Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 163: The Red Devil Twins, Reaching the Top of America (Part )
It is said that wealthy families have many noble sons, and the origin of noble sons comes from the wealthy families’ abundant resources and trustworthy quality assurance.

For example, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) is known for its output guarantee of no counterfeit products, and Duke University is known as the cradle of stars and produces many high-quality stars.

There is also Kentucky, which is known as the No. 125 university. It has sent a total of 3 NBA players, of whom became No. picks.

The confidence of these giants comes from their inherited basketball philosophy and team culture. They know how to train a talented high school student into a qualified, excellent, or even outstanding NBA player.

The NBA cannot afford to lose the NCAA, as 84% of its players come from the NCAA.

The NCAA Division I League (commonly known as the D1 League) has a total of 353 teams, which are divided into 32 leagues based on various evaluation criteria such as region, school area, and number of students.

Among them, six leagues are also known as the NCAA's six major leagues. 6% of the current NBA players with NCAA experience come from these six major leagues.

The ten teams from these six major leagues are known as the top ten teams in the NCAA.

UCLA Bruins, Indiana University Mountaineers, Syracuse University Orangemen, Michigan State University Spartans, UConn Huskies, Louisville Cardinals, North Carolina Tar Heels, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, and finally Duke University Blue Devils.

(As a preview of the upcoming NCAA, let me give you some basic information about the NCAA. I know everyone knows about the NCAA, but in fact, most people still don’t know much about it.)
These top ten powerhouses almost monopolize the majority of the first round of draft picks each year. From these data, we can get a glimpse of what the talented high school students with high ceilings in the United States are fighting for.

The goal is to compete for the starting position and core position of these top ten teams. For this purpose, a national tour competition lasts for eight months from autumn to the summer of the following year.

Chen Fang has the same goal, but now he is still concentrating on the competition.

With his outburst in the first three minutes, DeMatha Catholic High School entered a period of emotional stability. The starters, led by Fultz, had clear eyes and played in a standard manner, while the Chaminade Red Devils also entered their own offensive and defensive rhythm.

Chen Fang, Tatum, Theo, Raymond and Tevin form a strong offensive and defensive lineup.

Tevin is responsible for advancing the front and back courts, Chen Fang is the dealer in positional warfare, Tatum plays S as the main offensive point, and Theo and Raymond provide screens and pick-and-rolls for the entire team.

This is the prototype of a super team. There are five players on the field, each with his own responsibilities. It is not universal, but the planning is orderly.

Only with Wade's second strength could James taste the fragrance of victory in the finals. Kobe, as O'Neal's hard solution, made the Lakers dynasty possible. In order to match Duncan, Popovich needed to combine the two slightly weaker strengths of the magic sword and the French sports car to become the invincible Spurs.

In the early stage, Curry must have more fulcrums around him to share the defensive pressure on him, Klay, and Draymond.

In the later stages, Durant alone easily crushed the league.

To establish a dynasty in modern times, one must find a groundbreaking superstar, then match him with a second strong point who can handle any situation, and then build a division of responsibilities around the two of them, with role players who are highly specialized in a certain field.

This team-building philosophy has become a general consensus in the league and is also the recognized winning logic in the development of basketball.

The reason why the Bulls dynasty surpassed other dynasties was that Jordan was the only strong point of the team. Pippen's ability to deal with problems in one-on-one situations was not top-notch. He could only score in semi-transitions and fast breaks. If he were to other teams, he would still only be the second in command and might not necessarily reach the level of the Bulls.

I believe the underlying logic is understandable. One strong point cannot cope with all problems. He needs a second strong point to relieve the pressure, and the two of them work together to deal with various problems.

That proves from a certain perspective that he is not invincible.

But the reason why Jordan became the best is because he could solve all problems, especially in the finals, he was unsolvable.

The concept of plus-minus was introduced in 97. Many things that cannot be seen in the data make it impossible for many fans to know how much the superstars contributed to the team in that era. However, there is a very interesting data that can make us clear about the value of plus-minus in some ways.

Jordan included the plus-minus value in two finals, and it was positive twice, and he won the championship both times.

Duncan reached the finals six times, was in the finals five times, and won five championships.

Kobe reached the finals seven times, won five championships.

Curry reached the finals 6 times, was in the finals 4 times, and won 4 championships.

James has entered the finals 10 times, was a plus-minus 3 times, and won 4 championships. The extra championship here is very interesting. This championship came from the big battle with the Spurs in 2013. His plus-minus value was exactly 0, while his teammates Birdman +24, Ray Allen +28, Chalmers +32, and Mike Miller +44.

