Glory Road Page #4

We play fundamental, disciplined

defensive basketball.

Togo? Hey, show Mr.. Cager

how to make a shot.

There you go.

- You want me to do that?

- Mm-hm.

Come on. Coach. What about my stylin'?

I got way too much style to do that.

You leave the styling for the barber shop.

Just show me you belong in the NCAA.

OK, guys.

You're a smart kid. Harry.

But these grades ain't pulling the truck

up the hill.

It's just that every class is about rocks.

and I'm a black man. I don't do rocks.

Mm-hm.

You got two weeks to get your grades up.

Or else.

- You hear me?

- Yes, sir.

- How'd it go?

- What's he gonna do?

He's already run our asses ragged.

She's a great girl.

Mm! What's that girl?

- Is she cute?

- No.

- Yeah.

- She's a cutie pie, but she's not cute.

Who can tell me the field classification

of phaneritic rocks?

My son Harry can.

Yes, ma'am.

Granite, syenite and gabbro.

Can anybody tell me

how they are formed?

Yes, ma'am. Harry can.

- By slow cooling plutons?

- And what is a pluton?

Harry.

It is a deep-seated igneous intrusion

with no visible floor.

Very good. Harry.

You know I love you, but...

Nah. I can't. I can't do that. Not again.

Please, baby.

Don't make me do it again. Please.

Ah!

Don't ever enter

when I'm entertaining a lady friend!

- I didn't know.

- Check that vent!

I told you when that vent's open.

it's too hot for you to come in here.

- Hey, man, cool down, man.

- You dig?

OK. OK.

Shed.

- Come on, brother.

- Here we go now.

Can't be good for his back.

Shed.

Have you even slept

in your bed yet?

Hey, it's time for practice.

You've been sleeping out here all night.

Rise and shine. Like you used to it.

Here, man. Go buy yourself a hot dog-o.

Gimme your base. Balls of your feet.

Get your arms up. Get your arms up.

There you go.

I know I told you not to dunk, but if he's

playing that weak, slam it down his throat.

You know what. Shed? You're like a duck.

You wake up in a new world every day.

Waitress down at Dairy Queen's

tougher than you are.

All right. Hey, move your feet.

Come on, get back to the practice.

- Well, there's seven of them.

- Actually, there's 12 in all.

Yeah, but seven of the other ones.

Coach...

You're going home.

Home? What are you talking about?

Too afraid to rebound and defend.

You're too soft.

- That's why I'm sending you home.

- Ah, come on! No!

The season's two days away.

You can't send me home!

I can't have a big man

that's afraid to play like one.

- No.

- There's your ticket.

Coach. Please!

I'll never be able to look my daddy

in the eye again! Coach!

Look at those moves! Look at how

he slices the defense! He's unstoppable!

Look at that jump shot!

It's all good! Roy, it's all good!

The crowd goes wild. Roy.

You spilled a lot of sweat on this floor.

and it's gonna pay off.

Now. I know it seems

I've been hard on you for no reason.

But I've been tough

because I know how good you can be.

People outside this gym, they don't think

we got a chance this season.

playing with players

none of the big schools wanted.

But those people don't know you. I do.

You're talented. You're disciplined.

And you care about the guy

standing next to you.

That's how we're gonna win.

starting tomorrow night.

So let's go out there

and let's play Texas Western basketball.

Let's make that mean something.

On three.

One, two, three.

Miners!

All right, all right.

- Let's go, quick. Come on.

- Here we go.

- What are you still doing here. Shed?

- I'm... I'm ready to play.

Well, you had your chance to be a man.

Now, go on. Take your ticket and go home.

- Come on, man, let me play.

- I can't. You might get hurt.

Let me play!

Come on, come on, come on!

I don't care how tired you are.

That's the way to play.

Let me look at that. Come here

and let me look at that! Hold on.

- I'm all right.

- I know you're OK.

You're walking, but your nose ain't in

good shape. You're getting blood all over.

- I'm all right.

- Hold your head back. You're bleeding.

All right, let's play. Come on.

Quit hopping around like a jack rabbit.

I said rotate in.

You a catcher now?

- Ain't nothing gonna stop me from playing.

- He won't go to the doctor. Coach.

That's right. I'm not going anywhere.

I'm here to stay.

Just go get your nose taken care of.

We're gonna need ya this season, all right?

There you go. Nevil.

Hi again, everybody. This is Judd Milton.

the voice of the Miners on KTSM 1380.

Welcome. It's our home opener.

and we're hosting the Greyhounds

of Eastern New Mexico State College.

This is a night of questions.

Will Don Haskins, the little-known coach

of the Benjamin High School girls' team.

be able to lift the Miners

to respectability?

- Let me see.

- Let go!

- What?

- Don't touch it, man.

Hey, man. Where were you?

It was a late night.

if y'all know what I mean.

Are you ever gonna straighten up, man?

Somebody say something?

And now your Texas Western Miners!

At guard.

El Paso's own David Palacio!

At forward, from Eagleville. Missouri.

Jerry Armstrong!

At guard, from Detroit. Michigan.

Bobby Joe Hill!

At forward, from Gary. Indiana.

Harry Flournoy!

And in center, from Houston. Texas.

David "Big Daddy D" Lattin!

Three of 'em. Wallace. They look like

the damn Tuskegee Institute out there.

Just when did we become

a colored school?

... your 1965 Texas Western Miners!

The Miners win the tip-off

to start the season.

- Go. Hill. Set it up. Take your time.

- Set it up!

Hey, protect the ball.

Not a good start for the Miners.

Hey. Hill, you notice your man

just scored on you?

Mitch, over here, over here!

- Hill spins to the basket, puts it up for two!

- Stop showboating!

Fundamental basketball. Hill.

Watch your base.

You didn't have a base -

that's how he went around you.

Coach Haskins trying to mold these guys

into team players... Cager for two.

Cager, just lay the ball off the board.

Get your hand in his face, son!

You gotta challenge that shot.

Right here, over here. Shoot it.

Where's the D? There ain't no D.

Hill wheelin' and dealin'.

The ball's loose!

- That's why I don't want you showboating.

- Let's go!

Hey. Armstrong. Hey. Flournoy.

Are you kiddin' me?

Lattin, you're ankle-deep in the floor, son.

Drive that ball! There it is!

Hey. I saw it, son.

And the Miners lead by four.

They need one stop now.

Good defense. Armstrong!

Good defense!

So the Don Haskins era begins

in victory. A four-point win

over a less-than-impressive squad

from Eastern New Mexico.

But the real story tonight -

Coach Haskins putting three Negro

players into the starting lineup -

a move that's sure to stir things up

both on and off the court this season.

- You've got all the moves, don't you?

- Oh, yeah.

Tried it on a hundred girls?

Ah...

Maybe 50 or 60.

I'm tired of moving around.

I just wanna stay in one place for a while.

Put down some roots for once.

You got what it takes, Bobby Joe?

- Hey. Coach. I can't go no more!

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