Champion, please stay!

Chapter 90, Chapter 88: The First Medal! (3 updates, 1.2 words, please vote!)
After a one-day rest period, the men's basketball quarterfinals will begin on August 20th.

The first match, which started at 9 a.m., was the most anticipated game of the round – Spain vs. Argentina.

This match is also known as the 'Battle for the Championship' or the 'Early Semifinal'.

The entire Chinese men's basketball team was present to watch the game, and Jonas commented on it as the pinnacle of technical and tactical skill in basketball today.

The Chinese team witnessed Spain's technical and tactical prowess in the third quarter of their second group stage match, and it was undeniable.

After the match began, the technical and tactical performances of both teams confirmed Jonas's view.

Spain's passing and control system, with Calderón as the starting point and Gasol as the supporting force, seemed to be able to deliver the ball to any position at any time.

However, the Argentine team made targeted adjustments on both offense and defense.

On the defensive end, they abandoned their strong overall zone defense and switched to zone defense, specifically targeting the off-the-ball movement of Spain's Fernandez and Navarro.

Spain tried to use off-the-ball screens on the flanks to pull out their center forwards like Oberto, and Argentina let them do so. Nocioni, the tough white striker, moved in to block the cutting players, and the effect was quite good.

On the offensive end, Argentina had more variety, using Ginobili and Nocioni to attack Gasol, which was clearly a borrowing of the Chinese team's style of play. Moreover, compared to the Chinese team, which made adjustments on the spot, the Argentine team had more thorough tactical preparation.

Unfortunately, this strategy didn't work very well. Allowing Ginobili to break through and score, and letting him go all out to draw fouls, was a bit much to ask of him. Moreover, he was playing with an injury in this Olympics, missing two games in the group stage, and his performance today was quite average.

As for Nocioni, if he went back 4 years, he would definitely be able to do it, after all, he dunked on Duncan, but now he's almost a floor player.

Moreover, having learned his lesson the hard way, Gasol was well-prepared to defend against the two players' constant cuts.

If one trick doesn't work, no problem, the Argentine team has prepared many tricks to deal with this old rival.

With Prigioni's ability to organize the offense, and Ginobili and Delfino's mobility, their quick pick-and-roll passing and cutting plays always manage to draw Spain's zone defense to the wings of the paint, creating opportunities for Prigioni to cut through the middle to receive a pass and attack the basket, and for blue-collar players like Oberto to finish the play.

Spain made adjustments within its system, but remained true to its core principles despite the variations; Argentina, on the other hand, did not adhere to any particular system, using whatever worked well and switching to something else if it didn't, showcasing their respective strengths to the fullest.

The final deciding factor was the crucial one-on-one duel between Scola and Gasol.

Scola has performed exceptionally well on the international stage and is undoubtedly a superstar, but unfortunately, he encountered Gasol, who is perhaps the best player on the international stage, and was completely outmatched at crucial moments!
Ultimately, thanks to Gasol's 4 points, 1 assist, and 1 block in the final moments, Spain defeated Argentina 75-69 to advance to the semifinals!
...

After watching a thrilling tactical match in the morning, Yi Shui and his teammates were highly motivated to prepare for the afternoon's game and wanted to try to imitate it.

Yunas thought it was worth a try... and after trying it, he found that there were indeed things he could learn.

Argentina-style zone defense and forwards taking the lead inside make a Yi Jianlian-Yi Shui-Yi combination a viable inside game.

If Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming stay on the court, it won't work; they can't get close enough.

However, when Yi Jianlian and Yi Shui team up in the paint, if the opponent sends a tall, strong man to sit and play, not someone like Yao Ming, but someone like Wang Zhizhi sitting and playing, neither of them can defend against it.

It's worth learning, but the flaws are quite obvious.

They also learned a trick on the offensive end, using Yi Jianlian's off-ball screen play on the wings with the ball at the top of the arc. Yi Jianlian's screens and cuts to the basket were excellent, no problem at all. Yao Ming could also pull up to the wings at the free-throw line to screen for people, receive shots, and also had the passing ability that the Argentine center did not have.

However, while this move is easy to learn, achieving proficiency and tacit understanding in teamwork requires time and practice.

