The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 54 Passion

"Waterbell's center Sonny Gan blocked Riverside High School's Reggie Miller's layup from behind! He sprinted all the way from the backcourt!"

The TV station used slow motion to replay Gan Guoyang's big hat, and the commentator's originally calm voice suddenly became dramatic.

It wasn't just the CBS broadcasters who were amazed; the Los Angeles fans at the Great Western Forum were equally surprised.

Miller stole the ball near the three-point line (the floor hadn't been changed), and there was no one in the frontcourt. Gan Guoyang was in the three-second zone at that time.

But when Miller brought the ball to the basket, Gan Guoyang had already rushed over like a leopard and blocked the ball from behind.

The once somewhat relaxed and dull stadium became more lively because of this ball.

For Los Angeles fans accustomed to high-level college basketball and NBA games, this high school game was simply not up to par.

Slow speed, short stature, zone defense that makes both sides' offense and defense look sluggish, and a team that is almost entirely composed of Chinese players, making it not very entertaining to watch.

The reason so many people came to the Forum Arena to watch the game is twofold: firstly, the game is of great significance, involving the rivalry between Northern and Southern California; and secondly, the tickets are inexpensive, with many being complimentary tickets given to schools and organizations by the organizing committee.

When watching sports, viewers are looking for speed, power, and explosiveness, and they enjoy the heart-pounding excitement and hormone release that comes with the moment of confrontation.

While basketball games with high skill and tactics are certainly enjoyable to watch, they ultimately cannot compare to the thrill of raw power.

This is why the NBA's broadcasting contract is only $8800 million, baseball is gradually declining, while the NFL can sign a $21 billion contract.

But Gan Guoyang's long-distance run and block were like a pebble thrown into calm water, gradually creating ripples.

From fans to players, everyone gradually became excited.

The ball was blocked out of bounds, and possession remained with Riverside Polytechnic High School.

They executed a clever inbound play, and Reggie Miller caught the ball in the corner and made a long-range shot.

He still managed to score two points, and after the basket, he nodded at Gan Guoyang, saying, "I still got it! Your block was useless!"

Miller's audacity in provoking Gan Guoyang instantly ignited Gan Guoyang's competitive spirit.

In the last game, Gan Guoyang was a bit nervous after being messed up by Quentin Stephenson, so he was more restrained in his words in this game.

Now that Miller has opened this door to death, the struggle will not end until a victor is decided.

Gan Guoyang gave Chen Xing a wink, and the two executed a pick-and-roll at the high post.

Gan Guoyang cut inside, Chen Xing tossed the ball into the air, Gan Guoyang jumped up to catch it, landed and dribbled inside, easily bumping past the center of the riverbank, and then unleashed a powerful two-handed dunk!
The process was seamless; Gan Guoyang's impact was simply unstoppable by the white center from Riverside High School.

The leopard began to extend its claws and teeth.

"That's what a dunk looks like. I heard your sister can dunk, but you can't, is that right?"

Gan Guoyang knew a little about Reggie Miller and his great sister's story.

This will be one of the topics of the two's "friendly exchange" tonight.

Miller hates it when people talk about his sister, as if he has to live in her shadow for the rest of his life.

He also recalled a time when he scored 39 points in a single game and excitedly asked his sister when he got home, "How many points did you get in the game?" He was ready to show off.

When Cheryl said, "I got 105 points," Miller was devastated.

Cheryl is sitting on the sidelines right now. In the CIF California Championships women's division competition that just ended, she led Riverside Polytechnic to an undisputed victory.

This year she will graduate from high school. In four years, she led her team to a record of 132 wins and 2 losses. Many universities have extended offers to her. She can study and play at any school she wants.

Even the national team is calling on her; this player, who can dunk in games, is considered to be the greatest female basketball player in American history.

Meanwhile, her poor brother was being humiliated by a Chinese center from Northern California with yellow skin and black hair.

Miller attempted to drive to the basket during the offensive play, directly challenging Gan Guoyang.

But with his thin frame, how could he possibly gain the upper hand? He ended up getting blocked again!
In this block, Gan Guoyang slapped the ball directly into Franklin's hand.

