It's November, and everybody knows what that means -- it means that basketball season is here! The Chakeres era at Santa Fe Prep begins on Monday at 3:30. I won't be there, but hopefully I'll be able to make it to the late practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

My brother and I were fortunate enough to attend a coach's clinic a couple of weeks ago hosted by this guy. I am happy to report that he is as gruff and demanding in real life as he appears in person, and playing for him would be quite an ordeal. But he knows his basketball, and so we took some things that we're hoping will be able to work for our team.

The team also watched Hoop Dreams together last weekend, and I was struck by how perfect the movie was. I have never read or watched a fictional story about basketball or about high schoolers that is more compelling. I might still pick Hoosiers as my all-time favorite basketball movie, but that's because we need fairy tales and because Hoop Dreams is not really about basketball.