Yi Shui was delighted to have learned two new tactics, which enriched the national team's tactical repertoire. However, he thought about how the national team coaches changed so frequently, and who knew who his teammates would be next time... Oh well, what he learned was his own, and the team could teach him again at the next training camp!

A worship-level 'leader' is exactly what's used to lead a team!
The Chinese team didn't watch the Lithuanian vs. Greek match at 3 PM; they wanted to rest and recharge.

Yi Shui heard the final score: 56 to 49, with Greece winning the physical battle.

It's said the fight was extremely fierce... mainly because players from both teams got into a brawl!
He regretted it; he should have stayed up and gone to check instead.

Both Greece and Lithuania are representatives of the tough, physical style of play in Europe, so you can imagine how intense their match would be. They've faced each other quite a few times, and there's bound to be some personal grudge between them, so it's highly likely they'd come to blows. What a pity.

As evening fell, the Chinese team faced Croatia in the quarterfinals at the Wukesong Arena.

Judging from the name, Yi Shui is a complete stranger to the Croatian men's basketball team.

I don't recognize any of them by their faces.

After memorizing faces and player characteristics for a long time, I entered the stadium but didn't recognize a single one.

He was a really unfamiliar opponent. All I knew was that he was very strong and was known as a model of traditional European team basketball.

To put it bluntly, they don't have any star players, so they can only play team basketball, but they've played with style and skill.

Yi Shui asked his teammates, who had extensive experience in international competitions... but they couldn't recognize who was who on the other side either.

This relieved him, and he went straight to it!
Sure enough, after playing for a while, I still couldn't remember who was who, but that didn't matter. As long as the players' characteristics matched those I learned during preparation, that was enough!
Croatia's defensive coordination is truly exceptional. Their forwards are all around 206cm tall, their switching and recovery plays are incredibly fast, their double-teaming is fierce, and they are extremely aggressive.

On offense, almost everyone can shoot and set screens. Although there are no clear passing strengths, everyone has some playmaking ability, and their long-distance passes are particularly difficult for the Chinese team to defend.

The key is their tactical execution and teamwork. They are definitely the strongest team Yi Shui has ever seen in the Olympics, even better than Argentina.

首节中国队23比26落后、第二节27比24追上比分，第三节两队轰出了20比20，比分持续焦灼！
Croatia has really mastered the art of attacking and defending with a mini-team!

But in the end, Croatia lost because of their small squad.

In the final quarter, Yao Ming, who had been focusing on mid-range shots and playmaking in the first three quarters, started firing from the low post!

Wang Zhizhi moved to the high post to receive the pass, and Yao Ming was double-teamed and passed the ball out, so he passed it to Yao Ming.

Yi Shui's two wings circle around to receive the pass, or cut in to take advantage of Yao Ming drawing double teams on the other side of the basket and launch a fierce attack towards the basket.

Midway through the final quarter, the Chinese team went on a 12-4 run, securing the victory.

In this match, apart from a somewhat chaotic start, the Chinese team played with great discipline later on, drawing inspiration from Argentina's approach against Croatia.

The Croatian team's loss wasn't so much due to their short stature, but rather because they lacked a star player who could step up and score in crucial moments. However, even if they had a star player whose abilities far surpassed their teammates, they might not have had such good teamwork and wouldn't have achieved such good results.

最终，易水拿到26分10板4助攻、姚明拿到17分9板3助攻、王治郅8分6板5助攻、易建联和王仕鹏都拿到13分……

China defeated Croatia 98-91 in the final quarter to advance to the semifinals!

When the final whistle blew, the fans in the stadium erupted in a thunderous cheer. The volume was so loud that Yi Shui had never heard it before in all the years of the Olympics.

However, he was just as excited and celebrated wildly with his teammates.

Reaching the semi-finals! The best result ever achieved by the Chinese men's basketball team in a major international competition!
Chinese fans have been waiting for this day for 12 years since they first reached the quarterfinals in 96!

The national team's playing style has changed from the "small and quick" style of the past to the era of multiple towers.

Even the guards are as tall as some teams' centers... I'm talking about Sun Yue. Tonight, one of our opponents' centers is only 203 centimeters tall.

