The adjective “exhilarating” referred to in the passage suggests that the coach’s speech was ________.

The adjective "exhilarating" in the passage suggests that the coach's speech was exciting, invigorating, or inspiring to the junior varsity basketball team. It implies that the coach's words had a positive impact on the team, motivating and energizing them to perform exceptionally well in the second half of the game. The use of "exhilarating" indicates that the speech was encouraging and likely boosted the team's morale and confidence.