Chapter 7: Regional Semifinals (Part 1)
By the Regional Semifinals, the attention on the NCAA Championship soared once again.
In the Midwest Region, Kentucky University dominated, winning their first-round game against San Jose State by 42 points and their second-round game against Virginia Tech by 24 points.
Such huge point differences stunned many media outlets and commentators following the NCAA.
Even more incredibly, Kentucky University scored 110 points in the first round and 84 points in the second round!
These scores were almost comparable to NBA games, and such ferocious offense led many media reporters to exclaim:
"The Kentucky Wildcats have displayed brutal dominance!"
Another team receiving attention in the Midwest Region was Wake Forest, with almost every NBA team throwing money at Tim Duncan.
In every game, scouts from various teams were practically shouting, "Come to me!"
However, compared to Kentucky University, Wake Forest’s first two games were not easy, barely winning 62:65 against the Texas Longhorns in the second round.
Fans who enjoyed individual heroism looked forward to the Midwest Region Finals.
Antoine Walker of Kentucky University against Tim Duncan of Wake Forest—even before the Semifinals began, the media had already started building hype for both players.
One was a small forward, the other a power forward; even if their positions were different, no one cared about such details. For star players, just play!
The Southeast Regional Semifinals, with the first seed University of Connecticut facing the fifth seed University of Mississippi, also drew significant attention.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs were considered this year's dark horse team; their regular season record wasn't outstanding, but they shone brightly once the Championship began.
Center Erick Dampier’s draft stock was rising. Standing 2.11 meters tall and weighing 120 kilograms, he displayed excellent rebounding and shot-blocking abilities in the Championship.
This was an era of big men. Although Li You inwardly joked about the future “Western Conference’s top center,” in the NCAA, this player’s strength was indeed not to be underestimated.
Coach Calhoun verbally told them not to feel pressure, but ever since the team arrived in Lexington, Kentucky, he spent every day watching a large amount of game footage.
Ray Allen, a man of few words, also started extra practice in the past few days.
As a talented player, he had always hoped to receive an invitation from Kentucky University during his high school years, but he was ignored and eventually recruited by Coach Calhoun to Connecticut.
The perfect script would be for him to get revenge on Kentucky in the Finals, crush his opponent, and win the championship. For this, Ray Allen was full of motivation and didn't need the coaching staff to rally him; he voluntarily did extra practice to adjust his form.
Without the internet or fast news, Li You only learned that the New Mexico Lobos had been eliminated by Georgetown after arriving in Lexington.
He had almost accepted an invitation to the closest university to his home. Li You felt somewhat fortunate; clinging to a strong team was not shameful, no wonder “brotherhood basketball” would become popular later.
After the tactical training session on the afternoon of the 21st, players were free to do as they pleased, as long as they returned to the hotel by 10 PM.
However, the American dollars Li You had didn't allow him to go out and splurge, so he chose to stay in the American Airlines Arena for extra practice.
He was currently still adapting to “Allen Iverson’s Excellent Ball Feel.” This was Li You’s first time experiencing top-tier talent; movements he couldn't execute before were now effortless.
Ray Allen looked at Li You dribbling with both hands while wearing gloves, completely unaffected, and a look of envy appeared in his eyes.
Sometimes, having talent means you can do whatever you want. Ray Allen had always been trying to improve his ball-handling skills, but the results were not ideal.
“With your physical condition, you don’t need fancy dribbling, or even much faking. Just don’t lose the ball when you drive!”
Li You, who had just caught the ball, immediately offered advice, but Ray Allen shook his head and repeated Coach Calhoun’s line:
“It’s not just about scoring; I need to do more, just like Michael Jordan!”
Li You helplessly tossed the ball to him. In this era, everyone liked to imitate Jordan.
By the Regional Semifinals, some TV stations also began broadcasting the games.
At 9:40 PM on the 22nd, the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Connecticut Huskies officially began their game.
This was the third game of the day, and CBS commentator Jim Nantz began by heavily praising the top seed, University of Connecticut.
This veteran sports reporter, even when he saw Ray Allen miss a shot, would still praise him:
“What a beautiful shooting form!”
8 minutes and 1 second into the game, Coach Calhoun’s brows were furrowed. The inside offense was stagnant, and outside shots suddenly went cold.
In this possession, Mississippi State University again passed the ball to Erick Dampier, who was posting up on the left low block. He received the ball with his right hand, then drove forcefully.
He bulldozed his way to the basket, forcing a strong layup while Travis Knight defended!
Under interference, the basketball hit the rim and missed, but Erick Dampier jumped a second time, grabbed the rebound, and put the ball back in again.
Such a strong score immediately erupted in cheers at Rupp Arena.
This American Airlines Arena was also Kentucky University's home court. Ray Allen’s face was grim; perhaps he wanted to perform too well here, as he had only scored 4 points so far.
18:9. Seeing the lead about to reach double digits, Coach Calhoun reluctantly called a timeout.
Stopping the opponent made Erick Dampier very pleased. He laughed, raised his head, and enthusiastically pumped his fist towards the Mississippi State University fans in the American Airlines Arena, eliciting another round of cheers.
Commentator Billy Packer was somewhat disappointed; Ray Allen’s performance at this point was not even as good as Daryl Wilson’s on the opposing team.
This small Black guard from Mississippi State University had hit 4 three-pointers since the start of the game, fully showcasing his strengths:
“Perhaps Mississippi State University will continue to play the role of a dark horse tonight. As of now, they are the better team.”
The team’s star player was struggling, which was the worst-case scenario. Coach Calhoun did not substitute Ray Allen, but instead took out the mediocre Dorent Marshall.
The interior could not be touched; both big men had to stay on the court. On the wing, Kirk King also couldn't be substituted, to maintain height on the court.
The only position that could be adjusted was the point guard. After the timeout, when Li You, wearing a white jersey, stepped onto the court, the University of Connecticut fans in the American Airlines Arena cheered loudly.
On the sideline, Head Coach Richard Williams frowned. Through a large amount of game footage, they had also noticed Li You, whose playing style was unique.
On his first offensive possession after coming on, Daryl Wilson did not actively lead the Defense like other small guards, but maintained a small distance.
This space allowed Li You to dribble calmly. He dribbled the ball with his left hand past half-court, approached the left wing, and then suddenly executed a quick behind-the-back dribble.
After switching to his right hand, he immediately lowered his center of gravity, faking an acceleration. Noticing the opponent sliding with him, Li You immediately changed direction with a front-cross, then accelerated and drove with the ball in his left hand.
Daryl Wilson was only 1.85 meters tall, relatively short, but his footwork was very agile. He quickly adjusted his center of gravity and slid, sticking tightly to Li You’s side.
Reaching the three-point line, Li You, who was accelerating with the ball in his left hand, suddenly stopped abruptly. While forcefully pounding the ball in place, he actively leaned into his opponent.
After the collision, Li You smoothly completed a step-back, returning to beyond the three-point line. He slightly created enough space for a shot and immediately gathered the ball, ignoring the closing-out Daryl Wilson, and quickly jumped to shoot from the left wing!
“Swish!” The three-pointer went in without touching the rim!
“Oh my God! The release was too quick! This is Clay Lee, a sophomore from University of Connecticut!”
“Since entering the Championship, Lee has become a key scorer off the bench for University of Connecticut!”
Commentator Jim Nantz first exclaimed, then briefly introduced Li You.
The cheers from the University of Connecticut fans in the American Airlines Arena made Head Coach Richard Williams’s face look grim. Looking at Li You retreating with a smile, he cursed inwardly:
“What a hellish playing style!”
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