Chapter 3: One Against Two, Terrifying Rebounding Ability
Inside the arena, the crowd's excitement surged, fueled by the MC's passionate and raspy shouts.
"Oh my god! Is this the potential of an Asian center? He's different from those traditional muscle-bound centers. He plays smart, using finesse to overcome strength. I love this kind of player!"
"When Wang Song becomes a starter next year, I'm definitely getting a season ticket to support the North Carolina Wolfpack."
"Incredible! The size difference between Wang Song and Amit Tamir is huge, but Tamir couldn't gain any advantage in this matchup."
"Tamir racked up 20 points in regulation time. For college basketball, his size is a massive advantage, akin to Shaq in the NBA."
North Carolina fans were elated. Tamir had been dominating their paint, nearly dismantling their defense. Their starting forwards had incurred heavy foul trouble trying to contain him. Wang Song's successful defense rekindled their hope.
Amidst the excited fans, a sharp gaze focused on the court. John stared intently at North Carolina's number 9, deep in thought, scribbling notes in a notepad that seemed out of place amidst the cheering crowd. Tucked in the notepad was a credential.
"Good thing I didn't leave early! I almost missed an outstanding prospect!"
...
On the sidelines, Herb Sendek stood confidently, as if his team wasn't trailing. A faint smile played on his lips. Beside him, Jim's face was beaming with joy.
The game continued.
With two minutes and 59 seconds left, the score was 82-85, North Carolina down by three.
North Carolina's offense began. Using a double screen set by Wang Song and another off-ball teammate, Julius Hodge received the ball on the wing and launched a three-pointer.
The ball clanked off the rim, and the smile on Herb Sendek's face faded into a frown. He knew three-pointers weren't Hodge's strong suit, with a season average of less than 33%.
As Sendek signaled his team to get back on defense, a pair of long arms suddenly reached out, snatching the rebound from two Golden Bears players.
Amit Tamir stood stunned under the basket. Before he could react, Wang Song had already passed the ball back to Hodge.
Given a second chance, Hodge quickly adjusted and took another shot.
"Clang!"
The sound of a missed shot echoed again. But before Tamir could react, Wang Song positioned himself perfectly, boxing out Tamir and grabbing the offensive rebound.
Before Wang Song could secure the ball, Tamir, frustrated, shoved him hard from behind.
Wang Song fell to the ground.
Beep! Beep!
The referee blew the whistle, signaling an intentional foul on Tamir.
Two free throws and possession.
Tamir's expression turned sour as he argued with the referee, accusing Wang Song of flopping. The referee ignored him, heading straight to the scorer's table. Tamir's teammates pulled him away, preventing him from getting a technical foul.
[Secured consecutive offensive rebounds, maximizing team advantage, steady experience points +200]
As Wang Song lay on the floor, he smiled at the notification in his mind.
"This rebounding ability is insane. The sense for the ball, the quickness, and the positioning—top-notch."
His usual quiet training had never given him such a strong sense of his abilities. But in this game, he held his own against two starting centers of Sweet Sixteen caliber.
As Wang Song stepped to the free-throw line, the crowd erupted.
"This is insane! A one-on-two rebound, and he got both. The other team's morale is crushed."
"I can't tell if this is the Elite Eight or Wang Song's personal show."
"The North Carolina coaching staff hid this gem well. Almost sent home before they played him."
On the sidelines, the North Carolina coaching staff discussed.
"Jim, are you sure this guy almost got cut during the initial assessment?"
Herb Sendek looked puzzled, verifying Wang Song's background with Jim.
"How could someone this good nearly get cut?"
Wang Song's earlier plays were impressive, but his back-to-back offensive rebounds showcased a quality needed by NCAA and NBA star centers—dominance.
In 2003, before analytics became prominent, a center with absolute dominance in the paint was highly prized. If North Carolina could develop such a player, it would be a great opportunity for Sendek, who aspired to coach an NBA team.
Jim didn't know about Sendek's ambitions, but he had always believed in Wang Song. Seeing him perform well, he felt genuinely happy.
"Yes, Coach, he almost didn't pass your initial assessment."
Sendek: ...
On the other side, the Golden Bears' coach looked distressed. Since the North Carolina number 9 entered the game, his team had failed to mount an effective offense for several possessions.
Wang Song didn't seem intimidating, yet he disrupted the Golden Bears' offense and bolstered his own team's efforts.
...
Back to the game.
85:85!
Wang Song made both free throws, tying the game.
North Carolina inbounded the ball.
The game's momentum gradually shifted in North Carolina's favor.
[Successful delay, causing opponent's offensive failure, steady experience points +50]
[Good ball movement, steady experience points +30]
[Cut to the basket and scored, steady experience points +100]
...
The remaining three minutes flew by, and the final whistle blew.
Despite their efforts, the Golden Bears couldn't neutralize Wang Song's impact and eventually conceded.
-----
POWER POWER POWER STONES 💪 😁