Read Online Underdog by Eric Walters - Free Book Online

some of us, there was no way he was faster than everybody. Jordan practically galloped down the court. He was definitely faster than Coach was.
    â€œTell you what,” Coach said, “let’s settle this by having a little race. Me against all of you. Here’s the deal. We all start on the baseline. The first one to touch his basketball against the far wall is the winner. Agreed?”
    There was a mumbling of agreement.
    â€œAnd to make things interesting, I think we should have a little bet on the outcome,” Coach said.
    â€œWhat sort of little bet?” I asked suspiciously.
    Coach smiled, and that smile unnerved me. “If I win, you all spend the rest of the practice doing wind sprints and nobody complains.”
    â€œAnd if we win?” L.B. asked.
    â€œIf even one of you beats me, then you can just shoot around or scrimmage for the rest of the practice.”
    People started cheering and applauding.
    â€œSo are we going to race?” he asked.
    â€œHold on,” I said. I still didn’t completely trust what he was saying. Not that Coach would ever lie to us, but he often had a twist, a lesson he was trying to teach, and things just didn’t work out the way we thought they would.
    â€œYou have a question, Nick?”
    I guess he’d been reading the expression on my face. Everybody looked at me now.
    â€œI just want to make sure I understand what’s going on,” I said.
    â€œIt seems pretty straight forward to me,” Coach said. “Just what is it that you don’t understand? First one to touch their ball against the far wall wins the race. Simple.”
    â€œAnd if just one of us beats you, we win,” I said.
    He nodded.
    â€œAnd for you to win you have to beat all of us.”
    Again he nodded. “Sounds like you don’t exactly believe what I’m saying,” he said. “Don’t you think I’d keep my word?”
    â€œNo, of course not,” I said. “I just wanted to make sure I understood all of those words you were saying.”
    â€œAny more questions?” Coach asked.
    â€œOne. I was just wondering what would happen if we decided we didn’t want to race you,” I said.
    â€œIf you don’t want to race then there’s no problem,” he said. “We’ll just spend the rest of the practice doing wind sprints.” He smiled, or sort of smiled. It was more like a smirk. “So you have nothing to lose by trying. If you win, you don’t have to do them. Does that make sense?”
    Now I knew for certain that there was a trick. I just didn’t know what it was.
    â€œIs there something still wrong, Nick?” Coach asked, trying to sound innocent.
    â€œYeah, there probably is…I just don’t know what it is, that’s all.”
    Coach smiled and nodded his head slowly. That meant I was probably right, but it didn’t help me figure out how I was right.
    â€œOkay, everybody, space out across the gym. We don’t want you to trip over each other,” Coach said.
    We spread out along the baseline until we filled the whole width of the gym. Coach was right at the end, and I moved over so I was beside him—the better to keep an eye on him.
    â€œDo we have to dribble the balls?” I asked, still trying to figure it out. Maybe he was going to tuck his under his arm and run like a football player.
    â€œDribble if you want, don’t dribble if you want. It’s up to you,” Coach said.
    I could dribble pretty fast, but I could run faster. I’d just carry it. Maybe that was his plan and now I’d seen through it and…no, if I’d seen through it he would have stopped us. There had to be something else.
    â€œEverybody get ready. On the count of three. One…two…three!”
    We all jumped off the line and started running and—a basketball hit the far wall with a thunderous smash and bounced back toward us! Who had thrown