On the Devil's Court is an exciting sports story. The author is familiar with all aspects of high school basketball and speaks the language of the game. The dialogue between coach and players is natural and convincing.

These are real boys in a real situation.

There is suspense and buildup in the detailed accounts of the games Joe's team plays during the round robin, which alone would make it a good novel. But this tension is skillfully increased through Joe's doubts and worries about his supposed pact with the devil. Each win or loss becomes an additional piece of the puzzle.

The conclusion of the novel is particularly effective. All through the story, Joe wonders whether he has really sold his soul to the devil or whether it was just his imagination. Just before the crucial final game, he sits at his desk making a list...