Athlete vs. Mathlete: Double Dribble by W. C. Mack

closer look.
    â€œYou do,” Nitu said, then frowned. “This isn’t about the twins playing basketball, is it?”
    â€œNo,” I said, firmly. “Well, maybe a little bit. You see, they’ve totally taken over that team and I—”
    â€œDon’t want them to take over this one,” Nitu finished for me.
    â€œYes,” I admitted. From my observations, I felt that Marcus had the potential to be a good guy, but together? M&M were a total threat.
    I tried to describe their bond and their ability to communicate without speaking. I tried to explain how quickly they were taking over the Pioneers.
    â€œThis isn’t basketball,” Nitu reasoned. “You can’t worry about stuff like that.”
    â€œBut he is,” Sara reminded her.
    â€œWhat if we just asked one of them to join?” Jason suggested. “Then there’s no doubling up.”
    I thought about how Mitch wouldn’t even stand in line one body apart from his twin.
    â€œOne won’t do it without the other,” I told them. “They do absolutely everything together.”
    We discussed the possibility for a little while longer and with every passing minute, I was more certain it wouldn’t work.
    â€œWell,” Nitu said, once we’d run out of things to say, “It can’t hurt to ask.”

    At the next Pioneers practice I didn’t even look at the twins while I ran my warm-up laps. I didn’t glance at their matching shoes as they passed me or watch them make perfect shots. I focused on my own drills and playing as much as I could.
    But it wasn’t easy.
    They were amazing, and at one time or another every Pioneer stood still to watch them for at least a few seconds.
    Every Pioneer except Owen, anyway. He managed to have his back to them at all times.
    In math class, I concentrated on my own work. When an M came up with an idea I hadn’t considered or a way ofsolving a problem that no one else in class would have imagined, I simply accepted it and moved on.
    I found myself behaving differently in class as a result. Even though I had a feeling that Marcus was human, I felt uncomfortable around Mitch.
    I rarely raised my hand to answer questions, and when the conversation turned toward one of their ideas, I ended up doodling in the pages of my notebook.
    â€œRussell,” Nitu whispered to me. “Listen.”
    â€œI
am
listening,” I whispered back.
    But I didn’t like what I was hearing.
    Science class wasn’t much different. The power duo shared rock samples their dad had brought back from geology trips to Asia and Africa. They had original diagrams he’d drawn, which had been published in university textbooks. They even brought in rock candy for a class treat on the last day of our geology section.
    Some days I dealt with my jealousy and uncertainty pretty well. Other days, I hated them.

    As the Hogarth game got closer, the Pioneers started to get more excited than I’d ever seen them. In the cafeteria, they were almost too busy talking to eat.
    â€œI think we can take them,” Chris said.
    â€œWe totally can,” Paul agreed, nodding.
    â€œOkay, remember that we’re talking about a perfect record here. And Dante Powers,” Nate warned them.
    â€œThat’s true,” Nicky Chu said. “He’s not exactly a regular player.”
    â€œBut the rest of them are,” I said, thinking about what I’d tried to explain to Owen. “I mean, there’s no one else on the team who stands out as a serious threat, is there?”
    â€œNo,” Nate admitted. “But Dante Powers is like five players rolled into one.”
    I thought back to what Dad had said about two players not being able to do the work of a whole team.
    â€œAs I mentioned to Owen the other day, I think the key is for us to attack when Dante is on the bench.”
    â€œWhich will give us about three minutes,” Nate said.