But if it weren’t for his tireless high-quality screens in the first half...
Wake Forest wouldn’t have had any chance of scoring 41 points against Kang University’s high-quality defense.
As the perimeter core of the Devil’s Deacon Team, Paul also exhausted all his energy during the game.
In the first half, Paul made 5 out of 9 shots.
Aside from one attempt at a mid-range shot, his other shots were all efficient three-pointers, yet even so, scoring 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists for the team in the half wasn’t enough for Paul to change the course of the game.
During halftime, Qin Yue and Paul both felt that inexplicable sense of helplessness rising in their hearts.
This rookie duo from the ACC Conference has performed excellently this season so far, but facing Kang University’s overwhelming absolute strength...
It still requires time to improve their caliber, which is the most truthful portrayal of Qin Yue and Paul at this moment.
"Actually, when the matchup schedule was announced, I already guessed how challenging our March Madness journey would be this year," Qin Yue said in the locker room, turning to look at Paul sitting beside him.
"But no matter what, as long as the game isn’t over, we still have a chance.
Chris, don’t tell me you’ve chosen to give up already."
At this moment, their eyes met.
After a perfectly harmonious fist bump with Qin Yue, Paul said, "We have many shortcomings now, but we haven’t wasted a single minute in the past.
Many things, you have to make an effort to avoid regrets.
Maybe our March Madness journey will end tonight, but that will only become a goal for us to strive for next, right?"
In the locker room, witnessing the two main players adjust through mutual encouragement, the originally dim-looking eyes of the Devil’s Deacon Team players regained their brilliance in an instant.
Seeing this, Prose said to his disciples, "That’s it, regardless of the outcome, just make sure you don’t regret it."
After halftime rest, the game continued.
Watching the still resilient Devil’s Deacon Team players on the court, the coach of the Husky Team, Jim Calhoun, couldn’t help but remark, "Such a formidable opponent."
In the second half, to increase the team’s offensive power and match Connecticut’s offensive level, Prose boldly deployed a three-guard lineup consisting of Paul, Gray, and Evans.
Now, the Devil’s Deacon Team, which can only fight for survival, has entrusted their inside entirely to Qin Yue.
"Wake Forest has already made a desperate stance.
Next, they’re placing all their hopes for a comeback on Qin alone.
He must take on the lead role, facing the rotating impact from Emeka, Hilton, Charlie, Josh, and others in the game," commented Mike Breen, the commentator of this game.
Although human resources are ultimately finite, which is an immutable truth...
But in Qin Yue’s eyes, who doesn’t seek to give up at this moment, even if there’s a deep abyss ahead, he will still attempt to leap over that cliff.
On the court, after Rive secured two points for Wake Forest through an empty cut, it was Connecticut’s offensive turn.
Okafor, in collaboration with Gordon, utilized the screen to break free and instantly gained an opportunity to attack the Devil’s Deacon Team’s basket directly.
Fortunately, Qin Yue, who played all out and activated every cell in his body, provided crucial defensive support in time.
Nonetheless, in the next second, Okafor calmly passed the ball to the trailing Armstrong.
Seeing this, Qin Yue, forcefully turning around to block, successfully intimidated the latter.
But after Armstrong chose to launch the ball...
How should Qin Yue, already exhausted, respond?
In the Devil’s Deacon Team’s restricted area, Okafor couldn’t receive Armstrong’s incredibly imaginative alley-oop pass.
Because after Qin Yue secured enough time, the "Panama Spring" Jamal Rive, not adept at frontal defense, had quietly reinforced the basket.
In terms of bounce speed, Okafor can’t compare to this slender stick weighing under 85 kilograms.
Inside, Rive successfully disrupted Connecticut’s attack for the Devil’s Deacon Team.
And just as the basketball’s path was altered by Rive and was about to shoot out of bounds...
In the meantime, Gray decisively threw his body out of the bounds, arriving just in time to help.
On the court, Gray successfully saved the ball from the baseline.
Paul successfully received Gray’s selfless save.
Only now did Okafor and Armstrong realize that in that fleeting moment just now, Wake Forest had already retreated collectively back to defense.
Basketball has never been a one-person sport.
And it won’t be in the future either.
On the court, accompanied by Paul’s roar echoing through the ceiling, Qin Yue, long ready and leading the charge, wasn’t about to miss this golden opportunity to boost the team’s morale.
At Meixi Arena, Wake Forest supporters who’d been subdued for a half all stood from their seats in unison the next second.
Then, upon receiving Paul’s long pass, the Wake Forest raptor soared over the fastest defender Charlie Villanueva, igniting the entire Phoenix at Connecticut’s basket!
Nothing can boost a team’s morale more on the basketball court than a dunk over an opponent!
And in competitive sports, losing is never frightening.
The frightening thing is lacking the courage to continue battling with opponents during the game.
At this moment, since Wake Forest is still fighting, how can you say they’ve already lost the game?
On the court, it was Connecticut’s turn to attack.
Meixi Arena, which had been suppressed for a long time, was reignited by Qin Yue just now and became Wake Forest’s best sixth man.
Facing the boos coming from all directions...
Desperate to stabilize the situation with an attack, Kang University players almost immediately chose to entrust the ball to their inside core:
In the following straightforward low-post duel, Qin Yue, who read Okafor’s attack route, surprisingly shattered the All-American player’s offense with a frontal block!
"I admit, you’re strong.
And far stronger than I am now.
But not long ago, I just faced off with a player who’s even stronger than you." Looking at the stunned Okafor in the paint, Qin Yue said.
Hearing this, knowing he was too late to return to defense, Okafor simply turned his gaze towards Qin Yue and asked, "Who is that?"
At this moment, Okafor fell silent.
On the other side, on Connecticut’s half-court, as Evans scored on a fast break...
Wake Forest, having successfully established a rally in the second half, had narrowed their gap with Connecticut to 6 points.
For a long period thereafter...
Around this 6 points, Connecticut and Wake Forest engaged in a seesaw battle.
On the sidelines, at the Husky Team’s bench, Jim Calhoun was no longer composed and calm like during the first half.
"If he had one more year to develop, what kind of monster would he become?"
Looking at Wake Forest’s sole barrier inside on the court, Calhoun knew this year’s Connecticut couldn’t be described as lucky.
Because once he fully develops...
Calhoun couldn’t even begin to imagine the level of dominance he might achieve in college basketball.
And on the court, as time marched on, this game reached the most suffocating moment.
To minimize errors, Calhoun didn’t stubbornly stick to using a three-big lineup throughout the game.
"Three more minutes, and we’ll advance to the next round."
At the last moment of the second half, after glancing up at the scoreboard, Calhoun, who felt he was on the brink of choking, mused.
Everyone knows the NCAA’s offense period per possession is 30 seconds.
So theoretically, holding a 6-point lead wouldn’t make Calhoun this nervous.
Calhoun just felt that unless it was resolved once and for all, he and his players absolutely couldn’t afford complacency.
"Now there’s only two minutes left."
On the sidelines, after another glance at the scoreboard, Calhoun mused.
Meixi Arena, Connecticut still led by 6 points and had possession of the ball.
PS: New book begs for collection, monthly votes, and recommendation votes.