Basketball: The Path to the Extraordinary

Chapter 13 The University of Southern California's Comeback

This time, USC failed to launch a fast break. Marcus Simmons secured possession on the perimeter and then passed the ball to Lian Dao, who had made a run.

After receiving the ball, Lian Dao kept Carroll outside the three-point line and then attempted a shot.

"Don't even think about it!" Carol roared angrily, jumping up to block, only to find that her fingers could only reach Lian Dao's wrist.

To make matters worse, after Lian Dao shot the three-pointer, his arm accidentally touched Carroll's palm.

"Beep—" The referee's whistle rang out.

Immediately afterwards: "Swish!" A three-pointer went in—this was a 3+1 opportunity.

"Great job!" Captain Gibson was a little excited, his face beaming with excitement, and he stepped forward to pat Lian Dao on the shoulder.

Carroll was filled with disappointment, hardly believing that he had been beaten like this.

Lian Dao stood at the free-throw line, took a deep breath, dribbled a few times to adjust his rhythm, and then shot.

"Whoosh."

Although his mid-range shooting is not yet consistent, his free throws have always been reliable—free throws allow him to better control his shot and reduce interference.

35:42.

Just one and a half minutes into the second half, USC scored nine consecutive points, going on a 9-0 run. The opposing coach couldn't sit still any longer and called a timeout.

Missouri Tigers head coach Mike Anderson was yelling at his players. All the Missouri players hung their heads, too scared to utter a sound, looking like wilted eggplants.

In contrast, Tim smiled and patted each player on the shoulder. When he reached Lian Dao, he gently patted him on the shoulder as a sign of approval.

"Well done, Sicker. You did a fantastic job."

He then turned around and encouraged the whole team.

"The game isn't over yet. Although we've caught up, we're still behind. Don't let your guard down. Next, we need to run pick-and-rolls. Sicker, shoot when you have the chance. If you don't, pass the ball out and run a pick-and-roll..."

Once the tactical arrangements are in place, the timeout ends.

"Go, guys, let's keep the victory at USC!"

Tim closed his whiteboard and served up a bowl of inspiring "chicken soup" to all the players. The players nodded in response, their faces showing determined expressions, ready to return to the court and continue their counterattack.

After the timeout, the Missouri Tigers' offense became more organized, and Carroll stopped relying solely on isolation plays. Seeing that he couldn't break through the tight defense, he decisively called forward Matt Lawrence to set a screen. Lawrence's screen was of high quality, making it difficult for the defense to keep up with Carroll's pace.

Carroll drove straight to the basket, preparing for a layup. Suddenly, a strong hand firmly slammed the ball onto the backboard—it was Taj Gibson. Gibson's help defense was perfectly timed; his extensive experience allowed him to anticipate Carroll's intentions.

If Lian Dao is the sharpest weapon on the perimeter defense for USC, then Gibson is the guardian angel on the inside. His defensive abilities are top-notch in the NCAA. If he hadn't been overwhelmed in the first half, the score wouldn't have been so far apart. Now that he's regained his form, his impact is immediate.

Gibson had previously entered the NBA draft and was selected 26th overall in the first round by the Chicago Bulls after this season. According to Lian Dao, Gibson's talent absolutely deserves a top-ten pick. Many NBA teams underestimated him, believing he was a senior in college whose potential had already been exhausted. ESPN and other experts therefore ranked him even lower in the draft.

Contrary to expert predictions, Gibson played 82 games in his rookie season, starting 70 of them, averaging 8.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game with a remarkable 49.4% field goal percentage. His aggressive defensive attitude and boundless energy made him a vital force in the Bulls' interior defense. His rookie season statistics proved that Gibson not only quickly integrated into the team but was also an excellent interior defensive player.

After the block, Gibson immediately passed the ball to Lian Dao. Lian Dao didn't stop, quickly passing it to Marcus Simmons, who easily scored a layup. Encouraged by DeRozan's earlier easy score, Simmons became more aggressive, always ready for a fast break.

Simmons' trust in his teammates is not without reason—he knows that as long as he runs fast, the ball will definitely be passed to him.

On the next possession, Carroll took a shot from the outside. To avoid Lian Dao's long arms, he rushed the shot, and the ball bounced off the front of the rim. Keith Wilkinson easily grabbed the rebound. While Wilkinson's natural talent isn't as great as Lian Dao's or DeRozan's, his 216cm height and 115kg weight give him a significant advantage in NCAA rebounding. His movement speed is relatively slow, and his jumping ability is limited, but he performed his role admirably.

Then, Lian Dao used Gibson's screen to get an open shot on the three-point line - and the ball went in.

The score became 40-42, just two points away from tying the game.

But then, JT Thiele's pass to Carroll on the other side was intercepted by Lian Dao – Lian Dao saw through the tactic and reached out to steal the ball.

Lian Dao was now standing beyond the three-point line, and the opposing defenders dared not face him one-on-one anymore. Missouri head coach Mike Anderson shouted instructions from the sidelines, signaling his players to double-team Lian Dao.

Before the defenders could fully collapse, Lian Dao quickly executed a pick-and-roll with Gibson, then swiftly cut into the low post. Matt Lawrence rushed to help defend, but Lian Dao immediately delivered a precise crossover pass, catching the defender off guard. The ball landed in Gibson's hands after the pick-and-roll and his subsequent cut to the basket. Keith Wilkinson steadied himself, boxing out Leo Lyons under the basket, clearing a path for Gibson to drive straight to the rim.

Gibson leaped and delivered a powerful dunk that made the rim tremble.

This scene drove the female fans at USC into a frenzy, with their cheers and kisses all directed at Lian Dao, who orchestrated the spectacular performance.

"Wow, how did he pass that ball? It's incredible!" commentator Smith exclaimed, amazed by Lian Dao's vision.

"That's simply genius-level passing awareness. His court vision is absolutely professional. He can clearly sense the movement of every teammate. This kid's basketball IQ is amazing. I like him, Smith," Haskell added excitedly, making no attempt to hide his admiration.

In the center of the auditorium, a bespectacled man with a notebook stood up after witnessing the pass. Although he had seen Lian Dao's passing skills before, this pass demonstrated a higher level of playmaking ability. He wrote in his notebook: "Excellent vision, strong court awareness, and passing ability." He then added to his previous notes: "Excellent lower body strength; amazing three-point range and high accuracy."

The Missouri Tigers' morale was low, as if their efforts were meaningless in the face of overwhelming strength. They felt utterly powerless against their opponent's overwhelming advantage.

Head coach Mike Anderson shook his head in frustration. He knew how to set up the defense, but against a player who excelled in shooting and passing, and had strong teammates to support him, he was helpless. It reminded him of a saying circulating in the league: "If tactics were enough, what would be the point of having superstars?"

With the score tied at 42-42, the momentum of the game had completely shifted to the University of Southern California.