This story was originally published on Feb. 17, 2022. It was included in a year-end list of SI’s best stories of 2022.
Nine-year-old Aliyah Boston stood at the free throw line while her teammates prepared to box out in a game in the U.S. Virgin Islands’s sports, park and recreation league. She converted a pair of free throws, having now scored all 50 of her team’s points. But in the final minutes, Boston fouled out, forced to watch the rest from the bench.
Immediately after her departure, a player on the opposing team converted a shot, sending Boston’s team to a 52–50 loss. Boston, the only girl on her team, was extremely competitive and hated losing.
