Hoosiers Page #6

---

"Norman Dale, coach of the Ithaca

Warriors, was suspended for..."

I can't really explain that.

It's been a number of years and it still

kind of goes around in my head. I...

I slow it down. Sometimes

I really think that I can stop my fist

from hitting that boy's jaw.

One second and everything

I'd worked for was just all finished.

Funny thing, too. He was the best kid

that ever played for me.

Tough, stubborn and wilful.

Sounds like someone I know.

I imagined kissing you

ever since I first saw you.

I was just tired of imagining it.

It's been a long time.

For me too.

All right, let's go. Let's go.

- Coach, how did you do it?

- It wasn't me. It was the boys.

...miss that final shot?

- No. I knew I had it all the way.

Really?

- Tell you later.

- The team you're against in the final,

South Bend Central, is one of

the power teams in the state.

Their front line is 6'4", 6'5" and 6'5".

- How can your little guys compete?

- I don't know.

- Do you have a scouting report?

- More important to me than that,

my boys only know basketball, farming

and school, probably in that order.

Most of 'em have never seen

a building taller than two storeys.

So taking them to Indianapolis

to play in front of 15,000 people

is kind of like you and me

going to the moon.

Who we play is the least of my concerns.

Will you be back at Hickory next year?

It's a good question.

No school this small has ever been

in the state championship.

I know. I was coach for a while.

I won a big game for 'em.

I coached the last two minutes.

I took 'em right down to the wire. I run

the picket fence on 'em, and we won!

And my son, he's on...

How you doin', Dad?

The conquering hero. I heard the game

right there on that little Philco,

and I heard old Ollie dribble on his foot

and then make that charity shot.

I started bawling, and they bring the white

coats in here and they put a jacket on me.

I was feeling so good

I didn't even mind too much.

You're doing good?

Well...

I feel real empty inside and, uh...

I have some bad visions.

Son...

- the other night...

- It don't matter, Dad.

You're gonna get better.

In a couple of months, when you get

outta here, we're gonna get a house.

Both of us.

I love you, Dad.

I gotta get back.

Son?

Oh, I wish I could be there.

I'll be thinking of you.

Son, kick their butt.

Anyway, I'll tell you one thing.

No school this small has ever been

in the state championship!

Hi, Coach Dale. Coach Butcher.

Welcome to Butler Fieldhouse.

Your practice schedule is from 10 to 12.

The game will be at seven o'clock.

If you need anything, just let me know.

I think this is the most exciting thing

to ever happen to Indiana basketball.

So we're all behind you.

Good luck, and tear 'em up.

- Thank you.

- Good luck, guys.

Buddy.

Hold this under the backboard.

- What is it?

- 15 feet.

15 feet. Strap, put Ollie on your shoulders.

Measure this from the rim.

Buddy.

- How far?

- Ten feet.

Ten feet.

I think you'll find this is the exact same

measurements as our gym in Hickory.

OK, let's get dressed for practice.

Hickory!

It is big.

Welcome, ladies and

gentlemen, to the championship game

of the Indiana State High School

Basketball Tournament.

The most incredible

and improbable confrontation

in the illustrious history of

the Indiana High School Tournament

takes place in tonight's game,

where the pint-sized, hardly-big-enough

for-three-syllables Hickory Huskers,

enrolment 64, take on the

defending state champions,

the mighty Bears of South Bend

Central, with an enrolment of 2800.

Already calling this

the game of the century,

newspeople from all over

the Middle West are here

to witness Hoosierland's

version of the Cinderella story.

? Oh, say does that

star-spangled banner yet wave

? O'er the land of the free

? And the home of the brave?

And now, the starting line-up

for the Huskers.

We've been all over this before.

Their top player is Boyle, number 15.

He, uh... averages

about 20 points a game.

Buddy, you gotta stick right with him.

No inside penetration.

Shut down those passing lanes.

Play tough off those boards

to negate their height advantage.

Hickory, it's time to take the floor.

- I'll get the preacher.

- OK.

Well, we're way past the big-speech time.

I wanna thank you

for the last few months.

It's been very special for me.

Anybody have anything they wanna say?

Yeah.

Let's win this one for all the small schools

that never had a chance to get here.

OK.

I wanna win for my dad.

Let's win for Coach, who got us here.

Thank you.

With God of heaven it is all one,

to deliver with a great multitude

or a small company.

For the victory of battle standeth

not in the multitude of host,

but strength cometh from heaven.

And David put his hand in the bag

and took out a stone and slung it,

and struck the Philistine on the head,

and he fell to the ground.

Amen.

- I love you guys.

- Team!

Call time-out! Time-out!

Time-out, Hickory.

- God, these guys are good.

- This is embarrassing.

I can't stop that guy.

Maybe they were right about us.

Maybe we don't belong up here.

Let's go. Come on!

- Can I say something?

- Yeah!

Jimmy can take the guy

that's guardin' him if we set him up.

What about it, Jimmy?

- All right, let's go. Come on!

- Go!

Get 'em! Come on!

Buddy! Buddy!

Calm them down. Be patient.

Two minutes ten seconds to go.

South Bend Central on top 40-34.

Hickory in possession.

Buddy Walker with the ball.

He passes to Everett Flatch.

He throws to Merle Webb.

Then there's Jimmy Chitwood,

face right, jump shot... Scores!

Back to Willie Long. Then back to Wilber,

who is signalling the play.

Will they release the ball?

Wilber dribbles to his left.

Passes over to Long.

Long holding the basketball.

All right! All right!

Buddy! Full-court press after this shot.

He signals the play

and passes to Jimmy Chitwood.

Chitwood along the right sideline.

Bounce passes to Flatch.

Flatch finds Walker.

Walker's shot. Not good.

Walker comes around the outside.

Steals the ball. Passes to Chitwood.

It's 40 to 38. 33 seconds to go.

Sensational comeback. Earl having

trouble with the advance pass.

Intercepted by Jimmy Chitwood.

It's now 40-40. Hickory have scored

six consecutive points.

Get the ball. Get the ball.

Grab it, grab it, grab it, grab it!

Come on, come on, come on.

All right, listen up.

Here's what we're gonna do.

Jimmy, they'll be expecting you

to take the last shot.

We're gonna use you as a decoy.

Buddy, you get the ball,

give it to Merle on the picket fence.

He's gonna take the last shot.

All right, let's go.

What's the matter with you guys?

What's the matter with you?

I'll make it.

All right. Buddy, get the ball

to Jimmy at the top of the key.

Let's go.

Team!

They may be seeing

basketball history here tonight.

A sensational comeback by Hickory.

The score is tied at 40.

There are 19 fateful seconds

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes