The final match of the afternoon, and the last game of the Zhejiang region for this year, the championship and runner-up decider between Huipu Middle School and Zhuji Middle School, was about to begin under the watchful eyes of the other 10 participating teams!
Before the game officially started, Zhang Yide, with He Ximeng in tow, trotted over to the Huipu Middle School coaching bench and shouted "Old Coach!" at their head coach.
He Ximeng blinked in surprise. He really hadn't known that Third Master and the white-haired coach of Huipu Middle School had a master-apprentice relationship!
"This is the young fellow I mentioned to you before!" Zhang Yide introduced He Ximeng, while also prompting He Ximeng to greet him as "Grand-Teacher"!
The teacher's teacher, calling him Grand-Teacher was not out of line.
However, the white-haired coach waved his hand and said kindly, "No need for such formalities. I have too many students, and even more students of my students. I have them all call me Old Coach."
"Old Coach!" He Ximeng, with a spirit of respecting the old and loving the young, obediently called out.
"Hmm, tell me, do you have any interest in becoming a basketball coach in the future?"
He Ximeng was taken aback, unsure why Old Coach would ask such a question. In fact, He Ximeng had never mentioned wanting to be a basketball coach... His current goal was clearly to become a professional player...
Seeing He Ximeng's silence, Old Coach continued, "I've watched your games! Except for the match against Hangzhou Fourth Middle School, where you showed some potential of an excellent player, in the other games, including this morning's match against Ningbo Fourth Middle School, the talent you've displayed is more of a coaching type, not a player type... Yide is right, based on your performance so far, you are indeed more suited to be a coach..."
Hearing this, He Ximeng finally understood. It turned out that Third Master, wanting the best for him, wanted to recommend him to Old Coach, hoping to help him embark on the path of a professional basketball coach through Old Coach's connections... He Ximeng appreciated Third Master's good intentions, but the path of a basketball coach was not something He Ximeng was considering for now.
If he were to pursue a career as a basketball coach, He Ximeng wouldn't choose to start in China...
"But, Old Coach, I still want to try the path of a professional player..."
"I know! I know you're holding back some of your strength, but I want to say, if you want to become a professional player, then you'd better start showing your player's talent from this game onwards... There's no stage for Chinese high school students more suitable for showcasing themselves than the national championships... Once you miss it, it might be a lifetime..."
Old Coach's meaning was also very clear. Opportunities have to be fought for. Since you want to be a player, then play like one. Otherwise, you might very well be overlooked.
"Thank you, Old Coach! I understand what I need to do!"
He Ximeng had originally planned to conserve his energy during the regional preliminaries and gradually unleash his offensive power on the Eastern Conference stage or at the national finals. But after hearing Old Coach's words, he realized something: He Ximeng's coaching talent was increasingly drawing the attention of seasoned figures in Chinese basketball, but his player talent seemed to be overlooked. If this trend continued, it would be very detrimental to He Ximeng's goal of pursuing a career as a professional player.
"Let me see your true strength, young man..." Old Coach smiled and waved goodbye to He Ximeng.
On his way back to his team's bench, He Ximeng quietly asked Third Master about the identity of Old Coach.
Third Master didn't directly reveal Old Coach's name but briefly introduced his background.
"China's first generation of male basketball players, a genius-level point guard. During his playing career, he was strong on both offense and defense, excelled at fast breaks, full-court pressure, and turnaround jump shots. He was the captain of the Chinese men's national team for several terms, nicknamed: 'Dragon Head'..."
He Ximeng still didn't know who this big shot was until after the game. He Ximeng specifically looked up information about Old Coach and realized that Third Master's words were not an exaggeration. Dragon Head was indeed a legendary figure in Chinese basketball. He never expected that after retirement, Dragon Head would be living in seclusion in Taizhou, becoming the head coach of Huipu Middle School...
A figure who had coached the national team now coaching a high school team, no wonder Huipu Middle School had dominated the Zhejiang region for over a decade. He Ximeng finally found the root of the matter.
However, even knowing that Dragon Head was incredibly powerful and that Huipu Middle School's overall strength was formidable, He Ximeng remained full of confidence. He was determined to win this Zhejiang regional championship game!
Before the game started, He Ximeng had originally planned to come off the bench. Inspired by Old Coach, He Ximeng decided to start directly and face the strongest Huipu with his full strength!
Zhuji Middle School's starting lineup was center Yan Hui, power forward Feng Chen, small forward Wang Xian, shooting guard Tang Chenfeng, and point guard He Ximeng.
Huipu Middle School's starting lineup was center Yu Liepin, center/power forward Hu Yinqiu, small forward Zheng Wu, shooting guard Wu Hou, and point guard Sun Anhui.
Last year's Zhejiang region's best lineup, except for the center position occupied by Zhuji Middle School's Yan Hui and the power forward position occupied by Hangzhou Fourth Middle School's Liu Yudong, the remaining three positions were all filled by players from Huipu Middle School!
Yes, Ningbo Fourth Middle School's Yu Zhibo was known as the most technically complete offensive small forward in the Zhejiang region, but he wasn't actually the strongest small forward! The strongest small forward in the Zhejiang region was Zheng Wu of Huipu Middle School, who was called "Twin Gems" along with Liu Yudong!
If he hadn't been in the same era as Liu Yudong, Zheng Wu would have been a dominant force in the Zhejiang region!
Compared to Zheng Wu, Yu Zhibo had a more diverse and flashy offensive skillset, but his defensive ability was far inferior to Zheng Wu's!
Zheng Wu was not as focused on scoring as Yu Zhibo. He balanced scoring and defense, and possessed respectable playmaking skills, making him an all-around warrior.
Therefore, although Yu Zhibo's average personal scoring data last year was higher than Zheng Wu's, the organizing committee members unanimously agreed that Zheng Wu was superior to Yu Zhibo at the small forward position. Hence, it was Zheng Wu, not Yu Zhibo, who made it into the best lineup.
As the game was about to start, Yan Hui and Yu Liepin stood at the center circle, ready for the tip-off.
Yu Liepin, at 2.10 meters tall, was the tallest center in the Zhejiang region. He had excellent rebounding ability and strong defense, but his offensive skills were relatively rough, not as refined as Yan Hui's. Therefore, his role was more of a blue-collar center! Of course, if the opponent didn't have a strong center, Yu Liepin was very adept at finishing inside.
With the center tip-off, the players at the other positions matched up.
He Ximeng's matchup was Sun Anhui, hailed as the number one point guard in the Zhejiang region!