Time passed day by day, and it was mid-September.
The fall semester intramural basketball competition at the University of Southern California has begun.
The men and women of the basketball club, whether they are ordinary club members, main players or main alternates, are all arranged to represent their respective departments in intramural competitions.
Except for Li Ao, when he asked Henry Bibby why he didn't arrange for him to participate in the competition, the latter responded: "Your department can't even beat the art department."
This was the first time he was eager to play.
But the reality is that he is not good enough. If he had the ability of Brandon Granville from the Art Department, the school team would arrange for him to participate in the competition even if he leads the Computer Department.
The initial stage of his basketball career was completely different from the grandeur he had imagined at the beginning.
Every time I go to the stadium, it’s training, training, and training, and it’s the most boring and torturous basic skills.
The physical therapist that Vivian hired brought him a lot of help. Professionals + professional equipment greatly shortened the time required for his body to recover, and brought more intensive training arranged by the coaching staff. Special training to improve his basic basketball skills.
But in every training session, he gritted his teeth and persisted. In almost every training session, he exceeded the expectations of the coaching staff.
The reason why he can persevere is not only to fight for a breath, but also because with the increase in the number of training sessions, he can see the improvement in his basic skills in mid-range shooting and defense.
As he adapted to the intensity of training, he would sometimes even take the initiative to run to the stadium to practice shooting outside of the training sessions arranged by the coaching staff.
His attitude of working hard has caused many teammates such as Trey Paganier to change their attitudes towards him.
Under different circumstances, the impact of the same thing can vary greatly.
In the basketball team, the teammates were worried about his past "violent behavior" at first, but after getting to know each other for a long time, everyone didn't care so much. Compared with the classmates in the same classroom, the people here are not really concerned about this matter. So care, they are also potential violent persons in the eyes of others.
Gradually, he became familiar with the team's leading point guard Brandon Granville, leading center Costa Charles and others.
After joining the basketball team, he learned that the 175 point guard from the Art Department who beat him and Liam was the head point guard of the school team. He averaged 10.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the NCAA division last season, ranking first among all college point guards in the country. Wei Li has already touched the first-class level, and his strength has been further improved this year.
Bai Mamba, on the other hand, was the first person to take the initiative to talk to him, but the relationship... the friendship between gentlemen was as light as water.
The captain of the team has a good relationship with everyone. He has very good leadership skills and strong strength. He is a standard team leader. However, his leadership style is not to play along with everyone, but to feel like a 'parent'. , always likes to 'educate' others, and therefore does not have a particularly close relationship with every teammate.
Of course, some people were even more unhappy with him because of this.
The happiest person about him going to the Memorial Stadium for training whenever he has free time is undoubtedly Dean Teng.
When he had free time, he used to go out and hang out with Liam. He often met people who didn't have long eyes, and then they got into fights.
For some punks, Chinese and Chinese students, it’s just a meal ticket.
Now he doesn't have so much free time, which greatly avoids the possibility of fighting.
Li Ao attends classes and trains day after day, and occasionally goes to watch school basketball games with Vivian or Liam to cheer for his close teammates.
Another two weeks passed, and on September 28th, as expected, the School of Social Work, led by Baimanba Brian-Scalabrine, defeated the School of Architecture, led by Tre Paganier, by a wide margin. Won the school basketball championship two years ago.
In addition to the White Mamba, the School of Social Work also has Sam Clancy, the 49th high school student in the United States that year.
With the intramural basketball game over, the official roster selection for the Trojans is about to begin.
…
"Beautiful, Leo, you did a great job. You can now consistently hit 6 goals at each point!"
Li Ao's shooting training session ended and he scored 33 out of 50 goals. Xavier Johnson did not hesitate to praise him.
Li Ao was very happy, on the one hand because he was recognized, and on the other hand, he finally received the reminder that he had passed the training!
"Training mode: The team arranges training.
Training content: Basic skills of mid-range shooting.
Completion status: Overfulfilled the training schedule of the coaching staff.
Training rating: Passed.
Congratulations to the host for receiving the training reward: 100 achievement points.
The host can consume 100 achievement points to use the body's physical therapy function. "
Today is September 29th, and it has been more than a month since he joined the Trojans.
Finally, after a month of hard training, I have made great progress in my mid-range shooting. I could only throw blindly before, but now I am really confident in shooting. Although it is not high, this is a qualitative change. I was really confident before. Once you cast it, it depends on the sky.
However, this is limited to spot-on catch-and-shoot shots.
Moreover, he has watched the white Mamba's mid-range shooting training, catching and shooting from moving positions, and he can maintain a shooting rate of more than 80%.
Still need to practice!
He didn't know what the effect of 'Body Physiotherapy' was. The option button was on, and it didn't tell him to use it immediately. He planned to wait until no one was around to try it again. He didn't know what kind of effect it would have. What if it happened to him? It’s as tossing as physical therapy and massage…
For the consumption of 100 achievement points, if you can complete the training at a qualified level, you will get exactly 100 achievement points, which is not that painful to use.
Xavier Johnson helped Li Ao relax as usual and said: "The team selection will begin on Saturday. The 12-man main roster may be a bit difficult, but you can strive to get into the 18-man roster!"
12 main players + 6 substitutes, this is the standard for all NCAA basketball teams. In mid-October, each school team can submit a list of up to 18 players to the NCAA. Only players who pass the application can participate in the new season.
After more than a month, Li Ao's mentality gradually changed.
Now he is much calmer about this aspect of things. From the initial reluctance, to now, although he is still eager to prove himself, he can face blows more calmly.
He knew that Xavier Johnson said this just as a way of encouragement that Americans are used to. He wanted to give him motivation, but he didn't really think he could make the 18-man roster.
