Nate plays soccer, but he doesn’t love it. He plays because it’s what his family expects. 

Then Lucas Cawley moves in across the street. Lucas isn’t like any of Nate’s sports friends—he’s poor, his parents are mostly absent, and he’s devoted to his sister, Megan, who has a learning disability. Lucas may be an outcast at school, but he and Nate find common ground in their fierce games of one-on-one basketball. 

It’s not long before Nate realizes that basketball is his sport. But Nate has an ax to grind with star players Colin and Bo, who have disrespected him for years. Nate believes that outplaying those two is the most important thing . . . until he learns that life is about more than getting ready for the next game. 

• A Powerful Coming of Age Story: Forced to choose between his family’s dream of a soccer scholarship and his own passion, Nate discovers who he is through the game he truly loves—basketball.
• High School Rivalry: Nate’s path to the top is blocked by star players Colin and Bo. He believes outplaying them is everything, but the real challenge lies off the court.
• Complex Characters and Friendships: From his unexpected bond with Lucas Cawley, the outcast from across the street, to navigating the complicated world of team dynamics, this is a deeply character-driven novel.
• More Than Just a Game: When a sudden tragedy changes everything, Nate is forced to confront difficult questions about loyalty, guilt, and what it truly means to be a friend.