The referee tossed the ball high into the air, and the ga began.
Roo King and Dong Chen leaped simultaneously for the tip-off, their builds and heights strikingly similar.
It was a clean jump, but Roo's fingers grazed the ball first, tipping it toward Julian. The USA team had possession, and the crowd roared with anticipation.
anwhile, Grandma Bingbing had brought out her amulets, murmuring what seed like spells under her breath.
"What are you doing, Grandma?" Aiden asked, his mouth filled with the second hotdog bun.
She closed her eyes and continued muttering nonsense under her breath.
"How are you going to watch the ga with your eyes closed?" he asked, finding it amusing.
Kai, standing at the half-court line, took a deep breath. His heart pounded as he scanned the court.
He felt like he was back in the Interhigh Nationals. However, this ti, it was much more intense. A hundred tis so.
Even if he had improved drastically throughout the gas, this was still his first Global Gas.
Roo King wasted no ti setting up a screen for Steven Murr. His movents were so polished—one that Team China wasn't used to. Steven took the ball from Julian and dribbled to the left, passing through China's defense like water slipping through cracks.
Dong Chen imdiately rushed to block Steven, but Roo was already cutting back to the center.
"Switch!" Marcus shouted, moving to cover Roo.
Steven, anticipating the defensive change, passed the ball back to Roo without even glancing his way. Their teamwork left the Chinese defense scrambling to catch up.
Well, they had even more experience than Marcus, so they played together naturally.
Roo drove toward the basket, his powerful fra bulldozing through Dong's resistance.
He leaped, the ball held high, and slamd it into the hoop with a ferocious dunk.
The crowd erupted, and the scoreboard lit up.
0-2.
Kai wiped his hands on his jersey, trying to calm the sweat forming on his palms. He positioned himself for the inbound pass, but his mind raced.
It was also his first ti playing with the black hole system, and although he felt significantly stronger, it was difficult to act upon it.
Jian inbounded the ball to Marcus, who dribbled cautiously up the court. Marcus signaled for a pick-and-roll, with Kai stepping forward to set the screen.
As Marcus moved around Kai, the USA's defense shifted.
Liam Garcia, the three-point champion, darted in to disrupt the play. His quick hands swiped at the ball, but Marcus managed to hold on and passed it to Jian, who was cutting toward the basket.
Jian took a dribble, but before he could make his move, Julian appeared out of nowhere. With a cocky smirk, Julian reached in and stole the ball cleanly, leaving Jian stunned.
"Nice try, rookie," Julian said as he sprinted toward the other end of the court.
Kai chased after him, his legs pumping as he tried to close the distance. Julian, however, was already setting up for a mid-range jumper. He rose effortlessly and released the ball.
The swish of the net was all the confirmation needed.
0-4
China's bench was silent. Marcus glanced at his teammates, reading the tension in their eyes. He clapped his hands, trying to rally them.
"Let's focus," he said firmly. "We're just getting started."
Dong nodded, determination replacing the frustration in his expression. "We've got this."
The ga resud, and Marcus managed to find an opening. He drove to the basket, dodging William Jones, and sank a smooth three-pointer from the top of the arc.
The crowd erupted in cheers, and the scoreboard updated: 4-3.
William Jones calmly took control of the ball. His composure was unnerving, not even bothered that the gap was only one point.
He directed his teammates with one look.
Liam Garcia found himself open on the right wing. William's pass was sharp and precise, hitting Liam squarely in the hands.
Without hesitation, Liam launched a three-pointer. The ball arced high, and the crowd collectively held its breath.
Swish.
3-7.
William smirked. It didn't matter if Team China closed the gap. They would find a way to widen it once more.
Kai gritted his teeth. This wasn't going to be easy. He adjusted his stance, trying to read the USA's movents. Steven Murr was already on the move, and his speed and agility created chaos in China's defense.
Steven faked a drive to the basket, drawing Dong out of position, and passed the ball back to Roo, who was cutting in from the left.
Roo caught the ball mid-stride, his montum carrying him toward the hoop. He went up for the dunk, but Dong recovered quickly, leaping to contest the shot.
The collision was intense, but Roo powered through, slamming the ball into the net.
3-9.
China tried to chase after the gap, but the USA's defense was suffocating.
Marcus attempted another three-pointer, but Liam was there, his hand inches from the ball as it left Marcus's fingertips. The shot bounced off the rim, and Steven snagged the rebound.
He sprinted down the court with Jian hot on his heels. Steven slowed just enough to draw Jian closer before spinning away.
The crowd gasped as Steven launched a no-look pass to Roo, who caught it with one hand and laid it in gracefully.
3-11.
Julian, ever the opportunist, intercepted another pass intended for Dong. He smirked confidently as he dribbled leisurely toward the basket.
Kai stepped up to challenge him, his eyes locked on Julian's every movent.
Julian feigned left and drove right, his speed catching Kai off guard. His heart skipped a beat when he realized he was playing with the reincarnation of Jonathan Samson.
He rose for a jumper, the ball sailing cleanly through the net.
3-13.
Liam Garcia continued his sharpshooting, sinking another two-pointer from the corner.
3-15.
The first three minutes of the ga were a nightmare for China.
Kai looked at the five starting players of the opposing team and found it hard to breathe. He had studied them before, admiring how great they were in the sport he loved.
However, with what he knew, what could he do if they were better than him?
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