As the commentator, his voice nearly delirious, congratulated the Chinese team on their near-perfect buzzer-beater against Yugoslavia, crowning them the new World Championship champions, the players on the court, already like madmen, surged onto the floor, all converging on He Xi Meng, the orchestrator of this comeback victory…
34 points, 14 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block! This was the stat line He Xi Meng delivered in this do-or-die battle.
Looking at the stats alone, you wouldn't grasp the greatness of He Xi Meng.
Because He Xi Meng's scoring in this game wasn't as explosive as in the previous match against the United States! But if you watched the entire game unfold, you would deeply appreciate the decisive role He Xi Meng played.
He Xi Meng first used his dominant court control to help the Chinese team battle Yugoslavia to the very last moment, then in the final minute, he sank three three-pointers and a free throw, single-handedly turning the tide…
If you looked even closer, you might even notice that every time the Chinese team reached a critical juncture, it was point guard He Xi Meng, not head coach Zhang Bing, who made the player and tactical adjustments… He Xi Meng was indeed the Chinese team's point guard, but he was definitely more than just a point guard…
The men's basketball World Championship, spanning half a month, finally drew to a close.
The Chinese team had defeated Australia, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Russia, Spain, the United States, and Yugoslavia… It was no exaggeration to say that the Chinese team had defeated nearly all the strong European and American teams in the current league to finally ascend to the throne of World Championship champions!
Of course, the American team was somewhat weak, and the Yugoslavian team wasn't at their peak.
But even a somewhat weaker United States team and a non-peak Yugoslavia team were formidable opponents for China…
With He Xi Meng's masterful guidance, the Golden Generation's hard work, and a touch of luck, the Chinese team reached the highest podium!
He Xi Meng's plan before the tournament was simply to defeat the United States. Whether they met the Americans in the quarterfinals or semifinals, just beating them would have been a historic achievement for China!
As it turned out, He Xi Meng not only defeated the United States but also took down Yugoslavia along the way. This outcome was beyond He Xi Meng's expectations before the game.
But one had to admit, it was the best possible outcome!
In his prime, He Xi Meng met this exceptional group of teammates, achieving a result that no fan could have predicted!
The 13th FIBA World Championship in Greece, originally a lingering source of shame for the Chinese men's basketball team, became the most glorious moment in Chinese men's basketball history, thanks to the flutter of the butterfly known as He Xi Meng! An indelible memory of brilliance…
He Xi Meng couldn't guarantee if the Chinese team would have a chance to create glory again in the future. This World Championship might be the swan song for Chinese men's basketball, or it might not be… It was best not to jump to conclusions about the future…
In the post-game selection for the Most Valuable Player and the All-Tournament Team, He Xi Meng was, of course, named the MVP of this World Championship.
But that wasn't possible now! Because the investors planned to abolish the "Larry Bird" clause in the new contract! This affected the interests of many star players, including current leaders and those destined to become leaders in the future…