Back to the topic, the Red Devils have Tatum, who has a high combat power ceiling in the United States. This has to be praised. In the 17-18 season, Tatum's rookie season, he led the team to the playoffs alone. With the Cavaliers who had Wade, Love, and James, they played to Game in the Eastern Conference Finals. The league made Tatum foul six times in the first half, and the Cavaliers stumbled into the finals.

So there is nothing to criticize about Tatum, he was indeed a top-notch player in the Utah Jazz at that time.

And Chen Fang, as the team's outside fulcrum, has undoubtedly done a comprehensive job. His support and guidance have been helping Tatum relieve pressure.

Eight minutes into the second quarter, Tatum took a step inside the wing to ask for the ball and was double-teamed. He turned around to avoid the first wave of double-teaming and quickly passed the ball to Chen Fang.

When Chen Fang got the ball, he did not look for passing or scoring opportunities like an ordinary player. Instead, he immediately broke through and put pressure on his opponent. He held the ball to the free throw line, and before the opponent's help defense was about to get into position, he suddenly jumped and passed the ball to Tatum who had moved to the short corner.

The latter faced a single defender and easily made a jump shot.

This attack made many scouts nod their heads frequently, which means that No. 21 is very clear about the offensive and defensive status on the field, which reflects his extremely high basketball IQ.

This kind of operation lasted throughout most of the second quarter. In addition to scoring seven points in the first three minutes, Chen Fang also increased his assist count to 11th in this quarter.

When the first half ended, the data on display was eye-catching.

10 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks.

A perfect triplet of twins.

The Red Devils also led by 40 points with 32 to 8.

The highest scorer on the team was Tatum, who had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.

Fultz's statistics fully reflect that he is leading the team alone, with 20 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds.

The performance of these three people matches the strongest combat power of high school students in the United States in 16.

During the halftime break, in the locker room, Bennett focused on the defensive issues. In his opinion, with Chen Fang and Tatum, there would be no problem with the offense.

Tatum whispered to Chen Fang: "It's only 10 points. You should be more proactive in the third quarter."

"Let's make sure everyone scores first." Chen Fang replied.

For such a big occasion, Chen Fang hopes that everyone can perform well, which will increase their chances of entering a better university.

Tatum also realized it and nodded.

"Yes, we need to play more unselfishly."

"Yes, let everyone feel that we are a team."

This set the tone for the second half. Then everyone returned to the court. The substitutes continued to warm up and shoot. Chen Fang sat there catching his breath and adjusting. Uli Merrick, as the follow-up reporter, was faithfully recording. He also had a mission.

Mid-game interview, this is very important.

He was allowed to come to the Red Devils bench, where he took the microphone and asked: "How does it feel?"

"It's the best performance I've ever had playing basketball." Chen Fang answered flawlessly.

"Your data is very comprehensive. Is this your daily performance?" Time is limited, so the questions are critical and direct.

"Yes, my goal is a triple-double. It's difficult, but I'm going to work hard in this direction."

"I noticed that you didn't attack in the second half, is that why?"

"We are a team. Today is a big occasion with numerous scouts and coaches present. I hope all the brothers will have the opportunity to show their abilities. In my opinion, team victory is above all else."

"Very good, I wish the Red Devils success!" Uli praised sincerely.

"Thank you." Chen Fang replied with a smile.

A few minutes later, the second half began.

The Red Devils also became more of a team, with screens and pick-and-rolls in the interior and passes and shots from the outside, a perfect combination of inside and outside, and they scored an 8-0 lead at the start.

On the other hand, DeMasha Catholic High School did not make effective defensive arrangements. Facing Chen Fang and Tatum, the only thing they could do was to attack to increase the score difference.

Fultz continued to upload. He did not rest for a minute in the first half. The Red Devils' duo put too much pressure on him. He knew very well that as long as he left the court, the game would be over.

Seeing that the team was running smoothly, Bennett also made frequent substitutions. Outside players such as Hyde, Vio, and Cody were uploaded one after another.

Chen Fang came off the field in the fifth minute and Bennett said something to him.

"If everything goes well, Tatum will be substituted in the fourth quarter and you will play the last quarter."

This was undoubtedly special care. Facing the coach's kindness, Chen Fangxin understood it.

It is a rare opportunity to play with your good brother in a big game. Tatum became more and more active. He took on Chen Fang's responsibilities and began to assist in passing the ball and help his brother score.

As seniors, these people headed by Raymond are in a very bad situation. Their level is not enough to enter the D1 league, and even the D2 league is out of the question. They can only go to some public state universities, and may even be forced to give up their identities as basketball players and return to being ordinary people.

