Fast Break

Published in 2015, Fast Break is a middle grade sports novel by Mike Lupica, a celebrated American sportswriter and prolific author known for his bestselling fiction for young readers. A longtime columnist for newspapers like New York’s Daily News and a television commentator for ESPN, Lupica draws on his extensive knowledge of the sports world to craft stories that use athletics to explore adolescent development. Fast Break follows 12-year-old Jayson “Snap” Barnes, a gifted but angry basketball player secretly living alone after his mother’s death. When he is caught stealing new basketball sneakers, he is placed in the foster care of an affluent family in a wealthy part of town, forcing him to navigate a new school, a new team, and the shame of his past.

The novel is characteristic of Lupica’s work, which often features talented but troubled young athletes who find personal growth through the structure and camaraderie of team sports. Set against the socioeconomic backdrop of youth poverty and the US foster care system, the story explores themes such as The Importance of Trust in Relationships, The Interplay of Class and Identity, and The Consequences of Anger. Like Lupica’s other popular novels, including Travel Team (2004) and Heat (2006), Fast Break uses the high-stakes world of sports as a framework for its protagonist’s emotional journey toward healing and self-acceptance.

This guide refers to the 2016 Puffin Books edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of illness, death, child abuse, bullying, racism, substance use, and addiction.

Plot Summary

Twelve-year-old Jayson Barnes, a gifted basketball player known as “Snap” for his quickness, lives on the poor, east side of Moreland, North Carolina. Since his mother, Debbie, died and her boyfriend, Richie, abandoned him, Jayson has been secretly living alone in their run-down apartment building, the Pines. He survives by stealing food and pours his anger and energy into basketball, which he plays alongside his best friends, Tyrese “Ty” Rice and Shabazz Towson, at courts known as “the Jeff” after the public housing development the courts are part of. His school team, the Moreland East Mavericks, is a contender in a new statewide tournament with finals to be held at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Jayson’s coach, Mr. Rankin, notices that Jayson’s worn-out Nikes are a size too small, with a hole cut for his toe. Ashamed, Jayson lies that his mother will buy him new ones. Desperate for proper shoes, he decides to steal a pair of Nike Zooms. He takes a two-hour bus ride to the neighboring town of Percy to avoid being recognized. As he leaves a Foot Locker, Jayson is stopped by the store manager, Pete, who recognizes him from a summer league game. Pete calls the police, and Jayson is taken to Child Protective Services. There, he meets a social worker, Ms. Moretti, and reveals his entire situation, including that he has been living alone since his mother’s death.

Ms. Moretti places Jayson in foster care with Tom and Carol Lawton, an affluent Black couple on the wealthy west side of Moreland. Jayson is shocked by their affluence, a world away from the Pines. Feeling threatened and powerless, he reacts with hostility to the Lawtons’ kindness. He is later surprised to learn that Carol also grew up on the east side and saw education as her best chance to escape poverty.

Jayson enrolls at Belmont Country Day, a private school, meaning he can no longer play for the Mavericks. On his first day, he feels like an outcast but meets a friendly teammate, Bryan Campbell, and a popular girl, Zoe Montgomery, though he is too intimidated to speak to her. As time passes, Jayson’s adjustment to his new school and team remains difficult. His first practice with the Belmont Bobcats and their coach, Mr. Rooney, is a disaster. He plays selfishly, gets into a physical altercation with the team’s center, Cameron Speeth, and accidentally hits Bryan in the face with a pass. Coach Rooney confronts Jayson, warning him to change his attitude or he will be cut from the team. That night, Jayson runs away on a bicycle from the Lawtons’ garage and returns to his old apartment at the Pines. Carol finds him by tracking the GPS on the cell phone they gave him and convinces him to return, warning that another escape attempt could land him in a group foster home. Jayson begrudgingly accepts, promising not to run away again.

Jayson begins to make an effort to be a better teammate, befriending Bryan and making amends with Cameron. He also develops a friendship with Zoe, which begins after she challenges him to a soccer shootout. A turning point in his relationship with the Lawtons occurs when, during an angry confrontation with Carol, he accidentally breaks a prized horse sculpture. Her forgiveness helps ease the tension between them, and he later buys her a replacement for Christmas, moving her to tears.

The first matchup against Moreland East is emotionally charged. In the final seconds, Jayson ignores a wide-open Cameron and takes a selfish “hero shot” that Shabazz blocks, costing the Bobcats the game. Meanwhile, Jayson’s budding relationship with Zoe becomes strained after he overhears her mother, Mrs. Montgomery, telling a friend vicious lies, including suggesting that Jayson was a drug dealer. Believing Zoe now knows these lies and has pulled away, Jayson stands her up for a lunch date. As the season progresses, the Bobcats improve, and Jayson grows into a more cooperative player, learning to trust his teammates and developing strong on-court chemistry with Cameron, which proves crucial in key victories.

The final game of the regular season is a rematch against Moreland East, with the winner staying in contention for a spot in the league championship. The Bobcats start poorly, and a frustrated Jayson yells at his teammates, causing Coach Rooney to bench him. During a private halftime talk, the coach warns him that being a good teammate is non-negotiable. Jayson returns to the game with renewed composure and pushes through the pain of a sprained ankle to score the game’s winning point.

Having saved money from chores, Jayson returns to the Foot Locker in Percy and pays Pete for the Nike Zooms, asking him to use the money to buy shoes for another child in need. This act brings him a sense of closure. The Bobcats, now a cohesive team, win the league championship against Percy and the subsequent county tournament, earning a spot in the state championship at Cameron Indoor Stadium. In the Duke locker room before the final game, Jayson reflects on his journey and feels a true sense of belonging with his team. He leads the Bobcats onto the court, no longer running from his past but running toward his future.