Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 126: The World Youth Championship begins

The domestic excitement caused by winning against Argentina was no less than that caused by winning against Spain.

Especially when they learned that Chen Fang did not play, the entire Chinese national youth team fought hard to win, which was an inexplicable climax. In particular, the fans and netizens who had just been criticized and dared not resist the day before began to state the facts and present data.

Zhao Yanhao's comprehensive data of 23 points was even brought out, implying that Chen Fang only had an occasional outburst and relied on the team. Didn't you see that Zhao Yanhao could also get 23 points?

In terms of strength, Spain and Argentina are on par with each other. One is in Europe and the other in South America, and both are among the best teams.

The two groups were arguing fiercely, and the comments were scattered all over the place. Stacking a hundred floors was just a basic operation.

The national youth team far away in Greece was not affected at all by the domestic debate, and the whole team seized the time to practice new tactics.

Chen Fang held the ball at the top of the arc and raised a finger to the sky. Hu Jinqiu immediately moved up to screen for him. Chen Fang chose to break through from the strong side, entered the penalty area, then turned around and passed the ball to Hu Jinqiu at the free throw line.

The latter made a jump shot.

Start again. This time, Chen Fang raised his fist. Zeng Fanri on the weak side stepped forward. He did not set the screen at the top of the arc, but on the wing area, which was a pre-buried screen.

Chen Fang dribbled the ball sideways, pulling Zhao Rui out, then used his burly body to change direction and press toward the elbow area again. Facing Yang Kai's backup defense, he passed the ball to Zhao Yanhao who had just run to the weak side corner.

The latter took a three-point shot and scored the goal.

Then, the whole team practiced inside passes and three-point passes, with Sun Minghui, as the ball holder, taking charge.

Zhao Rui used his own impact to look for points on the wing and in the bottom corner.

After an afternoon of practice, the whole team felt that the new tactics were more lethal.

Fan Bin was very satisfied, but he didn't have time, so he asked his assistant to cut out all the details from the video and improve it all night long.

Chen Fang returned to the hotel and found Zhao Rui in the room after taking a shower, chatting with Zeng.

"What's wrong?" Chen Fang asked.

"What do you think of today's new tactics?" Zhao Rui asked.

Chen Fang said: "Very good."

"But don't you think Brother Rui has no status?" Zeng Fanri thought Chen Fang didn't understand, so he said directly.

Chen Fang was stunned. He didn't expect Zhao Rui to react so quickly.

"He suddenly has so much extra time, Chen Fang, do you think he gave him a gift?" Zeng threw out another question.

"What are you talking about?" Zhao Rui stopped him immediately.

Chen Fang was also embarrassed and said hurriedly: "It's impossible, Brother Ri, you really think too much."

"Hmph, you are just too naive." Zeng Fanri said disdainfully.

Seeing this situation, Chen Fang could only bite the bullet and explain.

"This tactic is the result of my discussion with the coach. I suggest Hui Ge start."

"You?" Zeng Fanri was shocked.

Zhao Rui also stared at Chen Fang with confusion.

"Don't worry, let me tell you." Chen Fang analyzed yesterday's ideas with the two of them.

"Next we will play Türkiye, who were the champions of last year's U18 European Championship. They are extremely strong and much stronger than Spain."

"If we want to beat them, we have to bring out the strength of the whole team. I can't get all the points by myself."

"Brother Rui, to be honest, Sun Minghui has one more organizational and hard-hitting ability than you, so he plays a greater role on the court."

"Chen Fang, I don't like to hear this!" Zeng Fanri got angry and his tone turned cold.

Chen Fang stretched out his hand to block it and said, "Listen to me."

"My playing time is 20 minutes, and then it will be Rui Ge who will cooperate with him. Your playing time will not be less."

"Second, believe in your data, it won't be bad."

“Third, the team should do its work as a team and execute the best solution.”

"You are allowed to say all the nice things," Zeng Fanri said.

Seeing that Zeng Fan was confused, Chen Fang didn't want to pay any attention to him and just stared at Zhao Rui.

Zhao Rui's face was dark. He and Chen Fang looked at each other for a while, but finally shifted his gaze.

