The Golden Age of Basketball

Gan Guoyang and Gan Guohui had finished their 10-day basketball summer camp, and the gains were quite substantial.

In 10 days, the camp basically covered all aspects of basketball techniques, providing Gan Guoyang with a comprehensive refresher.

With the special attention from Beelman, Gan Guoyang's basketball fundamentals were solidified.

Prior to this, he had always played street 3v3, where the demands on techniques and tactics are relatively monotonous.

In real 5v5 matches, there are much more comprehensive demands placed on a player.

This training camp had achieved Gan Guoyang's goals, and the $150 was well spent—he was overall satisfied.

The only drawback was that the teammates in the camp were somewhat lacking in skills; they were all merely enthusiasts.

Many of Gan Guoyang's skills weren't tested on the court, and as soon as he exerted himself a little in the final 5v5 match, the opponents fell apart.

It was quite normal, after all, a group of 13 and 14-year-olds who were less than 180cm tall, faced with a 16-year old center over two meters tall who was comprehensive and powerful, really had no chance of winning.

When the two returned to Gan's Restaurant in the afternoon, they found it had completely transformed.

The steam table previously used for displaying food in the hall had been removed and replaced with a wooden platform.

The restaurant now had additional speakers, microphones, and laser lights, while a liquor cabinet had been added where the statue of Guan Gong used to be, with a wide array of neatly arranged bottles—gone was the former appearance of a Chinese restaurant.

Gan Guoyang almost thought the restaurant had gone bankrupt and changed ownership for refurbishing when he stepped outside and glanced at the sign, but it was still named Gan's Restaurant.

It seemed that Gan Bingguang and Gan Youtang had fully embraced the model of hosting band performances to attract San Francisco's large population of music enthusiasts and fringe communities.

They also branched out by hiring two beautiful Chinese-American waitresses and added a dishwasher in the kitchen.

Gan Guoyang no longer had to deliver takeout; his task was to focus on school and basketball. Because of his presence, Gan's Restaurant began to gain fame within the Chinese community.

Everyone would say, "It's that basketball kid's family's restaurant; they won against San Francisco's top streetball team in a match."

In any society, fame often comes with wealth and status, no wonder Zhang Ailing said it's best to become famous early.

At 16, Gan Guoyang had made a name for himself on the streets, so it wasn't just Cap Raven who wanted to help him on his basketball journey.

On the 15th, Gan's Restaurant's landlord, Chen Yaoming, accompanied by his son Chen Xing, and a vigorous old man, paid a visit.

Chen Yaoming's demeanor had shifted from the arrogant manner he displayed when demanding rent to an affable one, as he respectfully poured tea and water for Gan Bingguang, noting that the success of Gan's Restaurant owed half its fortune to its location.

Gan Bingguang wasn't interested in entertaining Chen Yaoming, but the elderly man had some impressive credentials—he was Huang Shaohua, the vice chairman of the San Francisco Chinese Strive Foundation.

The Chinese people have over a hundred years of immigration history in San Francisco. The Pacific Railroad was laid with the blood and flesh of Chinese laborers.

To survive in a faraway land, the Chinese formed close-knit groups, leading to the formation of various trade associations and gangs.

As times evolved, some of these organizations gradually disappeared, while others became more regulated and financialized. The Chinese Strive Foundation is among the largest Chinese foundations in San Francisco.

The Gan family had received financial assistance from the Strive Foundation when they first immigrated to America, and it had also supported them when they opened the restaurant.

The purpose of Huang Shaohua's visit was clear: to sponsor Gan Guoyang's basketball endeavors. His living expenses, as well as the costs for training and schooling, would be fully covered by the foundation.

He also mentioned bringing more people to dine at Gan's Restaurant, having heard about the high culinary skills of a chef there.

Huang Shaohua was so generous, naturally, there was a condition—Gan Guoyang had to represent Chinatown's Beiqiao High School basketball team in next year's CIF competition.

"This is my only request, just help Beiqiao High School play in the California tournament, and bring honor to our Chinese community; afterwards, I can still cover all your college expenses!"

Gan Guoyang asked, "What if I can't bring honor?"

Huang Shaohua laughed and said, "I saw the game you played against Cancer; in the whole of San Francisco, there aren't many high schoolers stronger than you. With you on the team, at the very least, our new basketball team's performance won't be too embarrassing."

"Beiqiao High School used to have a basketball team, but it disbanded due to poor performance. This year, the CIF has plans to expand, and they will increase the number of qualifying teams. We have an opportunity to make a name for ourselves. Your arrival is timely; you're the talent our basketball team desperately needs."

