01x01 - Start Over

[bunniefuu]

[MARCHING BAND PLAYING]

MAN: ♪ Whoa, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah, what ♪

SIMONE, VOICE-OVER:
If you met me a year ago,

my life was going down
a very different path.

Baby, Vegas. Vegas, baby.

SIMONE, VOICE-OVER: My best
friend Jordan tried to step up,

even though he was not the father.

Does that mean you've changed
your mind about the baby or...

I think adoption is still best.

SIMONE, VOICE-OVER: Luckily, I
got to stay in my baby's life.

Shay Colby Douglas,

meet your other mom.

SIMONE, VOICE-OVER:
Then began the next chapter.

Jordan and I fell in love

and started focusing on college.

My mom wanted me to go to Stanford,

but then I came up to
visit my aunt at Bringston

for homecoming weekend
and everything changed.

- I'm Damon Sims.
- SIMONE, VOICE-OVER: Suddenly,

there was a new path to my dreams.

It's amazing to be someplace
that's for us, by us,

where excellence is expected.

I've decided on Bringston.

SIMONE, VOICE-OVER: So, here I am

at the start of this new path,

and something tells me it's
gonna be quite the ride.

- RUTHANNE: ♪ Ohh ♪

SHANELLE: Shay, say cheese...

RUTHANNE: ♪ You are my safe place ♪

♪ From things that I can't face ♪

I'm gonna miss you guys so much.

SHANELLE: It'll be Christmas
break before you know it.

Yeah.

- Do you think he'll forget me?
- Of course not.

You're his birth mom

and a part of his life.

Tariq and I adopting
him never changed that.

JORDAN: Ah. Come on, babe.

- [SHAY CRYING]
- SHANELLE: I know.

JORDAN: Let's get going. You
don't want to miss your flight.

I can't believe your parents did
not make it back to see you off.

I can.

All right. Well.

I'll see you soon.

- I'll see you soon.
- OK. I love you so much.

I love you, too.

- RUTHANNE: ♪ You forgive all my mistakes ♪
- JORDAN: Go.

RUTHANNE: ♪ Oh, you know you can ♪

♪ Talk to me ♪

♪ I'll be your therapy ♪

- SIMONE: Bye.
- [SHAY CRYING]

RUTHANNE: ♪ You are my safe place ♪

♪ From things that I can't face ♪

♪ When it all gets on top of me... ♪

Why so worried? She's gonna be fine.

It's not her I'm worried about.

- [CAMERAS' SHUTTERS CLICKING]
- WOMAN: And yes,

some may see giving up the pros

to come play here at
Bringston as a sacrifice,

but for my son, there was no choice.

Saving this school,

saving this baseball program,

giving back, well,

that's just who Damon Sims is.

Folks, you are looking at
the new face of HBCU baseball.

And one day, his portrait

will hang in these great halls, too.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Um, was all that really necessary, Mom?

Well, if you insist on
messing up your career

by throwing away the MLB, then

you bet your ass I'm gonna
make lemonade out of lemons.

But this is the last time.

REPORTER: You really think one man
can save a whole baseball program?

DAMON'S MOTHER: That's
all the questions for now.

Thank you very much. Thank
you. Thank you, everyone.

Ain't you special?

Shut up, bro. Look, I
gotta get outta here.

Let's do it. Where to?

OK.

Ready to throw some gas?

- Is my name Damon Sims?
- MAN: ♪ Wake up in the morning... ♪

♪ ... My burrito... boss ♪

♪ Couple opportunities
that need a massage ♪

♪ But everything is better
when the team is involved... ♪

Bro, you gotta keep the
ball in front of you.

What do you think I'm trying to do?

Real practice ain't till
this afternoon, brother.

- This supposed to be warm-ups.
- Warm-ups?

Wait, did y'all or did y'all not

have an academic cheating
scandal demolish this team?

- Yeah, and?
- And didn't y'all have to miss

last spring as a result of that?

- What's your point?
- My point is that

y'all are playing catch-up, bro.

We don't got time for warm-ups.

Every time we go, we
go hard or we go home.

No excuses.

Now let's go. Come on.

- MAN: Throw the ball, Damon.
- MAN : ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh... oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[PEOPLE SQUEALING]

Our bitch is back, our bitch is back,

our bitch is back.

