Can't Stop the Questions

Chapter 23: In the Hoops' Shadow

After this overtime win over Livonia, everyone in town starts believing the VAs can win it all this year around. That VA can be a Cinderella team.

The following day, at school, boyfriends of VA basketball players come to him, and talk about the game.

"So the end of the fourth quarter is some of the most spectacular basketball I have seen in my life!" Tyler comments on the game.

"While playoffs get the best game out of everyone, I am a little concerned about the team. We won by close margins, while Wossman had to use a running clock in the last two quarters!" Cora's boyfriend points out.

More specifically, Wossman got to a 35-point lead late in the third quarter. What makes Tyler think that VA can win against Wossman? The second-string point guard's boyfriend ruminates, while Pablo comments on what he thinks is necessary.

"At the very least, Audrey has three days to get better at three-pointers; I feel like, if she can become as good as Huiling in that area, or as close to that as possible in three days, we might have a chance. Wossman thinks we need to get close to the hoop to score!" Pablo pitches in.

"Huiling? Who the hell is Huiling?" Finn raises an eyebrow upon hearing Huiling. "Carrie never told me about her!"

"She doesn't play for the VAs, but she's the best at three-pointers I heard about! Here's the clip of the three-pointer she scored against us as a buzzer beater!" Pablo shows the other three the clip of the three-pointer in question.

Which, like the clip Ethan showed him from last night, shows a three-pointer from almost across the court. With one second to go, Huiling released the ball and the Pearl River home crowd went crazy after the buzzer rang.

"I heard you talk about three-pointers! It seems like we rely too much on closing in on to the hoop! Or, at the very least, I do. However, I didn't realize it until after the game ended!" Audrey points out.

"If anything, Carrie is the one who can improve her three-pointers most. I'm not saying that she can get as good as... Huiling at three-pointers in just three days, but if she improves on that, she will become less predictable! Aija seemed to focus a lot on Carrie last night!" Finn tells Audrey, while about to lose his temper.

"But yes, VA can go all the way!" Pablo then tells Audrey about how he feels about the basketball team.

"One last thing: from here on out, we'll play on the road. Whether you will be able to make the trip to Monroe will depend on the bus the parish will use" Audrey warns her love interest.

I wonder whether my parents will want to finish work early, I will ask them after the basketball practice, Audrey muses while she has a better idea of what kind of plays she wants the team to practice before the big game against Wossman.

So, while, generally, the town is in good spirits, teachers even tweaked tests to take advantage of the basketball frenzy, which they know won't last. Much like in Pablo's English class, where it seems like the test contains some items related to basketball and its history. Only a handful, sure, with one question or two each, but still...

I wonder if the teacher made last-minute changes to the test; it definitely feels a little rushed, and it doesn't take a Nadine to see that tacking on test items like this makes it feel worse than quiz bowl packets! Already that quiz bowl packets jump from pillar to post! Pablo seems to feel like the test items are a little off compared to past tests from that course. That, even though the format of the items tend to mimic items on the ACT, either in English or in reading.

And, of course, one of the reading passages relate to the material covered prior to the state tournament. But that's only the first part of the test: the second part of the test is an essay question about the overemphasis of sports in high school. They have 40 minutes to write what essay they can.