The Perfect Shot

The locker room is quiet, and Coach Guilford doesn’t know what to say to get them to start playing as a team again. He tells them to really see each other and remember what it’s like to play with each other again. Then, he leaves. The guys start pointing fingers and blaming each other for how badly they are playing. Brian yells that if they really are that bad, they should just quit because Jackson is a bigger and better team. He insists that when they are there for each other and playing the way they used to, they can beat anyone.

Julius protests that he is the only one scoring points and is carrying the team. Brian scolds him for the way he’s been acting, as if he can’t trust anyone anymore. He reminds him that when he was in trouble, he called Brian, and he came. He tells the team that the thing he loves most about playing basketball is the feeling of being able to trust his teammates, which is even more important than technical skill.

While he is talking, Brian realizes that he needs to keep fighting for justice for Amanda and her father, no matter how scared of the stranger’s threats he might be. He decides that he will call the reporter after all, and this decision makes him feel lighter and more confident for the second half of the game. Brian has gotten the team to rally around each other again, and they rush back onto the court, ready to take on Jackson.

Brian’s team starts playing like a real team again, and they have a major comeback during the second half. By the last minute of the game, they are only behind by three points. Ray makes a layup, bringing the score to 88–87 with only 16 seconds left. Brian assesses the team’s formation and sees an opening. He yells to Julius to pass the ball to Shooter. The other team, not knowing Shooter’s nickname, thinks that Brian has instructed Julius to “shoot her” and make the basket himself. They are not prepared to guard Shooter, and when Julius passes to him, he makes the shot, winning the game.

The crowd erupts in cheers, not believing the amazing comeback that the Warriors pulled off. Coach Guilford gives the game ball to Brian for his leadership. Brian sees his father across the court and feels so happy to have made him proud.

Todd finds Brian in the crowd and congratulates him on his win. He also apologizes for being so angry with him about Mr. Daine’s case. Brian accepts his apology and explains that he didn’t talk because someone in the men’s room threatened to kill him and his family, and that he was worried he’d hurt Todd, Warren, and Elise, too. He told Todd that the man’s voice sounded familiar, but he wasn’t sure where he’d heard it before. Todd says he’ll talk to Warren and tell him and Elise not to go back to their house that night.

Brian leaves the gym in a procession of cars like a parade, with people cheering and honking the whole way. He knows that his dad is proud and thrilled to see him be celebrated like this. He knows that he will never forget this triumphant moment.

When they get home, Brian stays up and talks to his parents for a while. It reminds him of the times in the past when his dad was touring craft fairs and they were all closer and happier. After his parents go to bed, he goes up to his room and finds Natalie Hart’s card, finally ready to call the reporter and tell her more about the jogger. He calls and leaves a message, but his phone battery dies.

As he looks for a charger, he hears a noise outside, like the crack of a tree branch. He freezes and listens some more. He hears more faint noises, like the scuffling of footsteps and the scrape of someone picking the lock. He knows that the person from the men’s room has come to make good on his threat. Sure enough, someone wearing all black enters the house. Brian freezes for a moment, then grabs the game ball and throws it at the intruder, causing him to crash into the trophy shelves. Brian runs over and grabs a trophy, swinging it at the man’s arm and causing him to drop the gun he was carrying.

By this time, the commotion has woken up Brian’s parents and his mother calls 911. Brian grabs the gun, but it turns out that the intruder has another one. Brian’s father appears, also holding a shotgun. The three men face off, each armed. Mr. Hammet yells at Brian to get out of the way, but Brian points the gun, aims perfectly at the man’s head, and pulls the trigger.

After Brian shoots the man, he grows disoriented and confused. It turns out that while Brian killed him, the man also shot Brian, and he is badly injured. He is dimly aware that Elise and other paramedics have arrived to help him, but he is losing consciousness.

In this state, he meets Amanda again. They tell each other that they love each other, but Amanda says it’s not time for Brian to join her; they will see each other again when it is time.

Eventually, Brian opens his eyes and realizes that the person who came into his house—the person who shot him—was Officer Recks. Officer Recks was the same officer who questioned him after Amanda was shot. He had also been working with the drug dealers at the time of Mr. Daine’s drug bust, and he killed Amanda, Cory, and Mrs. Daine to retaliate against him. Brian realizes that no one is helping Officer Recks, because he is dead—Brian killed him.

Brian wakes up in the intensive care unit. The police arrive and question him, as does Natalie Hart. The basketball team comes to visit, and so does Todd. Brian thanks him, Warren, and Elise for their help, especially Elise for saving his life. Todd tells him that Warren is now working with Mr. Daine’s lawyer to throw out the sentence. Brian will need a lot of physical therapy before he can play basketball again, and the team is upset that he won’t be able to play in the finals. Brian begins giving them individual advice, like a coach.

Brian’s father comes to visit him every day after work. One day, after the team visits, Brian asks his dad to do him a favor: Go to the basketball game the next day and cheer on the team. His father agrees, and Brian also asks his dad to go back to carving wood and making beautiful guitars. He knows that’s what really makes him happy, and he shouldn’t worry too much about making enough money for the family. His dad agrees to at least talk to his mom about it. Later, when his mom comes to visit, she hugs him and thanks him; he can tell that his father talked to her about his request, and he guesses that she will go along with it.

The next day, his team comes back and tells him about how they beat the Hornets. Brian knows that he will still be able to help his team from the sidelines because, true to his nickname, Brainman, he is good at thinking through the game.

Brian has started attending rehab sessions and is slowly recovering. One day, he goes to visit Amanda’s grave for the first time since she was killed. He finds that Mr. Daine is already there. He asks Mr. Daine if he ever killed someone in the line of duty, and he tells Brian that he never did—that is an experience that Brian has had that he hasn’t. Mr. Daine tells Brian that he is not sure if he’ll ever be okay after his terrible experiences in the last year. He leaves the cemetery.

Brian talks to Amanda, telling her about his new plans for the future. He now thinks he would like to be a teacher and a coach because he is interested in helping kids understand the danger of history repeating itself. He wants to guide them through adolescence, on and off the court, and he believes this is a career that will allow him to make a difference to other people. It will also last a lot longer than any professional basketball career he could have had.