Oh, I missed you guys.

- GIRL: Oh, my God.
- SIMONE: So much.

You better had.

And why have you been radio
silent in our group chat

these past couple months?

Because group chats are
the bane of my existence.

- Y'all know that.
- Well, we're gonna cure you of that

real quick here. But first,
I have to go handle Wilinda,

a.k.a. Chaotic Karen, before somebody

throws her out a window.

Remember you're a residential
advisor now, ma'am.

You can't lay hands on anybody.

- WOMAN: I make no promises.
- SIMONE: I'm sorry. Should we be worried?

- MAN: I love you.
- SIMONE: I love you, too.

Wait. Where is your entourage,

or at least that fine
boyfriend of yours?

Uh... I'm kind of doing

the college move-in thing solo.

My parents are...

they couldn't make it.
Jordan has a family thing.

And then my aunt is
stuck in some meeting

with her department
chair, so, it's just me.

- And me.
- What?

- No, it's OK. Go be with your mom.
- Child, hush.

I'll take the big one. Let's go.

Let's go.

Lord, what you got in here? [LAUGHS]

Why they insist on using prison cells

as their inspiration for college dorms,

I will never understand.

Well, this is my first college room,

and it's already perfect.

[DOOR CLOSES]

[SIGH]


[SIGH]

Simone Hicks, Jordan is busy.

[SIGH]

Put your big girl pants on and deal.

WOMAN: ♪ Get out of the room... ♪

♪ Everything is changing, ooh... ♪

Welcome to Bringston, girl.

WOMAN: ♪ Call me back... ♪

♪ Our golden hour's waiting ♪

Hey. I know I've been
going hard on you, bro,

but as pitcher and catcher,

we're the foundation of this team, man.

All right? We gotta set the tone, baby.

It's all good. I get it.

of our best suspended
because of that damn scandal,

we starting over from scratch.

We got you and Coach Turner now,

which means we headed
straight back to glory.

Yeah, we better be.

But your teammates aren't exactly
giving me the warmest welcome.

Maybe start referring
to them as our teammates.

Stop reminding them every two seconds

that you gave up the pros for Bringston.

They just might tolerate you.

Um, isn't that your girl
from homecoming weekend?

So, the rumors are true.

You remember me?

I make it a point to know who's
trying to make it onto my team.

Mm. Quite the welcoming committee.

You should see how I
treated the other hopefuls.

?

Wait. You didn't think
you were the only one

Coach Loni was giving
a sh*t to, did you?

OK. See, on this team,

nothing just gets handed to you.

It has to be earned.

And that's what makes us the best.

There are of you vying for
the last open spot on our team.

May the best woman win.

Well, Coach Loni's opinion is the
only one that matters right now,

and she has my back, so,

if you're done peeing
all over the court,

I'd like to get back to practicing.

No problem.

I will see you at
real practice tomorrow.

We're doing drills, so,

just come prepared to kick ass.

Oh, and since the NCAA
limits coaches' hours

before the official start of the season,

I'll be in charge of the drills.

- Why you?
- I'm team captain this year.

So, I guess my opinion does matter.

MAN: It takes courage to be successful.

And they want to label us underdogs?

Look here... underdogs
is not our state of mind.

You hear me? Now let them
call us what they want.

We know who we are, all right?

Up in here!

And that's a lesson for life,

not just baseball.

Look here. I have faith

in each and every one of y'all.

Now, Bringston baseball is back.

Now it's time to put in that work

and show the world what we can do!

You understand me?

Why ain't y'all moving?

Our bad. We didn't know
if you were finished

or if that was just
another pause for effect.

Man, get your smart asses
geared up and on that field

or I'll give you another damn monologue.

Come on, now. Stop digging
at the ball, Rashaan.

This ain't little league. That's it.

Come throw the damn ball. Come throw it!

That's it. Good catch, son.

WOMAN: ♪ Can I hit it, hit it, hit it ♪
♪ Can I go until I get it ♪

♪ Gonna run it, run it, run it ♪

♪ Can I push it to the limit... ♪

Dial it back, Sims.

I got outfielders waiting
to catch something.

Let them boys hit now.