Franklin launched a quick counterattack, but Riverside Polytechnic's defense recovered very quickly.

Both teams began to focus on defense and accelerated their runs.

Miller immediately returned to defense after being blocked, using his long, thin arms to block Franklin's fast break layup in mid-air!
Gan Guoyang rushed up from behind, grabbed the ball, and sprang into action to dunk. Miller didn't have time to defend another player, so he directly pushed Gan Guoyang.

As a result, Gan Guoyang still managed to dunk the ball into the basket, and Miller was called for a defensive foul.

2+1, Gan Guoyang steps up to the free throw line.

"Damn it, I can't push it."

Miller thought that a light touch would disrupt the balance and prevent Gan Guoyang from scoring.

To everyone's surprise, Gan Guoyang maintained his balance in mid-air, and his strength and explosive power shocked Miller.

No wonder this Chinese team made it to the finals; no wonder so many people were talking about Forrest Gump before the game.

A strong fighting spirit ignited in Miller's heart. He was not Quentin Stephenson. Faced with a powerful opponent, he only wanted to challenge him and would never back down.

After making the free throw, Gan Guoyang sarcastically remarked that Miller's grip was as weak as a girl's—of course, not like his sister.

Miller no longer stubbornly tries to attack the basket, but instead looks for shooting opportunities on the outside by cooperating with his teammates.

Hsu Hsun was effective in defending Kevin Johnson because the two are about the same height, and Hsu Hsun could use his physical strength to entangle him.

However, it was much less effective against Miller, because Miller is nearly 2 meters tall and shoots from a distance, making it difficult for Xu Xun to interfere with him.

The Waterbell team still used a zone defense, which gave Miller more opportunities to shoot from the outside, and he made three consecutive mid-range shots.

His shooting touch turned hot, and after making the shot, he pointed at Gan Guoyang and yelled, "You can't even make a single shot, you idiot!"

Gan Guoyang immediately responded with a long-range shot during the offensive play, saying to Miller, "Your shooting looks like a cockroach. Didn't your sister teach you how to shoot properly?"

The two sides grew increasingly angry, and their words became more and more heated.

Players who previously argued with Gan Guoyang were often subdued after a few rounds.

Miller, on the other hand, was different. Even when he was at a disadvantage in terms of the game and statistics, he became more courageous and willing to take action and speak out.

Of course, this was the first time Miller had encountered an opponent with such a sharp playing style and words, and there were several times when he almost lost his temper and wanted to fight.

But seeing Gan Guoyang's figure and feeling the power he possessed while fighting him, he decided against it; a gentleman uses words, not fists.

The scores of both teams soared in the second quarter, going from a 16-16 tie to 41-43, with the Water Bell team leading by 2 points at halftime.

Near the end of the first half, Riverside Polytechnic High School had its last offensive possession. Miller, facing help defense from Gan Guoyang, made a long-range shot.

He was shooting from beyond the three-point line; if it weren't a high school game, that would have been a three-pointer.

"You were so close! You were so close to covering me! Are your arms not long enough, or are your feet too slow? Are you pitying me? Why didn't you cover me? Why?"

After scoring, Miller unleashed a barrage of criticism on Gan Guoyang, who tried to counter-attack with a goal, but the first half was almost over.

He tossed the ball forward with one hand, a super long-range shot that spanned the entire court, but it hit the rim of the basket and missed.

The entire stadium sighed; it was such a pity that the ball didn't go in.

Miller was stunned. Gan Guoyang flicked the ball with one hand, and it flew so far, almost going in.

This guy's strength and feel are terrifying.

After missing the miracle shot, Gan Guoyang vented his frustration on Miller.

As the other players and referees prepared to leave the field, the two engaged in a heated exchange in midfield.

Finally, the referee and teammates had to separate the two, and they went back to their respective locker rooms.

Clearly, Gan Guoyang was fired up, and the fans at the scene cheered with excitement.

They are even more excited for the second half of the game.

Meanwhile, some unexpected changes are also taking place both on and off the field.

(End of this chapter)