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by Jonathan McCorvey (jonathanmccorvey1@yahoo.com)

Rated:

Genre: Sports User Review: NOT YET
RATED
Rene Carmichael II's dream is to play varsity basketball for his high school. There's just one problem: he is 5'7''. In the midst of striving for his hoop dreams, tragedy strikes, forcing him to go live with his estranged father in a new town. Follow Rene as he navigates through, rivalries, family, friendship, and romance in this tale set in the backdrop of early '90s hip-hop culture.

FADE IN:

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

SUPERIMPOSE: Moss Point, Mississippi - January 2008

We open seeing JAYDEN CARMICHAEL, 17, racing to the hoop, as
the crowd counts down the final seconds of the game. He
leaps and slams the ball down just as the buzzer sounds. The
whole gym explodes with mayhem as the crowd spills onto the
court to celebrate. Jayden looks into stands and holds up
his hands, as if to say, "So what do you think?"

P.A. ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
The final score: Your Moss Point
Tigers: 76, Harrison Central: 59!
And the player of the game is #22
Jayden Carmichael! 23 points, 11
assists, and 7 steals!

A handsome African-American couple remains in the bleachers.
Jayden's uncle RENE "DEUCE" CARMICHAEL II, 33, and mother
TOYA CARMICHAEL, 35, beam with pride as Deuce answers his
nephew's non-verbal question with a nod of approval.

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - LOBBY - NIGHT

Deuce and Toya fight their way through the crowd and other
post-game activities.

TOYA
(gloating)
So what did you think, Deuce?

DEUCE
The boy's good...

TOYA
(insulted)
"Good"? You call 23 points, 11
assists, and 7 steals "good"? You
better recognize!

DEUCE
(chuckling)
Alright, my bad....He got skills.

TOYA
You wouldn't be so surprised had
you came to more of his games...

DEUCE
I play pro ball, Toya! I can't
just get away whenever I want. But
I'm glad I did this time. Nephew
definitely showed out!

TOYA
God, I'm so proud of him!

DEUCE
So who after him, Toya? 'Cause I
know he got a lot offers.

TOYA
Kentucky, Indiana, Florida,
Georgetown, to name a few, but
that boy right there...he ain't
right in the head.

DEUCE
(confused)
Why you say that?

TOYA
(jokingly)
'Cause he talkin' bout he want to
go to Memphis...like his big head
uncle.

DEUCE
(vainly)
Sounds like an intelligent guy to
me.

Deuce beams with pride. Someone calls Toya's name and she
runs off to speak. Deuce then stops and looks at an object
that's not in view. He walks towards it as if he is
mesmerized....

DEUCE'S POV:

ANGLE - TROPHY CASE

We scan the TROPHY CASE passing up trophies and awards from
as far back as the 1940s...

He's still mesmerized, but there is something else he is
looking for.....

INSERT: TEAM PICTURE - CIRCA EARLY 1990S

We then zoom in on a BABY-FACED PLAYER in the front row
donning a number 22 jersey.

DEUCE (V.O.)
Back when this picture was taken
basketball was all about going out
and having fun; playing your heart
out. Now days its all about
tattoos and dunks that aren't even
necessary.

Deuce is having a nostalgic moment...

DEUCE (V.O.)
It was when this picture was taken
that my love for basketball went
to another level. It was my saving
grace at a time when I desperately
needed something to help me
believe in myself. Man...

INSERT: TEAM PICTURE

We zoom in on the player that wears #22. By now we have a
pretty good idea about who the young man is....

DISSOVE TO:

FLASHBACK:

INT. COMMUNITY GYM - DAY

We see the same baby-faced boy from the picture bringing the
ball up court and flinging a Magic Johnson-like pass to his
TEAMMATE, who slams over his OPPONENT. This passer is now
revealed to be RENE CARMICHAEL, II at age 16. He and his
friend BRANDON WILKERSON, 16, are taking on a couple of
PROVINE HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS who are also their classmates.

YOUNG RENE
That's ten!

We see that Rene is barely 5'7'' giving him the appearance
of a middle-schooler instead of an 11th grader.

SUPERIMPOSE: Jackson, Mississippi - August 1991

Brandon takes out the ball.

BRANDON
(to Rene)
Point game. Lets end this,
homeboy.

DEUCE (V.O.)
I've loved basketball for as far
back as I can remember. My friend
Brandon and I played every chance
we got. Older guys on the street,
each other; it didn't matter. But
who I really loved to play against
was Steve Chapman.

We see Steve and his TEAMMATE argue about losing.

DEUCE (V.O.)
Steve and I had been rivals since
the first grade. He was on our
varsity squad at Provine High
School as was Tim and Brandon. He
felt that he could mess with me
about my size, but I showed him
and anybody else who tried to mess
with me a thing or two; on and off
the court. However, he was on the
team and I wasn't. I was
determined to change that though.

Rene passes the ball back to Brandon as he drives up the
lane. He hits Rene on the wing who fakes right spins left
losing Steve and goes to the hoop for the easy lay-in.

YOUNG RENE
(deeply satisfied)
And that's game!

STEVE
(spiteful)
Nigga, that don't mean shit! You
still ain't gone make the team
this year!

BRANDON
Steve, why you buggin', man? We
beat y'all fair and square. That
should prove that my boy Rene got
skills.

STEVE
Whatever! The only reason y'all
won was because you was playing
with him.

            YOUNG RENE
You know what, B? Since he's
crying, I'll give him a chance to
prove himself.
      (to Steve)
            (MORE)

YOUNG RENE (cont'd)
You and me. One on One.

STEVE
Bet.

The two go to the half court line and check the ball up.
Rene starts to dribble then goes to his left with Steve
tight on him. Rene bounces the ball behind Steve's back and
retrieves it before he knows what happened. With his
cat-quick speed he is in the lane in no time starting his
ascent towards the basket. To be so small he has incredible
vertical leap. Before he can make contact with the rim,
Steve pulls him to the floor hard. Rene gets up and charges
at him.

YOUNG RENE
(furious)
Nigga, I oughta bust you in your
head! What the hell is wrong with
you?!

Brandon quickly grabs Rene, before he and his teammate comes
to blows. Steve's, who is ready to fight as well, is
restrained by his teammate as well. It is not an easy task,
but Brandon manages to get his friend out of the gym.

EXT. COMMUNITY GYM - CONTINUOUS - DAY

Brandon releases Rene and barricades the entrance so he
can't get in.

YOUNG RENE
Let me back in there, so I can
bust your boy upside his head!

BRANDON
Man, are you crazy?! That dude
will hurt you, Rene!

DEUCE
(incredulously)
Hurt me? You think he put fear in
my heart? Let me show just how
scared of him I am.

Rene starts for the door and Brandon restrains him again.

BRANDON
I said "No"! Now lets go!

Rene gives up and looks at the building giving it a "I'll
catch you on the rebound" glare, as if Steve is staring out
the window.

The two start walking towards us and Brandon starts
laughing. Rene looks at him as if he has lost his mind.

YOUNG RENE
(confused)
What's so funny?

BRANDON
(amazed)
I'm just thinkin bout how high you
was in there! When you start
jumping like that, G?

YOUNG RENE
(flattered)
Man, all I did over the summer was
trying to increase my vertical. I
would wake up late at night sneak
out the house and go to the court
and just run and jump and touch
the backboard. Then I would take
the ball and just go to the rim.

BRANDON
So you dunking consistently?

YOUNG RENE
It's hit and miss. I still got to
get my accuracy down. You gon' see
it one of these days.

BRANDON
(excited)
Man, if you keep jumping like
that...making the team ain't gonna
be your biggest worry. It's gonna
be colleges flooding your mailbox!

Rene scoffs in disbelief.

YOUNG RENE
Get out of here, G. You know Coach
Richardson ain't gon' pick nobody
my size.

BRANDON
(disgusted)
Aw, don't start that again....

YOUNG RENE
(mocking)
Yeah, I'm starting that again.

BRANDON
I told you about that. Last year
we had to many returning seniors.
That's the reason why you ain't
get picked.

YOUNG RENE
Well what about Ricky Tompkins? He
was sophomore and slower than a
turtle. But wasn't he 6'4''?

BRANDON
(beat)
Okay... so he was picked for his
height.

YOUNG RENE
See....

BRANDON
But, he moved to Georgia. So all
you got to do is play hard like
you do when we here and you and me
gonna be running the show like
Jordan and Pippen.

YOUNG RENE
(not confident)
If you say so....

BRANDON
For real! This is what you gonna
be hearing in a couple of weeks:

Brandon cups his hands over his mouth to emulate a PA
speaker.

BRANDON (cont'd)
At point guard for the Provine
Rams....a junior....standing at 5
feet, 7 inches, #32.....RENE
CARMICHAEL!!!

            YOUNG RENE
      (correcting
       Brandon)
Get it right: that's "Lil' Magic"
Carmichael. I'ma to be like my
boy...#32 and all. Plus, You know
            (MORE)

YOUNG RENE (cont'd)
I hate my name.

BRANDON
(mockingly)
Well, I'm sorry!

A car horn sounds causing Rene and Brandon to look off
screen.

We see a late 80's Toyota Camry pulling up and a very
attractive black woman behind the wheel. EVA HARRIS, 35,
blows the horn again to beckon her son, Rene, to come on.

            YOUNG RENE
      (to his mother)
A'ight, I'm comin'!
      (turns to Brandon)
Yo, you need a ride?

BRANDON
Naw, I'm good. I'm gonna go back
in and shoot around some more.

            DEUCE
      (giving Brandon
       five.)
A'ight, 5,000, G.

Rene walks off screen towards the car.

BRANDON
(calls out to Rene)
There's goes Provine's new
starting point guard!

YOUNG RENE (O.S.)
(chuckling)
Nigga, you stupid!

INT. CAR - DAY

Rene adjusts his mother radio and stops when he hears
Shanice's "I Love Your Smile".

EVA
(relieved)
So how was your workout?

YOUNG RENE
It was a'ight.

EVA
So how you feeling, baby?

YOUNG RENE
(lost)
Feeling 'bout what?

EVA
About tryouts next week.

            YOUNG RENE
      (lacking
       confidence)
I don't even know, Mama.

EVA
(confused)
Why?

Rene looks out of the window. It's obvious to his mother
that his height is the main cause for his discouragement.

EVA
Rene, listen to me: Don't worry
about your size. You can't be any
other way then how God made you.
As long as you work hard and stay
positive, everything else will
fall in place for you.

YOUNG RENE
(half-convinced)
Yeah.

EVA
And the way you leaping now...the
coach would be a fool not to have
my baby on his team.

Rene looks over at his mother in surprise.

YOUNG RENE
How did you about my--

EVA
I heard you leaving the house one
night. So I wondered "Where the
hell does this boy think he's
going?" Then I followed you to the
playground and watched you just
push yourself. I was amazed.

10.

Rene leans back in his sit and blushes. She knows just how
to raise her son's spirits.

EVA
(teasing)
See that's why you blushing,
'cause you know its the truth!

Rene's blushing turns into a full-fledged grin.

YOUNG RENE
So what you cooking tonight, Mama?

EVA
You're gonna have to fend for
yourself. I'm working tonight.

YOUNG RENE
(disappointed)
Aw, man....

EVA
Boy...don't you start that. I'm
trying make enough money to buy a
car so you can have this one.

YOUNG RENE
(beat)
Maybe you should drive faster so
you can drop me off and hurry on
to work then.

EVA
(laughing)
Uh-huh. That's what I thought.

A few minutes later, Eva's car pulls in front of their
house.

Rene kisses Eva and starts out of the car.

YOUNG RENE
Have a good night at work, Mama.

EVA
Rene, wait.

He obeys his mother.

11.

EVA (cont'd)
I just want you to know that
whether you make the team or
not...I'm very proud of you and I
love you.

YOUNG RENE
(touched)
Thanks, Mama, and I love you too.

Rene continues towards the door of the house. He takes one
last look at his mother's car, smiles, then walks inside.

INT. EVA AND RENE'S HOME - NIGHT

A few hours have passed since Rene has been home. On the TV
screen an episode of "In Living Color" plays. On the coffee
table we see the residue of a sandwich, soda, and chips. We
then go close in to the couch to see Rene asleep.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. GYM - NIGHT

SLOW MOTION:

Rene is in a white and red Provine basketball uniform,
taking the ball hard to the hoop for a lay-up. The gym that
he is in is dark and empty, but we hear the cheering of
fans. He fires up a jumper that falls through the net. Then,
he drives the lane and slams the ball down, making the
invisible crowd go wild. He is performing just like his idol
Magic Johnson, who's number 32 he proudly dons on his
jersey.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. EVA AND RENE'S HOME - NIGHT

We are out of Rene's dream and back at his house and hear a
knock at the door that wakes him from his slumber. He
staggers over to the door and opens it to find Brandon.

YOUNG RENE
(half-sleep)
B, what the hell you doing here
this late man?

12.

There's a look of sorrow on Brandon's face. He looks out the
door and see Brandon's father's cop car with it's lights on
behind him. He gets a bad feeling...

YOUNG RENE (cont'd)
(worried)
What's goin' on?

BRANDON
Uh...my daddy wanted to talk to
you but i told him I'd do it.

YOUNG RENE
(confused)
Talk to me about what?

            BRANDON
      (struggling to
       find words)
Rene...your mama...your mama was
in an accident.

Rene's tries to keep his composure and not assume the worst.

BRANDON (Cont'd)
One of her back tires went
out...and she lost control of her
car and was hit by a truck head
on.

YOUNG RENE
(in denial)
B-but sh-she's a'ight though,
right?

Brandon looks into his eyes and it gives Rene the unwanted
conformation about his mother's demise.

YOUNG RENE (Cont'd)
(breaking down)
No...No...

Rene tries to break away from Brandon, but his friend grabs
him and he finally breaks down and accepts his mother's
death, grieving.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CEMETARY - DAY

The day of Eva Harris's funeral is ironically a beautiful
one, clear and sunny. We faintly hear the preacher, due to

13.

Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye" being heard over
the scene. We see the faces of random people in the crowd
before we see a close up of Rene, who is heartbroken. The
only person who has ever loved him unconditionally is gone.
He's all alone in the world.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BUS STATION TERMINAL - DAY

Buses are revved up ready to go. Passengers are mad-dashing
either to buses taking them to their destination or
collecting their luggage. In the middle of this chaos we see
Rene and Brandon who each have a suitcase in their arms
walking towards us. Rene's whole demeanor is melancholy.
Brandon is also in a state of depression. This is the last
time he and his friend will have together.

BRANDON
(dejected)
I guess we ain't gonna be like
Jordan and Pippen after all.

YOUNG RENE
Guess not.

BRANDON
(upbeat)
Maybe going to live with your
daddy in Moss Point might not be
so bad. Y'all might-

YOUNG RENE
My daddy could care less about me
coming to stay with him, G.

BRANDON
(changes subject)
Well, look on the bright side.
They probably ain't had tryouts
yet. You could play down there...

YOUNG RENE
To hell with tryouts. I ain't got
nothing to play for anymore.

BRANDON
(sharply)
Hold up.

Rene tries to walk off, but Brandon grabs his arm.

14.

BRANDON
"I ain't got nothing to play for?"
What the hell is wrong with you?
Your mama wouldn't want you to
give up just like that!

YOUNG RENE
Yeah, but she ain't here no more,
is she?! Do you know how much me
making the team would have meant
to her? I wanted to make it for
her more than for myself! I wanted
to make her proud!

BRANDON
Rene, do you really think your
mama gave a damn about whether you
played ball or not? She loved it
because you were her son and You
loved it! She loved you!

            YOUNG RENE
      (sighing)
Why the hell does it even matter
anymore? She all the family I had
in Jackson and now she's gone.
      (beat)
It's over.

Brandon can't seem to find the words to respond and loses
his opportunity when the bus bound for Moss Point,
Mississippi pulls up. Rene puts his bags under the bus then
turns to Brandon.

YOUNG RENE
I guess this is it.

Rene gives Brandon a brotherly love hug then gets on the
bus.

BRANDON
Yo, Rene!

Rene goes to the door to see what his friend wants...

BRANDON (cont'd)
Your mama may be gone, but you
still got family in this city, G.
Know that.

15.

Touched, Rene looks into his friend's eyes and find
sincerity in them. He nods then turns to get on the bus to
begin his new life in Moss Point as the door closes behind
him.

INT. BUS - DAY

The bus is great distance from Jackson as we pan from the
passenger sitting in front of Rene to him. He is staring
blankly out the window at the side of the highway. He
reaches for

INSERT: PICTURE OF RENE AN EVA

The Bridge of Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye"
starts to play over the scene as Rene looks over the picture
of his mother holding him as a child, parties smiling.

Rene puts the picture back in his pocket and looks back out
the window, fighting back the urge to cry.

