High School Rivalry

by Phil Wohl

  West Valley 21, Helmsdale 16. Over the next few minutes, Helmsdale was accumulating fouls, but kept West Valley off the scoreboard. The Knights 8-0 run was punctuated by an alley-oop from Jenkins to high-flying Tyrone Poole, who slammed the ball in with two hands but held onto the rim. Five straight Berman foul shots followed, as the Rockets quickly regained the lead 26-24.

  Four minutes remained in the half and Isabel Mitchell was nervously excited. Her boyfriend was on center stage and the stakes were high. The physical pounding he was enduring was taking its toll on her. She preferred to be the one holding on to Pete. She felt so safe in his arms. He was the most focused, distracted person she had ever met. Most of the time he was loving and attentive, but lately he seemed very distant. He obviously had a lot on his mind, and Isabel would give him enough space to work through his thoughts. In any event, it was a great ride for two teenagers in love.

  Barry Melnick felt Pete's pain. He knew Pete wasn't enjoying the stagnant flow of the game, but he also was confident that he would find a way to stay patient and focused. Melnick was impressed with Pete's passing and envisioned an offense where he could run the ball through his big man. The old triangle offense came to mind, but if he was able to sign Eric Spalding the offense would be more conventional. Melnick could feel the game about to open up, with Jenkins and Berman jumping to center stage. Basketball was fun again, Melnick thought, as Glen Jenkins hit a jumper from the right side.

  Pete was sick and tired of being fouled and not converting any hoops. The 6'5" Tyrone Poole was now covering Pete. Tyrone was basically a shot blocker with limited range on offense and defense. Pete ran by Ron McNally shouted, "Give me the damn ball!" Ron quickly threw Pete a pass in the right corner, who shot the ball like he was given a hot potato. A surprised Poole was frozen about five feet away from Pete. The ball dropped in and West Valley had regained the lead, 28-26.

  Glenn Jenkins entered the battle by streaking past Tom Sullivan and floating a reverse lay-up over Pete. Ron McNally again rifled a pass to Pete in the right corner, but this time Tyrone Poole was nearly inside his shirt due to the audible urging of Coach Parker. Poole gave Pete the baseline, so Pete took two dribbles, let Poole catch up with him, head-faked, absorbed the contact, and lofted a shot with his left hand on his way to the ground. Cosmo Bartlett blew his whistle as the ball gently rippled through the net. "Nice left hand!" Cosmo exclaimed as he walked to the scorer's table. The crowd was so aroused that Pete couldn't even hear the ball bouncing three times off the floor as he took the foul shot. West Valley 31, Helmsdale 28, with 2:35 left in the half.

  One of the game's defining moments came with only seconds to play before halftime. West Valley was clinging to a one-point lead, 35-34, and Helmsdale was playing for a last shot. Glenn Jenkins dribbled the ball near half-court, and started to make his move toward the basket with about seven seconds remaining. He easily eluded guards Sullivan and McNally, and was headed to the hoop like a guided missile. Pete stood his ground as Jenkins went airborne. Glenn slammed into Pete, released the ball, and then used both hands to forcefully throw Pete to the floor. He then proceeded to taunt the West Valley star before Tom Sullivan pushed him aside. Somehow the referees restored order, as a slightly dazed Pete cleared the cob webs after his head slammed against the hard wood floor.

  The two refs’ conferred at the scorer's table, and called a charging foul on Jenkins and assessed him a technical for taunting. With no time left on the clock, the referees told the teams to clear the floor. Bartlett then walked over to Coach Andrews and asked him if he wanted Pete to take the two technical shots now, or before the third quarter started. The sight of Pete getting up and walking to the foul line made the decision for the visibly upset coach. The West Valley team waited in the runway to their locker room, while the Helmsdale team had already retreated to their locker room.

  Pete would not retaliate with his fists. He could hurt Glenn Jenkins a lot more on the scoreboard. His first free throw was a bit shaky, but managed to rattle in. He left no doubt with the second technical shot as the delighted crowd cheered him all the way to the locker room, as West Valley held an improbable 37-34 lead.

  Pete refused to rub the growing bump on the back of his head. He often remembered a conversation he and Coach Andrews had years earlier when he was on the junior varsity team.

