Hoops

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-2

Reading Check

1. Where does Lonnie live in New York?

2. Where does Lonnie stay part-time?

3. What does Lonnie steal from a truck?

4. How is it determined who will coach Lonnie’s team?

5. How does Cal obtain buy-in from Lonnie regarding the team?

6. Who is the star player on the opposing team?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Lonnie pull a pistol on Cal, and what happens? Why does Lonnie have conflicting emotions?

2. What is Cal like? Why do you think Lonnie is uncertain he will be a good coach?

Paired Resource

“New York Rens”

• This encyclopedia article provides a history of the first fully African American-owned Black basketball team originating in Harlem.
• What struggles did the Rens have as they attempted to play basketball? When did the NBA lift race restrictions on basketball? How is this article related to the novel’s theme of Black Identity and Performativity for White Audiences?

Chapters 3-4

Reading Check

1. What is the outcome of the first game in the Tournament of Champions?

2. What does Cal tell Lonnie to expect when he is offered a college opportunity?

3. How did Cal jeopardize his future as a basketball player?

4. Who is Aggie?

5. What is Aggie’s talent?

6. Who bruised Mary-Ann’s face?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How was Mary-Ann injured at the club? What do Mary-Ann and Lonnie discover at the club?

2. What is Cal’s perspective regarding Aggie and her career?

Paired Resource

“A Decade of Research on the Rich-Poor Divide in Education”

• This article from the nonprofit The Hechinger Report describes increasing inequity in education.
• According to the author, why are there unequal opportunities in American education? How is this article related to Black Identity and Performativity for White Audiences?

Chapters 5-6

Reading Check

1. What does Ugly say Paul was stealing from his store?

2. Whom does Lonnie fight after playing basketball in the park?

3. What does the child ask Lonnie for after his basketball practice?

4. How did Cal’s son Jeffrey die?

5. What does Mary-Ann ask Lonnie that makes him feel uncomfortable?

6. What does Cal tell the newspaper photographer who wants to take a picture of the team?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Paul engage with Tyrone in illegal activity? What does Lonnie ask Mary-Ann not to tell Paul?

2. What events caused the end of Cal and Aggie’s relationship?

Paired Resource

“How to Deal with Conflict”

• This 2-minute video describes strategies and recommendations for conflict resolution.
• What are some common reasons for conflict? What should someone consider in the middle of a conflict? How is this article related to the novel’s theme of Vulnerability and Masculinity?

Chapter 7

Reading Check

1. Who is sponsoring Lonnie’s team?

2. Who called Mr. O’Donnel to warn him that Cal has a reputation for causing trouble?

3. Who does Lonnie believe should coach his team?

4. What does the team discover has been trashed in their absence?

5. Whom does Cal instruct the team not to talk to at the game?

6. What call is made against Lonnie during the televised game?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why is Lonnie concerned when Cal doesn’t show up to the games, and what does he do about it?

2. How does racism play a role in Lonnie’s basketball community? How does it relate to the novel’s theme of Black Identity and Performativity for White Audiences?

Paired Resource

“The Psychology Behind Strained Father-Son Relationships”

• This article describes complex relationships between fathers and sons.
• What does the author describe as the son’s response to a distant father? What are some emotions Lonnie might feel about his father? How is this article related to the novel’s theme of The Role of Father Figures for Young Men?

Chapters 8-9

Reading Check

1. After Lonnie locates Cal, where do they go?

2. Whom does Mr. O’Donnel want Cal to remove from the court?

3. What bet does Cal make regarding the championship game?

4. Why is Mary-Ann sent to the hospital?

5. Which player has a reputation for fouling without being called on it by the referees?

6. What is the result of Cal’s fight with Tyrone and Juno following the championship game?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Throughout the novel, the team consistently loses when Cal isn’t present at the games. Why do you think Cal is important for the team?

2. How does Lonnie describe Cal after his death?

Recommended Next Reads

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

• This young adult novel is about a 12-year-old boy who is legally blind and his struggles with an older brother who is a football star.
• Shared topics include sports, perseverance, and friendships.
• Shared themes include Vulnerability and Masculinity.
• Tangerine on SuperSummary

The Contender by Robert Lipsyte

• This novel is about a Black 17-year-old dropout who struggles to find his way as a boxer in Harlem, New York City.
• Shared topics include sports, gang violence, and personal growth.
• Shared themes include Black Identity and Performativity for White Audiences and Vulnerability and Masculinity.
• The Contender on SuperSummary