FADE TO:

EXT. BUS STATION TERMINAL - DAY

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER

Rene has gotten off the bus in Moss Point and searches for
his father. When he does not see him, he becomes frustrated
and sits down on a nearby bench and buries his face in his
hands. He is tired emotional and physically.

YOUNG TOYA (O.S.)
Rene? Is that you?

Rene recognizes the voice and looks up to find his gorgeous
half-sister TOYA CARMICHAEL, 19, holding her 17 month-old
son JAYDEN, coming towards him.

YOUNG RENE
(standing up)
Toya?

Rene and his sister engage in a hug that's full of warmth.
It's obvious that these two are very close despite there
distance from each other.

YOUNG TOYA
(cheerful)
Hey Baby Brother!

16.

she steps back to take in the site of him.

YOUNG TOYA (cont'd)
Let me look at you! Looking all
handsome!

YOUNG RENE
(bashfully)
Appreciate it.

YOUNG TOYA
Daddy wanted to come but he had
to--

YOUNG RENE
(cutting her off)
Is this big joker right here my
nephew?

Toya can tell by the way he changes the subject that Rene's
not happy about his father's absence.

            TOYA
      (proudly)
Yeah, this is my baby!
      (to Jayden)
You want to say hey to your Uncle
Rene?

Baby Jayden grabs his mother's arm tigthly in fear of this
stranger before him.

TOYA
(to Rene)
Don't worry bout that. He'll get
used to you. But I got somebody
that is used to you.

Toya steps back to reveal their cousin TONY "T.L." LEWIS, 15
sitting in the seat next behind her.

T.L.
(grinning)
What up, G?

YOUNG RENE
(excited)
Goddamn, Tony "T.L." Lewis! What's
up, kinfolk?

They embrace each other. Toya smiles and walks ahead in the
f.g. The two boys, each with a suitcase, in there hand begin
to follow slowly behind her.

17.

T.L.
(seriously)
Yo, I'm sorry about your mama. I
know how much she meant to you.

YOUNG RENE
(touched)
Appreciate it, man.

Notices T.L. height, which is 6-feet even.

YOUNG RENE (cont'd)
(amazed)
You done got big! What you been
eating, boy?

T.L.
Yeah, you ain't gone be able to
whoop me on the court like you
used to.

YOUNG DEUCE
Yeah, but I beat I can still beat
your ass though.

EXT. CARMICHAEL HOME - DAY

It's a modest one-story house in a decent middle-class
neighborhood in West Moss Point.

INT. RENE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS - DAY

Rene is sound asleep in his bed. We see that he has given
his room his own personal touch with things such as a Magic
Johnson poster on his door and a New Jack City Soundtrack
poster on the wall above his bed.

The silence is broken when Ralph Tresvant's "Rated R" blasts
on his stereo. He fumbles awake to find Toya standing next
to it.

She turns off the radio.

YOUNG TOYA
(sing song)
Time to get up and go to school,
baby brother!

Rene lays back down.

18.

            YOUNG TOYA
      (walks over to bed)
Come on, now....Don't be like
that.
      (sing song)
Think about all them skeezers
that's gonna be there.....

That would motivate any teenage boy with raging hormones,
but not Rene, who doesn't budge.

YOUNG TOYA
(to herself)
I'm gon' hate myself for this...No
I'm not.

Toya lifts Rene's mattress off of the bed and sends him
crashing hard onto the floor. He sits on the floor stunned
as she walks out.

YOUNG TOYA (O.S.)
Get up. The bus will be here in
about an hour.

EXT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL COURT YARD - DAY

As we scan through the area of this predominately
African-American institution, we hear A Tribe Called Quest's
"Check The Rhime" coming from someone's stereo, and see
students sporting high-top fades, overalls, Starter
basseball caps, and other styles of the era.

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS - DAY

Rene kneels to open his locker as the other students rush to
homeroom. After getting the combination, he pulls the door,
but it remains shut. He pulls it a couple of times more but
gets the same result.

YOUNG RENE
(frustrated)
Great....

He has the feeling that his whole world is collapsing right
in front of him. Suddenly fate deals him a winning a hand as
a palm slams against his locker, making it creep open.

UNKNOWN PERSON (O.S.)
You got to beat these raggedy
lockers to get them to open
sometimes.

19.

YOUNG RENE
Thank..

Rene stops dead in his tracks, once he gets a eyeful of
JANELLE WILLIAMS, 16, One of the most beautiful girls at
Moss Point High.

YOUNG RENE (cont'd)
...You

JANELLE
Don't worry about it. I ain't seen
you around here before. This your
first day?

YOUNG RENE
(nervous)
Ye-Yeah. I just moved here from
Jackson.

Rene checks her out. This girl is drop dead gorgeous!

JANELLE
Oh, okay. Sorry, I ain't even
introduced myself. I'm Janelle.
And you are...?

Rene's eyes are focused on her breasts which are snug inside
her Moss Point Cheerleading t-Shirt. He snaps back before
Janelle notices.

YOUNG RENE
Huh? Oh! I'm, I'm Rene.

Janelle chuckles.

JANELLE
(confused)
"Rene"?

YOUNG RENE
I know. It's a girl's name. But
I'm named after daddy and my
grandmother was Creole so--

JANELLE
(laughing)
No, no! I like it. It's unique for
boy.

Rene is flattered. He can tell that this girl is attracted
to him as he is to her.

20.

YOUNG RENE
Thanks again for helping me with
my locker.

JANELLE
Oh, it ain't no thing.

YOUNG RENE
Yo, Janelle, I was wondering...

He plans to asks her out, but they get on their feet, he
aborts his plan. Janelle is a couple of inches taller than
him. She notices this as well, but thinks nothing of it.
Rene on the other hand feels awkward.

JANELLE
Yes?

Looks at his schedule in his hand. His confidence is gone.

YOUNG RENE
(discouraged)
Can you tell me how to get to
A-11?

JANELLE
Go down this hall and take a right
at the stairs.

He heads in that direction.

YOUNG RENE
Thanks, and it was nice meeting
you.

JANELLE
Nice meeting you too, Rene.

Rene is still walking, disappointed.

YOUNG RENE
(to himself)
The first honey that I meet, and
she's a goddamn giant. There's no
way I stand a chance with her.

He turns around.

RENE'S POV:

We see Janelle's shapely backside as she sashays down the
hall.

21.

YOUNG RENE
(lustfully)
But a brother sure can dream,
though. Lord have mercy!

He continues his search for his class.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

School has ended for the day when we find Rene walking
through the semi-filled hallway. He spots T.L. a few feet in
front of him.

YOUNG RENE
(calling out)
Yo, T.L., wait up!

He trots over to him.

T.L.
What up, Big Cuz? How your first
day at Moss Point go? I know you
snatched you a couple of skeezers.

YOUNG RENE
I hollered at one honey but...

T.L.
Well, who is she, so I can give
you the low down on her.

YOUNG RENE
Her name is Janelle, but--

T.L.
(shocked)
Janelle?! Janelle Williams?! Tall
red-bone with long hair, and
def-ass body?!

YOUNG RENE
Yeah.

T.L.
(proud)
That fool about to be hittin'
Janelle Williams's skins! And she
a cheerleader too? You are the
MAN!

22.

YOUNG RENE
Whoa! I wouldn't go that far. All
she did was help me open my
locker.

T.L.
But you got her number, right?

Rene shakes his head no.

T.L.
(disgusted)
Aw...nigga you bullshittin'! Why
not?

YOUNG RENE
She a little taller than me, G.

T.L.
That don't mean nothing! They all
the same height when they on they
back!

YOUNG RENE
Look, we'll talk about this on the
bus.

T.L.
(confused)
The bus?

YOUNG RENE
(sarcastically)
Yeah, you know the thing that
takes people to and from school?

T.L.
You ain't gonna stay for
basketball tryouts?

YOUNG RENE
Naw, I ain't know nothing about
them.

T.L.
(grinning)
Well, today is your lucky day! Now
let's go in here and run these
boys off the court!

Deuce has to get out of this and quick. He can't deal with
that pressure right now. Basketball just isn't on his mind
right now.

23.

YOUNG RENE
I can't.

T.L.
(in disbelief)
Why not?

Rene looks for the perfect excuse.

YOUNG RENE
Because....look what I got on!

T.L.'S POV:

We survey Rene's outfit: a Bart Simpson T-shirt, Guess
jeans, and Reebok Pump tennis shoes.

T.L.
What you tryin' to impress
somebody? Ain't nobody worried
'bout how you dress. Plus, you got
on sneakers! That's all that
matters! Now come on!

Before Rene can offer up an argument he is following T.L to
the school gym.

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - CONTINUOUS - DAY

We follow behind Rene and T.L. as they enter the gym which
is filled with over 30 African-American boys that hope
become Moss Point Tigers. They all have a clear height
advantage over Rene, making him nervous.

T.L.
You oughta see this place when its
packed. It's like Madison Square
Garden.

YOUNG RENE
(wryly)
I bet it is...

DALE EASTMAN, 16, and ARMOND HENDERSON, 17 come walking
towards us.

DALE
(to T.L.)
I see your young ass finally
decided to get here!

24.

T.L.
You know I had to come out here
and school all you niggas.

The two look at Rene.

ARMOND
Who this?

T.L.
Oh, this my older cousin Rene. He
just moved here from Jackson.
Rene, these are my homies Armond
Henderson, and Dale Eastman.

Armond and Dale look at Rene awkwardly. "Older cousin"?

DALE
(Chuckling)
"Rene"? What the hell kinda name
is that for a dude?

T.L.
(defensive)
Ay, chill out on my people, G!

            DALE
      (to T.L.)
I'm just playin', T.L.
      (to Rene)
I guess you trying out too, huh?

Rene nods his head.

ARMOND
(chuckling)
Kinda small ain't you?

T.L.
(reassuring)
Don't let that fool you, Armond.
My cousin got game, trust me.

            DALE
      (disbelief)
Yeah, well we gon' find out...
      (looking Rene up
       and down)
...shortly.

He and Armond laugh uncontrollably at that joke. Rene rolls
his eyes. More ignorance to deal with.

25.

A whistle blows and all of the players jog to sideline to
sit. An African-American MAN stands over them. He is Moss
Point varsity basketball coach MELVIN HAYNES, late 40s. He
look more like a Marine Gunnery Sergeant.

HAYNES
First off, I want to welcome you
all you to varsity tryouts. As
most of you knoq, I'm Melvin
Haynes, head Coach of the varsity
team. I'm gonna be brief because I
don't want to waste any of y'all's
time no more than I want you to
waste mine.

Rene is shocked by the coach's bluntness.

YOUNG RENE
(to himself)
Damn!

HAYNES
I'm looking for 12 disciplined,
well-rounded players that want to
play team ball. Not the next
Michael Jordan or Charles Barkley.
If don't like what I'm saying,
feel free to leave now.

Nobody moves.

HAYNES (con'td)
Let's ge down to business then,
gentlemen.

SMASH CUT:

ANGLE - COURT

All of the boys on the court are giving everything they have
in the scrimmage.

We go to the sideline and find T.L. and Rene looking on,
waiting for their turn to take the court.

T.L.
(softly)
Yo, Rene, I know the real reason
why you ain't wanna try out.

YOUNG RENE
(ashamed)
You do?

26.

His insecurity about his size has come to the light...

T.L.
Yeah, it's because of your mama,
ain't it?

It wasn't what he thought T.L. would say but, it is somewhat
true so he gives no response.

T.L. (cont'd)
Look, I know that you really
wanted her to see you do your
thing, but I'm telling she'd want
you to do this for yourself. Plus,
I needed you here, G.

YOUNG RENE
(puzzled)
What for?

T.L.
Look at these boys, kinfolk! I got
to have somebody here to have my
back. And the way me and you are
when we together on a court...how
can I not make the team, know what
I'm sayin'?

Haynes blows his whistle, and all of the players come to a
stop.

HAYNES
Alright! Now for the next group.

He takes his list and calls out another 10 boys whose name
include Rene and T.L.'s.

As all of the boys walk onto the court Rene notices a
certain heir about GROVER LEVERETTE, 17, and ALVIN BOOKER,
17.

YOUNG RENE
What's up with them?

T.L. sees who he's referring to and acts like a kid in fear
of a bully.

T.L.
(with reverence)
Kinfolk, that's Grover and Alvin.
They two seniors and they are BAD!
They the only two you really need
to worry about.

27.

Rene glances at them.

RENE'S POV:

We see that the two obviously don't think much of the
competition on the court.

Rene is determined to prove them wrong.

CUT TO:

ANGLE- COURT

We see Alvin bring the ball up and has a cocky demeanor once
Rene starts to defend him.

ALVIN
(chuckling)
This is gon' to be too easy.

Alvin then fires up a jumper that falls straight through the
net. He smiles at Rene, igniting a fire in him. NOW he's
concerned about basketball.

T.L. inbounds the ball to Rene and the little man goes to
work. He quickly races up the court to the lane which is
sealed off by Alvin. Looking dead in his eyes he flicks a no
look pass to T.L. for a backdoor lay-in.

YOUNG RENE
(to Alvin)
You keep telling yourself that.

The other boys on the sideline trying out are impressed by
Rene's playmaking.

SERIES OF SHOTS:

1. Rene crosses over his defender, puts the ball on the
floor before firing up a jump shot that falls through
perfectly.

2. Rene throws a no look pass to his teammate, who scores.

3. Rene steals the ball from Alvin and races down court for
the easy lay-in.

4. Rene speeds away from one defender, goes in the lane, and
makes a reverse lay-up over Grover and another defender.

Dale and Armond are on the sideline in awe of Rene's
performance.

28.

DALE
(amazed)
T.L.'s cousin bad, ain't he?

ARMOND
Yeah, and he in jeans! Just image
him without them...

Dale gives his friend a hard look about that "funny"
comment.

ARMOND (cont'd)
Fool, you know what I mean!

We go back to Rene who is smiling as he jogs down court. He
is actually confident about his chances.

SMASH CUT:

It's nightfall when tryouts come to an end. Coach
Haynes is standing in front of the group with a clipboard in
hand. A mixture of nervousness and negativity come over the
players as they wait to hear their fate.

HAYNES
First of all, I want to thank all
of you for trying out. When you
hear your name called, go to the
locker room to find out when the
first practice is...

We see the faces of various players. Did they have what it
takes to make varsity?

HAYNES (O.S)
...Now if you don't hear your name
called, it's not the end of the
world. Just keep working on your
skills and try out again next
year.

All the confidence that Rene had after his scrimmage has
vanished. What if he didn't do as good as he thought? What
if Haynes is prejudice toward small guys?

Haynes calls out few names that include Dale, Armond, Grover
and Alvin. A couple of more names are called and T.L.'s
joins the ranks he lags behind to see if Rene has made it.

Rene is certain that he has not made it until....

HAYNES (O.S.)
...and Rene Carmichael.

29.

He is paralyzed. He did it! He made the team!

Haynes looks out among the players.

HAYNES
Is Rene Carmichael still here?

Rene bolts up.

YOUNG RENE
(stammering)
Y-y-yes sir! I'm here.

HAYNES
Well, if you want to play, head on
to the locker room, son.

We stay with Rene as he walks to take his place with his new
teammates. Once behind Haynes he gives a creative high-five
to a smiling T.L. Haynes continue to say something but we
trail off from it...

EXT. SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

Rene and T.L. let loose all of the composure that they had
in the gym and celebrate their accomplishment.

T.L.
(hysterical)
We did it! We made varsity! I told
you we would!

YOUNG RENE
(stunned)
Yo, I still can't believe I did
it!

T.L.
Well, believe it. And believe
this. With your playmaking and my
lockdown D...State Champs, G!

DALE (O.S.)
(yelling)
Ay!

The two look in the direction of the sound and find Dale by
his car.

30.

DALE
Congrats on y'all making the team
and shit, but come on its gettin'
late, so come on!

T.L.
(yelling back)
We comin', nigga!

The two laugh and walk off to Dale's car.

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - NIGHT

As Rene enters the house, his father RENE CARMICHAEL, 38,
gets up from the couch and walk towards him. We see that
Rene's height is hereditary, because his father is only
5'8''.

MR. CARMICHAEL
(pissed)
Boy, where the hell have you been?

YOUNG RENE
I'm sorry, Daddy. I stayed after--

MR. CARMICHAEL
You don't know how to pick up a
phone and call nobody?

Rene is trapped until...

            YOUNG TOYA
      (coming from the
       kitchen)
Actually he did, Daddy. I talked
to him on the phone earlier and he
said he had to stay after school
for...

YOUNG RENE
(immediately)
...Basketball tryouts.

YOUNG TOYA
(following suit)
Basketball tryouts. That's right.
And he told me he'd be late. So
that's on me, Daddy. Sorry.

            MR. CARMICHAEL
      (beat)
That's alright, Baby Girl.
      (to Rene)
            (MORE)

31.

MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
Just don't let it happen again.

YOUNG RENE
No, sir.

Mr. Carmichael walks back to his room. Rene and Toya breath
sigh of relief when the coast is clear.

YOUNG RENE
Thanks, sis.

YOUNG TOYA
Oh, you owe me BIG time for that.
So how did tryouts go?

Rene lowers his head in shame.

YOUNG TOYA
You gotta be kidding me? So I went
through all of that for nothin'?

YOUNG RENE
(softly)
I don't know how to tell you this
but....

lifts his head and a grin from ear to ear is shown.

YOUNG RENE
I'm a Moss Point Tiger!

Toya starts shrieking and hugs him frantically.

YOUNG TOYA
Congratulations! I'm so proud of
you!

Lets him go when she smells him.

YOUNG TOYA (cont'd)
(fans her nose)
But I you need to go bathe.
Because you stink.

Rene smells himself.

YOUNG RENE
(chuckles)
I think you might be right.

He walks off and Toya shakes her head laughing.

32.

INT. RENE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Rene rubs a towel on his neck as he enters. He sits down on
his bed and looks at a picture of his mother that is on his
night stand, as if he can feel her presence.

SMASH CUT

YOUNG RENE
(accomplished)
I did it, Mama.

He kiss two fingers, places them on the picture, and hits
the lamp, causing the room to go pitch black.

EXT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT

A clear Saturday morning outlines the silhouette of the
building.

INT. LOCKER ROOM - CONTINUOUS - DAY

All of the players are in line picking out their jersey
number and practice gear.

T.L.
First day of practice, boy! It's
about to be intense!

YOUNG RENE
(chuckling)
How you know? You ain't never
played varsity before.

T.L.
Actually...I have. I played as a
freshman.

Rene feels deceived.

YOUNG RENE
So what was all that shit you was
talkin' at tryouts?

T.L.
You my older cousin. I know you
always feel the need to have my
back so, I played into that.

33.

Rene doesn't respond. How can he? It worked.

HAYNES
(to Grover)
Number?

GROVER
25

He gets his gear and gets out of line.

HAYNES
(to T.L.)
Number?

T.L.
15

Does the same.

HAYNES
(to Rene)
Number?

YOUNG RENE
22

Does the same.

We follow behind Rene until he stops at his locker next to
T.L.'s. and starts suiting up.

T.L.
I thought you was a Magic fan.

YOUNG RENE
I am.

T.L.
Why you ain't get 32?

YOUNG RENE
Because 22 got special meaning to
me. 2 for February. 2 for second.
Febuary 2nd: My mother's birthday.

T.L. nods his head in understanding.

ALVIN
(mumbles)
You don't need to get a jersey,
period.

34.

This gets under Rene's skin, but he remains calm.

YOUNG RENE
(defensive)
What's that suppose to mean?

ALVIN
Nothing, G.

YOUNG RENE
Naw, you obviously got something
on you want to say to me. So be a
man, and get of your chest.

The whole locker room's attention is on them.

ALVIN
Look, nigga, my little brother
didn't make the team because of
your short ass. You don't belong
here.

YOUNG RENE
(matter-of-factly)
The way I see it, if you ain't in
this room, then you ain't earn the
right to be on the team.

ALVIN
(offended)
So you saying my little brother
wasn't good enough to play
varsity?

            YOUNG RENE
      (stating the
       obvious)
I don't see him in this room....

The whole locker room begins to "ooh", egging on a fight.

Grover, the team's big man, is impressed by Rene's toughness
despite his stature.

Alvin is stunned. Nobody has ever challenged him.

ALVIN
(glaring at Deuce)
What you say?

            YOUNG RENE
      (looking him in
       the eye)
I ain't gotta repeat myself. You
            (MORE)

35.

YOUNG RENE (cont'd)
heard me the first time.

HAYNES
(stern)
Well I want both of y'all to hear
me: You fight, you run you til I
get tired. So what's it gon' be?

Rene and Alvin eye each other again and resume dressing.

Haynes gets up and starts towards the door.

HAYNES
Everybody, out on the floor.

The players obey the order. Alvin eyes Rene once more.

ALVIN
You better stay out my way.

YOUNG RENE
(sarcastically)
Ooh...you got me pissing in my
pants.

Rene and T.L. lag behind as Grover is sitting on top of his
locker.

GROVER
Say, Little Homie...

Rene and T.L. stop. They are not punks, but he seems like he
has something to say, so they intend to listen.

GROVER
(impressed)
Nobody ever stood up to Alvin
before. You a'ight with me.

Grover hold out his hand and Deuce gives him five.

YOUNG RENE
(relieved)
Appreciate it, G.

GROVER
What's your name again?

YOUNG RENE
Rene.

36.

GROVER
(cracking up)
Rene?! Are you serious?!

YOUNG RENE
I'm named after my daddy.

GROVER
Hell, naw. I gotta call you
something else. Are you a junior?

YOUNG RENE
Naw, the second.

GROVER
The second, huh? Let me think...
(it hits him)
I got it: "Deuce".

YOUNG RENE
"Deuce"?

GROVER
Yeah. Because you named after your
father, and you wear number 22.
See there's even two reasons for
the name. It's meant to be.

T.L.
(brown-nosing)
I think it's dope.

GROVER
That settles it. "Deuce" it is.
Come on, Deuce. Let's go before
coach makes us run.

Stands up and exits the locker room.

With the new moniker "Deuce", Rene trails behind him with
T.L.

YOUNG DEUCE
(quoting T.L.)
"I think it's dope"?

T.L.
Would you argue with him?

Deuce doesn't answer. They both know the answer to that
question.

SMASH CUT:

37.

INT. MOSS POINT SCHOOL GYM - DAY

We hear a whistle blow.

ANGLE - COURT

We see the whole team doing suicides as Haynes imitates a
drill sergeant as we hear Sounds of Blackness's "The
Pressure".

HAYNES
(demanding)
Touch the baseline! Don't just
step on it! Put your hand down
there!

The song continues as it plays over

MONTAGE:

1. The Tigers are in a line bouncing the ball off the
backboard.

2. Deuce is in his room doing push-ups.

3. Deuce is in his room doing sit-ups.

4. Deuce, Dale, and T.L. engage in the figure eight drill.

5. Deuce is running down the streets at dawn dribbling a
ball.

6. Deuce is running up the steps of the football stadium
bleachers at dawn.

5.The Tigers is doing defensive stance drills down the
length of the court.

6. Deuce is shooting jump shots after practice with T.L.
rebounding. He makes all of the shots. Haynes notices this
as he leaves to go home.

7. Deuce is at a playground basketball court at night in the
pouring rain repeatedly trying to get his dunking accuracy
down. He sighs with dissatisfaction but keeps at it.

8. The whole team is at the school track running. Armond
stops and Deuce goes back to get him urging him to go on.
This impresses Haynes though he doesn't show it.

38.

EXT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL COURT YARD - DAY

It is now November, and the day before the first game of the
season.

We hear Naughty By Nature's "O.P.P." coming from Deuce's
Walkman. He is proudly wearing his new Moss Point Basketball
Starter jacket, that has his name and number on the back. On
his head is a Detroit Tigers baseball cap. The "D" on it
being symbolic of his new moniker....

            JANELLE (O.S.)
      (tapping Deuce's
       shoulder)
Excuse me....

Deuce takes his head phones off and wonders who touched him.
He smiles when he sees it's Janelle. We see that they have
struck up a friendship since their first meeting.

JANELLE
(jokingly)
I'm sorry to bother you, but could
you tell me where I could find
Rene--I'm sorry--Deuce Carmichael?

Deuce erupts with in quiet laughter.

JANELLE (cont'd)
Somebody told me that you might be
him, but that can't be true,
'cause I heard he on the
basketball team, so he gotta be
tall.

YOUNG DEUCE
(sarcastically)
You're a regular Eddie Murphy, you
know that?

JANELLE
(astounded)
Congratulations! I didn't even
know you could hoop!

YOUNG DEUCE
(bashfully)
I can do a little something on the
court.

JANELLE
Nigga, stop frontin'! I bet you a
regular Isiah Thomas out there.

39.

YOUNG DEUCE
(smoothly)
I ain't Isiah, but I am a bad boy.

Deuce realizes that that last line was very cheesy and
Janelle confirms it with a little giggle, as the school bell
rings.

JANELLE
(chuckling)
Well I'll see you later...bad boy.

She walks off.

Deuce buries his hands in his face completely embarrassed
and shakes his head shame.

YOUNG DEUCE
(to himself)
"I ain't Isiah, but I'm a bad
boy"? Damn, that was corny!

T.L. (O.S.)
Pretty much!

Deuce looks up. It couldn't be! He turns his head in anguish
and finds T.L. grinning from ear to ear.

YOUNG DEUCE
Fool, how long you been there?

T.L.
(snickering)
Long enough to find out that you a
bad boy.

YOUNG DEUCE
(disgusted)
This keeps getting worse...

They start for the school's entrance.

T.L.
Aw, stop being a titty-baby!
Besides you ain't got a shot with
her no way.

YOUNG DEUCE
(offended)
Why? Because she's taller than me?

40.

T.L.
(annoyed)
Man, come off that shit! Your
height ain't got nothing to do
with it.

He points off screen and Deuce's eyes follow his finger.

T.L. (cont'd)
THAT is why you ain't gonna get
her.

DEUCE'S POV:

We see Alvin with his arm around Janelle. She is smiling as
if she has found the biggest treasure in the world.

T.L. (O.S.)
Because she's Alvin's girl. Y'all
ain't cool but, we don't need no
static on the team.

DEUCE
(disappointed)
Oh...

We see that Deuce is hurt and trying to disguise it. He
never really expected to hook up with Janelle, but as long
as she was single, he could always hope.

T.L.
You aight?

YOUNG DEUCE
(lying)
Yeah, I'm straight. I ain't
trippin' over her.

T.L.
You better not...
(beat)
Mr. "Bad Boy".

Deuce playfully shoves T.L. as they continue into the
building.

EXT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - DAY

It's a little past 5:00pm when Deuce walks up the driveway
to find his father working under the hood of his car.

41.

YOUNG DEUCE
(cheerfully)
Hey, daddy!

MR. CARMICHAEL
(indifferent)
Hey, boy. What you doing home so
early? I thought y'all had
practice.

YOUNG DEUCE
Naw, the first game is tomorrow,
so coach gave us the day off.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Then why you getting home so late?

Deuce is fighting a losing battle. No matter what he says he
going to be at fault.

YOUNG DEUCE
I had to go over to Dale's to get
my fade shaped up. Gotta look fly
for the game tomorrow night, you
know?

Mr. Carmichael grunts. Its seems that Mr. Carmichael is not
interested in what Deuce has to say. The latter senses this,
and starts for the house.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Since you trying to look so good,
you must be starting.

Deuce stops. Maybe his father is interested after all.

YOUNG DEUCE
No, sir. T.L. is going to start at
point.

Mr Carmichael abruptly stops working on his car and looks
his son in the eye.

MR. CARMICHAEL
(not understanding)
So you getting all worked up and
you not even starting?

YOUNG DEUCE
Well...naw
(confident)
But I should to get decent playing
time.

42.

MR. CARMICHAEL
You should get decent playing
time?
(scoffs)
I guess, son.

YOUNG DEUCE
What's that suppose to mean?

MR. CARMICHAEL
I mean don't get your hopes up.
You ain't starting and you ain't
all that big. What you think they
gonna put you in when the game is
on the line? Be real, Rene.

The last statement makes Deuce's blood boil. He doesn't show
how devastating it was to him, and give his father any
satisfaction.

YOUNG DEUCE
Say, Daddy, I got a lot of
homework, so I better get inside.

Deuce is furious, but decides to go in the house before he
has a confrontation with his father.

INT. DEUCE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS - DAY

Rene storms into his room and slams his door close.

YOUNG DEUCE
(venting)
Nigga always got some shit to say!

He takes off his jacket throws it, his bookbag, and cap on
the bed. He turns on his TV and finds Sports Center.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (mimicking Mr.
       Carmichael)
"You think they gonna put you in
with the game on the line? Be
real, Rene."

He sits on the bed and proceeds to do his homework.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (about Mr.
       Carmichael)
Asshole....

43.

a few seconds go by before....

COMMENTATOR
And in breaking news, Los Angeles
Lakers star guard Earvin "Magic
Johnson" has announced his
retirement from the NBA today
after contracting the HIV virus.

Deuce eyes shoot to the TV, in disbelief of what he just
heard.

YOUNG DEUCE
(shocked)
What the hell....?

On the TV screen is the darkest chapter in NBA history: the
infamous press conference that marked the end of Magic
Johnson's career.

Deuce listens for a few more moments until he hears Magic
say "I'm going to beat it". He furiously tosses his book
across the room and walks out.

FADE TO:

EXT. CARMICHAEL HOME - DAY

It's around 7:00 am as we hear Christopher Williams's "I'm
Dreaming" being played.

INT. DEUCE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS - DAY

Deuce is feeling that he's dreaming with the first game of
the season being that night.

He vibes to the music, courtesy of his stereo, as he put's
on a t-shirt. He then puts his earring in and throws on his
Magic Johnson jersey.

He puts his team jacket on and goes over to his nightstand.
He kisses two fingers and puts them to his mother's picture.

We follow him as he walks toward his door then stop.

DEUCE'S POV:

We are looking at Magic Johnson's poster.

Deuce nods his head and give a gently pounds the poster as a
sign of admiration. He owes Magic something too.

44.

EXT. MOSS POINT HIGH GYM - NIGHT

We see people scurrying to get inside the gym for the first
game of the season.

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH GYM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

The GYM is packed. It seems like every student that attends
Moss Point and all of their relatives are in attendance.

Janelle and the rest of the CHEERLEADERS are performing a
routine to the sounds of the MARCHING BAND.

Toya is holding Jayden as she and her friends find their
seats.

CUT TO:

INT. LOCKER ROOM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

The Tigers are all clad in their uniforms and warm-ups which
look identical to the Georgetown Hoyas. We pan from the door
across the whole room where we find players doing various
pregame rituals.

We stop once we get to Deuce. We zoom in on him as he puts a
white SWEATBAND on his left wrist. "EVA" is printed on it in
navy blue lettering.

DALE (O.S.)
So how we gonna line up?

ALVIN
I say by class. Seniors first,
then so on.

T.L.
Hell naw! I ain't trying to be in
the back of the line! I say
starters first.

TEAMMATE
So just because we ain't starting,
we got to get to the back?

T.L.
(reasoning)
You don't play first, you don't go
first.

The whole team erupts into an argument.

45.

Deuce is too preoccupied by his wristband to worry about the
argument until....

T.L. (O.S.)
What you think, Deuce?

YOUNG DEUCE
(oblivious)
Huh?

T.L.
How you think we should line up?

YOUNG DEUCE
Uh....

He feels pressure on him. He quickly has an answer.

YOUNG DEUCE
(unsure)
How 'bout by height...from
smallest to tallest?

We go back to see the team's reaction. They all seem to
agree except for one...

ALVIN
(envious)
Yeah, he would want to do it that
way, so he can be at the front.

GROVER
(authoritative)
Why don't you quit acting like a
bitch and get with it?

Alvin eyes Grover for a second then walks on. He's not
stupid.

GROVER (cont'd)
Come on, Deuce take your spot at
the front, homeboy.

Grover walks off.

Deuce leans back and look off into space...as the cheer of
the crowd cresendo.

INT. MOSS POINT GYM - CONTINOUS - NIGHT

The crowd's roar reaches it's zenith as the Tigers, lead by
Deuce, hit the floor for warm-ups.

46.

The BAND begins to play "Eye of the Tiger" as Deuce lays the
ball up.

He comes down and takes in everything he sees: The crowd
going wild, Janelle looking gorgeous in her cheering
uniform, and finally the opposing WAYNE COUNTY WAR EAGLES.
He's Ready!

CUT TO:

TIP OFF

Grover swats it to T.L. who races up court. He passes it
Alvin who puts up and 18-foot jump shot that falls through.

P.A. ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
Alvin Booker!

SERIES OF SHOTS

1. T.L. throws the ball down court to Grover who is a foot
ahead of a WAYNE COUNTY DEFENDER and lays the ball in.

2. Dale drives to the hoop, draws a foul, and scores.

3. The WAYNE COUNTY GUARD loses T.L. and drives the lane. He
puts the ball up, but it's blocked by Armond.

4. T.L. steals the ball from the Wayne County guard and
races down court slamming the ball down and sending the
crowd into a frenzy.

5. Deuce smiles and cheers his cousin on from the sidelines.

SMASH CUT:

FOURTH QUARTER

36 seconds are left in the game with the Eagles clinging to
a 48-47 lead.

The Wayne County Guard throws an outlet pass to his FORWARD
who's just past half court and half a foot in front of
Alvin.

