The Crossover: Warm Up

by Kwame Alexander
Twin brothers Josh and Jordan Bell clash both on and off the basketball court. How high can you score on this list of words from Alexander's award-winning novel in verse?

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Warm Up, First Quarter, Second Quarter,
Third Quarter, Fourth Quarter–Overtime

Here are links to our lists for other books by Kwame Alexander: Booked, Solo, Rebound, Swing
15 words 962 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. acclaim
    praise vociferously
    But Filthy McNasty is my claim to fame.
    Folks call me that ’cause my game’s acclaimed,
    so downright dirty, it’ll put you to shame.
  2. gloat
    dwell on with satisfaction
    Remember the greats, my dad likes to gloat:
    I balled with Magic and the Goat.
  3. crepe
    a small, thin pancake
    Mom says,
    Your dad's old school, like an ol' Chevette.
    You’re fresh and new, like a red Corvette.
    Your game so sweet, it’s a crepe suzette.
  4. inspire
    spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
    See, when I play ball,
    I’m on fire.
    When I shoot,
    I inspire.
  5. dubious
    fraught with uncertainty or doubt
    Filthy McNasty
    is a MYTHical MANchild
    Of rather dubious distinction
  6. distinction
    high status importance owing to marked superiority
    Filthy McNasty
    is a MYTHical MANchild
    Of rather dubious distinction
  7. agitate
    cause to be excited or roused
    Filthy McNasty
    is a MYTHical MANchild
    Of rather dubious distinction
    Always AGITATING
    COMBINATING
    and ELEVATING his game
  8. elevate
    raise in rank or condition
    Filthy McNasty
    is a MYTHical MANchild
    Of rather dubious distinction
    Always AGITATING
    COMBINATING
    and ELEVATING his game
  9. dribble
    propel a ball by repeated taps or kicks
    He dribbles
    fakes
    then takes
    the ROCK to the
    glass, fast, and on BLAST
  10. classy
    elegant and fashionable
    'Cause when FILTHY gets hot
    He has SLAMMERIFIC SHOT
    It's
    Dunkalicious CLASSY
    Supersonic SASSY
  11. supersonic
    greater than the speed of sound in a given medium
    'Cause when FILTHY gets hot
    He has SLAMMERIFIC SHOT
    It's
    Dunkalicious CLASSY
    Supersonic SASSY
  12. sassy
    improperly forward or bold
    'Cause when FILTHY gets hot
    He has SLAMMERIFIC SHOT
    It's
    Dunkalicious CLASSY
    Supersonic SASSY
  13. banish
    send away from a place of residence, as for punishment
    On the way to the game
    I’m banished to the back
    seat with JB,
    who only stops
    playing with my locks
    when I slap him
    across his bald head
    with my jockstrap.
  14. bleachers
    set of tiered seats from which an audience watches an event
    Mom tells Dad
    that he has to sit
    in the top row
    of the bleachers
    during the game.

    You're too confrontational, she says.
  15. confrontational
    aggressive and prone to starting arguments or fights
    Mom tells Dad
    that he has to sit
    in the top row
    of the bleachers
    during the game.

    You're too confrontational, she says.
Created on Mon Aug 11 09:42:00 EDT 2025 (updated Mon Aug 11 12:02:34 EDT 2025)

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