Original subtitles

[upbeat music]

[crowd cheering]

[male announcer] 'The ball's thrown in'

'and it's stolen away'

[male #1] 'We can do it!'

'Hold timeout please.'

[whistle blows]

[male announcer] 'Bang on!'

Come on, guys, over here now.

Listen up, listen up.

We're down one and we need a score.

You boys do what I tell you, you'll be State Champions!

I want the ball in Herman's hands.

The rest of you guys, just clear out of his way, you understand?

Alright, bring it in. Saints on three. One, two, three!

[together] Saints!

Herman!

Put us on your back and get us a win.

Let's go, Herman baby!

[male #2] 'Herman, Herman, do your uncle right, baby.'

Please, Lord, give young Herman the strength to do me right.

'Please! Come on, Herman. Come on, baby.'

'Let's do it, baby. Come on.'

[crowd cheering]

♪ Because she knew what she was doin' ♪

♪ When she told me how to walk this way ♪

♪ She told me ♪♪ Walk this way ♪

♪ And talk this way ♪

Yes!

♪ Walk this way ♪

♪ And talk this way ♪

♪ She told me to ♪♪ Walk this way ♪

♪ And talk this way ♪

♪ Walk this way ♪

♪ And talk this way.. ♪♪

Yes! Yes!

[buzzer buzzing]

- Philly Tech wins. - 'We're number one, baby!'

[male announcer] 'Your new 1987 Pennsylvania Boys next school State Champions'

'are the Saints from Philly Tech High!'

♪ School girl sleezy with a classy kinda sassy ♪

♪ Little skirt hangin' way up her knee ♪

♪ There was three young ladies ♪♪ In the school gym locker ♪

♪ And they finally were lookin' at.. ♪♪

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

[indistinct chattering]

[intense music]

[indistinct chattering]

You figure 6:00 a.m.'s the right time to start the day, boss?

These guys have been here for an hour, Lil.

[sighs]

You ever hear of Herman Lester?

No.

He's only the best basketball player who ever lived.

- Yeah? - And died.

He was murdered on a playground court in 1987. Never solved.

So what are we doing here?

You see the kid with the ball?

That's Herman's son.

[indistinct chattering]

[male #3] 'That's it, baby. That's it.'

[whistle blowing]

Bob, ball never touches the floor.

Hey, John..

And make the layup now. Let's go.

- John. - Coach.

- Thanks for coming. - No problem.

This is Detective Rush.

- Nice to meet you. - Pleasure.

Look, look, watch this.

Doesn't have Herman's size but...more range.

And the same confidence. I tell you, John.

It's like coaching Herman all over again.

Hey, Ray! Come here!

[John] 'Let's have him walk us through this phone call he got.'

Some kind of threat?

Ray, these are Philadelphia Police. Gonna help us out.

- Hey. - Hey.

- Hi, Ray. - Hi.

Wanna tell us about the phone call you got?

Not much to it.

I'm home, pick up the phone and hear

if I play Friday night, I'm gonna get

the screwdriver just like my dad.

- Screwdriver? - It was the murder weapon.

So...what's Friday night?

State Championship.

Uh, no idea who it was, male, female, young, old?

Male. Can't say about the rest.

Ray, are you havin' any problems in school?

Any issues on or off the court?

Nah. Things are cool.

- Okay, Ray. Thanks. - Back out there.

I need him in the lineup Friday.

Do you really think this threat

is connected to Herman's murder?

Well, the kid's a phenom like his dad.

'They both lead their teams to the State Championship.'

Herman gets murdered. Now Ray gets this death threat.

Enough connection for me.

We'll check with the phone company

see if we can trace where the call came from.

Alright.

And pull Herman Lester's case.

[theme music]

[laughing]

I wish you'd have eaten more.

- I ate all the melon. - Yeah.

Yeah, and you made sure the home fries didn't go to waste.

[chuckles]

I like being out here.

- In the cold. - Hmm.

Hmm.

- I'll get you a cab. - Hmm.

What? What is it?

Uh, there's a giant behind you.

What?

Well, look for yourself.

[Will] 'Yeah. Look for yourself.'

Oh. Hey, man.

What-what are you doing here?

Getting my coffee.

What are you doing here?

Uh, uh.. Just, uh, coffee.

- Will Jeffries. - Elisa.

Sorry. Bonehead.