"This is what you should do when representing the country." After saying this, he stood up.

"Wait!" Chen Fang stopped him.

"I have a few words to say. It's up to you whether you want to listen or not."

In the room with a heavy atmosphere, Chen Fang felt very uncomfortable. As the core of the team, he had something to say, and as a fan, he had even more to say.

"The coach asked me not to play in the second game, and I agreed without even asking. Who among you would be willing to do so?"

Chen Fang's first sentence changed the expressions of both of them.

"Brother Rui, if you can say that you represent the country, then you know what's going on. I also saw in today's drill that the offense is smoother than before. There won't be a situation where the scoring is cut off when I'm not on the court."

"What sacrifices are necessary to win?"

"In every game, we need to show not only our skills, but also our teamwork ability, team spirit and fighting spirit."

"Excuse me, do you have any now?"

"We have worked hard to get to where we are today and to Greece. Everyone knows how much we have paid."

"Yang Kai, Meng Zikai, Wu Yacheng, Zuo Zhennian, the four of them have not yet obtained any data. Do you think they feel comfortable?"

"We are all semi-professional players. We can't always be the boss. If we change teams or get seriously injured, our status will be different and we may not get playing time."

"Can't you bear this little grievance?"

"I think you don't understand the word 'profession' at all. I can see through it just by looking at your expressions."

"Yes, I, Chen Fang, just came in. Without you two, I can't stand still. I came here out of nowhere and pushed Shi Yi away. Doesn't he have brothers and friends? If it weren't for you, I would suffer and be excluded."

"But is this important? I'm here to serve my country, not to be bullied. I will gain status through my performance on the field, not by forming cliques."

"Don't think I'm very cool now. If I went to the United States, whether it was American high school or NCAA, I would start from the very beginning."

"Brother Rui, you are definitely going to Hongyuan. I want to ask, will you start as a junior when you go there?"

Seeing Zhao Rui silent, Chen Fang said to Zeng Fanri, "You too, maybe you guys just huddled together for warmth in Hongyuan from the beginning."

"Hongyuan has so many big brothers and seniors. I just want to ask, why can you tolerate it but not today?"

"I've finished what I want to say. If you can understand, then understand. If you don't, I won't serve you." After saying that, Chen Fang went to bed.

If I give him a cold shoulder, who should I give it to?

Chen Fang's bad temper came out. Was it because he was too kind on weekdays and felt that he was easy to bully?

"I'll think about it and we'll talk tomorrow!" After being scolded by Chen Fang, Zhao Rui said dully and hurried out.

Zeng Fanri was left hanging there alone, unable to go up or down.

He didn't dare to look at Chen Fang. Chen Fang's angry outburst just now really frightened Zeng.

"Go to bed!" Chen Fang turned off the lights.

Nothing happened that night. When he woke up the next day, everything was normal. Zhao Rui did not take the initiative to look for Chen Fang, as if he had acquiesced, or as if he was being stubborn.

The last game started at the same time. According to the schedule of the day before, the national youth team arrived at the competition venue on time at 4 o'clock.

During the warm-up session, Chen Fang performed more thoroughly, as if he wanted to unleash all his strength.

The breathing exercise lasts for half an hour.

Everyone entered the competition venue to adapt to the environment, but Chen Fang was still sitting in the training ground with his eyes closed.

It cannot be considered a privilege, but because of some of Chen Fang's strange behaviors, the coaching staff was very tolerant and specially arranged for an assistant to wait nearby.

Zhao Rui walked over and signaled the assistant to leave, saying that he would wait there.

A few minutes later, Chen Fang opened his eyes and saw Zhao Rui.

Hei Rui's expression was slightly embarrassed, and he said stiffly: "This is my problem, I apologize to you."

"Let's talk after the fight." Chen Fang said.

Hei Rui nodded. He felt that Chen Fang was very sharp and he felt a little uncomfortable.

Chen Fang seemed to see through his thoughts. He said slowly, "I have been regulating my breathing for half an hour and have accumulated all my energy. Please don't be surprised."

Zhao Rui was stunned for a moment and became curious.

"Can this still happen?"

