Description
Back in college, Marty Brown coached a ragtag basketball team of inner-city sixth graders, who went from barely able to dribble a ball to earning a spot in the Nor-Cal Championship Tournament. But the joyful memory of that winning season is overshadowed by the dark reality of a murder case gone cold—until a familiar face appears on TV and dredges up memories of a season Marty will never forget.
“I was on this case from the day it happened.” The caption on the screen identified the man speaking as Detective Pete Willover. “We had a good idea who did it, but we couldn’t prove it. We wouldn’t be able to prove it . . . not for twenty-six years.”
Ankle Breaker is based on the true story of two dedicated men. The coach teaches his players about hard work, determination, friendship, and God’s love, while the detective doggedly investigates and solves a decades-old murder. Through the power of teamwork and the advancements in DNA technology, both stories careen toward a shared conclusion. Bolstered by God’s grace in a world that is often cruel and unpredictable, a group of kids who could have given up on life before they even got started discover surprising victories, uncommon friendships, and help with navigating challenges in their young lives.
John Cochran –
What a surprise, on so many levels. Margaret Jane Brown does a masterful job of weaving two story lines together into a redemptive whole. Redemption is the theme. The redeeming value of sports. The redeeming value of a young man who dedicated himself to the lives of a group of down-and-out sixth graders who over the course of a school basketball season grew into a cohesive team that in the end demonstrated more character than the adults running the local season ending tournament. “Ankle Breaker” is, also, a story of hope. No matter how dark it gets or how large the obstacles before us, one person can still make a difference. As in this story, tragedy and trauma are a part of life. Indeed, each day has enough trouble of it’s own, yet faith, hope and love endure. This story incorporates them all. A great read. Inspiring. True. Loved it.