We work together.

Pleasure to meet you.

See you at work, Scotty.

[Scotty] 'Yeah.'

[sighs]

So, uh, a cab, right?

[sighs]

Guess, uh, Jeffries is kind of a giant, ain't he?

Probably should've said big.

If Herman Lester had lived, folks around here would

think of Dr. J as just another player.

Oh, come on, boss.

The good doctor would jump so high he could pick a dollar

off the top of the backboards.

Scotty, Herman Lester would leave change.

[chuckles]

Whatever Herman did, he returned to Earth

and caught the wrong end of a Phillips screwdriver.

Yeah. Pierced once through the heart.

And bled out like a mere mortal on the court at Players' Park.

Suspects?

One, Billy Berkenpass, a teammate.

Good player in his own right, but no Herman.

Says here that was the problem.

Berkenpass hated playing second fiddle to Herman.

Attitude got him booted off the team.

He missed the State Championship same night Herman died.

Yeah, he lost out in love too.

Tanya Williams dumped Berkenpass for Herman a few months earlier.

Double motive.

Footnote says maybe Herman was iced by a bagman

from a top 20 school?

Sounds like urban legend.

Yeah, smart money was on Berkenpass.

On top of everything else, 20 kids saw him

confront Herman at an after-game party that night

So why didn't he go down?

No hard evidence and he had an alibi.

Time of the murder he claimed he was home with his dad.

Oh, dad vouching for you ain't exactly airtight.

Are we sure this job is connected to Ray's death threat?

Well, seems like it is, especially since the threat

was made from a payphone at the City Center Rec.

Yeah, and guess who hoops it up there

every day over lunch hour?

Berkenpass.

[Will] 'Your son says he was with you'

the night Herman Lester was killed.

Yeah, we sat in front of the tube till 3:00 a.m.

You always watch TV that late?

No, just that night. "Good, Bad and the Ugly"was on.

Got a pretty specific memory there.

I've only been asked the question about 90 times.

Hey, hey, hey.

No reason for you to touch that.

So that night Billy must've been pretty steamed

after what happened to him.

What do you mean?

Him getting kicked off the team

missing the big game.

My kid got screwed.

Plus, Herman taking up with his ex-girlfriend.

Tanya, right?

Got screwed twice.

He was better off losing the girl.

You didn't like her?

I don't like any girls in the picture.

Women weaken legs. That's not good for basketball.

Look, it's admirable

you defending your boy all this time--

Yeah, somebody had to.

Within 24 hours, you cops were all over that boy

for the murder of Lester.

The kid was 17-years-old.

I guess you didn't get enough.

'Cause now you're at it again.

[dramatic music]

Why are you asking about Herman?

[Rush] 'We're reopening his murder case.'

No, leave it alone. Leave it.

Tanya, we think looking at Herman's case

will help your son's situation.

How?

Tanya, let Uncle Freddie handle this.

I'm the man who raised Herman

and I been like a father to Ray too.

So tell me. How will it help?

We think Billy Berkenpass may have made the call to Ray.

That's the dude who killed dad?

We don't know that.

Oh, that White boy was so jealous of your pop!

Freddie, don't start.

Ray, you recognize this guy?

Oh, man! That's the ghost.

The ghost?

When I'm out playing pickup, he's there watching.

White dude looks at me funny.

How long is this been going on?

Ever since I started making a name for myself.

- Maybe about two years ago. - The ghost ever approach you?

- Nah. - 'That's it!'

Uncle Freddie's stepping in.

Ray ain't playing Friday.

You said there'd be security, right?

- Right. - No, no, no! No risk!

The boy is going league, understand?

League?

NBA pro scouts already got Ray marked down

as a first-round draft choice.

Ray hasn't decided where he's going next year

Freddie, so shut it.

Hopefully, we clear this whole thing before the game.

Are you sure Billy called my son?

Not a hundred percent.

I never believed he killed Herman.

[Lilly] 'No?'

Me and Billy dated. I knew him.

It'd really help if you'd tell us what you remember

about that night, Tanya.

We won the State Championship.

Then there was a party.

[upbeat music]

Go, Billy! Go, Billy! Go, Billy!

Go, Billy! Go, Billy! Go, Billy!

Go, Billy!

[laughing]

Philly Tech says he's their guy.

But off the court, this man is mine.