"Well, Türkiye is very strong, I need stronger fighting spirit!"

After saying that, Chen Fang left without any explanation.

I found that Chen Fang was indeed different from usual. His words, eyes and expressions were all unfamiliar.

Zhao Rui didn't think that he was being cold to him on purpose, and believed it mostly. He couldn't help but make up his mind to find time to ask for advice.

Coming to the stadium from the passage, Fan Bin saw Chen Fang coming and waved to him.

"Fight according to the plan and let it go."

"understand!"

On the Turkish side, head coach Ataman calmly explained the strategy for the first quarter.

"China's confrontation is weak, and the defensive rotation is slow. We have enough opportunities to score. The opponent's outside line is powerful, so we can focus on the high post and the three-point line."

"They can't defend against open cuts. Their big men can't adapt to the defense in the high post. Omer, Mark, this is your chance."

"Korkmaz, the opposing No. 21 will be very strong, but don't be nervous, just destroy him with your body."

"Hazel, Grenell, use breakthroughs to cause damage, kids, let's teach China a memorable lesson in the first quarter."

Türkiye, a veteran strong team known as the Whip of Punishment in Europe.

Whether it is football or basketball, they use their unique style to whip any team that plays against them.

They are extremely strong in terms of physical strength and coordination, and all positions have shooting abilities, which is the most troubling defense for opponents.

Fan Bin was not wrong in his judgment. Türkiye is one of the toughest opponents in this group and even in this cup.

In the past, Turkey lost to the stronger Croatia and did not meet the US team in the final. But soon, in the 19th World Cup, Turkey and the US team were tied in the last quarter. The two sides tied the score for seven times, and finally lost to the United States in free throws.

The 19 World Cup squad included five starters from this tournament, with Omer and Korkmaz being the most outstanding. They also successfully landed in the NBA.

The two sides jumped the ball and Türkiye got the ball.

In the first round, Türkiye set the tone for the game.

Mark Arabovich, a 209-meter center, received a pass from Grenell on the wing and directly shot a three-pointer, while Hu Jinqiu, who was defending him, was still far in the penalty area.

Watch in amazement as your opponent shoots the ball and it goes into the basket.

After all, Türkiye's centers all take Jazz's Okur as their role model.

When Sun Minghui dribbled the ball across half court, he encountered tough treatment from Omer and was directly pressed into the corner between the center line and the sideline. Chen Fang quickly responded, but was successfully intercepted by Korkmaz who was waiting nearby and launched a fast break.

A terrible start of 5-0.

It also foreshadows that the National Youth Team will be in a tough battle today.

Fan Bin couldn't sit still anymore and started reminding his teammates to pay full attention.

Sun Minghui continued to control the ball. This time, he learned his lesson and made a drastic change of direction to rush through the backcourt, but he soon discovered a problem.

Türkiye's strength was so great that almost no one could stand.

Chen Fang was completely covered by Korkmaz, and the two were entangled. It was useless for Chen Fang to retreat directly to the center line.

Furkan Korkmaz is 201cm tall, has a strong body and explosive physical fitness, and can often show off wonderful dunks. As a small forward, he suppresses Chen Fang, which is the shrewdness of the old fox Ataman.

In his previous life, in this competition, he averaged 14 points per game to help Türkiye win the third place and was selected into the best team, which shows his level.

Sun Minghui's role was reflected at this moment. Seeing that Chen Fang was unable to escape for a while, he directly chose to break through Hazel. After a cross change of direction, he broke in forcefully.

But Hazel's body was there. At 198cm tall, he was almost a head taller than Sun Minghui, and weighed 10 kilograms more than him. Sun Minghui's breakthrough directly turned into a breakthrough in the bottom corner.

Hu Jinqiu's support helped Sun Minghui avoid the dilemma of a dead ball, but then there was not enough time and Hu Jinqiu made a hasty shot.

The rebound was grabbed by Omer. This young center has a well-proportioned figure and excellent running and jumping. He directly passed the ball and made a fast break. Turkey's three lines attacked at the same time. Although the Chinese national youth team tried hard to retreat, it was of no avail and Omer easily made a layup.