"Young man, I know you have talent, and soon many high schools will come knocking on your door. I'll speak frankly—Beiqiao High School has weak basketball resources and not a strong sports atmosphere, it's not a place suitable for development. But I will offer you the most generous conditions possible and give you the greatest support! I hope you can seriously consider it and give me an answer before school starts."

Despite his age, with age spots already on his face, Huang Shaohua spoke very respectfully and sincerely to Guoyang, the junior; he didn't try to morally bind him to joining the Chinese school's team.

Gan Guoyang said, "Mr. Huang, there's no need to wait until school starts. I can give you an answer now. My dad has already completed the enrollment procedures for Beiqiao High School; I'll definitely join Beiqiao High School's basketball team."

Hearing Gan Guoyang say this, Huang Shaohua was overjoyed, his smile so wide it seemed it couldn't close, as he kept saying, "We'll have a sports star too, haha, we'll have a sports star too!"

Afterwards, Huang Shaohua decided that the next evening at Gan's Restaurant, he would host a banquet to welcome Gan Guoyang joining the Beiqiao High School basketball team, inviting board members of the North Overseas Chinese School, teachers, important members of the foundation, and respected individuals from Chinatown.

This very Chinese way of celebration made Gan Guoyang feel both honored and shocked. He was just a high schooler and hadn't made any significant achievements—was such fanfare really justified?

Seeing Gan Guoyang's puzzled look, Chen Yaoming said, "Young man, you don't understand this, do you? Mr. Huang and I are both originally from Dongguan, and the enthusiasm for basketball among people from Dongguan is unique throughout all of China."

"In 1949, when I was 9 years old, I was with my parents in Guangzhou. After the liberation of Guangdong, the government organized basketball games every night at the lit court of Guangzhou Cultural Park. Wow, the basketball teams made up of Liberation Army soldiers from the North, they were all tall and strong, our Guangdong teams couldn't beat them."

"Then, a team from Dongguan called the Huaqing Team volunteered to match up against the northern teams. The leaders from Guangzhou looked down on them, didn't even let them play. But they were persistent, seizing an opportunity when one team didn't show up, they took down the Central South Military Region team first. After that, what Guangzhou Municipal Government team, Beijing Garrison Troops team, all were no match for us!"

"Haha, they won more than a dozen or twenty games in a row, turning the Guangzhou lit court into Dongguan team's home ground. That atmosphere, that sense of pride, even thirty years later, I remember it vividly."

When Chen Yaoming talked about his basketball past, his somewhat sleazy face momentarily shone with a glow.

Chen Xing, who was sitting aside with his chin propped up, looked helpless, clearly having heard this story from Chen Yaoming too many times before.

Huang Shaohua said, "In the '40s and '50s, San Francisco produced a famous Chinese-American basketball player named Huang Xianhu. Although he wasn't tall, he was a formidable player and very accurate shooter. In '46, we organized a Chinese-American all-star basketball team and he led the team, defeating American teams two years in a row. Wow, you can't imagine how proud we Chinese people were back then."

"Huang Xianhu was also the first Chinese-American to play basketball in Madison Square Garden. He played for the University of San Francisco, and his shooting accuracy was 60%! Right, he and Cap Raven were college teammates, and Cap has a high opinion of you."

"But later on, as the number of African Americans on the courts increased, you see more and more black people playing basketball on the streets, and fewer Chinese kids doing so. Everyone wants their kids to be doctors, lawyers, no one wants their child to be an athlete."

"America is a sports powerhouse, with various places taking sports very seriously, especially team sports like basketball that reflect local and ethnic pride—it can't be emphasized enough."

To many Americans, the NBA is just a league with a higher level of professional competition, watching games for entertainment.

However, local basketball teams and college basketball teams have a much higher standing and are worth supporting with everything one has.

The All-America has the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and locally, each high school and university has their own halls of fame to carry forward their unique histories, for future generations to look back on, aspire to, and strive towards.

Gan Guoyang understood the deeper meaning and knew that he now carried a responsibility on his shoulders; however, he was not afraid.

"By the way, Mr. Huang, since you share the same surname as Huang Xianhu, what relation are you to him?"

"Xianhu is my nephew; the very first basketball he had was a gift from me."

Gan Guoyang then turned to Chen Yaoming and said, "Mr. Chen, with Mr. Huang being so generous, and since you love basketball so much, won't you make a gesture?"

"A gesture? What gesture? Whatever you want, just ask!"

"Could you possibly reduce the rent for Gan's Restaurant a bit? The rent is a bit expensive."