A Hoop and A Prayer

About the Book

Adams High School is a public high school with some 2,000 students in its top four grades.  Basketball is king at Adams High, and last years team finished third in the state.  This year's varsity is undefeated and ranked second in the state.  Only the defending state champion, powerful Marshall High, seems to stand between Adams and its first state title.

Unlike the varsity, Adams sophomore basketball team is struggling to reach the .500 mark.  As the sophomore team returns from Christmas break, Pete Sullivan finds himself, as usual, on the bench.  Pete had been hoping, even praying, to be given a chance for some quality playing time for the sophomore team.  Any hope Pete might have had to play all but disappeared when a new transfer joins the sophomore team after the break.  From the first moment Greg Michaels steps on the court, it is clear that the team has a new star.

Pete and Greg quickly develop a deep friendship.  Greg came to Adams under tragic circumstances.  Greg's parents and brother died in an accident a year earlier, and Greg moved in with his aunt and her family.  Pete quickly develops a crush on Greg's beautiful, older cousin, Samantha Bailey.  Greg, on the other hand, is still dealing with the anguish surrounding his family's death.  Only with the help of Pete's brother, Fr. Mickey, is Greg able to confront his grief.

Greg quickly begins to dominate the sophomore team.  Pete, through extra-practice with Greg, soon is playing the best basketball of his life and threatening to finally crack the starting line-up.  Just as Pete's dream is within his grasp, massive Matt Phillips comes on the scene.

Phillips is a top wrestler and school bully.  Phillips tries to force Pete to cheat on math assignments.  Eventually, Pete is forced to stand up to the bully.  Later, however, in PE class, Phillips "accidentally" injuries Pete.  After his return from injury, Pete is back on the bench.  Only Fr. Mickey's intervention stops Greg from confronting Phillips.  However, the battle lines have been drawn between Greg and Phillips.

Soon Pete suffers another injury, but this time of the heart.  As Pete and Greg friendship grows, Pete begins to spend time around Samantha.  Samantha, a junior, is preparing for a shot at the state diving championship.  Pete's "silent" crush continues to grow until he finds that suddenly Samantha has a boyfriend---all state guard Chris Andrews from archrival Central Catholic.

After the sophomore basketball season is over, three sophomores were brought up to the varsity for the post-season.  In most cases, the move to the varsity is just honorary----the sophomores never see action with a game on the line.  Greg, however, quickly challenges for serious playing time.  The five senior starters begin to resent Greg.  A feud develops between the starters and Greg.  At the same time, Greg goes into a shooting slump.

Adams easily advances to the regional final against archrival Central Catholic.  The winner would advance to the state tournament.  Even though Adams had handily beaten Central in two regular season games, the regional final turns into a close battle.  Chris Andrews is red hot and carries Central into the fourth quarter with a lead.  To make matters worse, Adams loses star point guard Lane Jensen to injury.  Finally, Greg is inserted in the game to try to slow down Andrews.  Adams eventually escapes with a hard fought victory.

Greg's shooting slump continues in the state tournament.  His shooting nearly costs Adams the semi-final game against Mt. Carmel.  Only a miracle shot saves Adams and allows them to advance to the state championship game.  In the finals, however, Adams must face the invincible Marshall High Patriots.

Come join Pete, Greg, Fr. Mic

About the Author

The author is from a large Catholic family, the middle of nine children. He spent most of his childhood playing every sport he could find while his parents made sure he learned his Catholic faith (for which he is eternally grateful). A graduate of Iowa State University, he was a member of the 1981 Big 8 champion track team. Later, he received his law degree and MBA from the University of Iowa. He is currently a practicing lawyer, still trying to play as many sports as possible as he tries to live his Catholic faith.