HAYNES (O.S.)
(yelling)
Get back, Alivn! Cut the lane off!

Alvin doesn't even try to make an effort to stop him as he
slams the ball down. Its now 50-47, Wayne County, with 30
seconds to go.

47.

HAYNES
Damn it!

Grover inbounds the ball to Alvin who goes up court putting
the moves on a couple of WAYNE COUNTY DEFENDERS.

Dale is wide open on the wing, but he'd rather look fancy
than win and steam rolls a defender on the way to the hoop.

The REFEREE blows his whistle. As Wayne County signals for a
time out.

REFEREE
I got a charge on #23 white! Time
out, Orange!

All of the Tigers huddle around the bench. Haynes is about
to let Alvin have it!

HAYNES
(infuriated)
Goddamn it Alvin, what the hell
were you thinking, huh? Instead of
putting us in a position to win,
you just gave them the ball with
the lead!

ALVIN
(nonchalant)
Coach, if it wasn't for me, the
game wouldn't even be this close.
So why you trippin'?

Haynes can't believe what he just heard from this boy. It's
time for him to learn a hard lesson.

HAYNES
Oh, I'm tripping? Well, thanks for
letting me know, because now I can
fix it...

He looks at Deuce.

HAYNES
Deuce, go in for Alvin.

Deuce is ecstatic! He's getting his first action of varsity
basketball!

ALVIN
(insulted)
What? Coach, you can't be serious!

48.

HAYNES
Oh I'm very serious. I want you to
sit your ass on that bench until
you learn how to respect me! You
understand?

Alvin sits down in disbelief as Deuce takes off his
warm-ups.

HAYNES
(to the team)
Alright, we can still win this.
They got the lead but they have
been have been playing sloppy, so
we ain't gonna have no trouble
getting the ball back. We're going
to run a full-court man-to-man.
Box out and crash the boards.If
that ball comes loose, get after
it. Now lets take care of
business.

All of the players except for Alvin put their hands in.

TIGERS
1, 2, 3, DEFENSE!!!

Deuce goes over to the scorers table to check in then goes
onto the floor as the referee blows his whistle to resume
the game.

CUT TO:

The young ladies are in the stands chatting when Toya can't
believe her eyes! Her baby brother is going in!

            YOUNG TOYA
      (to her friends)
That's my baby brother!
      (yelling to him)
Go Deuce! Whoo!

P.A. ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
Now checking into the game for
Moss Point: #22, Rene Carmichael!

Rene receives light applause from the crowd, very light.
Some of the spectators are wondering why Haynes would
substitute this diminutive scrub for his superstar Alvin.

T.L. senses his cousin's nervousness.

49.

T.L.
(reassuring)
Come on, G. We got this.

Deuce nods in agreeance.

Back in the stands...

HECKLER (O.S.)
Yo, Haynes! I thought you wanted
to WIN the game, man!

Toya is heated. No one teases her baby brother.

YOUNG TOYA
(to the heckler)
How 'bout you sit down and shut
the hell up?

Deuce looks around the court and is still unsure of himself;
he can't do it. He looks off screen at something.

We see Janelle looking back at him and mouth's "You can do
it!"

CLOSE UP: Deuce

His confidence is now restored.

The referee hands the ball to the WAYNE COUNTY FORWARD who
inbounds it to the guard just behind half court.

He looks at Deuce and grins before he starts up court.
Seeing what he believes to be an advantage over his smaller
opponent, he gets fancy.

HAYNES
Force the turnover!

Deuce looks at the clock.

The scoreboard reads 21 seconds left in the game.

Deuce better do something, quick! The Wayne County guard
tries a cross over but Deuce uses his cat-like quickness
stripping him of the ball and heads for the goal.

Another War Eagle defender cuts off the lane. Deuce fakes
left and the defender bites, giving him the easy score.

The crowd lets him know that it was good move. This little
guy can play! Wayne County's lead is now cut to one with 10
seconds remaining.

50.

The Eagles have trouble inbounding the ball due to the press
the Tigers are running. To avoid a 5 second inbound call,
the trigger man tries to sail the ball to half court, but it
is intercepted by T.L. who takes the ball in transition.

T.L.
Deuce, look up!

He passes the ball to Deuce who has Grover on his other
wing. He moves down court staying in close proximity to T.L.

When the Wayne County defenders try to trap him anticipating
a jump shot, he zips a no look alley oop to Grover who slams
it down. The crowd goes nuts! Magic couldn't have done it
better himself!

Moss Point takes the lead 51-50 with 2 seconds left...

The War Eagles try for one last desperation shot at the
basket. It hits the rim and bounce off.

Moss Point wins! The players go crazy on the court
bombarding Deuce with high fives, hugs, and compliments.

QUICK CUTS:

1. Spectators are going crazy.

2. Toya is bragging to everybody in the stands that Deuce is
her brother.

3. Janelle is whooping with the cheerleaders, though she
seems a little more into it then the rest of them.

Alvin walks towards the locker room in the f.g. disgusted.
He looks at the celebration that his teammates are having
and rolls his eyes.

Deuce feels as if he is on top of the world!

P.A. ANNOUNCER
The final score...Your Moss Point
Tigers: 51, Wayne County: 50!

SMASH CUT:

INT. LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT

Deuce is among the last few players leaving out of the
locker room. He realizes he left he jacket so he goes back

51.

to get it. As he puts it on, he hears Haynes's office door
open.

Alvin storms out out in a huff.

Deuce's eyes follow Alvin all the way to the exit. What's
going on?

HAYNES (O.S.)
Deuce...

His eyes are now on Haynes.

HAYNES
In my office, now.

Deuce obeys the command and walks to the office with the
pace of a death row inmate on the way to the gas chamber...

INT. COACH HAYNES OFFICE - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

The two go in and have a seat. Deuce tries his best to hide
his nervousness.

HAYNES
(beat)
That was a hell of a game you had
tonight. We were down, but you
ain't give up and you were aware
of everything that was going
around you, and made smart
decisions. You got good leadership
skills, Deuce. I've noticed that
about you for quite some time now.

YOUNG DEUCE
(proud)
Thank you, Coach.

HAYNES
There's a change that I've though
about making since practice
started. And after the way you
played tonight, I now know that
it's right.

Deuce has a quizzical look on his face.

YOUNG DEUCE
What change is that?

52.

HAYNES
About who I want starting in the
back court. I just talked to Alvin
about you and him running it
together.

This could be it! Could Deuce be Moss Point's new starting
point guard?

YOUNG DEUCE
(anxious)
Wh-what did he say?

Haynes has a look of "I don't know how to tell you this..."
on his face.

HAYNES
He said "forget it". Said there's
no way he's sharing the back court
with some "shrimp" as he put it.
He said that either he and T.L.
was going to run the back court or
he was going to walk. So I did
what I felt was best in order to
win...

Deuce sighs with disappointment and stands to leave. Every
time he gets his hopes up, disappointment shatters them. As
soon as his hand hits the doorknob...

HAYNES (O.S.)
So do you think T.L. can adjust to
shooting guard with you running
the point?

Did Deuce just hear that he was going to be starting? Is
this really happening? He turns to Haynes who's confirms it
by lightly nodding.

YOUNG DEUCE
(cool)
Yes sir, I think he can. And
thanks coach; I won't make you
reget this.

HAYNES
You better not. Now get out of
here.

As Deuce walks out of the office, Haynes shakes his head and
chuckles.

SMASH CUT:

53.

INT. MOSS POINT GYM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Even though the lights are out in the gym, Deuce's day is
now brighter then the sun on the hottest day in August. When
he gets about halfway across the court he leaps into the air
and lets out a triumphant yell.

EXT. GROVER'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Deuce has already told T.L. the good news by the time we
catch up to them walking towards Grover's house party.

T.L.
(ecstatic)
Yo, this is dope! My cousin and me
starting together....We bout to
take this thing over like New Jack
City!

DEUCE
So that makes me Nino, right?

T.L.
How you figure that?

YOUNG DEUCE
Because Nino was at the head man
and he ran things...like a point
guard runs plays.

            T.L.
      (playfully shoving
       Deuce)
Aw, whatever nigga!
      (grinning)
Now let's go in here and get busy.

INT. GROVER'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

WIDE SHOT: PARTY

The PARTY is in full swing when Deuce and T.L. step in. Boyz
II Men's "Motown Philly" keeps the crowd moving.

GROVER
My man Deuce!

YOUNG DEUCE
G Money....

They give each other five.

54.

GROVER
You wrecked shop out there
tonight, boy! Making me look like
a superstar with that alley.

YOUNG DEUCE
I do what I can, baby.

GROVER
I ain't gonna hold y'all fools up.
Its my party! Go get up on some
skeezers and enjoy yourselves.

T.L.
You ain't got to tell me twice.

T.L. grins devilishly as his hormones lead him to the dance
floor. Deuce laughs then goes over to the couch to sit down.

Based on his demeanor, we can tell that Deuce hasn't been to
a lot of parties. Next to him is the sultry and curvaceous
TANYA.

He sneaks a peek at her luscious thighs. She catches him and
he straightens up. Tanya grins when she realizes who he is.

TANYA
Hey, ain't you the short guy that
plays on the baskeball team?

YOUNG DEUCE
(nervous)
Y-ye-yeah, that's me.

Tanya's grin gets bigger.

TANYA
I thought that was you! You went
off tonight!

YOUNG DEUCE
Thank you.

TANYA
So why you not out there dancing
with your girl?

YOUNG DEUCE
I ain't got no girl.

55.

TANYA
(intrigued)
Really?

She crosses her legs in a seductive manner and puts her hand
on Deuce's thigh. He MUST be dreaming!

YOUNG DEUCE
Yeah. Plus, I don't know how to
dance no way.

TANYA
This is the perfect time to learn,
huh?

Tanya takes Deuce by the hand as Maxi Priest and Shaba Ranks
get the GRIND SESSION of the party started with "House
Call".

Tanya leads him to a spot on the dance floor and immediately
goes to work. The way she's moving on him is as if she is
trying to have sex with him right then and there.

Deuce is struggling to keep up with her, but concentrates so
he doesn't get "excited". She leans forward and kisses him.
Deuce can't believe this is really happening!

Tanya breaks away from Deuce's lips.

TANYA
(seductively)
Come help me get my jacket so we
can get out of here.

Deuce's face lights up. He's about to get laid!

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (maintaining his
       composure)
A'ight.

The two make their way to...

INT. GROVER'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Deuce opens the door and hits the light as Tanya follows him
in.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (going to the
       closet)
So which jacket is yours...

56.

TANYA
Its the brown leather one.

Deuce goes through the closet looking for the JACKET. After
a short search, he finds it and grins. He's one step closer.

YOUNG DEUCE
(turning to Tanya)
Yo, Tanya, I found...

Deuce has just discovered Tanya's gorgeous body clad in
nothing but her bra and panties. He wasn't expecting this to
happen.

YOUNG DEUCE
(nervous)
Wh-wh-what you doing?

            TANYA
      (walking towards
       him)
I thought maybe we'd celebrate you
winning the game.

YOUNG DEUCE
I thought that's what they were
doing out there.

TANYA
Baby, trust me, what I got in
store is way better then anything
out there.

Deuce just stands there as Tanya walks towards him. He
doesn't have much experience in sex department either...

TANYA
Aw, you shy...that's so cute.

She starts to kiss Deuce passionately, taking off his team
jacket.

Somehow Tanya backs Deuce onto the bed and sets him down
like a mother does an infant. She gets back up and goes over
to the light switch. She hits the radio on the dresser next
to it and Color Me Badd's "I Wanna Sex You Up" fills the
room.

            TANYA
      (staring at Deuce
       seductively)
Just relax baby. Mama ain't gon'
hurt you...

57.

With that she flicks the light off not allowing us to see
anything. A moment goes by and we hear...

YOUNG DEUCE (O.S.)
(lustfully)
Ohhhhh...sweet Jesus!

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - DAY

Deuce and Grover are headed to the gym as the former tells
about his sexual escapades with Tanya.

GROVER
How you gon' do that on my bed,
man?!

YOUNG DEUCE
Nigga, she basically jumped me.
What was supposed to do?

GROVER
You could took the skeezer to
bathroom. Not bone her on my bed!

YOUNG DEUCE
Aw, you'll live, G.

Just as the two reach the gym entrance, Deuce notices
Janelle and Alvin at some lockers across from him. Things
don't look as pleasant as they did that day he first learned
about them.

YOUNG DEUCE
(to Grover)
Yo, I'll be there in a minute.

He makes sure he's out of the couple's vantage point and
sees what's going on.

JANELLE
(concerned)
Baby, why are you acting like
this?

ALVIN
(annoyed)
Cause you won't leave me the hell
alone, Janelle! I just want to be
left alone!

58.

It's obvious Alvin is still upset about being kicked off the
team which Janelle has no knowledge of. He's channeling that
frustration into her.

JANELLE
Alvin, I'm just trying to see
what's wrong with you! You've been
trippin' since the game Friday!

ALVIN
(moving in close)
You know what you need to do,
Janelle, instead of worrying about
me? Step off.

Deuce is silently wondering how can this fool talk to this
sweet girl like that when all she does is care?

Janelle can't believe what she just heard.

JANELLE
(crushed)
What are trying to say, Alvin?

Janelle knows what he is trying to say. She's just in denial
and need to hear it flat out.

ALVIN
Are you that stupid you can't
understand?

Alvin walks off, bumping Janelle knocking her lightly into
the lockers. Janelle tries to hold it together but fails and
breaks down crying.

Deuce starts outs to her, but an unknown force within him
stops him from going over and comforting her. She and Alvin
were having a private conversation, and sees it is in his
best interest to go on inside the gym.

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Deuce is just arriving home from practice to find his sister
over the stove, father seated at the table reading the
newspaper and Jayden in his high chair.

YOUNG DEUCE
(cheerful)
What's up y'all?

59.

YOUNG TOYA
(stirring food)
What's up baby brother?

MR. CARMICHAEL
(still reading)
Hey boy.

Goes to the stove and looks over his sister's shoulder.

YOUNG DEUCE
What you cooking?

YOUNG TOYA
Pork chops, mash potatoes and
peas. Everything is done.

YOUNG DEUCE
Fix me a plate please?

Toya shoots him a look that reads "what the hell?"

YOUNG TOYA
(insulted)
Fix you a plate?

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (rapidly)
Thanks, sister!
      (kisses her cheek)
Love you!

Deuce gives Toya no time for a rebuttal as he rushes to his
seat and begins to play with Jayden who has opened up to him
by this time.

MR. CARMICHAEL
(getting up)
Don't worry bout me, Baby Girl.
Unlike your lazy brother, I can
fix my own plate.

As his father goes to the stove, Deuce silently mimics his
last statement, and resumes playing with Jayden.

As Toya sets down a plate of peas and mash potatoes for
Jayden on his high chair, she notices her brother's chipper
mood.

            YOUNG TOYA
      (going back to the
       stove)
Why you so happy tonight?

60.

YOUNG DEUCE
(smiling)
Life, Toya. Life.

Toya comes back to the table with a plate of food for her
and Deuce.

YOUNG TOYA
(sitting down)
Well what particular incident in
life got you smiling like there's
no tomorrow?

Mr. Carmichael sits back down with his plate of food.

YOUNG DEUCE
Well I was gonna save it for the
next game and surprise y'all, but
I might as well tell y'all now.
(proudly)
You're looking at Moss Point's new
starting guard.

YOUNG TOYA
Get out!

Mr. Carmichael takes a bite out of his pork chop with no
evidence of joy on his face.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Rene, I thought you said that Tony
was starting point guard.

YOUNG DEUCE
Well, Coach moved T.L. to shooting
guard. And nobody calls me "Rene",
Daddy. They me "Deuce".

MR. CARMICHAEL
Your birth name is Rene, like
mine, and I'm gon' call you that.
Not some nickname you picked up in
the streets.

Toya sees that the situation will get out of hand if she
doesn't do something quick.

TANYA
So baby brother, you think you can
handle the pressure of starting?

61.

            YOUNG DEUCE
I'll find out tomorrow when we
play Biloxi.
      (turning to Mr.
       Carmichael)
You comin' to the game, Daddy?

Deuce has a sparkle in his eyes. Surely his father would
love to see his son shine on the court.

MR. CARMICHAEL
I got a date tomorrow night.

YOUNG DEUCE
Maybe you could bring her along.

MR. CARMICHAEL
We already got plans, son. Sorry.

Deuce gives up.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (defeated)
Naw, its aight.
      (beat)
Can y'all excuse me?

Deuce get up and walks out. Toya shoots her father a look.
Mr. Carmichael is oblivious to what's going on. Toya follows
her brother to

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Deuce is heading for his room with Toya close on his heels.

YOUNG TOYA
(whispering)
Deuce. Deuce!

He stops and looks at his sister. He is pissed!

