"Foul Shot" is a short story by Edwin Hoey that explores themes of racism and personal growth. The narrative revolves around a young African American basketball player named Richard who faces racial prejudice from the opposing team's fans during a crucial foul shot. 
 
"Ex-Basketball Player" by John Updike is a poem that tells the story of Flick Webb, a former high school basketball star who now works at a gas station.
 
This product contains higher-level thinking questions for each poem which require students to determine what strategies each author used to convey his message. "Ex-Basketball Player" has an activity which includes highlighters. Paired-poem questions are included to compare the two. Answers are provided for all activities.