Original subtitles

Hey, come on�

Quick! Quick!

- It's not his fault, you gotta calm down. - Go, go, go, ball in.

Hey. Come on across court.

- Go! - Come on.

Keep that ball up! Keep that ball up!

Time-out. Time-out.

Damn it!

Run!

Listen, all right? They are coming for y'all, and they're not gonna stop.

This right here comes with the territory. Can you rise to the occasion?

Subpoena Prep, welcome to New York.

They been talking shit all day.

Don't let it rattle you, okay? Use it.

Nah, I got you Cedar Cove.

- Justice by any means necessary. - Yeah.

Don't y'all want Kings County Criminal Court?

It's on Atlantic and Smith.

Man, I'm sick of this shit! Let's shut them down y'all.

- That's right y'all, come on. Let's go. - Yeah.

"Shut 'em down" on three, one, two, three!

- Shut 'em down! - CJ, you're in for Musa.

Let's go!

Breathe.

Now tie your shoes.

- CJ, get to the corner! - You got this, CJ.

Go, Phil!

Damn it, Drew.

You're doing too much, bro. Too much.

- Defense! - Come on!

No, no, no! No! No. No.

- Yeah! - No. CJ, look at me.

Let's go.

It's just some Internet rumor, Ma.

In two weeks they'll be talking about something else.

I love you too.

What's up, man?

What up?

Yeah, what happened today?

We lost to a team that's not even top 25.

I know how you feel.

- Do you? - Yeah.

Not being able to help your team down the stretch sucks.

We didn't lose 'cause I didn't suit up. We lost 'cause we're not a real team.

- What? - What you mean?

Course we're a real team. It was just a bad loss.

They're calling us vigilantes,

Crystal's henchmen, heroes, thugs.

You got nothing to say about that?

- Do you? - No!

- 'Cause I have shit to do with it. - Neither did we.

I got the Puerto Rican national team looking at me now.

Do you know what that could mean for me?

I'm fighting to come back from this injury, man.

I don't need scouts questioning my character too.

If you could just make this right...

Like he said, it's not real.

Man, whatever.

Y'all are speculating about who beat up Coach Warrick and who's responsible.

So, here's the truth.

I found out Warrick was messing with his players�

and I had to do something.

I was 14.

And I didn't know what else to do,

so I got three guys from my old neighborhood and took care of it.

Crystal didn't ask me to do it. She didn't even know about it.

And my teammates, they weren't there.

So now y'all can stop speculating.

Stop all the heat you've been putting on them. It wasn't them.

It was me. Jace Carson.

Mom?

- Mom, I got something to tell you. - Do you know what you've done?

- I know. - You admitted to a felony on TikTok.

All the work you've done. You were so close.

- And you put it all at risk. - I had to.

Everyone was going after Crystal. Going after my teammates.

- They have nothing to do with it. - You didn't think it through, Jace!

- You never think it through. - You taught me to respect women.

I taught you to use common sense.

Other athletes have done way worse and still kept their scholarships,

- still made it to the league. - This is not just about basketball.

You could go to jail.

Why didn't you tell me what was happening?

Crystal didn't want anybody to know about it.

But she also wanted it to stop.

There were other ways.

I never thought I'd be going through this with you, Jace.

Not like this.

Mom, he was 14.

It was Crystal.

Who were the other three guys from the neighborhood?

- I'm sorry, Mom. - Sorry, what?

I...

I can't tell you.

You told me your solution was to say nothing.

- I saw what... - That was the plan.

I saw what people were saying about you.

"Crystal's henchmen" and all that bullshit.

It would have died down. People would have stopped.

- No, it wouldn't. - You made sure of that.

I made sure they were talking about me, not you.

And you do realize there isn't a "me" and a "you"? There can't be.

When you say, "can't"...

There can't be. You get that, right?

I get that.

Figure out how to save myself so you can stop trying.

Drop me off right here. If we get any closer,

I don't want anyone from my school seeing us together.

Bye, Jace.

I told them it comes with the territory.

But I don't think that's true.

The way that they coming at the team. Not just other kids, but adults too.

They want Jace to topple.

Then he turned around and lied to my face.

Babe, Jace just turned 18.

It's not personal. He's just trying to figure out what it means to be a man.

Look, Mommy, I'm flying.

I see you, baby.

- Okay, here we go. - Hi. Good morning.

- Hey, hey. - Okay.

We love you, baby, okay?

Okay?

- Love you. - Go.

Love you too.

So what you think the reaction will be?

At Cedar Cove? Think they'll think that Jace did something stupid.

