Basketball stories; College students -- Juvenile fiction; Women college students -- Juvenile fiction; Young women -- Juvenile fiction
A fumble made by Marian cost the Twos a point, when a foul committed by
Norma Travers of Jane’s team evened them up again, without either side
making a basket.
Time after time the big spherical ball was directly in front of the
elusive basket only to be dashed back by an alert opponent.
“Good work!” called the crowd, as Jane tossed the ball clear into the
end field, taking advantage of her privilege as center to run from one
field to another. The throw had been made from the one bounce allowed,
and that she had been able to take in all the privileges occasioned a
sensational play.
Cheer after cheer rang out, then came the expectant silence. Some one
must “shoot a basket” soon, or the crowd would suffocate from pent-up
excitement.
Two more fouls gave each side a free throw, but nowhere near the basket
came the much-abused ball.
Finally the ball was in center, Jane jumped for it, pushed it to the
floor to comply with that rule, and just as she raised it to throw it
with straight aim for the player near the basket, Dolorez waved her
hand in Jane’s face!
“Foul!” shouted the referee, and “Shame!” roared the crowd.
“Disqualified!” came the sentence from the referee, and Dolorez was
compelled to leave the floor. She had been charged with four personal
fouls, thus disqualifying her for more play, but in spite of this
unenviable record she did not leave the floor without a protest.
Marian, quick to realize that a word from her to an official, when only
the captain should speak, might turn her out as well as Dolorez,
promptly substituted Tony Dexter, but it was too late. The foul allowed
Jane’s side gave the free throw needed and into the basket went the
ball for Wellington. That settled it.
“Jane Allen, Center!” went up a wild wonderful shout. The tie was
broken, the game won for Team One, and Jane Allen became official
Center for the season of 1920.
“You were by all odds the best player,” said Isobel Talmadge, when
quiet had almost been restored, and the players regained something of a
normal condition. “But what appeared to be real strategy on Marian’s
team, quickly developed into tricks, all of which measured up for
fouls. I am going to call a meeting of the Athletic Board soon. There
is something about Dolorez’s playing not found on school teams. I
wouldn’t be surprised if she has been something of a professional.”
“Oh, you can’t mean it!” breathed Jane. “She is older obviously, but
how could she be a professional?”
“Oh, very easily, little girl. But you have won your honors fairly and
I congratulate you. We will have a record, after our Breslin Day this
year, I am quite sure.”
“Thank you,” said Jane simply. Judith was tugging at her sleeve and
Drusilla dragging at the other arm.
“Oh, come on. The seniors have a spread for us. Such real coffee and
sandwiches. Isn’t that splendid?” asked Judith, smacking her lips. “But
not half as good as our victory at that. Jane, aren’t you too proud to
walk? Shan’t we carry you?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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