On the 15th, the day of the semifinals, it started to rain in San Jose in the morning, adding a bit of chill to the city.
But this did not stop Gan Guoyang from getting up early and going out for a run with a basketball.
Since embarking on the road of basketball, Gan Guoyang has never left the ball in his hands.
I used to dribble to deliver food, but now I have to dribble and run in the morning to practice my ball sense.
Gan Guoyang knew that his exposure to basketball was short. Many black players started playing basketball when they were not much taller than basketball. The ball in their hands was as obedient as a dog on a leash.
Now that it's too late, you must work harder to compensate for your lack of ball sense through training and make your dribbling more flexible and comfortable.
Although he is destined to become an inside player, Gan Guoyang knows that the development trend of basketball is to blur positions. To become a great player, no skills must be left behind.
The rain-drenched streets of San Jose were cold and slippery, with small puddles forming on the ground. Dirty rainwater splashed on both sides when vehicles passed by. It was really not a suitable environment for dribbling.
But Gan Guoyang had to dribble the ball in this terrible environment, avoiding puddles and jumping up steps. The ball and his man were firmly stuck together and never separated for a moment. (The plot of the novel is dangerous and is not recommended for anyone to imitate.)
The rain made the sports coat wet, and the ball was also covered with rainwater. His fingers were cold, and there was a lot of sand stuck between his fingers. The water splashed by the ball stained his trousers and shoes, but he didn't care. Head forward.
Occasionally when he encounters pedestrians on the road, he lowers his body and dribbles in a different direction, which will startle people and make them think they have met someone with mental problems.
Gan Guoyang started from the Sheraton and headed east to San Jose State University, then turned northwest and ran three kilometers in one breath. As a result, the rain gradually became heavier on the way.
He had to go to a nearby temple to take shelter from the rain. This area is a gathering place for Asians in San Jose, especially Japanese. It is not surprising that there is a temple.
The young monk in the temple was a little surprised when he saw a huge figure under the eaves. After asking about the situation, he brought a cup of hot water.
Gan Guoyang expressed his thanks and then asked if there was a bathroom. He borrowed the clean water and washed his hands and basketball.
When I came out, I happened to meet the abbot of the temple, an old monk in his 70s. He was so surprised after seeing Gan Guoyang that he insisted on pulling him to have a look at his face.
Gan Guoyang had no choice but to put down the ball, sit on the futon in the main hall and let the old monk look at him. The old monk said nothing from the beginning to the end, and finally asked Gan Guoyang to leave.
Gan Guoyang was also surprised that you wanted to read my fortune but didn't tell me the result. However, the rain stopped and Gan Guoyang didn't care about it. He said thank you and left.
When the young monk saw Gan Guoyang leaving, he asked the abbot what he had seen and why he didn't tell him.
The host shook his head and said: "This person has the appearance of a ghost, not a mortal. The secret must not be leaked, otherwise it will lead to disaster."
As he spoke, the old host took out a towel and wiped his head. In the rainy February, a layer of sweat had already formed on his bald head.
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The semi-finals were scheduled to be held in the afternoon. The rain fell and stopped, and the air in the Civic Auditorium was filled with the smell of rain and soil.
Although it was the Northern California Championship, which was supposed to be of a higher level than the local leagues, there were not many spectators attending the game, and on a rainy day, even fewer people came to watch the game.
This is one of the reasons why CIF has not held state championships in the past. Without the support of local fans and the bonus of grievances and grudges between the same city, such cross-regional competitions, even if the level is higher, have no impact on local fans. The appeal is also very limited.
Gan Guoyang's influence is mainly concentrated in San Francisco and Oakland. When he arrived in San Jose, his fame was limited.
Basketball fans here pay more attention to the San Jose State Spartans.
San Jose is still considered the Bay Area. Outside of the Bay Area, to Sacramento and Los Angeles, even fewer people know him.
However, fame is built bit by bit. Heroes often start from humble beginnings and fight in the north and south for many years before they can make achievements and build their reputation.
Before jumping the ball, Gan Guoyang looked at the little No. 7 standing not far away with his hands on his hips - that person was Kevin Johnson.
Someone who wants to score 40 points on him.
Gan Guoyang has watched his game. He is indeed different from other players, or he is not quite like the point guards of the 1980s. He already has the shadow of those super point guards in the future:
Extremely fast, he can change directions repeatedly when dribbling. He is first in offense and second in passing. He has exaggerated explosive power and bounce, and can run rampant in the three-second zone like a small steel cannon.
In Northern California, Kevin Johnson may be the fastest and most powerful point guard in the game. No one can stop him.
That's why he had the confidence to say that he could score forty points over Gan Guoyang.
But when he stood on the court, Kevin Johnson stood near the center circle. He looked at Gan Guoyang, and Gan Guoyang also looked at him.