[Billy] 'Where the hell's Herman?'

Billy, what are you doin' here?

Being friends.

Isn't that what you said, Tanya, we'd be friends?

Yo, don't be mad at her, man.

Okay, I'll be mad at you.

You take my girl, I'm supposed to be cool with it?

[sighs]

Oh, man, you're drunk.

Don't you walk away from me.

Yo! Let him up, let him up, let him up!

Come on. Get off him.

Get off him.

[sniffles]

You wanna talk, Billy?

No.

I'm on your home court here.

I'll catch you later.

♪ W-O-R-D ♪

♪ W-O.. ♪♪

How did Herman end up in Players' Park that night?

He'd go there to clear his head.

What's Players' Park?

It's across town. It's where your dad died.

[Freddie] Back in Herman's day that's where

a player would go to prove himself.

We'll let you know, what we find out, Tanya.

[indistinct chattering]

[Lilly] Billy Berkenpass?

- Yes? - Detectives Valens and Rush.

Can we have a minute?

Doing real good, Michael.

Can we..

'Should have known you people would show up.'

[Lilly] 'Why is that?'

Everyone knows Ray Lester got a death threat.

I'm sure you think I made it.

[Lilly] 'The call was made from the City Center Rec.'

Where you play ball every day.

Guess someone's trying to make me look bad.

We got some prints off of the phone.

One of them gonna be yours, Billy?

I'll let you find that out for yourself.

Let's talk about 1987, when your teammate Herman died.

Knew this was coming.

Not long after Tanya broke up with you for him.

That pretty hard on you?

Yeah. First heartbreak.

What happened?

Black girl, White guy.

Then the world wasn't rooting for us.

Hey, sports question. Think much of Ray's game?

Papers say he's the second coming of Herman.

- What do you say? - I've seen him a lot.

He's as good as advertised.

I didn't...call that kid.

I didn't kill Herman.

Right, home with your dad.

So if it wasn't you, Billy, who was it?

Recruiting was outta control over Herman.

One coach handed him a motel key.

Said he had a super model waiting for him.

Saying Herman took that room key?

Not that one.

But I saw him take another key.

♪ Bigger ♪♪ Big time ♪

♪ And my mouth ♪♪ Big time ♪

♪ My belly's getting bigger ♪♪ Big time ♪

♪ And my bank account ♪♪ Big time ♪

♪ And the bulge in my big big big big big big ♪

♪ Big big big big big big big ♪♪

I mean, who knows..

...how many programs Herman took gifts from.

But a player can only make one school happy.

Herman was about to piss off a university, so they kill him?

Pretty far out theory, Billy.

Maybe not a president, or a dean, but you'd be surprised

what the round ball makes grown men do.

Yeah, there was a car. For a day.

I got right in Herman's face

told him the car goes back where it came from.

Which was where?

Well, that I didn't need to know.

Bottom line, Herman was on the bus the next day.

Billy Berkenpass thinks Herman received

other under the table gifts.

Billy Berkenpass has been trying to muddy Herman's name

since the day I kicked him off the team.

What happened there?

I guess enough time has passed.

I'll tell you.

[Billy] 'That's right. I'm talking about you and Big Ed Brown.'

[Herman] 'You better watch your mouth, man!'

What the hell's the problem?

Herman don't wanna win tonight.

That's crap!

'Cause his bookie Big Ed Brown, he owns Herman!

That's not true, coach. Come on.

Then why'd he offer me 500 bucks to join you in messing the game?

- Don't you lie, Billy! - It's the truth!

He's on the take.

You're gonna talk about Herman like that, you're off this team!

- Coach! - You're off this team!

He'd say anything to take down Herman.

Attitude problem three years running.

Nothing to his allegations?

Herman won the game for us.

Shook four guys and dunked on a seven-footer.

End of story, okay?

End of story.

[crowd cheering]

Oh! Boy, he missed a bunny.

That's like three in a row.

- '87 State Championship? - Yeah.

[Lilly] 'Herman's last night on Earth.'

He turned the ball over again.

Okay, and now here's the end.

[indistinct chatter]

Hey, freeze it, Scotty.

[dramatic music]

Now, he had just won the championship..

...everyone else is going wild but look at Herman.

[Nick] 'Nothing.'

Maybe he agreed to throw the game

but in the end couldn't do it.

