It is 1942, and Manny Keefer, cut from his sophomore basketball team, decides to volunteer to be team manager to keep up with his friends Wally and Felix, who are still on the team. As World War II changes the entire world around him, his own life is changing just as drastically.

When the sports editor of the Daily News announces that he'll be printing news and scores from all local high schools, Manny sees an opportunity to turn his friends into stars. But when the editor says their private school isn't big enough for any stories, Manny and his friends create a fictitious...