Summer classes are just now ending and the students are filtering back into town and getting ready for the upcoming school year.   It's Friday night and Jerryd Bayless, who is about to enter his junior year in college, is dressed to impress and out on the prowl.  He has been practicing his smile in the mirror all summer long and thinks that he is ready to win-over a few fans.  While his buddies were vacationing in Cabo he was at home honing his skills and prepping his game.  Tonight is going to be the night that Jerryd makes it happen.

  He makes his way over to a friends off-campus house party and is ready to get into the action.  He just needs one shot at the big time and he knows that he can be productive.

Blondie at 9' O'clock, he moves up slowly, weaving through traffic and making his way towards the goal.

"Hey there"  he says as he finally reaches her side, "I'm Jerryd, I play basketball, what's your name hot stuff?"

"Heather, and I hate basketball"  she replies before turning a cold shoulder

Denied at the rim, he turns away towards the crowd, looking for another chance to score.  Nobody will stop Jerryd tonight, he thinks to himself, it's my time to show what I can do.

  Brunette at 4 O'clock, he makes his way towards the bar area.  She is taller and a little larger than the other girls and he wonders to himself whether or not she could D him up. 

"Hey baby, your lookin fine, " he says while flashing his game-winning smile, "Have you ever been crossed over?"

"I ain't your baby and I only date men with normal sized arms" she says before turning and boxing out the nearest plate of chicken wings.

Damn, Jerryd is 0 for 2 and is starting to get mad.  These opponents are a lot tougher than I thought they would be.  He is angry, but not discouraged.  He will not stop fighting till the game is over and he is holding the trophy above his head.

Redhead at 2 O'Clock.  She looks like someone that he can shoot over and he likes his chances as he sizes up her defensive stance.

"Hey hot stuff," he says with a devilish look in his eyes "I was lookin at you from over there and I'm likin what I see.  How come you're over here all by yourself in the corner babe?"

"Oh yeah?... you like what you see, do ya?" she responds in a sarcastic tone, "well, maybe you should get your vision checked buddy cuz I am not alone.  This here is my boyfriend Hal, the defensive lineman and this is his friend Ox the local MMA champ."

Double teamed and dejected, Jerryd moves away as quick as he can.   Backpedaling, he makes his way to the other side of the room and tries to spot friendly faces in the crowd.  Ten minutes go by and still no luck, he decides to go upstairs to check out the scene on the balcony.

11 O'clock, Jerryd spies a beautiful black haired woman who looks vaguely familiar.  He moves closer to her and sees that it's Connie from his accounting class, the one that his roommate Greg has a crush on.

"Hey Connie, how are you tonight?" he says before taking a sip from his lemonade.  "What are you doing up here all by yourself?"

"Oh, hey Jerryd!!!" Connie says with a huge smile on her face.  "It's so good to see someone that I know! I was afraid that I would be all alone tonight.  I just hate to be alone."

BINGO!  Jerryd has a clean look at the cup and suddenly wonders if Connie knows how to handle the pill.  He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts, wondering how exactly he is going to do this, but knowing that his game is tight and that he will be the one to make it happen, because he is the one, he can do it and nobody can stop Jerryd Bay ...

"Hey guys, what's up?" a deep male voice from behind suddenly breaks his thoughts.  "I hope I am not interrupting anything, what are you kids up to?"

Jerryd's roommate Greg has finally made his appearance and his timing could not have been worse.  Jerryd was just about to make it happen, this was Jerryd's time.  He thought he had a clean look, but now all of a sudden his teammate is out on the break with him.

"Jerryd was just about to keep me company"  Connie says as she looks Jerryd deep in the eyes. "Weren't you hun?"

dilemmas, dilemmas... should he pass?...should he defer to the man with the easier shot at the goal?...Set up his teammate for the score?...or should he force his way to the bucket and dunk it, or draw the foul?...

... think, Jerryd, think!... what to do, Think Jerryd, (am I thinking too much?)...what to do.... pass? shoot? drive?...what to do... think Jerryd.....what.... to..... do.....?

"By the way Jerryd,"  Greg says in a deep voice, "If anybody asks, you were never here"