YOUNG TOYA
(whispering)
Look, don't let Daddy get to you.
That's just how he is.

YOUNG DEUCE
Toya, don't make excuses for him
being an asshole. 'Cause that
shows you condone it, and that
makes you just as bad as him.

62.

Deuce goes to his room and calls it a night, leaving Toya in
the hallway glancing to the heavens for strength.

INT. BILOXI HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

SLOW MOTION:

Deuce has beaten every BILOXI DEFENDER down court for the
easy lay-in.

COMMENTATOR (O.S.)
Carmichael with the lay-in! What a
wonderful addition this little guy
is to Moss Point as they defeat
Biloxi 71-58!

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - DAY

It's Saturday Morning as we find Deuce with Jayden in his
lap, watching a college football game.

Toya walks in with hair care products in her hand.

YOUNG TOYA
(disgusted)
Can you please let my baby watch
something else besides sports?

YOUNG DEUCE
Girl, ain't nobody studdin' you!
He's a boy! He needs to watch
stuff like this!

YOUNG TOYA
(demanding)
Let my baby see whatever HE wants
to!

Deuce knows that if he don't turn it off, his sister will
never leave him alone. He does so and finds Janet Jackson's
"Love Will Never Do" video which gets Jayden to smile.

YOUNG DEUCE
(looking at Jayden)
Good choice, nephew...

Toya cringes at the two's perversion.

63.

YOUNG TOYA
Both of y'all are awful...

We hear a knock at the door.

YOUNG DEUCE
(goes to answer)
Don't look at me. That's your
child.

He opens the door and is shocked to see...

JANELLE
(surprised)
Deuce?

He slams the door in her face and runs to his room. What is
Janelle doing on his doorstep?

YOUNG DEUCE
(embarrassed)
Oh shit!

            YOUNG TOYA
      (yelling to the
       back)
Boy, what's wrong with you,
slamming the door in that girl's
face like that?

Deuce reappears with his sneakers and blue Moss Point
Basketball hooded sweatshirt in hand.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (putting on his
       clothes)
When you said you was doing
somebody's hair, you ain't tell me
you was doing Janelle Williams's
hair! Got me answering the door
looking like a bum!

YOUNG TOYA
What's difference does it make if
it's her hair or anybody else's?

Deuce doesn't answer and continues to get dress.

Toya knows why he's acting strange now.

YOUNG TOYA
(smiling)
Awww...you like her, don't you?

64.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (dodging the
       question)
I gotta jet.

Deuce starts for the door, but Toya races to it and answers
it before he can get out. Why must she torment him like
this?

YOUNG TOYA
Hey, girl! Sorry bout this fool
right here slamming the door in
your face.

JANELLE
(coming in)
It's cool. I wasn't disturbing
y'all was I?

She looks back and forth between the two suggesting that are
sleeping together.

YOUNG TOYA
(appalled)
OH, GOD, NO! He's my brother,
nasty!

Deuce is standing there like a 5 year-old that about to get
spanked for eating cookies when told not to.

JANELLE
(suprised)
Oh, I didn't know that.

We see that Janelle's a little relieved by that, but Deuce
doesn't pick up on it. He's more concentrated on leaving.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (going for the
       door)
I'ma let you 2 ladies have the
house to yourselves. Later.

He vanishes out of the door, leaving the two girls confused.

INT. DALE'S ROOM - DAY

Dale is putting the finishing touches on Armond's haircut as
Deuce and T.L. sit on his bed. We faintly hear the Geto
Boys' "My Mind is Playin' Tricks On Me" on the stereo in the
window sill.

65.

T.L.
(in disbelief)
You ran out of the house?

YOUNG DEUCE
What else was I suppose to do?

            ARMOND
      (stating the
       obvious)
Stay there and mack her down!

T.L.
(to Armond)
Thank you.

YOUNG DEUCE
What a minute, T.L. Ain't you the
one that told me that I ain't have
a shot, because she goes with
Alvin?

T.L.
That's before he left, kinfolk!

YOUNG DEUCE
(lost)
What the hell you mean "left"?

            DALE
      (concentrating on
       Armond's hair)
Man, after he got cut from the
team, Alvin transferred right to
Pascagoula.

ARMOND
I heard the coach over there was
so happy, he let him on the team
(snaps his fingers)
like that!

YOUNG DEUCE
Y'all actin' like Pascagoula is
100 miles away. It right next
door. How we know he and Janelle
ain't still kickin'?

T.L.
What we do know is he ain't at
Moss Point no more, and what he
don't know won't hurt him.

66.

Deuce lets his cousin's words sink in.

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

The Tigers call a timeout with 12 seconds left in the game.
They are huddled around the bench trying to find a way to
upset the OCEAN SPRINGS GREYHOUNDS who are ahead 63-62.

HAYNES
Look y'all we got 12 seconds!
That's a lifetime! Deuce, take the
ball to the top of the key and hit
Dale on the wing! Dale, they gonna
trap you, and when they do, lob it
to Grover for the backdoor!
Alright lets go!

The Tigers put their hands in. Deuce has become the
unofficial leader of this team as he yells...

YOUNG DEUCE
1,2,3...

TIGERS
MOSS POINT!!!

The Tigers take the floor with T.L. as the trigger man. He
inbounds it to Deuce who is being closely guarded by a white
OCEAN SPRINGS GUARD.

He manages to get to the top of the lane and passes off to
Dale. Just like Haynes predicted, they trap.

Dale zips the ball over his head to Grover who catches and
goes for the hoop. He does not make the lay-up as he is
knocked down by a DEFENDER as the buzzer sounds.

The Greyhounds celebrate as the Tigers protest, claiming
their big man was fouled. Their prayers must have been
answered because the referee blows his whistle.

REFEREE
Hold up! I got a foul before the
buzzer! Two shots! Clear the
court!

All of the Tigers celebrate as they clear the court. All
except Grover who is standing at the foul line looking like
a child on his first day of kindergarten.

67.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (walking to the
       sideline)
Two free ones! We got this!

T.L.
(skeptical)
I don't know, Deuce. Grover
struggles from the line. And it's
clutch...

T.L. shakes his head as if to say "no way".

YOUNG DEUCE
(positive)
Come on you got to have faith in
your teammates, little cuz!

The court is completely clear of everyone except Grover, who
has a look on his face as if he ate something bad.

The referee passes him the ball. He bounces it and fires it
up. Off the front of the rim. The crowd groans.

YOUNG DEUCE
Damn!

T.L.
Told you...

YOUNG DEUCE
Don't trip. We still got a chance
to tie.

The referee gives the ball back to Grover. He bounces and
fires up a shot that...bounces of the left side of the rim.

The Greyhounds jump for joy as they narrowly defeat the
mighty Moss Point Tigers.

Grover looks as if he wants to climb under the floorboards
if possible. We go back to the sideline to find Deuce with a
sympathic look for his teammate.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

Deuce and T.L. emerge from the locker room with
thousand-yard stares. They must have gotten a post game
tirade from Haynes.

68.

YOUNG DEUCE
(stunned)
Coach was mad, wasn't he? I even
know some of them words existed!

T.L.
When Haynes gets hot...he gets
hot.

YOUNG DEUCE
I see...So what you 'bout to get
into tonight?

T.L.
(smiling)
I'm going to Kendra's house.

YOUNG DEUCE
(teasing)
For what? You ain't gon get none.

T.L.
That's what you think. See she
like a man with a sensitive side.
So all I got to do is go over
there...
(fakes crying)
...and act like I'm all torn up
about the game!

YOUNG DEUCE
(laughing)
Nigga, you horrible!

T.L.
But I get what I want though!

The two stop when they hear a ball hitting the rim. We see
Grover on the other end of the court trying desperately to
make a free throw.

YOUNG DEUCE
Yo, T.L., I'll be outside in a
minute.

T.L. nods and precedes out of the gym.

Grover fires up another free throw that doesn't fall
through.

GROVER
(aggravated)
Shit!

69.

Deuce has never seen the big man lose his cool. Grover feels
something behind him and turns around to find the little
guy.

GROVER
What's up, Deuce?

He shoots the ball and misses. Deuce hurries to get the
rebound.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (passing the ball
       back to Grover)
Nothin'. You straight?

Grover holds the ball.

GROVER
(sighing)
I lost the game for us, man.

YOUNG DEUCE
Don't beat yourself up, G. Can't
win 'em all...

YOUNG DEUCE
But you shouldn't never lose on
free throws! And I just can't hit
'em!

Deuce face lights up. He has the perfect solution for
Grover's problem.

YOUNG DEUCE
Give me the rock.

Grover bounce passes it to him as they switch positions.
Deuce takes off his trademark team jacket and sits it on the
ground.

YOUNG DEUCE
Yo, you be hittin' skins on the
regular, huh?

            GROVER
      (grinning
       devilishly)
Come on, Deuce...
      (points to his
       beeper)
Why you think I got that? I keep a
flock of skeezers.

70.

            DEUCE
      (chuckling)
A'ight. A'ight. I'm just messing
with you.
      (begins to bounce
       the ball)
So you know you got to be smooth
with the ladies...take your time.
And when the moment is right...

He floats a free throw that hits nothing but the net.

YOUNG DEUCE (cont'd)
...you'll hit every time.

Grover grabs the ball and passes back to Deuce.

            DEUCE
      (bounces ball
       rapidly)
But if you rushing...and you make
a move too soon...

Deuce fires up a free throw that hits the rim and bounces
off and Grover gets the rebound.

YOUNG DEUCE (cont'd)
...you ain't gon' never hit
nothin'.

Grover understands the analogy because it relates to
something he enjoys. He goes to the free throw line to put
it into use.

GROVER
(bounces the ball)
Be smooth...take my time...and
when the moment's right...

He puts it up and it falls through perfectly. He actually
made it! He even looks as if he wants to jump for joy!

YOUNG DEUCE
(grinning proudly)
And it's just that easy, G Money!

As they give each other five we go to

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

The gym is rocking, fueled by MC Hammer's "2 Legit 2 Quit",
as the starting line-ups are being called.

71.

P.A. ANNOUNCER (o.s.)
At guard...a junior...standing 5
feet, 7 inches tall...#22...DEUCE
CARMICHAEL!

Deuce runs through the tunnel of reserve players and
cheerleaders with a look of determination on his face. This
is what he's always wanted. And he proves how legit he is as
the song overplays...

MONTAGE

1. Deuce puts a 3 pointer over a GEORGE COUNTY GUARD.

2. Deuce makes a no-look pass from half-court to Dale on the
baseline for the score.

3. A newspaper article showing Moss Point winning 72-63 over
Geroge County.

4. Deuce steals the ball from a GULFPORT GUARD and takes it
the other way for a lay-in.

5. Deuce dives into the bleachers to save the ball from
going out of bounds.

6. Mr. Carmichael finds an article with his son being named
player of the week. He covers it with his coffee mug,
uninterested.

7. Deuce throws up an alley-oop that is slammed down by
Grover against the HARRISON CENTRAL REBELS.

8. Deuce makes a behind the back pass to T.L. who takes it
to the lane for the score, leaving his DEFENDER confused.

9. Newspaper article with a picture Deuce, T.L., and Grover,
describing them being big assets for the Tigers.

10. Brandon looking at the article and smiling for his
friend.

11. Deuce walking down the halls of Moss Point High with
everybody knowing his name, and girls whispering and
giggling sheepishly as he passes.

12. Deuce puts up a tough shot in the lane against two
HATTIESBURG DEFENDERS. He hits the ground hard but makes the
shot.

13. Deuce making a sharp pass through the lane to Armond who
scores over a ST. MARTIN DEFENDER.

72.

14.Deuce fires up a jumper over 2 HANCOCK COUNTY PLAYERS
that falls through.

15. Toya is leading the crowd as they chant his name.

16. Deuce jogs down court throwing up the "deuce" sign.

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH CAFETERIA - DAY

The cafeteria is filled with the hustle and bustle of
students getting and putting up their trays and socializing
as we hear Mariah Carey's "Emotions" playing on someone's
radio.

We find T.L. and Deuce at a lunch table reading about Moss
Point's football team winning the 1991 state title.

YOUNG DEUCE
(unappreciated)
You see this? The Pascagoula game
is tonight, and all they talkin'
'bout is the damn football team!

T.L.
(reasoning)
Well they did win State, Deuce.
They just can't ignore that
because we on a roll.

YOUNG DEUCE
(uninterested)
I guess...

Deuce turns away from his cousin to look at Janelle sitting
at a table with her friends, laughing and talking. He comes
back when he hears

T.L.
Yo, why you ain't got at Janelle
yet?

YOUNG DEUCE
(surprised)
Huh?

T.L.
Why you ain't got at Janelle
yet?

DEUCE
She ain't nothin' but a friend.
That's all.

73.

T.L.
Bullshit! You feelin' that girl.
I'm your cousin. I know you.

YOUNG DEUCE
A'ight, so maybe I do like her,
but that don't mean she like me
back.

T.L.
There's only one way to find out.
My homeboy Bryan that plays
football is throwing a party after
the game tonight to celebrate them
winning State. Ask her to roll
with you.

YOUNG DEUCE
(skeptical)
I don't know, man...

T.L.
(fed up)
That's it...

T.L. gets up from his seat to go over to where Janelle is.
Deuce grabs his arm.

YOUNG DEUCE
What you doin'?

T.L.
Going over there to tell Janelle
that you plan on taking her to the
party.

YOUNG DEUCE
No the hell you ain't!

T.L.
Well you better go ask her
yourself then. 'Cause if you
don't, I will.

Deuce sees that he is serious. He takes a deep breath and
heads toward Janelle and her friends. Every step feels as if
someone is pouring more and more cement into his shoes.
Finally he gets to the table.

YOUNG DEUCE
(Nervous)
What's up ladies?

74.

LADIES
(in unison)
Hey Deuce!

All eyes are on him now. What an awkward position! But he's
on a mission.

YOUNG DEUCE
Janelle, is cool if I, um, holler
at you for a second?

He thought that would give him some privacy but the girls
are still there. As if on cue, the bell rings. All of the
girls scatter, but Janelle stays behind. What a break!

JANELLE
What's up?

Deuce grabs a seat and looks her in the eye.

YOUNG DEUCE
Well, um, you know Bryan throwing
a party tonight, right?

JANELLE
Yeah, I heard about it...

YOUNG DEUCE
Well, you know, I was
wondering...that if you were
goin'...that maybe you would like
to roll with me?

JANELLE
You mean like a date?

YOUNG DEUCE
(stammering)
Yeah, well...I mean, i-it ain't,
it ain't got to be like that if
you ain't--

JANELLE
(smiling)
That sounds cool. We can do that.

Deuce is shocked! Did his dream girl just say yes? He looks
as if he can barely contain himself from doing back flips.

YOUNG DEUCE
(smoothly)
A'ight, cool.

75.

            JANELLE
      (gathering her
       things)
Look, Deuce, I'm bout to be late
for last period, so I'll holler at
you after school about what time
to pick me up.

DEUCE
(getting up)
A'ight. Later.

He walks toward T.L. who is waiting on the other side of the
cafeteria.

T.L.
(anxious)
So? What happened?

Deuce let's his head hang.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (softly)
I don't know what happened...
      (raises his head,
       grinning)
But I got a date tonight!

T.L.
(proud)
That fool going out with Janelle
Williams!

EXT. BUS - DAY

The Moss Point Tigers have just crossed the Singing River
Bridge into Gautier, Mississippi.

INT. BUS - CONTINUOUS - DAY

YOUNG DEUCE
Say kinfolk, why are we playing in
Gautier? Why not at our house or
Pascagoula's?

T.L. keeps his eyes locked on his Gameboy that his is
playing.

T.L.
Almost every year there's a fight
after the game, so the district
decided a few years back to move
(MORE)

76.

T.L. (cont'd)
it to the Junior College in
Gauiter. Neutral ground.

YOUNG DEUCE
(chuckling)
Come on, man it can't be that bad
It's just a basketball game!

T.L. gives him a look a look that reads, "you'll see" and
resumes playing the Gameboy.

EXT. JUNIOR COLLEGE GYM - NIGHT

We can tell that it's packed, because we can hear the crowd
from out here.

INT. JUNIOR COLLEGE GYM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

ANGLE - COURT

The noise fron the crowd is deafening as we See Alvin racing
downcourt in his PASCAGOULA PANTHERS home uniform that has
the same color scheme as the Kansas Jayhawks. He's all alone
as he dunks the ball sending the Panther fans into a frenzy.

The Moss Point fans are groaning and can't believe that they
are losing to their arch rivals 45-32 at halftime.

Alvin comes down from the rim and gets in Deuce's face.

            ALVIN
      (taunting)
I told you! You too small for me!
      (flicks him with
       his finger)
Little bitch!

DEUCE
(shoving Alvin)
Don't put yo hands on me, nigga!