But what do you think?

I had a sociology professor

who would explain how we often let right and wrong occupy the same space,

from a moral standpoint.

Example, we say that killing is bad, but we engage in war.

So, do I think what Jace did was stupid? Yes.

But I also think he was right.

Unfortunately, right and wrong can't occupy the same space at Cedar Cove.

I need to make sure he's ready for the storm.

Scouts, college coaches, and your NIL opportunities...

They're all gonna start to pull back.

Damn.

I'm sorry.

Hilltop Central is one of the best teams in the Chi.

And they got two guys ranked just below me.

If I give 'em 40 on Friday, they gonna be lining up again.

Right now, do this for me.

No more posts, no social.

Don't talk to anyone.

And keep your head down, please. Okay?

Okay.

And about you lying to me...

I ain't feel like I had a choice.

So you told TikTok instead?

Why you ain't tell me?

I just couldn't.

Look.

Don't blindside me again.

No doubt.

- Thank you for seeing me so quickly. - Of course.

Alonzo and I go back a ways. Went to school together.

I'm glad he connected us.

And this is completely on my dime, so you don't have to worry about anything.

I'm grateful for both of you.

I've seen Jace's admission.

And while I haven't made any calls yet,

I think we can make a couple of assumptions.

First, the police will officially reopen the investigation into the incident.

The second is that they are going to want to question your son at some point.

Now, Erika and I were talking before you got in.

So, it's important to remember the context of all of this.

It happened when Jace was a kid.

Warrick was convicted of assaulting little girls.

And the district attorney is not going to see this

as a case to score political points.

Jace is not only a good student,

but he has community support, so...

The most important thing right now

is that you and Jace don't talk to anyone else about this.

Let me get into it and see if the DA's office has a plan yet.

Thank you.

- Of course. - You're welcome.

"It is the problem of developing the best of this race

that they may guide the mass away

from the contamination and death of the worst."

Du Bois said that.

Jace isn't contaminating anyone. He brought your program into prominence.

And it could sink lower than it has ever been.

Listen, Ike.

Six percent of the population on this campus is African American.

And I am not content with the numbers of our people being admitted.

The African American kids currently here have to understand they are pioneers.

They can open the door for more of us. And they can just as easily close a door.

You are the only coach at Cedar Cove with a hue.

If I mess up my job, you never get yours.

You see? We stand on the shoulders of each other.

Jace stands on my shoulders.

And I won't let him down.

You need to see that.

When did you first hear about the attack?

- Same as you. When it hit the airwaves. - Are any other players involved?

According to Jace, no one.

According to Jace?

I'd like to question the other seniors.

No. I'll handle that.

I'll await your response. In the meantime,

Jace Carson is suspended from all basketball activities,

games and practices.

Everyone is watching to see how we deal with this.

Now is the time to stand with the kid.

Our school's reputation is at stake!

Jace's career is at stake!

Cedar Cove produces Pulitzer Prize winners,

Academy Award winners, two winners of the National Medal of Science,

thousands of Ivy Leaguers!

This school has never put athletics first, for good reason.

This from the school's Athletic Director?

For all you know, I'm on the short list to replace the head of school.

That's your damn angle?

People like you, they look straight ahead.

I look up.

What does Jace Carson need to do to be reinstated?

The board will meet on the matter tomorrow.

I'ma continue to appeal.

But as of now, this is where things stand.

For how long?

School board is reviewing your case.

I'm sorry but that's all I got.

What are they going to say to the press?

They haven't formed a statement yet.

Jace, there's something I gotta ask.

In the video you made,

you said it was three guys from your neighborhood that helped you?

I'm tired.

- I think you made it worse, Jace. - Me too.

Check my IG page and check yours.

I'm the only one catching the heat.

For now, bro.

And what about the cops?

If the cops get in the picture,

all you need to know is that I would never rat on y'all. Never.

Still a question we haven't asked ourselves.

Y'all think what we did that night, four years ago, was wrong?

Knock, knock.

- Yo. - Yo, so what we talking about?

Hooping.

Yeah? What about it?

I was just about to tell them I'm suspended.

No games, no practices.

- For how long? - I don't know.

How are we supposed to beat Hilltop Central without you?

Hey, doc cleared me. I got y'all.

Drea. Hey.

Hi, Drew.

It was fun getting to know you at that party.

- It was. Look... - Is something wrong?

I heard some things about you and your teammates.

How you might be trouble.

Look, I don't get caught up in what people say.

I'm not one of these rich-ass kids, Drew.

I'm part scholarship, part financial aid.

