Yangcheng City Stadium.
In the fifth game of the Chinese men's basketball team's warm-up series, this time they faced the Croatian team, a strong European team.
Strictly speaking, it is the Croatian second team.
Their first team has participated in various competitions recently and is training for the European Championships. In this case, it is not easy to invite the opponent's first team, so we can only take a step back and invite the second team.
Of course, this is absolutely enough for the current lineup of the China Men's Basketball Team.
After the Basketball Association announced this warm-up match, quite a few fans were not optimistic about the China Men's Basketball Team's competition with its opponents. Even if it was just training, many fans had no expectations.
This has also caused the stadium's attendance to drop by nearly one-fifth compared to before.
In the arena that was completely full before, this time there were many empty seats before the game started. Although they are all in relatively low positions, this is still relatively rare for the national team.
No matter how they played in the past, the fans who supported them could at least fill the stadium. Now, the combination of high ticket prices and the unmatched strength of the national team has led to many fans who want to watch Zhao Feiyang play, but they can only choose to give up under this situation.
"This person is indeed a lot less..."
"The atmosphere is also different from before... I remember that in the last game, everyone's clothes were generally uniform..."
"Alas! I wonder if the attendance will be even less after this game..."
After entering the arena, the young players of the China Men's Basketball Team were doing warm-up training while observing the situation on the sidelines.
Obviously, changes in attendance still have a certain impact on team morale.
Not only that, the online live broadcast for this warm-up match was completely different from before.
Previously, CCTV Sports had specially broadcast live men's basketball warm-up games in the afternoon. However, since the online public opinion has fermented, especially after the announcement of inviting European teams to participate, CCTV Sports suddenly has more other programs.
The afternoon slot that could have been used to broadcast men's basketball games suddenly turned into recordings and broadcasts of other sports, and even some extremely niche clips were broadcast.
With such an arrangement, it’s hard not to be surprised.
There are many other live broadcast platforms on the Internet, and there are even many amateur commentary programs for the warm-up matches of the Chinese Men's Basketball Team. However, since the Men's Basketball Team announced its invitation to European teams, these platforms have temporarily disappeared.
Before the game was about to start, many live broadcast places stopped broadcasting. On the only platforms that could live broadcast, the fans' attitude towards the game was almost one-sided, and most people were very unfavorable.
"The Croatian team is not weak! Even if they are on the second team, they are also on the national team...we guys will definitely not be able to do it..."
"Zhao Feiyang can't beat them by himself. Although Zhao Feiyang can lead the Timberwolves to a comeback in the finals, he is an NBA-level teammate after all! We recruits are all CBA masters, and our skills are not very good. Such an attitude is not very correct, how can you afford to lead Zhao Feiyang?"
"It's indeed quite difficult. What Chairman Yao said is actually very clear. The men's basketball team invites European teams here just for training. Losing is inevitable, and the result is not good for sure..."
"Don't you understand yet? CCTV won't broadcast it... So many platforms have also shut up. Isn't it because the Basketball Association is afraid that losing to a European team in the warm-up match will be too disastrous?"
Regardless of what the outside world is saying, inside the arena, the match between the two sides is about to begin.
Considering the original intention of training young players, head coach Su Mingtao still did not put Zhao Feiyang in the starting lineup this time.
Zhao Feiyang had no objection to this, but stood aside and watched these young juniors like a big brother.
"I have already said the analysis before the game... This team is very balanced. Most of the opponents are professional players, and a few are college players... Don't put any pressure on me. What should I do? Just fight whatever you want..."
"There are two people in the opponent's lineup that you need to pay most attention to, one is named Kovacic, and the other is named Pivacic... The other side are brothers, and they are both main players of European giants clubs..."
"Remember, don't fight alone, don't do that... If we want to defeat them, we can only use our team style..."
After speaking, coach Su Mingtao glanced at Zhang Hao.
In fact, the reminder not to fight alone was directed at Zhang Hao.
This kid always liked to be in the limelight before, and he was very sticky when playing against opponents in warm-up matches. Although his impact on the team was not that big, it was already worth paying attention to.
This time we are facing a strong European team. If Zhang Hao does that again, I am afraid his impact on the team will be immeasurable.
The defense of European teams is not comparable to that of previous opponents.
Zhang Hao didn't say a word to such a reminder. Ever since Zhao Feiyang took the initiative to "bully" him for the first time, Zhang Hao has indeed become more calm than before.
Especially when other young players gradually regard Zhao Feiyang as the absolute core of the team and move closer to him, Zhang Hao, the so-called captain of the team, has less and less say and no longer "pricks the head". Son".
call out.
The referee whistle sounded.
Both sides quickly took to the field.
Snapped.
After standing in position, the referee threw the ball high. The Croatian team's big man took the lead in shooting the ball, and the ball fell into their hands.
Defender Kovacic advances with the ball.
After halftime, Zhang Hao went up to mark the opponent.
