I know that this is a little long for this site but if you take the time and read it I promise it will be worth it....Please rate well!!!
The story starts with a young man named Jerome Weston. He's a 16 year old junior at Richard High in Detroit. His size is 6.4 210 pounds. He is one of the top 2012 recruits for basketball in the country. He has offers from Michigan, Mich. State, North Carolina, Kansas...etc....With this kind of notice usally comes popularity, girls, money...etc.. But Jerome is different. He works 2 jobs on the weekends and one job during the week to help support his mother (Monique) and three sisters (Lisa, Jennifer, and Miliya). His mother works two jobs 6 days a week but Jerome has to get the three girls up and walk them to school. They have one car but can't afford to put jerome on the insurance. Jerome has one goal in life and that is to get his Mom and sisters a better life....Please CLICK READ MORE! Please!
Jerome's father left after the three girls were born. He was abusive and a drinker and Jerome swears he will never be like his Dad. Jerome's father is trying to get back into Jerome's life because of Jerome's success of the basketball court but Jerome has told him he will never get a dollar that Jerome makes if he does....................................................................................................................................................................................Jerome is not popular at school. He is not followed by the girls or star following guys. He's mature beyond his years but this is his struggle to get to the top. See Jerome knows he needs to make it to the NBA but he knows that an injury or trouble with the law could end the dream. He plays basketball for his family because he knows if he makes it to the NBA his contract will provide more then enough for his family. Jerome works everyday after school for 2 hours with a teacher at school on schoolwork. He gets A's & B's and he knows that he doesn't have a good chance for an academic scholarship but he knows that an athletic scholarship could still get him a good education if basketball doesn't work out.......................................................................................Jerome's coach and mentor is Tyreke Jones. He is a 38 year old history teacher at the school. Tyreke was once an NBA player but an ACL tear knocked him out of the league. He took his fame back to Detroit and has put it into the community. He works with Jerome on his basketball every night for at least 3-4 hours. He pushes Jerome to be the best he can be but only if Jerome will not break and it won't take away from Jerome's schooling. Tyreke trys to pay for some of Jerome's food and some clothes but Jerome is too proud to let him do that. Jerome gives 90% of his money to his mom and uses the 10% on food during his workouts and evenings. He doesn't go out with friends but he does two teamates that are his best friends (Tyrell & Tiny) Tyrell is the (6.8" 260 pound) starting Center on Richard High and he is also a Junior while Tiny is (5.7 140 pound) a Freshmen Point Guard (he sits the bench) that made varsity because 5 players from the season before had graduated.............................................................................................................................................................................................Jerome is still working as hard as he possibly can because in the season before Richard High had lost in the state title game by 4 points and Jerome was not going to let that happen again. Jerome had a chance to knock down 2 three pointers in the last 2 minutes of the game but missed both of them. He vowed that he would not miss a shot if he got that chance again................................................................................................ ............................................................................................Richard High is a hard place to grow up and many of the neighborhood gangs want Jerome to join them in selling drugs and living "the high life" as they call it. Jerome refuses time after time and it starts to tick off the leader of the "69 Gang" "Ramon".......................................................................................................................................................................Well season comes and Richard High starts off the season with a 5-0 record. Jerome is averaging 29 Pt's & 11 Rebounds a game..........................................................................................................................................................................The morning after the 5th' win Jerome is walking his little sisters to school when the "69" peels around the corner with guns out the window. Jerome sees them first and he takes his little sisters and starts to run for a fence nearby, he gets all three girls over before the "69' can get there but Jerome is shot 4 times in the legs and back. He is rushed to the hospital and goes into surgery to remove the bullets. He is told the the bullets tore through nerves and tendons in his legs and that it is going to be 6-8 months before he can walk again, the doctor also tells Jerome that he will not be able to play basketball his senior year. Jerome is devastated and emotionally destroyed because he knows that without the income he was bringing in his Mom will not be able to support his three sisters. One day when Tyreke Jones comes to see him Jerome asks him if he can use the money that he would have used on Jerome to help out his Mom. Tyreke full-heartedly agrees to do help and gives Mrs. Weston $6.000 to help until Jerome is back on his feet.......................................................................................................................................................6 Months later Jerome is seen walking and jogging with full motion. He has recovered much quicker then any of the doctors had ever thought he could. He is already working a job and trying to get back the muscle that he had before in his legs..................................................................................................................One night Jerome brings up the idea of maybe being able to play basketball his senior year. His Mom says that since his scholarship offers are gone that he needs to concentrate on school so maybe he can get a small scholarship for academics. Jerome listens quietly and respects what she says but let's her know that it will be his decision in the end................................................................................................................................................................Jerome continues training and starts to play basketball again. Slowly but surely he starts to gain back his old self but not to the point of the season before. Two months before the season begins Tyreke and Jerome are at the gym and Jerome promises Tyreke that he is going to pay him back the $6.000 that Tyreke gave his Mom. Tyreke tells Jerome that the money was a gift because Tyreke views Jerome as the son he never had. Jerome tells Tyreke that he is father Jerome wishes he could have had. He also tells Tyreke that he is going to play basketball his senior year.................................................................................................................................................Jerome's senior season starts with Him, Tyrell, and Tiny all starting for Richard High. Richard High is not projected to do very well with their star player (Jerome) missing almost all of the previous season. Richard High starts off with a 3-2 start but their two losses come against two of the best teams in the state. Jerome brings the team together and tells them that no matter the obstacle they will reach the state chmpionship. They must believe that anything can happen..................................................................................................................................................................................Well the speech works and Richard High does not lose another game during