Therefore, during the next defensive possession, He Xi Meng took the risk of being driven past and went for the steal!
Hawkins didn't expect He Xi Meng to be so audacious at such a crucial moment. Caught off guard, he lost the ball. Hawkins quickly reached out to grab He Xi Meng, but He Xi Meng was prepared. He shook off Hawkins' grasp with his left hand and immediately launched a fast break with the ball in his right.
Hawkins chased desperately, trying to prevent He Xi Meng from driving to the basket. However, He Xi Meng stopped abruptly outside the three-point line, shaking off the charging Hawkins. After the stop, he sank a trailing three-pointer!
The three-pointer was He Xi Meng's ultimate trump card, the last weapon that gave him the confidence to go head-to-head with the US team.
He was lucky! This was He Xi Meng's first three-point attempt in the fourth quarter, and he made it with precision.
A 360-degree spin and a two-handed dunk, a trailing three-pointer after a steal... After He Xi Meng scored five consecutive points, the US team started to get anxious. The head coach yelled from the sidelines, urging his players to attack the paint and directly challenge China's basket.
The US players on the court followed their coach's instructions. But as they regrouped, He Xi Meng, with the help of Li Nan's pass, broke through the US team's half-court trap. Then, using Yao Ming's low-post screen, he cut to the wing. Receiving a pass from Liu Yudong, he stopped, turned, and shot again...
At this critical juncture, why not unleash the G6 Thompson-esque off-ball three-point skills?
This time, Hawkins was very aggressive in his defense, even committing a foul to knock He Xi Meng to the ground. But it couldn't affect He Xi Meng's shot... because before Hawkins' foul could impact him, He Xi Meng had already released the ball 0.1 seconds earlier.
Hawkins' collision seemed powerful, knocking He Xi Meng down and almost resulting in a somersault. However, because He Xi Meng was somewhat prepared and tightened his muscles immediately after the shot to brace for the impact, there were no severe injuries, though he was undoubtedly shaken.
The crowd let out a gasp. Both Chinese and Greek fans alike let out a collective cry. As fans, nothing is more disheartening than seeing players get injured on the court.
He Xi Meng lay on the floor for nearly half a minute, taking a moment to rest. After the referee confirmed he was lucid and had no pain or injuries in his limbs, he was helped up by Da Zhi and Da Yao.
The entire arena erupted in thunderous applause. The Chinese fan section began chanting "He Xi Meng!" again.
On the US side, panic began to set in.
The players started deviating from their coach's instructions, each wanting to find their own way to help the team out of the predicament and become the hero.
He Xi Meng, of course, wouldn't miss this golden opportunity. With his calm judgment, he continuously organized his teammates to successfully defend against several US attacks and capitalize on fast break opportunities.
Even more devastating was He Xi Meng's frequent choice of trailing three-pointers during fast breaks, which further elevated China's scoring efficiency.
Then, after He Xi Meng assisted Li Nan in hitting another trailing three-pointer, the US coach could no longer bear it and called a timeout, berating his starting players thoroughly.
In less than half a quarter, He Xi Meng had already made a layup and two three-pointers! He also assisted Yao Ming for a powerful dunk in the paint and assisted Li Nan on a wing trailing three-pointer. With 8 points and 2 assists, he led China on a 13:5 run, successfully extending their lead to the brink of double digits.
At the critical juncture of the fourth quarter, China was actually able to muster such a surge... This drove the US coach to fury, pushing him to the verge of losing his mind. He wished he could immediately substitute all his starters and substitute all five players to express his dissatisfaction. But a sliver of reason controlled him. After a severe scolding of his players, he still sent them back on the court, hoping they would regain their honor and achieve a final comeback in the remaining minutes.
As a result, the US team, determined to redeem themselves, just got back on the court when Brad Miller answered China's basket with a dunk. Then, He Xi Meng drove to the basket and forced a layup against the US.
Hawkins managed to assist Oliver for a wing three-pointer, but He Xi Meng turned around, guarded by Hawkins, and hit a super-long-range three-pointer from two steps beyond the arc.
With his offense in full gear, He Xi Meng, in the final moments, single-handedly withstood the entire US team's counterattack!
Amidst the escalating cheers, He Xi Meng sank three-pointer after three-pointer... Ultimately, He Xi Meng achieved a super double-double with 47 points and 10 assists, creating a personal miracle while also leading China to create a world miracle: China had actually defeated the United States!
At the Marousi Olympic Indoor Hall in Greece, in the semifinals of the 13th FIBA World Championship, China had indeed defeated the United States with a score of 98:92!
Under He Xi Meng's leadership, had China truly slayed the gods?
The moment the referee blew the final whistle, in the distant land of China, cheers echoed through major cities!
From Harbin in the northeast to Kunming in the southwest, from Shenzhen in the southeast to Urumqi in the northwest, wherever Chinese fans were, people were jumping and shouting in front of their televisions, releasing their inner joy.
Those who didn't know might have thought China had already won the World Championship. But for the current Chinese team, defeating the United States and reaching the World Championship finals was as good as winning the championship.
And inside the Marousi Olympic Indoor Hall, China's players rushed towards He Xi Meng once again. This time, nothing He Xi Meng said mattered; his teammates resolutely tossed him into the air.
A single game with 47 points and 10 assists, my friends! And the opponent was the world powerhouse, the United States.
Although this US team was not the Dream Team, a second-tier US team is still a US team, isn't it?