The two faced each other, and Kovacic did not choose to play in singles. Instead, he signaled to his teammate Pivasic on the wing to cover.
Pivasic came up from the left to respond, and suddenly a pick-and-roll came over. Kovacic took advantage of the situation and dribbled the ball into the basket.
The inside line of the Chinese men's basketball team quickly came up to defend, trying to interfere with Kovacic's offense.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the inside line came out of the penalty area, Kovacic suddenly made a ground pass. The basketball passed through the crowd and went to the basket. Pivasic followed up from the side and seized the defensive loophole of the Chinese men's basketball team. A layup easily put the ball into the basket.
Uh-huh.
The ball went in.
This cooperative style of play surprised the Chinese men's basketball team.
The fans on the sidelines did not expect that the opponent's reaction and tacit understanding were so quick. Although they were opponents of the Chinese Men's Basketball Team, some fans still gave the opponent warm applause for such a wonderful goal.
It was the turn of the Chinese men's basketball team to fight back.
Zhang Hao advanced with the ball.
One second, Kovacic was waiting for him at half court, and the next second, Kovacic suddenly came to mark him. Zhang Hao, who was about to cross the center line, was caught off guard by such a pressing defense, but before he could secure the ball, a familiar figure appeared next to him.
Pivasic appeared on his flank at some point and double-teamed with Kovacic.
It happened that Zhang Hao tried to pass the ball out at this time. As soon as he stretched out his hand, Pivasic directly intercepted his pass.
Snapped.
The ball dropped.
There was an uproar.
The opponent is two against one.
Zhang Hao chased after him in panic, and the opponent quickly rushed to the basket. Pivasic, who was holding the ball, pretended to break through to attract Zhang Hao to chase him. In fact, as soon as Zhang Hao stretched out his hand, Pivacic passed the ball directly to Koko behind him. In the hands of Vasic.
Uh-huh.
Kovacic made a solid layup and hit the basket.
"Well done bro!"
The two high-fived excitedly after scoring.
Such a decisive defensive counterattack really surprised the fans present.
Even Zhao Feiyang, who was sitting on the sidelines watching the excitement, was shocked by the performance of these two brothers. He had long heard from head coach Su Mingtao that according to the information collected by the China Men's Basketball Team, these two brothers were the two strongest in the Croatian team.
For the men's basketball players, as long as they can guard against these two people, the team will not lose too ugly and may even have a chance to play a better situation.
But after the match actually started, the performance and tacit understanding between the two men were obviously somewhat different from the information of the China Men's Basketball Team.
They are stronger than the Chinese men's basketball team imagined.
"Coach Su, let me go!"
"We can't let these guys suppress us right from the start..."
Zhao Feiyang said to coach Su Mingtao.
Su Mingtao frowned at this time. Although he wanted to replace Zhao Feiyang, he still waved his hand and said, "Wait a moment."
On the field.
The Chinese men's basketball team attacked again.
With the previous mistakes, no one dared to let down their guard this time. Zhang Hao successfully carried the ball across the half court under the cover of his teammates. After arriving at the half court, he noticed that his teammate Li Qing ran out of space on the wing.
Snapped.
Zhang Hao gave the ball to Li Qing.
Li Qing is the team's starting small forward. His physical fitness is quite good in the team, his height is not bad, and his skills are relatively rich.
He saw the right opportunity and dribbled the ball from a 30-degree angle on the left to the basket.
Judging from the view from outside the court, he chose the timing well, the angle of attack was also good, and the opponent's inside players did not pose any potential threats or obstacles.
But when he was about to break through to the basket, Li Qing, who was fighting with the ball, was pushed to the edge by the opponent's defensive players, and was even just shy of going out of bounds.
This scene shocked all the fans at the scene.
On the bench of the China Men's Basketball Team, a group of young players also felt incredible.
"Holy crap! No!"
"Li Qing's physical fitness is so good, how can he be so squeezed out after such a breakthrough?"
On the court, Li Qing, who was almost squeezed out, could not find a good shooting angle and had no choice but to pass the ball.
The ball was given to Liu Yunwei inside, who caught the ball and played singles under the basket.
He tried to use his back to open up the shooting space, but he bumped into the opponent several times, and the opponent barely moved where he was.
Liu Yunwei was shocked and could only throw the ball with a hook.
boom.
The basketball hit the backboard and fell out.
The rebound was taken away by the opponent.
Snapped.
The opponent made a long pass to defender Kovacic on the outside. Kovacic and Pivacic sprinted across the half court together.
The speed of the two was too fast, resulting in a two-on-one situation.
This time Kovacic threw the ball high, and Pivacic jumped up on the other side of the basket and dunked the ball into the basket.
boom.
The ball went in.
Off the court, in front of the China Men's Basketball Team, head coach Su Mingtao could no longer sit still.
"Feiyang, get ready!"
"It's your turn now!"