7: 0.

The national youth team is in great trouble.

This time, Chen Fang took the initiative to apply for the ball.

After receiving the ball, he immediately faced interference from Korkmaz's defense, but Chen Fang remained unmoved. He accelerated and led his opponent across half court.

With a pause, Korkmaz was about to block him, but Chen Fang just adjusted his pace, and with a back move, he switched to his left hand and sped up to pass him.

After getting rid of the sticky candy, Chen Fang continued to shake while moving, forcing Grenell, who was helping him, to retreat to the inside line with him. But Mark, the power forward, flanked him from the side.

Chen Fang, however, took a leap and jumped out of the encirclement before he was surrounded. He jumped as soon as he landed and made a quick stop jump shot.

The person in the ball fell to the ground.

7: 2.

The National Youth Team finally scored two points.

Chen Fang had a chance to pass the ball to his teammate in an open position, but he considered that if he missed, the pressure of breaking the first point would continue to exist.

He must take on this responsibility and help the team open up the situation.

They retreated quickly, but Türkiye advanced even faster. Their style was really similar to the American style. In the 19 World Cup in the previous life, they fought against the US team in the final for four whole quarters and the game was very intense.

It can be said that Türkiye's style is a fusion of European and American styles, which is thoroughly implemented from amateur to professional leagues.

France saw the advantages of Türkiye and turned directly to the American style in youth training, abandoning the Spanish and Eastern European basketball systems.

Korkmaz advanced at high speed with the ball, and Chen Fang chased closely behind him, but his opponent was too fast. Facing the interference of two players from the National Youth Team, he used his body to knock away the thin Sun Minghui and made a layup.

9: 2.

Sun Minghui dribbled the ball across half court. This time he also advanced quickly, but he braked after passing the midfield.

Chen Fang took advantage of the large number of people in the inside and got rid of the entanglement in the first time, then ran to the top of the arc and got the ball.

After getting the ball, Chen Fang waved to let the whole team get into position, and then he dribbled the ball alone in the high position.

He raised his fist, and Zeng Fanri stepped forward to set a screen for him, but was entangled by Mark. This tactic was brutally interfered with from the beginning.

The Chinese national youth team is now like a scholar meeting a pawn. Any move they make will be slapped in the face by Türkiye.

When Hu Jinqiu saw that Zeng Fanri could not come out, he pulled him out immediately. He was very fast and Omer didn't pay attention, so he let him run away.

But he didn't follow him out, instead he stood at the free throw line.

Chen Fang only took a quick glance and realized that this tactic would be difficult to implement. Without hesitation, he changed direction under his hips and pretended to rush to the left. Seeing Korkmaz move his feet, he immediately changed direction in front of his body and cut to his right side.

He dribbled the ball one step forward and came to the side of Hu Jinqiu. With the cover of his teammates, Chen Fang briefly got rid of Korkmaz's interference.

Without any hesitation, Chen Fang stood up and threw himself.

The ball hit the back frame and bounced in.

9: 5.

This three-pointer immediately eased the anxiety of the National Youth Team. Fan Bin also breathed a sigh of relief and sat back.

It still depends on Chen Fang's hard solution.

In a basketball game, hard solution is the most important. It may only appear two or three times, but these few points will determine the direction of the entire game.

Turkey was like an emotionless machine. Chen Fang's three-pointer did not cause any ripples. In the next round, Korkmaz also made a two-pointer under the cover of his teammates. Chen Fang, who was responsible for defense, was completely blocked by the Turk's broad body.

Facing this opponent whose shoulders were as broad as Zeng Fanri's, Chen Fang's defense was infinitely weakened.

11: 5.

The National Youth Team patiently organized the attack. Chen Fang finally got the cover of Zeng Fanri at the top of the arc and passed the ball to Zhao Yanhao who slipped over.

But Zhao Yanhao missed this opportunity. Just three minutes into the game, he was already so angry at Hazle that he lost his temper.

Türkiye grabbed the rebound and advanced quickly. The Chinese national youth team's back line retreated quickly, but they were a level lower in size and weight, so they could only escort the Turkish team and watched them advance smoothly and score easily with a layup.

