The Best Point Guard-Chapter 41 - 39: [Little Sheep Su Xi Killed Us]

Su Xi’s offense shattered Coach Ellis’s plans.

The game continued.

Auburn University was still avoiding Su Xi’s defense. Levin passed the ball to Daniels and quickly started running.

Daniels went one-on-one on the wing. He had just finished his spin when Su Xi double-teamed him. He took a quick shot... CLANK.

No good.

Craig grabbed the rebound.

He passed to Su Xi.

Su Xi brought the ball past half-court and came to the top of the arc. This time, Coach Ellis demanded intense defense from Levin.

Levin lowered his center of gravity, trying to track Su Xi’s movements.

He thought Su Xi’s drives were all about power.

But the moment Su Xi jab-stepped, a powerful burst of explosiveness erupted, forcing Levin back on his heels. Su Xi quickly changed direction, baiting Levin into shifting his weight up, then seized the opportunity to spin... His spin was somewhat similar to Levin’s, leading with the upper body... which demonstrated his impressive flexibility.

Su Xi blew past Levin.

Levin’s eyes were still staring blankly in the other direction.

Su Xi drove into the paint. Kilingsworth quickly raised his arms to help on defense. Su Xi stopped short in front of him... though he slightly overshot his spot, a sign of his other underdeveloped talents.

But he quickly went into an upward pump fake.

Kilingsworth jumped.

Su Xi spun with the momentum. The move wasn’t pretty, but it was effective. He laid the ball into the basket with his left hand... SWISH!

Su Xi scored another two points.

The entire Madison Square Garden Arena erupted with excitement.

"Su! Su! Su!"

Many fans were loudly chanting Su Xi’s name.

In front of their TVs, even more fans were surprised: ’Turns out Little Sheep Su Xi’s offensive skills aren’t bad at all. His jab step even has a hint of Cameron in it, and that last spin felt like a knock-off Kobe move.’

"Has Syracuse University finally decided to unleash its secret weapon?"

Old Barry said with admiration on CBS Sports.

Jim Boham was as excited as if he’d drunk several bottles of rum. His face was flushed red with excitement as he pumped his fist and shouted towards Su Xi on the court, "Jack, great job!"

His teammates around him were the same.

After returning to the court, Su Xi had quickly become the team’s stabilizing force, a savior-like presence.

So-called leadership qualities and core status are forged in critical moments like this.

Su Xi was calm.

’I even feel a little regretful. If it weren’t for McNamara’s injury and our lack of perimeter offense, I’d still want to put all my energy on defense. Defense is my ’source of power’—my talent fusion accelerates by defending other talented players.’

’When I’m defending a talented player, they actively use their own talents. As they unleash them... it causes the talents within me to resonate with the rhythm of my active defense, increasing the fusion speed. When I’m on offense, I’m the one initiating, and the opponent is just passively defending... so it doesn’t have the same effect.’

Thanks to Su Xi’s previous diligent and active defense, he now possessed a unique strength talent in the NCAA, an above-elite explosiveness talent, and a near-elite flexibility talent.

Although his talents in other areas were still far behind, it was more than enough to handle most NCAA-level games.

Carmeron Anthony looked at Su Xi with great emotion. The better Su Xi performed on offense, the more indebted he felt. His agent, Bill Daffy, had previously told him that he would talk to Su Xi and have him focus on defense to help Cameron shoulder the defensive load.

’And Jack actually did it, sacrificing his own stats. He only brought out his offensive talent now, in this dire moment.’

Antonio was extremely moved.

But what he didn’t know was that when Bill Daffy had approached Su Xi, Su Xi didn’t have much of an advantage with his offensive talents. They had only surged recently.

Therefore, Su Xi didn’t understand Antonio’s gratitude.

’What’s all this about? I’m just playing my game, and suddenly you’re treating me like some great benefactor.’

The game continued.

The ball went to Auburn University’s Kilingsworth. Kilingsworth bumped Hakeem out of the way, but as he went for the layup, he was bothered by Antonio, who came over to help.

Su Xi crashed the paint, boxed out Robinson, and secured the rebound.

Then, Su Xi brought the ball past half-court. He used a quick crossover to get past Levin. Levin’s defense was mediocre; only his flexibility talent could be considered top-tier. He couldn’t stop Su Xi at all.

Daniels came over to help. Su Xi took one more dribble inside, then passed the ball out.

Josh Peis caught the ball and shot... a three-pointer, good.

He was a decent shooter when he had enough time to prepare.

The game continued.

Daniels drove to the basket, finally breaking Auburn University’s scoring drought.

But it was too little, too late. Once Su Xi’s devastating drives established a strategic advantage, they had to double-team him, which left other Syracuse University players open.

The offensive threat Su Xi posed to Auburn University was far greater than McNamara’s.

After being double-teamed, Su Xi passed the ball to Antonio.

Antonio’s powerful offensive firepower was unleashed.

Antonio picked apart the wing defense, scoring again and again.

Auburn University, who had previously eliminated a No. 2 seed, failed to continue their dark horse run. They were overturned by Syracuse University.

The point differential grew wider and wider.

In the end, the game became completely one-sided.

The final score was 88-62.

Syracuse University won by 26 points.

Auburn University’s run ended in the Sweet Sixteen, which was still a record for their program.

So, they had nothing to be too upset about.

In his post-game interview, Coach Ellis had high praise for Su Xi: "Their team’s number 33 changed the course of the game. He stifled our chemistry with his defense. Just when we thought he was only a defensive player, his devastating drives caught us completely off guard. He killed us."

Su Xi finished the night with a career-high 17 points, along with 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

In the NCAA, that was a superstar stat line, the stat line of a two-way superstar.

In some ways, it was even more eye-catching than Carmeron Anthony’s 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Anyone who watched the game would think that Su Xi saved the game in its moment of crisis, while Carmeron Anthony merely rode the momentum and put the icing on the cake.

Which is more important: saving the day or putting the icing on the cake?

Larry Bird believed in saving the day. After watching the game tape, he was absolutely certain that Su Xi was the point guard he wanted.

Moreover, he had already started trying to acquire a pick somewhere in the middle of the first round.

Scout Terry said that was a bit unnecessary.

Larry Bird insisted that Su Xi was a perfect fit for the Pacers and that they had to be more proactive to be safe.

At that moment, he even thought... ’Little Sheep Su Xi better not be this eye-catching from now on. If he plays this well in the Elite Eight, the Final Four... he won’t be a secret anymore.’

’At that point, we might not even be able to get him with a mid-first-round pick.’

In today’s league, there aren’t many point guards who can bang with big men down low, and who are willing and able to do the dirty work. What’s more, in this game, Su Xi also showed off his offensive talent, and his playmaking was above average as well.

Phil Jackson also watched the tape Kobe had given him.

He frowned and said nothing. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Jackson wasn’t interested in point guards.

"But we already have Fisher," Phil Jackson said. "I think Fisher is twice as good as him."

The Zen Master patted Kobe’s shoulder. "I think you and Shaq should have a good talk. You’ve already proven that together, you’re unbeatable. Why not go for a fourth, a fifth, a sixth championship?"

Kobe’s expression didn’t soften. He thought Phil Jackson was on O’Neal’s side.

"I knew you were bad at scouting rookies. I’ll go talk to Dr. Bass," Kobe said to Phil Jackson in disappointment. "You only know how to work with established superstars."

That comment struck a nerve with Phil Jackson.

Kobe at this time was blunt and outspoken, not known for his high EQ.

That was why Phil Jackson preferred the more personable and playful O’Neal.

...