Both the Moss Point and Pascagoula benches clear as an all
out brawl ensues. The coaches jump in to break up the fight.
The referee blow the whistle and instruct both coaches to
get into their locker rooms.

HAYNES (O.S.)
Now you saw what just happened,
right?

77.

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

Haynes and Deuce are outside the locker room having a
private powwow. Deuce has his hands on his hips as he looks
off into space infuriated.

HAYNES
See how I tried to calm 'em down
and they kept fighting? They can
use energy for bullshit, but they
can't use it to play. They not
listening to me so you got to get
their attention. And I know you
mad too. You want to go out their
and kick Alvin's ass, don't you?

YOUNG DEUCE
(seething)
You damn right.

HAYNES
Then you get them to help you do
it on the scoreboard.

INT. JUNIOR COLLEGE GYM - NIGHT

The team huddles around Deuce.

YOUNG DEUCE
(fired up)
Aight 16 minutes left in this
game! I don't know bout y'all, but
I'm trying to back to Moss Point
with the W! We got way more game
than them! So let's go out there
and put our heart this shit, man!
Let take this one home!

The team puts their hands in.

YOUNG DEUCE
1,2,3...

TIGERS
MOSS POINT!

And take it home is just what they do.

SMASH CUT:

Deuce races down court, pushing the tempo against the
Panthers. He gets to the lane and flicks the ball out Grover

78.

on the wing who sends up a 18 footer that falls straight
through.

SERIES OF SHOTS.

1. Deuce drives the lane and gets a reverse lay up to fall.

2. Alvin puts up a finger roll that gets rejected by Armond.

3. Deuce drives the lane and dishes the ball back to T.L.
who hits the wide open 3 pointer.

4. Grover catches an outlet pass and slams it home.

5. The Moss Point fans are getting back in the game.

Deuce gets a pass from T.L. and calls for an isolation
between him and Alvin. He hits him with a stutter step that
causes Alvin to stumble.

He loses him completely when he crosses over to right and
bolts to the lane for the lay-in.

A PASCAGOULA PLAYER takes the ball out.

PASCAGOULA PLAYER
(inbounding ball)
Little nigga quick, aint he?

ALVIN
(pissed)
Shut up!

20 seconds left in the game. Pascagoula has the ball and a
67-66 lead. Deuce is guarding Alvin tight who is clearly
trying to run the clock down.

Deuce's good defense however forces Alvin to pick up his
dribble. He passes it off but it is intercepted by T.L.

Deuce sprints for the goal as T.L. sails the ball to him
with 7 seconds left. He catches it just on the other side of
the half-court line and races to the goal. He gets in the
paint and then...

SLOW MOTION:

Deuce takes flight and keeps going up raising the ball in
his right hand.

We are brought back to real time as he brings it through the
rim as the buzzer sounds. Deuce dunked it!

79.

The gym goes into absolute bedlam as the Moss Point fans
rush the floor and overwhelm Deuce.

We see Toya in the bleachers holding Jayden laughing and
Janelle with the cheerleaders whooping and hollering as if
she just seen Michael Jordan. Haynes is even cheering.

The crowd hoist Deuce up and chants his name as he hollers
incoherently about the win.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. JANELLE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Deuce's gets out of Toya's car dressed just like a typical
early '90s black teen: 8-ball leather jacket, a wild print
rayon shirt, black slacks and dress shoes.

He proceeds to the front door of Janelle's brick, one-story
house.

YOUNG DEUCE
(to himself)
Aight Deuce. Just be cool.

He gets halfway to the door when...

It opens, stopping Deuce dead in his tracks. Janelle has on
the tightest black dress that he has every seen. This girl
is beautiful!

YOUNG DEUCE
(mesmerized)
Damn...

            JANELLE
      (walking toward
       him)
Hey, Deuce. I see Toya let you get
the ride.

YOUNG DEUCE
Something like that.

Janelle surveys Deuce's outfit.

JANELLE
(giggling)
Well, this is a first.

80.

YOUNG DEUCE
(lost)
What?

JANELLE
You ain't wearing your basketball
jacket. Almost every time I see
you, you got it on.
(sweetly)
But I like your outfit. You look
sharp tonight!

YOUNG DEUCE
(smoothly)
I can't half-step when my date
looks as good as you.

Judging by Janelle's blushing we can tell that was a good
move on his part. She gets in the car. Deuce looks up to the
sky.

YOUNG DEUCE
It's finna be a hell of a night!

INT. BRYAN'S HOUSE - NIGHT

We see that this PARTY is 3 times as live as the one at
Grover's house as everyone grooves to Kid n' Play's "Ain't
Gonna Hurt Nobody". We find Deuce sitting saying something
that makes Janelle giggle. So far so good.

Bryan is on the turntables mixing with his letterman jacket
on. He gets on the mic.

BRYAN
Yo, I want to thank all of y'all
for kickin' it with me tonight!
And I wanna also give a shot out
to my homeboy Deuce!

We see Alvin in a corner, rolling his eyes.

BRYAN (cont'd)
Moss Point's own Spud Webb!

Deuce playfully flips Bryan the bird.

YOUNG DEUCE
(laughing)
I ain't thinkin' bout you, nigga!

81.

JANELLE
So are we gon' sit here all night,
or get busy?

YOUNG DEUCE
(excited)
What?

JANELLE
We've been sittin' here all night.
(stands up)
Lets dance.

YOUNG DEUCE
(disappointed)
Oh...

He had another "get busy" in mind.

Janelle leads Deuce to the dance floor as TLC's "Ain't 2
Proud 2 Beg" begins. We also see the rest of the Moss
Point's starting five dancing on various GIRLS.

DISSOLVE TO:

We are in the middle of the SLOW SESSION as Hi-Five's "I
Can't Wait Another Minute" causes everybody to snuggle up
close to their dance partner, including Deuce and Janelle.

JANELLE
You played a great game tonight.

YOUNG DEUCE
Thank you.

JANELLE
(beat)
So...what took you so long?

DEUCE
(confused)
What you talkin' 'bout?

JANELLE
To ask me out, fool!

YOUNG DEUCE
What a minute. So you've waiting
on me to make a move?

JANELLE
Yeah. Ever since I first saw you,
struggling with your locker, I
thought you were so cute. But I
(MORE)

82.

JANELLE (cont'd)
saw the look on your face when I
stood up, and figured I didn't
have a chance.

YOUNG DEUCE
Girl, no! I thought I ain't have a
chance with you because of my
height.

JANELLE
(chuckling)
So we've been avoiding this
because we both worried about the
same thing?

YOUNG DEUCE
Ain't that crazy?
(beat)
But, I'm glad this finally
happened though.

            JANELLE
      (looking into his
       eyes.)
Me too.

Both of them want to kiss but neither wants to be the the
initiator. Deuce steps up and Janelle follows suit. Alvin
destroys the moment by pulling at her arm.

ALVIN
(gently)
We need to talk.

            JANELLE
      (snatching her arm
       back.)
We ain't got nothing to talk
about, Alvin.

She turns back to Deuce who was halfway excepting a
confrontation.

Alvin tries again.

ALVIN
(desperate)
Janelle, please. I just need two
seconds.

JANELLE
I said no.

83.

DEUCE
(to Alvin)
Hey man, chill out. We just trying
to have a good time.

ALVIN
Nigga, I ain't talkin' to you.

YOUNG DEUCE
(stern)
But you talking to my date, and
she said she don't want to talk to
you, so go 'bout your business.

Deuce is not playing around. By this time the party goers
focuses on the ordeal. T.L. comes over to back his cousin
up.

Alvin grabs Janelle again.

ALVIN
(violently)
Bitch, I said we gon talk.

JANELLE
(screaming)
Let me go!

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (removing Alvin's
       hand)
Don't touch her, man!

ALVIN
(shoving Deuce)
Fuck you, nigga! What you gon do?

Deuce answers that question with a RIGHT CROSS straight to
Alvin's face, which puts him on his back. All of the party
goers are stunned!

Deuce puts Alvin in a headlock and faces him toward Janelle.

YOUNG DEUCE
(demanding)
Apologize, nigga!

ALVIN
(straining)
I'm sorry!

84.

YOUNG DEUCE
(shoving him)
Now, get the hell outta here!

Alvin hightails it out of the party with what's left of his
dignity. Everyone stares at Deuce amazed.

YOUNG DEUCE
(smiling)
What y'all standing around for?
This a party! Bryan, hit the
music!

Bryan complies and everything goes back to normal.

YOUNG DEUCE
(to Janelle)
You a'ight?

            JANELLE
      (collecting
       herself)
Yeah. Look Deuce, I think we need
to jet, so I'ma go our jackets.

Janelle walks off as we see Deuce with a look of
disappointment. He was this close to kissing her and now
it's shot to hell.

YOUNG DEUCE
Damn!

INT. CAR - NIGHT

The only noise in the car is Jodeci's "Forever My Lady"
playing on the radio. As Deuce drives, he tries to figure
out how to make things right after fighting with Alvin.

YOUNG DEUCE
Look, Janelle...I'm sorry I hit
Alvin. I didn't mean to upset you.

JANELLE
I ain't trippin' 'bout that. It's
just the mood was destroy, that's
all.

YOUNG DEUCE
(softly)
Sure was...

A moment goes by before Janelle starts to giggle.

85.

YOUNG DEUCE
What's so funny?

JANELLE
I'm just thinkin' bout how you
bust Alvin in his face. The way he
went down...Oh my God! How'd you
get to be such a tough little guy?

YOUNG DEUCE
When I was in 3rd grade, the ice
cream man would stop by the
playground every Friday after
school. My mama used to give me
money so I could get something.
But, there was this big kid named
Walter James that used to take my
ice cream every time. So One day
my mama decided to pick me up and
she noticed that I didn't have any
ice cream or money. So I told her
about Walter, and she was pissed.
She said, "I don't care how small
you are, you ain't nobody's
pussy!" So the next week she gave
me five dollars and said, "I don't
care how you do it but you better
bring back my change and some ice
cream, or I'll take Walter's place
and beat your ass myself." So I
bought the ice cream and Walter
tried to take it but this time I
refuse to give it to him. He
shoved me and I just went to
wailing on him. I mean I beat him
bad! So I went home and gave my
mother her change and showed her
the ice cream, and she had the
proudest look in the world on her
face. And from that day on I ain't
never been scared of nobody bigger
than me.

JANELLE
(impressed)
Wow...

EXT. JANELLE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Janelle and Deuce walk slowly up the cement pathway that
leads to her front door.

86.

JANELLE
You and your mama must be really
close.

YOUNG DEUCE
(sincerely)
That we were.

JANELLE
Well why you not still living in
Jackson with her?
(joking)
What? She pulled a Boyz N The Hood
and made you go stay with daddy so
you can learn to be a man?

YOUNG DEUCE
(difficult)
My mama was killed in a car
accident back a couple of months
ago.

JANELLE
(ashamed)
Deuce, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean
that.

YOUNG DEUCE
That's a'ight. You ain't know.
(beat)
Ay, your parents ain't gon trip
about you coming in so late, are
they?

JANELLE
Naw, they are out of town.

They finally reach the front door.

JANELLE
I had fun tonight.

YOUNG DEUCE
Me too. But before I go, there's
something I want to give you.

JANELLE
What?

Deuce makes a bold move and goes for the kiss. Janelle
complies and the passion that they have shows how long they
wanted for this moment to occur.

87.

After they are done Janelle opens her door and takes Deuce
by the hand leading him inside. His biggest dream is about
to become a reality.

INT. JANELLE'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Janelle leads Deuce up to her room. She hits the lights and
we see Ralph Tresvant and D Nice posters on her wall. Deuce
closes the door and goes to sit on Janelle's bed.

Janelle goes over to her desk, and turns on her radio and,
LeVert's "Baby I'm Ready" floods into the room.

She then takes a seat next to Deuce. She is just as nervous
as he is.

YOUNG DEUCE
You sure about this?

JANELLE
Yeah, I wanna do this. But not if
you gone leave here thinking that
I'm just another hoochie who gave
up the panties.

YOUNG DEUCE
Janelle it ain't gon be like that,
I promise you.

They look eye each other for a moment before they kiss
again. Levert now plays over the scene as

DISSOLVE TO:

Deuce is in his boxers as he lays on Janelle who is in her
bra and panties. By the way he is touching her and the look
of bliss on her face we see that he has much more sexual
experience now than he did with Tanya.

The two are under the covers still kissing. It is evident
that they not having sex but making love.

Afterwards, they are sound asleep with Janelle's head
resting on Deuce's chest, and his arm around her waist.

FADE TO:

INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY

It's the Tigers first day of practice since coming back from
the Christmas holiday. We see the players bobbing their

88.

heads to Heavy D and They Boyz's "Is It Good to You".

Deuce comes strolling in on Cloud 9.

YOUNG DEUCE
(joyous)
I know I'm a couple of days late,
but happy 1992 to y'all!

GROVER
Deuce, where the hell you been
hiding? I ain't seen you none over
the Christmas break.

YOUNG DEUCE
I've just been layin' low, G
Money.

ARMOND
(smugly)
Naw...I know what you been doing.
Or should I say who you've been
doing. I saw you and Janelle at
the mall the other day.

T.L.
(smiling)
So you finally hit that, kinfolk?

YOUNG DEUCE
I don't kiss and tell, little cuz.

T.L.
(laughing)
That fool finally got them
panties!

DALE
(a la Arsenio Hall)
Deuce and Janelle got busy!

The other teammates start do like the Dog Pound from the
Arsenio Hall Show as Deuce shakes his head at them.

YOUNG DEUCE
(chuckling)
Y'all niggas dumb.

            GROVER
      (relieved)
Finally, you got with her! Took
you long enough.
      (Cocky)
See Deuce, if you were like me you
            (MORE)

89.

GROVER (cont'd)
woulda got her sooner. I play my
women like I play basketball. I
don't work the perimeter for the
open shot. I take it straight to
the hole for the slam!

ARMOND
Yeah, I remember you did that a
while back and that skeezer hacked
yo ass and you had to go to the
clinic.

Everybody starts to laugh as Grover shoots Armond an evil
eye.

YOUNG DEUCE
Yo, I ain't hear 'bout that,
Armond. But I did hear 'bout that
girl who called that 5 second
violation on him though.

Everyone burst out into laughter after that innuendo. An
embarrassed Grover rushes out of the locker room.

DALE
(teasing)
Aw, come on G Money, don't be like
that! You know we love you!

INT. MOSS POINT HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

ANGLE - COURT

Deuce puts up a 3 pointer over the OCEAN SPRINGS GUARD that
hits nothing but net.

P.A. ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
Deuce Carmichael!

The crowd goes wild as Deuce trots back down the court. He
spots Janelle who is grinning at him.

Deuce kisses his two fingers and puts up the "deuce" at her.

She begins blush and hides her face in her pom-poms. We see
a blue tiger paw painted on her left cheek with #22 on it.
They are officially a couple.

90.

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - DAY

Deuce is holding Jayden up as the toddler imitates Kriss
Kross's "Jump" video that plays on TV.

Toya comes in and hands Deuce a newspaper.

YOUNG TOYA
(smiling)
Something in there I know you gon'
like.

She walks away as Deuce opens the paper and reads a headline
that talks about Magic Johnson returning for the NBA
All-Star Game.

YOUNG DEUCE
(elated)
Yes!

INT. DEUCE'S ROOM - NIGHT

We see Magic Johnson in the All-Star game firing up a 3
pointer that hits nothing but nylon. He turns to the crowd
and they go wild.

Deuce has a gaping smile on his face as he sits on his bed
watching his idol do what he does best.

EXT. PIER - NIGHT

Janelle and Deuce are take a romantic stroll along the pier
at Pascagoula Beach as Guy's "Lets Chill" plays over the
scene.

YOUNG DEUCE
(about Magic)
You don't know what that meant to
me to see him play tonight.

JANELLE
You really admire him, huh?

YOUNG DEUCE
Yeah. He showed me that you ain't
got to dunk like Jordan in order
to be a superstar. He's a
superstar 'cause he makes his team
play better. That's why he my
favorite player.

91.

            JANELLE
      (looking in his
       eyes)
You know you my favorite player...

Deuce kisses her. She lets it go for a moment before she
pushes him away.

JANELLE
Uh-uh. See you tryin to get
somethin' started. We outside.

YOUNG DEUCE
(lustfully)
So? We can go under pier where
can't nobody see us.

JANELLE
Boy, I ain't bout to catch
pneumonia out her messing with
you. Plus, it's late, we need to
go home.

Walks away from Janelle with mock anger.

YOUNG DEUCE
(jokingly)
Aw, you suck.

Janelle giggles as she catches up to him.

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - NIGHT

It's 2:00 am when Deuce walks through the door and finds his
father there waiting to pounce.

MR. CARMICHAEL
(furious)
Boy, where the hell you been?

