thefictionvixens Chapter 12 USC Takeover
Chapter 12 USC Takeover
At halftime, the USC lineup consisted of Marcus Simmons, DeMar DeRozan, Lien Dao, Ty Gibson, and Keith Wilkinson. Their opponents, the Missouri Tigers, fielded JT Thiele, Kim English, Demarai Carroll, Matt Lawrence, and Leo Lyons.
At the start of the second half, USC gained possession in their backcourt. Marcus dribbled past half-court and, as instructed by Lian Dao, passed the ball to him near the marker near midcourt. Carroll knew Lian Dao's three-pointers were extremely dangerous, so he adopted a cautious defensive strategy, but he may have underestimated Lian Dao's shooting range.
Lian Dao noticed the defensive gap and confidently launched a long-range three-pointer from near the center circle. One of the commentators, Smith, initially criticized the shot as too risky, shaking his head incredulously. "Oh, that's not a good option." He had barely finished speaking when he stared in disbelief as the ball swished through the net.
Smith quickly retracted his earlier criticism, praising Lian Dao's unexpected accuracy and attributing it to luck. "What a fantastic shot! Looks like he's on fire today," he admitted, clearly somewhat surprised by Lian Dao's outstanding performance.
Meanwhile, USC fans erupted in cheers and applause, their enthusiasm ignited by the series of brilliant shots. They waved towels and shouted, thrilled by their team's comeback.
"That was a beautiful shot! Keep it up and crush them!" cheered an enthusiastic fan.
"Isn't his shooting form incredibly cool?" another spectator exclaimed.
Since joining the University of Southern California, Liam has been beloved by fans—especially female fans who cheer loudly for every goal and assist he makes. This sudden popularity sometimes leaves his teammates with mixed feelings, but its positive impact on team morale is undeniable.
The long-range three-pointer in the second half ignited the USC team's performance, injecting new energy and determination into both offense and defense.
As the Missouri Tigers' point guard dribbled the ball past half-court, he saw DeMarre Carroll reach for it. JT. Thiele passed the ball to him without hesitation. Carroll dribbled while trash-talking the defense.
"Kid, you're lucky, but good luck won't last forever. I'll show you what real defense is all about," Carroll taunted.
Lian Dao simply smiled, stepped forward to confront Carroll, and blocked his passing lanes.
Undeterred, Carroll continued his verbal attacks. He firmly believed he was physically superior to Lian Dao.
"You're finished, you skinny stick!"
Despite the significant difference in height and weight—Lian Dao is 203 cm tall and weighs 90 kg, while Carroll is 201 cm tall and weighs 105 kg—Lian Dao maintained his composure and won the admiration of the spectators in the stands. For him, courage in defense was more important than physique.
Carroll tried to push him away with his shoulder, but Lian Dao didn't budge. The impact made Carroll stagger, surprised by Lian Dao's resilience.
After the collision, Carroll lost his balance and control of the ball. Lian Dao seized the opportunity and quickly intercepted the ball. He moved nimbly and immediately made a long pass to the onrushing DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan had already learned about Lian Dao's defensive capabilities during summer training, and he anticipated the pass. After receiving the ball, he quickly rushed towards the basket, jumped, and completed a powerful one-handed dunk.
DeRozan, hanging from the rim, pointed towards the lane and let out a triumphant roar. The entire arena erupted, ignited by this sudden reversal of fortune.
Carroll was clearly stunned by Lian Dao's resilience and skill, and could only watch helplessly as USC regained control of the game.
"It turns out you're the coward, not even as good as a marshmallow. You can't even hold the ball properly," Lian Dao mocked smugly after stealing the ball. Post-game trash talk is safer, less likely to provoke retaliation, and more satisfying.
Carroll looked annoyed, but said nothing—being dispossessed by the interception left him feeling uneasy.
In competitive sports, the losers are often speechless.
"Smith, did you see that? This kid is completely different from what the scouting report said. He's very tough, and although he looks skinny, he's surprisingly strong," Haskell said excitedly as he watched Lian Dao complete the steal.
"Yes, but we can't draw conclusions based on just one attack. Maybe Carroll isn't ready yet. However, I have to admit, the kid's wingspan is truly amazing," Smith reluctantly admitted, still having reservations about Lian Dao's abilities.
"Okay, let's see how he performs next," Haskell chimed in, steering the conversation back to the game.
Back on the court, Lian Dao confidently stood beyond the three-point line, which made Carroll uneasy. Carroll grew even more impatient as JT hesitated about whether to pass the ball.
"JT, give me the ball!" Carroll shouted excitedly.
JT noticed his urgency and immediately passed the ball to him.
This time, Carroll abandoned trash talk and focused on dribbling. He first faked to the right, then changed direction to the left, trying to shake off Lian Dao's defense, but Lian Dao's defensive positioning remained solid. Lian Dao saw through Carroll's feints and blocked every one of his drives.
Frustrated by his repeated failed attempts to break through, Carroll tried to step back to create distance, but the defenders were right there with him, disrupting his rhythm.
Seeing that he couldn't break through and with little time left on the shot clock, Carroll hastily took a shot. Just as he jumped, Lian Dao's large hand swatted the ball away.
Marcus Simmons got the ball, but the Missouri Tigers had already quickly retreated to their defensive positions.