Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 33 Before the game
"Everyone find a good seat and sit down!" Yue Gang said in a hurry.

This is a multimedia laboratory, which was temporarily requisitioned for the pre-match analysis meeting because it has a projector.

Chen Fang was fiddling with the projector. When everyone was seated, he started the computer. While the system was loading, Chen Fang said to the whole team, "Luckily, we got some of Nan'an's game videos from the past two years, as well as analysis of the team's core players. The school was also merciful today and let us not have to go to evening self-study."

"So, please pay attention. I'm going to start analyzing my opponents, taking notes, and remembering every opponent and my own mission."

Turning around, Chen opened the video on the computer and said, "Nan'an is a team that likes fast breaks very much."

"They have plenty of energy and are tenacious on defense. Captain Xue Yi is very capable and has no weaknesses."

"The main point guard is Zhang Hansheng. He is physically strong, fearless of confrontation, and has a three-point shot."

"The small forward is Xue Yi, who connects the inside and outside lines, has a stable mid-range shooting ability, and is good at defense."

"The power forward is Liu Ziheng, who is 195cm tall and weighs 88kg. He is a flexible defensive player with the ability to finish fast breaks."

"The center is Yao Qiwei, a short, fat, and heavy offensive player with good back-to-the-basket skills and the ability to shoot half-court shots."

"Come, let us meet Nan'an's core player, shooting guard Yue Zang." Chen Fang paused, his expression serious: "A growing hexagonal warrior."

"The only shortcoming is the lack of competition experience, but the advantage is that there are almost no weaknesses."

"He is physically strong, extremely fast, a top defender, and has the ability to attack with the ball. He has unlimited stamina and can play a 40-minute game without any rest."

In the classroom, there was only the humming sound of the fan, and Chen Fang's introduction made everyone feel inexplicably pressured.

"Today is a pre-match analysis meeting, so my attitude is to share my judgment with everyone as much as possible and discuss how to deal with it and win the game."

"After we introduce the opponent's main force, everyone will think about what I would do if I were to face them."

"Now let me try to imagine. For example, Xue Chong wants to face Yue Zang. Xue Chong, you are a little shorter and have no advantage in explosive power. So, what will you do when you face him now?"

Xue Chong stood up, pondered for a moment, and finally said helplessly: "I can only fight with all my strength and rely on my will to be stronger than his to win."

"That's good, but not enough, you need teammates!"

"Each of us needs teammates. Only 1+1 can win."

"Double-team the ball handler firmly, don't worry about missing someone. Instead of worrying about this, it's better to be more decisive in helping to double-team."

"We don't have any position that can give us an advantage. We can only win the game through teamwork." Chen Fang looked around the classroom and suddenly laughed.

"Don't be so stern. We actually have an advantage over them. What is it?"

"Battle tactics!"

"We can win with tactics. We must have absolute confidence in the tactics we have been training. If we can't win against Nan'an, how can we win against stronger opponents later?"

"Now, let me make the specific arrangements for our tactics for tomorrow." Chen Fang finished his preparations and moved on to the overall plan.

He paused the video first, then pulled out the blackboard, took out the chalk and drew a rough diagram of the whole scene.

"The Death Five."

"We need five players who are capable of holding the ball and attacking. Each of them has the ability to organize and initiate offense and finish and score. This is the basic requirement of this tactic." Chen Fang began to point at people: "Xue Chong, Yang Shan, Yue Gang, Huang Jian, Hu Fei, Wen Hui, and me."

"The seven of us preliminarily meet this requirement, so these seven people will be the main rotation."

"Xia Wen, He Lang, Liu Feng, the three of you will serve as appropriate tactical fill-in."

"For now, these ten people will complete this league."

"Now, let me explain the basic tactical play of this strategy of ours."

“1号打法。”陈放用粉笔画出球场五个位置1、2、3、4、5。

"When we are on a fast break, if 1, the point guard is advancing with the ball, what should 2 and 3 do? What should 4 and 5 do?"

"3 should provide off-ball screen for 2. This will free up 2 to create an open space on the wing." Chen Fang said as he drew a trajectory diagram on the blackboard.

"At this time, the opponent goes to defend 2, or the defense 3 goes to switch defense, or rushes out from the inside."

"There is a time delay in this switch, so when 1 sees 2 open on the wing, he passes the ball, and 2 takes the ball and shoots immediately."

"If the opponent makes up for the defense in time, No. 3 will cover the open cut and No. 1 will be ready to respond."

"4 and 5 don't need to cross the midline, just defend against fast breaks at the top of the arc."

"Tactics No. 2."

"1 holds the ball, 2 gives 1 a pick-and-roll on the strong side, 3 goes to the weak side corner wing to wait and open up the defensive space."

"1 breaks through with the ball, attracts a double team, 2 waits in place, receives the pass from 1, and shoots."

