Hoops (by Walter Dean Myers)

Fast, detailed basketball action combined with a realistic depiction of life on the streets of Harlem keeps kids who love sports enthralled. Seventeen-year old Lonnie wants to stay out of the violent organized crime in his neighborhood, but has no qualms about stealing a carton of scotch when the opportunity arises. He's in school, but his life revolves around basketball, in which he has real talent. His only chance to escape poverty comes with a basketball tournament for street kids -- Lonnie confidently expects to emerge as a leading player and get a scholarship.

Walter Dean Myers realistically reproduces the slang used by the characters, and gives readers a strong sense of life in the ghetto. Lonnie has little adult supervision but he has values, especially regarding basketball. He's appalled that Cal lost everything by participating in a gambling scheme. The re-emergence of the gamblers in Lonnie's tournament adds considerable suspense.