This is also the common situation faced by 80 percent of American high school students. When they reach the college level, the requirements for basketball are higher, which will eliminate most of the students who previously played basketball in American high schools.

This is also the cruelty of competitive sports. It is precisely because of this characteristic that it can lead this sport at the top of the pyramid and make the NBA the highest basketball hall on the blue planet.

When Chen Fang reminded Tatum, he reacted immediately.

Moreover, he also realized that Chen Fang could help his brothers more than himself on the court.

This is why he took the initiative to ask Bennett to take a break in the fourth quarter and make room for him.

The master and the apprentice have a good understanding of each other, and as long as the situation remains stable, this is the plan.

But a plan is a plan, and unexpected events always occur within our grasp.

Fultz's tenacious fighting spirit aroused the enthusiasm of the whole team, and they took advantage of Chen Fang's absence to launch a crazy counterattack.

The Red Devils' lineup at the moment was not enough to compete in terms of defensive height and strength. The situation took a turn for the worse, and when the third quarter ended, the score was 62 to 58.

How can we be sure of this score? (In fact, in this game in the previous life, Tatum was beaten by Fultz. The reason why Fultz became the No. 76 pick over Tatum was partly because of the direct confrontation between the two, and Tatum lost. As for the Lakers' brainless selection of Lonzo as the No. pick, it was indeed the management's collective brains that were flooded. LOGO man West has always suggested that the Lakers intercept Tatum, and Kobe also suggested the same, especially after Ainge speculated and sold the No. pick to the ers. But at that time, the Lakers management had already negotiated with Lonzo. For some unknown reason, in the face of such changes, they were unmoved and insisted on wasting this precious No. pick.)
This move also allowed West to go to the Clippers next door to work for Ballmer. Then the Clippers became the favorite to win the championship in just two years and brought in George and Kawhi Leonard.

Chen Fang came on the court again, and Tatum, as a physical freak, had no physical problems.

The two players showed their strong side from the start, and they both gave their all for the garbage time.

This also led to the true definition of the power of the two Red Devils.

此刻红魔队的场上阵容：陈放打1、海德打2、塔图姆打3、雷蒙德4、提奥5。

Chen half-passed the ball on the wing to Tatum who was asking for the ball in the lower half of the elbow area. The latter received the ball and attracted the defense before passing it to Hyde at the top of the arc.

Hyde passed the ball back to Chen Fang on the wing again, and Chen Fang took advantage of the moment when the opponent's rotation was slack and had half a meter of shooting space. He shot as soon as he received the ball like a pitcher.

The ball hit the front frame.

65:58.

Fultz retreated quickly and failed to make a half-conversion. He could only pass through the position, but facing Chen Fang's defense, Fultz could not succeed every time. After being double-teamed, he passed the ball to Remühl, who also shot from the wing, but his shooting skills were disappointing and he missed.

The rebound was grabbed by Rex Rabbit, and he accelerated forward, immediately increasing the rhythm of the transition offense.

The ball was passed to Chen Fang who was fast, who received the ball and got rid of Fultz's interference, and made a hidden pass to Tatum who rushed back into the three-point line.

No one could suppress the charging Rex Rabbit, who scored two more points with a layup.

DiMasha Catholic High School has not yet realized that the fear has come. Only the reporters and scouts who have been following the Red Devils' games can feel that the terrifying explosive Red Devil is about to appear.

In the positional battle, Fultz was suddenly double-teamed by Chen Fang and Hyde. The ball was snatched away by Chen Fang, and the two of them flew together. Chen Fang dribbled the ball and threw it forward, which slowed down his speed to block Fultz's chasing back, forcing the latter to watch Hyde dunk and score.

The 9-0 climax was just the beginning.

Fultz took a jump shot with the help of his teammates. This time, due to the interference of Chen Fang, the shot was slightly off target and the rebound was grabbed by Theo. Tatum once again turned into a pushing monster, walking down the sideline with the ball at a fast pace.

Being chased by three people, he passed the ball to Chen Fang who just ran to the top of the arc. The height of the two ensured that the pass between them was not difficult. Chen Fang received the ball and rushed to the basket. Facing the basket guarded by Angus alone, he jumped early to attract his opponent to jump up as well, but he passed the ball from Angus' armpit.

Raymond finally arrived and caught the ball and scored.

The tempo of the game suddenly picked up, catching everyone off guard. The scouts in the stands also realized that the Red Devils were launching a wave.

Facing a desperate situation, Fultz went to the meeting alone, bravely broke into the Red Devils' lair, faced with the double pressure of Theo and Raymond, caused damage, and got two free throw opportunities.