Fan Bin slapped his thigh in annoyance.

There is nothing wrong with that, but Türkiye plays with their physicality, which is the most painful.

But soon, Chen Fang gave him a sedative.

Chen Fang accelerated and broke through Korkmaz. Facing a double-team, he passed the ball to Hu Jinqiu, who made a quick stop and jump shot and finally scored.

11: 7.

Looking back, Türkiye, which had been scoring continuously, also stopped scoring. Grenell's three-pointer missed. Chen Fang took the initiative to grab the rebound for the first time and advanced quickly. When he was about to cross the center line, he passed the ball to Sun Minghui who was in the front.

The latter used fearless momentum to carry Hazelle and made a tough layup, which not only scored but also caused a foul.

There was jubilation on the National Youth Team's bench; even Zhao Rui was applauding.

This ball is so inspiring.

The penalty was scored steadily.

11: 10.

Türkiye continued with their strategy, with the center pulling out, the forward going inside, and the guard hanging in the bottom corner, forming an inverted ladder-shaped height position difference.

This formation made the National Youth Team very uncomfortable and impossible to defend against.

The 23-zone defense couldn't handle it either.

After several passes, Mark made another three-pointer from the wing.

14: 10.

Fan Bin had a headache, as this tactic of pulling out the center to shoot three-pointers was really rare, and he had no matching response plan.

The only way to tell Zeng Fanri to be pulled out was by shouting.

At the same time, Fan Bin was also preparing to make substitutions. Zhao Yanhao was useless. His frail body would be a complete suicide if he played against a team of this style.

Taking advantage of a dead ball, the National Youth Team made the first substitution.

Zhao Rui and Fu Hao replaced Zeng and Zhao.

The intensity increased immediately. Zhao Rui was very active on the court and he actually gained the upper hand in the fight with Grenell.

Others also began to adapt to Turkey's intensity, and gradually stabilized in defense and offense.

Chen Fang performed the best. Facing Korkmaz, he had already started to be aggressive towards him except in the first round.

After receiving the pass from Zhao Rui, Chen Fang pretended to cooperate, suddenly accelerated, broke through Korkmaz's close defense, and rushed straight into the Turkish inside line.

Facing the double-team, he turned half way, avoided the threat from Yurtseven, and directly pressed against Mark sideways.

The teammates moved away at the right time, forcing Türkiye not to double-team, and the situation immediately became that Chen Fang backed up the Turkish power forward, Mark, who was 207 cm tall.

The guard's back-to-the-basket move was not as slow as that of the center. With just a back-to-basket move, Chen Fang turned around and shot the ball in with a flick of his wrist before Mark raised his hand to block the shot.

Mark seemed very surprised, including the entire Turkish team. Head coach Ataman asked his partner: "He can actually post up?"

"Who knows, maybe it's just a coincidence." The partner shrugged and comforted.

14: 12.

In the next round, Omer passed the ball to Mark with a half-high ball, and the latter dunked with both hands, regaining his face after being back-beaten by the defender.

But looking back, Chen Fang kept chasing Turkey's retreat, rushed to the basket, faced Omer's rim guard, and made a small layup to recover two points.

16: 14.

Seven minutes into the first quarter, the Chinese National Youth Team and Turkey were evenly matched, and the few spectators in the stands were enjoying the game.

Tunisia and Iran, which were ranked third and fourth in Group A, sent scouts to watch the game. They had the ugliest expressions in the whole stadium. They were in despair before the first quarter was even over.

Not to mention Türkiye, just looking at the attacking power of the Chinese national youth team, they all feel their scalps tingling.

Especially No. 21, who is almost omnipotent.

No matter who you choose, it’s a dead end, so think about the 9-16 qualifying matches as soon as possible.

No matter what others think, Chen Fang's fighting spirit is being aroused little by little, and the Turkish style strongly stimulates him.

Korkmaz's aggressive defense made him even more excited.

Not only did he have to tie the score, he also had to get rid of his opponent before the end of the first quarter, otherwise he would not be able to rest in peace.

I don't want to be a score chaser. You guys are more suitable for this job.

Thinking about it in my mind, I feel brave.

