章節 92: World-Class Problem
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Curry quickly dodged other hands coming his way. He didn't want to lose his hair this young!
Everyone returned to the bench, and Curry, grinning, approached Liam, saying, "Coach, did you see that? I made the shot!"
With his baby face and childlike eagerness for praise, it was hard not to smile at him.
Liam smiled, "That was an awesome three-pointer! But I'm taking you off for the next play."
"???" Curry's face was filled with disbelief.
Liam picked up the tactical board, "There are 14 seconds left in the game. We need defense now. Pete, you'll replace Stephen and join Drew in guarding the paint. The key is to secure the rebound. Jimmy, don't double-team Rose this time. Stick to your man. AJ, focus on preventing Rose's three-point shot. It's better to let him drive inside than to give him a clean three. If we defend well this time, we'll win the championship. Got it?"
Everyone nodded in agreement, except Curry, who looked reluctant. He didn't like being benched during the game's final moments, but he knew his defense wasn't strong, especially when facing physical confrontations.
I'll gain weight when I get back! Curry thought to himself angrily. He had grown to 6'3" (1.91m) six months ago and hadn't grown since. Realizing he might not get any taller, he knew it was time to add some muscle.
The timeout ended, and both teams returned to the court for the final 14 seconds.
The Tigers inbounded from the frontcourt, with Rose using Joey Dorsey's screen to receive the ball from Douglas.
Graves immediately tightened up on Rose, staying very close to prevent him from taking a three-pointer.
Rose tried to create space but saw that Graves would rather give him room to drive than risk a three-pointer.
Realizing he had no shot at a three, Rose quickly drove past Graves, crossing the three-point line.
Drew and Campbell stood their ground near the paint, prepared to stop any layup attempts. Rose didn't push forward but instead pulled up for a mid-range shot from the free-throw line.
Swish!
Despite the pressure, Rose's shot was on target, and the basketball fell cleanly through the hoop.
66-64. 9 seconds remained.
Liam immediately called another timeout.
Grabbing the tactical board, he began explaining their next move:
"Stephen, you're going back in for Mike. The Tigers will foul soon, so your only job is to secure the ball. That's your world-class problem to solve."
"AJ, you'll inbound. Don't rush. Drew, set the first screen for Stephen. Pete, you're the second wall. After your screen, cut to the basket. If something unexpected happens, AJ can pass to Pete. Jimmy, stay in the corner to pull a defender away. If Stephen can't get open, Drew will set a screen for Jimmy, who will move up to the 45-degree mark and receive the ball. The most important thing is to pass cleanly. Do you understand?"
The players nodded confidently. They had rehearsed this play many times in practice, so it was just a refresher for them.
Every play the team executed on the court had been drilled into them, again and again. No coach would create a last-minute genius play and assign it during a crucial timeout. That would leave the players confused and lost.
After the timeout, both teams returned to the court. AJ prepared to inbound the ball from the sideline.
With Drew and Campbell setting solid screens, Curry was able to break free from the inside and receive the pass. Rose immediately fouled him.
The referee's whistle blew, and Curry went to the free-throw line.
Meanwhile, Campbell, who had cut to the basket, and Butler, who was ready to dart into position, weren't even in the camera shot. For most viewers, this looked like a routine inbound pass.
Only Liam's coaching staff and the Bulldogs' players knew they had run this play hundreds of times to avoid making mistakes.
With the crowd roaring, Curry stayed calm and sank both free throws.
68-64, with 7 seconds left.
Calipari had no more timeouts, and Liam wasn't about to give him any favors by stopping the clock. The Tigers had to inbound from their own backcourt.
Rose wasted no time, speeding down the court like a bullet. Curry tried to block him, but Rose easily slipped past.
As Rose reached the frontcourt, he looked to take a three-pointer, but Graves and Butler were waiting, guarding the perimeter. The message was clear: they would allow a two-pointer but would not give up a three.
With only a few seconds left, Rose couldn't afford to hesitate. He charged into the paint and dunked the ball.
68-66.
"Rose went coast-to-coast and scored 2 points. That fast break only took 5 seconds, but now there are just 3 seconds left in the game. The Tigers have no timeouts. Unless a miracle happens, the Bulldogs have this game in the bag!" Greg Gambel's voice echoed through the stadium.
The Tigers players frantically pressed up on defense, hoping for a miracle.
But Curry wasn't about to give them that chance. He sprinted towards Butler, pretending to receive the inbound pass, then quickly cut towards the frontcourt. Butler launched the ball, and Curry caught it in stride!
Rose flew in to commit a foul, but Curry threw the ball high into the air, dodging Rose's attempt.
As the ball floated, the red light on the backboard lit up.
"Rose couldn't foul in time. The clock ran out, and the game is over! The Bulldogs have defeated the Tigers 68-66 to win the 2008 NCAA Championship! Congratulations to the Bulldogs, who have just made history!" Gambel's voice was filled with excitement.
At that moment, colorful confetti fell from the sky at the Alamodome as the Bulldogs fans erupted in cheers.
In the stands, Louis and Christie shared a deep kiss, while Dale and Sonya smiled proudly. Seth was already planning his victory prize—a game console—and Duan Ran shook his head in amazement at Liam.
On the court, the Bulldogs bench burst into celebration. Julian Beko led the charge onto the court, with the rest of the team following, surrounding Curry and shouting joyfully.
On the sidelines, Liam glanced at the scoreboard, then turned to embrace Stevens, yelling in his ear, "Brad, we did it! We're the champions!"
Stevens beamed with excitement. "Yes, Liam! We won the championship! We beat Memphis, UCLA, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech... We're the undisputed champions!"
End of this chapter
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Chugamc
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