I take two buses to get to Cedar Cove.

And I avoid guys in my neighborhood who are trouble.

So I'm not trying to link up with someone from my prep school...

And I'm not one who plays games.

I'm not trouble. I think you know that.

Can I take you out after the game?

- Can I ask you something? - Yeah.

Aren't there enough white girls in this school for you to talk to?

There aren't enough girls in this school as beautiful as you to talk to.

- Smooth. - I try.

All right. After the game.

At least without Jace, they're gonna have no idea what to expect.

I got a private with CJ.

- How'd that happen? - He asked.

His dad might have put him up to it. But either way, we're gonna need him.

Hey, Coach. I got debate team now.

All right, go ahead.

Ernesto.

I hate to admit it, but Emory raises a good question.

I don't see Jace rolling with a bunch of guys

that he can call whenever he wants to beat somebody up. What do you think?

If Jace needed help with something, he's gonna call on his brothers.

We gotta get ahead of this.

Anything you can tell me about the attack?

My son would never be involved in something like that.

No.

I know what happened to Crystal is terrible.

But I had nothing to do with the attack.

Whatever went down Jace kept me in the dark.

Are you serious? No, I wasn't there.

We're friends, teammates.

But none of them would expect me to come through for them like that.

Not in that way.

What would make you say that?

I tend to avoid conflict.

In this instance, that's a good thing, Roy.

Drew, you need to tell us right now if you had anything to do with this.

No. We weren't there with him.

Drew, you just said, "We weren't there with him."

Right.

So, who exactly is "we"?

Anyone.

Anyone like who, Drew?

Allahu Akbar.

Allahu Akbar.

Ameen.

Ameen.

Bismillah, we need to talk.

Is it about the team?

- Sort of. - I've been getting a lot less minutes.

It's... I mean it's starting to feel like Coach Ike doesn't want me

running the offense anymore.

Just keep working, and keep your focus.

- You'll get the minutes back. - Yeah.

That's not what we need to discuss.

When you were in LA�

you were depressed.

- You said you wanted a change of scenery. - Yeah. Yeah, I...

Is that because of the pandemic or something else?

It was everything, Dad.

Just feeling isolated.

It was Granddad dying.

Anything else?

Is that not enough?

What can you tell me about the night Crystal's coach was beaten?

No, I don't...

May I remind you that you just said your prayers.

I'm just... I'm...

I got you, son.

I got you.

I got you.

Have a seat, son.

It's about the attack on Warrick.

Jace's video said he had three guys from the neighborhood help.

Okay.

"Okay"?

Phil, we think it's more to it than that.

And I hope you know that everyone in here is someone that you can trust.

Dad, I'm�

I'm glad you took your anger management classes.

And thank you for doing that.

Of course.

We have Miss Tonya to thank for that.

And Ma�

since you been out of jail, I just ain't been the same.

I'm just not.

I'm happy.

And I can't lose you again.

Just tell us what happened, Phil.

Jace said he needed help with something.

He said that someone was hurting one of his friends.

I didn't even ask why.

Deep down, I don't�

I don't even think I was beating on that coach to help Jace.

I was just so angry.

You were hitting me.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Come here.

Come here.

When I think about it, what Jace did to you...

What he did to me?

Jeopardizing your scholarship offers, all your future opportunities, everything.

Yeah, way to help, Carson.

- He was trying to be a 24-hour person. - A who?

Twenty-four-hour person.

It's something our coach told him.

It means, being consistent.

Being the type of person who won't abandon you in a time of crisis.

A 24-hour person is someone you can count on 24-hours a day.

That's so stupid.

I know you were kids, but still.

My son�

he tells me, four years ago he attacked a man�

because Jace desperately needed help.

Never for a minute to stop and think,

what if this man had a gun or a knife?

What if the cops were there?

I just wanna keep my son safe.

There's too many ways that this could have gone horribly wrong.

That's real.

I spoke with the other families this morning.

They agreed to stay silent�

until everyone obtained counsel.

Does that work for you?

Yeah.

Okay.

Check this out.

Wow.

Yeah.

Where'd you get these?

Pascale screen-printed 'em at his dad's shop.

- I handled the letter designs. - No way.

Yeah.

How'd you get everyone to come out?

Even if he wasn't your boy,

we still can't let the school treat him like that.

He's done nothing wrong since he's been here,

and they're really trying to jam him up off old news?

For defending a sister from a pedo?

- Nah, there's no way we can sit here... - No, I got it. I got it.

Thank you.

- Jace is a real one. - Yeah.

So we got tipped off that some students have something big planned at the game.

