Turning around, Tyronn Lue continued to pass the ball to Kobe. Kobe still chose to go one-on-one, but this time, instead of driving to the basket, he opted for a quick stop-and-go move, faked out Ginobili, and then floated the ball up for another two points!
On the national team's side, He Ximeng continued to call for his teammates to run plays. This time, he didn't call for Gasol, but instead turned to the left and called for Nowitzki!
It was still a high-post screen-and-roll tactic, but Nowitzki chose to roll to the middle. After receiving He Ximeng's pass, he opted for a pull-up jump shot with a quick stop! Nowitzki's signature "flamingo" move hadn't fully manifested yet, but the fadeaway motion already showed a hint of that style.
For the third basket, Kobe still chose to go one-on-one, feigning a drive to the basket. After forcing Ginobili to retreat repeatedly, he brought the ball back behind his legs to the three-point line and launched a standstill jump shot for three!
Just as the game began, Kobe had already scored 7 points, and the three shots he made employed different offensive methods!
The first shot was a drive to the basket, the second was a mid-range floater, and the third was a long-range three-pointer...
With just three shots, Kobe displayed his offensive repertoire with ease.
On the international team's side, He Ximeng had assisted Gasol and Nowitzki on the first two baskets. For this third basket, He Ximeng chose to assist Ginobili!
During the screen-and-roll where He Ximeng called for Gasol, he didn't go the conventional right-side route. Instead, he changed direction to the middle, drawing Kobe's help defense from the left. Kobe tried to steal the ball from He Ximeng, but He Ximeng countered by passing to Ginobili, who was behind Kobe!
Ginobili, having been dominated by Kobe on the first three possessions, was fuming. Upon receiving He Ximeng's excellent pass, without thinking or adjusting, he pulled up and shot, hitting Kobe with an outside three-pointer!
7-7, this peak showdown began with a back-and-forth offensive exchange.
However, on the USA team, Kobe was miles ahead, accounting for all of his team's points in the early stages.
On the international team, while the three baskets came from three different players, all three possessions originated from He Ximeng!
"Kobe of La Verne High is indeed incredibly strong!"
"I bet all the universities in America will send him invitations, with full scholarships!"
"University? I doubt it! From what I'm seeing now, I think Kobe is very likely to enter the draft as a high school player!"
"Entering the draft? I recall he hasn't decided yet, right?"
"Not decided doesn't mean he won't! I still believe those universities have no hope... No one can resist the temptation of early fame... Going straight to the professional league is Kobe's best choice..."
In the stands, most people were discussing Kobe's unparalleled talent.
However, a small number of scouts also noticed He Ximeng.
"That point guard, number 4, for the international team is running the offense quite well!"
"Calm and collected, directing traffic with composure!"
"Decisive drives, no hesitation in his passes!"
"Doesn't hold onto the ball, doesn't force shots, works seamlessly with his teammates..."
"Hmm, for teams lacking good point guards, this young man might be a promising prospect..."
"Yes, the only pity is that he's Asian... Can Asians produce good point guards?"
"Physical stamina has always been the biggest weakness for Asian players! We should observe his performance in the second half before making any decisions..."
When players are on the court, it's sometimes similar to actors performing on a stage.
Especially on a stage like the Nike Hoop Summit, the spectators are not ordinary fans!
Today, every spectator who received an invitation and was present came with their own purpose or task.
The game continued.
On the USA team, after Kobe's strong start, Amar'e Stoudemire and Stephen Jackson also began to showcase their offensive abilities.
Tyronn Lue, using his skilled ball-handling, drove and dished, creating opportunities for them.
Similar to He Ximeng, Tyronn Lue didn't display a strong desire for offense. In high school, Tyronn Lue was more known for his bulldog-like defense and for taunting opponents with trash talk to disrupt their offense by forcing them into one-on-one battles with him...
During a few recent possessions, Tyronn Lue had been relentlessly taunting He Ximeng.
"Playing like a girl!"
"Dare you look me in the eye and go one-on-one with me?"
"Hey! Don't play dumb! Yellow-skinned kid, dare you go head-to-head with me?"
...
Facing Tyronn Lue's rudimentary trash talk, He Ximeng found it beneath him to engage. He simply didn't call for screens from his teammates, using the bodies of the taller players to shield himself from Tyronn Lue's physical contact and verbal abuse.
Tyronn Lue spoke until his throat was dry, achieving no effect. He hadn't provoked He Ximeng, but instead, his own temper was rising uncontrollably...
Fortunately, the head coaches of both teams soon began to adjust their lineups.
After all, this was the Nike Hoop Summit, not a real team game.
In theory, all 12 players on both teams should have received sufficient playing time to showcase their abilities.
Of course, reserve players would inevitably get less playing time than starters, which was unavoidable.
On the international team, with He Ximeng orchestrating the offense, the starters were matching the USA team, with the score seesawing. Even with Kobe, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Tyronn Lue, the USA team couldn't completely dominate the international team's starting lineup.
However, once the starting lineup left the court and the reserves came in, the international team's two guards were not as selfless as He Ximeng.
Yūta Tabuse used his speed to drive into the USA team's paint, trying to exploit a momentary lapse for a layup.
However, he clearly underestimated the USA team's overall jumping ability, and a player from the wing soared in to pin his shot against the backboard.
The USA team capitalized on the turnover with a fast break, ending their offense with a powerful slam dunk.
Turning around, Lee Dong-geun received the ball on the perimeter and, facing his opponent, attempted a quick three-pointer. However, his fingertips were grazed by the defender, resulting in a complete airball...
The USA team followed up with another fast break, making the international team's rim creak ominously.
Under normal circumstances, this was the usual scenario for the international team when facing the USA. Once their shots missed, they simply couldn't defend against the opponent's talent and athleticism.
This left Bobby Jones, the international team's coach, utterly frustrated. He hadn't coached his players to play so recklessly during his on-court instructions... Looking at the performance of the starting lineup, that was his true coaching ability...
After enduring it for a mere three minutes, the international team was already trailing the USA by 8 points, with the score on the verge of widening to double digits. Bobby Jones could no longer stand it. With a grim expression, he substituted Yūta Tabuse and Lee Dong-geun with He Ximeng and Ginobili.
Playing good team basketball and instead trying to compete with the USA in individual skill... Was that not completely insane?