Todd Wilkins is a great basketball player. His dad thinks nothing is more important. But when Todd joins a creative-writing class taught by an exciting new teacher named Mr. Ramirez, Todd discovers he has other talents, too.
The more time Todd spends on his writing, the less time he spends on basketball - and Mr. Wilkins isn't happy. But he doesn't blame Todd. Instead, he wants the school to fire Mr. Ramirez.
Todd doesn't want to let his father or Mr. Ramirez down, but he can't find a solution to his problems. So Todd plans to run away. Can Elizabeth Wakefield convince him not to go?

Tim Davis passed the ball to Todd Wilkins just before on of the Big Mesa players tried to steal it. There were three seconds left. Todd was open for the final shot.
A Big Mesa player came charging at him. trying to stop him. Todd took aim. The crowd rose to their feet. Someone started chanting, "Wil-kins, Wil-kins, Wil-kins," and soon all the Gladiator fans picked up the chant. Todd was soaked with sweat.
Two seconds left. He measured the distance from the basket, aimed, and shot.
The ball hit the bakcboard. It hovered on the rim. Go in, go in, Todd prayed. The ball circled and circled the rim. The gym was silent, as if the whole crowd was holding their breath.
Finally the ball tipped to the outside of the rim and fell to the ground.
There were cheers from the Big Mesa side of the gym, groans from the Sweet Valley side. The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game. The Gladiators had lost the first game of the season.
And it was all Todd's fault.

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