Court Confrontations

On the field at USC, Gibson and DeMar ran to Lian Dao, celebrating wildly. Gibson, in his excitement, stroked Lian Dao's head. Usually, Lian Dao disliked anyone touching his hair.

He often thought of Argentine star Manu Ginobili, who once had long, flowing hair before it gradually disappeared. Recalling Ginobili's bald head made Lian Dao especially sensitive about his own hair. But knowing this season would be their last together, he didn't stop Gibson this time.

The dunk was so explosive that the big screen kept replaying it. The USC bench went crazy, waving their towels in excitement.

"Oh hoo, this guy doesn't look like he's 19 at all," Jeff Van Gundy exclaimed during the live broadcast after Lian Dao calmly scored the free throw.

The score was now 25:16.

"Indeed, but it's true that he just turned 19 five months ago," Mike Breen responded, checking the data and confirming Lian Dao's age.

"Oh, I didn't mean that," Jeff Van Gundy clarified. "Don't you think he seems very calm? It shows his strong mental resilience! Even some seasoned NBA players struggle to stay composed in situations like that, but Lian Dao adjusts and makes his free throws with ease. His maturity is remarkable."

Jeff's observation of Lian Dao's calm demeanor highlighted why he felt Lian Dao didn't seem like a typical young player.

"Did he take psychology as an elective like Duncan?" Mike Breen speculated, noting Lian Dao's maturity. Duncan, known for his mental stability, earned the nickname "Stone Buddha" for his calmness on the court.

As they spoke, UConn substituted their backup center, Gavin Edwards. Standing at 206cm and weighing 106kg, Edwards had slow movement and limited scoring ability inside, primarily relying on dunks. Coach Jim Calhoun had no better option, given Hashim's absence.

Lian Dao saw Edwards as an easy target compared to Hashim. But unexpectedly, UConn's outside shooters, Kemba Walker and AJ Price, found their rhythm, hitting consecutive three-pointers. Southern California struggled to widen the score gap and saw their lead shrink as UConn caught up.

The score was now 31:24 in favor of USC.

On defense, USC adjusted, with Lian Dao, Gibson, and Vucevic switching positions. Lian Dao defended the third position, Gibson took the fourth, and Vucevic returned to the fifth. This setup aimed to limit UConn's perimeter players, but the sudden switch caused confusion, allowing UConn to exploit the defensive lapses and score.

UConn's quick 10:4 run reduced USC's lead to just one point, 35:34.

Coach Tim quickly called a timeout to regroup. "We're playing a 3-2 zone defense this time. Sickle, you'll help defend Kemba Walker more!"

Lian Dao nodded, understanding the urgency. He expected Tim to be furious for squandering their lead, but Tim recognized that the defensive switch itself wasn't the problem. He had hoped to capitalize on Lian Dao's inside advantage and didn't anticipate UConn's outside shooters heating up.

After the timeout, USC's defense stabilized. Lian Dao, covered by Gibson, hit a three-pointer from the outside, extending their lead to 38:34.

But after the break, AJ Price broke through to the basket and drew a foul from Vucevic during a layup attempt.

Vucevic's inexperience showed. After AJ Price's drive, a fake layup made Vucevic jump. AJ Price then took off, leaning into Vucevic to ensure contact, drawing the foul. Fortunately, Vucevic's size and weight disrupted AJ Price's shot enough to prevent a potential three-point play.

Price made both free throws, narrowing the score to 38:36.

USC maintained their inside rebounding advantage. On offense, Lian Dao called for a pick-and-roll and confidently shot another three-pointer from outside.

"Swish!"

The ball passed cleanly through the net, increasing USC's lead to 41:36.

On UConn's next possession, AJ Price passed to Kemba Walker. Lian Dao and Daniel quickly double-teamed him. Kemba, caught off guard, struggled. Though an excellent driver, his passing skills weren't as polished in his freshman year. Under pressure, he tried to pass to Jerome, but Lian Dao anticipated it and intercepted the ball.

USC launched a fast break. Lian Dao, carrying the ball, sped down the court. Nearing the basket, he opted not to pass but to drive in himself. Charging like a tank, he took three steps and dunked fiercely. Jerome, wary of being posterized, didn't contest.

"Boom!"

Lian Dao's powerful dunk resonated through the arena, showcasing his dominance. Fans described it as "brutal!"

The scoreboard read 43:36. The USC fans erupted in cheers. Abby Hornacek, watching Lian Dao's dominance, jumped up excitedly, screaming her support.

In contrast, Jeff Hornacek, her father, didn't smile. He noticed his daughter was fixated on the USC player wearing the No. 1 jersey. Every time Lian Dao scored, she cheered louder than ever.

Jeff recalled how his daughter, then only three, wasn't nearly as excited when he reached the finals. He felt a mix of emotions, seeing his little girl so taken with another player. It was as if the daughter he had lovingly raised was now enthralled by someone else.

Watching Lian Dao on the court, Jeff Hornacek's protective instincts kicked in, and he couldn't help but look at the young player with a hint of disapproval.