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What: “Passing Glory”

When: Sunday, 8 p.m., TNT

The backdrop for this made-for-TV movie is a high school basketball game in New Orleans in the mid-1960s. The game was the first in that city between a black school and a white school--the black city champions from St. Augustine High played the white city champions from Jesuit.

But it is all the mini-plots and the social significance of what took place that carry the film. It was expertly written by actor/writer Harold Sylvester, who played in the game and, in 1967, became the first black athlete to earn a scholarship to Tulane University, where he starred as a center.

The main character, Travis Porter, is based on Sylvester. Porter is played by Sean Squire, who is a hit in his television debut, but top billing goes to Andre Braugher, best known as Det. Frank Pembleton on the NBC show “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Braugher does a superb job as Father Joseph Verrett, who returns home to New Orleans from Baltimore to teach math at St. Augustine and ends up coaching the basketball team.

Verrett’s mentor, Father Grant, played by Rip Torn, recruited him to St. Augustine and helps set up the game.

At one point, Denzel Washington was interested in the role of Father Verrett, but it is hard to imagine anyone delivering a better performance than Braugher.

The film, directed by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”), was produced by Magic Johnson Entertainment and Quincy Jones/David Salzman Entertainment in association with Rosemont Productions.