Sun Anhuis cautious advance was followed by Zheng Wu voluntarily stepping up to take the ball. Though Zheng Wu was not a fan of heroism, he stood firm at the critical moment, taking possession of the basketball!
Would Zheng Wu shoot himself this time, or create an opportunity for his teammates?
The problem Zheng Wu faced was essentially the same as He Ximeng’s choice on his previous shot. He Ximeng had passed, successfully assisting Yan Hui with a dunk to tie the score at two points. But what about Zheng Wu?
Zheng Wu dribbled, facing off against Zhang Zhenpeng, who was highly focused!
Although He Ximeng had not passed to him on the last play, opting for Yan Hui instead, which left him feeling a little disappointed, he had not given up his resolve to "save" his team!
If there was no opportunity on offense, he would make up for it on defense…
Therefore, Zheng Wu’s initial plan to fake his way past Zhang Zhenpeng was largely thwarted. In the end, Zheng Wu had no choice but to lean on Zhang Zhenpeng and force his way into the paint… followed by a sudden stop and a fadeaway jump shot…
This move was not easy! More importantly, Zheng Wu had not previously demonstrated the ability to execute a post-stop fadeaway jump shot. As a result, Zhang Zhenpeng had focused primarily on Zheng Wu’s drive. By the time he reacted and lunged, it was too late to fully contest the shot, and Zheng Wu sank this difficult basket!
79:77. With Huipu Middle School regaining the lead, Zhang Zhenpeng was extremely frustrated. He had been just a sliver away from blocking Zheng Wu's shot…
“Don’t rush! The game isn’t over yet!”
He Ximeng dribbled the ball up the court, trying to calm Zhang Zhenpeng’s emotions. The game was indeed not over, but time was running out for Zhuji Middle School.
“Anh Hui, full-court man-to-man defense!”
“Everyone else, tighten up your defense!”
“No gaps in the paint!”
…
From the sidelines, Huipu Middle School’s assistant coach shouted instructions loudly, making no attempt to hide them from the opponents.
“Tightening the defense, huh…”
He Ximeng didn’t waste time. Instead, he called for Tang Chenfeng to set a simple screen at the three-point line. Sun Anhuis defensive strategy involved a rear-guard maneuver, anticipating that He Ximeng would drive to the basket, either for a layup or to break through his teammates. However, they had forgotten that He Ximeng was not without his threat from beyond the arc…
In their previous match against Hangzhou No. 4 Middle School, He Ximeng had showcased his considerable three-point shooting skills in the third quarter, helping Zhuji Middle School establish a lead.
On this play, He Ximeng did not drive into the paint as Huipu Middle School had expected.
After Sun Anhuis defensive retreat, He Ximeng used Tang Chenfeng as a shield and pulled up from the three-point line to shoot!
The entire crowd rose to their feet, eager to witness a miracle.
As it turned out, the miracle seemed not to happen.
The basketball traced a very high arc… but its landing trajectory was not promising…
“Rebound!”
He Ximeng loudly reminded Yan Hui that the shot was a little off. As expected, the ball didn’t drop straight through the net but hit the rim and bounced out…
Fortunately, He Ximeng hadn’t intentionally stalled, so the game was not yet over!
“I’ve got it!” Yan Hui shouted, intensely battling Yu Leping for position under the basket.
Yu Leping, well aware of the importance of this rebound, gave Yan Hui no quarter!
Just as they were tangled up, unable to jump, Zhang Zhenpeng, wearing jersey number 23, suddenly flew in from the wing!
“Don’t forget me!”
Zhang Zhenpeng tipped the ball over both of them, sending it out to He Ximeng at the three-point line!
“Again!”
He Ximeng caught the ball and shot. This time, the ball traced a perfect arc and landed precisely in the basket!
The moment the ball swished through the net, the buzzer signaling the end of the game also sounded!
80:79!
He Ximeng’s buzzer-beating three-pointer sealed the victory against the formidable Huipu!
The miracle had indeed happened, just a few seconds later than expected!
“What the hell! They actually beat Huipu Middle School?”
“Am I seeing things?”
“He Ximeng actually did it?”
…
The stands were silent.
Before the start of this final, no one had given Zhuji Middle School a chance. Everyone had expected Huipu Middle School to win, with the only question being how many quarters Zhuji Middle School could hold on and by how many points they would lose…
No one had expected Zhuji Middle School to overturn Huipu Middle School’s decade-long dominance in the Zhejiang region!
“I suddenly have some regrets?” Chen Qiudao murmured from the stands.
“Regrets about what?” Yu Chu asked Chen Qiudao.
“I should have transferred to Zhuji Middle School a long time ago…”
“Give up when you can’t win? That’s not like you…”
“But winning feels so good! Seeing that bastard He Ximeng defeat the strongest Huipu, I admit I might be a little jealous of him…”
“Be firm, drop the ‘might’!” Yu Chu chuckled. “Which team in the Zhejiang region doesn't dream of beating Huipu someday? Huipu isn't just the king of Zhejiang; they were also semi-finalists in last year's national finals…”
On the court, the teammates of Zhuji Middle School were ecstatic! They surrounded He Ximeng, shouting and jumping.
Zhang Tianai, being slower, was pushed to the outermost edge by her teammates, unable to even touch He Ximeng’s jersey. It frustrated her immensely!
Zhang Zhenpeng had the chance to embrace He Ximeng first, but he hesitated, wanting to play it cool and walk over slowly. However, a swarm of teammates rushed past him from behind, beating him to surround He Ximeng.
Standing on the outside, Zhang Zhenpeng felt quite awkward. He could only offer a comforting hug to his sister, who arrived a moment later. But Zhang Tianai wasn’t focused on Zhang Zhenpeng. After a perfunctory hug to her brother, she was already contemplating how to squeeze into the circle for a “warm” embrace with He Ximeng…
Zhang Zhenpeng sighed to the heavens, “Without my rebounds and assists, could He Ximeng have hit that game-winning three-pointer?”
Zhang Tianai ignored him, but Zheng Wu’s voice reached Zhang Zhenpeng. Zheng Wu had somehow made his way over to Zhuji Middle School’s side. He likely intended to congratulate He Ximeng, but like Zhang Tianai, he couldn't reach him. Hearing Zhang Zhenpeng’s sigh, he generously offered his praise.
“It was indeed an incredibly awesome rebound!”
Although Huipu Middle School had lost, Zheng Wu was not as disheartened as Zhang Zhenpeng might have expected. Thinking about it, Huipu Middle School had only lost a regional grassroots championship in Zhejiang, equivalent to not winning first place in the group stage. And this championship was something Huipu Middle School had won for over a decade… it wasn't a rare feat.
The upcoming Eastern Division finals and the national finals were the real tests.
“See you in Shanghai in a month, Rookie King!”