This move, rare among point guards, and even uncommon among American guards, undeniably boosted team morale.
After the dunk, He Xi Meng was ecstatic, roaring at the courtside cameras and emphatically pointing at the national flag on his jersey. This scene would later become an unforgettable memory for Chinese fans at this World Championship, replayed countless times on sports channels…
That, of course, was hindsight. In the present, He Xi Meng aimed to inspire his teammates with such actions, showing that the American team was not unbeatable!
Otherwise, the usually conservative He Xi Meng wouldn't have executed two consecutive two-handed dunks, a move carrying a considerable risk of injury…
However, He Xi Meng’s efforts paid off.
The Chinese team successfully shook off the shadow of Trajan Langdon’s irrational three-pointers. In the ensuing defense, Yao Ming blocked another shot from the American team. He Xi Meng couldn't convert a fast break, but in a set play, he delivered a precise pass to the cutting Sun Jun. Sun Jun aggressively drove to the basket and scored with a bank shot!
Motivated by He Xi Meng, China’s rotation players began to show their true strength. The American team’s initial surge was successfully contained. Subsequently, the Americans brought in their starting lineup, and China gradually followed suit. Under He Xi Meng’s control, China ended the first half with a five-point lead.
After halftime, both teams returned to the court.
While this American team might have been a second-tier squad, they were still the United States, after all! A weakened but still formidable opponent. As a former world power, the American team would naturally not give up easily.
At the start of the third quarter, Brad Miller, who had been contained by China’s twin towers for most of the half, suddenly found his rhythm in the paint. He continuously scored with turn-around jumpers after receiving the ball, helping the American team close the gap.
Meanwhile, as the stamina of Da Ba and Da Zhi began to wane, China’s dominance in the paint started to falter.
Fortunately, He Xi Meng on the perimeter consistently broke through, creating shooting opportunities for Li Nan and Liu Yu Dong. These two players lived up to He Xi Meng’s trust, and with the inside scoring faltering, they, along with He Xi Meng, managed to keep China’s score competitive in the third quarter.
Even so, the situation on the court grew increasingly precarious.
Before the end of the third quarter, the American team had successfully tied the score.
Da Ba had accumulated four fouls while trying to resist the American onslaught.
As a crucial element in He Xi Meng’s strategy against the American interior players in this game, Da Ba’s potential disqualification would be a very bad omen for China. China’s defense in the fourth quarter could crumble…
A sense of pessimism permeated the players’ bench. Only the few thousand home fans in the stands continued to cheer for the Chinese team tirelessly, their hoarse voices unwavering…
“I know you all think we’re at our wit’s end…”
He Xi Meng knew he had to step up and say something at this moment, even if it was just to fool his teammates.
“But for me, I’ve only just finished warming up! In this final quarter, I’m ready to go all out… So, I only ask you to do one thing!”
He Xi Meng paused deliberately, scanning his teammates, then exuded confidence and declared with certainty, “Trust me!”
“In this final quarter, please place all your trust in me! If possible, first, grab the rebounds, and second, play hard defense… The outcome, win or lose, leave it all to me to control… If we win, the glory belongs to the entire team! If we lose, I am willing to bear all the responsibility…”
By shouldering the burden of the game, He Xi Meng lifted the psychological weight from the other Chinese players. There was nothing more to think about for the upcoming game; they just had to fight! After all, they already had someone to blame…
Some might ask, “If China truly loses, can He Xi Meng bear that responsibility?”
He Xi Meng’s true thought was: What couldn't he bear? At worst, he could voluntarily leave the team and never join the national team again…
After a brief rest, with the referee’s whistle, the final quarter was about to begin.
The five players representing China gathered, hands on each other’s shoulders, shouting, “Team China, victory!” for encouragement.
As Da Ba had accumulated four fouls and was temporarily benched by head coach Zhang Bing, Yao Ming replaced him, forming a new twin-tower combination with Da Zhi.
Player number 4, He Xi Meng, led the charge, followed by the two gatekeepers, Da Zhi (number 14) and Yao Ming (number 11), with the two "sword-wielding guards," Liu Yu Dong (number 10) and Li Nan (number 8), walking at the very back!
This lineup for China was truly unprecedented. Imagine the heights this Chinese team could reach if their stamina wasn't an issue.
But there were no “ifs.” Apart from He Xi Meng, the bug in the system, China could never overcome the stamina hurdle. The relative advantage of this Chinese team was that they had more usable players and sufficient rotation. Also, having a reliable primary ball-handler like He Xi Meng meant they didn't have to expend unnecessary energy…
In the final quarter, Da Zhi and Liu Yu Dong had exerted a considerable amount of energy, but they could still hold on.
Yao Ming and Li Nan, having played as substitutes, still had plenty of energy.
For China’s first possession of the final quarter, He Xi Meng initially intended to drive and isolate Hawkins from beyond the three-point line. Unexpectedly, the American team anticipated this, having correctly predicted that He Xi Meng would use his individual ability to score for China, and immediately deployed a double-team tactic against him!
Seeing the situation change, He Xi Meng executed a risky lob pass to Yao Ming, who was at a higher vantage point. He then cut without the ball, squeezing through the double-team while the American players were momentarily disoriented, and signaled Yao Ming for the ball!
Yao Ming reacted quickly, delivering a skillful bounce pass that precisely found He Xi Meng!
The two executed a classic give-and-go, a quintessential pick-and-roll play between high and low post. He Xi Meng received the ball and drove for a layup, scoring two points!
This method of scoring was stable but physically taxing, and its efficiency wasn’t particularly high. If they continued at this pace, He Xi Meng’s chances of leading China to victory against the American team were slim.
To achieve an upset, they needed to take unconventional routes. Engaging in a direct, set-play confrontation would ultimately be detrimental to China.