Special Sub-Topic: Take the Court with "Night Hoops" Trivia Click Here To Play: Take the Court with "Night Hoops" Trivia

Who asks Mrs. Abbott's permission for Trent to play on Nick's backyard ball-court?

Steve Clay. Steve Clay is the man that Trent's mother is seeing at the time. Trent has never played ball for a school team, only on street courts. Since Nick's father invested in having a ball court put in the backyard for practice, Steve takes the opportunity to ask if Trent could use it at night.

Who does Nick's dad tell Nick to watch at the Sonics scrimmage?

Gary Payton. Gary is a little guy, but a great player. Mr. Abbott has Nick study Gary Payton at the scrimmage. But Payton doesn't get much play time, for the coaches are letting the scrubs have a chance to shine and possibly snag a spot on the starting team. The scrubs are the ones that end up playing their hearts out, hustling after loose balls and spilling themselves out all over the court. The "big players" disappointingly take it easy and treat the scrimmage like playground time.

What position does Nick Abbott play?

pointguard. "'Point guard? So you want to run the whole show.' 'No. I'm mean yes, no...'" Abbott is placed in the position of the leader. Always having to know who's on a hot streak, who's cold, when to pass or make a shot. It's a position that requires ceaseless concentration and a positive attitude.

Mr. Abbott buys Nick some very expensive shoes. What model are they?

Gary Payton model. "I was eying the Gary Payton model, but I knew they were too expensive."-Nick "We'll take those in a size 11, medium width. If you're gonna play like a star, you gotta dress the part." -Mr. Abbott Once Nick starts really shining on the court, his father begins treating him like a son. It is a sad trade, but one that is a reality for Nick.

Who develops a blood clot in his leg?

Michael Ushakov. The blood clot occurs in Michael's leg after he was shot in the chest, the bullet missing his heart by three inches. The clot is successfully removed, and Michael survives.

"You just say the name around Seattle and people think 'basketball', that's how good they are." Who is Nick describing?

Garfield High School. Garfield High School is the team that almost beat Nick's school, but with a stroke of luck, Nick's school team won. Nick, Trent, and the guys never imagined that they could beat Garfield twice, but it happened in the championship game victory against Garfield.

"All my life he's gotten me the bag of pretzels..." Who's speaking here?

Trent. This is the scene when Nick is pleading with Trent not to go after Zack. Nick knows Trent will be throwing away his life and future, but Trent stands up for his big brother. Trent explains his first memory to Nick. Trent was only five or so, and he went into his mother's room on a Saturday morning because he wanted breakfast. He found his mother passed smooth out from alcohol intake. Zack, being nine years old took Trent by the hand, got Trent a bag of pretzels and turned on a cartoon while he took care of his mom. Now that Zack is in trouble, Trent feels the duty to be there for him in return.

Who does Trent attack at practice?

Matt Markey. "In your face!" Matt screams after sinking a shot. Trent is dealing with a lot of family issues, and tries to keep his composure throughout practice, but Markey being a jerk finally pushes him over the edge. Trent wails on him a good while before finally being pulled off of Markey.

What's Nick's earliest memory?

His dad swinging him in the park. This is gathered after Trent asks Nick "What's your earliest memory, as far back as you can go?" "My dad swinging me in the park I guess..." Trent mocks this and goes on to share his earliest memory, which we read in a previous question.

When Zack patted his shirt pocket and said, "I've got them," what is he referring to?

bullets. "I could hear him breathing, long deep breaths of relief, the gray-white vapor showing against the darkness of the night. One deep breath and then another. 'Trent,' I said, 'what happened?' Another pause, and then his voice: 'It's crazy. We've had the gun for years, hidden away in a closet. We always talked about going down to the trail some night and shooting into the water, or at a tree or something, but we never had any bullets...'" That night, Zack shows up with bullets, and that leads to Michael almost dying alone after being shot in cold-blooded revenge.

On the second to last game against Franklin, what time does the game start?

7:30pm. Nick gets to the game an hour early, but it starts at 7:30. The championship game is the one that starts at 1:00 pm. This game is a close race, but Nick's team does win and continue to the big game.

When Zack patted his shirt pocket and said, "I've got them," what is he referring to?

bullets. "I could hear him breathing, long deep breaths of relief, the gray-white vapor showing against the darkness of the night. One deep breath and then another. 'Trent,' I said, 'what happened?' Another pause, and then his voice: 'It's crazy. We've had the gun for years, hidden away in a closet. We always talked about going down to the trail some night and shooting into the water, or at a tree or something, but we never had any bullets...'" That night, Zack shows up with bullets, and that leads to Michael almost dying alone after being shot in cold-blooded revenge.

Where was Michael standing when he was almost killed?

the bridge. "That's what Zack was showing me last night--that he'd gotten the bullets. When I wouldn't go with him, he went down there alone. Michael was standing on the bridge, the way he does, and Zack just sort of waved the gun at him. . ."

Nick is one of only how many sophomores to make the varsity team?

3. Nick finally gains his father's attention-and his win at all costs mentality after Scott gives up sports for music. As one of only three sophomores to make varsity basketball, Nick struggles with becoming a team player, especially when that means sharing the ball with Trent Dawson, the troubled but talented boy from across the street.

Who has always promised Mrs. Abbott that he'd repaint the bathroom?

Mr. Abbott. "My father had always said he was going to repaint. He actually bought the paint, but he never got around to it..." Nick is actually the one who ends up painting the bathroom out of boredom after he is left behind during the Christmas break games.

What is Trent so proud of that he keeps looking at in his duffel bag?

uniform. Trent has never played on a team of any kind, and so when he gets his uniform, he actually asks Nick if they get to keep them when the season's over. Riding to their first game, Trent keeps opening his bag and looking at his uniform, proud to be part of something like a real team.

"You did more than okay, you ate their lunch." Who is speaking here?

Nick. This is a conversation that takes place after practice one day. It shows more and more how Nick is beginning to care about Trent, so much that he goes out of his way to encourage him and build his self-esteem.

When Steve Clay comes to ask Mrs. Abbott about Trent playing on their court, where does he say he's gotten a job?

Microsoft. It is only a custodial job, and Steven admits he knows nothing about computers, but it's a job that will provide some stability financially in the lives of Trent, Zack, and their mother. Mrs. Abbott approves of the idea and allows Trent to play anytime he wishes.

Nick is very upset about the idea of Trent using their court.

true. At first, Nick absolutely despises Trent because of his playing style, attitude, and violence. Trent at the beginning of the book nearly drowns Nick, and so the idea of Trent using the court that Nick's dad set up infuriated him. Ultimately, it is on that court late at night that the two boys begin to build a relationship that survives and soars beyond all expectation.

Which of these is NOT an issue that Nick faces in this book?

high ankle sprain. Nick never sprains his ankle.