Ep 18. The Alma Matter
- TVG
- February 8, 1993
- 23 min
-
7.9 (708)
Will's alma mater, the prestigious Bel-Air Academy, is preparing for a big basketball game against its rival school, Malibu Prep. The school's star player, Marcus Stokes, has just been suspended for academic reasons, leaving the team in a tough spot. In an effort to rally the team and boost their morale, the school decides to invite Will to come and speak to them.
But when Will arrives, he discovers that the team is less than enthusiastic about his speech - in fact, they seem downright hostile. It's not long before he realizes that the reason for their hostility is that he left Bel-Air Academy for public school - a choice that, in their eyes, makes him a traitor.
Feeling hurt and frustrated, Will decides to leave, but not before running into Coach Smiley, who gives him some tough love and persuades him to stay and talk to the team. Will reluctantly agrees, and opens up to the players about his own experiences at Bel-Air Academy - including his struggles to fit in as a working-class kid from Philadelphia.
Slowly but surely, Will starts to win the players over - but just as things seem to be looking up, trouble strikes. It turns out that Marcus is not only back on the team, but he's also planning to skip the game and go to a party instead. Will, realizing that Marcus's absence could cost the team the game, sets out to find him and convince him to play.
Along the way, Will also learns a valuable lesson about loyalty, and the importance of staying true to yourself - even if it means taking a different path than your peers.
In the end, the Bel-Air Academy basketball team wins the game, and Will leaves with a newfound respect for his alma mater - and a renewed appreciation for the people and experiences that have shaped him into who he is today.