"Gene . . . understands stories - comic book stories, in particular . . . But Gene doesn't get sports. As a kid, his friends called him "Stick" and every basketball game he played ended in pain. He lost interest in basketball long ago, but at the high school where he now teaches, it's all anyone can talk about. The men's varsity team, the Dragons, is having a phenomenal season that's been decades in the making . . . [as they pursue] their ultimate goal: the California State Championship. After getting to know these young all-stars, he decides to follow their story, not realizing that the season will change their lives and his." -- Adapted from jacket.