Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 177 The Madness Continues, Late Spring Bear Hunt

When did Doug start to realize that this Chinese man No. 21 was really amazing?

It's from this ball.

Lonzo dribbled across half court and, under D'Antoni's fake screen, pressed the ball to the wing. Marvin Bagley, who was considered the best scorer in the California team, made an open cut and broke in from the other side.

Lonzo attracted Chen Fang's defense and suddenly threw a high pass.

Marvin Bagley wanted to make an alley-oop, but Jalen's superb defensive skills delayed his rush. Although he had his back to Lonzo and couldn't know the specific situation, he read the threat from Marvin Bagley's expression and movements.

But the reason why Bagley is outstanding is based on his strong mobility. He jumped high, caught the ball, dribbled and jumped when he landed, and then made a fake shot and stepped up to knock Jalen away.

At this time, there was no defender in front of him, so he wanted to score easily with a layup.

No. 21 slipped out from the baseline, leaned sideways and grabbed the ball before it touched the backboard.

I don't know if this is considered a block or a steal. Anyway, after No. 21 got the ball, he continued to dribble along the baseline, then just looked up and threw the ball over his head with one hand. The ball flew 20 meters and was accurately delivered to Trae Young who was rushing down, and the latter scored a layup.

The process from Lonzo passing the ball to Chen Fang's long pass only took three seconds, but what it contained moved head coach Doug.

Decisive assist defense, filling in the gaps, blocking shots, and long passes. This process only takes three seconds, leaving no time for No. 21 to think. It is enough to show that this Chinese man, his brain and instincts are that of a perfect basketball machine.

Add in the block and assist, and Chen Fang's stats are average enough to be frightening.

It was already the middle of the second quarter, and the score was 41:24 for the Late Spring team, who were leading by a large margin.

Tatum and Trae Young both scored 12 points, Jalen scored 8 points, Porter Jr. scored 6 points, and Chen Fang only scored 3 points.

It was a three-pointer, the only shot in the first quarter.

This is certainly not a statistic that makes Doug feel uneasy, because behind the 3-pointer, there is a series of stats.

5 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, 4 steals.

With almost no chance to have the ball, No. 21 achieved these numbers. Any knowledgeable coach would realize the role of this Chinese player in the team.

He and Jalen formed an indestructible late spring defense, standing firm in the face of the crazy attack of the California United team.

Moreover, the core role of No. 21 in the team became more and more obvious as the game continued.

Doug doesn't even need to remember, he knows that although No. 21's ball usage rate is not high, his ball possession rate is increasing.

As we all know, ball possession equals finishing possession + possession. (Finishing possession is the number of shots attempted per 100 possessions, termed USG%. This tells you who is the core of the team. So if you want to argue with others, just remember this term.)
Professionals separate ball possessions for data analysis, usually to measure a person's offensive position in the team, usually based on finishing rights.

The possession of the ball needs to be analyzed in combination with the number of assists and turnovers.

The combination of the two is the possession rate of the ball.

No. 21 has almost no finishing rights and no ball possession, but he can achieve high-efficiency assists and zero turnovers, and one of the statistics is extremely high.

That's the number of passes.

If there were statistics for this game, it would be clear that No. 21 is the real core player of this team.

What is the difference between axis and core?
It’s very clear by giving two examples, Draymond Green and Goodnight Curry.

The Warriors achieved a fantastic 73 wins this year because these two people were a perfect match. Together with Buddha Klay, this combination is the best in the league at high positions.

Today's Chen Fang is the handsome version of Green. He does a lot of basic work, such as screening, pick-and-roll, filling in, assisting in defense, and other blue-collar work.

And every time he passes the ball, he distributes it, forming the most reasonable offense for this All-Star team.

Before the game, Doug had aspirations, but now he has none.

He was frustrated to find that as long as this Chinese man was on the court, the game would not be chaotic.

And the physical fitness that is expected is likely to fail to be achieved.

The Late Spring team attacked in an orderly manner, with everyone taking turns to attack and defend. Their success rate was very high, and they did a good job of delaying the game. The California United team didn't make many half-conversions and didn't even make a quick transition.

The entire game was very intense, but the transition between offense and defense was slow, which did not consume a huge amount of physical energy. From the relaxed expressions on their faces, it could be seen that they had more than enough physical energy to last until the fourth quarter.

Moreover, Doug feels that No. 21 will not be so low-key, and maybe he will start to show his power in the second half.

During the half-time break, Chen Fang called everyone together amid the boos.

"Guys, you played a perfect first half, but I still have to say, you didn't let go."

"Jason, attack the basket and show your 16-year-old momentum as the best high school player in the United States."

Then he looked at Jarren: "Hey, my old black brother, you are too elegant, be rude, are you sympathizing with them?"

