On the first day of school, the school beauty in black stockings took me to a hotel.

Du Peng stood in the middle, his eyes red-rimmed: "Brothers...we've made it to the finals..."

"They've made it to the finals!"

"One more win...one more win, and we'll be champions!"

"For the championship!" Liu Yu shouted.

"For the championship!" the ten shouted in unison.

In the stands, the Computer Science Department's cheerleading squad was already in a frenzy.

Su Wanqing, Wang Qian, and Jiang Shan hugged each other, jumping and shouting.

Although the Civil Engineering team lost, their members still came over to congratulate them.

Accompanied by teacher Bai Jie, the college leaders entered the venue.

Dean Zhou beamed, "Students! You played wonderfully! I'm so proud of you!"

Du Peng immediately stood up straight: "Thank you, Dean!"

"Good luck in the finals! The college will fully support you!"

After the leaders left, the team members began packing their things.

Du Peng leaned closer to Wang Qian: "Qian'er, wasn't I handsome just now?"

Wang Qian rolled her eyes at him: "What's so handsome about him? He almost got beaten up by Wang Qiang."

"The opponent was too strong! But I held on!"

Wang Qian laughed and handed him a bottle of water: "Alright, alright, I know you're amazing. Have some water."

Du Peng took the water and chuckled foolishly.

Liu Yu walked to Su Wanqing's side.

Seeing that he was covered in sweat, Su Wanqing took out a towel and handed it to him: "You must be exhausted?"

"Yeah, a bit. Chen Rui is too hard to defend against."

"But you still managed to defend it. That last block was awesome!"

Liu Yu smiled and said, "I was lucky."

"It's not luck, it's skill. My Majesty is the most powerful."

Liu Yu reached out and ruffled her hair.

"I will win the final."

"I trust you."

Our opponent in the finals is the School of Engineering.

The traditionally strong sports colleges of Tsinghua and Peking Universities, which finished third last year, have dominated their way to the next round in the other half of the bracket this year.

Coach Zheng said at the analysis meeting, "We should still play to our strengths: speed, accurate shooting, and running pick-and-rolls. Although the Engineering College has good defense, their mobility is average, which we can exploit."

"Liu Yu, you'll be taking on more offensive responsibilities in this game. The Engineering Academy's defense will likely focus on you, so be prepared to be double-teamed."

Liu Yu nodded: "Understood."

After leaving the activity room, Liu Yu did not go straight back to his dormitory, but instead went to the gymnasium.

The venue was empty, with only a few lights on.

He walked to the center of the court and looked up at the basket.

A month ago, they were a ragtag army that couldn't even afford team uniforms.

Now, equipped with professional gear, coaching, and sponsorship, they have made it to the school-wide finals.

Along the way, there was sweat, exhaustion, pain, laughter, and tears...

Everything will come to a close in tomorrow's match.

"What are you thinking about?"

Liu Yu turned around and saw Su Wanqing standing on the sidelines, having arrived at some point.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to check on you. Are you nervous?"

"A little."

Su Wanqing held his hand: "Don't be nervous. Win or lose, you are my champion."

"Thanks."

"I'm not just trying to comfort you. I'm serious. The way you play, the way you train so hard, the way you lead the team to victory... every aspect of you makes you a champion in my heart."

Liu Yu smiled and reached out to pull her into his arms.

"I will win tomorrow."

"Yes, I believe you."

The two embraced quietly in the empty stadium.

The moonlight streamed in, casting long shadows on them.

The final day, 2 PM.

The gymnasium at Tsinghua and Peking Universities was packed to capacity.

The principal arrived and sat in the center of the stage.

The leaders of each college arrived and sat in the front row.

Wang Li of Su's Real Estate arrived with more than a dozen company executives and sat in the exclusive area for sponsors.

Media reporters arrived, setting up their cameras and microphones.

The level of interest in this match was comparable to that of a professional game.

In the locker room, the team members were making their final preparations.

Coach Zheng gave final tactical instructions: "Remember, run more pick-and-rolls, pass more, and reduce turnovers. Stay focused on defense, and fight tooth and nail for rebounds."

"clear!"

"Before I stepped onto the field, I wanted to say that it's an honor to have come this far with you all. You are the hardest-working and most united team I've ever led. No matter the outcome today, you are all winners."

Du Peng's eyes reddened: "Coach..."

Coach Zheng waved his hand: "Stop getting emotional. Go on the field and win this game!"

Ten people formed a circle.

Du Peng stood in the middle: "Brothers...think about all the hard training we've done these past few days, think about our classmates at the academy, think about our sponsors...the last forty-eight minutes, for the championship!"

He stretched out his hand.

Nine hands stacked on top of each other.

"Shohoku!"

"Victory is certain!!"

The roar was deafening.

Players' tunnel.

Liu Yu walked at the front, followed by nine teammates.

At the end of the tunnel was a brightly lit stadium, filled with thunderous cheers.

He took a deep breath and stepped out.

"They're out! The Computer Science Department is out!" Cheers erupted from the stands.

The cheerleading section led by Su Wanqing erupted with the loudest cheers.

"Go, Computer Science! Go, Liu Yu!"

The engineering school was not to be outdone; their cheerleading squad was even larger and more impressive.

Both teams entered the field and warmed up.

Liu Yu looked across at the team members from the School of Engineering, whose eyes were all filled with determination.

Indeed, as Coach Zheng said, this is a team without any weaknesses.

After warm-up, the starting lineups from both sides entered the field.

jump ball!

Zhao Zhiwei and the center from the School of Engineering jumped at the same time!

The ball was passed to Liu Yu!

The School of Computer Science has won the first attack!

Liu Yu dribbled the ball past half-court and observed the defense.

The engineering school's defenses were indeed tight; everyone was in their positions, and no one was missed.

Liu Yu called for a screen, and Cai Yuan came up to set the screen.

Using a screen, Liu Yu broke through, drew a double team, and then passed the ball to Wang Hao in the corner!

Wang Hao takes a three-pointer!

"Whoosh!"

Goal!

3: 0!

The School of Computer Science took the lead!

But the engineering school immediately retaliated.

Their offense was very patient, passing the ball five times before finally culminating in a mid-range jumper from their power forward.

3: 2.

The match was intense from the very beginning.

The engineering school's defense was solid, making it difficult for the computer science school to launch a smooth offense, while the computer science school's speed also made it difficult for the engineering school to defend.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 22-21, with the School of Computer Science leading by one point.

In the second quarter, the engineering school intensified its defense.

They employed a double-team tactic against Liu Yu; whenever Liu Yu had the ball, two players would come up to double-team him.

Liu Yu attempted to break through several times but was forced to pass the ball each time. However, his teammates' shooting touch was not good, and they failed to capitalize on several open opportunities.

The College of Engineering seized the opportunity to launch an 8-2 run and take the lead.

Coach Zheng called a timeout.

"Liu Yu, if you're double-teamed, pass the ball; don't force it. Cai Yuan and Wang Hao, you need to be more decisive with your shots! Shoot when you're open, don't hesitate!"

"Du Peng, you need to make more cuts and use your speed to attack their inside!"

After the timeout, the Computer Science Department adjusted its offensive strategy.

After being double-teamed, Liu Yu quickly passed the ball to Cai Yuan and Wang Hao, who then hit two consecutive mid-range shots, stabilizing the situation.

At halftime, the score was 45-43, with the College of Engineering leading by 2 points.