Chapter 13: Number 9 is Simply Too Steady!

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### New Fox Sports Forum

A post titled "Showdown of the Dark Horses! Who Will Prevail?" quickly gained traction, sparking heated discussions among domestic fans.

—[Dark Horse? Is a No. 4 seed considered a dark horse? Then the North Carolina Wolfpack is at least a sweat-blood dark horse!]

—[An underdog battle, who will triumph in the end? I can't wait!]

—[Brothers, just bet on the Bulldogs, I'm already all in! There's no way an American game will let a Chinese player dominate. Wang Song will definitely choke today.]

—[Seriously, the guys trashing Wang Song are probably like the one above. If you like him, buy his jersey and support him. What are you even doing?]

—[Absolute fanatics. Willing to bet their house on an idol's victory. Let's not waste words with them; there's always someone on the edge every year. Why not this time?]

—[Objectively speaking, the two teams are closely matched. It depends on their performance today. But their coach seems quite capable. According to stats, their team doesn't have a super-star, but making it to the Final Four must mean something.]

### At the Venue

The player introductions concluded, and the MC began his work.

"Welcome, dear fans! Today you will witness the NCAA Final Four upper bracket 'dark horse battle.' Do you support the North Carolina Wolfpack or the Butler Bulldogs?"

Just as the MC was getting the crowd pumped, an assistant handed him a report.

"Hello, everyone! We have just received results from the other half of the bracket. Here's a quick update."

"Syracuse University's star player, Carmelo Anthony, made a buzzer-beater, leading Syracuse to a 79-78 victory over the Auburn Tigers, securing their spot in the East finals."

The MC paused: "So today's winner will face Syracuse University in the finals."

"And will we see a buzzer-beater today? Exciting, isn't it?"

The MC successfully stirred up the crowd.

"Carmelo Anthony? The star forward of the NCAA. He's a lottery pick if he stays healthy."

"Both teams on the court will struggle against Syracuse, I think."

"Yeah, Syracuse is a top-tier team nationally, dominating the East."

"The North Carolina Wolfpack and Butler Bulldogs are pretty close…"

### On the Sidelines

Wang Song, listening to the strategy, suddenly heard the report from the other bracket. He recognized a familiar name—Carmelo Anthony!

"A buzzer-beater, huh? Melo in college is indeed formidable. I didn't expect them to be our final opponent. This will be interesting."

### Game Time

As both teams were ready, the atmosphere peaked. The highly anticipated "dark horse battle" began.

The opening set the tone immediately. Within two minutes, the Butler Bulldogs, who had studied Wang Song thoroughly, began double-teaming him. This strategy had given them an edge in previous games. But against the North Carolina Wolfpack, it was like punching cotton.

With Wang Song as the pivot, the Wolfpack always managed to pass the ball to the right player at the right time. When the zone defense failed, the Bulldogs' coach switched to man-to-man. Initially, it worked better, but it didn't last.

In one-on-one scenarios, the Asian center created scoring opportunities with his individual skills. The Bulldogs' smaller center couldn't handle his height and strength.

Wang Song's lean frame concealed unexpected power. The Bulldogs' coach, worthy of an NBA assistant role, quickly adjusted again, implementing a second defensive strategy targeting Wang Song. This reduced his offensive opportunities, but Julius Hodge took the lead.

Wang Song's solid screens provided Hodge with excellent shooting chances. The 6'7" forward dominated the Bulldogs' paint, scoring consistently from mid-range.

By halftime, the Wolfpack had a commanding 43-23 lead, a 20-point gap. The second half saw no miracles. Control remained firmly with the Wolfpack. The Bulldogs' weaknesses were exposed. Without a superstar, their offense stalled.

The game ended with the Wolfpack in clear control. During garbage time in the final quarter, Herb Sendek used the opportunity to give his players some practice. Wang Song played even less than in the previous game, tallying 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in just 25 minutes—a comprehensive performance.

Analyzing the game tape, data analysts would find Wang Song's impact in advanced metrics rather than basic stats. With a 100% shooting accuracy and a true shooting percentage exceeding 120%, his efficiency was astonishing.

After the game, the somewhat disappointed Bulldogs' coach approached Herb Sendek to shake hands. "Coach Herb, your number 9 is incredibly steady! My boys couldn't find any weakness in him."

Despite sensing some resentment, Herb responded politely, "Indeed, he doesn't play like a 19-year-old college student, more like that young guy from Wake Forest who went to the Spurs."

"Sometimes, I wish he'd play more aggressively. Playing it safe won't get him a big contract anytime soon!"

The two coaches exchanged subtle jabs, while the Wolfpack players discussed their well-deserved post-game meal.

In the stands, several scouts with notebooks gradually left the arena.