Dealing with Dirty Play

On March 22, USC faced off against the Siena Saints. USC stuck to their original lineup, while the Saints fielded Ronald Moore, Kenny Hasbrook, Alex Franklin, Edwin Ubiles, and Ryan Rossiter.

As soon as the players from both sides entered the court, Vucevic won the jump ball, and Lian Dao received the basketball. Instantly, Siena's small forward, Alex Franklin, closed in on Lian Dao, subtly jabbing his elbow into Lian Dao's side, hidden from the referee's view. The unexpected pain momentarily slowed Lian Dao's fast break. Stepping back to create space, he confidently launched a three-pointer from outside.

"Swish!"

Despite scoring the first shot of the game, Lian Dao didn't feel his usual satisfaction. The opponent's underhanded tactics right from the start left a bitter taste.

On the next possession, DeMar's staunch defense prevented Siena's shooting guard from making progress, forcing a pass to Alex Franklin. With the ball in his hands, Franklin attempted various dribble moves, searching for an opening to break through. However, Lian Dao remained focused on Franklin's shoulder movements, denying him any chance to advance.

Lian Dao's persistent attempts to disrupt Franklin's dribble further complicated Siena's offense. Sensing an opportunity when Lian Dao stepped forward, Franklin tried to exploit the close distance with a swift cross dribble to drive past Lian Dao on the left. But Lian Dao recovered quickly, blocking Franklin's path.

Frustrated by his inability to outpace Lian Dao, Franklin turned and began to push against Lian Dao with his shoulders. Realizing he couldn't overpower him, Franklin resorted to a dirty trick, covertly jabbing his elbow into Lian Dao's ribs.

"Hiss!"

Lian Dao winced, feeling the sting of the elbow jab. Thanks to his rigorous martial arts training, however, his bones were much stronger than before. An ordinary athlete might have suffered a fractured rib from such a hit, but Lian Dao's strengthened physique endured the blow.

Franklin's sneaky tactics were clear, but Lian Dao's resilience and focus kept him steadfast on defense. The game had just begun, but it was evident USC needed to stay vigilant against their opponents' underhanded maneuvers.

"Surprisingly, Lian Dao didn't go down," Franklin remarked.

"This kid's pretty tough!"

Determined to repeat his dirty trick, Franklin tried again, but this time, Lian Dao anticipated the move. He swiftly stole the dribble and covertly jabbed Franklin's waist with his elbow.

"Snap!"

"Ah!"

The first sound was Lian Dao slapping the basketball away; the second was Franklin's cry as he fell to the ground. Lian Dao seized the ball and sprinted forward. Edwin Ubiles, back on defense, harassed Lian Dao, slowing his pace. Seeing this, Lian Dao abruptly stopped and lofted the ball high toward the basket.

"Bang!"

DeMar, rushing in from the wing to the paint, leaped up, grabbed the ball, and dunked it. Excitedly, DeMar pointed at Lian Dao. They exchanged high-fives before hustling back on defense.

At this moment, Siena Saints coach Fran McCaffrey noticed Alex Franklin on the floor, screaming in pain. McCaffrey had initially thought Franklin had simply slipped. But now, it seemed more serious. Fran McCaffrey quickly called a timeout and summoned the team doctor to check on Franklin. Meanwhile, the referee reviewed the game footage.

No matter how they scrutinized it, Lian Dao's movements appeared clean, without any foul play. The Siena Saints' team doctor examined Franklin and reported that he was in good health, recommending a thorough check-up.

Initially, head coach Fran McCaffrey wanted to pressure the referee, claiming USC was playing aggressively. However, his team doctor's assessment left Fran uncertain how to proceed. He continued to argue that Lian Dao had committed a malicious foul, but the referee dismissed his appeal.

Lian Dao had not intended to injure Alex Franklin; he had merely tapped his elbow to a sensitive acupuncture point. This caused intense but temporary pain. Lian Dao's goal was to teach Franklin a lesson, not to cause lasting harm.

Sure enough, after a minute, Alex Franklin recovered and stopped crying. This made the head coach eye him suspiciously. Sensing this, Franklin quickly explained, "It really hurt just now. Must've been that kid, position 3 on the other side!"

Despite the incident, Franklin insisted on continuing to play, determined to prove a point. Head coach Fran McCaffrey, acknowledging Franklin's defensive importance, reluctantly agreed.

As play resumed, Franklin received the ball from point guard Ronald Moore just after halftime. Seeing Franklin's determined expression, Moore passed him the ball. Franklin, in no hurry, dribbled outside.

"So, kid, you did something to me just now, huh?" Franklin taunted. "You're done!"

Franklin took a direct step toward Lian Dao, who retreated. However, Franklin missed Lian Dao, lost his balance, and staggered before falling. Seizing the opportunity, Lian Dao grabbed the ball. Though the defense recovered quickly, Lian Dao maintained control from outside.

Alex Franklin got up, furious. "Enjoying the floor?" Lian Dao sneered, dribbling.

Franklin's face darkened with rage. "You're dead, kid. You really pissed me off!" he gritted.

Lian Dao shrugged off Franklin's threats, recognizing them as typical bluster. Accelerating past Franklin like lightning, he entered the paint and jumped. Suddenly, a force hit Lian Dao. Adjusting mid-air, he used his core strength to stabilize and dunk the ball with his right hand.

"Boom!"