Full-Court Miracle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Full Court Miracle |
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Film poster
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| Written by | Joel Silverman |
| Directed by | Stuart Gillard |
| Starring | Alex D. Linz Richard T. Jones |
| Theme music composer | Christopher Brady |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Jacqueline George |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Daniel L. Paulson Productions |
| Distributor | Buena Vista Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | Disney Channel |
| Original release | November 21, 2003 |
Full-Court Miracle is a fun Disney Channel Original Movie that first aired in 2003. It's a special Hanukkah film that tells an inspiring story about teamwork and believing in yourself. The movie is based on the real-life experiences of University of Virginia basketball star Lamont Carr. It's all about a group of young Jewish basketball players who are trying to find a coach to help their team win during the Hanukkah holiday.
Contents
The Story of the Lions Basketball Team
A Team in Need of a Coach
The movie follows Alex Schlotsky, a 14-year-old freshman at Philadelphia Hebrew Academy. Alex and his friends are part of the school's basketball team, called the Lions. The Lions aren't very good, but they dream of winning the Liberty Tournament. They especially want to beat their rivals, the Warriors. The biggest problem for the Lions is that they don't have a good coach.
Alex and his friends are determined to find someone special to lead their team. They want to find their own "Judah Macabee," a famous Jewish hero, to coach them.
Meeting Coach Lamont Carr
One day, while practicing at a local park, Alex spots a man who he thinks could be the perfect coach. This man is Lamont Carr, played by Richard T. Jones. Lamont was once a college basketball star, but a knee injury stopped him from joining the NBA.
Lamont is going through a tough time and doesn't have a place to stay. Alex also has his own challenges. His mom wants him to become a doctor, but Alex really loves basketball.
Building a Team and a Home
At first, Lamont and Alex don't get along well. Alex interrupts Lamont's practice. But the next day, Alex offers to pay Lamont to coach the Lions for a while. Lamont agrees, even though he's not sure about it.
The first practices are hard. The boys get tired and frustrated with Lamont's coaching style. But Alex helps Lamont understand how to inspire the team. He teaches them to love the game of basketball.
The school's principal, Mrs. Klein, is worried about Lamont. She tries to follow him to see where he goes after practice. Alex knows Lamont doesn't have a home, so he helps him. Alex tells Lamont to go to an apartment building where Alex's dad is trying to find a renter.
Alex opens the door for Lamont just as Mrs. Klein arrives. Lamont and Alex's dad make a deal: Lamont can live in the room for free until Alex's dad finds a tenant. This gives Lamont a place to stay.
The Big Tournament and a Tough Choice
As the Liberty Tournament gets closer, Lamont tells the team exciting news. He has received an offer to play for the Philadelphia 76ers for 10 days! This means he will have to leave the Lions and play professional basketball.
The Lions are sad, but they decide to try and win the tournament without their coach. They play really well and win every game in the tournament.
The Final Game and a Miracle
On the day of the final game, Alex finally talks to his mom. He helps her understand how much he loves basketball. His mom then convinces Alex's best friend, Julie, to forgive him after a disagreement.
The final game takes place on a stormy night. Alex's mom drives Julie to the game. Then, she goes to a 76ers game where Lamont is playing. She wants to convince him to come to the Lions' final game. Lamont's van has broken down, so Alex's mom offers to drive him.
The storm causes the power to go out in the school gym. The school uses an emergency generator to keep the game going. Both teams agree that the game will end when the generator runs out of fuel. The team with the most points at that moment will win.
The Warriors, the rival team, come up with a plan. When they are ahead and the generator is almost out of fuel, they will call a timeout. This timeout will last until the fuel runs out, making them the winners. The Lions are upset and discouraged.
Just then, Lamont appears in the gym! He encourages the Lions not to give up. The power goes out again, and the Warriors start celebrating. But then, the generator restarts, even though it was out of gas! The power comes back on.
In the final moments of the game, the Lions catch up. With only seconds left, Alex passes the ball instead of shooting it himself. This leads to the Lions scoring the winning basket!
A Happy Ending
Everyone at the school celebrates the Lions' victory. Lamont's wife and son arrive at the gym and announce they will stay with Lamont. Lamont tells the Lions that he plans to become their full-time coach.
In the end, Alex has convinced his mom to let him play basketball. She even helped bring Lamont's family to him. The movie ends with Alex and Lamont's families playing basketball together, including Julie. Alex's mom even turns out to be a good player! A story about Hanukkah and how it relates to the basketball game is shared, showing how miracles can happen.
Cast
- Alex D. Linz - Alex Schlotsky
- Richard T. Jones - Lamont Carr
- R.H. Thomson - Rabbi Lewis
- Sean Marquette - Big Ben Swartz
- Erik Knudsen - TJ Murphy
- David Sazant - Joker Levy
- Sheila McCarthy - Mrs. Klein
- Linda Kash - Cynthia Schlotsky
- Jason Blicker - Marshall Schlotsky
- Cassie Steele - Julie
- Jack Manchester - Tyler
- Ron Gabriel - Coach Simowitz
- Stan Coles - Larry
- Sean Loucks - Referee Bob
- Gina Kash - Sarah Lewis
- Dan Willmott - Tow Truck Driver
- Elle Downes - Charmaine
- Jerome Williams - Himself