Hey, if they want to be the best,

they gotta learn to
hit off the best, right?

We're here to win, fellas.

- Y'all got that?
- I have reasons

for the way I'm running my practice.

Yes, sir.

WOMAN: ♪ Lions, tigers, bears, oh, my ♪

♪ I'm having the time of my life ♪

♪ Push it, push it... ♪

Pull him. Come on.

MAN: All right, Sims. You're done.

- Roberts! You're up.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa,

what, y'all benching me during practice?

You got a problem with it,

take it up with Coach Marcus.

Let's go. Come on, Roberts.

Coach.

Yo, Coach.

Look, I'm just
motivating him, all right?

- These guys don't get it...
- Shut up and listen for once!

For once. OK?

If they don't hit, I can't evaluate

their weaknesses and fine-tune them.

You wanna know their weaknesses?

I spent the last week
working with these guys.

Their weakness is not one
of them got the ability

to take their game to
the next level. Not one!

You lost your best players

when your starters were suspended.

And the only person left

seemingly worth anything is Santiago,

and his ass is inconsistent in the box

because he lets his
emotions control the game.

What are we doing?

You done?

- Get off my field.
- Coach, I'm sorry, all right?

- Off my field, Sims.
- Coach.

I've heard enough from you today.

You can sit the rest of
the practice in the dugout.

Go.

The dugout?

I ain't give up the pros
to sit in anybody's dugout.

Wait a minute. Excuse me?

Sims! Don't you walk away from me.

Sims!

What's everyone standing around for?

WOMAN: President Ezekiel Allen.

Just the man I was headed to see.

You used my whole government name.

That can't be good.

Look, I am a beloved
professor at this university,

and damn good at my job.

So, make my lighter course
load this semester make sense.

Assignments are at the discretion

- of your department chair, so...
- Don't do that.

We've known each other
a long time, Zeke.

- You owe me the truth.
- All right.

Listen, now, this wasn't my call,

but there are some trustees

and some influential parents...

You mean full tuition parents.

I mean parents whose sons

were part of the
baseball group suspended

for taking paper courses.

They're putting a lot of
pressure on me to let you go.

I didn't perpetrate that scandal.

All I did was bring
the cheating to light

and protect this institution.

Well, not everyone agrees with how

Bringston's dirty laundry was aired.

So, we're sh**ting the messenger?

Amara, they just want
somebody to be mad at.

And right now, fair
or unfair, that's you.

You're a whistleblower, and
that comes with its own crap.

- Do you agree with them?
- No. Of course not.

But my feelings aren't
always what matters.

Look, this will blow over.

You just need to keep a low profile

until they find something
else to fixate on.

My reducing your course load

was the best way I could think

to help you keep that low profile.

It's better than losing your job,

which is what they wanted.

Now, I have to go.

AMARA: I am so, so sorry

I didn't make it in
time to help you move in.

It's OK, auntie.

You don't have to apologize. I know
you wouldn't have left me hanging

if it wasn't important.
Is everything OK?

It will be.

But enough about me.

My baby is officially
a college freshman.

[BOTH LAUGH]

- And to celebrate...
- For me?

You think I randomly walk around campus

with gift baskets? Ha ha!

It's just a little freshman welcome
box of essentials I put together.

- Yeah.
- You know.

Shower slippers,

wipes, disinfectant spray.

College kids are
nasty. Protect yourself.

OK, auntie. Oh, wow!

Wow.

- Really?
- Now, I know you don't expect me

to stand here and pretend like

we both don't know you have sex.

I'm not saying all that.

I'm just saying I'm not
gonna need those right now.

Oh, so, Jordan is never coming to visit.

I rest my case. The condoms stay.

OK.

So, is that what has you
down? Jordan being so far away?

That's cute, that you thought
you were hiding anything from me.

I just miss everything.

Jordan, baby Shay, my friends,

my life back in Beverly Hills.

Auntie, what if I made the wrong choice

coming to college so far away?

You're going to be fine, Simone.

You'll find your footing

and you'll find your people.

Probably here on these
tennis courts, frankly.

And once you start bonding
with your soon-to-be-teammates,

Bringston will start to feel like home.

Trust me.

Home.

