I never sounded as confident as Kia did because I never felt as confident as she did. She was always that way - completely sure of success until she failed. Me, I was sort of the opposite. Completely positive it wasn't going to work out until the final moment of success. I knew that Kia was already convinced we should try out for the team, and that I was probably fighting a losing battle at this point. I just didn't know. This wasn't just the big kids at our school, but the big kids at other schools. Nick, Kia and their basketball-playing pals are back in this sequel to Eric Walters' very successful Three on Three. With the three-on-three tournament over, it's now time for tryouts for the school rep team. The question is will grade three students Nick and Kia have any chance to make the team? After all the rep team is normally made up only of grade five players. When Nick and Kia decide that they will try out for the team, they find they get a chilly and somewhat hostile reception from the older students. Even the coach seems to give them little hope of making the team. Only their old teammate Marcus is willing to stick up for them. But their determination pays off and they make the team, though both seem destined to ride the bench for much of the season. And the team itself does not get off to a good start, losing its first four games. And then Kia has an idea that she thinks might turn things around. But she and Nick will have to convince their reluctant teammates to buy into the plan and that's won't be easy. Once they presuade Marcus, Kingsley and Roy to practice the new strategy, the future begins to look brighter. Now at least Nick and Kia are getting some playing time, but can they keep the momentum going through the playoffs? Full Court Press is the second in a planned series of basketball adventures aimed at young readers by the prolific, award-winning Eric Walters. Eric's first book with Orca, War of the Eagles, won the prestigious Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award and was an ABA "Pick of the Lists"; it's sequel, Caged Eagles, was released in Spring 2000. Eric Walters is very much in demand for his classroom presentations. Full Court Press is the second of eight books in the Nick and Kia basketball series. Book one is Three on Three. Book three is Hoop Crazy Book four is Long Shot. Book five is Road Trip. Book six is Off Season. Book seven is Underdog. Book eight is Triple Threat.