Chapter 62: Sarcasm
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Griffin glanced up, confused, and froze in disbelief.
His foul count had reached five!
In the NCAA, five fouls meant automatic ejection from the game—Griffin's day was done. The realization stoked a fire of frustration within him, but there was nowhere to vent it, and he felt like he might burst.
He had played 27 minutes, managing only 8 points, most of which were from missed layups. He had grabbed 7 rebounds, primarily in the first half. His stat line included 1 block, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, and, of course, 5 fouls. It was a full stat sheet, but for all the wrong reasons.
Meanwhile, Curry had scored efficiently, racking up assists and keeping his mistakes to a minimum.
But this wasn't what Griffin had wanted. He didn't want just a couple of points and rebounds—he wanted to dominate like Curry. He wanted 20 or 30 points, 10 or 20 rebounds, a double-double every game. That's how a real power forward should perform.
But now, Griffin's dream of ruling the court was shattered, as the referee approached and signaled for him to leave.
He threw his hands up in frustration and walked toward the bench. Surprisingly, Coach Kruger didn't scold him. Instead, he offered some comforting words:
"Blake, don't be discouraged. You're an inside player; it'll take more time for you to fully realize your potential. The NCAA is just the beginning. Curry may be ahead now, but he doesn't have your talent. You're destined to be a superstar in the NBA. Be patient, work hard in the offseason, and we'll come back stronger next year."
The coach's confidence in Griffin, combined with his understanding of what the player had endured throughout the year, was just what Griffin needed to hear.
With the game nearly out of reach for the Sooners, Kruger hoped to use this moment as a stepping stone for Griffin's career.
After hearing the coach's words, Griffin felt a little better. He nodded firmly.
"I understand, Coach. I'll come back stronger!"
He wiped his sweat with a towel and glanced over at Curry, now with a competitive fire in his eyes.
Just wait, baby-face. I'll deal with you later!
On the other side of the court, Liam Gonzalez caught sight of Griffin glaring at Curry with renewed determination. He raised an eyebrow.
Did he bounce back that quickly? Liam thought.
Despite not living up to expectations, Griffin's mental toughness had always been strong. Liam knew this firsthand. In another life, Griffin had missed his entire rookie season due to injury, but in his second year, he took the league by storm and became an All-Star.
Even after multiple injuries, Griffin adapted. He expanded his shooting range and improved his passing skills, transforming from a power player into a versatile forward. While his efficiency had diminished, his resilience remained.
All of this proved one thing—Griffin's rise to becoming a No. 1 pick wasn't solely based on talent. His mental fortitude played a significant role.
Every star player has something special.
Liam turned his attention back to the game.
"There's no suspense here, right?" Stevens asked, moving closer.
"Of course not. With Griffin fouled out, the Sooners can't hold out for much longer. Five more minutes, and then we'll sub in the bench," Liam replied calmly.
"But Griffin's not that formidable. Why did you have Curry go after him so hard?" Stevens asked, confused.
Before the game, Liam had instructed Curry to attack Griffin directly, using his quickness and skill to break down the bigger man. It worked. Griffin couldn't defend Curry, and Butler quickly built a comfortable lead.
But moments ago, Liam had asked Curry to draw a foul from Griffin, sending him to the bench. Stevens was puzzled—why not keep exploiting Griffin's defensive weakness?
"I just wanted to secure the win," Liam said.
To Stevens, Griffin was just a raw freshman with undeveloped skills.
But Liam knew better. He had seen Griffin at his peak and understood his potential. Who knew if Griffin might suddenly explode?
Liam still remembered his first game coaching the Bulldogs against Indiana University. In the closing minutes, a little-known guard nearly turned the game around. If that could happen with a lesser player, what about someone of Griffin's caliber?
In a different life, Liam had seen teams like the Warriors pull off second-half comebacks. He wasn't about to let something like that happen here.
With Griffin out, the Sooners' morale dropped.
Liam waved his hand, signaling his players to increase their offensive and defensive intensity. The Bulldogs succeeded in executing fast-break after fast-break, and the Sooners' defense crumbled.
With six minutes left, Butler led by 24 points—79 to 55.
Liam called a timeout and substituted his starters.
Seeing this, Lang Kruger didn't protest. A minute later, he used a dead-ball opportunity to send in his own bench players. The game quickly turned into garbage time.
When the final buzzer sounded, the score was 86 to 68. Butler University advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the second year in a row, while Oklahoma's March Madness journey ended in the Round of 32.
After the game, Liam walked over to the scorer's table to shake hands with Lang Kruger.
Lang gave a weary smile.
"Don't you think you were a little hard on Blake?"
Liam smiled.
"It's a good learning experience for him."
"Well, I'll tell him that. I must say, Stephen is an incredible player. He led your team to victory. It's hard to imagine what he could do on a top-tier team," Kruger added, shifting the conversation to Curry.
Liam raised an eyebrow. So that's what this is about.
Kruger's words implied that Butler's success was all thanks to Curry and that Liam's coaching wasn't a significant factor. Moreover, it hinted that Curry's development might be stunted at Butler.
"Oh really? Then I should thank Coach K for giving Stephen to me… and let's not forget Blake. What was his ranking before college?" Liam replied casually.
Kruger's smile stiffened. "Sorry, I forgot," he muttered before walking away.
How can you mess up coaching someone as talented as Griffin and then try to make digs at me? Liam thought.
Shaking off the exchange, Liam joined his team on the court for the celebration.
The next steps for Butler University would be critical in achieving a historic breakthrough!
Haha, who would have thought Griffin's first year would be so miserable? 8 points, 7 rebounds, 5 fouls! Should I rename this chapter "Shocked! The Unbearable Past of the Beastly Power Forward"?
End of this chapter
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