"Of course not. Okay, I'll let you see how powerful I am." Jaron defended.

Finally, he looked at Trae Young and said, "Shoot, brother. There are plenty of rebounds. It doesn't matter if you let them play a few fast breaks. If you don't play the high-post threat, Jason, Jalen, and Porter will have no offensive space."

"Okay, you said it." Trae Young had no choice but to say.

"Hey, Porter, you should do more. Come with me and improve your defense. On offense, take shots whenever you have the chance. Don't think about high scores. Find out your significance on the team first."

After scolding everyone, Chen Fang extended his hand and placed it in the middle: "Come on, help each other. We only scored 54 points in the first half, which is too few. We didn't play with the strength of the Late Spring Team. How can we let everyone remember us?"

This sentence reminded everyone that, yes, our target is not limited to the California United Team, this score is simply too weak.

Everyone put their hands on the back of Chen Fang's hand, and it seemed as if everything became concrete at this moment.

Number 21 alone carries the hopes of the entire team.

"Destroy!"
"Destroy!" Five people yelled together.

So at the Felipe Center Arena, tens of thousands of people witnessed a massacre.

At the beginning of the third quarter, Trae Young used a three-pointer to start the massacre.

Then, Jalen blocked Bagley's shot, and Chen Fang picked up the ball and ran down the court quickly. He pressed forward from the sideline and threw the ball to Tatum who was running at high speed on the other side.

The latter had great tacit understanding with the team. It was so comfortable for him to receive the pass from Chen Fang. He jumped high and dunked the ball with both hands.

Looking back, Chen Fang and Porter Jr. formed a super block to block D'Antoni's attack on the basket.

Jalen grabbed the rebound and passed it to Trae Young, who took on the entire California United team's defense with the ball.

Doug sensed danger and immediately called a timeout.

But the situation did not improve. The California United team, which returned to the field, began to face the Late Spring team, which was making a collective effort.

Tatum's shots from inside and outside made Bagley, who was defending him, question his life. Jalen dominated the interior and beat the big center of the California team, a 208cm tall, 280kg black fellow, like a child whose ice cream fell on the ground, feeling so wronged that he almost cried.

The two players' outburst forced Doug to give up the high-post pressure and focus on shrinking within the three-point line.

So, Porter Jr. and Trae Young began to show their power.

At this moment, California United faces a difficult decision: whether to expand their defense or retreat inside.

No matter which choice you make, you will be chased and beaten by the Late Spring Team.

Doug was helpless. This is the sadness of being a coach.

With no cards to play against them, they were unable to face the Late Spring team, which was incredibly strong in all five positions.

Even dozens of local basketball media on the sidelines understood old man Doug's feelings.

"It's too difficult!" A basketball blogger with hundreds of thousands of followers shook his head.

Sitting next to him was Sheena, the captain of the Montgomery High School girls' basketball team. She was also a popular internet broadcaster. She felt frustrated watching the California United team being beaten.

"Why is this happening?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Because the strength of the Wanchun team lies in being a team, not just having all-stars." The person who answered her was a middle-aged man in the back row.

"Is that so?" Xina didn't quite understand.

The middle-aged man smiled. He was an assistant coach at the University of Southern California (USC) and his name was Buson Engel.

He watched three quarters of the game and was one of the few people among the tens of thousands of people in the stadium who saw through the essence of the matter.

"No. 21 Chen." Busen took a deep breath. This Chinese man is so amazing.

He noticed that during the half-time break, the Chinese called everyone together and gave them a lecture, which undoubtedly confirmed his position and core role in the team.

The real core of the Late Spring Team is No. 21.

This is not just praise, it is proven by the performance of the Chinese on the court.

Without No. 21, this team can beat California United, but it will not be stable, and it will not be in such a crushing situation as it is now.

In the third quarter, Late Spring set off a terrible storm, scoring 49 points in a single quarter and entering the fourth quarter with a score of 107:51.

All the spectators who came to the stadium to cheer for the California United team clearly realized that this team was too strong.

Trae Young and Tatum scored terrifying stats of 34 and 32 points respectively, while Jalen scored 21 points and Porter 15 points.

No. 21 Chen Fang ranked last with 6 points. Yes, he made a three-pointer in the third quarter.

Fans who didn't watch the game or simply don't understand sports will use this data as an argument to refute and ridicule Chen Fang's remarks that exaggerate his behavior.

No matter who comes to argue with him, he can't be convinced, because in their poor minds, points mean strength, and nothing else means anything else.

The stats of 12 assists, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks and 6 steals were completely unimportant in their eyes.

But the desperate old man Doug wished that the Chinese would get out of the stadium immediately. Without him, they would not necessarily lose, and would not be slaughtered.

In the middle of the fourth quarter, Chen Fang began to change roles. He found that the efficiency of several players began to decline, so Chen Fang took the lead and started to hold the ball, letting Trae Young play as a shooting guard.

