Long practice improves Mel's value as a basketball player, but he finds it difficult to surmount the prejudice of Caskie Bennett, the basketball team's star player and Mel's new neighbor.
Daren's tendency to blame everyone but himself when anything goes wrong causes problems with his best friend, with a young neighbor who idolizes him, and with one of his basketball teammates.
Forced to referee rather than play basketball after he has been diagnosed as being diabetic, Rusty believes he will never play again until a new man in town organizes a team and coaches him.