“2没有传球空间，1传3，2给1去做掩护，由1外撤空位投篮。”

"The two styles of play, No. 1 and No. 2, are both completed by the cooperation of the point guard, shooting guard, and small forward." Chen Fang pointed at Yang Shan and Xue Chong and said, "One of you has the ability to make three-point shots, and the other has the ability to break through."

"The 123 here doesn't mean I have to control the ball. You can also be 1 or 3."

"The three of us have to screen each other and run open positions. Our attention must always be on the other two. Whoever receives the pass, as long as there is a chance, we must finish and score."

"Pay special attention to the three of us standing in an isosceles triangle. The distance between each other cannot be too long or too short. If it is too short, there will be no space. If it is too long, it will be easy to be intercepted and switched."

"The initiation and the end depend on who has the ball."

"do you understand?"

Yang Shan and Xue Chong nodded, and Chen Fang asked, "Any questions?"

"No."

"Very good. No matter who shoots, the other two have to rush for the rebound, and the shooter has to form two lines of defense with 4 and 5 to curb the opponent's fast break. Be bold in pressing and delay the ball handler's advancement speed and passing route."

Seeing everyone nodding, Chen Fang took a sip of the mineral water on the podium, moistened his throat and continued: "No. 1 and No. 2 are our regular play styles throughout the game. Huang Jian, Hu Fei, the same goes for you. You must play resolutely and don't give up just because you didn't make the shot."

"Our style of play is not seen in the market. Many people think we are playing randomly, but we must be firm on one thing."

"Win the game with more rounds, a faster pace, and more concise shots."

"The five of us will account for the majority of the points."

"Then let's talk about the No. 3 play. When the opponent retreats quickly, all five players are already in position, and the defense is very fast, then No. 1 and No. 2 cannot be implemented. At this time, No. 3 must be used."

Chen Fang pointed at Yue Gang and Wen Hui and said, "You are inside players. The first thing you need to do is to set high screens and pick-and-rolls for other players. Then you need to go down the court, cut to the basket, and finish with a layup."

"You have to start from a high position. Only in this way can the opponent's inside line be raised and the restricted area will be left empty."

Chen Fang drew a tactical diagram, using clear routes to tell how to fight.

"You have to read the opponent's formation. When the opponent is running with us, you don't have to press the opponent's home court. You have to be prepared to defend against fast breaks."

"This is very simple, Yue Gang. When you look forward, if you can only see the back or profile of the opponent, there is no need for you to go down. When there are five people and you see four of them, you should come down quickly and use Tactic No. 5."

"Tomorrow, we will mainly use these three offensive tactics." Chen Fang took a breath: "Our tactics are a combination of bombardment and Princeton system, which is also known as the small ball tactics."

"The core of bombardment is high attack frequency. You don't need to consider the position of your teammates. Just shoot when you are open, shoot when you are within range, and finish with two or three passes."

“The essence of Princeton is people moving, the ball moving, and coordination. Players find open opportunities and ultimately the best offensive position through off-ball running, cutting, back-running, and sharing the ball on the court.”

"Our style of play is to implement the essence of these two. Any teammate who does not screen or run will be immediately sent off the court. The same applies to hesitant shooting and inefficient shooting."

"This is our first official game. I will give everyone time and opportunities to make mistakes, but I will not give opportunities to those who fail to execute this tactic, not even once."

"Now, let me talk about defense."

"Xue Chong, Wen Hui, Yue Gang, you have the heaviest task tomorrow. You will have to take on Xue Yi, Yue Zang, Liu Ziheng, and Yao Qiwei in Nan'an."

Seeing the expressions of several people, Chen Fang said: "Our defensive strategy is to double-team. If they hold the ball on the outside, double-team them from the side, put them at the sideline, and at the baseline to block other directions."

"Get the ball in the restricted area, double-team from front and back, stick to him, and it doesn't matter if there is a foul."

"Me, Yang Shan, Huang Jian, and Hu Fei, the four of us must be prepared to double-team."

"In tomorrow's game, we will most likely fall behind at the start, and the score difference may even be in double digits. However, we must be firm in our offensive and defensive strategies. We will only see hope in the second half of the third quarter."

"Don't think that if the opponent plays fast, they can keep up physically. Reasonable distribution is the key. As long as our rhythm can drive them, the physical fitness of their main players will definitely collapse in the fourth quarter."

"Here I want to emphasize an offensive rhythm. After using 1 and 2 three times, use tactic 3 once. Repeat this rhythm so that the five of us can take turns to take a short break on the court."

"We have many similar tactics, but these three are the most basic. We use one game to sort out and understand these tactics. I will add more later."

"Tomorrow will be a tough battle. We are at home and will be behind for most of the time. We must be fully prepared for this."

“No matter what the attitude of the students in the stands is, even if they leave the stage or boo us, we must stick to our strategy.”

"Can everyone do this?"

"We can do it!" Yue Gang, as the team leader, was the first to express his opinion.

"Please rest assured, I, Xue Chong, will not let you down tomorrow!"