So, the brainless haters also shut up.

In five minutes, Chen Fang made 9 of 6 shots, leading the Late Spring team to a 31:5 attack wave in the final stage.

也将自己的得分，来到了22分14助攻13篮板5帽6断的超级数据。

When Chen Fang carried the ball across half court and stood still in the center circle, waiting for the countdown to end, this late spring match against the California United team also came to an end.

Throwing the ball to Tatum, Chen Fang shouted, "According to the rules, the ball goes to the scoring champion."

Tatum scored 42 points. He caught the ball and wiped his sweat with a smile.

Chen Fang pointed at Little Porter again: "You have the lowest score, you will carry the bag later!"

"Okay." Porter Jr. was very frustrated. He scored 21 points, but at the cost of 18 shots. The opportunities he gave were useless, so he accepted his fate.

After finishing his explanation, Chen Fang walked towards the California United team's bench. Facing a group of frustrated and angry eyes, Chen Fang ignored them. He walked up to the exhausted old man Doug.

"Sir, I salute you and thank you for your respect for the Wanchun team." Chen Fang's words surprised everyone.

"You played very well, congratulations." Doug also tried to cheer up and maintain his dignity, but the hand he extended actively also revealed his inner surrender.

Chen Fang stretched out his hands and held the old man's hands. He said sincerely: "I want to take back what I said yesterday. Please forgive my youth and ignorance."

Chen's public acknowledgment of his mistakes and humble attitude undoubtedly healed Doug's wounded heart. The old man finally smiled a little, and he also realized the high emotional intelligence of this Chinese man.

Submission and active repair of relationships were natural and natural actions taken by this Chinese teenager.

"Go enjoy your victory." Doug was relieved. He added with emotion, "If Wu Neng had your emotional intelligence, none of this would have happened."

In response, Chen Fang smiled without saying anything.

Finally, he looked at Lonzo who was sitting there sweating and panting.

I also took the initiative to clench my fist to show my goodwill to him.

"It was a great game. I believe we will face each other in the future."

"Thank you, I'll be looking forward to it." Lonzo also stood up and bumped fists with Chen Fang.

He scored 26 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds today. He was the best player of the California United team and the well-deserved No. high school student in California.

Finally, Chen Fang also greeted several people who performed well and left a deep impression on him, especially Bagley.

"Good fight, man. It's not your fault that we lost today."

"Thank you." Bagley felt better. He comes from a basketball family and his father is a coach. He actually understands basketball better than most people, so he knows how powerful No. 21 is.

After doing all this, Chen Fang returned to his bench. Trae Young jokingly asked, "Face-to-face taunting?"

"Of course not. No friendship without fighting. I'm going to have to see some of these people in the future."

Chen Fang's words were understood by everyone immediately.

Come to think of it, we will meet in the NBA sooner or later.

"Then let's go and greet them too." Jalen is a man with high emotional intelligence, and he responded immediately.

"Go ahead." Chen Fang waved his hand.

So in Busson's eyes, he saw that the Chinese had made the team go to California United, which was more in line with the original intention of a friendly competition, and it also made him realize that the Chinese have many desirable and good qualities.

With the Late Spring team's proactive show of goodwill, this massacre was able to make up for the California United team's trauma to a certain extent.

Then came the interview environment, and the highlight came.

When reporters gathered around with microphones, the Late Spring team tacitly pushed Tatum out.

There's no way around it. He's the top star and the scoring champion, so it's only right and proper for him to step forward.

So Tatum gritted his teeth and pretended to be a big brother as he faced the camera and the microphone.

"Jason, how do you feel?" The reporter's opening remarks were very formulaic.

"It's great. California is a beautiful place and I love it." Again, the answer was very formulaic.

"He scored 42 points today. How do you feel about that?"

"It's amazing. Thanks to my teammates for their support. This is a perfect team and I'm honored to be on this team."

"Perfect! You guys slaughtered the California team by a huge margin today. This is truly perfect."

“Yes, this is a very strong team. I feel that if we play in D1, we can also make it to the tournament.”

Chen Fang, who was listening nearby, smiled. Very good, it worked.

"D1? Is that what you think?" The reporter was stunned, then asked anxiously. The female reporter felt that something had been exposed.

"Of course we are strong. I know many people don't believe it, but we can prove it."

Finally, Tatum went all out and said, "We're still in California, waiting for all the challenges."

The reporter looked at everyone else, and the entire team shouted in unison, "We're here, California!"

The female reporter smiled; she knew how to report the story.

On the way back in the car, Lu Yun, who had been prepared to play the game, did not feel depressed. He had already prepared his persona, pretending to be the trader, and had photos and videos as solid evidence.