YOUNG DEUCE
Daddy, I'm sorry. I lost track of
time-

MR. CARMICHAEL
You think you can just walk up in
here at all times of the night
whenever you please?

YOUNG DEUCE
No, sir. I just--

92.

We see Toya walking out of her room and heading toward the
kitchen.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Just shut up! You may be a big
basketball star, but while you
live under my roof, you live by my
rules! You got that! Now get out
my face!

Deuce starts for the hall, but turns around. This is the
straw that broke the camel's back! Toya tries to lead him to
the back but he snatches away.

YOUNG DEUCE
You don't hate the fact that I
came in late. You just hate me,
don't you?

MR. CARMICHAEL
(stunned)
What?

YOUNG DEUCE
(smiles)
You hate me, 'cause I'm not
miserable like you. That's why you
said something about me playing
ball. It all makes sense now: you
jealous of me.

MR. CARMICHAEL
You think I'm jealous of you? Boy,
I'm trying to get these silly
dreams of playing ball out of your
head! You 5'7'', Rene! You think a
D-I school is going to pick you
over some guy that 6 foot
something? It ain't gon' happen! I
ain't like your mama! I'm not gon
fill your head with that fairytale
shit!

YOUNG DEUCE
(yelling)
You leave my mama out of this! You
have no right to talk about her!
She did way more for me than you
ever did!

93.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Oh, yeah? Well guess what? Like it
or not, I'm all you got now,
'cause she dead!

Deuce looks as if his whole world has just sunk. Even Mr.
Carmichael knows he cut too deep with that remark but he
stands behind it.

YOUNG DEUCE
(low)
You go to hell.

With that said, he goes to his room. Toya tries to see if he
is alright but he pushes her away.

YOUNG TOYA
(angry)
Why did you do that? You know how
he feels about his mama!

MR. CARMICHAEL
I'm tryin' to make him tough. I'm
tryin' to save him some
disappointment.

YOUNG TOYA
By doing what, Daddy? Treating him
like crap and crushing his hopes
and dreams?

MR. CARMICHAEL
(softly)
Toya, just leave it alone.

YOUNG TOYA
No, I'm not gonna leave it alone.
You know, I feel sorry for Jayden
'cause his daddy ain't in his
life, but I feel even sorrier
Deuce because he don't even have a
mama or daddy in his.

She goes back to bed as Mr. Carmichael stands there and lets
her last statement sink in.

CUT TO:

Mr Carmichael goes over to the TV in the living room and
finds a VHS labeled "MP VS Pascagoula - 12/13/91". He pops
it in and sits down on the couch. Once he sees his son on
the screen, he is amazed. He's shooting touch, his passing
skills, his toughness, and when he sees the dunk at end of

94.

the game he can't believe his eyes. This little dude can
jump!

MR. CARMICHAEL
(proud and amazed)
That's my son.

FADE TO:

INT. OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

The Tigers are huddled around Haynes as the gym is buzzing
with excitement due to it being STATE TOURNAMENT time. We
hear the band playing "Eye of the Tiger" hyping the fans up.

HAYNES
Listen up! We win this one, we go
on to play for the south state
title. Now you've beat this team
once, so I don't see why you can't
do it again. Give a 100 percent
for 32 minutes and I promise you,
we will win this game! Hands in!

YOUNG DEUCE
(listless)
1,2,3...

TIGERS
MOSS POINT!

T.L. notices something is just not right with his cousin as
they walk on the court.

T.L.
(concerned)
You aight, G?

YOUNG DEUCE
(lying)
Yeah, I'm good.

            T.L.
You better be!
      (nods towards the
       stands)
We got a scout from LSU here.

Deuce looks up and finds the SCOUT dressed in the LSU purple
and gold.

95.

CLOSE UP: Deuce

His face shows no confidence.

CUT TO:

ANGLE - COURT

Deuce brings the ball down court. He makes a move and the
ball bounces of his foot and out of bounds. He hears his
father's words from their argument in his head.

Deuce brings the ball up and it gets stolen with ease by the
BILOXI GUARD who take it the to hoop unmolested. Deuce hears
his father's voice again.

Deuce keeps hearing his father's voice as puts the moves on
his man. He gets by him and tries to make a quick pass to
T.L. along the baseline, but he overshoots him and it sails
out of bounds.

Janelle looks out on the court wondering what's up with this
awful performance.

JANELLE
(softly)
Get in the game, baby.

Deuce looks into the stands.

We see the LSU scout not interested in what he sees.

CLOSE UP: Deuce

Deuce's lack of confidence now turns to anger.

Deuce is on his man like white on rice. He tries to cut him
off from the lane by taking a charge, but the referee calls
a foul instead.

HAYNES
(in disbelief)
What?

YOUNG DEUCE
Ref, my feet were set!

REFEREE
(stern)
Your foot wasn't all the way down,
son! Now go on!

96.

YOUNG DEUCE
(exploding)
Man, that's some bullshit!

The referee blows his whistle.

REFEREE
(yelling)
You're outta here!

We see Deuce protesting as Haynes steps in and ushers him
off of the court before there is an altercation.

The LSU scout shakes his head in disappointment.

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - SIMULTANEOUSLY - NIGHT

Mr. Carmichael and Toya are watching the whole ordeal on TV.

MR. CARMICHAEL
(regretful)
Oh man, what did do?

He knows that his words are the reason for his son's
terrible display right now but his daughter offers...

YOUNG TOYA
You weren't there for him.

She gets up and walks out of the living room. Mr. Carmichael
is stuck by there by himself, in shame.

INT. LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT

Deuce is all alone as he sits on his locker thinking about
the events that occurred at Ocean Springs earlier that
evening. Haynes comes over and sits next to him.

HAYNES
(sighs)
You know it's a good thing that we
had a sizable lead, otherwise we
would have lost and the season
would have been over.

Deuce stares straight ahead, silent.

97.

HAYNES (cont'd)
And I guess you know that any
chance that you had of going to
LSU is pretty much shot to hell,
too.

Deuce remains the same as he did after the last statement.

HAYNES (cont'd)
Deuce, let me tell you about being
a leader. Being a leader means no
matter what you're going through,
you can't allow it to show when
you have a job to do. You got to
suck it up and handle your
business. Now I don't know what's
going on with you, but you need
fix it, immediately. Now, go on
home and get some sleep.

Deuce gets up and walks out of the locker room, still
feeling like dirt.

INT. CAR - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Janelle sees Deuce walking to her car which is parked in
front of the gym. She knows he's still pissed about the
game, so she has to cheer him up. He gets in the car without
saying a word.

JANELLE
(sweetly)
Hey baby!

Deuce gives her the same treatment that he gave Haynes.

JANELLE
(comforting)
Look, Deuce, don't trip on that
game. Everybody has an off night.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (lamenting)
I had a shot at a D-I scholarship
and all I could hear was what my
daddy told me last night. Well, he
was right. A LSU scout was in the
stands and I played like
      (hits dashboard
       with his fist)
SHIT tonight.

98.

Janelle is startled as Deuce begins to hyperventilate. His
rage turns into sorrow as he begins to cry.

YOUNG DEUCE
(sobbing)
Why he hate me so much, Janelle?
Why?

He continues to cry as Janelle pulls him into her bosom. He
then begins to let it all out as she soothes him.

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - NIGHT

As usually, Mr. Carmichael is at the kitchen table waiting
for Deuce to get in, but the circumstances are different, as
he has a worn out BOOK sitting in front of him.

The door opens and Deuce comes in, looking emotionally
drained.

MR. CARMICHAEL
(nervous)
He-hey, son.

Deuce doesn't respond as he goes over to the refrigerator
and opens it.

MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
I saw the game on TV. The referee
made a bad call.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (depressed)
I don't even care 'bout that. We
had a scout from LSU come through
tonight.
      (beat)
Guess who ain't goin' to Baton
Rouge?

MR. CARMICHAEL
(remorseful)
I'm sorry, son.

Deuce closes the fridge.

YOUNG DEUCE
(sarcastically)
Sure you are.

He starts for his room.

99.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Rene, can you sit down for a
moment. We need to talk.

Deuce rolls his eyes, but does as his father asked.

            MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
      (points to the
       book)
Open that up.

Deuce grabs the book not having any particular interest on
what's inside. That however soon changes once he opens and
gets a look at all of the newspaper clippings of a guy that
looks just like him in a 1970s PASCAGOULA UNIFORM with an
Afro. We know who this guy is and so does Deuce, who's eyes
widen.

MR. CARMICHAEL
That's right, I used to play. Was
one of the baddest players ever to
come through Pascagoula.

Deuce still looks through the book and sees all of his
father's accolades: All Conference, All State, Dandy Dozen.
His father was the man!

MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
I didn't get that many offers
because of my height, but the ones
I got were decent. But Deuce, you
can do way better than me.

Deuce looks in his eyes. What did his father just call him?

MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
I saw the tape of the Pascagoula
game. You're way better than I was
at your age. You can go D-I with
no problem.

YOUNG DEUCE
Then why did you tell me that I
couldn't?

MR. CARMICHAEL
Because it was like you said: I
was jealous. Right before I
graduated from high school, Toya
was born and shortly after that
her mama just took off. I had a
scholarship to play at Jackson
State and thought I was gon' have
to give that up, but because her
(MORE)

100.

MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
grandmother was a such sweet
woman, she decided to take care of
her for me so I could go to
school. When I first got there I
met your mama, who was the finest
thing I had ever seen at the time,
and we got serious.

Mr. Carmichael motions for Deuce to turn the page. He does
and find a picture of his mother and father with smiles that
are evident that they were in love. Deuce is attentive now.
This is the most that his father has ever talked tp him.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Man, when practice started at
Jackson State, I was so
overwhelmed. There was so many
other players that were so much
better than me and bigger than me,
I became discouraged. I hardly
ever played. Then when your mama
got pregnant with you, that was
it. I just gave up and we moved
here. I got job over at the
shipyard in Pascagoula and just
became bitter. One day, when you
were about a couple of months old,
Me and Eva got into it real bad,
and I just hit her. When I came
home the next day after picking
Toya up from preschool, she had
took all her stuff and left a note
saying she was taking you and
going back to Jackson. I realized
I screwed up big time. But, son, I
have never hated you. When you
born, that was the greatest day of
my life. I went around telling
everybody about my boy. And
believe it or not, I loved your
mother too. I guess I treated you
like I did all these years,
because I was mad at your mama for
taking you away from me, and I
figured that taking it out on you
was a way I could get back at her
for that. But believe me when I
tell you that there ain't a day
that goes by where I don't wish I
could take back hitting her. Now,
I know I can't fix the past, but I
was hoping we can start from now
(MORE)

101.

MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
and move forward. I love you, son.

YOUNG DEUCE
(touched)
I love you too, Daddy.

The two share a hug and a new found respect for the other.

YOUNG DEUCE
(joking)
Yo, Daddy, I'm lookin' at these
pictures and I just got one
question: what's up with your
hair?

MR. CARMICHAEL
(smiling)
Son that's what what's cool back
then. Like these crazy fades y'all
got now. Man them chicks used to
love that.

The two keep talking and laughing. They don't know that Toya
is there looking on, proud of both of them.

INT. OCEAN SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

The Tigers are coming out of the locker room lead by Deuce
who has a new fire inside of him that he is ready to engulf
the HATTIESBURG TIGERS with. He stops once he sees something
unfamiliar: his father in the stands! He goes over to him.

YOUNG DEUCE
(surprised)
What you doin' here?

            MR. CARMICHAEL
      (stating the
       obvious)
I'm your father. I'm suppose to
support you, ain't I?

Deuce smiles uncontrollably.

MR. CARMICHAEL (cont'd)
Plus I wanted to let you know that
there's a scout here from Memphis
State.

He follows his father's eyes to where the SCOUT is. He has
another shot!

102.

YOUNG DEUCE
What's he doing here?

MR. CARMICHAEL
Remember that lady I went on the
date with, instead of coming to
see you play?

Deuce nods.

MR. CARMICHAEL
Turns out she's from Memphis, and
her people know some people from
the school and he came right on.

YOUNG DEUCE
How you get her to do that?

MR. CARMICHAEL
(smugly)
Basketball ain't the only game I
got skills in, son.

He winks and Deuce chuckles.

YOUNG DEUCE
(sincerely)
Thanks, Daddy.

MR. CARMICHAEL
You thank me by impressing that
scout.

YOUNG DEUCE
Yes, sir.

He trouts out to the pre-game shoot-around.

And impress the scout he does as Big Daddy Kane's "Nuff
Respect" plays over

SERIES OF SHOTS

1. Deuce fires up a jump shot that goes in perfectly.

2. Deuce makes a precise bounce pass in the low post to Dale
who scores.

3. Deuce steals the ball from the HATTIESBURG GUARD and
takes all the way for an easy two points.

4. Deuce falls but still manages to strip the ball from his
man, and zings the ball down court to Grover for an easy two

103.

points.

5. Deuce takes a charge from the HATTIESBURG FORWARD,
hitting th ground hard, but gets up as if it didn

6. The Memphis State Scout is impressed by Deuce's hustle.

7. Mr. Carmichael sees the Memphis State scout's reaction
and smiles.

SMASH CUT:

FOURTH QUARTER

There's 17 seconds left in the game with Hattiesburg leading
73-72. T.L. has the ball and picks up his dribble as he is
double teamed. Deuce comes through just in time to bail out
his cousin.

The crowd is counting down: 7,6,5...

Deuce passes to Grover who goes up, makes contact with the
HATTIESBURG CENTER, and misses the shot.

The Hattiesburg Tigers celebration is cut short by the
referee's whistle.

REFEREE
I got a foul on 20, yellow! 2
shots! Clear the court!

The players comply. Grover is nervous beyond belief. This
the same predicament he was in against Ocean Springs.

T.L.
(anguished)
Oh lord, we bout to go home!

YOUNG DEUCE
(optimistic)
Have some faith, T.L.

The referee passes the ball to Grover. He holds the ball for
a moment.

YOUNG DEUCE
Yo, G!

Grover looks to the sideline.

Deuce thrust his pelvis and mouth's "Hittin' the skins".

Grover now remembers the free throw technique. He bounces

104.

the ball a couple of times, takes a deep breath, releases
the ball and...it goes in.

The Moss Point fans cheer.

The Tigers breath a little easier. 73-73. They have a shot
at overtime now.

The referee gives the ball back to Grover. He bounces the
ball a couple of times and takes a deep breath. He releases
and...it goes in! Moss Point wins 74-73!

The fans go wild as the band begins to play "Eye of the
Tiger".

The Tigers clear the bench and rush the floor lead by Deuce.
He jumps into Grover's arms and a camera clicks.

INSERT NEWSPAPER

Deuce jumping into Grover's arm's is the picture on the
front page of the sports section.

INT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - NIGHT

A party in honor of the Tigers going to Jackson for the
state Final Four is in full swing.

YOUNG TOYA
Hey everybody! They about to say
who we gotta play in Jackson!

Everybody huddles around the TV.

REPORTER (on screen)
The four best teams in the state
will compete for the 1991-92
Mississippi 5A basketball state
title this week. First up is the
Murrah Mustangs out of the capital
city of Jackson. Murrah is lead by
6'7'' senior standout Othella
Harrington.

They show Harrington's picture, as the reporter continues.

T.L.
(about Harrington)
Yo, I heard that he's the best
player in the country. They say
Georgetown recruiting him.

105.

ARMOND
I hope we ain't got to play them
first.

YOUNG DEUCE
If we do, we gon beat 'em, know
what I'm sayin'?

YOUNG TOYA
(annoyed)
We'll find out if y'all play them
or not, if y'all hush.

They comply.

REPORTER
Murrah will play the Vicksburg
Gators in the opening round. From
the Gulf Coast, we have the South
State Champions, the Moss Point
Tigers lead by 6'5'' senior
center, Grover Leverette and their
dynamic back-court consisting of
6' sophmore guard Tony Lewis, and
5'7'' junior guard, Deuce
Carmichael.

They show Grover, T.L., and Deuce's pictures and party goers
start to cheer for their stars. Toya shush them to hear the
rest.

REPORTER
Moss Point will face the defending
state champs, and perennial
powerhouse, Provine Rams also out
of Jackson.

Deuce's face drop.

REPORTER (cont'd)
Lead by junior guards: 6'1'' Steve
Chapman and 6'2'' Brandon
Wilkerson.

We see their pictures but the noise is faint as Deuce goes
into another world. He has to face his old school.

EXT. HOTEL, JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - DAY

The Tigers are getting off the bus with their duffle bags as
Haynes hands them the KEYS to their designated rooms.

106.

YOUNG DEUCE
(to T.L.)
Yo, you got our room keys?

T.L.
(shows them to him)
Yeah, why?

Deuce exchanges his duffel bag to T.L. for his room key.

YOUNG DEUCE
Take my bag up there. I got
somewhere to go.

