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Swoosh! NBC hopes to land a slam dunk with Hang Time, the latest addition to its Saturday morning, kid-oriented, live-action lineup.
Like the network's "Saved by the Bell" and "California Dreams," the new show is set at a Midwestern high school. This time around, though, instead of the usual antics or the pursuit of rock 'n' roll fame, "Hang Time" centers on Deering High's Tornados, the basketball team.
The Indiana team has found itself on the losing end, but this season brings big potential from a surprising source: the team's first female player.
Two-time NBA All-Star Reggie Theus, who dribbled for the Bulls and Kings, plays the team's coach in the series. Three of the show's stars, Daniella Deutscher (who plays team member Julia Conner), David Hanson (team captain Chris Atwater) and Christian Belnavis (cocky new frosh player Michael Maxwell) spoke to The Times about the show over lunch recently.
His peers "will really like the basketball angle," says Belnavis, a native Angeleno who attends a Los Angeles high school and who showed up at the restaurant with his parents. "They'll like the game, the way we play with each other, the way my character is a real showman and takes over and sometimes they win, sometimes...