Chapter 2: The Crude Talent System
Allen Iverson developed an intense dislike for three-pointers after entering college, which was indeed related to Li You and Ray Allen.
In several games they played during his freshman year, many times they were inexplicably overturned in the second half.
60:52. After Li You sank a transition three-pointer, the University of Connecticut fans in Madison Square Garden cheered loudly.
Allen Iverson, with painful memories flooding his mind, took the baseline ball, wanting to speed up, but Coach John Thompson on the sidelines shouted for everyone to calm down.
With 3 minutes and 40 seconds left in the game, Georgetown was still leading by 8 points. As long as they steadily scored 2 points this possession, the lead would return to double digits.
“Defense! Defense! Defense!”
It was the University of Connecticut fans’ turn to shout loudly; everyone saw hope of tying the score.
Controlling the tempo, Allen Iverson, with the ball in his right hand, steadily dribbled past half-court.
At this time, University of Connecticut’s junior guard Dorent Marshall and Li You were pressing the opponent's backcourt together, while the other three controlled their positions, setting up in a bottom-line zone Defense.
Ray Allen was still a bit anxious, constantly shouting reminders to his teammates in the paint to watch out for Allen Iverson's penetration, a point they had been unable to solve all night.
Li You, who had been strictly guarding Allen Iverson's right hand, maintained his body's center of gravity, not rushing to steal, only occasionally reaching out to interfere, trying to disrupt the opponent's dribbling rhythm.
Spotting his teammate being tightly guarded and unable to receive the ball, Allen Iverson, on the right wing, protected the ball with his body while signaling Jerome Williams in the paint to come out for a pass.
Li You immediately realized that the opponent was going to run another high-low post play, attempting to have the center attack strongly from the low post.
As Jerome Williams received the pass at the free-throw line, Li You turned his head and loudly reminded his teammates:
“Double-team the paint!”
Effortlessly sending a lob pass, Georgetown's big center Othella Harrington had just received the ball when Kirk King, who was following him to the free-throw line, heard the reminder and immediately abandoned his man, turning and rushing into the paint.
Under the double-team of Travis Knight and Kirk King, the big black man Othella Harrington could only desperately protect the ball.
The 7-foot Travis Knight, though a thin white big man, displayed a tough Defense attitude at this moment; he craved a championship!
The double-team almost caused a turnover, and when the University of Connecticut fans saw the ball return to Jerome Williams's hands, they let out a disappointed sigh.
Playing inside-out, Georgetown's several passes were all to run down the clock. As the shot clock approached 30 seconds, Allen Iverson once again received the ball at the top of the arc.
After receiving the ball, Allen Iverson made no extra fakes. He put the ball down with his right hand, slightly raised his body's center of gravity, and then suddenly lowered his shoulder, forcing a strong drive.
Facing such a low-flying, strong drive, Li You could only curse the damned talent under his breath, then desperately slide back and to the left.
Allen Iverson blew past Li You in one step, and as he drove into the paint, he was immediately met by the help Defense of center Travis Knight.
Forcing a jump while being guarded by two defenders, Allen Iverson faked a shot and then made a real pass, almost handing the ball to the big black man Othella Harrington under the basket.
The latter received the pass and went for a layup, but he didn't expect Ray Allen to have already rushed into the paint, leaping high and delivering a thunderous block from behind his head!
“Oh!”
The still-cheering Georgetown fans gasped in surprise. After the ball rebounded, Ray Allen controlled the possession and immediately threw the ball to the frontcourt.
Li You rushed to the opponent's half-court at the first opportunity, and as he scooped up the ball with his left hand, Allen Iverson, relying on his exceptional speed, had already caught up to his side for Defense.
Allen Iverson constantly initiated body contact and also had pulling movements with his hands. The two tangled as they rushed towards the basket, with players from both teams behind them also charging forward.
Upon reaching the paint, Li You first used his body to push Allen Iverson away, then quickly hop-stepped, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and leaned in for a scoop layup.
Allen Iverson, who had lost his defensive position, relied on his excellent explosiveness to catch up from behind, colliding with Li You and making a blocking motion with his right hand.
In the air, both lost their balance and fell together to the lower right of the basket. The ball bounced twice on the rim and finally clanked out.
Li You, lying on the floor, cursed the damned talent again, then saw Ray Allen, who had followed the fast break, snatch the rebound and get surrounded by the Georgetown players.
Hurriedly standing up, Li You pushed Allen Iverson aside and sprinted towards the left wing beyond the three-point line.
Allen Iverson, who had just stood up, stumbled, almost falling again. Ignoring the urge to complain, he again chased back with all his might for Defense.
Ray Allen saw Li You run to the three-point line and immediately threw the ball with force. Allen Iverson already felt something was wrong and leaped high before even getting close to the three-point line.
At the same time, Li You, who received the pass beyond the three-point line, quickly twisted his body, made no adjustments, and immediately shot the ball!