MARCUS: That's it. Get
down. There you go. Go!

There... there it is.

Come on, that's it. Get down, Roberts.

There you go. Take 'em in, Coach Yee.

I don't see my star player.

If you're referring to Damon Sims,

he was being problematic.

So, I benched him.

This entire program rests
on that boy's shoulders.

Problematic or not, you make
sure he gets what he needs.

This is a team sport. We rise
together, we fall together.

Sims'll come on board eventually.

Eventually won't be soon enough.

What's going on?

The university is working through

some financial issues.

Yeah, us and every other HBCU.

So, why is this different?

We had to take some
aggressive measures this year.

As a result, some of our programs

are on the short list for being cut,

and given the baseball program's
already on shaky ground as is...

Damn, we moved to the top of that list.

We're just getting started, man.

Building a championship team takes time.

That is something you
don't have anymore, Turner.

Now, if you can't make this
Damon Sims experiment work

and turn the Lions into a
championship caliber team

- by the end of the semester...
- Semester?

There'll be no program come Spring.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

- AMARA: You got a second?
- MARCUS: Of course.

I realize I owe you an apology.

It's come to my attention

that not everyone is overjoyed

with the fact that I
exposed Shaw's cheating.

I mean, I expected a few people

to be in their feelings, but

I don't know. I guess

it cuts a little deeper when it's
your own people turning on you.

Anyway, I realize now that

mine isn't the only future
affected by my actions.

You finally got your dream
of being a head coach,

but because of me,

it's overshadowed by all
this scandal nonsense.

- I'm sorry.
- You have nothing to apologize for, Amara.

In fact, I was gonna tell you...

DAMON: Coach, I... I don't
mean to interrupt you guys, but

Coach, I kind of really
need to talk to you.

Oh, it's no problem.

I'm scheduled to talk
somebody else's ear off anyway.

Look, whatever it is, Sims,

it better be prefaced by an apology

for walking out on your team.

Way to steal my thunder there, Coach.

- Does she know?
- Know what?

That you were her anonymous
source on the cheating scandal?

What, you didn't think
I was gonna remember

your on-field confession
homecoming weekend?

Don't you have some orientation
or something to get to, son?

Yeah, I do, but...

actually, Coach, the... the guys,
they were talking crazy about

the baseball program
maybe being cut, and...

like, I know that's stupid,

but, like, I came to
talk to you to see if...

Coach, is... is that for real?

Look, relax, OK?

- It's gonna be fine.
- How is it gonna be...

Coach, we don't have enough
star power on the team

to turn things around fast enough.

We have more than enough time.

We just have to be
patient with these players.

All right? Focus on the fundamentals.

Get them their confidence
back. They'll get there.

In fact, our friendly scrimmage
game against Hawkins Georgia tomorrow

will prove to all of you that
the foundation is there. OK?

And Sims...

Yeah, Coach?

You ever walk out on me in
the middle of practice again,

you're done on this
team. You understand me?

Yes, sir.

WOMAN: What you're about to
experience here at Bringston

over the next years is special.

No shade to all your people
living their best lives at PWIs,

but life here at Bringston
is the real prize.

OK, so, we're gonna wrap this up,

because I know y'all wanna go party.

- [CROWD CHEERING]
- MAN: Yes, sweet baby Jesus. Thank you.

Bye!

OK, madame R.A.

Let me find out there's some
politics in your future, girl.

I was actually hoping
that Godiva brother

- would be in my future.
- SIMONE: Who?

- WOMAN: Damon Sims' roommate.
- Wait. Damon lives here?

Technically in the male
wing of this dorm, yes.

And you were just a little too
excited about that, Simone Hicks.

OK, it's just, you know,

nice to know someone
else I know lives here.

OK. Well, then, why
don't we just call him

and maybe we can hang out with him
and his football God of a roommate?

Or not. Keisha, what happened

to your vow of celibacy after
your breakup with Lisa this summer?

I can be celibate and
still enjoy new company.

- Oh, not the way you enjoy it.
- Girl, leave it alone!

[ALL LAUGHING, TALKING]

Of course she lives here.

Guys, I knew I should've moved
into a freshman-only dorm.

Well, ignore Thea.

It's your first official
night in college.

It's time to get into some trouble.

