On the buzzer by Michael Panckridge

The legends series. Ford Street Publishing, 2018. ISBN 9781925272932
(Ages 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Basketball, Team competitions, Sportsmanship. Michael Panckridge was inspired to write fast-paced sporting books for reluctant readers. His popular The Legends series has been republished with updated covers, ready to be enjoyed by a new group of per-adolescent readers. Each book explores, friendship, school life and is centred on a different sport with fierce competition, rivalry and plenty of skills and tactics added.
At the end of the fifth round, the coveted football trophy mysteriously disappeared from the Sandhurst School library. Friends and team-mates, Bryce and Bubba are on the case, uncovering a secret tunnel that connects their school to their rival's college. Former team-mate Jack has moved house and school, he's now at Ascot; where will his loyalty lie?
There are underhanded tactics, and the assistance of the boys' coach Mrs Cartwright is less than stellar so Jack and his friends are forced to develop their own game-lay techniques as they learn to rely on each other. Lucy, Beck, Jack, Bryce and Bubba enjoy being friends even undertaking scary trips under the school to solve the trophy's disappearance. They work well together against the bullies, balancing schoolwork, family life and honing their basketball skills. The girls' team respond well to their coaching, however there is something very fishy about the boys' coach, why is she sabotaging their efforts?
On the buzzer is an exciting easy-read novel just right for sporting fans. Basketball stats, competition ladders, progress scores and a quiz add to the excitement of reading the sixth book in The Legends series.
Rhyllis Bignell