However, due to the huge loss of physical strength, he only made one free throw.

The Red Devils quickly served the ball from the baseline. Chen Fang showed his super fast speed and coordination with the ball. He broke through and overtook two people. Finally, under the double-team, he passed the ball to the middle. Tatum appeared like a ghost when the ball landed, jumped to catch the ball, and slam-dunked with both hands.

The 13:1 offensive wave made head coach Kenneth Zervi call a timeout immediately.

But at this moment, the cooperation between Chen Fang and Tatum has completely revealed its sharp fangs, even if Kenneth replaced the team's fastest players and let Fultz stabilize the rhythm.

But when facing positional warfare, the Red Devils' duo still had no solution.

Tatum positioned himself inside to ask for the ball, then attracted the ball and passed it to Chen Fang who was running to the corner without the ball. Chen Fang received the ball and flew past Fultz who was defending him, then took a step sideways and made a three-pointer.

Then on defense, they pressed with four players in the high post and half-court press to force a turnover on the opponent.

Chen Fang and Tatum, who got the ball, once again demonstrated the invincible impact of the double king.

Tatum overpowered the opposing center and made a layup.

The audience in the stands shook their heads repeatedly. Dimasha's fans had lost confidence in winning. They covered their faces and lowered their heads, feeling extremely depressed.

The 15:1 offensive wave is not over yet.

After attracting a double-team, Chen Fang passed the ball to Tatum, who passed it to Hyde who was in a wide-open space, and the latter finally made his first three-pointer.

83: 59.

Only 4 minutes and 31 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Red Devils suddenly pulled out two sickles and dismembered Dimasha with her feet and hands.

With a 24-point gap, an 18:1 wave turned the game into garbage time.

Seeing that the situation was set, Bennett replaced Tatum, Theo and Hyde with Cody, Vio and Bud.

Chen Fang still plays 1 and controls the situation.

此刻的陈放16分17助攻8篮板2冒2断。

This is an extremely terrifying statistic, especially when it comes to facing top high school teams. It is genuine and full of value.

But Chen Fang on the court did not feel proud at all. He devoted himself completely to his role as a leader. On defense, he defended Fultz. On offense, he and his teammates cooperated in screen and pick-and-roll.

He is always mobilizing opponents and connecting teammates. Anyone with a discerning eye is very clear about his role and the value of No. 21.

When Chen Fang scored the ball with a lob shot, the opponent called a timeout. The starting lineup was gone among the players who came on the court afterwards. This indicated that DiMasha Catholic High School had surrendered voluntarily.

Chen Fang achieved the most luxurious statistics in his career as he wished.

20 points, 20 assists and 10 rebound.

Everyone involved in basketball present here knows very well what this means.

Looking at the red number 21 who was about to go on the field, everyone's eyes were burning with excitement.

Get him!
When the final whistle sounded, Chen Fang walked towards the frustrated Fultz.

"Come on, change your jersey!" Chen Fang took the initiative.

Fultz looked at the smiling Chinese man in surprise. At this moment, Chen Fang's face was full of sincerity.

"Maybe you want to trade with Jason?" Chen Fang asked.

"No, of course!" Fultz stood up, took off his clothes and exchanged them with Chen Fang.

Chen Fang has recently developed a hobby of collecting the jerseys of future NBA stars. He thinks it is a great idea and hanging it at home will be a good topic to talk about and can also help him recall past games and stories.

"Come on, you are very strong, see you in the alliance!" Chen Fang used Jia Lun's words.

"Of course, see you in the NBA!" Tianjiao's conversations are always so simple.

Fultz is in a better mood and has come to terms with it.

Chen Fang's mouth moved, but he couldn't help but said, "Health comes first. You have to protect yourself, especially your shoulders!"

Fultz was puzzled, but nodded his thanks: "Yeah, you too."

The surrounding cameras were recording faithfully. Chen Fang hugged Fultz and then walked towards his teammates.

"Hey guys, did you have a good time today?"

"It's great, Wuhu!" Theo called.

Everyone scored today, and Theo even had 12 rebounds and 8 points, making him the third best performer, which greatly helped his chances of getting a better offer.

Tatum was also very happy that his brothers both scored points and performed well, which was a good sign.

He walked towards Chen Fang and they hugged each other.

"Congratulations, after today's game, our Red Devils team will be famous all over America."

“Of course, we have to go back and win the state championship!”

"Yes, if I get it, my high school life will be complete!!" Tatum was very happy.

Reporters from the organizer gathered around and the staff reminded them that they needed to be interviewed.