Big like what?

Big, as in they wanna put certain athletes on campus in their place.

But don't worry about it.

Black students from other private schools are ready to show up and show out.

So we got his back.

Yep, shot.

Let's go!

- That's okay. It's okay. - Come on, CJ!

Mental toughness.

Can you not?

Excuse me. My bad.

All right. Let's go.

Stay low, stay low.

Yep, eyes.

Slow, slow.

There you go!

That's what I'm talking about.

Next time I wanna see you make that shot with a hand in your face.

Really?

I don't want to get pulled into everything that's happening.

My parents are concerned,

and I don't wanna jeopardize anything college related.

I'm sorry, Jace, but I don't think we should see each other anymore.

You have nothing to be sorry about.

Thanks for understanding.

The system doesn't get much right, especially when it comes to our young men.

But the police and the DA understand there's a greater good to serve here.

They're not gonna charge him?

We're still hashing that out, but if he cooperates,

I think I can make it go that way.

What do you mean cooperate?

You're going to have to name whoever else took part in the beating.

This is Jackie. Tell me something good.

At the tone, please record your message.

When you've finished recording you may hang up

or press one for more options.

Yo, Jack. I'm trying not to go crazy right now.

Please let me know if we can link up.

And y'all know he deserved it!

Hey. Hey.

Really? A party?

It's just a get-together.

Okay, it's just to unwind, to let it go.

You a freshman?

- Huh? - I haven't seen you around before.

Yeah. I'm new.

I'll give you some advice.

Everybody comes to college trying to prove how grown they are,

but you can't have the grown-up without the kid in you.

Hey, yo.

I love you.

I love you too.

You know you're welcome here anytime you need to get away.

Thanks.

When this year started,

I challenged myself to see if I could go a whole year

without saying the word, "can't."

How'd you do?

Lasted about a month.

But then I thought, adults don't think that way.

They say the word, "can't" all the time.

So I stopped trying.

And right now�

I can't figure out how to survive all this.

You know what adults couldn't do?

They couldn't protect Crystal.

But the guy who never said "can't" could.

Thank you.

You don't even know.

I know.

Back in effect, Keys to the Kingdom coming to you live on Instagram,

on YouTube and as always, posted on SoundCloud.

My name is Drew Murphy, and I'm here with my cohost, Musa Rahaim.

That's right. And this is a special broadcast,

so, we're gonna dive straight into it.

Someone asked us to give him some airtime,

and we are more than happy to oblige.

So, please welcome our guest.

The most famous high school senior in the world right now,

our brother, Cedar Cove's Jace Carson.

I appreciate you two for putting me on the show.

But I'll say from the jump

that if your listeners came for the drama and controversy,

they're gonna be disappointed.

I came on tonight to talk about one thing.

Basketball and how much I love this game.

Since I was a kid,

before the love and the hate on social,

before the predictions

and�

all the noise,

I fell in love with this game.

Even then I felt like I could fly.

And when I'm gliding through the air,

it's like pressing mute on everything else.

I thought I could do anything.

What about you?

What about me, what?

Bring us back to when you were a kid.

When did you fall in love with the game?

It was�

it was in the car.

My Pops, he'd drive me to tournaments in DC, Baltimore, Virginia.

And we'd listen to music.

Sometimes R & B.

Mostly hip-hop.

It was like basketball was my girlfriend�

who introduced me to her really, really cute friend named Music.

What's your love story for the game, young fella?

I came home with a trophy.

MVP of the game.

And then it broke so I started crying.

And then my dad told me something I never forgot.

He said, "Always remember.

Win or lose.

Drew, you are the trophy."

Thanks, y'all.

I really needed this.

Me too.

Me too.

Y'all my boys, you know that?

Outta here, boy. What's wrong with you?

Ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you all for coming together at such short notice.

We have not been receiving the type of notoriety that we are accustomed to,

and our head of school has been inundated with calls from concerned parents.

We'll first hear from a huge supporter of Cedar Cove athletics,

head of Community Relations at Gladiator Sneakers, Alonzo Powers.

Thank you.

At 14 years old, Jace Carson enrolled at Cedar Cove.

He was enrolled after being recruited by the former varsity basketball coach

and our current Athletic Director.

Now, before all of that,

he attacked a man with the help of three others.

Now, did he rob this man? No.

His motives were very simple.

To stop this man from hurting a young woman...

a girl at the time, who also had a very promising future.

He did not fail.

The systems put in place to protect our children have failed.

Right now, we have an opportunity for a redo.

We couldn't stand with them before, but we can now.