Finally waited!
After the celebration, during a group interview with his teammates, Yi Shui took a moment to open the system; he had just felt a notification coming.

"You led the team to break the Chinese men's basketball team's best record in the Olympics, reaching the semi-finals for the first time. As you are currently in a period of drastic physical changes, congratulations on receiving the designated reward: Speed ​​+1, Stamina +1."

你的速度由92提升至93（本届奥运会95），体力由88提升至89（本届奥运会93）。”

'Here it comes! Finally, the speed has increased again! But stamina... it would be so much better if it were replaced with agility. I can train my stamina!' "Stamina will be increased at the same time as the maximum stamina and the current stamina. This will not affect the effectiveness of your stamina training. Note: The higher the stamina assessment value, the greater the stamina increase required to improve the assessment value."

Yi Shui immediately agreed.

The veterans' individual interviews were over, and the group interviews began. Yi Shui and his teammates started exchanging compliments...

...

With the United States defeating Australia 126-85, the semifinalists are set: the United States, China, Spain, and Greece.

Even after the match between the Chinese and Croatian teams ended, the media had already put up headlines like "Four-Way Battle"—an all-Chinese affair within Group B.

This was a very special situation, and representatives from the teams that advanced to the semi-finals were invited to discuss the matter that evening.

The International Olympic Committee wants to continue with the crossover matches according to the rules, that is, the first-ranked United States will play against the fourth-ranked Greece, and the second-ranked China will play against the third-ranked Spain.

The Chinese Olympic Committee took the lead in raising its opinions, actively communicating with the International Olympic Committee, and a dispute ensued.

Because the International Olympic Committee's decision is said to be in accordance with the rules, but it is not entirely consistent with the rules, and there is a blurry line in between. This ambiguous rule will definitely be amended by supplementary clauses after special cases occur, but since the supplementary clauses have not yet come, there is room for negotiation.

Besides the US team, the other two teams that advanced to the semifinals also participated in the debate, but not to oppose China; rather, they shared the same goal as the Chinese team.

Team USA doesn't care about its opponents.

Both China and Spain want to play Greece, while Greece doesn't want to play the USA. All three teams want to decide their opponents through a draw.

Ultimately, the International Olympic Committee compromised. Of course, to save face, they held a show of hands vote, with the representatives of the four finalists deciding whether to follow their established rules or to draw lots due to special circumstances. The voting result was, of course, a foregone conclusion. The US team representative, D'Antoni, also wanted to play the draw.

According to the rankings, the four balls were marked, placed in a bucket covered with a cloth, shaken a few times, and then drawn by officials from the International Olympic Committee.

The first ball brought out was number 1, and the other three representatives, except for D'Antoni, all became nervous.

When the official showed the number 3 on the second ball, the Spanish team representative started cursing.

Both Gong Luming, representing the Chinese team, and Papanioles, representing the Greek team, raised their hands in cheers, then looked at each other, lowered their arms, and their eyes were filled with hostility.

Both players recalled the final group stage match, the physical battles, clashes, malicious fouls, and technical fouls between their teammates and the opposing team...

When news broke that Gong Luming had actively fought for and ultimately succeeded in helping the national team avoid the United States and Spain, fans who were already celebrating the men's basketball team's historic achievement of reaching the semifinals became even more excited.

Inside the Olympic Village, the men's basketball team's dormitory was disturbed after receiving the news.

The Olympic team members in the next dormitory wanted to complain, but after learning the details, they held back.

As athletes, they understand the importance of matchups better than anyone else.

...

On August 22nd, the Chinese men's basketball team became the most watched team by domestic sports fans, without exception.

If the Chinese team wins tonight, they will definitely win another medal! A medal that the Chinese Olympic team has never won in more than 20 years!

At 8 p.m., the semi-final match between China and Greece began.

Just like the previous match, both teams went all out from the start.

Having faced each other before, the two teams engaged in a more strategic and intense physical battle.

The Chinese team has changed its starting lineup. Zhu Fangyu and Wang Zhizhi are in, while Wang Shipeng and Yi Jianlian are sitting down first. The bigger and stronger players go first!
The Dream Team is highly skilled and daring. Their semi-final match is about to start in two and a half hours, but a few people still came to watch – the 03 Four and a Little Cannon.