That would explain why he's not smiling.

And maybe why he got killed.

So, uh, was that the lady who keeps calling you?

- Don't do that. - Do what?

- Sneak up on me. - I'm not sneaking up on you.

Yeah, like on the street with Elisa.

Look, don't shadow me, okay?

Especially if you see me with her.

- What was that about? - I don't know.

Guy's losing it?

- Hey, boss. - For you, Big Ed Brown.

The guy Berkenpass said approached him

long-time bookie.

Illegal lottery, bookmaking, spanked with a bunch of

probation, no jail time.

Maybe Vice has got somethin' on him.

See if I can get a hammer on him. Hey, where's Lil?

Went to check with Ray to see if he was approached

about throwing this Friday's game.

Hmm.

See if history's repeating itself.

Ray.

Can I steal you for a minute?

You catch that guy who called me?

Not yet.

I got to ask you, Ray.

Did anyone offer you money to fix the game this Friday?

No way.

How about other games during the season?

College boosters putting pressure on you, or..

Coach keeps all the shady dudes away.

Yeah, but coach can't be everywhere at once, you know?

Why you asking this stuff?

Recruiting was crazy for your dad.

People were trying to get to him in all sorts of ways

and I figure it's like that for you too.

Yeah, it can be crazy.

So maybe you're up against some of the same things your dad was.

Now you're saying my dad made a shady deal?

I'm not saying that.

Or if he didn't make it that got him killed?

Ray, I don't know what happened yet.

But I wanna find out for you.

I thought that Berkenpass dude killed him.

Right, he was the primary suspect.

But maybe my dad got iced over someone fixing a game

or-or what school he was gonna play for, over-over ball?

Try not to guess too much, Ray.

Remember, we just need to look at all the possibilities.

Never met no Billy Berkenpass.

Well, he says he met you, Big Ed.

17 years back.

- Nah. - 'How about Herman Lester?'

[cellphone ringing]

Hey, you like fedora hats, Big Ed?

- They look good on me. - Great.

You can wear one for your mugshot like Al Capone.

Capone?

'You don't get chatty real quick here'

I get my pal at the IRS comb over your income taxes

blow your betting operation open

Big Ed's out of business.

Maybe I do remember young Herman.

I was hopin'.

But I was better acquainted with his Uncle Freddie.

[male #4] 'Oh, man, hey'.

Oh, Big Ed, thank you for coming.

The only reason I'm here is 'cause you owe me five grand.

Now, where is it?

Oh, there's been some complications.

Brother man, that is the wrong answer.

Yo, but, I got the right answer.

But I need one more day.

See, I got a plan.

You know, it's foolproof too.

Check it out.

'Yeah, let it rain, Herman, let it rain!'

Yo, man, you best pull out your umbrella

'cause you getting soaked, dog.

Yeah. You gotta give me one more day.

See, Herman Lester's my nephew

and the boy's got a lot of love for me

so see with tomorrow night's game

I'm gonna get him to do me a little favor.

You telling me you can get that boy

to turn the State Championship out?

I can make it happen.

Yo, Herman!

'Who loves you, baby?'

You do, Uncle Fred.

'That's what I'm talking about.'

[laughing]

Freddie had that kinda influence over Herman?

I wasn't sold.

So I paid a visit to the Berkenpass kid.

How'd that go down?

It didn't.

And with no insurance, I decided to sit that game out.

But the way Herman played

it seemed like Freddie did have him on a string.

All I know is that when it was over

Freddie still owed me money.

That must have had him running scared.

Sure. But he slowed down.

Maybe you've noticed..

...Freddie don't walk so good no more.

You got something riding on

this Friday's game, Freddie?

What do you mean?

Trying to keep Ray outta playing

so you could score some bets?

Just like you tried to score off his dad in '87.

We know you asked Herman to

throw the game the night he died.

Come on, now, if I did that, why did they win, huh?

Logic, Freddie. Just 'cause they won

don't mean you didn't ask him.

I was in full support of Herman's career.

But you owed money to Big Ed Brown.

I paid Big Ed.

Late, that's why you got your knees broke.

But first you tried' to fix the Tech game to cash in on it

'cause you didn't want your knees broke.

- Who does? - Look, I talked to Big Ed.

He told me. You promised Herman would lose that game.

[scoffs] Why didn't you just say so at the top, huh?

