as I continued to look around.

"As you can see things have changed since you were here."

"Yes," I smiled. "This place is awesome. It must be nice to have an all in one place to practice."

"It does make things easier," she offered. She glanced at Taylor and I remembered why we were here.

"This is Taylor Tilly, she is a prospect for a scholarship and was told she could come in this morning and shoot around with you girls until ten. We are a little early but that's always been my motto."

"Hi Taylor," she said holding her hand out.

"Hi," she said shyly.

"So, you're thinking about coming to Duke?"

"No, I'm pretty sure this is where I want to go," she smiled.

"That's what we like to hear."

"I'm going to check the place out," I said to them. "I will see you in a little while. Have fun."

I left the two of them alone so they could get to know each other. By the time I came back they were shooting around and still talking. Taylor looked happy out there talking and soaking in everything that they had to say. At 955 we started to leave.

"Hey Taylor," April called.

"Yes," she said turning back around.

"Go win that state title then come join us in the fall so we can win a national championship. You're going to a great asset to this team."

"Thank you," she smiled.

With the offer from Duke, Taylor seemed to really settle into her game. She played really well in each game throughout the month of January. The girls still hadn't lost yet as we got closer to the end of the season. We had one scare a couple of nights before. They were trailing by seven at the start of the fourth quarter. Taylor hit a groove and knocked down sixteen points to pull us ahead and never look back.

*

The gym was packed tonight. It was loud as both sides chanted and cheered for their team. I had never seen it this packed in a non-playoff game before. Neither side stopped cheering during the whole game to this point. I loved nights like tonight. It reminded me of games when I was at Duke.

"Listen to me," I called from the huddle. "This is a tight game right now. I need everyone to focus and play hard. Remember all those down and backs we do? All those bleacher climbs you guys love so much? This is the reason for them, right here, right now. You guys push the pace a little more and they are going to fold. They are tired. You guys are fresh. Taylor, Tessa, Nikki, Tracy, and Bree, take the floor and get this done. No wild shots. Move the ball in Georgia Blue and get a good look."

"Yes sir," they called in unison.

"Nikki, do not, I repeat, do not pick up your dribble in the corner."

"Yes sir," she smiled sheepishly. She knew she had done wrong on the last play and caused us a turnover and an easy layup at the other end.

"The corner is not your friend," I continued. "Weren't you put in the corner as a child when you were bad?"

"Yes sir," she smiled again. "I was in the corner a lot."

I chuckled lightly. "Same applies here then. Keep your dribble and keep away from the corner. Even if you keep your dribble and go to the corner, it still makes it harder to get the ball out to run the play. Slide towards the corner but never get in it."

"Yes sir," she said.

"Box out hard and fight for those boards Bree."

"Yes sir."

"Bring it in here," I called.

"One, two, three, win!"

"Hey TT," I called as she started to head out on the floor. She turned back to me.

"Play off just a little and let her have that shot. She won't hit it. Tessa's going to get the board. You take a look and if it's not there don't press. Slow up and get set up."

"Yes sir," she said.

"Listen," I said wrapping my arm around her. I leaned in next to her ear so I could talk to her and nobody else would hear me.

"Take your time and shoot your shot. You've been pressing a little tonight. This is where you need to shine out there. Your team is counting on you to win this game for them. Settle down and find yourself. You've been here before so you know what to do."

She looked at me and smiled. "I got this."

"Then go out there and get it," I said. I slapped her butt as she took off. She turned back and had a look of determination as she barked orders to her teammates.

I couldn't believe we were down by ten at this point. This was a big time school with a deep talent pool of girls but they weren't coached very well. They ran wildly all over the place and put up shots that would drive me nuts if I was coaching them. It wasn't a district game so it wasn't vitally important that we won this one but it would mean the end of our perfect season.

I knew my girls could play better than what they were doing. They were well coached and very sound in everything they were doing out there except for one. Taylor had been pressing and was off tonight. Nikki, Tessa, and Tracy had been picking up the slack but it wasn't going to get us through. If Taylor had an off night like she was having right now we weren't going to win against a team like this. They were too deep even if they had no flow to their offense.

"Are you sure you want her playing off?" Rodney questioned. "Won't it leave her open?"

"Yeah it's going to leave her open," I hissed. "That's what I want. She's a ball hog and too good for her own game. She's going to throw up those wild shots and miss them. She's great at dribbling and getting Taylor to break down. If Taylor plays off it takes away from her strength."

"Why not double her?" he asked.

I gave an annoyed groan as I ignored him. I focused on the game as Rob smiled and shook his head in dismay. We both had had enough of him. It was only a matter of time before one of us snapped and I had a feeling it was going to be me.

