Logan Matthews has it all: good grades, a leading position on the basketball team, a hot girlfriend, a smart best friend, a great part-time job and his own car - and a slam-dunk basketball scholarship to a nationally-ranked university. Everything’s going his way. So, why does life suddenly feel as though everything is spiraling out of control? A substitute teacher with an agenda is threatening to fail him in an important class... moreLogan Matthews has it all: good grades, a leading position on the basketball team, a hot girlfriend, a smart best friend, a great part-time job and his own car - and a slam-dunk basketball scholarship to a nationally-ranked university. Everything’s going his way. So, why does life suddenly feel as though everything is spiraling out of control? A substitute teacher with an agenda is threatening to fail him in an important class. Some of his hidden activities on the job have been caught on video. There is even a whole website devoted to what he is doing. If it gets out, his father will throw him out of the house. And, if it stays secret, things could become infinitely worse than just being homeless. Logan’s hot girlfriend is finally loosening up on the physical relationship side. She’s promised him a special treat at the party. But Logan’s father has grounded him because he disobeyed Coach’s orders. Even Coach admits it was a great play, but Logan’s father could care less. Anyway, he wants Logan to dump his girlfriend. Her twin brother just came out as gay and that made the girlfriend unacceptable. Logan’s best friend, Antoine, is barred from visiting because he is black. The elder Matthews doesn’t want his son associating with a “nigra.” Logan’s relationship with Antoine is probably the sanest part of his life, but it’s in constant danger from a homophobic racist. Logan’s former best friend, Tommy, is the basketball team captain, and despises Logan. Almost as much as Logan despises Tommy. But, they have to work together or both lose their scholarships. And Coach won’t let up on forcing the issue. Either they put aside their differences or Coach will put aside their scholarships. But putting aside their differences is just not going to happen. There’s too much history and pain to overcome. Logan gets sick during the state championship tournament. Very sick, with no explanation. With him the team is good, state championship caliber, and far better than any other small-town team in the state. Without him the team might not be good enough. And, without a win, many scholarships and futures – not just Logan and Tommy’s – are in trouble. Coach knows what the disease is and even its cause. But he has no clue about how to fix it in time for the final games. If forfeiting the state championship would make Logan better, then Coach was willing to do that. The team and its members mean far more to him than a title. But Coach knows that a forfeited title won’t fix Logan. In fact, Coach is struggling with his own demons. He’s fairly certain he not only knows the cause of the disease, but he blames himself for the whole thing. Coach calls in help from his cousin, a retired clinical psychologist, and Antoine’s Aunt Kamisha, a nurse practitioner. That might be more promising if Aunt Kamisha were not also known as Aunt Scary Lady. The two help Logan fight to get better, but that costs Logan his girlfriend and the last vestiges of relationship with his parents. When another patient comes down with the same disease, Logan’s life falls completely apart. The other patient is Tommy. And, secrets both glorious and gruesome hide just below the surface. As Logan pivots his feet on the squeaky gym floor, he’s counting on a desperation play to win the game. And he wonders just how many more desperation plays, on and off the court, will have to succeed to get his life in order. It could all start with winning this game, but can he do it? After all, there are only four seconds left on the clock. less
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