The truth, Freddie.

It wasn't my proudest moment.

Herman, this is a one-time, and one-time only thing, now.

I can't believe you're asking me this!

You think I wanna be asking? I'm embarrassed, man.

I can hardly look you in the eye.

Can't you work it out with Big Ed?

This is working it out, don't you get that?

Man, he's gonna hurt me. For keeps, man, understand?

Freddie, listen.

You're gonna have everything in this life, man.

The good Lord didn't give me the talent he gave you.

That's okay, I make do.

But I'm asking you..

...this once.

Toss this dog a bone.

No. I can't do it.

I'm sorry, no.

No.

But when Herman played so bad that night

it looked he might come through for you after all.

Gave you hope during the whole game right up to the buzzer.

Oh, that must have pissed you off.

No, no, no!

Ungrateful kid won't step up

for the man who was a father figure to him.

'So maybe you're the one who'

lowered the boom on Herman.

That's an outrage, you saying that!

[knock on door]

What's wrong?

Ray's missing.

[dramatic music]

Could Ray have skipped out on practice?

No, no, no.

Ray doesn't miss practice. He comes early, leaves late always.

Maybe he just went somewhere to clear his head.

[Tanya] 'You think Billy has him?'

I'm gonna go see Billy right now.

Can I come?

Yeah.

Hey, Freddie?

Stay close.

Could the timing be worse?

Did ray have somewhere he had to be?

Yeah. He had visits from two big ten schools tonight.

What's more important here, coach?

I don't expect you to understand.

Blake.

I understand a 17-year-old's missing.

That's important.

Out on the street, boss.

[instrumental music]

This is craziness.

My baby's all over the place and I can't find him.

'He can't be far.'

I can't lose him too.

Look.

Where is he? Where's my baby?

- Tanya, what are-- - What did you do with him?

I don't know what you mean.

Ray's been missing all afternoon.

- They say you watch him! - Tanya, that ain't gonna help.

T, I wouldn't hurt your kid.

- How about her kid's father? - I believed you, Billy.

I was the one person who didn't think you killed Herman.

So keep believing.

I wouldn't do anything to hurt you.

[sighs]

Not then..

...not now.

[sobbing]

How did you find this place?

Asked some old timers.

I've put up about 100 jumpers.

But didn't know where the right spot was.

What spot?

Where he died.

Do you know?

The write-up said on that free throw line.

[gasps]

[sighs]

For Herman Lester.

[chuckles]

You make it look easy.

I'm glad you're doing this, finding out about my dad.

- Yeah? - 'Cause I never could.

Asking her anything about him brings her to her knees.

Your mom.

'I never knew him.'

But that don't mean I don't wanna hear about him

or find out how come he got killed.

[sighs]

You're gonna play tomorrow?

Starting to think that call I got was no joke.

No one will blame you if you sit the game out.

Coach will.

'Course, playing's the last thing

Freddie wants me to do.

What's in it for him?

Freddie got me connected with all the shoe companies.

I go league, he gets taken care of.

Hmm.

And you think you owe Freddie.

I owe coach too.

- What does he want you to do? - College.

See, there's two or three schools that want me.

And I thought every school wanted you.

Yeah, but there's two or three that want both me and coach.

See, so if I sign that letter of intent

coach comes along, part of a package deal.

Hmm.

Turns out if Ray decides to go to a certain college

Coach Lein benefits big.

So is coach aiming to take the same ride

on Herman's back 17 years ago?

And how badly did he want it?

Maybe the gambling angle isn't the answer.

Did Herman ever say where he was going to school?

No one knew. There was a new rumor every day.

Kansas, Iowa, Duke.

She'd probably know.

[indistinct chattering]

Sorry, boss.

Don't let this change the investigation.

- Thank you for finding him. - Sure.

Tanya, had Herman made a decision about where

he was going to college?

Temple.

'He was gonna announce it the next day.'

The Owls head coach is John Chaney.

He's always run a clean program.

He does not do favors.

So maybe coach wanted Herman to go somewhere else.

Where they did do favors.

Coach wanted him down in Florida.

[cheering]

[Lien] 'Temple's not the place.'

[Herman] 'I've already made up my mind, coach.'

[Lien] 'You'll end up at the wrong program you get lost'

'in the shuffle, doesn't matter how talented you are.'

