Chapter 9: A Second-Round Pick Reserved for Him, A Coach Losing His Composure!

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John's face was full of regret. Although his performance was usually unremarkable, he had a strong feeling that his judgment was spot on this time. Missing this opportunity might be something he'd regret for the rest of his career.

"Don't be disheartened, John. This Asian center might not be our franchise cornerstone, but if he's willing to join the Heat, we'll welcome him anytime."

"We can reserve a second-round pick for him."

Randy Finley patted John's shoulder, attempting to encourage the young scout.

John nodded, forcing a smile. A second-round pick? By the time March Madness ends, he might be too valuable even for a lottery pick.

"So, are you saying that first-round teams will choose guards?" John persisted, unwilling to give up.

"Most likely," Randy Finley pondered. "Mr. Riley recently told us to watch some games in the Midwest. Apparently, there's a guard there who really catches the boss's eye."

Frustrated, John remained silent, his eyes fixed on the game.

As the game resumed, Oklahoma Sooners substituted Bookert with backup center Jabahri Brown. Before entering the court, Brown received one instruction from the coach: neutralize the Asian big man.

Scratching his head in confusion, Brown glanced at the stat sheet. Wang Song had modest stats: 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist. Despite the unassuming numbers, the coach's adamant directive puzzled him. Following Bookert's struggles, Brown wasn't sure how to approach this task, so he started with the basics—wear down Wang's stamina.

Brown stuck to Wang like glue, drawing a frown from Herb Sendek on the sidelines.

"Damn it, is this guy not planning to attack or defend?"

Brown shadowed Wang everywhere, employing a self-sacrificial defensive style that Wang struggled to shake off.

"Oklahoma Sooners are trying a bold defensive strategy—one-on-one coverage. Brown, though only 208cm tall, is managing to keep up with Wang."

"Yes, stick to him tightly. Deny him any chance to attack or pass."

"As the top seed in the East, their in-game adjustments are terrifyingly effective!"

"Defense! Defense! Defense!"

The crowd's chants spurred Brown on. Yet, a few possessions later, he noticed something odd. Wang seemed uninterested in shaking him off, showing no desire to attack, instead focusing on screens, off-ball movement, and rebounding.

When rebounding, Brown's focus on Wang left him always a step behind, allowing Wang to secure offensive boards.

As the possessions passed, the Sooners failed to close the gap, and North Carolina extended their lead.

"Lift your head and protect the rebound, Jabahri! What are you staring at?" The coach's roar snapped Brown into "reassessing" his opponent.

With the game nearing halftime, Wang observed his matchup, a slightly smaller black center.

"No wonder he's quick. He's lighter... Maybe exploiting this mismatch is the right move."

Wang set a screen for Hodge, then rolled to the basket. The defenders scrambled, and as Brown rushed to double-team, Wang faked a pass and swiftly executed a mismatch play, scoring with a layup.

[Mismatch scoring success, Steady experience +100]

"Jabahri, stop stepping out so far! Look at your struggling teammates!" The Sooners' coach was livid.

On the next possession, Wang planned to repeat his move, but the Sooners anticipated it. As they double-teamed, Wang feigned a baseline pass, causing the defenders to react.

Brown rotated defensively, but Wang's true pass went to Hodge at the top of the key. Hodge's three-point attempt missed, bouncing off the rim.

As the Sooners prepared to counterattack, Wang boxed out Brown, leapt, and tipped the ball in.

[Excellent passing vision and timely positioning for tip-in, Steady experience +200]

The scoreboard reflected the impact: 28-14. Five minutes remained in the first half.

The furious Sooners' coach slammed his clipboard and called a second timeout, berating his players.

"This is March Madness, with media broadcasting everywhere."

"If the coach loses it and starts a fight, our team's reputation is done!" An assistant nervously tried to calm the coach down.

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