Taylor took the inbound pass and brought it up the floor slowly. She called Georgia and worked over to the right side to get the pass off. Nikki caught the pass and dribbled along the three point line as Tracy came over and set a screen for Taylor. Taylor cut through the paint and curved in behind Bree and Tessa getting a double screen as she did. Nikki quickly passed it to Tracy who swung it around again as Taylor popped out on the other side in the corner wide open. Taylor was fundamentally sound this time as she shot the three. It went right on through cutting the lead to seven now. The roar from the crowd almost deafened me as she quickly got ready to defend.

Taylor pressured the ball all the way up the floor but backed off once she made it over the half court line. It wasn't that she was trying to steal the ball, she was just making it more difficult for the other girl to bring it up the floor. Taylor backed off about two steps and left the girl wide open for the three if she wanted it. She wanted it and she took it. It clanked the rim with Tessa grabbing the board.

She quickly cleared it to Taylor who looked up the floor and saw Nikki running free. It was a quick pass that found the mark. Nikki raced to the hoop and put up the shot. Thankfully Taylor never gave up on the play and continued down the floor and got the miss. She quickly put it back up and made the basket plus got fouled on the play. The gym filled with cheers as the ref made the call and they got ready to shoot.

"Yes," I clapped my hands together.

"Way to be there Taylor," I called. "That's why we never give up on the ones that look easy."

Taylor made the free throw and pressured the ball all the way down the floor again. She backed off again and dared the girl to shoot another three. Their coach was screaming for her to run the play over the crowd chanting defense. They sent up a screener to try and pick Taylor. She spun around it quickly and was in the passing lane as the other girl tried to throw it down into the post. Taylor quickly jumped and sent the ball off the mark.

Tracy caught the ball after it went through a few hands. She quickly knew to get it out to Taylor. Nikki and Taylor both raced down the floor in a two on one break. Taylor looked to Nikki but decided to cross over and take it herself. The other girl followed her as she got past the free throw line. Taylor quickly kicked it out to Nikki who fired up a three. She had a really nice jump shot and it went right on through cutting the lead to just one point now. I smiled as they came to the bench as the other team called time out. I could hardly hear myself think as the crowd roared again.

"Good work girls, good work. Y'all still feel fresh?"

"Yes sir," they chirped.

"Let's keep doing what we are doing then. Nikki, I need you to slide just a touch down to the help side if they move away from you. And be sure on those layups. Nice and easy, there's no rush. You have to make those count."

"Yes sir," she said.

"Keep playing off of her Taylor."

"Yes sir."

"Let's win this one. One, two, three, win!"

They brought the ball up the floor and worked it around. I saw Nikki drift back and Taylor stay off. This left a long cross court pass that Nikki saw coming. She stepped in front of it and grabbed it. She looked up and saw Taylor was already running down the court.

Taylor led the pack down the floor and stopped right at the three point line. She waited until the other girl flew by her before shooting. She caught Taylor's arm getting another foul called and three free shots. She didn't miss one and immediately pressured the ball.

They worked the ball around again and Taylor's girl shot up another miss. Tessa was there for the board and got it out to Taylor again. She always looked up to see what was open down the floor. There was nothing this time so she brought the ball up the floor slowly and looked to me for the call.

"Georgia," I called. "Stick with it."

Taylor repeated the call and moved left of center this time. She pointed to get Nikki to come up to the right of center now before she passed it off. Tracy came up quickly and set another screen as Taylor started cutting through the paint. Her girl fought through the screen but was a step behind Taylor as she made her cut in behind Tessa. Taylor knew the offense like the back of her hand. She knew where Nikki and Tracy both were without looking. She also knew her defender was expecting her to cut out on the left side. She tried to cut around Tessa to avoid the screen. Taylor varied the play this time and cut out to the right wing after Tessa screened her girl.

Nikki saw Taylor coming out and quickly passed the ball off to her. Both Tessa's defender and Taylor's defender had followed her out to the three point line. This left Tessa wide open under the hoop. Taylor knew how to use her body and made a little space between the two of them and passed it sharply down to her sister. Tessa quickly turned and made an easy layup pushing the lead to four. It was the largest lead we had had all night long and the home crowd sang their praises now.

They quickly inbounded the pass and started pushing the ball up the floor. They knew that time was working against them now as it had just ticked under the two minute mark. Taylor stayed back as they changed their call and tried a different set now. Earlier in the game I had sat Taylor down and quickly scribbled down what they were running and where they were looking to go when they ran it. In my years of being around the game I had never had a player like Taylor. She quickly picked up on what they were doing and could anticipate their next move.

She knew the play was going to swing to the right side in hopes of getting her into a one on one match up. They hoped Taylor would bite and she would get broken down and the other girl could score or pass it off to a cutter. Taylor hung back as they passed the ball around. She waited until the perfect moment before she broke on the pass and picked it off. She was on the run quickly as she got the ball under control and raced towards the hoop at the other end of the floor.

