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Cheryl Miller plays for the University of the Southern California women's basket ball team. She is th best woman basketball player in the world. And she is betting better.

Cheryl started playing basketball when she was 7 years old in Riverside, California. "I didn't play very well. The ball was almost as big as I was," she says. By the time Cheryl was 11, she was getting knocked down a lot, but, "I just kept hanging in there. I loved it," she says.

She used to go out with her younger brother Reggie looking for a game. "I would hide while he set up a game with "him and his sister for $5," Cheryl says. "The guys always used to think, "Boy, we have made a quick $5." Then I'd step out from where I was hiding and they would se how tall I was." She has always been tall. Today she is 6'2".

Saul Miller, Cheryl and Reggie's father, played a big part in helping his children with basketball. He put in a court in their yard. He even bought video equipment to help them see what they did wrong. Cheryl was the best high school basketball player in the country. Riverside Polytechnic High School won 132 games and lost only 4 while Cheryl played on the team. She scored 3,405 points, and 1,156 were in her last year. In her best game she scored 105 points. "All I was doing was playing the game," Cheryl says. "I didn't feel bad that I scored all those points. I didn't go out with the idea of winning by a hundred points. I t just happened. I guess it was the best game I ever played."

Over 250 colleges wanted Cheryl to play basketball for them. Her father helped her by keeping people away form her. "A lot of people were mad at my father. They didn't know what he's rally like all he was doing was making sure that I could choose for myself." Cheryl picked the University of Southern California.

Cheryl hopes to try out for one of the teams in the National Basketball Association after she finishes USC. "I know I would make the team, if I can keep getting better as I am doing now. I know it is hard for a woman. But I play against men all the time. And beat them. I just want the chance to make it in the NBA."

For now, Cheryl is playing great basketball for USC. She is also getting ready for the 1984 Olympic Games. The NBA will have to wait for a while.

Questions
1.	What is the main idea of this story?
	a.	When she was 11, Cheryl got knocked down a lot.
	b.	Cheryl scored 105 points in one game.
	c.	The best woman basketball player in the world is Cheryl Miller.

2.	How tall is Cheryl Miller?
	a.	6'2"
	b.	6'8"
	c.	5'6"

3.	True or false?
	a.	Cheryl started playing basketball when she was 16.
	b.	Cheryl has a brother named Reggie.
	c.	Cheryl picked UCLA for her college.

4.	When Cheryl was in high school her team won _____ games and lost _____.

5.	Cheryl is thinking about playing in the NBA before, or after the Olympic Games?

6.	Which of the following in a school?
	a.	NBA
	b.	USC
	c.	Video

7.	If something just happened
	a.	it was planned.
	b.	it was not planned.
	c.	it didn't really happen at all.

8.	If someone named Reggie Miller asked you if you want to play a game of basketball with him and his sister, you should probably
	a.	make it loser pays $5.
	b.	make it loser pays $10.
	c.	ask him to get his sister out of the bushes so you can see how big she is.

9.	Do you think Cheryl has a chance to make it in the NBA?


Activities
1.	Find out what countries send women's basketball tams to the Olympic Games.

2.	List as many of the teams in the NBA as you can. One of them once signed a woman player. See if you can find out which.