The Illinois players across the court had long lost the stamina to counterattack.
Of course, Evans, who stood out tonight, truly transformed into that refreshing oasis for Qin Yue during his arduous desert journey.
Edward Jones Dome, 89 to 71.
As the scoreboard’s timer hit zero, Qin Yue, who had racked up 40 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks, and 1 steal for the team, was instantly surrounded by his teammates in the center of the court.
Despite a less than stellar performance, Chris Paul, who accumulated 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists in the finals, was the first to jump onto Qin Yue’s back, ahead of everyone else.
"We really did it... We won the NCAA Championship!"
In the stands, the joy of winning the trophy for the first time quickly drove Wake Forest’s supporters absolutely wild.
Many fans immediately rushed onto the court to celebrate the victory with the players on the field.
Duncan, who was previously in the stands, also joined in the revelry.
Looking both happy and wistful, he secretly slipped two ice cubes intended for chilling champagne down Qin Yue’s jersey.
At this moment, Duncan was happy because Wake Forest was his "root."
The reason for his wistfulness was...
During his legendary and glorious four-year college career, he never tasted the sweetness of an NCAA Championship.
Tonight, all Wake Forest players are destined to be etched into history and become those legendary figures passed down by word of mouth to future students.
Knowing that he would soon follow Qin Yue to the NBA in another way, Ronnie Evans, holding a bottle of champagne, said to everyone, "Listen up, everyone... According to tradition, I, as the senior, should be the one to cut down the first piece of the net symbolizing the championship for the Devil’s Deacon Team.
But tonight... I’d like to bestow this honor upon our Qin because, in my eyes, we wouldn’t have made it here without him!
So, if you agree with me, let’s pop the champagne and show the world just how incredible our Qin is!"
At the center of the court, regarding Evans’s proposal...
The next second, the people of Wake Forest immediately used the champagne in their hands, aimed at Qin Yue, to complete the vote.
The staff member who had just brought a ladder to the Wake Forest half-court was embarrassed.
Because Qin Yue cutting the net...
Did he really need a ladder?
Isn’t it just a matter of standing on tiptoes, why make it so complicated?
"Qin... Can you lift me up?"
On the court, after Qin Yue cut down the net, Chris Paul looked up at him and noticed that the ladder had already been moved by the staff to the other half of the court and said helplessly.
Seeing this, Qin Yue simply picked up Paul and said with a smile, "With pleasure."
Then, the Wake Forest players proceeded to cut down the nets from both halves of the court...
Meanwhile, Rachel, who was in charge of distributing the custom-made championship caps and T-shirts to the team members, quietly stood behind Qin Yue.
Qin Yue had noticed his soul mate early on, and after placing his championship cap on Rachel’s head, he said to her, "In the next few months, you must tutor me well.
I want to graduate with a bachelor’s degree like Emeka Okafor did in his junior year."
Hearing this, Rachel, knowing that Qin Yue had already earned enough credits, laughed and said, "Then you’d better attend class diligently, I’m a very strict teacher."
Edward Jones Dome, the revelry of the Devil’s Deacon Team lasted until the last drop of champagne was spent.
On the court, Prose, who thought he could escape unscathed by hiding in a corner, was caught by Gray and first doused with two buckets of ice water, then collectively tossed into the air by the players.
"I’m getting old... Can’t you guys be a little kinder to the elderly?"
After landing, wiping away the liquid at the corner of his eyes, whether it was tears or water, Prose said to everyone with a feigned sob.
Looking around, Prose felt that his life could only be described as perfect.
As the head coach of the Devil’s Deacon Team, and the university mentor of Qin Yue and Paul... At this moment, he stood at the pinnacle of his life.
"Regarding the NBA, there’s nothing I can teach you... But I believe you will make your own mark in the NBA." On the court, with one hand on Qin Yue’s back and the other on Paul’s shoulder, Prose said.
Then, after a brief pause, Prose continued, "No matter where you go in the future, Wake Forest will always be your home."
Tonight is destined to be a night filled with laughter and unresolvable emotions.
In the stands, as the losing side, apart from a few fans who were reluctant to leave, most Illinois fans had already exited in sadness.
After the game, sitting crouched in the player tunnel, Deron Williams witnessed Qin Yue cutting the net and lifting Paul to cut the net.
At that time, Deron’s feelings were extremely complex.
Although on this night, he had outperformed Paul head-to-head with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists...
Paul became the ultimate winner.
For a moment, Deron admitted...
He was indeed very jealous of Paul.
And in the player tunnel, seeing Hyde and Brown walking toward him one after the other...
The next moment, Deron, unable to hold back any longer, immediately embraced the other two tightly.
At that moment, the Illinois backcourt trio sobbed, unwillingly...
This is precisely the cruelest aspect of the NCAA.
There are many teams participating in the NCAA Division I competition...
But every year, there can only be one winner.
Subsequently, when the trophy presentation ceremony was held on the court, the most senior member of the team, Evans, once again gave the honor of holding the trophy to Qin Yue.
In response, Qin Yue did not go through a drama of three refusals and three insistences with Evans.
Instead, he proactively accepted the championship trophy, which haunted the dreams of many, from the award personnel.
At the moment Qin Yue lifted the trophy, the CBS commentator announced to the entire nation with his exuberant voice, "Let us congratulate the Devil’s Deacon Team! They have claimed this year’s March Madness with an undefeated record!"
Following that, as everyone successively took turns with the trophy and gave brief acceptance speeches, Qin Yue rightfully earned the MOP of this year’s Final Four.
The next second, accepting the microphone from the staff on site, and flashing that enchanting smile, Qin Yue held the MOP trophy and said, "Though throughout this season, I always firmly believed no team deserved the championship more than we did...
It wasn’t until the victory horn sounded, reflecting on the past two years, with all the memories flooding in, that I realized what a great and remarkable team I have been part of.
I believe this will become a very special memory that will forever reside in my mind.
Here, there are a few people I must thank.
First, my parents, for they gave me life and stood by me all along my growth.
Secondly, I want to thank my teammate Chris Paul.
Because at the most challenging moment of my life, he said to me, ’If you want to play basketball, I can play with you anytime.’
Additionally, I must thank my coach Skip Prosser.
He taught me how to best utilize my talents with his tactics and life philosophy, all of which have benefited me immensely.
Next is my teammate Ronnie Evans.
To be honest, I still can’t believe Ronnie hit 5 three-pointers tonight with a 100% shooting percentage.
Ronnie is quite a character in life, and we’ve always been incredibly close.
Lastly... I want to thank all the Wake Forest fans.
Without a doubt, they are absolutely the best sixth man on our path to this championship."
At the award ceremony site, after Qin Yue finished his acceptance speech, the entire stadium erupted once more with deafening cheers.
At this moment, the dashing and tall number 10 of Wake Forest, while emotionally bidding farewell to college basketball, also conveyed to the world with his confidence and composure:
He is fully prepared to enter the NBA with a series of titles.
He is the best college basketball player of the 21st century.
The NBA teams that have long waited for Qin Yue all eagerly fix their eyes on that particular day.
That day named... the Draft Lottery Day.
Owning that day would be the equivalent of having Qin Yue!
PS: New book, asking for collection, monthly tickets, recommendation votes!