Slam Dunk by Kate Jaimet is one of the best Orca Sport books that I've read because even though it is about basketball, it adds a mystery to make the reader excited.
Salvador Amaro or Slam thought being an assistant coach for a girls' basketball team was simple until he bumps into a mystery of the missing coach and star point guard. While trying to solve the mystery, he also needs to solve how to be on the basketball squad.
Inez, the star point guard of Slam's team wasn't playing like she used to be. Missing shots, making bad passes, getting turnovers, basically a bad player. Everyone thought it was because of her black eye. She explained that she got into a friendly fight.While Slam's team was getting completely dusted, the opposing team's number 20 carried her team by doing dirty fouls.
After the game ended, the Brookfield's decided to hang out in a coffee shop and discuss about number 20. The girls suspected that number 20 gave Inez a black eye because she knew they were the only team undefeated and that Inez and number 20 were both playing a pickup game on Sunday.
In Slam's basketball career, he decided to join tryouts to be in an under 17 basketball team.
When he went inside, he scouted his competitors. They were like skyscrapers with long wingspans.
As he proceeded, Slam noticed his friend Mike. Their coach, Mr. Donovan tested their athleticism with lung-breaking warm ups, exhausting them. After what seemed like torture, Coach Donovan examined who was different from the group, by setting up a 5 on 5 game. Just as the game was tied, Slam realized he was on a fast break. This was the time to show his signature move. Sadly, an opposing team member blocked the dunk. The opponent sprinted to the net and judging by the sound, he lost.
A few days later, the girls were practising when a their school secretary came up to Inez's mom to hand a letter. Everyone zipped their mouth in complete silence since the coach's face isn't a good sign that it was a positive letter.
After practice, Slam stealthily grabbed the letter. He inspected and it wrote, "DO NOT DO ANYTHING STUPID". He thought of this for awhile and decided to tell one of the team members. He did not want to tell Inez because she has a game in a week.
The basketball game went great. By first half, they were dominating. One by one. The coach talked to them like any other coaches when suddenly, the school secretary sent a package. Inez's mom denied to open it because it smelled like corpses but after a long time, she opened it. It's a dead fish. Inez and her mom ran to get some air.
In slam's life, his coach made them do more workouts and games. Slam concentrated every second of the session. His coach was impressed. He told Slam that if he behaved this way, he would make the tryouts.
While Inez and the other girls were practising, a sketchy middle-aged man entered the gym. He had soda on one arm and creepiness in the other. Slam suspected he was Inez's creepy stalker. Every movement checks out that he is that guy. Slam followed him to an apartment that was sketchy and old. He decided to go back and inspect the soda with his friend. The DNA matched all the evidence from the taunts.
Slam's third session turned out to be great. He passed and impressed the coach but this one challenge he couldn't do. Confront Inez's stalker. Slam entered the stalker's apartment while his friend records. Hours passed and finally he spotted the stalker. He tried confronting him but he jumped Slam. Thankfully , Slam's friend called the cops. The stalker was arrested.
Inez explained everything. Her mom had a fight with the stalker. If she says anything, the creepy person will mess her up. The dead fish was a sign that they were dead because the coach has a fish as a sign of safety. Here's the twist. The stalker is her father.