Schedule | TNT Originals | Turner Learning



Characters

Father Paul Verrett
A young Black Catholic priest from Baltimore, Father Verrett falls out of favor with church leaders and is given one last chance to redeem himself as a coach and spiritual leader. The historical Father Verrett did teach at St. Augustine and was instrumental in bringing about the integration of league play between the schools, though he never actually coached the team.

Father Robert Grant
Long-time White principal of the all-Black Catholic school St. Augustine. His students are some of the best and the brightest in Louisiana, and his Purple Knights basketball team is undefeated. Father Grant's character is based on the historical Father Grant, who fought to integrate the Louisiana sports leagues.

Travis Porter
Star forward for St. Augustine, he is torn between obeying his parents and fighting for justice. Travis is a composite character who was created for the film from the experiences of the screenplay's originator, Harold Sylvester, and from the experiences of other Purple Knights teammates.

Charles "Chick" Viola
Sports Editor for the Herald, he refuses to tell the full story of the Purple Knights-or of his own, racially mixed heritage. His character is a composite character. In reality, na sports writers were accused of "passing," though it was a common occurrence for a person of mixed heritage to "pass" himself off as White during this era to avoid the prejudice which Blacks faced.

Mommit Porter
Travis' supportive grandmother. She plays a blind woman, but manages to "see" where others cannot. Mommit's character is loosely based on writer Harold Sylvester's real-life grandmother.

Mike Malone, Jr.
Star player for the all-White, undefeated Jesuit Blue Jays; he struggles with his father's racist views. Malone is also a composite character, created to represent the conflict between Black and White youths at the time.

George "Nick" Connor
The coach of the Purple Knights. Will he stay with the team or choose from other options? The historical Coach Connor was Black and continued to coach his team through several more winning seasons.

Little Ricky
Former St. Augustine basketball standout. Little Ricky hopes his mistakes can help Travis avoid his own. Little Ricky is a composite character.