Danny Williams has a lot on his mind. He's new on the basketball team and the pressure is on. At the same time, he is trying to score with his alcoholic father and make him proud. Like the other boys on the team, Danny is nervous before he plays. But unlike the other players, Danny's nervousness is compounded by his father's disruptive behavior at games. Through it all, Danny perseveres in his rigid training regimen and his belief in his father. Ultimately this double loyalty pays off. Danny is rewarded with a gold trophy; his father stops drinking and is finally able to express in actions and words how proud he is of Danny. Hughes (Nutty's Ghost, 1993, etc.) provides many exciting basketball scenes as well as a meaningful lesson in patience and hard work. A high scorer for preadolescent boys. (Fiction. 8-12)
