After the Christmas break, the topic of whether Wake Forest, which has topped the national rankings for eleven consecutive weeks, can progress into March Madness with an undefeated record has become the focus of everyone’s attention.
Now, each time Wake Forest wins a game, their supporters shout: We are one step closer to making history.
Additionally, since the "Cannon Fist" was unleashed, Chris Paul seems to have transformed recently.
In the games, he wholeheartedly assists Qin Yue.
Behind every dunk by Qin Yue that fans discuss, you can almost always see Paul’s figure.
Moreover, the most crucial thing is that whenever a team tries to double-team Qin Yue on the court, Paul punishes them with his crisp and clean shots.
If, before unleashing the "Cannon Fist," Paul was only forced to bow to Qin Yue’s formidable pressure,
then at this moment, he is the perfect second-in-command both on and off the court in every sense.
As the saying goes: the stronger the light, the darker the shadow.
With Paul’s complete shift in mindset, both of these complementary Wake Forest stars were predicted to be among the top five in the first round in the draft projection report by ESPN at the beginning of the year.
It turns out people do not overlook the progress Paul made in the 04/05 season due to Qin Yue’s brilliance.
Because when Paul is on the court, people can clearly see that... every score Qin Yue makes seems as easy as eating or drinking water.
"You know, in the latest draft projection, I might even get selected in the top three of the first round."
In the Wake Forest University basketball training gym, holding newspapers with various media draft predictions, Paul excitedly said to Qin Yue.
Actually, having already secured the top draft position, Qin Yue couldn’t truly share Paul’s feelings.
But to take care of Paul’s emotions... Qin Yue still smiled slightly at Paul and said, "Congratulations, Chris."
However, when congratulating Paul...
Behind Qin Yue’s smile that day was a hint of concern, unnoticed by Paul.
Time swiftly moved to late February, and before the ACC tournament kicked off, Wake Forest remained number one nationwide with a 28-0 record.
Illinois, which quietly rose to number two nationwide...
proven through their recent performances that Qin Yue’s previous concerns were not groundless worries.
Luther Head, the best shooter from Illinois and the Big Ten Conference, hit a total of 29 three-pointers in the last five games for Illinois.
Thus far in the 04/05 season, Hyde averages over seven three-point attempts per game and shoots an impressive 41% from beyond the arc, averaging three treys per game.
Additionally, Dee Brown, another member of the Illinois golden backcourt trio, recently found his game rhythm, averaging 14.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game in February for Illinois.
There’s also the solid, 198 cm tall power forward Roger Powell and the sharpshooting James Augustine.
Previously, Paul’s draft projection rank reminded Qin Yue that, in current college basketball, this Illinois team led by Deron Williams, who in his memory outshone Paul as the 2005 NBA third overall pick, happens to be a team whose style counters Wake Forest.
This year, Deron, who is also a junior like himself...
Even if, in the future, after Paul enters the NBA, despite any difficulty reaching his peak, Chris Paul cannot escape the fate of being beaten by him.
Additionally, this Illinois backcourt trio has been playing together for three years.
Moreover, during their college years, Hyde and Brown could alleviate Deron’s organizational and aggressive play pressures by handling the ball.
Therefore, compared to the North Carolina Tar Heels, already faced and also in the ACC conference...
If Illinois, like in Qin Yue’s memory, fights their way to the finals, then in a winner-takes-all March Madness...
In Qin Yue’s view, they could potentially use their explosive backcourt players to defeat Wake Forest.
Illinois has already been labeled as a "serious threat" in Qin Yue’s mind.
In March, after leading Wake Forest through numerous challenges, Wake Forest ultimately achieved a 31-0 record, clinching the ACC tournament championship for this year, and becoming the first team since 1979 to enter March Madness with an undefeated record.
In the final, facing the Duke Blue Demon, Qin Yue delivered a perfect performance, posting 34 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal, successfully earning the MVP title for the ACC tournament final in the 04/05 season.
On the day of the final, besides numerous American media present to document history, many Chinese media outlets also were seen on-site.
In 2005, due to Yao Ming’s influence, with the increasing attention NBA gains in China, Chinese fans eagerly anticipate seeing another Yao Ming appear in the NBA.
That night, Qin Yue’s performance made all the Chinese reporters present feel immensely proud.
The only downside was...
During the award ceremony, to prove to the world that Duke will never bow to Wake Forest...
the Cameron Madmen who stayed behind to watch the award ceremony made all sorts of weird noises when Qin Yue received the award.
In response, Qin Yue promptly put his right hand to his ear and made a listening gesture toward the Cameron Madmen in the stands, which they would remember forever.
Upon seeing this, the Wake Forest fans in the audience responded, "Shut up, Duke! Didn’t you see your Principal is signaling you to be quiet?"