  The coach said, "Never let an opponent see that you are hurting. If you pay any attention to the pain, then you are giving your opponent an advantage." The coach was right, and if there were any non-Helmsdale alumni in the stands, they would all be rooting for West Valley in the second half. White, or black, basketball fans wanted a fair fight. It was all right to use an elbow or an occasional shove, but hitting a guy when he's down was definitely frowned upon.

  What a half of basketball. Confusion and frustration reigned in the Helmsdale locker room. The Knights were barely challenged all year, but had run up against a hot ball club that wasn't scared anymore. Ross Parker knew his team was tense, but wanted them to play all-out when they stepped on the floor.

  "Gentlemen, we have 15 solid players and they only have about eight. I'm going to be shuffling guys in and out, so I want to see maximum effort when you hit the floor. This team can't keep this up for another 16 minutes! That dream we have of a state championship is starting to fade, but if you give it your best effort I know we will come out on top. Let's press, press, press, West Valley until they run out of gas!"

  The West Valley locker room was loud and rowdy. Even Pete was yelling and screaming. Coach Andrews entered the room, and put his hands in the air. The team settled down, as the coach began his halftime chat.

  "Now that we proved we can play with these guys, let's finish the job!" The team yelled in approval. "That team is going to press the heck out of you the minute we walk out of this locker room. This is very simple, so listen closely." He started drawing on the chalkboard. "Tom is going to take it out and pass it to Pete at the foul line. Tom and Ron will then run past Pete and one of you will get a return pass. If they stay in man, we have to kick it down low to Pete. If they try to put Poole on you again Pete, you know how to make his nose bleed. Now, fella’s, they're going to double Pete, so be ready to catch and shoot." He looked around the room and roared, "Sixteen minutes from the championship! Let's go get it!"

  Pete's halftime line was 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Glenn Jenkins scored 14 points, dished out seven assists, and had five steals. The two players realized that the only thing that mattered was the final score. Patience would be the order of the day in the pressure-packed final half.

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  The third quarter was a real struggle. Like two heavyweights looking for an opening, the teams were searching for that one run that would put them over the top. Helmsdale outscored West Valley 10 to eight in the period, as it seemed like the combatants were taking a breather in anticipation of a finish on egg shells. Pete scored only four points in the period, but pulled down eight rebounds, giving him 25 points and 17 rebounds through three quarters. Jenkins also scored four in the quarter, giving him 18 points for the game.

  The two teams broke their respective huddles with West Valley clinging to a 45-44 lead. This was the position Coach Andrews wanted to be in when he envisioned the games best-case scenario. Coach Parker was not happy. West Valley was just hanging around, and that wasn't good news for his untested Knights. He had seen West Valley thrive in close games all year, but had yet to see his team prevail in a tough battle. Glenn Jenkins was a blue-chipper, and Parker knew he would lead his team down the stretch.

  The first four minutes of the quarter breezed by with six lead changes. West Valley refused to relinquish the lead for more than a possession at a time. Momentum had left the gym because neither team was able to peak its interest. At the four minute mark, Tyrone Poole became the first casualty of the Hug Pete Berman campaign. The ne
xt time down, Stanley Demby showed his affection for Pete, and he also took a seat next to Ross Parker. Parker felt that as long as Glenn Jenkins remained on the floor, his team still had an excellent chance to win.

  Denby's foul put Helmsdale over the limit and sent Pete to the foul line. His 32nd and 33rd points put the Rockets ahead 53-50, and gave them some momentary daylight. Glenn Jenkins then made a gorgeous move to the hoop, absorbed the contact from Mark Ciccone, and banked in a double-pumping floater. He then tied the game with a foul shot and then stole the inbounds pass and headed at Ciccone again. Mark again hacked Jenkins, but the ball rimmed out as the West Valley supporters let out a sigh of relief. Ciccone became West Valley's first player to foul out, and moved dejectedly toward the end of the bench. Jenkins swished the first foul shot, giving his team a 54-53 lead, but then clanged the second off the back rim. With two minutes remaining it was still anybody's game.

  Big players hit big shots and this night would be no exception. After a West Valley time-out, the Rockets worked the ball around for 20 seconds before Pete got the ball deep in the right corner. Helmsdale was in a 1-3-1 defense and Pete found a seam long enough to pull the trigger. Curiously, it was the first time all game that Ross Parker hadn't paid him special attention. As the ball nestled into the net, Parker signaled for a time out and decided that he would put away any, and all, gimmick defenses until Pete left the gym. Thirty-five points for Pete, and West Valley had regained the lead, 55-54.

