Capítulo 87: The Competition Has Just Begun!
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Sorry I am too busy tomorrow and the day after I have two final exams today and yesterday as well.
From Saturday/Sunday onwards I will be back to full speed
I just finished a 200 lines cod in notepad
SO SAD
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He opened up his WhatsApp group, where everyone was chatting energetically.
"Wow, I didn't expect Rose to score only 7 points in the first half! Butler might actually win the championship!"
"I told you a long time ago, Coach Gonzalez is brilliant! His small lineup is just genius."
"I think the NCAA is no longer a challenge for Coach Gonzalez. He should move to the NBA. Even Calipari and Pitino went there, and Coach Gonzalez is just as good as them."
Luis looked at the messages in the group and chimed in: "It's only halftime, don't get too excited. Douglas is still a hidden threat. We haven't won the championship yet—let's save some luck!"
This was an NCAA fan group he joined, made up of more than twenty members. In addition to enjoying the star performances, they also focused on the coaches' tactics and lineups. They were what you'd call the rare hardcore fans. And because of Liam Gonzalez, they were all loyal supporters of the Bulldogs.
"I doubt Rose can come back from this. He hasn't scored much."
"Don't jinx it! If you keep jinxing, I swear I'll block you!"
Far away in San Antonio, Rose had no idea that a fan in Colombia was underestimating him, but he knew he had to make some changes in the second half.
In the Tigers' locker room, Coach Calipari was going over the game plan with passion:
"Chris, you played great in the first half. The defense will still be focused on Derrick in the second half, so you should keep attacking Curry. Try to wear him out. Derrick, your passing was excellent. You created a lot of space for Chris…"
"Coach, leave the offense to me. They can't stop me," Rose suddenly said.
Calipari was stunned for a moment but then changed his plan:
"Alright, you have full shooting privileges!"
He saw the determination and confidence in Rose's calm eyes.
Rose was a quiet player who didn't often speak up, but when he did, it was always with conviction. Throughout the season, he had never let Calipari down, and once again, the coach placed his hopes in him.
In the Bulldogs' locker room, the atmosphere was tense, just like with the Tigers.
The first half had been intense, with the game's outcome still uncertain. The Bulldogs' players were feeling the pressure.
Liam Gonzalez addressed the team:
"Don't be nervous. We're still leading, and everyone's doing great. Keep it up in the second half. Jimmy, no matter how many points Andre scores, stay focused on Rose. Stephen, how are you holding up? Can you keep going? Good, just 20 more minutes... If anyone is struggling with stamina, let me know, but Stephen and Jimmy, you have to stay on the court. In 20 minutes, we'll be holding the trophy in our hands!"
"Yes, coach!" the players shouted in unison.
Liam nodded with satisfaction and allowed the team to rest and regroup.
In basketball, there's an important rule: the team with the advantage doesn't make the first move to change its strategy.
Although the game was still close, the Bulldogs had managed to contain Rose in the first half, which was a huge advantage.
Douglas wasn't on the same level as Curry or Rose. Liam could live with Douglas's performance, as long as they could contain Rose like they did in the first half. If they could maintain that control, the advantage would be theirs.
The 15-minute halftime break passed quickly, and both teams returned to the court.
Luis quickly logged off his WhatsApp group, and his friend Seth, who had gone to grab Coke and popcorn, rushed back to his seat. Duan stopped typing on his keyboard. All eyes were fixed on the court, waiting for the final battle to begin.
Rose stepped onto the court with light strides. His expression was calm, and his breathing was steady, as if the first half hadn't taken a toll on him. However, the sharp glint in his eyes showed his unwavering determination to win.
He was a genius admired by everyone, and although he was calm and mature, his passion was still burning, and his pride remained intact.
Rose couldn't stand by and do nothing in the finals, leaving the outcome in the hands of his teammates. He wanted to prove that he deserved to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. He wanted to leave college basketball with his head held high, and most importantly, with the championship in his hands.
Beep!
The whistle blew, and Rose took the inbound pass from his teammate, walking toward the front court with a serious look on his face.
The competition had only just begun!
Meanwhile, in New York, on Wall Street…
At a subprime securities seminar, Markbaum listened coldly as an investor presented:
"The real estate market is a stable and prosperous one. The recent fluctuations in subprime securities are only minor. I personally hold $400 million in Bear Stearns stock because I believe it will continue to rise. Bear Stearns just secured a large loan from..."
The investor spoke confidently, and with his status as a Wall Street giant, worth billions, his words seemed to carry weight.
But the audience in the conference hall wasn't buying it. Most of them were skeptical.
The tremors in the subprime mortgage market were undeniable, and the fund managers and investors present had their own analyses. The big investor's speech wasn't going to sway them easily.
"It's falling! Bear Stearns' stock price just dropped from $49 to $42!" came a low exclamation from beside Markbaum.
His expression changed, and he pulled out his phone to check.
Bear Stearns was one of the major players in the multi-loan securities market and was considered a bellwether for the sector.
"Forty-two dollars… Forty-one…" Markbaum muttered as he stared at his screen.
Each time he refreshed, the stock price had fallen further.
Others in the room had also noticed the drop in Bear Stearns' stock, and whispers began to spread throughout the hall. The once orderly and quiet atmosphere was now filled with murmurs of concern.
The investor on stage noticed the growing unrest in the audience and looked puzzled. His assistant rushed up, whispered something in his ear, and his expression quickly turned grim.
The host tried to restore order, but the crowd was now in disarray.
"It's at $39 now. My goodness! The ABX (the subprime bond index) is falling too. Is this going to be a major collapse?" someone said in a panic.
Many in the room looked pale as they stared at their phones. They had all heavily invested in subprime securities and now feared the worst.
Markbaum, however, looked around, set down his phone, and a smirk slowly crept onto his face.
"The fun is about to begin."
End of this chapter
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Chugamc
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