Others also expressed their opinions. Chen Fang knocked on the podium and said, "We will not lose. The reason why I described the difficulties like this is because this is the first time we have put our tactics into practice. In fact, even if we use the previous Dongsheng tactics, we may not lose."

"But we have to lay a solid foundation for future opponents. Nan'an is our whetstone. We must use such opponents to improve our tactical cognition."

"If I lose, I, Chen Fang, will bear the responsibility alone!" Chen Fang said resolutely.

"Chen Fang, you don't have to say this. We will bear the loss together." Yue Gang said loudly.

"Let's carry it together!" the whole team shouted in unison.

Chen Fang stopped talking. He turned around, hiding the emotions that were about to show. After his rebirth, he had been treating the team as an outsider, and everything he did was for that goal. But when he saw the whole team working together and uniting to win, he suddenly realized that there was something he had been overlooking.

The most primitive and pure desire for basketball, for winning, and for competition.

"Very good, let's start watching the highlights now. Next, I will focus on analyzing the characteristics and weaknesses of each opponent. You must remember them according to the situation of the matchup." Chen Fang took several deep breaths to adjust his mood and recover his state.

………….

"Ring!" The bell for the second period of evening self-study rang.

"Captain Chen has said everything he should say. The rest is up to us. Everyone go to bed early today. Those of you who are mentally ill or suffering from insomnia will understand. There will be no training tomorrow morning. We will gather at the stadium at noon. You don't need to attend classes in the afternoon. I should have informed your class teachers." Yue Gang stood up.

"Disband."

As everyone left, Yue Gang and Chen Fang were soon the only ones left in the classroom.

The two were silent for a moment, and Yue Gang said, "It felt very fast, as if last year's league happened just yesterday."

"After a week, you might say, how come we won the championship in the blink of an eye?"

Yue Gang couldn't hold it in any longer: "Chen Fang, sometimes it's really hard to respond to what you say."

“But I don’t know why, I love listening to it.”

"Master of empty promises!" Chen Fang laughed, and then said, "I know what you want to ask. In fact, as long as you try your best, everything will be fine. Too many expectations are just asking for trouble."

Patting him on the shoulder, Chen Fang walked out of the classroom. He still had to go home to study the video again and try his best to fully understand his opponent.

Yue Gang was sitting alone in the classroom without getting up.

"You're right, just try your best. I've been disappointed and failed for so long, and now I finally have hope. I'm really worried about the gains and losses."

Yue Gang stood up and walked out of the classroom. Suddenly he found that the moon was very round today. He prayed silently to the bright moon without moving for a long time.

In the same mood as Yue Gang was Yue Zang who was far away in the mountains. After evening self-study, he lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

It was soon lights-out time, and as the lights went out, moonlight shone into the dormitory.

This is a dormitory for students with special talents. It is a double room. Xue Yi, who was in the bed next to him, leaned against the wall and chatted on his phone. While playing, he said, "Yue Zang, don't even think about going out today. The coach has issued a strict order not to let you practice in the middle of the night."

Yue Zang responded with silence, but Xue Yi was used to it. He continued, "The most important thing for you now is the game, not the training. To be honest, your personal level is already very high. What you need to improve is your reading of the game."

Perhaps this sentence touched him, Yue Zang said: "Captain, have you ever fought with Bai Ye?"

"I have fought him. He is very strong."

"Can I beat him?"

"It's hard to say. In a one-on-one duel, maybe 50-50. In a match, you're still not good enough." Xue Yi said casually, then immediately realized that something was wrong and said, "In fact, you two have two different styles. It's wrong to compare them. Let me see, you are more suitable for the team."

"I've been wondering what reading is." Yue Zang seemed not to hear Xue Yi's words.

"This is very mysterious. To put it in a general way, it is basketball IQ. To put it in detail, it means that you have to understand what is happening on the court every second. If you don't even know the situation, how can you deal with it?"

Yue Zang sat up straight, the moonlight illuminating half of his face and making his eyes flicker in the darkness.

“What should I do to feel it?”

Xue Yi put down his phone and rubbed his face: "What I said may not be right, I just share my understanding."

"For example, if the opponent scores consecutively, what should you do now? You must score. How do you score? How can you ensure that you can score? Do you need to judge and attack the opponent's weakest player, tear open the defense, and score the goal?"

"Also, you need to find out how the other team scores and then fill in the gaps."

"These are all to help the team's defense, so my understanding is that when the team is in trouble, you stand up to help the team, use scoring, use defense, then you are reading the game and reading the situation."

"I don't know about more, but these seem to be the job of the coach. As a player, as long as you keep scoring and defend successfully time and time again, then you will be more helpful to the team."

Xue Yi lay down: "Go to bed early, you have to get up early to run tomorrow."

Yue Zang slowly lay back down. He still didn't understand, but that didn't stop him from remembering Xue Yi's words.

Tomorrow, I will try to do it.

(End of this chapter)