Honestly, I've had a long day,

and I have drills tomorrow, so,

I'm just gonna shower
and call it a night.

[VIDEO GAME SOUNDS ON TV]

I'm starting to think that I picked

- the wrong guy to coach me, man.
- You didn't pick anybody.

President Allen did.

Well, Coach Turner and
the other assistant coaches

were gone. You know that.

They were cleaning house
after Coach Shaw resigned.

I vouched for Turner.

My enrollment here is
conditioned on him being my coach.

Then maybe you should trust him.

Stop playing around. Y'all don't
even get how serious this is.

Don't I?

You think 'cause I don't
have the pros knocking,

this ain't important to me, Damon?

Man, I'm here on a baseball scholarship.

No program means no scholarship.

Stakes are high for me, too, fool.

Listen, there's an entire
team of players out there

with their dreams, their education,

their families' livelihoods
is on the line, Damon.

But to know that, you'd
actually have to be focused

on someone other than yourself.

Got a bonfire to set up.

[POP MUSIC PLAYING]

Day one and you forget your damn robe.

Get it together, Simone.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Come on, Keisha.

[SIGH]

- DAMON: Whoa.
- SIMONE: Oh, my God.

Well, if it ain't Simone Hicks.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Ooh.

Do I even wanna ask or...

JORDAN ON PHONE: Well, your
room doesn't look that bad.

Yeah, says the guy who
lives in a beach house.

Yeah. It's all right.

Kinda sucks 'cause you're not here.

- I miss you.
- I miss you more.

Graduation seemed like yesterday.

I can't believe it's already
been a month and a half.

Yeah, I know. I can't believe
Bringston started so early.

Wait. What's all that
music in the background?

- JJ's throwing a party.
- Damn, another one?

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

You are not spending your first
night moping in your room. Come on.

- Where?
- Oh. Hi, Jordan!

Bye, Jordan!

We'll bring her back
in one piece. I promise.

Don't take no for an answer from her.

OK. [HANGS UP]

You heard the man.

It's time to make you look fly as hell.

MAN: Freshmen,

on behalf of the distinguished
brothers of Kappa Epsilon Kappa,

welcome to Bringston University.

MEN: B.U.!

MAN: And to unofficially kick off
y'all orientation and transition

y'all from freshmen
cubs to Bringston Lions,

we're gonna need y'all
to repeat after us,

- I am!
- FRESHMEN: I am!

- I am!
- I am!

- MAN: Brilliant!
- FRESHMEN: Brilliant!

- Brilliant!
- Brilliant!

- I am!
- I am!

- I am!
- I am!

- A leader!
- A leader!

- A leader!
- A leader!

- I am!
- I am!

- Black excellence!
- Black excellence!

- We are...
- We are...

- Bringston Lions.
- Bringston Lions.

And can't nobody mess with our pride.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

KAH-LO: ♪ What you waiting
for? Put ya back in it ♪

- MEN: ♪ Put ♪
- KAH-LO: ♪ What you waiting for? ♪

- MEN: ♪ Put ♪
- KAH-LO: ♪ Put ya back in it... ♪

Hey, J.

Can I holler at you real quick?

Look, I owe you an apology, man.

For real you've been
nothing but a solid friend

since we met on that U national team..

And I've been nothing but
an ass since I enrolled here.

- That you have.
- Bruh, all I know is competitive baseball.

The pressure to win at all costs,

the pressure to get on
the MLB's radar, man.

But I did come to Bringston to
be a part of something better.

Something real, and
I meant that. I just...

guess I lost sight of
that for a little bit.

Good thing I'm here to
keep you on track, right?

- Is it really that simple for you?
- Yeah, man.

Life is too short to be
beefing with my brothers.

All right. Let's get you a drink.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Oh, this is the college
life I have been waiting for.

I'm so glad y'all dragged me out.

- Yes. He's here. He is here.
- Girl, who?

- SIMONE: Cam?
- CAM: Simone?

So, are we just calling out
names, 'cause hi. I'm Keisha.

Hold up. You are Damon's roommate?

Wait, so, you two know
each other already?

Yeah. From back in L.A.

He was Spencer's biggest rival
and best friends with my ex.

OK. Cam from L.A.

