“Points Ain't Everything”: Emergent Goals and Average and Percent Understandings in the Play of Basketball among African American Students

Abstract

This study examines the shifting nature of the cultural practice of basketball as players move from middle school to high school play and related shifts in players' statistical evaluations linked to play. Thirty‐four middle and high school African American basketball players were observed and interviewed as they participated in the practice of basketball. Results show that the practice of basketball differs at these two levels of play corresponding to differences in mathematics linked to play.