“Swish!” The three-pointer went in cleanly!
The moment the basketball fell into the net, Madison Square Garden completely erupted. University of Connecticut fans cheered excitedly, and neutral fans joined in the celebration.
“Championship? Dream on!”
Allen Iverson, with a terrible expression, heard Li You's loud taunt and could no longer hold back. The two began to exchange pleasantries, with expletives flying back and forth.
Coach John Thompson called his last timeout. The curly-haired black Head Coach looked exceptionally grim. 60:55, the lead was only 5 points.
With 2 minutes and 56 seconds left in the game, Coach Jim Calhoun crouched on the sidelines, shouting reminders to his players:
“Shoot decisively! Time is not on our side. We need to score quickly now. Trust your shot!”
Noticing Head Coach’s gaze, Ray Allen, who had rested for less than 2 minutes in this game, nodded vigorously.
Before they went back on the court, Coach Jim Calhoun patted Li You on the shoulder, everything unsaid, telling him to shoot freely!
The noisy sounds in Madison Square Garden indicated that Georgetown University fans were starting to panic.
Back on the court, under Allen Iverson's control, Georgetown strictly executed their tactical arrangements, grinding another 30 seconds off the clock.
The Defense was constantly stretched, but a really good opportunity never materialized.
Finally, the big black man Othella Harrington made a strong move from the left low post, was interfered with by Travis Knight, and the ball clanked off the rim again.
Travis Knight secured the rebound and quickly passed the ball to Li You.
2 minutes and 21 seconds, time was running out.
Allen Iverson, anxious, desperately tried to interfere with the ball at this moment.
Under tight Defense, Li You first used a crossover dribble, switched to his right hand, then immediately accelerated, performed a quick spin while moving, and then dribbled past mid-court with his butt sticking out.
Upon reaching the left wing beyond the three-point line, Li You again turned his body to protect the ball. On the right side, near the baseline, Ray Allen quickly popped out.
At the right elbow of the free-throw line, center Travis Knight's screen successfully delayed Victor Page's chase Defense.
Ray Allen received Li You's cross-court pass at the top of the arc, and without any hesitation, he quickly jumped and shot!
“Swish!” Another three-pointer went in!
The University of Connecticut fans in the arena were already going wild, everyone shouting along, and Coach Jim Calhoun on the sidelines even jumped up and celebrated with continuous fist pumps.
60:58, with 2 minutes and 07 seconds left in the game.
The Georgetown players were a bit stunned, watching the roaring Ray Allen and Li You high-fiving in celebration. For a moment, they all looked at their Head Coach.
John Thompson finally stopped adhering to those rigid tactics. He made a tactical hand signal, indicating to give the ball to Allen Iverson.
Over the next three possessions, Allen Iverson’s pull-up jumper clanked off the rim, Ray Allen’s driving floater missed, and Allen Iverson’s put-back layup bounced off the front of the rim.
Everyone under the basket scrambled for the ball, and Kirk King finally secured the defensive rebound.
With 46 seconds left in the game, the University of Connecticut was still trailing by 2 points. Georgetown’s fans all stood up and roared:
“Defense! Defense! Defense!”
Madison Square Garden was absolutely electric. Allen Iverson, retreating on Defense, constantly high-fived his teammates, encouraging them.
Li You quickly dribbled past half-court, not wasting any time; he wanted to score as quickly as possible.
It was the same zipper screen play, allowing Ray Allen to receive the ball. The screen on the right elbow of the free-throw line was squeezed through, and Ray Allen was double-teamed.
Li You received the ball at the top of the arc to reorganize the offense. Using a screen on the left elbow of the free-throw line, Ray Allen, popping out again, finally got an open look.
The moment he received the pass, Ray Allen immediately put the ball down with his left hand and drove forward, blowing past Victor Page, who was chasing him.
At this point, guard George Butler immediately came over to help defend the basket, and the chubby Othella Harrington also quickly slid over.
With both of them double-teaming him, Ray Allen, close to the paint, immediately passed the ball to the unguarded Dorent Marshall in the left corner.
The moment he received the pass, the junior guard, who was selected to the Big East Conference All-Conference team last season, hesitated.
As a result, George Butler rushed out to defend again, and the open shot vanished in an instant.
After all that, only 5 seconds remained on the shot clock. Li You once again received the ball on the left wing.
The moment he received the ball, Allen Iverson immediately stuck to him, playing body-to-body Defense. Li You lowered his center of gravity, quickly dribbling behind his back while putting the ball down with his left hand.
After switching to his right hand, he immediately pushed off his feet, stepped back sideways, twisted his body, and, with Allen Iverson’s arm draped over him, forced a jump shot from beyond the arc!
The buzzer sounded, and the basketball arced high, finally swishing through the net!
“Oh!!”
The University of Connecticut fans in attendance jumped up and cheered loudly. The cheerleaders under the basket also hugged each other and celebrated loudly.