However, he still responded: "I am a genius, I will definitely make it to the big list!"
Xavier Johnson smiled: "Of course, I have confidence in you."
After a soothing massage, Xavier Johnson left first.
Today is Wednesday. It was already 4 o'clock when Li Ao came to train in the afternoon. Now it is after 7 o'clock and it is already dark.
At this time, another system prompt came!
"Congratulations to the host for completing the accumulation of mid-range fixed-point catching and shooting training methods. Judgment level: Level 1. Bonus effect: 20% of the training results of catching and shooting training.
The mid-range fixed-point catching and shooting training task has been started. "
The screen switched and came to the training mode interface. There were finally options for the previously empty training tasks!
Next to the option, there is a stick figure who keeps doing movements, which is exactly his training movements.
"Mid-range fixed-point catch and shoot (Level 1): It costs 100 achievement points to activate. If you complete the training task in one go, 50 achievement points will be returned.
After completing the training task, you can get an additional 20% of the training results by performing mid-range fixed-point catching and shooting on the same day. "
The 20% bonus of DeRozan's mid-range shot action package and the 20% bonus of training methods. If coupled with the 20% bonus of training tasks, the cumulative bonus effect is 60%!
Li Ao suddenly trembled!
But seeing the training mission, he calmed down.
"...50 field goal attempts within 120 seconds; 5 free throw line field goal attempts from 5 standard angles, 10 balls in each position, and a total hit rate of 70%; take turns shooting at 5 standard angles, accumulating 10 times. The total hit rate needs to reach 50%.
The task has no completion deadline. If all 3 task objectives are not completed on the same day, the task progress will be reset. The task objectives must be completed continuously. If any goal fails, the task progress will be reset. "
The first goal was already difficult for him, the second goal was directly beyond his current ability, and the third goal...he hadn't even started practicing in this area.
In the past more than a month, his mid-range shooting training mainly focused on familiarizing himself with the shooting angle, adjusting his force, catching the ball, taking off and connecting...
"Forget about returning half of the achievement points. You can take on the mission first. If you can't complete it anyway, it will just be reset. Just try it when you have time. Just treat it as training."
After more than a month of psychological training, he is very open-minded in this regard.
He went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, preparing to take a good shower when he got home.
When he was getting dressed and ready to go home, he remembered that he had the 'Body Physiotherapy' function that he had not used today.
He has been practicing five times a week for more than a month. In the past two weeks, Saturdays have been full morning and afternoon. Now he has 2250 achievement points and immediately decided to 'spend'.
With a thought, 100 achievement points will be deducted.
"The host consumes 100 achievement points, uses the body's physical therapy function, and is recovering..."
As the system prompts arrived, Li Ao's fatigue after high-intensity exercise began to subside, and his muscle and soreness and discomfort during breathing were quickly relieved. Although it was not completely eliminated, the feeling was very obvious!
Just when he was excited about this, a strong feeling of hunger hit him...
Hungry!
very hungry!
He hurried to the business district and was already in the dark.
Fortunately, there were a large number of shops built around Memorial Stadium, which had a lot of traffic. He left the stadium and found a fast food restaurant, and ate three burgers in a row before his hunger was relieved.
After eating another burger, he was about eight minutes full before he stopped.
You still can't eat too much for dinner, as it will affect your sleep.
He thought that he would have to prepare some food the next time he wanted to use the body's physical therapy function.
It was already half past eight when he got home by bus, but not long after he got home, he was called over by Vivian, and the physical therapist Jack came to them immediately to provide door-to-door services.
Another sour and refreshing physical therapy.
After finishing the work, Li Ao, who was slumped on the massage bed, asked Jack, who was packing up the equipment: "You still work overtime at night, don't you accept overtime work?"
Jack responded: "In principle, that's the case."
Li Ao understood that principles, like the bottom line, can float.
It's just that he no longer knows how many meals he owes the hospital assistant's aunt. From Friday to Sunday, training ends early in the afternoon, so it's no problem to make dinner, but from Monday to Thursday, he can only owe it.
…
Li Ao usually doesn't train on Thursdays, because he usually practices from Monday to Wednesday, and also from Friday to Saturday. Occasionally, if he doesn't practice on Tuesday, he will make up half a day on the weekend.
But this time, he took the initiative to contact Henry Bibby for additional training.
Yesterday, he used the body's physical therapy function and received professional physical therapy. The effects of the two are superimposed. When he got up this morning, he didn't feel the discomfort he felt on the second day of training in the previous month. After getting up, he even did his long-lost morning exercise!
After school in the afternoon, he came to Memorial Stadium. Before Xavier Johnson came, he spent 100 achievement points to try the task. By the fourth group, he only made 50 mid-range shots in 120 seconds.
When it came to the second goal, it failed again and had to start from 50 mid-range shots in 120 seconds.
It was harder than he thought! He currently does not have the ability to consistently complete a set of 50-ball training with a 70% shooting rate, unless he is very lucky.
At this time, Xavier Johnson had arrived. He temporarily put aside this training task and started regular shooting training.
But as it happens, his training has now reached the point where he can catch and shoot at a fixed point after moving, and he has devoted himself to the training with more enthusiasm.
Xavier Johnson, who was called in temporarily, saw how motivated he was and was inspired to devote himself to coaching.
Li Ao was training, and Brown and Henry Bibby came to watch.
Brown looked at Li Ao who was practicing enthusiastically and said to Henry Bibby next to him: "I didn't expect Leo to be really talented. Xavier said that his progress was much faster than expected. You picked up a treasure this time." ”
Henry Bibby snorted and responded: "But the time he has been exposed to basketball is too short. Even if he has made great progress, he is still very weak."