Today will be the second game

that the team will be suited in Gladiator sneakers and apparel.

And on behalf of Gladiator, I would like to say we would be proud

to have Jace Carson suited with them.

So, thank you.

Thank you.

- Thank you, Mr. Powers. - Of course. Of course.

Thank you, guys, for your time.

- We'll get something worked out. - Thank you.

What are your thoughts?

To penalize him for something that occurred long ago does seem unjust.

But I'd imagine if you polled our families and students,

the vote would be split as to whether Cedar Cove is better without Mr. Carson.

Now, we can't react to the whims of all of our families,

but we can't ignore them either.

As head of school, my concern is that he's become a distraction,

compromising not only the brand of our athletic programs,

but everything that we, as a school, stand for.

What he did, regardless of motive, was illegal.

Excuse me for my blunt question.

Nick Mendez is coming back.

- And CJ is a rising star. - Thank you.

Can we win without Jace Carson?

Thought we told him to take it easy on his first game back.

We did.

We gotta figure out what we're gonna do.

Love you.

See? This is the stuff I'm talking about. This is unacceptable.

We are Jace Carson.

We are!

- Jace Carson! - We are!

Jace Carson!

Tip violation!

Give me the ball.

Technical foul!

Hey! What the hell is this?

If they can get at Jace for defending Crystal,

they can get at us for anything, Coach.

If he doesn't play, we don't play.

We are Jace Carson.

Musa.

What's happening?

It's... Just substitutions.

- Coach. Coach. Are you forfeiting? - Wait. Hold on. Hold on.

We need five. Or you forfeit.

Johnny. Lewis. Royale.

- Okay. - Let's go, Johnny.

- Let's go! - Let's go. Focus. Focus.

- I'm sorry, Coach. - What the hell?

Coach! Coach!

Eddie! Come on.

Back up. Back up.

Yo, Jarrett. We got the gym now. Time to go.

Nah, I ain't going anywhere. Y'all can wait.

Wow. Hey, you better do what she says, Benny.

Or she'll get one of her hit men to take you out.

The infamous Crystal Jarrett.

I have to come to the gym after it's closed for the day

if I wanna work out.

But now these boys are telling me I can't even have that.

I'm the top 25 recruit,

and you come in here to kick me out of the gym?

I'm more heralded than any male athlete at this school,

but I gotta make way for you?

Benny, when y'all practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays,

where do the girls practice?

We practice outside.

Even during the winter. Why don't you ask me how I feel about that?

You made a comment.

You said I should get one of my... what did you call them? My hit men?

That's all you know about me.

I'm the girl who got her coach beat up.

It doesn't matter what the truth is.

It doesn't matter what else I am.

Because you never see us.

No one is ever interested in seeing us for who we really are.

The little bit you've decided to know about me

is something that happened four years ago.

Something horrible that stopped

because my best friend stepped up and did something about it.

Something adults weren't capable of doing.

He protected me.

Because people see what they wanna see,

Jace Carson is being treated like he did something wrong.

But what's really wrong is how people try to tear us down

like it's their sport.

But, this is my sport.

This is my life.

This is Jace's sport. This is his life.

And you can't take that away from us.

So, if you want me out of here,

you better be ready to drag me out.

'Cause I ain't going nowhere.

It's not even worth it.

Let's go, boys.

- Did all that. - For nothing.

Yes, sir, let's go!

Push it!

Throw it to my hand, throw it to my hand.

Come on. Corner, corner, corner.

Yes, sir!

- That's what I'm talking about! CJ Ryder! - All right, CJ! Come on! Let's go!

Let's go! Let's go, baby!

Take that off.

And that too.

- Huh? - Defense! Defense!

Come on. What was that?

Excuse me,

do you think there'd be any more protests like this in future games?

How do you feel about Jace Carson's suspension?

Do you think he's played his last game as a Mustang?

Why didn't you play? Are you protesting Carson's suspension?

I didn't play, 'cause I was there that night with Jace Carson.

The hell's going on here?

I sat out tonight 'cause I was there that night with Jace Carson.

- You were there too? - To what extent?

- Meg. Meg, what the hell is going on? - I don't know.

- What about you, Royale? - I...

He wasn't there that night.

But I was.

We stand with our brother.

His punishment is inequitable and unjust.

We are Jace Carson.

- We are! - Jace Carson!

- Hey! Hey! - Jace Carson!

- We are! - Jace Carson!

What happens to the team now? Are you concerned...

- Okay, that's enough. You can step back. - That's enough.

- We are! - Jace Carson!

- Say it louder! - Jace Carson!

Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0