The Georgetown fans, who had been celebrating just a second ago, all held their heads in their hands. On the sidelines, Coach Jim Calhoun almost rushed onto the court in excitement, but he calmed down and roared, reminding everyone to quickly retreat on Defense.
60:61. With only 11 seconds left in the game, the University of Connecticut finally took the lead.
Li You and Allen Iverson, both having lost their balance, simultaneously got up from the floor. After Allen Iverson inbounded the ball, Li You immediately stepped up to guard him.
His smile completely gone, Allen Iverson gritted his teeth, dribbling with his right hand and constantly accelerating. Even at the very end of the game, he was still full of energy.
He dribbled past half-court in less than 6 seconds, quickly approaching the right wing beyond the three-point line. Allen Iverson immediately pulled up, and with Li You tightly guarding his right hand, he suddenly dribbled between his legs on the three-point line.
After switching to his left hand, he immediately accelerated sideways. Allen Iverson’s sudden stop-and-go caused Li You, who was defending him, to lose half a step.
Inside Madison Square Garden, all the spectators stood up, unconsciously shouting in excitement. Many were hoping for the renowned Allen Iverson to save the team at the last moment.
At the free-throw line, with little time left on the shot clock, Allen Iverson immediately pulled up, then drifted to the left, and took a graceful fadeaway jump shot!
The moment he released the ball, Allen Iverson smiled, but as the ball left his hands, it was grazed by the fingertips of Li You’s right hand, who had jumped up from the side to block it.
After landing, Allen Iverson’s smile froze. The final buzzer sounded, and the basketball hit the front of the rim, bounced once, and then fell out of the basket.
“Ah!!”
The University of Connecticut fans in attendance roared, jumping up and down in their seats.
On the other side, the Georgetown fans were stunned, staring blankly at the scoreboard. The championship they had in their grasp had somehow slipped away?
“Fuck, where’s your championship?!”
Li You, who had been frustrated for the entire game, laughed mockingly at Allen Iverson in front of him.
Allen Iverson, who had just recovered from missing the game-winner, immediately broke down when he heard Li You’s shout, cursed loudly, and lunged at him.
“Fuck you!”
As they wrestled, Allen Iverson, who was at a disadvantage in height, immediately took two solid punches to the face from Li You. His head felt a bit fuzzy, and he stumbled backward, falling to the ground.
The chubby Othella Harrington saw Allen Iverson fall and immediately rushed over from under the basket.
At the same time, the University of Connecticut players, who were still raising their hands and cheering, also realized something was wrong and all rushed to Li You’s side.
Some fans hadn’t even reacted yet when the players from both sides were already brawling.
The New York fans, who loved a good show, went crazy at this point, shouting along while also throwing their drinks onto the court.
Cursing, cheering, and the urgent sound of the referee’s whistle echoed through Madison Square Garden.
This highly anticipated Big East Conference championship game ended with both teams’ players retreating somewhat disheveled.
The difference was that the University of Connecticut players, who were skipping and jumping off the court, had triumphant smiles on their faces; the Georgetown players had long faces, and star player Allen Iverson was cursing and swearing, not forgetting to raise his middle finger towards the University of Connecticut as he walked towards the players’ tunnel.
“This was truly an exciting championship game. I wonder how far the University of Connecticut can go this year.”
“I liked Li’s performance tonight. In 24 minutes, he was 5 for 9 from the field, 3 for 5 from three-point range, with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 turnover. Those biased scouts should watch this game; basketball is not about skin color.”
Sean McDonough hadn’t watched many of Li You’s games, but he immediately spoke out in support.
Dick Vitale, as a veteran college basketball commentator, knew the differences between the NCAA and the NBA. The bald commentator sighed and said:
“Basketball requires more than just talent. I hope excellent players can all get a fair chance to compete.”
“…”
At this moment, Li You, back in the locker room, was being cheered by his teammates.
Dorent Marshall, who had passed the hot potato at the end, even had red eyes. The handsome white junior hugged Li You, apologizing profusely:
“Li! It’s all my fault! We almost lost the championship!”
Li You didn’t care about this at all. Taking a difficult shot at the end certainly affects one’s stats, but if you lose, the stats are meaningless:
“Hey, don’t worry about that. We won the championship! That’s what’s most important!”
When everyone heard Li You’s words, they started making a ruckus again. While icing down and packing his bag, Li You, back in his seat, eagerly called up the control panel.
After having the system for many years, this was the first somewhat significant championship he had won, and Li You had high expectations for it.
Unable to clearly see what was written on the simple disc on the panel, Li You thought, and the disc spun rapidly, then quickly a prompt popped up:
“【Allen Iverson’s Excellent Ball Sense】.”
Li You had a face full of questions, trying hard to control his expression. The reward was impressive but seemed no different from before. He couldn’t help but complain in his heart:
“That’s it?!”
During the new book period, the first two chapters have a little more words, and then I’ll have to be a 2K player, working hard to stock up on drafts!