D-Bow’s game has it all, and colleges are taking notice. But he’s still rehabbing a knee injury and his job as Marion East point guard is under threat. Plus he’s got family drama. And girl trouble. Can he put it all together for his senior season? Or will he crash and burn like so many Marion East players before him?
"As a childrens/YA bookseller, I LOVED THIS BOOK. The language, the characters, the basketball—they are all spot on perfect . . . I am so excited about this series."—Cynthia Compton, 4 Kids Books, Zionville, IndianaJunior year. Derrick Bowen has put in two good years getting ready for this season. He put in the work and earned his coach's trust and his role as the starting point guard for Marion East. Marion has never won the Indiana state championship, but this...
In Indiana, basketball is the next thing to religion. Especially for inner-city black kids like Derrick Bowen. He's a 6'3" freshman, lightning quick, and he can slam the rock. He wants to start at point guard for Marion High, but senior Nick Starks has that nailed down. Besides, the coach is old school. He thinks D-Bow needs to work on his game, his shot, and his attitude. That means bench time. And that's when Hamilton Academy, the elite school in the suburbs, comes sniffing...
"Waltman's series opener [Next] (first of a planned four) features plenty of basketball action fueled by hoops slang that will set basketball-mad readers right onto the court. . . . The author avoids slam-dunk answers, leaving readers poised for the next book. Like Derrick, this series is off to a promising high school career."—Kirkus ReviewsThings were supposed to change for sophomore year. Things were supposed to be—I don't know—easier somehow. At...