EXT. BROCKWELL PARK - DAY

A scorching summer day in South East. The park is heaving. In the distance the skyline of the inner city is vibrating in the heat. We can hear a medley of grime music, trains and faint sirens. We cut to:

EXT. BASKETBALL COURTS - DAY

A public basketball court, concrete with shabby backboards and no nets. The source of the grime. A crowd has gathered to watch a game of 4 on 4 taking place on one side of the court. Weed is being smoked and beers are passed around an assembled audience sitting on concrete and benches. The two teams square up. Holding the ball is RICO(23, mixed race,) athletic, confident. Surrounding him are INDY(18, Hispanic), TOM(25, white, lanky) and ELROY(22, South-Asian). They face off against MICAH and SHAQ(20, best friends, always on the same team, always at each others throats.), WOJ(30, eastern European, bad attitude) and MARCUS(24, Eritrean, reserved).

TOM
Ite, 1’s and 2’s yeah? Play to 11.

Nods and grunts of agreement. Dun Talkin’ by Kojo Funds blasts from the speaker. The game begins.

INDY
Cut left!

MICAH
Screen right!

It is instantly clear that Rico is a cut above the other players. He uses the screen from Elroy to glide past Shaq, a burst of speed to beat Micah before leaping into the air and dunking the ball. There are cheers from the benches.

BENCH
(simultaneously)
Skrrr! Oi! Jheeees!

MICAH
(to SHAQ)
What you doing cuz? I told you screen right!

SHAQ
(to MICAH)
Don’t chat to me bro!
(pointing at RICO)
After my man just ghosted past you like that!

MICAH
‘Low it bruv!
(to RICO)
Ite go again.

Micah bounces the ball to Rico. He quickly shifts his body and shoots a three pointer. The benches erupt again. Micah is speechless.

SHAQ
Oi Micah, come off this guy cuz.
Swap.
Swap, bro.
Mans selling you a dream.

Woj now guards Rico. Elroy starts the possession. He attempts a pass out to Tom, but Marcus intercepts and plays a quick pass to Shaq, who has a clear run at the basket, he jumps for the lay up and...


SMACK!


Rico appears out of nowhere, blocking the shot and smashing the ball out of bounds in one swift movement. It’s too much for the crowds, who burst into hysterical laughter and cat calls.

BENCH
Get that shit outtaaa here!

Shaq and his team, now embarrassed, start to play more physically. The music from the benches is turned up and so is the competitiveness. Both sides trade a couple of points.

CUT TO: A PHONE RINGING ON THE BENCH - “SCHOOL”

Micah and his team score a couple of quick points. Rico responds with an incisive pass to Tom, who uses his great height to score. They spud each other.

TOM
Nice pass.

RICO
Nice dunk. White man don’t need to jump if he got legs that long yeah?

CUT TO: PHONE RINGING AGAIN - “MALIA”

The boys are sweating now, the benches sat up attentively.

TOM
What’s the score?

WOJ
7 - 5

SHAQ
5? Shit man. Come on boys, lets keep it moving!

Shaq passes it wide to Woj, who fakes to shoot, passes to Micah, who shoots a three pointer.

MARCUS
7-7!

MICAH
(Putting a finger to his lips)
Truss me.

SHAQ
Oh what, you're' playing now? Where was that earlier?

MICAH
Relax cuz! We got this.

Rico takes control of the ball. Not if he has anything to say about it.

CUT TO: THE PHONE RINGS AGAIN - “MUM”

Rico unbalances Micah with a bamboozling dribble. Elroy is free. He feeds him the ball through the legs of Micah. Elroy looks up, and hits the 3. The benches howl with delight.

WOJ
Shit!

TOM
9-7!

SHAQ
Oh my days! That’s the Micah I know! Eeeediat.

The phone rings again. This time as it vibrates it falls off the bench onto the ground. It’s Rico’s. He jogs over and checks the phone. His face falls. He looks at the court, then back to his phone.

RICO
Yo! Gimme the ball.
(to SHAQ)
Gimme the ball! I gotta cut.

There are noises of disbelief from both teams and the bench.

TOM
Bruv, you can’t leave! It’s a 2 point game.

MICAH
He’s too shook
(turning to SHAQ)
Init? Too shook.

SHAQ
(dismissively)
I beg you don’t lie to yourself.

RICO
(to the BENCHES)
Can someone jump in?

No takers.

RICO (CONT’D)
Ite. Sorry guys. I’m gone.

Rico picks up the ball under his arm, quickly spuds both teams and then sprints out of the court.

CUT TO:
EXT. DAY - STREETS

Rico runs through the streets. No stopping for traffic until he reaches...

EXT. DAY - SCHOOL

An empty school playground. Rico arrives at the gate. It is being locked up by a groundskeeper. Rico hoists himself up the gate to get a better look at the playground.

GROUNDSKEEPER
Excuse me? The school is closed.

RICO
Oh shi-
(He remembers the voice he uses to talk to white people)
I mean, sorry. I’m here to -

GROUNDSKEEPER
Everyone’s gone home now. Who were you here to see?

RICO
I’m not here to see anyone. I’m here to collect my son.