'Down in Florida, I can look out for you.'

I've got responsibilities here.

- What do you mean? - Tanya's pregnant.

Okay, so-so Tanya comes too.

- No, it's no good. - What?

- No! - Dammit, Herman.

We need to stay together.

This is my shot too. Haven't I always been there for you?

[buzzer buzzing]

So coach finds out things aren't going

the way he wants them to.

Six hours before Herman dies.

John.

You saved the day finding Ray.

Hmm. Talk to her.

You get those college meetings rescheduled, coach?

It's plan B...if Ray doesn't play tonight.

- But I know he will. - Huh.

You're counting on it, aren't you?

Whatever you say, missy.

I think this room's got the wrong population, boss.

Lots of opinions from that one.

[chuckles]

Blake, the last 24 hours we've been looking at you

for Herman's murder.

You kiddin' me?

When Herman broke the news that he was going to Temple

I know you had a lot on the line.

He was hurting your future.

John, we're friends!

We're gonna hear you out one way or another, Blake.

It's better if you and I do it here and now.

Now, I know you got a deep drive.

All of us got one somewhere..

...and it will either make you a winner or take you down.

I need you to make a gut check here, pal.

Me and Herman..

...we had a moment of truth.

You been in here the whole time?

Yeah.

Trying to wait me out like I'd just go home?

Don't you walk away from me.

Hey!

Coach!

You think you can just go

after all I've done for you?

♪ I was taught to fight ♪

♪ Taught to win ♪

♪ I never thought I could fail.. ♪

You won us a State Championship tonight

and I'm standing here crying the blues.

♪ I am a man whose dreams have all deserted.. ♪

That's pretty piss-poor.

Good luck at Temple, son.

♪ Don't give up ♪

♪ 'Cause you have friends ♪♪

I never saw Herman again.

Okay. Thanks.

Prints from the City Center Rec payphone came in.

Guess who we got a match on?

Berkenpass?

His father.

What's the big deal?

So I made a call.

Get off my property.

Not just a call.

A terrorist threat.

- Come on. - No jokes.

If I were you, I'd put that wood down.

Why use the phone at the rec?

You and your son dream that up together?

My son didn't know I was there.

Noontime he was in the gym.

You telling me, you two didn't cross paths?

Well, we never do.

We got no relationship.

Why is that?

[sighs]

Billy wasn't athletic.

He had no foot speed to talk about.

So we made him a shooter.

Developed the purest stroke you'd ever wanna see.

It didn't happen overnight

I'd feed him and feed him and feed him

and there wasn't a night that we left that gym

without him hitting 15 in a row.

What's that have to do with you not having a relationship?

[scoffs] He quit on me.

What, you don't tell me what happened?

You just let me show up at the game?

I was embarrassed.

Son, if you would've told me, I would've helped.

But now it doesn't matter if it's not true

because the word's out, you're a bad seed!

I'm sorry.

Up, up, up. Chin up.

Listen, we may not get more than a junior college offer..

...but two years, we're right back on track.

Dad, it's over! I'm done.

Don't let this break your spirit.

I'm not, dad. I don't care about being on track!

I just want playing ball to be fun again.

Fun?

Billy, you go home..

...and you get your suitcase..

...and when you're done having fun

and you come back and you see me!

[dramatic music]

Billy never plays organized ball again.

You draw a line through his name?

We do what we do.

Now and then I'll go back and watch him shoot at the rec.

Those are old wounds.

So why all of a sudden make this call to Ray?

I was leaving the rec that day

seeing Ray Lester's face splattered all over

like these people are the first family of basketball

or something, that nonsense had to stop once and for all.

We got to arrest you for making that threat.

- Hey, for crying out loud. - Come on.

You gotta come with us.

Prints were in the system 'cause of a bar brawl three years back.

I talked to the guy that got beat down by him.

Said it all started 'cause the barflies were talking

about the late great Herman Lester.

14 years later and he's still smarting over that?

This guy's got deep feelings about his son not playing ball.

Disowned him over it.

Maybe killed over it.

Problem is, the Berkenpass alibi goes both ways.

Covers Billy but also covers the dad.

Ah, senior won't give it up.

So work on junior.

[Lilly] We just need some last questions answered

then we'll leave you alone.

- We got a new suspect, Billy. - Good for you.

Need the straight story on your alibi.

Straight story?