  West Valley sat back in its tight 2-3 zone, while Helmsdale worked the ball for a good shot. About 25 seconds had passed before Glenn Jenkins made a move to split Tom Sullivan and Ron McNally, but tripped on his own feet. The whistle blew and the referee signaled a foul on Ron McNally. The chant of "BULLSHIT! BULLSHIT!" rocked the gym, as Coach Andrews yelled himself dangerously close to a technical. West Valley was over the limit, and a slightly-embarrassed Jenkins stepped to the line. His first shot hit the front rim, bounced off the backboard and dropped in tying the score at 55. His next shot was long when it left his hand, and Pete was able to get the carom for his 21st rebound. Pete then looked over at his coach and signaled for a time out with 1:28 remaining in the game.

  West Valley was planning to hold the ball for the last shot, but Ross Parker had other ideas. He wasn't going to give Pete the chance to beat him with a last second bomb. Parker let West Valley hold the ball until there was 35 seconds left. The ball swung over to Tom Sullivan, and Parker yelled "NOW!" Reserve guard Norman Stewart ran over and grabbed a surprised Sullivan, who was instructed by the zebras to head to the foul line. With two time outs remaining, Ross Parker knew Sullivan didn't need additional icing. The coach decided to save his time outs, just in case he needed them down the stretch.

  Sullivan slapped his teammate’s hands and told them he was ready, but inwardly he had as much confidence as a deer at a National Rifle Association meeting. Tom couldn't wait to get off the line as he dribbled once and shot the ball quickly. The ball barely grazed the front rim and the squirted loose on the floor. Pete hit the deck along with Glenn Jenkins and four other players. The referees signaled a jump ball, and Helmsdale easily controlled the tap. Ross Parker made a 'T' signal with his long hands, and the players walked to their respective benches.

  Both teams had one time out remaining, but Helmsdale held the county championship firmly in their hands. Parker obviously wanted Jenkins taking the last shot, and implored his players to be patient. Coach Andrews didn't want Glenn Jenkins to beat his team, so he had Tom Sullivan shadow him all over the court. The box-and-one had Ron McNally and Steve Christian up top, and Pete and Adam Baum under the basket.

  Twenty seconds ticked off the clock, as Helmsdale was trying to figure out a way to get the ball to Jenkins. Sullivan stayed inside of Glenn's shirt and the Knights started to run their last-second play at 10 seconds. Ross Parker was gesturing for Norman Stewart to wait but he took a few dribbles toward the top of the key. Jenkins was having trouble getting open, so Stewart pulled up and fired a 20-footer from the top of the key. Parker yelled out "NO!" but was drowned out by the screams from the stands. The ball calmly went through the hoop and dropped into Pete's hands. Time out, West Valley.

  Ross Parker couldn't believe there were still eight seconds left on the clock. His instinct was to yell at Stewart, but decided against chiding the cool-veined sophomore. If the kid had the guts enough to take the big shot and make it that was good enough for Coach Parker. On the opposite sideline, Coach Andrews told Chris Harrington to check in for Adam Baum, in a purely defense-offense switch.

  There wasn't a person out of the 4,000 fans that expected anyone but Pete to take the last shot. Pete would receive special attention, so he had to use every bit of his 6'6" frame to get open. Eight seconds left, West Valley's ball under Helmsdale's basket. The referee signaled to Tom Sullivan that he could run the baseline, so once he had the ball he raced to the right side of the basket and threw a dart to half court in the direction of Ron McNally. What happened next was so much out of the ordinary that it had to be seen to be believed.

  Coach Andrews wanted to distract the defense by throwing the ball to half court, then hitting a cutting Pete around the foul line. The crowd was so loud during the time out, that the West Valley players had difficulty hearing their coach. Pete knew he was supposed to get the ball on the foul line, but everything else was pretty fuzzy to Chris Harrington, who never got close enough to the huddle after checking in at the scorer's table. As Tom Sullivan threw the ball, Harrington raced from Helmsdale's foul line to mid-court like a wide receiver running for a pass downfield. As directed, Ron McNally moved from West Valley's foul line, to mid-court to meet the pass. Two forces heading in the same directions with only one ball to catch. This was about to get messy.

