The basketball team is thrown into chaos when new transfer Julie Connor tries out for the boys' varsity basketball team, prompting resentment from Team Captain Chris Atwater and jealousy from Head Cheerleaner Mary Beth. Meanwhile Coach Bill Fuller adjusts to his new job, and his new team manager, the enthusiastic Samantha. Danny, Earl and Michael are also introduced.
Mary Beth goes ballistic when she begins to suspect (incorrectly) that Chris and Julie have feelings for each other, leading to a fight between Chris and Mary Beth. Meanwhile, Danny tries to tell Julie that he likes her, but fails everytime.
It's Julie's first game with the Deering Tornadoes and the press are having a field day due to the fact that she is the first female on a boy's basketball team - but when Julie's attention turns to her own fame, her teammates begin to resent her. Meanwhile, Earl gives Mary Beth a pig in return for saving his life!
Michael's ego is crushed after he misses two free throws causing Deering to lose a big game, and he struggles with his loss of self-confidence until he gets a surprise visit from his idol, Detroit Piston's star Grant Hill (in a cameo role) who gives him a word of advice. Meanwhile, Samantha gives Danny lessons on how win Julie's heart, but it's Sam who falls for Danny.
When Coach Fuller introduces a different line-up to improve the team's performance, Chris quits as captain becasue he doesn't like his new lower scoring guard position - only to be replaced by Danny who lets it go to his head! Meanwhile, Michael takes a job at Earl's farm with... disappointing results.
Earl must pass a history test...otherwise he won't play in the crucial game against rival Dover high - sadly for Earl, he gets distracted by the advances of Linda Cantrell, whose motives in going after Earl may be less than pure. Meanwhile, Danny and Julie engage in a ""prank war"".
Chris and Mary Beth don't seem to agree on anything in their relationship, and the situation only becomes worse when Mary Beth goes out on a date with an old schoolmate without telling Chris! Meanwhile, the team heads to Coach Fuller's to watch a Tyson fight on a Saturday, which presents a problem for Danny who usually goes out on a date with Sam on Saturday nights.
Michael runs against Mary Beth for 'Student President', in order to save Earl's ""Future Farmers"" club from Mary Beth's pals who plan to replace it with the ""Gold Card Club"". Meanwhile, Chris and Julie bet on which of the attractive female teachers Coach Fuller will ask out on a date.
After an unexpected loss, the gang argue with one another but when a blizzard hits, everyone, except Michael, gets trapped in the gym over the weekend, including Mary Beth who is the ""parent"" of a baby doll for a class project. Meanwhile, Julie tries to cool things off with Chris because ""teammates can't be together""!
When Mary Beth's dad forces her to get a job, she decides to be the manager at the 'Sports Shack' store, where most of the gang work. Meanwhile, a visit by Russian exchange students brings romance for Earl but headaches for Michael, who just wants a ""Russian babe"", but ends up with more than he can handle.
When Mary Beth finds out that Julie and Chris have been secretly dating, she tries to hide her true feelings for Chris, until Earl inspires her to write a poem about her broken heart.
Julie is annoyed when Chris resorts to an old habit to play well in the championship tournament... A good luck kiss from Mary Beth! Meanwhile, Danny is having a hard time saying the ""L"" word to Sam.
