Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The last four minutes of the third quarter had everyone on edge.

The crowd murmured and fidgeted in their seats, eagerly awaiting the deciding moments of the game. Across the country, the Shizi Dogs' fans were glued to their screens, some biting their nails, others pacing nervously around their living rooms.

At Grandma Bingbing's house, she had been busy cutting onions when the game reached its peak. The knife in her hand hovered above the chopping board as her eyes flicked to the TV screen.

Her heart ached as she watched the small gap between the two teams. She clutched her hands together, making a silent deal with the universe. "I swear, if they win this one," she whispered to herself, "I'll tell him the truth. I'll tell him everything."

Back on the court, the atmosphere was suffocating. The Shizi Dogs were definitely inspired by Kai's impromptu pep talk, though, to which Lina and Coach Muchen was very satisfied about

The scoreboard still read 64–58 in favor of the Knights, but the Dogs knew it was very possible to catch up to the lead.

They worked together to curate a play, trying to chip away at the six-point deficit. They passed the ball more smoothly this time around. However, Andy still had a hard time getting out of his slump, as he couldn't quite find his perfect form. Every time he lined up a shot, it clanged off the rim, making him feel frustrated.

Meanwhile, the Knights weren't making it easy.

Yutong attempted a dunk, his eyes set on adding to their lead. But Yuze, with his injured leg and all, wasn't about to let it happen. He leaped up and swatted the ball away, sending it flying out of bounds.

"Did you see that?" Kimmy's voice exclaimed from her seat, disbelief clear in her tone. "Is he really injured?"

Jimmy frowned, squinting at the court. "There's no way he's playing at 100%. He's just pushing through."

The clock kept ticking down, but both teams were struggling to score. Each possession was hard-fought, with every player leaving everything on the court.

Jinping, still cautious after picking up his third foul earlier, was playing with more care. But even so, when the ball found its way into his hands, he knew it wasn't time to play scared. He scanned the court, looking for an opening, and there it was—Andy.

Jinping passed the ball to him, hoping this time Andy could make it count. But as Andy caught the ball, Kai's words from the timeout echoed in his mind.

Pass it to me.

Andy hesitated, glancing toward the three-point line where Kai was waiting. Andy wasn't shooting well today, and Kai had been clear about what to do in this situation—although, between Andy and Kai, the former knew he was a better long distance shooter!

Yet, Andy still passed the ball to Kai. There was no hesitation in Kai's movements, no second-guessing.

His feet were planted, and his form was near-perfect. The crowd held their breaths as Kai rose for the shot. His arms extended in a smooth motion, releasing the ball with a confident flick of his wrist.

The ball sailed through the air, spinning in its arc. The crowd watched in anticipation, eyes wide, as if time had slowed down.

The ball swished through the net—a clean three-pointer. The Shizi Dogs had just cut the gap to three points, and the crowd erupted into cheers. But there was no time to celebrate. They had to stay focused.

"Don't give them a moment to breathe!" Kai shouted as the Knights quickly inbounded the ball, trying to regain their composure.

Fabin took the ball up the court, determined to respond. But Jinping, despite being on the verge of fouling out, faced him with courage. As Fabin went for the shot, Jinping made the decision to foul him, knocking the ball loose.

The whistle blew, and the ref called the foul. Jinping now had four fouls under his belt, one more, and he was out.

But Kai clapped his hands, his voice carrying across the court. "Good foul!"

Fabin stepped up to the free-throw line, but the pressure was getting to him. Despite his experience in the Nationals, the stakes were higher now.

They had never made it this far. So, they were also amateurs in their own right. He dribbled the ball, trying to calm his nerves, but when he took the shot, it clanked off the rim. The second free throw wasn't much better, bouncing off as well.

"Oof," David exclaimed. "That's two missed points by Fabin! It seems like the Knights are also nervous."

Yuze grabbed the rebound, the numbing spray already becoming effective.

Meanwhile, Jinping continued to guard Fabin with courage. He wasn't afraid anymore. Even with four fouls, he knew he had to make every play count. If he was going to foul out, he was going to do it contributing as much as he could.

As the clock ticked down to the final thirty seconds of the quarter, Yuze found Andy once again. Andy, however, wasn't quite ready to shoot.

He wanted to see for himself—the form. He glanced over at Kai, who was once again waiting beyond the arc, just as before.

It seemed like the Knights still didn't trust Kai to be able to make another three-pointer. It was honestly a no-brainer! He wasn't a distant shooter!

The defense was tight, knowing that Coach Guanyu had likely warned them not to slack on Andy. Despite the coverage, Andy was able to pass on to Kai, who was free on the other side.

As Kai dribbled the ball—once, twice—Andy realized something.

This wasn't luck.

Kai had been preparing for this moment the whole game. The second the ball touched his hands, he squared his shoulders, his eyes locked on the basket. His form was as perfect as it had been earlier. The ball once again sailed through the air, the crowd holding its breath for what felt like an eternity.

Swish. Another perfect three-pointer.

68-68.

Jimmy stood from the bleachers, his eyes wide.

"He's good at shooting in long distances, too?" he muttered.