There are three games every Sunday evening and two on Thursdays, so you get a bye every third Thursday or so. We show up at 6 to watch the first game: the St. Joseph’s Cardinals against First Presbyterian. Alan hands out our T-shirts; they’re yellow, with STURBRIDGE UNITED METHODIST in blue block letters on the front. St. Joseph’s is in plain red T-shirts, but the Presbyterians have lime-green tank-top jerseys with PRESBYTERIAN in black script across the front. They also have a coach, somebody’s father. About fifteen people watch the game, mostly parents and little brothers and sisters, plus Father Jim from St. Joseph’s. “Basketball’s a Catholic sport,” he says to one of the parents. It would be hard to argue with that based on this game. They take a 10-0 lead right away, and win by about thirty. We play the other Catholic team next (St. Joseph’s Bishops). Alan puts us through a layup drill. He keeps saying things like “crisp passes” and “intensity.” There are seven of us suited up; Anthony says he’s only here for moral support.