Paul watched as Yi Shui skillfully weaved through a group of burly Greek players, holding his own against those with arms a size larger than his own when physical combat was needed, and exclaimed in amazement, "Brook's talent is truly amazing!"

Bosh chimed in, "Yeah, I think he'll average 20 points a game when he gets into the NBA, just like you, LeBron. That night he came in and bumped into me, just like when you bumped into me during my tryout with the Cavaliers. I felt like I was going to break my ribs."

James laughed and said, "Of course, he will definitely be an outstanding player, otherwise how could he have won a hundred million dollars... Judging from the current situation, our opponents in the finals should be BIG and Little Giant. Let's go back and prepare for the game."

The others had no objections and followed James away.

Their leader remains the same as before, still magnanimous and generous despite having surpassed the record for new endorsement.

In terms of the physical battle between the two teams, the Chinese team was actually inferior to the Greek team. The only advantage the Chinese team had over the Greek team was the fierceness brought about by Wang Zhizhi of the Bayi team, Zhu Fangyu of the Guangdong team, and Yi Shui from the Erha army. They were truly vengeful and retaliatory on the spot.

Although the Greek team played better in physical battles, they didn't capitalize on opportunities as well as the Chinese team.

Yi Shui, Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, and even substitute Yi Jianlian all possess the ability to hit incredible shots under intense pressure.

There is only one player like that in the Greek team – the European Kobe Spanoulis.

Greece originally had a "short-term killer weapon" on the bench, Little Shark Skrsenitis, but when he met Yao Ming, his proud strength became a joke.

首节比分14比8、第二节比分9比11、第三节比分14比12、末节13比15……

After a fierce battle that almost turned into a physical fight, the Chinese team narrowly defeated the Greek team 50-46 and advanced to the final!

As the final whistle blew, after celebrating with his teammates and the fans, Yi Shui felt the pain all over his body. His first thought was, 'My whole body will be sore again tomorrow.'

After the group stage match against Greece, Yi Shui was too exhausted to do any extra training. He felt incredibly sore the next day and had to do an extra '7th day' of training before finally getting rid of that feeling on the morning of the match against Croatia.

He checked the system and saw a notification, but no reward was given immediately.

"You have led your team to the Olympic finals. Congratulations on winning a medal. The final reward will be issued based on the medal level you achieved."

Tonight's post-game interviews were a big affair; after the game ended, the live broadcast team conducted an exclusive interview at the training ground inside the stadium...

It is said that the central government directly reassigned a television station to conduct a live broadcast specifically for them.

The interviews with the Chinese team only ended after 11 o'clock, when the US and Spanish teams had already played half of their match.

Yi Shui ran back to the scene and took a look... the fight was quite intense!
Spain, fueled by a surge from Gasol, Navarro, and Fernandez, managed to close the gap at the end of the third quarter!

Unfortunately, at the start of the fourth quarter, Kobe hit three consecutive three-pointers, followed by Wade's crazy attacks, which crushed the Spanish team and widened the gap to 10 points in 3 minutes.

Then James, who replaced Anthony, used his drives and help defense, along with Howard protecting the rim, to completely stifle Spain's attempt to gain momentum. This was also related to the fact that Spain had played too hard earlier and several key players were already running out of energy.

Ultimately, the United States defeated Spain 120-108 to advance to the final!
...

On August 24th at 8 PM, the Chinese men's basketball team faced off against the American men's basketball team.

This is a milestone night for Chinese basketball, and another first time – the first time stepping onto the finals stage!
The fans at the stadium were very excited throughout the match, and even after the team suffered a crushing defeat, they still cheered loudly for their athletes.

易水22投9中，其中三分球9中3，加上6中6的罚球，拿到27分7板2助攻1抢断3盖帽；姚明15投9中，加上5中5的罚球，拿到23分13板；王治郅拿到11分6板。

But apart from Wang Shipeng's 6 points and Yi Jianlian's 7 points, no one else scored more than 5 points; most of them went scoreless...

With a score of 89 to 111, the Chinese team was dominated throughout the match and lost the game without any suspense. Their final result was a silver medal!

(End of this chapter)