Turkey's mid-range shot missed, and Chen Fang rushed to grab the rebound again. With his jumping speed, if he wanted to grab the rebound, the Chinese National Youth Team would have almost no match for him.

The reason I don't go is that I subconsciously feel it's easy to sprain my ankle.

In my previous life, I had several serious ankle sprains, all caused by grabbing rebounds.

But now, Chen Fang would not worry about this. If he was the one who grabbed the rebound, the national youth team's advancement speed would be able to go to a higher level.

Throwing the ball forward, Chen Fang accelerated and Korkmaz tried to catch up, but found that he was getting farther and farther away. When he crossed the center line, he saw Chen Fang step into the three-point line.

What speed is this? Korkmaz thought in horror.

He licked the ball and put it into the basket. It was not because he didn't want to dunk, but because he didn't want to affect the feel of the shot.

16 square meters.

In the eighth minute, the National Youth Team finally equalized the score.

Turkey had to do something. Mark repeated his old trick and made another sudden shot from outside the three-point line, but his luck did not continue to be good. The rebound was grabbed by Hu Jinqiu. Chen Fang reached out for it, but was delayed and interfered by Hazel.

Just this one second of delay and Türkiye had to retreat.

This kind of tactical quality that can self-correct without the coach saying anything is hard to find in the Chinese team.

But Chen Fang's will to score cannot be interfered with. He held the ball at the top of the arc and kept moving his crotch. At the moment when Korkmaz was pressed down by his center of gravity, Chen Fang suddenly made a suspended ball and shot it right in Korkmaz's face.

When I turned my head, I saw the ball passing through the basket at an extremely fast speed.

There was an exclamation from the Turkish bench.

As far as I can remember, this No. 21 player has never missed a shot. How many points has he scored?
Everyone couldn't help but look at the scoreboard.

12 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds.

He is indeed the core player of the Chinese team!

Everyone sighed.

Before the sound died down, Chen Fang was seen advancing at high speed. Facing a triple-team, he used his agile steps, a European step and a low layup to score, causing Mark to foul.

"Good shot! Well done!" The national youth team's bench was in an uproar, and all the players stood up and waved their towels.

Fan Bin jumped up excitedly.

The penalty was scored steadily.

16: 22.

The National Youth Team instantly took a six-point lead.

Chen Fang's ability to score high points was once again demonstrated in international competitions.

Türkiye head coach Ataman also had to praise: "What a good material, is he really only 16 years old?"

"Yes, sir."

"He will definitely be able to make it to the NBA, he's incredibly strong." Ataman sighed. Such an opponent gave him a headache, but also made him full of fighting spirit.

Türkiye's Ottoman blood flows in every Turkish body.

Korkmaz was also stimulated by Chen Fang. Facing Chen Fang, he chose to play one-on-one. After a change of direction, he made a quick stop and jump shot, recovering two points.

Time flies, and it’s only the last 21 seconds.

Chen dribbled the ball along the center line, stretched out his hand and pressed down, signaling his teammates to stay in position and stabilize.

Counting down quietly, when the time came to the last seven seconds, Chen Fang began to move.

He first moved to the left, dribbled smoothly and suddenly turned half way, mobilizing Korkmaz's pace, and then accelerated to the inside.

Türkiye's defense was very quick. Hazel gave up Zhao Rui and rushed over here, but Chen Fang was not afraid at all. Instead, he passed the ball and jumped in.

Türkiye's defense was centered around Chen Fang and completely retreated.

Before the encirclement completely surrounded him, Chen Fang jumped up and turned around, passing the ball to Zhao Rui who had been waiting on the wing.

Zhao Rui shot as soon as he received the ball. His push shooting shape seemed reassuring at this moment.

Chen Fang walked out while watching the result. When he saw the ball hit the target, Chen Fang also came to Zhao Rui.

"I knew you could do it!" he shouted.

"I also know you will spread it!" Zhao Rui said loudly.

The two embraced each other.

At this moment, all the gaps in my heart disappeared.

"Win it!"

"it is good!"

　Sorry for coming back late, but it counts as a two-in-one, 7000 words!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)