- you got a last name?
- My bad.

Cam Watkins.

- You got a last name, Keisha?
- Ew. This is gross.

I need to talk to you.

Seriously, what are you doing here?

I thought you'd be
playing football in, like,

Alabama or Oregon or something.

Well, the coach here made me
an offer I couldn't refuse.

Plus, I don't know.

With everything that's going on
in the world right now, it just,

felt right being around
my people, you know?

Yeah. I hear you.

So, uh...

- what's going on with your girl Keisha?
- Uh, no. Just no.

Leave her alone.

Wait, wait, wait.

All right, look, I know we ain't
never really been cool or nothing,

but just to be clear,

Dane wasn't my best anything.

He was an ass.

And the way he treated you when
you were pregnant wasn't cool.

Look, can you not put my
business out in the streets?

It's not exactly public knowledge

that I had a baby and
gave him up for adoption.

Hey, your secret's safe with me.

- College is about starting over, right?
- Hey. What's up?

Oh, what's up, bro?

Uh, it's our song. I don't
wanna miss out. Come on.

- Are you high?
- I'm rescuing you.

MAN: ♪ We gon' get it
poppin', it's the truth ♪

♪ Yeah, we got it... packed
house jumpin' out the building ♪

- ♪ Yeah, we got... ♪
- DAMON: So, are you and Cam

- really friends, huh?
- Oh, I would not say all that.

We're more like decent acquaintances.

Huh. But I appreciate
the misplaced gesture.

Well, next time, I'm just
gonna mind my business.

So, you enrolled at
Bringston after all, huh?

I did.

You don't look too happy about that.

What happened to you
minding your business?

Ha. I'm playing, I'm playing.

Honestly, I'm just homesick.

What, you miss your husband?

Yeah. I miss Jordan.

But that's back to boyfriend now.

I appreciate you minding
your business on that one. Ha!

- DAMON: Talk about...
- [SIMONE LAUGHS]

But it's not just that.

Seeing all these families move in today

made me realize that as complicated

as my relationship is with my mom,

- I miss her, too, you know?
- Tell me about it.

I know a thing or two about
complicated, disapproving mothers.

Just like, why can't we have
what other freshmen have?

Normal, supportive families that

help them move into their new dorm

and then hang their curtain rods

so they don't have to figure
out the power drills themselves.

That's oddly specific.

If you ask me, families
are highly overrated.

Damn. Who hurt you as a child?

Let's see. Should I go with

the parents who gave me up for
adoption when I was a baby or

the mother who I'm worried loves

the baseball player more than the son?

I'm sorry.

That actually came out way more
depressing than I intended it to.

It did.

- DAMON: That's sad.
- [BOTH LAUGH]

KEISHA: OK, enough with
the deep conversation.

You said you wanted to
party. Let's go dance. Now.

Right. Hey, you dance, though, right?

I actually gotta head out, but um...

Hey, you deserve a good night.

So, y'all two go crazy.

See ya.

- I mean, I do deserve a crazy night.
- Yes, you do.

Oh! Yeah. Yeah. [LAUGHS]

THEA: Welcome to hell.

These drills are not for the weak,

so, I hope you're rested,
hydrated, and ready to work.

'Cause we're gonna be here for a while.

Now, remember, y'all, this is
a friendly scrimmage, all right?

I want y'all to get out there, get
your reps in, and have some fun.

- MAN: Hawkins!
- MEN: Buffalo!

Hey, this is a joke, right?

Well, isn't this something.

What the hell do you think you're doing?

Playing baseball. Huh.

Isn't that why we're all here?

You look new. Leonard Shaw.

Coach Yee. Assistant coach.

All this used to be mine.

Do Hawkins know why you were fired?

That you were behind those
fake classes for your players?

Resigned.

And since there was no NCAA violation,

well, Hawkins got no problem
with how I run my program

and raise champions.

Deal just closed yesterday.

Bringston baseball
is nothing without me.

I built this program

and I'm gonna make sure
nobody forgets that.

It's gonna be a long season, Coach.

Hmm? Huh. Buckle up!

Hey, who want to play some ball?

THEA: Hit a little lower.

We're not moving on until
you get in a row, Simone.

Good.

