Hoops

HOOPS

by Walter Dean Myers

Hoops is about 17 year old, Lonnie Jackson who lives in Harlem. He is from a unstable family but is considered to be very good at playing basketball. This book describes how tough it is to get into college and how hard life is when you live in Harlem. Lonnie and his friends decide to enter a citywide tournament. They recruit an ex-pro basketball star, Cal Johnson. The story progresses with Cal and Lonnie's shaky relationship through the Tournament of Champions.

Lonnie comes from a single mother home. He and his mother's relationship is not close. Lonnie works and lives at the "Grant", a run-down hotel. He spends most of the time playing basketball at the "center" with his friends including Paul, his main man. Paul's younger sister, Mary Ann is Lonnie's girlfriend. Lonnie states his claim to fame is his ball playing. He is told he is good enough to be professional. His attitude and ego become a problem .

One day, Lonnie and his friends decide to enter the Tournament of Champions. They hear that there will be scouts there. At first meeting Cal, who is known as a local bum and drinker, they find he played for the NBA and really knows the game. Lonnie and Cal play each other. Cal wins, and he becomes the team's coach. Cal and Lonnie become very close. Cal lets Lonnie know his secrets. Cal had been forced to quit playing after he was caught accepting bribes in a point shaving scandal. Cal is extremely hard on Lonnie and uses him as an example.

During the tournament, Mary Ann and Lonnie find that Paul has gotten into trouble by stealing welfare checks. Paul is trying to impress people and prove he is someone he is not. Cal ends up disappearing, and Lonnie must take charge of his team. Cal ends up in jail for fighting gamblers. The gamblers want Cal to quit coaching. Mary Ann gives Lonnie Paul's stolen money to bail Cal out of jail. Lonnie and the team give Cal another chance to coach. Mary