When 18 year old Herschel Mack leaves Chino Hills High School in California and commits to Florida State University to continue his basketball career, he is immediately blindsided by the loss of his best friend and high school teammate Drew Osborne...
Herschel Mack may have been the top recruit in his high school class, but with great fame came great responsibility. He would have to show that responsibility in the high school state championship game tonight. Chino Hills High School. Wow. Herschel remembered the days when Chino Hills High School was virtually off the map. Then came the brothers. But not just any brothers. The Ball brothers. Trained by their father, and quite possibly the most outspoken person in sports, LaVar Ball. The oldest was LiDicky. No, LiDicky was not a basketball player like the other three. He was a rapper, and a good one at that. Even though LaVar always said he was just giving LiDicky "tough love," Herschel was quite certain that LaVar favored the other three. The oldest basketball playing brother was Lonzo. Lonzo played for the Los Angeles Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had gone 38-44 in the previous season, even though LaVar had outrageously predicted that Lonzo would win the MVP, the Lakers would win The Finals, and Lonzo would win Finals MVP. The other brother was Herschel's teammate and the second basketball playing brother was LiAngelo. LiAngelo was considered to be the least talented Ball brother, but the one with the cleanest jump shot. The youngest basketball playing brother, and another teammate of Herschel's, was LaMelo. The best shooting Ball brother of the three, LaMelo was known for pulling up from half court and draining it like it was nothing. He was Chino Hills High School's star until Herschel came in. Now LaMelo had a rivalry with Herschel, as each year since the two were both on the Senior High varsity squad there was a battle for the starting point guard position. It was Herschel's senior year of high school. The last game he would be playing for Chino Hills.
"Wow," Herschel thought. " Tonight is my night, my time to show everyone what true believers are made of."
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Coach preached during halftime to be consistent and stop making silly mistakes. Herschel had three turnovers. He had scored 18 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists. LiAngelo had scored 12 points with 5 turnovers and 5 rebounds. LaMelo had come off the bench to score 7 points, dish out 7 assists, and grab a rebound. The Chino Hills Huskies were ahead of the Oak Hill Barons, 45-38 at the half. Herschel decided he wanted to say something. A motivational speech that the freshmen would remember for years to come. He said"Fellas, we all have to give maximum effort, and maximum efficiency." He said to "do it for Drew". He said,"Make Drew and all the other true believers know that Chino Hills is where it's at." Drew. I'm sure by now you're wondering who Drew is. Drew was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. And as a school, Chino Hills was very supportive of him. But Herschel knew that he needed to help as an individual. And he could do that by putting on a show tonight.