He also knew that this group of people would definitely become NBA figures in the future, and their current interactions were all a treasure.

Pretentious wealth.

What others can only encounter by chance, he can get easily.

Now he had a question.

"Chen Fang, what is your plan?"

"Take this opportunity to challenge the Pac-12 League in California." Chen Fang said frankly without hiding anything.

"Wow, good plan!" Lu Yun laughed.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked.

"Pay money to buy off the media, the sooner the better."

"Okay, just wait and see."

151:75, four hours after the late spring massacre of the California United team, the information about this game and the subsequent interviews quickly climbed to the top of the California sports section.

The video and the speech are being searched frantically.

More media in California joined in on this hot topic, and Tatum's shocking remarks became the focus of discussion.

"Arrogant and late-spring arrogance, someone needs to teach these underage kids a lesson." A university coach publicly signed his name to criticize them.

Someone quickly refuted the D2 league coach online, saying simply: "You and your team don't deserve it."

Similar quarrels continued to occur, and around 8 o'clock in the evening, someone from D1 finally came out to take up the cause.

UC Berkeley Golden Bears junior guard Jack McCloskey, a native of Newport Beach, California, issued an indignant statement.

"There are always people who think they are invincible just because they have good grades in high school. You don't know that the intensity of D1 is a huge wall you can't overcome."

So, some fans tagged him: "In the eyes of geniuses, this is a threshold, but in the eyes of losers, this is a high wall. What Jack said is absolutely right!"

So, the main guard of the junior year immediately retorted: "Then may I ask where you are? I want to know why you are not in D3!"

The internet has given people endless courage, and fans immediately fired back: "The Late Springs are in California. Why don't you tag them? If I remember correctly, the Golden Bears didn't even make the championship this year. If you beat them, wouldn't that prove they're bragging?"

This sentence made McCloskey unable to respond.

The fans who were watching the show rushed over and started to mock the team. The chain reaction became widespread, and more fans began to use the Golden Bears as an argument. As one of the four major D4 teams in California, the Golden Bears were undoubtedly pushed to the forefront.

Things developed in a magical way. At 8:30 Western Time, Jaylen Brown, the top star of the Golden Bears and about to enter the draft, posted a message on social media.

"Come on, little brother Jason, let me see if the Late Spring Team has the strength!" At the same time, he tagged Tatum on Twitter.

This tweet immediately topped the trending list.

The UC Berkeley Golden Bears responded to the challenge.

At the Late Spring team's base camp, everyone cheered, except Tatum, who looked depressed.

"Why are you looking so sad?" Little Potter was very surprised.

"He is Jay Chou's younger brother." Jay Chou is the king of gossip and knows everything.

Tatum met Jaylen in his senior year of high school. The two played against each other many times, and Tatum was always at a disadvantage. Their competition ended only when Jaylen went to California.

The two have a good relationship privately, which is why the Celtics are confident in taking two third picks to form a championship-winning lineup.

But now, things are not good.

Trae Young was still fanning the flames: "Little brother? Haha, he really treats you as his little brother? Jason, have you ever beaten him?"

Tatum remained silent about this.

"Then let's win once. This opportunity is rare, and there may not be many chances in the future." Chen Fang suddenly said.

Tatum looked at Chen Fang, who gave him a look of trust, and then he looked at the others.

"I promise you that I can win!" Chen Fang said.

"Yes, we can win!" everyone else shouted.

"Fuck, it's him!" Tatum also became ruthless. At this time, he couldn't be timid.

"That's it!" Chen Fang patted the table and stood up majestically. He said to Tatum, "Tweet your challenge immediately. Keep it short and it will show your dominance."

"Write what?" Tatum asked.

Less than five minutes after Jaylen issued the challenge, Tatum sent out a tweet and tagged Jaylen.

“Time, Place.”
All the basketball media in California are going crazy. The hot topics continue and the climaxes continue. This April is perfect.

Soon, Jay replied.

"I'm declaring for the draft on April 4nd, so it'll be the 22th, at Haas Pavilion." (The Golden Bears' home stadium, Haas Stadium, has a capacity of 18.)
In Chen Fang's eyes, this is a typical method used by agents to expose others. Well, we are all smart people, so let's cooperate happily!
This led Tatum to respond: "Arrive on time!"
"Well, guys, our challenge has been upgraded."

"But the fun has also increased. If we play well in this game, the focus of the entire United States in April will be on us!" Chen Fang said inspiring words.

"That's right!"

"There are many bears in California. Don't worry, just take them one by one!" Chen Fang clenched his fists.

I thought to myself: There is another brown bear, this is my target.

　There are only two chapters today, with a total of 1 words.

　　From December to today, the 12th, 8 words have been updated.

　　Thank you all for your support. I have been very busy recently, but I have been making every spare moment possible for you. I hope you can understand!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)