the season and finish 18-2. The news reels start to catch on to this miracle story because Jerome & Tyrell had All-State seasons. Jerome finishes the season averaging 28pts, 9Bds, & 6 Asts a game..........................................................................................................................................................................Jerome and Tyrell both get offers from Mich. State and start to realize that both of them could make it to the NBA. Tyrell promises Jerome that no matter happens in the State Tourney Him and Tiny will always be with Jerome................................................................................................................................................The state playoffs start and Richard High walks through the district and regional with inspired wins over the two teams that beat them earlier in the season...........................................................................................................................................The final 8 teams start the final part of the tourney at Mich. State's Stadium (Breslin Center). Richard High wins the first two games by 7 & 9 points repectively. The State Championship matchup is set against their cross town rival Franklin Acadamy. Franklin Acadamy has won three straight state chapionships including beating Jerome's team when Jerome was a sophomore. Another suprise is that Franklin's best player is Ramon the guy who ordered the drive-by on Jerome. The day of the game Ramon finds Jerome alone sitting in the bleachers. Ramon tells Jerome that if he doesn't lose the game that night that his family will pay the price. Jerome tells Ramon that he better be ready for all Hell to Break Loose when Jerome steps on to the court that night and Ramon leaves in disgust. Jerome alerts Tyeke about what Ramon said and Tyreke lets his friend who just so happens to be the police sergent running a drug bust on Ramons gang. The sergent tells Tyreke that as soon as the game ends the police are going to arrest Ramon and they have officers ready to arrest the rest of his gang because an unnamed witness from Ramon's gang came to the police and gave written and vocal testiomony that the "69" & "Ramon" are responsible for 3 shootings including Jerome's........................................................................................................................................................That night in the Richard High locker room Jerome brings the team together. He tells them that tonight is the night where no one from Detroit will ever forget them. The kids will want to be them one day and tonight will be then night that the world will remember the night Richard High was victorious.....................................................................................................................................................Jerome, Tyrell, and Tiny lead Richard High onto the court and start the game. Jerome and Ramon are locked in a heated battle with Ramon getting the upper hand with dirty plays. Jerome's knee almost collapses when Ramon throws himself into diving for the basketball. Jerome has to come out of the game and tells Tyrell to take over. Tyrell brings Richard High within 8 points at halftime. In the locker room Jerome is told by some of his teamates that he has a good chance of getting hurt again with the way Ramon is playing. Jerome tells the team that he can handle Ramon and goes out with a fired up team to finish their dream........................................................................................................................................Jerome pours in 20 points in the third quarter and knows that Franklin will be gunning for him going into the fourth. Richard High is down by 2 points entering the fourth. Jerome tells Tyrell and Tiny that they need to take over again because Franklin is going to start double teaming him. Tyrell & Tiny combine to keep Richard High within 6 points with two minutes to go. Jerome realizes that he is in basically the same exact spot that he was as a sophomore. He remembers the vow that he would not miss a shot in the clutch ever again. Jerome hits aa three pointer from the corner to pull within 3 points with 1:24 to go. Richard High calls time out and designs a play to keep the ball from Ramon. It works and Tiny comes up with a stel that he throws ahead to Tyrell for a dunk with :49 to go. Franklin pushes the ball up the court and starts to burn off the clock, Jerome plays D as close as he can on Ramon but he ends up fouling him with :7 left. Ramon misses the first shot and swishes the 2'nd shot. Richard High calles their last timeout. Jerome brings the team in close so they can design a play that will get them the winning shot. Ramon keeps close on defense and whispers to Jerome that he better not try anything. Jerome turns back and tells Ramon that he can't wait to come see him in jail, Jerome pushes off slightly and comes off a strong screen by Tyrell that knocks Ramon to the ground. Jerome catches the ball just outside the 3 point line and lifts into the air. As he lets go of the ball he thinks back to everything that has happened to him and his family. He comes down with his arm still stretched and turns around to the sound of a swish and the roar of the crowd. Richard High rushes the floor and lifts Jerome into the air.................................................................................................................................................................................As the fans calm and Jerome walks off the court he looks into the stands and sees his Mom crying and his little sisters yelling his name. He laughs and crosses his heart in love..........................................................................................................A year later the story nearly finishes in Lansing as inside the Breslin Center you hear the announcer yelling "Starting at Shooting Guard for YOUR Michigan State Spartans...JEROME WESTON.......The game shows him hitting shots and NBA scouts writing on pads in the stands............................................................................................................................Three years later the story finishes in New York as the stage is set for the NBA Draft and David Stern steps out and announces that with the 2'nd pick in the 2016 Draft "The New York Knicks select Jerome Weston out of Michigan State!" Jerome walks down the stage to his Mom who is crying uncontrollably and to his Father Tyreke who married his Mom while Jerome was in college. Jerome turns to see Tiny and Tyrell "Tyrell was selected later in the first round" rushing towards him to give him a huge hug. Jerome laughs and turns back to his friends and family "Mom, Tyreke, his sisters, Tyrell and Tiny." An ESPN reporter comes up and asks Jerome how it feels to have been able to win a high school championship, get to the Final Four with Michigan State, and be the #2 pick in the draft? Jerome answers that it all began with family and friends and the love that they instilled in him. "The reporter asks him what might be his crowning achievement out of all his accolades?" Jerome answers, "I would have to say that the High School Championship was the one that gave me the most joy. The reporter asks how it felt to hit the winning shot in that game and Jerome answers "Oh it was more then a shot!" "That was the moment where my life changed."..............................................I changed the name from More Then a Shot to A Second Shot because of the way Jerome was able to handle the 2'nd chance at life, playing basketball, and High School Championship
...................................................................................................................................................I know it's not perfect and it might not be that great but please comment and let me know what you think! Please rate good! Thanks for reading!
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Last update: 08-01-2010 11:09 |
| Published in : Sports |
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