Driven_589066

As the point guard, Hodge chose the plays the team would use, and Dylan could tell that the young woman was choosing plays that kept her as far away

from the action as possible.

She doesn’t trust herself, Dylan thought, gritting her teeth. Shit.

Her jaw clenched harder as she watched Hodge try a courageous block which, unfortunately, wound up in a shooting foul. That was followed up almost

immediately by a second foul as Hodge pushed off on McKinney in order to get herself free to receive the inbounds pass from Chaney.

Two fouls in two minutes.

Her reluctant decision made, Dylan called out over her shoulder without ever taking her eyes from the action on the court. “Mackey!”

“Yes, Coach?”

“You’re in for Hodge.”

“Ok, Coach.”

Dylan watched as Hodge jogged from the court, sat on the bench, and covered her bowed face with a towel. She sighed softly and allowed the young

woman to stew for a moment as she made sure Mackey was able to pick up the slack.

Assured, Dylan walked back down the sideline and squatted down in front of Hodge, laying a hand atop the point guard’s knee. “Hey.”

Hodge looked up, an expression of abject misery darkening her eyes. “Hey, Coach.” Her voice was little more than a whisper.

“You alright?”

Hodge laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. “I choked.”

“Not yet, you haven’t,” Dylan countered.

“Sure I have.” She laughed again, a hopeless sound. “First round draft pick, next big star….”

Dylan’s eyes softened. “You can’t be a star unless you give yourself the chance to shine.” She squeezed the knee under her hand. “You can do this,

Catherine. I know you can. You know that too.”

“How?”

The naked plea went straight to Dylan’s heart. Turning, she gestured to the action on the court. “Look at them, Catherine. Do you see anything going on

there that you haven’t done a thousand times before?”

Hodge looked. After a long moment, she shook her head. “No.”

Dylan smiled. “Exactly. You just need to take the confidence we both know you have in yourself and let it out. Just like every other time you’ve stepped on

the basketball court.”

“But this is different.”

“Not really. It isn’t, Catherine. The only thing you’re lacking is professional experience, but that’ll come with every play, and every game. You have the

skills. You have the heart. Now let’s see you use ‘em, alright?”

Not breaking Dylan’s gaze, Hodge took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She felt something within herself center and become calm. A smile came up

from somewhere and she let it bloom on her face. “Okay.”

Dylan allowed her own smile to broaden, and she slowly rose to her feet. “Go back in for Mackay. And when you do, I want you to use 43 Block 27.”

Hodge’s eyes widened. “Coach?”

“Just do it.”

“Okay, Coach.”

The whistle blew, and Hodge ran back onto the court, wiping her hands on her jersey. Chaney greeted her with a grin and a slap on the behind. “Get ‘em,

Shortchange.”

Hodge nodded, then took her place behind the endline. With a sure pass, she rifled the ball to Chaney, who tossed it back to her on the run. Side by side

they made it past half court. McKinney came in for a lazy steal, but Hodge drew the ball between her legs in a scissors dribble and easily evaded the other

woman’s attempt.

She passed the ball to her left to her small forward, allowing King to use her body in a pick as Hodge eased behind her and onto an open spot in the corner,

unguarded. The ball flew into her hands and left just as quickly, arcing through the air and through the net for a three point play.

The crowd cheered and Hodge pumped her fist as she backpedaled, then stepped in, returning a favor by stealing the ball from McKinney and dishing it off

to a speeding Chaney for an easy lay-up.

The crowd cheered again, and Hodge shouted happily.

She was back.

“And that wraps up our coverage of the Birmingham Badger’s opening game, with the Badgers loosing a hard fought battle, 94 – 88. Any parting thoughts,

Melinda?”

“Well, Todd, after a somewhat rocky start, Catherine Hodges showed flashes of why she was chosen by Coach Lambert as the first pick in the draft. With

twelve points and nine assists, she was responsible for almost half of the Badgers’ offence, and she was a defensive dynamo as well, managing three steals

against McKinney, arguably the best point guard in the league.”

“I agree, Melinda. Her teammate Shaniqua Chaney, who led all scorers with twenty two points is also going to be a force to be reckoned with in the coming

weeks. If they can just work on their defensive scheme and foul-shooting, I think Badgers fans could be in for quite a ride this season.”

“Can’t say much more than that, Todd.”

“Then I guess that about wraps it up. From all of us here at Southern Sports Network, here’s bidding you goodnight from Horace Johnson Arena where the

Birmingham Badgers lose to the New York Thunder 94 – 88.”

Cat stood at the top of the key bouncing the ball slowly, back and forth between her hands. She looked around the mostly dark arena. Everyone was gone