He jogs over to a nearby bus stop.

T.L. (O.S.)
(yelling)
Where you gotta go? Deuce!

EXT. CEMETERY - DAY

We catch up with Deuce as he walks upon his MOTHER'S GRAVE.
He's silent for a moment before

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (somber)
Hey, Mama. It's been a while since
I seen you. I mean a lot has
happened since then. I, um, I'm
playing basketball now. Starting
and everything. Oh, yeah, all that
hard work paid off...I dunked in a
game. Yep. Me and Daddy we good
now. He told me about everything
that went down between y'all he
said that not a day went by where
he didn't regret what he did.
Toya's boy is so big now. That's
my little man right there. Oh, I
almost forgot: I got girlfriend
now. Her name's Janelle. She's
pretty, smart, supportive of me,
and she taller then, but then
again, who isn't? I think you
woulda liked her.
      (breaks down
       crying)
Mama, I miss you so much. And I
wish you could see me play
tonight. Naw, you know what, you
are going to be there. And you
gon' have the best sit in the
            (MORE)

107.

            YOUNG DEUCE (cont'd)
house
      (pointing to his
       heart)
Right here.

He reaches into his team jacket and pulls out a picture of
him in his basketball uniform that is covered in protective
plastic and places it against her headstone. As much as he
hates to, he walks away. As he goes, we hear Pete Rock and
C.L. Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You".

EXT. MISSISSIPPI COLISEUM - NIGHT

Right in the heart of Jackson, this is where the best prep
basketball players in the state come to play.

INT. MISSISSIPPI COLISEUM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

A SINGER finishes up the "Star Spangle Banner" as we various
shots of the Tigers, the fans, and the Provine Rams, whose
PLAYERS are all black. Their uniforms are identical to the
Indiana Hoosiers.

The crowd goes wild as the starters go over to the sideline
for the final words from their coaches.

HAYNES
We're here now, gentlemen! Don't
worry about playing for State
right now! Just focus on this
game!

Deuce glances over towards the Provine bench and finds Steve
smiling at him devilishly. He's been waiting for this
moment.

He turns his focus back to Haynes.

HAYNES (cont'd)
You got to play the whole game
with this team. Some of that
bullshittin' that you were doing
with some teams this year ain't
gonna work with them. You got to
play hard every second of the 32
minutes, that you are out there.
You do that and we will win this
game and go on to play for state!
Hands in.

108.

The Tigers comply.

YOUNG DEUCE
(fired up)
1,2,3...

TIGERS
Moss Point!

The Rams break the huddle and start out onto the floor with
the Tigers. Provine players size makes Moss Point look like
a freshman squad!

YOUNG DEUCE
Yo, T.L. you got to step your game
up for that guy Wilkerson. Homeboy
the truth.

T.L.
(cocky)
Don't worry, I got him.

YOUNG DEUCE
Naw, I'm serious! He'll burn your
ass if you ain't careful!

ANGLE - COURT

The teams line up. The referee brings the ball out and

TIP OFF

The Provine Center gets a hand on the ball and tips it to
Steve. Here we go...

STEVE
(to Deuce)
Where you at, munchkin?

YOUNG DEUCE
I'm right here, and ain't going no
where. Now what you gon' do?

STEVE
This!

he dribbles to the free throw line and fires a beautiful
shot that falls in.

STEVE
(teasing)
That's gon' be there all
night...Rene!

109.

YOUNG DEUCE
Whatever.

Later in the action, Steve brings the ball up and Deuce
strips him of it racing the other way. Steve is hot on his
trail. Deuce goes up and Steve mauls him, sending him to
flying face first into the floor. T.L. shoves him and a
fight almost breaks out. The referees break it up as Deuce
tries to get up, nose bleeding.

The faces of his family, Janelle, and other Tiger fans look
worried as they wait for him to stand. Brandon comes over to
aid his friend, but Steve stops him.

STEVE
(fiendishly)
Remember whose team you on.

Brandon snatches away from him and goes to help Deuce get on
his feet.

YOUNG DEUCE
(to Brandon)
Tell him he hit like a bitch!

Deuce wipes his nose with his jersey and the Tiger fans
cheer for their star guard as he trots down court.

T.L. brings the ball up and passes it to Deuce with Steve
tightly on him. He fires up a 3-pointer that goes through
perfectly.

We watch the rest of the half unfold with the Rams
continuing to use their size and run and gun style, going in
the locker room with a 44-31 lead.

INT. TIGERS LOCKER ROOM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Ever player is silent, realizing they are one half away from
defeat. Haynes is staring at them wondering what's with
there lackluster performance.

HAYNES
(disappointed)
I don't know what to say to y'all!
You see what's going wrong out
there, and you not trying to a
damn thing to fix it! What's wrong
with y'all? Somebody! Anybody! Say
something!

110.

DALE
Coach, them boys just too big.

The other players agree. All but one...

YOUNG DEUCE
That's bullshit.

DALE
What?

YOUNG DEUCE
I said that's bullshit, Dale!
They're too big? So how y'all
think I've felt this whole season?
Everybody that I've played against
was bigger than me. And now that
y'all ran into somebody bigger
than y'all, you wanna just lay
down? I know y'all ain't worried
'bout this game because it ain't
State, but I gotta win this game!

T.L.
Just like you said this ain't even
State, so why you care so much?

YOUNG DEUCE
Look, y'all know I moved from here
after my mama died, right? But
what y'all don't know is that
Provine was my old school.

Everybody looks at him shocked.

            YOUNG DEUCE (cont'd)
That's how I knew about Wilkerson,
T.L. But I ain't play for them
because the coach there was all
about height. I mean the guys that
play on the team would laugh and
make fun of me all the time and it
made me wonder if I was even
talented enough to play with them.
Well guess what? I know I'm
talented enough, because I made it
here to play against them. And I
already lost my mama in this city.
I ain't come back so I could lose
my pride as well. Now y'all want
to lose yours that fine, but I'ma
go back out there and fight for
mine.
      (holds his hand
            (MORE)

111.

YOUNG DEUCE (cont'd)
out)
Who else gon' fight for theirs?

T.L. gets up and puts his hand in. Grover follows suit. One
by one the whole team puts their hands in. Haynes looks on
proudly.

YOUNG DEUCE
(fired up)
Now let's show them how Moss Point
plays ball! 1,2,3...

TIGERS
MOSS POINT!

INT. MISSISSIPPI COLISEUM - NIGHT

Deuce's speech serves it purpose because the Tigers come out
in the second half swinging!

ANGLE - COURT

Deuce steals the ball from Steve and takes it the other way,
making a statement by dunking it.

The Moss Point fans go wild.

The Provine players are stunned. Was that little Rene
Carmichael?

Deuce trots back down court and gets close to Brandon.

YOUNG DEUCE
(smiling)
Told you I was gon' do it!

Brandon tries his best to hide his pride for his friend but
fails.

SERIES OF SHOTS

1. Deuce loses Steve with a cross over dribble and passes to
low post finding Grover for the easy bucket.

2. Dale puts up a shot from the wing that falls in.

3. Armond aggressively grabs a rebound over a PROVINE
DEFENDER.

4. T.L. steals the ball from Brandon and finds Deuce on the
outlet pass for an easy lay-up.

112.

5. Steve tries to put the ball up for a lay-up, but Deuce
blocks it from behind.

YOUNG DEUCE
(teasing)
Come on, G! You gotta get big.

6. Deuce hits Grover on an alley-oop.

7. Deuce's whole family is cheering.

8. Janelle and the cheerleaders get the crowd into the game.

9. Brandon makes a tough 3 pointer over Deuce and T.L.

10. Deuce takes the ball between his legs, crosses over to
his right, spins left and fires up a 18 footer that goes in.

CUT TO:

FORTH QUARTER

33 seconds are left in the game as the Provine Rams hold the
ball with the 60-59 lead. They execute the four corner
offense perfectly.

Steve gets the ball back and holds it high over Deuce's head
the way a bully does a little kid. 15 seconds are left.

Provine is going win unless something happens.

STEVE
(smugly)
I told you, you ain't gon' never
beat me!

Deuce sees something out of the corner of his eye.

YOUNG DEUCE
(smiling)
Yeah, but he will!

Steve is so consumed by narcissism, he never sees T.L.
coming up and swiping the ball out of his hand.

T.L. takes the ball all the way and slams it down with
authority!

Moss Point takes the lead 61-60 with 6 seconds left.

Deuce and T.L. have quick celebration before Provine
inbounds the ball.

113.

Steve has difficulty getting the ball up court due to
Deuce's heavy defense. He gets to half court with one second
left.

He releases the ball for a Hail Mary shot but...It falls
short as time expires!

Deuce has done it! He has finally beaten Provine! He jumps
into air as if he has won Game 7 of the NBA Finals instead
of a high school semi-final game.

He then falls to the ground crying. This is the greatest
feeling in the world!

He stays there until T.L. pulls him to his feet.

T.L.
(hugging him)
You did it, kinfolk!

YOUNG DEUCE
Naw, man! We did it! Good steal,
baby!

Deuce looks out the corner of his eye and sees Steve and
Brandon, who wallow in defeat. He trots over to them.

            YOUNG DEUCE
      (holding out hand
       to shake)
Good game.

BRANDON
(shaking his hand)
Good game, homie.

Deuce silently offers his had to Steve who looks at it for a
moment then shakes it. He then trots back to his team.

Haynes is shaking the Provine coach's hand.

Janelle runs out on the floor and hops into Deuce's arms and
kisses him.

JANELLE
I'm proud of you, Deuce
Carmichael.

She gets down and Deuce hears a whistle coming from the
stands.

We see Mr. Carmichael and Toya holding Jayden looking down

114.

at him. Since they are not allowed on the court, they point
out to him, proud to be his family.

Deuce points back.

INT. LOCKER ROOM - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

The Tigers storm into the locker room, ecstatic that they
are going to compete for the state title. The noise starts
to fade as

DEUCE (V.O.)
The next night we played Othella
Harrington and Murrah for the
title. We lost by 15 points. Even
thought we didn't win state, I
feel that that season is the best
one of my basketball career. And
those events that happened on the
court as well as off it will stay
with me forever.

We pan around the room and see various shots of Tigers
celebrating.

DEUCE (V.O.)
Some pro players may think "Yeah I
played basketball in high school.
It was no big deal." But for me,
it was. To me, it was a time in a
player's life when it's not all
about the fame and fortune of the
game, but going on that court week
in and week out for four months
straight and giving it your all
for not just your school, but for
the sheer love of it. Your
teammates weren't guys who were
paid millions of dollars just to
play with you. They were guys you
sat with at the lunch table,
goofed off with in class, and even
members of your own family who
played the game for the pure love
of it, just like you. It's one of
those events that we all go
through during our youth; it's
nothing extraordinary, but the
feeling you get every time you
think about it, makes it seem so
magical.

115.

Eva appears in the open doorway with a heavenly-like aura
surrounding her. On her face is a look of tremendous pride
for her son.

WIDE SHOT:

The whole locker room's celebration.

DEUCE (V.O.)
So what was next for me?

We get our answer as we go to

EXT. CARMICHAEL HOUSE - DAY

Toya's car is packed with Deuce's stuff as she prepares to
take him to college. Mary J. Blige's "Love No Limit" is
playing inside the vehicle.

SUPERIMPOSE: August 1993

DEUCE (V.O.)
Well, I must have impressed that
scout from Memphis State real
well, because after I graduated,
they offered me a full athletic
scholarship. And the fact that I
had a growth splurt and shot up to
6 feet before graduation probably
gave me an advantage as well. I
guess it was my destiny to play
ball.

Janelle is leaning on the passenger side window.

JANELLE
You got everything?

YOUNG DEUCE
Naw, so gon' 'head and jump in
here.

JANELLE
(laughing)
Boy, you know I can't do that. I
gotta leave for Baton Rouge in a
couple days for orientation at
Southern.

YOUNG DEUCE
(sincerely)
I'ma miss you, girl.

116.

JANELLE
I'ma miss you too...
(teasing)
Rene.

YOUNG DEUCE
(mock anger)
What I tell you 'bout that?

JANELLE
(baby talk)
I'm sorry. You want me to kiss and
make it feel better.

YOUNG DEUCE
That'll work.

She leans in and gives him what they both know what will be
the last kiss they will ever share so they make it last.

YOUNG TOYA
(annoyed)
Will, y'all come on with y'all
nasty ass?

The break and starts to laugh.

Toya starts to move the car, but...

YOUNG DEUCE
(to Toya)
Hold up.

He digs in the backseat and retrieves his prized team
jacket.

JANELLE
(laughing)
It's a little to hot too wear
that, ain't it?

            YOUNG DEUCE
I'm not putting it on.
      (holds it out the
       window)
I'm giving it to you.

JANELLE
Deuce, I can't take that. You love
that jacket.

117.

YOUNG DEUCE
But I love you WAY more, and I
want you have something to
remember me by, so...

She takes the jacket and clutches it to her heart.

JANELLE
(touched)
I love you too, baby. Do me one
favor: go off up there.

YOUNG DEUCE
Will do, baby.

With that said, Toya backs out of the driveway and goes down
the street. Janelle stays until Deuce is out sight...and her
life.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MOSS POINT GYM LOBBY - NIGHT

We are now out of Deuce's flashback and back in 2008, as he
is still mesmerized by the trophy case.

DEUCE (V.O.)
Even though I had all of that
success, I still felt like a part
of me wass empty inside. Like
something was missing.

            UNKNOWN PERSON (O.S.)
      (tapping Deuce's
       Shoulder)
Excuse me, sir. We have to close
the gym so you need--

Deuce turns to sound off on this person, but this ATTRACTIVE
BLACK WOMAN, 30s, stops dead in her tracks when she sees his
face.

UNKNOWN PERSON
Deuce?

DEUCE
(defensively)
Yeah and you are...

The woman holds her hands on her hips and a "you know who I
am" look is on her face. Once he see his Moss Point Jacket
he knows it's

118.

DEUCE
(stunned)
Oh my God! Janelle?

OLDER JANELLE
(hugs him)
Yeah! How you been?

DEUCE
I've been great!
(releases her)
Damn, girl you look good!

OLDER JANELLE
(flattered)
Thank you, I try.

DEUCE
What you doing throwing people out
of the gym?

OLDER JANELLE
I'm the vice principal here now.

DEUCE
Stop playing!

Janelle nods her head to confirm it.

OLDER JANELLE
What are you doing back around
here, superstar?

DEUCE
Just down here checking my nephew
out.

OLDER JANELLE
Yeah, he's gifted; gets that from
his uncle. So, how did you manage
to fit this into your busy
schedule?

DEUCE
Girl, what busy schedule? After I
hurt my knee this last time, they
released me.

OLDER JANELLE
(sympathetic)
Deuce, I'm so sorry.

119.

DEUCE
(upbeat)
Don't be. I played 11 seasons with
some the greatest players in the
world. And, I got to meet Magic.
Hell, I had great career.

OLDER JANELLE
So what are you going to do now?

DEUCE
Honestly, don't have a clue. I
thought about getting into
coaching.

OLDER JANELLE
Well how about here?

DEUCE
I'd love that. But what about the
coach y'all got now?

OLDER JANELLE
Did you forget that quick that I'm
the vice principal here? I can
pull some strings.

Deuce chuckles.

OLDER JANELLE (cont'd)
So, is your wife gonna trip about
her husband talking to me?

We see that she might still interested in Deuce. He picks up
on this but has to make sure.

DEUCE
(slyly)
She would...if I was married. What
about your husband? He don't trip
about you wearing my jacket?

OLDER JANELLE
Single and loving it, sweetie.

The two chuckle. That jacket holds a lot of sentimental
value for her to wear it that often.

DEUCE
Well, I'ma let you lock this place
up. It was good seeing you,
Janelle.

120.

OLDER JANELLE
You too, Deuce.

They both start off in opposite directions as we hear the
chorus to Glenn Jones's "I've Been Searchin'" play over the
scene.

Deuce is thinking about doing something but he is not sure.

DEUCE (V.O.)
After seeing Janelle, I knew what
I was missing in my life: her.

He turns and watches her walking towards the other exit.

DEUCE (V.O.)
I said goodbye to her all those
years ago and I damn sure wasn't
going to make that same mistake
twice. Here goes nothing...

DEUCE
Janelle!

She stops and looks at Deuce.

DEUCE
Well, you know, I was
wondering...that maybe you would
roll with me to get a cup of
coffee?

Janelle laughs, remembering the first time he asked her out.

OLDER JANELLE
(smiling)
That sounds cool. We can do that.

DEUCE
Aight, cool.

            OLDER JANELLE
      (walking towards
       him)
You are silly, you know that?

DEUCE
Hey, it worked then, and it worked
now. Plus, I want my jacket back.

As the two laugh as we pan over to Deuce's picture in the
trophy case.

FADE OUT.

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