- [CROWD CHEERING]
- [DAMON SIGHS]

- There you go, Sims.
- It's nothing you ain't seen before.

One down, one down.

Let's get a stop. Let's
get the rally. Let's go.

- [CLINK]
- [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

Go, go, go, go!

SHAW: Little bingo, baby, little bingo.

We got a rally started.

HAPPY BOY: ♪ Feel the fire going up ♪

♪ I go higher ♪

♪ I-I-I feel the fire ♪

♪ I, I go higher ♪

♪ I-I-I feel the fire ♪

♪ I, I go higher ♪

♪ I-I-I feel the fire... ♪

MAN: ... , baby.

- [CLINK]
- [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

MEN: Uhh!

HAPPY BOY: ♪ Feel the fire ♪

SHAW: Here we go,
baby. Little bingo now.

Little bingo, little bingo now.

- [CLINK]
- [CROWD CHEERING]

HAPPY BOY: ♪ Yeah,
this is how we do it ♪

MARCUS: God dang it!

Hey.

You're done for today.

- No.
- Coach Loni is the one

sending you home, Simone.

She said she's seen enough.

I thought you said coach
couldn't be on the court.

She can't.

But...

She's always watching.

_

_

Hmm.

- [APPLAUSE, INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
- MARCUS: ... Let's go!

Come on, J. Come on, baby.

MARCUS: Come on, J, let's
go. Come on, let's go, boy!

- DIFFERENT MAN: Let's go, kid!
- DIFFERENT MAN: Come on, here we go!

Let's go, baby.

SHAW: Oh, yes!

You don't want that smoke.

You don't want that smoke.

J: ... Baby.

MARCUS: Bring 'em on! Let's go!

SHAW: There you go, baby. There you go.

There you go.

He don't want that
smoke. Give it to him.

Come on, J, let's go!

That's it.

- [CLINK]
- [CROWD CHEERING, WHISTLING]

Aah!

You decide you wanna play for a program

know what to do with your talent,

give me a call.

All right, that's what
championships feel like!

That's how you close it out. Good job.

Nate, what if the universe is telling me

I picked the wrong college?

Honey, the universe is just
telling you that you're grown now.

And that your late-night
partying decisions

have real next-day consequences.

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, hello. Come take a seat.

Nate is giving us full
Tabitha brown right now.

- NATE: Girl.
- [SIMONE LAUGHS]

- NATE: Kee, you OK?
- KEISHA: I just got a call

from our residential director.

There's an issue with
your campus housing.

- What do you mean?
- Apparently, only your tuition

was paid for the semester,
not your room and board.

So, your assignment to
this dorm was a mistake.

Wait. What?

No. I know it was paid.

My parents paid for it.

It's been a minute since you've
had a loss like that, huh?

Yes, sir.

Well, losing is a part of the process.

If you're about to tell me that it helps

build character, Coach, I'm good.

No, I was about to say it sucks. Heh.

Especially losing to Coach
Shaw on his old field.

But you want to know why they b*at us?

'Cause they was better than us.

The hell they were.

They b*at us in here.

We let Coach Shaw psych us out.

We just gotta take it
as a growth moment, man.

Pick up the pieces

and keep building this team

- with the fundamentals...
- Fundamentals and Patience.

- I know, Coach.
- And your hunger to win.

This game showed me the foundation

of what we need is in this team.

But it also showed me you were right

in wanting to push them,

and that hunger is the final piece

to pushing them past the limitations

this world is gonna set on them.

We can get them there.

- We?
- Yes. We.

- Right now?
- Nah, don't celebrate yet, Sims.

Look, your team has to
respect and trust you first.

You got that?

That's gonna be your first challenge.

I'm ready.

OK. Come on, now.

SIMONE: She said if I
insist on defying her

with these impulsive decisions
that will wreck my future,

she wants no part of it.

KEISHA: I'm sorry, choosing an HBCU

qualifies as wrecking your life?

To my mother, anything outside

of an Ivy league or Stanford
is wrecking your life.

KEISHA: Well, then why
not take it all away?

Why continue to pay your tuition?

Because apparently, my dad
put his foot down on that one.

Well, at least he
stood up for something.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Your dad called.

