area51novel Chapter 9: The Semifinals are Here! I'll Guard Wade One-on-One!
Chapter 9: The Semifinals are Here! I'll Guard Wade One-on-One!
The final four matches will be held on April 5th.
This means that the four teams have ample time to prepare and make targeted adjustments.
Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Tom Crean is preparing seriously for the game and has highlighted the name "Hanson Lee".
There's no way around it, this prodigy's performance in the last game was just too amazing, with an outrageous shooting level. Once he gets going, he'll be the Golden Eagles' nightmare!
After repeatedly watching the Wildcats vs. Ravenhawks game, Coach Tom Crean filled his notebook with notes, analyzing Li He's techniques and habits.
"Absolutely NBA-level shooting ability. Of the 10 three-pointers he made, only 3 were completely open, and one of them was an open shot on a fast break."
"His dynamic talent isn't particularly outstanding, but his static talent is absolutely phenomenal, especially his 2.21-meter wingspan. He's like a long-armed robot, managing to steal the ball from Kirk Hinrich three times right in front of him!"
"We haven't seen any performance from him in passing and ball control yet, and his dribbling ability is also just average."
There is another parenthesis after this annotation:
(Well, perhaps in Hansen Lee's basketball bible, if a problem can be solved with a shot, then there's no need for a layup.)
After summarizing everything, Coach Tom Crean had a general idea of what was going on.
The disciplined coach, who advocates "defense first," will not allow Hansen Lee to continue his exaggerated performance on the court!
……
On the Arizona Wildcats' side.
They are also training intensively. After each training session, the players will watch videos of the Golden Eagles' games and receive detailed explanations as they watch.
In the past, Li He could only peek through the gaps in the crowd from the back row.
After the last game, Coach Lute Olsen did not hesitate to pull Li He to the front row, which would make it easier for him to hear the instructions clearly.
After the video analysis, Coach Lute Olsen asked each of the key players questions about their opponents' basic information, playing styles, and habits, ensuring that everyone understood their opponents.
After the others finished answering, Lute Olsen looked at Li He:
"Hansen, tell me about Dwayne's situation."
Li He thought for a moment and replied:
"Dwyane Wade, 1.93 meters tall, with a wingspan of 2.10 meters and a weight of 96 kilograms, was suspended from competition during his freshman year of college due to academic issues, and married Theo Vaughn Finch last year..."
"Wait... just get to the point..." Coach Lute Olsen sighed.
I asked you to analyze the technical features, and somehow you brought all these other issues up.
Li He shrugged and continued:
"Dwyane Wade has excellent speed and explosiveness, strong finishing ability, and can easily finish after a confrontation. He is also accurate in the mid-range."
"He has a certain passing ability, his ball handling skills are average, and he has a 34.5% three-point shooting percentage, which makes him a certain threat."
Coach Lute Olsen nodded in satisfaction. Hansen Lee's answer was good; it seemed he had indeed prepared seriously.
Basketball is not just about five people playing on the court; logistical support and the strategic thinking of coaches are also crucial elements.
Just as the Marquette Golden Eagles targeted Li He, the Arizona Wildcats will definitely target the Golden Eagles' star player, Dwyane Wade.
Lute Olsen then asked:
"So, how do you think you should limit a player like this?"
Li He hesitated for a moment, then slowly uttered four words:
"Let me defend him one-on-one."
As soon as he said that, the other players on the team were a little unsettled.
Channing Frye, Luke Walton, Jason Garnard, and others were astonished, never expecting Hansen Lee to say something so casually at this critical moment.
Luke Walton took a deep breath: "Hansen, stop kidding. If Dwyane were that easy to defend, he wouldn't be averaging 21.5 points per game with a 50%+ field goal percentage this season. His penetration efficiency is absolutely historic!"
"And his mid-range accuracy is exceptionally high," Channing Fry added.
With the competition reaching the final four, all team members hoped to win the championship.
At this critical juncture, a benchwarmer who had only played one good game suddenly offered to guard an All-American guard one-on-one.
It certainly doesn't have much credibility.
Coach Lute Olsen patted Li He on the shoulder:
"Hansen, having confidence is one thing."
"But I have other plans, don't worry."
……
The date is April 5, 2003.
New Orleans, Louisiana Superdome.
The NCAA semifinals have officially begun!
The stadium was packed, with scouts and general managers from many NBA teams in attendance to observe the performance of key players.
Some NBA players also took a break from their busy schedules to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of March Madness.
In a corner of the stands, a group of people were chatting together; one of them was Heat general manager Pat Riley.
Clippers General Manager Elgin Baylor;
And Grizzlies general manager Jerry West.
They all came to see Dwyane Wade.
At most, I'll spare a little attention to Channing Frye of the Arizona Wildcats.
The players were already warming up, and everyone's attention was focused on the field.
Wearing jersey number 31, Li He was finding his touch by shooting from the outside, hitting three-pointers one after another like a robot.
Elgin Baylor stared intently, continuing to speak:
"18..."
"23..."
"31..."
"Oh...33 were interrupted."
Pat Riley asked curiously, "Elgin, what are you counting?"
"Look at that Wildcats player number 31, the young man who hit 10 three-pointers in the last game. His shooting ability is truly enviable!" Baylor's eyes lit up.
Elgin Baylor, a superstar who once scored 61 points in a single game in the Finals, lost all eight of his Finals appearances, truly the "uncrowned king".
He knew this young man's shooting form and feel all too well, far surpassing many current NBA stars!
Jerry West, known as "LOGO Man," also looked in that direction and saw that Li He had already begun a new round of long-range shooting practice.
"Wow...this young man's shooting ability is amazing!"
Both Jerry West and Elgin Baylor are renowned superstars in NBA history.
Inside the door to see the door, the layman to watch the fun.
Making 40 or 50 three-pointers in a row wasn't a big surprise for them; their guards and forwards could basically do that too.
But as former professional players, they immediately recognized Li He's shooting form and feel.
This young man is different!
Especially in the extremely brutal schedule of the NCAA, the semifinals put a player's ability and mentality to the test.
"If number 31 displays his strong shooting ability again in the game, we might keep an eye on him," the two thought in unison.
Pat Riley, who came specifically to see Dwyane Wade, chuckled:
"You two, can Hansen Lee be stronger than Dwyane?"
"Don't worry, the match will start soon, and Dwayne will definitely beat this kid to a pulp."