Gan Guoyang's eyes were calm and cold, like the winter rain, which gave Kevin Johnson a chilling feeling in his heart.
Of course he had heard all the rumors about this Chinese super center. He was killing everyone in the San Francisco League. He had 41 rebounds, a maximum of 15 blocks in a single game, his superior strength and cunning defense, and his maturity far beyond that of ordinary high school students. mind.
None of this frightened Kevin Johnson, but instead aroused his aggressiveness. Everyone said he was good at defense, but he didn't believe it, so he insisted on scoring high points on this person.
But actually standing on the court, Kevin Johnson noticed the danger, the kind of intuitive warning issued by the non-thinking area of the cerebral cortex.
Top athletes all have this kind of intuition, which is a mysterious sixth sense hidden deep in human genes. They used it to avoid wild beasts and track prey in the era of rough hair and blood.
Modern people's lives are so peaceful and peaceful that this kind of intuition is often hidden. However, top athletes are often in high-speed confrontations and often only have 0.1 seconds to make a judgment and no time to think at all.
They must rely on muscle memory and intuition. Muscle memory comes from repeated training, and intuition comes from the accumulation of innate talent and acquired experience.
Johnson is an excellent athlete. When he saw Gan Guoyang's tight body and meaningful eyes standing in the center circle, he knew that he must be targeted in today's game.
His instinct told him that it was best for you to stay away.
But the athlete's dignity and desire to win made Kevin Johnson decide to face the difficulties.
The game started quickly. Gan Guoyang won the ball in a jump ball and his first point came quickly.
In the pick-and-roll with Chen Xing from the high post, he caught the ball and succeeded in a layup, easily scoring two points.
After experiencing diarrhea for two days, Chen Xing finally recovered and reached the semi-finals after hanging up two bottles of glucose.
But it was not Chen Xing who was guarding Kevin Johnson, but Xu Xun, the shooting guard of the Water Bells.
In terms of talent, speed, and explosive power, Xu Xun is no match for Kevin Johnson.
Even if he works very hard, it's easy for Kevin Johnson to get past him in one-on-one situations.
Accelerating and changing direction, Xu Xun could only eat dust behind Kevin Johnson.
But Xu Xun has a characteristic, that is, he has a strong will. No matter how hard he is beaten by Kevin Johnson, he will try his best to maintain defensive intensity and stalk him.
More importantly, Xu Xun has Gan Guoyang supporting him. Once Xu Xun is passed, Gan Guoyang will come to help defend.
Even if Kevin Johnson passes the ball, Gan Guoyang will still choose to help defend immediately, and it doesn't matter if he lets go of his defender.
At the beginning, both sides attacked very quickly. The Sacramento Dragons are known for their crazy offense, and Kevin Johnson is the leader of this dragon.
He controls the ball on the court and raises the pace of the game by more than one level. Teams with slower speed and poor physical fitness will be outrun by the Dragons.
But the Water Bell team was tougher than the dragons imagined. Starting from August, for half a year, Bellman conducted devilish training on the players.
Even Gan Guohui was able to lose weight and find a girlfriend. One can imagine the intensity of training and the players are quite physically fit.
Xu Xun stuck to Kevin Johnson like a dog-skin plaster. He played for 5 minutes in the first half. Kevin Johnson sent 3 assists, but he didn't score yet.
Not only did he not score, he also had two blocks - when he broke into the basket, Gan Guoyang's block would arrive in time.
Xu Xun's entanglement prevented Kevin Johnson from really starting, so instead of saying that Gan Guoyang protected Xu Xun, it is better to say that Xu Xun served as a cushion for Gan Guoyang.
This was something the two of them had discussed before the game. For Gan Guoyang, how to make good use of his teammates to contain his opponents is very important in the team game of basketball.
However, although Kevin Johnson was contained, other Dragons players performed better accordingly. Johnson also chose to help his teammates when the offense was blocked.
On the defensive end, the Dragons also resolutely double-teamed Gan Guoyang. The scoring responsibility of the Water Bell team was handed over to Franklin. He was very comfortable in this fast-paced game.
At the end of the half, the two sides battled to a score of 37:40. The Water Bell team led the Dragons by 3 points. Gan Guoyang scored 7 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in the half.
Kevin Johnson had 6 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals. Both of them performed very comprehensively, but neither scored high.
After the halftime break and returning to the court, Gan Guoyang walked up to Kevin Johnson and said, "I heard you want to score 40 points on me?"
Kevin Johnson's eyes flickered twice, but he still said stubbornly: "Even if we can't score 40 points, we will win."
Gan Guoyang smiled and said: "I have scored 7 points now, and you have scored 6 points now. You scored 6 points because you couldn't score 40 points over me. And I scored 7 points because in the first half I just want to score 7 points."
"You're comforting yourself."
"No, I'm giving you a warning."
