Hoop Dreams Page #12

that I missed when I was in high school-

Yeah.

Twenty-one years later I got a chance

at getting a championship through him.

You know, you're always trying to

build your children up...

and saying, "Well, you-all can do it"...

but, you know, really lying on

the inside a little bit, saying...

"Well, you know, you got a long haul."

But, you know,

this make you even more confidence...

because if he's sure of hisself,

then you know you can bank on it.

Yesterday, you know, when he won the game,

you know, he told me he loved me.

And, you know, I haven't heard that

in, uh -You know.

You can feel it, but I haven't heard it

coming verbally from him.

In a rematch with rival Westinghouse...

Marshall proves to everybody

they have what it takes to be city champs.

Inside pass. Shot rejected.

To the lane with the layin.

Busts this game wide open.

Did you see that?

Did you see it? Did you see it?

They are celebrating because they know...

their high school is headed

to the elite eight in Champaign.

And the Marshall Commandos

have won the Public League Championship...

in convincing fashion-

58-38 winners over

the Westinghouse Warriors.

What's up, man?

Told you on the phone what I was gonna do.

Told you, boy.

Marshall, baby. Marshall!

Marshall!

Marshall.! Marshall.!

Marshall.! Marshall.!

Your A.C.T. came in, William,

and you received a 14 for a composite...

which is not high enough.

Uh, you've taken the test-

Now, this was for the fourth time.

Now, if you add all those up,

it comes out to 17.2.

In order to play at Marquette,

you're gonna have to get the 18.

And they're very, very concerned.

One assistant called twice this week,

and Bo Ellis called today.

Smile, William.

It's not the end of the world.

- Right?

- I hope not.

Well, you gotta work at this

as hard as you worked at your jump shot.

And it was missing a lot this year.

Okay.

Now you are down to the final inning

and the last strike.

We're going, going downstate!

We're going downstate!

Now let's, let's celebrate!

Now let's celebrate!

- What are we gonna be?

- State champions.!

Your Marshall Commandos.!

- Yeah!

- We're gonna take state!

Take state! Number one!

Beat B-A - B-A-T-A-V-I-A.!

Beat B-A - B-A-T-A-V-I-A.!

Beat B-A - B-A-T-A-V-I-A!

Downstate Marshall plays

its familiar role as underdog...

to third-ranked Batavia.

Justice has it. Justice, one-on-two.

- Spins up-

- Nice move.

In the media glare of a statewide

audience, Marshall shows big-game jitters.

Now bust out.

And Marshall missed the layup.

Sealed off, blocked by Williams.

You got easy shots.

You gotta make your easy shots.

I can't shoot for you.

Now he's gonna penetrate.

Left it for Christian. Missed the shot.

Luther Bedford looks like

he's ready to commit suicide over there.

Y'all better get on your job,

Commandos!

- Now into the corner.

- Get in there.

Batavia's got these guys on the run.

One, one, one, one!

One, one, one, one.!

But in the third quarter,

the Commandos charge back.

And a steal by Marshall.!

Agee gonna take it all the way.

Yes! That's the way you go!

- here we go.

- Picked him clean.

Dale. Marshall leads.

Marshall's first lead

since the first quarter.

Like a lightning bolt,

the Commandos have struck.

37-36, Marshall leading Batavia.

Chicago Marshall has exploded-

I always dreamed of, like...

me and William taking

them downstate together.

When I was at St. Joseph...

maybe we could have went downstate,

and maybe we couldn't.

But we did when I'm at Marshall.

Arthur's big fourth quarter

helps add Batavia...

to Marshall's growing list of upsets.

Spectacular comeback

in the fourth quarter by the Commandos-

In the post-game news conference...

Coach Bedford labels

his unranked team "the giant killers. '"

- Y'all are playing the number one team.

- We're playing the number one team.

We're playing the number two team.

This is the first time in the history

of the school that we've gone this far.

- Really?

- In the history of the school.

Just like the Commandos.

See, we been the underdog.

I'm glad we are because then

it just show you how you could come up.

And then you beat your opponent.

Oh, yeah.

Be a good place for Man to come.

Yeah. This is really, you know,

something that a -

a child would really miss out on.

Like a whole different world.

It's beyond different.

Uh-huh.

In this semifinal game,

we'll see some great individuals...

just as we saw many years ago.

Remember Isiah Thomas,

one of the great guards.

Here you see the same moves

he plays with in the NBA today.

Well, we've got someone like that:

howard Nathan, number 34...

for Peoria Manual.

Marshall got here because of

one reason:
quickness.

The reason:
Arthur Agee.

Look at this man. he just explodes, Dan.

He can get down court

as quick as anyone I've ever seen.

In the semifinals...

Arthur goes head-to-head

with howard Nathan, the all-American.

Make him work for it, Man.

Make him work for what he get.

All right! Let's go!

All the way, Man! All the way!

Yeah! That's it! That's it! That's it!

Arthur Agee, spinning inside,

tough shot. Good.

Arthur has a great first half...

but the Rams play even better.

He's got it.

Get up for the Rams!

Everybody get up!

Get up for the Rams.!

In the second half,

Arthur tries to pick up where he left off.

Penetration move by Agee. Slapped

out of there by Manual.

They've got two-on-one.

Ooh, and a nice fake and a score.

But it's the Rams who don't miss a beat...

pressing the tempo against

the tired Commandos.

You're not in the offense at all.

You're just out there

playing individual basketball.

Completely.

Hey, hey, guys. No fouls.

We want to keep the clock going. Remember?

Let's go, Marshall!

Let's go!

Let's go, Marshall.!

Let's go.!

Marshall showed us last night

they have the ability to come back.

Let's see what they can do here.

This is Nathan.

Nice pass.

Knock it down.

Biggest lead of the game now,

and the Rams fans can smell it.

Been a great run

for Luther Bedford's team.

The string of upsets stops here.

- And a foul on Agee.

- He fouls out.

But he just never quit.

He just kept going for the basketball.

I wouldn't be surprised

if he made the all-tournament team tonight.

- Number one!

- We're number one.!

We're still number one.

All right. All right.

Though they lose to Peoria Manual...

they finish third in the state, the highest

a Marshall team has finished since 1960.

This was a great season you had.

There is nothing sweeter

than going downstate as a young person.

I mean, the record's

gonna stay there, you know.

1991, there was a team

from Marshall played.

- You know, and you're part of that.

- Yeah.

- That's part of history.

- Ah!

But for you seniors, you know-

Best wishes to all you seniors,

and whatever you try to do, uh...

Mr. Williams and I

will be around school...

as we always are -

to help you if you want to be helped, okay?

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