After temporarily separating, Chen Fang was faced with a young female reporter with a great figure and eyes full of lust.

"Chen, congratulations on winning the game. You were named MOP of this game. How do you feel?"

"Wow." Although Chen Fang was mentally prepared, he was still surprised. He said, "This award is the result of the efforts of the entire team. I am flattered."

"It is foreseeable that after today, countless offers will fill up your mailbox. Can you tell me which university you prefer?"

Chen Fang shrugged and laughed: "I'm a bachelor, you're welcome to pursue me."

"Then what are the requirements?" the female reporter pressed on.

Chen Fang was vague: "Actually, I am very honored to receive the offer. It means recognition of me, but I am still in the third year of high school, so maybe I need some time to digest it."

The female reporter brought up the example of Tatum, and Chen Fang took the opportunity to praise him: "Jason is the strongest high school student I have ever seen. In my opinion, he is strong enough to go to the NBA. It is really my honor to fight side by side with him."

Just a few meters away, Tatum responded to the reporter's question and cooperated very well: "Of course, Chen is the strongest high school student I have ever seen. When I saw him play in the World Youth Championship, I said to myself, how wonderful it would be if he could be my teammate."

"It is said that Chen was recruited by you?" The reporter keenly grasped the topic and asked further.

"Yeah, he wanted to go to California, and he called me for advice, and I said, hey, man, come to my place, and let's conquer America."

"Then Chen Hao agreed without hesitation and flew to Missouri overnight. It was a wonderful invitation."

The reporter also laughed: "Chen won the MOP today, how do you feel?"

Tatum was clearly prepared for such a sharp topic. He laughed: "He deserves it. Before the game, I told him, brother, don't hide behind the scenes, come to the center of the stage. So, now you see his strength."

Tatum's open-minded expression impressed reporters. He felt there was no need to stir up trouble and that their friendship was not worth destroying.

"Congratulations on getting into Duke. Do you have anything to say to Duke fans?"

"I'm ready, I'll be there soon!" Tatum said to the camera very confidently.

Both of them ended the interview almost at the same time, looked at each other and laughed.

Putting his arm around my shoulder, we walked towards the locker room.

"I would rather play for 48 minutes than be interviewed for one minute," Chen Fang muttered.

"Who isn't?" Tatum sighed.

They returned to the locker room together, and when they opened the door, there was champagne. The whole team was waiting for them, and cheers filled the room.

The team's cameraman faithfully recorded this scene.

Chen Fang, who was splashed all over, rushed in, grabbed the champagne, and shot it indiscriminately around.

The scene suddenly became chaotic, and the experienced coaches Bennett and Perez hid in the corner and watched with satisfaction.

"Old man, this is our peak." Bennett said with emotion.

"Yes, it's beautiful!" Perez thought so too.

That night, USA Today Sports, an organization specializing in ranking high schools across the United States, announced the 2016 spring high school rankings across the United States.

Chaminade, the top high school in the United States.

At the same time, ESPN made an exception and added Chen Fang to the 2016 ESPN National High School Rankings.

Due to issues such as data template, his ranking is temporarily ranked 12th with a score of 91 points.

This is already the highest ranking in history for a Chinese player under the age of 18 who went to the United States to play high school. But even so, ESPN's editor-in-chief of basketball, Bernd Nelson, added: Chen's strength is far more than that, and we look forward to more game samples from him.

Today's official title of Hoophall Classic: The Red Devil Twin Kings, Shining Hoophall.

The article gave an overview of the matchup, with an emphasis on Chen Fang's triple-double of double 20, and predicted that Chen's development prospects were destined to make him the sixth Chinese to enter the NBA.

Moreover, he will also be the first Chinese player to become the first player in the NBA through high school, NCAA and the draft.

After recovering, Chen Fang returned to the room. Tatum had not come back yet. He checked his phone and saw all the missed calls and congratulatory messages.

Wallace has the most.

He dialed the number and the call was connected almost on the first ring. It can be imagined that Wallace had been waiting for Chen Fang to call back.

"North Carolina, Kentucky, UCLA, all the big clubs have sent out invitations. Chen, you got it!"

Wallace's first sentence shocked Chen Fang.

"Where are you?" Chen Fang asked, suppressing his turbulent emotions.

"I'm nearby. Don't worry. You'd better not come out now. Wait a moment. Then there will be a red Honda from behind." Wallace told the route.

"Okay, see you at 4pm then."

　Today is the last day of November. I started updating on September 11st, and have updated 9 words in 1 days, an average of 90 words per day, which is the volume of two chapters.

　　Thank you very much to all the friends who have supported us along the way. See you in December.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)