Chapter 60: Griffin
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The next day, at two o'clock in the afternoon, the game between Butler University and the University of Oklahoma finally kicked off.
This match, which determines the places for the elite top 16, attracted widespread attention from fans.
Even though the top seed in the East is the legendary University of North Carolina, Alabama (where Birmingham is located) is some distance away from North Carolina, so there weren't many North Carolina fans present.
If the game were held closer to North Carolina, UNC would surely showcase a powerful home-field advantage.
As the No. 3 seed, Butler University was given the right to use the home team locker room, meaning the University of Oklahoma had to settle into the cramped visiting team locker room.
At this time, the Sooners' head coach Lon Kruger was nervously repeating the tactics he had set out earlier, while Griffin barely paid attention. Instead, he sat thinking about the media's harsh critiques of him.
"Blake Griffin's skills are too poor. He doesn't seem like a college student, but more like a beginner who's just started playing basketball. I suggest he go back to high school and return to college after solidifying his fundamentals…"
"I admit he's explosively talented, but look at his short arms. He's not a Tyrannosaurus Rex capable of tearing through opponents just with his sheer presence!"
"Greg Oden has had his share of struggles in the NBA. Does anyone still believe in Blake Griffin? His talent and skills don't compare to Oden's. I wouldn't recommend any team to waste a draft pick on him!"
"..."
Throughout the season, Griffin had faced constant criticism from the media, shouldering pressure no one his age should have to bear. But as a once-famous high school basketball prodigy across the United States, expectations were sky-high.
Many prestigious universities had vied for him. After much deliberation, he chose the University of Oklahoma.
With players like Oden and Durant as inspirations, Griffin was confident he would dominate the NCAA as a freshman and then head straight to the NBA as the No. 1 pick.
His raw talent and explosive athleticism were his strongest assets.
But reality dealt Griffin a harsh blow.
As competition stiffened, his brute-force approach, which had worked wonders in high school, faltered. Faced with more strategic defenses and constant double teams, he quickly found himself lost.
The opponents' defense was like a brick wall, leaving him confused and frustrated.
"Is this the NCAA? What will the NBA, a higher level, be like?" Griffin wondered.
Humbled, Griffin refocused his efforts on refining his basics and rebuilding his game from the ground up.
The draft boards placed him anywhere between 5th and 25th—volatile. Whether a team would bet on his potential remained uncertain.
March Madness was his last shot. If he could perform well on this national stage, maybe scouts would reconsider him.
Still, his debut in this year's tournament was far from stellar. He only managed 12 points and 4 rebounds in the Sooners' first-round victory over St. Joseph's.
Today's opponent, Butler University, was last year's Cinderella team and one of this year's favorites. Griffin wasn't sure if he was ready. Would he have to delay his NBA dreams another year?
"Blake, let's go. It's time to head out," his brother Tyler tapped him, snapping him out of his thoughts.
Griffin quickly chugged an energy drink and followed his teammates out of the locker room.
After a quick entrance ceremony and warm-ups, the game finally began.
Griffin stared curiously at Butler's No. 30. He had seen countless highlight reels of Curry, but it was still hard to believe that the baby-faced, seemingly innocent guy was the NCAA's two-time scoring champion.
His face could pass for that of a high school kid, or even younger.
And then there was Butler University's head coach, Liam Gonzalez. He barely looked older than Griffin himself.
Not to mention their small forward—Griffin wondered jokingly if he was Jordan's illegitimate son.
"This is such a strange team," Griffin thought, shaking his head as he tried to calm his nerves.
The game began with Oklahoma winning the jump ball, taking possession first.
Griffin rushed to the frontcourt, positioning himself aggressively against his defender, and demanded the ball.
The coach had emphasized pre-game that Butler's interior defense wasn't very strong, and this was Griffin's opportunity to make an impact.
Once the ball came his way, Griffin lowered his shoulder, ready to back down his defender.
But after a few bumps, he realized Campbell, his defender, wasn't budging.
"I really need to work on my lower body strength in the offseason," Griffin thought, gritting his teeth.
He switched tactics, attempting to spin around Campbell, but a hand suddenly swiped the ball away!
It was Butler's small forward—Jordan's "look-alike," as Griffin had jokingly thought before.
Butler made a quick pass to Curry, who wasted no time. He sped down the court and launched a three-pointer while the Sooners' defense was still setting up. The ball swished through the hoop.
3:0.
Oklahoma brought the ball back, and once again, Griffin tried to power through Campbell. But this time, he was met by A.J. Graves' help defense and fumbled the ball away. The Bulldogs seized the opportunity, leading to a fast-break layup by Graves.
5:0.
Frustrated, Griffin scaled back his aggression. He had already taken his two chances at going one-on-one, and the game plan wasn't designed for him to dominate the ball.
Instead, he focused on rebounding, snagging several defensive boards before finally finding an opening on the offensive end. Grabbing a teammate's missed shot, Griffin leaped up and threw down a powerful dunk, briefly showing flashes of the beast he would one day become.
The crowd roared as Griffin let out a primal scream, channeling his frustration into a brief display of dominance.
But just then, Griffin caught the eye of Liam Gonzalez, who gave him a look that sent chills down his spine—a malicious, almost knowing look. Something bad was about to happen.
Sure enough, it did.
On the next possession, Curry used a pick-and-roll to switch Griffin onto him, isolating him on the perimeter. With quick dribbles and sharp movements, Curry easily blew past Griffin, either scoring or drawing fouls with each attempt. Oklahoma's coach even had to call a timeout to address the situation.
But things didn't get better after the timeout. Butler University adjusted, spreading the floor and punishing the Sooners for their double-teams on curry by hitting open three-pointers. The score continued to widen, and Oklahoma couldn't find an answer.
This version reflects your requests, replacing names and cultural references while keeping the story structure intact.
End of this chapter
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