SOD | Chapter 89

At that moment, something flew past Nie Chuan’s head. He turned around and saw Larvin, smiling, with his left hand in his pocket, looking at him.

“Your fame is growing more and more. Whenever sports reporters mention Reese Redington, they have to mention you now.”

“Larvin! You actually came?”

“Of course. After playing so much basketball with you over the Christmas break, I had to come see how much you’ve improved.”

“So, what did the reporters say about me?” Nie Chuan asked nervously.

After all, Reese was so outstanding.

“They said Reese was once a shining solo star, but now he’s different—he’s more versatile because of you. You’re easily in the top five in the league for speed and controlling the pace of the game. Your presence hasn’t overshadowed his brilliance; instead, it’s enhanced his advantages on the court.”

Larvin spoke smoothly, clearly having read that column several times.

“Is that so? Well, that’s a relief!” Nie Chuan patted his chest.

Larvin shook his head helplessly. “Look at you, acting so unsure. When the top 64 starts, you’ll shine even brighter.”

“Thanks.” Nie Chuan awkwardly rubbed his nose.

“Thanks for what?” Larvin asked with a smile.

“Of course, thanks for encouraging me!”

“I wasn’t encouraging you. I was just making sure I know my opponent,” Larvin responded with a grin.

“…I thought we were friends,” Nie Chuan mumbled.

“Don’t give me that. Just because we’re opponents doesn’t mean we can’t be friends,” Larvin said as he threw an arm around Nie Chuan’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s go get something good to eat!”

“Sure, no problem!”

But just as Nie Chuan took a few steps, his shirt collar was yanked back.

That move—only Reese could do that to him.

Nie Chuan turned around and saw Reese, his face a bit darker. Although he didn’t fully understand why Reese was upset, he explained, “Larvin came to cheer me on! I’m taking him out for a meal!”

“He didn’t come to cheer you on. He came to analyze his opponent,” Reese replied coldly.

Nie Chuan was speechless. Analyzing the opponent was one thing.

Larvin, seeing Reese’s reaction, shook his head. “Alright, alright! Reese, you’re watching Allen a bit too closely. I’m not going to steal him away to our side! He’s loyal to you!”

After that, Larvin patted the back of his head and left with his teammates.

Reese walked over to Nie Chuan. “The team Larvin’s on is already in the top 64.”

“So we’re going to face them?”

“According to the groupings, he’ll probably face Sethston Lind and his team, AZU, first.”

“Oh…”

March Madness was just around the corner, and Coach Gordon and the assistant coaches started analyzing the strengths of the other teams in the top 64.

In his free time, Nie Chuan often watched the game footage of strong teams like CBU and AZU.

His imitation of Sethston’s ball control was becoming more and more similar. Although he sometimes still struggled with his ball placement, there were moments when he could even fake out Reese. For Nie Chuan, “know yourself and your enemy, and you will never lose a battle.” The more he could imitate Sethston’s moves, the better he could predict his opponent’s next move.

As the finals approached, Nie Chuan became more and more nervous.

He knew that for many students, the dream of entering college was to play in the NCAA, let alone the finals. How lucky he was to make it this far. But more than luck, Nie Chuan wanted to reach even greater heights.

He turned to Reese and hugged him tightly. For some reason, he suddenly felt a little anxious. If it weren’t for basketball, he would never have met Reese. And every mistake he made in a game could lead to a total loss.

“Xiao Chuan, why aren’t you asleep yet?” Reese’s fingers gently massaged the back of Nie Chuan’s head.

“I’m nervous. More nervous than the college entrance exam,” Nie Chuan admitted.

“Then don’t worry too much about the outcome. Just enjoy the time we’re spending together. You know, many NBA stars think the biggest regret about entering the NBA is that they can never return to school.”

“It sounds like I’m going to enter the NBA,” Nie Chuan laughed softly.

“You have the ability. The other day, when I was talking to the sports reporter, he told me that some teams are already interested in you, and they’re still watching you. After the league ends, you might receive a lot of invitations and offers.”

“Reese, you’re really good at comforting people.” Nie Chuan snuggled closer to him.

“When the time comes, wherever you choose to go, I’ll go with you.”

“Ah, we’re going to stick together, huh?” Nie Chuan pretended to complain.

“Of course. Didn’t you see the sports reporters’ comments? In terms of speed, strength, and technical compatibility, we’re the perfect duo. Only when we’re together can we fully bring out each other’s potential.”

“Mm.”

When Coach Gordon announced the groupings, Nie Chuan felt a bit uneasy.

According to the groupings, if DK played to their usual level, making it to the top 16 was no problem. But from here on out, everything would be difficult.

If Coach Gordon’s predictions were correct, they would face Reese’s team, KSU, for the top four spot. After that, if they reached the finals, they would either face Larvin’s team, UFR, or Sethston Lind’s team, AZU.

That night, Nie Chuan received a call from Larvin: “Ha ha, looks like I’ll face Sethston Lind first!”

“Well then, Larvin, good luck.”

“Allen, winning in the end isn’t enough, strength is crucial,” Larvin’s voice had a hint of amusement. “And in the next twenty days, there will be sixty-seven games, and there’s no turning back after each one. This is your first time in this kind of competition, so I hope your mindset stays as good as it was during the regular season.”

“Thanks, I always get nervous before a game. But once I’m on the court, I forget everything,” Nie Chuan replied.

“It’s heaven, fulfilling your dreams and gaining fame. It’s also hell, where failure means exiting this magnificent stage, from being a participant to a spectator. All the joys and sorrows lie within it. After last year’s competition ended, I felt like I’d been through a whole life,” Larvin said.