You were in your car, shooting hoops?

Doesn't matter, we just got to hear where you really were.

Watching TV with my dad.

[sighs]

Maybe we gotta level with Billy.

He's gonna find out anyway.

Pops put the death threat on Ray.

My dad?

You surprised?

'Cause you look surprised.

But the funny thing is, you look it and you don't.

My guess is, you never knew your dad killed Herman either.

But right now in this moment..

...you do.

'Cause you and dad never watched TV that night.

Can I just go now?

Sure. We'll walk you out.

Ray's just taking care of some paperwork.

Hey, you want to meet him, Billy?

[Billy] 'No, thanks.'

Yeah, we keep arguing over

whether he looks like his pops or not.

He does. A little.

Yeah, but the difference is

Ray's walking away from the game.

W-walking away?

Ray's mixed up about how his dad died.

Figures Herman made a wrong decision

and maybe that's what killed him.

Why does he think that?

He didn't know anything about his dad.

[Scotty] 'Looks like another Lester won't reach his potential.'

Maybe I-I will say hi to him.

Sure.

Hey, kid.

I wanna tell you something about him.

And that night.

I wasn't at home with my dad.

I-I was with Herman.

[dramatic music]

Gotta hand it to you.

Only Herman Lester can play ball that bad

and still get carried off the court like a king.

Final score's all that counts.

Keep telling yourself that.

You think I tried to throw the game tonight?

- Yeah, I do. - You're wrong.

Then why did you play like a buster?

[sighs]

You..

What?

[sighs] Everybody thinks I'm this one-man show.

But it's you that gets me the ball in the paint.

When I'm double-teamed, you always hit the J.

[sighs] But you weren't there tonight.

Billy..

...we haven't been friends.

But we've been a team, right?

Your dad was stand-up.

There was all this junk around us

everyone were trying to make us enemies.

But he-he just followed his instincts.

And they were good.

The man was good.

We talked to your boy Billy, Mr. Berkenpass.

He burned your alibi.

Why would he do that?

'Cause he didn't kill Herman Lester.

You did.

Billy said that?

Want us to bring him in here?

No.

It was always awkward for Billy and me.

Basketball was the way that I could be his dad, see?

That was our whole relationship.

[sobbing] That night when I told Billy to pack his bags, I..

I wanted to take it back.

Why didn't you?

I followed after him.

Wound up at Players' Park.

And I watched Herman and Billy..

I watched them shaking hands.

That wasn't a good thing?

That was him giving up.

I knew that he wasn't gonna play again.

That was the end of one thing that we had in common.

[dramatic music]

Uh, hey, Mr. B.

If you're looking for Billy, you just missed him.

Yeah.

Think he said he was headed home.

Then I guess I'll see him there then.

Are you okay, sir? You, uh, look a little off.

Good game tonight.

[groaning]

[gasping]

♪ I remember how rough your hand felt on mine ♪

♪ On my wedding day ♪

♪ And the tears cried on my shoulder ♪

♪ I couldn't turn away ♪

♪ Well so much has happened to me ♪

♪ That I don't understand ♪

♪ All I can think of is being ♪

♪ Five-years-old following behind you at the beach ♪

♪ Tracing your footprints in the sand ♪

♪ Trying to walk like a man ♪

♪ By Our Lady Of The Roses ♪

♪ We lived in the shadow of the elms ♪

♪ I remember ma draggin' me and my sister ♪

♪ Up the street to the church ♪

♪ Whenever she heard those wedding bells ♪

♪ Well would they ever ♪

♪ Look so happy again ♪

♪ The handsome groom and his bride.. ♪

[male announcer] 'And finally..'

'Six-one and a senior..'

'Ray "The Second Coming" Lester!'

♪ Well tonight you step away from me ♪

♪ And alone at the altar I stand ♪

♪ And as I watch my bride ♪

♪ Coming down the aisle I pray ♪

♪ For the strength to walk like a man ♪

♪ Well now the years have gone ♪

♪ And I've grown ♪

♪ From that seed you've sown ♪

♪ But I didn't think there'd be so many steps ♪

♪ I'd have to learn on my own ♪

♪ Well I was young and I didn't know what to do ♪

♪ When I saw your best steps stolen away from you ♪

♪ Now I'll do what I can ♪

♪ I'll walk like a man ♪♪

[theme music]