Estranged or not,

me and my sister are
gonna have some words

about her definition of tough love.

First, let's get you taken care of.

You can move in with me off campus

till we sort out this
whole dorm situation.

NATE: And I'm the queen of
gaming the financial aid system.

I'll help you navigate all that.

Thank you. Really.

Listen, I know it's been a tough
first few days for you here.

But Simone, that doesn't mean the
blessing isn't around the corner.

Yeah. Sometimes, you just gotta
fight a little harder for it.

- SIMONE: I love you guys.
- AMARA: I love you.

All right. Let's get you packed up.

Actually...

do y'all mind getting started?
There's something I really need

- to handle real quick.
- Where are you going?

To fight a little harder for
something that's important to me.

[DOOR OPENS]

[PRESSING ELEVATOR BUTTON]

Hey, do you know where
I can find Coach Loni?

It won't make a difference, Simone.

- Coach Loni saw enough today.
- Look.

I own that I messed up
partying late last night,

knowing I had drills this morning.

But I need her to know she'll
never see me like that again.

Tennis is everything to me.

Well, Coach Loni believes
actions, not words.

That's why I'll prove it to her.

Every day, every practice.

However long it takes to show her

I'd be an asset on this team.

AMARA: Girl, what on earth
is in this suitcase? Bricks?

DAMON: Looks like we
all had the same idea.

Not that I don't appreciate the image,

but why are y'all standing
there with power tools?

'Cause we here to put
up the curtain rods.

Uh, thank you. That's very sweet.

But I'm actually moving out, so,

- y'all are off the hook.
- Thank you.

- And on that note...
- AMARA: Whoa.

Not so fast, handsome.

There's still plenty of manual
labor y'all can help with.

If you're lucky,

there might be a meal at the end of it.

[LAUGHS] You had me at meal.

AMARA: Come on.

[LAUGHTER]

Thank you so much for
dinner, Dr. Patterson.

My pleasure. Any friend of Simone's

is welcome here anytime.

If the food is always
gonna be like this,

can we make this, um,
like a regular thing?

You know what? I
actually really like that.

A family dinner once a week.

AMARA: OK. [CHUCKLES]

I just want to take the
time to just say thank you.

For helping me move, yes, but

just for everything.

And honestly, I don't know that

I would've made it these last
couple days without each of you.

Yes, you would have.

'Cause you're resilient.

Never let anything keep
you from your dream.

KEISHA: Same goes for you, Dr. P.

We heard rumors that

they were cutting back
on some of your classes.

What?

- Why?
- AMARA: It's OK.

KEISHA: No. It's not OK.

As a people, we should
be standing behind you

for doing what's right,
not tearing you down.

NATE: Just know we got your back.

We're not gonna let
them take you from us.

Don't worry. Neither am I.

Now, I'm not gonna lie. It had
me rattled for a minute, but...

You youngins have inspired me.

So, they can take my classes.

But they can't stop me
from sharing my knowledge

on a grassy knoll with my students,

or at a cafe or

anywhere else I damn well please.

- KEISHA: Mm. Atta girl.
- [LAUGHTER]

Now, since y'all can't
pay, y'all can help clean.

[LAUGHTER]

- J: Here. I got that.
- SIMONE: Oh, OK.

That was good. [LAUGHTER]

What I said about family yesterday

at the... the bonfire...

I was wrong.

My parents giving me up for adoption...

It is what it is.

But family comes in all forms.

What you and your aunt have here...

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

I mean, this is... special. You know?

Yeah.

It is.

- DAMON: Ohh.
- J: Hey, man,

I didn't know you was adopted.

Uh, my birth parents are
actually Bringston alums.

That's all I really
know about them, too.

Real talk, I don't really
wanna know anything else.

MUSTAFA: ♪ There's only
so much words to fill ♪

♪ Silence in this place ♪

♪ Oh, I'm too young to fade away ♪

♪ Oh, I'm too young to feel this pain ♪

♪ Oh, we're too young
to separate, separate ♪

♪ And I try, and I try, and I try ♪

J: Hey, Damon, I didn't
know you was adopted.

DAMON: Uh, my birth parents
are actually Bringston alums.

MUSTAFA: ♪ ... Nothing in
the night, in the night ♪

Mine too.