“Then Larvin, if there’s any regret from last life, make sure to fix it this time,” Nie Chuan said.

“Of course!”

When the call ended, Nie Chuan turned around and saw Reese.

“When did you and Larvin become so close? He not only came to watch your game but even called you?” Reese asked.

“That was during Christmas! We studied Sethston Lind together, and our bond became very strong!” Nie Chuan answered.

Nie Chuan thought for a moment, then suddenly understood. “Reese, are you thinking nonsense?”

Reese pressed his hand gently on Nie Chuan’s neck and answered calmly, “Thinking nonsense is your specialty, not mine.”

Time passed faster than Nie Chuan expected, and the first match after entering the top 64 had arrived.

As a seeded team, DK’s first match wasn’t against the toughest opponent, but anyone who made it to the top 64 could not be underestimated.

From this moment on, every match had to be flawless. This wasn’t a ranking game but an elimination tournament.

Comebacks were common, so unless the final whistle blew, no lead was safe.

For a ticket to the finals, Nie Chuan had seen rows of tents in front of the sports hall. Many fans were camping out overnight to buy tickets.

When Nie Chuan curiously went to take a look, he was recognized.

“Look! That’s DK’s point guard, Nie Chuan!”

“Nie Chuan, keep going!”

“Hey, brother, DK is going to win the championship this year!”

Nie Chuan stood there stunned. He never expected to be recognized among so many people. He thought that without his jersey, he would just be another ordinary Chinese student. And wasn’t it said that people can’t tell apart faces of Easterners? But they not only recognized him but even called out his Chinese name clearly.

To be fair, even Carlo still called him “Niqin”…

“Thank you! I’ll do my best!” Nie Chuan flashed a V sign at them.

Laughter filled the air.

This sense of recognition gave Nie Chuan’s effort new meaning.

Soon, the first match of the finals arrived.

When Nie Chuan and his teammates got off the bus, countless fans rushed over, and the flashes from the sports reporters’ cameras were blinding. Nie Chuan instinctively turned his face away. He had never imagined such a scene. It was like an NBA superstar going out. The security personnel at the stadium kept the fans at a distance.

As Nie Chuan looked up, another round of camera flashes went off.

He could see the name “Reese” raised high among the crowd, and not far off, he saw the banner held up by Chinese international students: “Nie Chuan, you’re our pride!”

His eyes started to sting.

Nie Chuan’s phone buzzed. It was a text from Zhou Bin: “Mao Xian and I are inside, brother, go for it!”

Nie Chuan’s heart started racing, and he exhaled deeply.

The commentators for this match included former NBA star Robert, professional commentator Ingrid, and analyst Espenson.

The atmosphere was so intense that Nie Chuan felt like he was being overwhelmed before even taking his first step.

The excitement was almost suffocating, like the fans’ enthusiasm had evaporated all the oxygen in the air.

Ewin slapped Nie Chuan on the back. “Hey, Nie Chuan, relax. The first game is still one we’re highly likely to win.”

“Mm.” Even so, with so many reporters and fans in the arena, and the game being broadcast live, the pressure multiplied for Nie Chuan.

Less than thirty minutes before the game started, Coach Gordon gathered everyone for the final pre-game briefing.

“No matter how well we’ve done in the regular season, this is the real battlefield. We won three consecutive championships, and the media and fans called us kings. But somewhere along the way, our team started to decline, lingering in the top 16 for several years. Our best result last year was making it to the elite eight. This year, we need to show everyone the kings are back. The championship is ours. Understand?”

Coach Gordon’s expression was stern and serious.

He had never given such a forceful pre-game talk before.

“Understood!” The team responded in unison.

Coach Gordon barked, “Did you guys not eat? I can’t hear you!”

“Understood!”

The players’ voices were raised an octave.

Coach Gordon nodded in satisfaction.

As the team made their final adjustments, Reese handed a chocolate bar to Nie Chuan. “Eat this.”

“I’ve quit eating chocolate!” Nie Chuan smiled.

“When you eat chocolate, you won’t think about the fans or the flashing lights,” Reese said.

Nie Chuan laughed. As expected of Reese, he could tell how nervous he was.

“Alright,” Nie Chuan took the chocolate, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

He was about to lower his head to check his shoelaces when Reese came in front of him, kneeled down, and tightened his laces.

Nie Chuan’s face turned red immediately. With so many people watching, this was so blatant!

Sure enough, the fans started shouting.

“Reese! A lot of people are watching!” Nie Chuan tried to move his foot, but Reese held his ankle in place.

“Don’t think about others. Don’t care about how they look at you. This is our game,” Reese said, looking up at him, his gaze steady as always. Nie Chuan’s nervousness settled under that gaze.

“Right, this is our game.”

Nothing else mattered.

“Look at Carlo. He’s been in the finals before, and he still gets nervous,” Nie Chuan said.

He turned to look at Carlo, sitting on a chair, slapping his knee with his left hand, his right leg shaking uncontrollably. He was trying to control it, but it was still quite funny.

Nie Chuan couldn’t help but laugh.

Carlo looked over, confused. “Nie Chuan, what are you laughing at?”

“Nothing. Hey, you’ve learned to pronounce my Chinese name too?”

“Ewin can pronounce it clearly, and I have way better language skills than that guy!”

“You might as well admit that ever since you figured out some pattern, you’ve been secretly practicing how to say Nie Chuan’s name,” Ewin teased, ready to spill Carlo’s secret.

“What pattern?” Nie Chuan asked, curious.