Nikki saw that Taylor had picked it off and took off quickly. It was her and Taylor racing down the floor on opposite sides with nobody in front of them. Taylor was unselfish and bounced it over to Nikki. She grabbed the ball and easily put it in for two more points to push the lead to six now. Their coach called time out in frustration as the game came to a stop.

"That's what I'm talking about," I cheered. "Taylor and Nikki, take a quick rest. Cali and Jamie, get in there."

Nikki groaned as I told her she needed to sit for a minute. Taylor slapped her on the butt and told her to get over it.

"Are you sure you want to sit your best player?" Rodney questioned.

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I had to shrug it off and focus on the girls. My agitation would rub off on them and they would play that way.

"Jamie, play off that girl like Taylor has been doing. If they run that sideline isolation play again she is going to try and get you to over play her. Don't bite on it. Let her have that long shot. Chances are she won't hit it."

"Yes sir," she said.

"Grab the board Tessa and get it out of there once you have it. Don't hold it because they are going to be aggressive and try to strip it from you. Swing those elbows if you have to."

"Yes sir," she smiled.

"Jamie, Cali, look for the outlet pass and get it moving. They will try to trap you once you get moving. Once you make it to half court they are probably going to foul you. Protect the ball and wait for the whistle. If you get in trouble, call for a time out. We have a couple to burn so don't be afraid to use them."

"Yes sir," they both chirped.

"Play is going to be very fast now. They have to start hitting to cut into the lead we have built. Don't get caught up in the pace. Get it past half court and slow things down."

The horn sounded indicating that time was over and they were ready for play.

"One, two, three, team!"

"Slide down," I hissed at Rodney who had taken the third seat. I always sat in the third seat so I could talk to the players easily. I only paced when the game was close. I had done enough pacing tonight and I wanted to give some advice as well as get away from Rodney.

"Are you sure you want Taylor to sit?" he asked again.

"Do you not understand the situation?" I asked venting a little. "Were you not listening to anything I just said? We have a six point lead right now. If they do happen to bang down a three I can burn a time out and put these two back in the game."

"What if they miss?" he questioned.

"Then it's worked out just like I wanted it to. Those girls know what I want them to do. These two aren't the only ones who know how to play ball. Trust them. I do. They are going to get the ball up the floor quickly and take the foul."

He sighed his annoyance with me again.

"I'm buying Taylor and Nikki a minute of rest. They have been out there all game. They need just a minute to get a breath before I send them back in."

"Sure," he huffed. "I guess."

I hissed to myself again as I leaned back in my seat.

"Relax," Taylor softly said next to my ear.

"I just... I can't stand him sometimes. It's like a monkey fucking a football with some of the shit he says."

The girls that were within earshot of my voice laughed hard. It brought a smile to my face as I saw them laughing.

"At least you still find humor in all of this," Taylor giggled still.

I sighed and squeezed her knee. She placed her hand on mine just for a second before pulling it off and wiping her face again with her towel. I turned to look at the scorer's table as the refs stood there talking for a moment about something.

"Now what are they doing?" I asked as I left my seat.

"We are putting two seconds back on the clock coach," the ref offered. "They didn't stop it when the last shot went through. We are just making sure."

"Alright," I sighed.

I went back to my seat and turned to Taylor. "Way to be there on that last play. You saw that one coming didn't you?"

"I knew what they were running," she smiled. "I just had to make sure I got to the pass at the right time."

"You were perfect," I smiled. "Good job."

"Nikki."

"Yes sir?"

"Way to take it easy on that layup and make it count."

"Thank you," she smiled.

The whistle blew as the ref handed the ball to them. They inbounded it and worked the left side of the court. They passed it into the post and tried to work against Tessa now. She held her ground making her girl pass it back out. They wasted more time trying to pass it back into the post again. Tessa was firm and held her ground once more making sure she didn't foul.

I could see it coming when they passed it back out. They were distracting from the sideline isolation play that was going to come from the right side against Jamie. Hopefully Jamie could see it coming too and play it like I had told her. They swung it around quickly and thought they had what they were hoping for.

Tracy slid down and made sure she was in the way if they tried to throw it down to a cutter. Jamie held her ground and let the girl have the long jumper if she wanted it. She jab stepped to try and get Jamie to bite on it. She stayed put and moved her arms around to keep her honest with the ball. She decided she wanted the long jumper after Jamie didn't budge. It clanked the rim as Tessa jumped to secure the rebound. She didn't even hit the ground before she was fouled. I couldn't help but say something to Rodney now.

"Just like I called it. A missed shot and a foul. Who would have figured?"

"Whatever," he hissed.

They walked to our end of the floor now and lined up to shoot free throws. Tessa's first one rolled around the rim before missing.

"Are they going back in now?" Rodney asked.

"Not yet," I sighed. "The score hasn't changed."

He didn't like that and shifted around in his seat as Tessa got the ball again and made this one. Rodney quickly left his seat now and stood.

"Subs," he called. "Nikki and Taylor go back in." The ref held the ball and waited.