  Pete saw Harrington running for the ball, and started drifting toward West Valley's side of the center circle from his spot on the left side of the court. Harrington and Ron McNally were so focused on the ball, that they never saw each other. The collision was so spectacular that seven other players stopped in their tracks. The ball squirted up in the air and Pete stretched to catch it before it hit the floor.

  In a scene reminiscent of Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception, Pete made a shoestring catch with six seconds left. He was off-balance, but managed to dribble the ball to the foul line and rise for a leaning one-hander. He released the ball and then crashed into Melvin Stewart, who had left Ron McNally so he could shadow Pete. The ball swished through the basket and Cosmo Bartlett blew his whistle and yelled, "Basket good! Offensive foul on #44 blue." Bodies were everywhere when the buzzer rang to signal that Pete had fouled out.

  Melvin Stewart got the wind knocked out of him and was carried off the court. Chris Harrington bore the brunt of the collision and was bleeding from his mouth. Assistant Coach Kawolsky picked two of his teeth up off the court. Ron McNally left eye was closing fast and he was having trouble clearing the cob webs from his head. It took almost ten minutes to clear the players from the court. The team was also coming to grips with the fact that Pete had fouled out. Pete looked over at Coach Parker, and the two shook their heads. Pete had once again charged into one of Parker's players to decide a game. Although the last occurrence was over nine years ago, the play renewed old memories for both men. They had come full circle, but Pete hoped his Rockets could survive to let him play another day.

  Four seconds left, with the score tied at 57. West Valley had to dig deep in their bench to put five players on the floor. Tom Sullivan, Billy Kristich, Steve Christian, Stuart Plotkin and Steve Gerring stepped onto the floor. Adam Baum had slightly twisted his ankle a few minutes earlier and was done for the day. Nine players walked out on the floor dazed and confused, but one focused warrior emerged from the rubble.

  Glenn Jenkins had always been the go-to guy. The guy that was so cool, he must have had ice-water genetically infused in his veins. Four seconds to get from
one end of the court to the other. It would take Pete at least four seconds to get only to half court. Jenkins new he had to be on the move when he received the ball, so he curled around the West Valley's foul line and caught a pass in stride. It took him two seconds to weave in and out of three defenders, and by the time he reached to top of the key, he still had a second to shoot. He gathered himself, jumped in the air, and released the ball just before the game clock ticked to 0:00. As a shooter, the minute the ball left Glenn's hands, Pete knew his high school career had come to an end. As the ball dropped through the hoop, Pete went over to his coach, hugged him, and said, "From worst to first." The coach replied with tears in his eyes, "Yes.”

  Helmsdale continued to celebrate as Pete made his way to his parents on the side of the court. Isabel then hugged and kissed her tired man, as Barry Melnick joined the group. Eric Spalding made his way out of the stands and into the somber, yet appreciative group surrounding Pete. As Pete and Eric exchanged a power handshake and a bump hug, East City's public address announcer handed out the championship trophy to Ross Parker and Glenn Jenkins. He then blared, "LET'S HAND OUT ANOTHER TROPHY. OUR TOURNAMENT FINAL FOUR M.V.P. SCORED A RECORD 87 POINTS AND 50 REBOUNDS IN TWO GAMES, FOR AVERAGES OF 44 POINTS AND 25 REBOUNDS! THERE HE IS! WEST VALLEY'S, PETE BERMAN!"

  As Pete started his endless walk to center court, he realized he was no longer West Valley's "Pistol" Pete Berman. He was just Pete Berman. Pete took hold of the big trophy with his left hand and shook hands all around the jump circle. Coaches Andrews and Parker were proud of their young charge, who they saw sprout from a boy with a dream, to a man with a knack for making you believe what was not apparent. Pete was a dreamer, a seer, with enough imagination for an entire town. Pete motioned for his teammates to join him at center court. He then walked over, picked up the microphone, and said, "This one's for you, West Valley. Thanks for believing in us." The team started jumping up and down and chanting, "HERE WE GO VALLEY, HERE WE GO! (CLAP, CLAP) HERE WE GO VALLEY, HERE WE GO!" The team kept chanting as fans poured out of the stands to join them. Soon the entire court was filled with teenagers jumping up and down as the booming sound of "HERE WE GO VALLEY, HERE WE GO!" filled the huge gymnasium.