score maniac

Chapter 40: Chase!

“Swish!” Six points in a row! “…Damn, here we go! This slick-haired guy is losing it!!” At that moment, fans watching the game—both on and off the court—seemed to suddenly remember something. Gu Yu wasn’t just a hot-tempered guy with a distinctive hairstyle—he was also a scoring machine who went on wild scoring runs! “Nice! That move really worked!” Before Gu Yu even had a chance to celebrate his basket, Jeter—who’d earned an assist—had already run over, giving Gu Yu a light pat on the back, beaming with joy. “No kidding—it was a play devised by a top coach, after all! Haha!” Cousins was thrilled too, even though he hadn’t racked up any stats during these past few offensive possessions. But more than stats, this big guy seemed to enjoy the feeling of being part of a close-knit group of like-minded teammates working together. “Hey, do you guys think game developers look at advanced stats—like how many successful screens or indirect assists—when they assign us stats?” Whiteside was still completely fixated on his in-game stats. “They do. Those stats reflect your offensive and defensive awareness.” Kasbi was clearly a gaming enthusiast himself, and he actually started discussing the topic with Whiteside with a straight face. “Stop all the chatter—focus on defense!” Only Gu Yu, who had just scored, remained unusually calm, his eyes fixed intently on the scoreboard high above the center of the court. “Fifteen more points!” …Huh? When he said that, the rest of the Kings players on the court were taken aback. Fifteen points left? What does that mean? Gu… could he actually be planning a comeback? That can’t be possible! “Hey… hey, hey, hey, Yu!” Over in the press box, a sharp-eared reporter caught Gu Yu’s remark as he walked by. Immediately, a mocking smile spread across his face, and he nudged Yu Chenyi with his elbow: “Did you hear that? That slick-haired guy from your team seems to still be thinking about a comeback!” “That’s a slicked-back hairstyle!” Yu Chenyi shot the fellow reporter a withering glance, but when her eyes turned to Gu Yu, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of worry. Although his resume suggested Gu Yu hadn’t experienced many high-stakes situations in his life, and there was nothing in his background to suggest he possessed a fighting spirit, But that remark just now had given Yu Chenyi a new perspective on Gu Yu. He’s not giving up even now…? A 15-point deficit isn’t huge, but it’s not small either. If this were a regular-season battle for seeding or a do-or-die playoff game, it would be understandable for the players not to give up. But right now, this is just a Summer League game—is it really worth fighting that hard? Gu Yu… Watching Gu Yu defend with all his might on the court, only to be cleanly beaten by a crossover from his opponent, Deron Washington, who then easily scored a layup, Yu Chenyi fell deep in thought. Just how badly do you want to win…? “Damn it, what an idiot I am…!” Frustrated by his poor defense, Gu Yu lashed out at himself, slapping his palm hard and shaking his head in utter despair. “It’s okay, it’s okay. We’ll make up for it on offense!” Jeter was secretly a little surprised, but he didn’t say much on the surface. He exchanged glances with the others and read the same message in their eyes that he had in his own mind: Gu wants to win. So, we… “Let’s mount a comeback…!” “Go on the offensive! Get ‘Hairstyle Guy’ another shot!” On the sidelines, the fans began to cheer as well. Seeing that Gu Yu was on a roll, many urged the Kings to keep feeding him the ball. Watch closely! Bucks head coach Skiles had completely composed himself this time; his eyes didn’t wander anywhere—he was fixed intently on Gu Yu. He had to uncover the secret behind his sudden disappearance on the court! “Screen!” Starting with another weak-side screen, Gu Yu cut along the baseline toward the strong side. The moment he got behind Cousins, his cousin’s towering frame completely blocked Gu Yu from view. That was the turning point! The Bucks players realized this too—Cousins’ second screen made Gu Yu vanish from everyone’s view for just a split second. Since Gu Yu was now at the baseline, almost behind the basket, he was in the blind spot of every Bucks player, making his next move nearly impossible to predict. And then… “Sun! Sweet spot!” As soon as Delon Washington called out the warning, Sun Yue had already started moving. This time, he wasn’t going to sit back and wait for disaster—instead, he took the initiative, charging straight toward Gu Yu’s sweet spot. I’ll cut off your path early and leave you with nowhere to go! Third screen! “It’s Whiteside—he’s going to block our view again!” Over in the press box, reporters were analyzing the Kings’ tactics. With his towering height and long arms—like Liu Bei—Whiteside would once again block the view of Gu Yu’s small frame, making him vanish from sight. Great defense! Some also noticed Sun Yue’s early positioning and couldn’t help but silently applaud him. No matter how many screens they set or how bizarre their movements are, won’t they ultimately have to feed the ball to “Greasy Hair” anyway? So if I just get into position ahead of time at “Greasy Hair’s” shooting spot, doesn’t that take the wind out of his sails? However “He’s not here…?!?” Sun Yue timed his move perfectly, arriving at Gu Yu’s sweet spot and waiting for a while, but Gu Yu was nowhere to be seen. Isn’t this his sweet spot? Why isn’t he coming? Could I have been tricked? Is Cousins driving to the basket on his own this time??? “…Phew!” The sound of a basketball cutting through the air came from behind the backboard. In an instant, many reporters were reminded of the astonishing feat Gu Yu had pulled off two days earlier against the Timberwolves. “Th-that’s… a shot from behind the backboard?!!” Amid Sun Yue’s gasp, the ball soared from behind Cousins, heading straight for the top corner of the backboard. After clearing the rim’s top edge, it spun noticeably and paused, then moved forward just a fraction before “…Whoosh!” it crashed to the floor! Three seconds later, just as the referee was urging the Bucks to take the baseline inbounds pass quickly, all around the court “... Whoosh—!!!” A roar erupted from all around the court! “The… the vanishing shooter…!” Bucks head coach Skiles had fully confirmed it. He leaned back so hard he nearly fell out of his chair, shook his head slightly, and muttered to himself, “It’s Carlisle’s play—the same one the Philadelphia 76ers used against us last year: the Vanishing Shooter…!!” And it was an advanced version, with a variety of shooting spots! “15 points!” Gu Yu clenched his jaw, high-fiving Cousins as he retreated on defense, his eyes still fixed intently on the scoreboard. It wasn’t until he saw Sun Yue running toward him, looking completely dejected, that he spoke up: “Senior, when we get back to Milwaukee, be sure to say hello to Boykins for me!” …What on earth was that supposed to mean? Sun Yue was momentarily taken aback, completely baffled by Gu Yu’s remark. By the time he realized Gu Yu was referring to Boykins having scored from that same angle, the Bucks’ hurried offensive possession had already come to an end. “That rebound’s mine!!” Whiteside grabbed the rebound again, and the Kings settled back into their half-court offense. As soon as Gu Yu started cutting, he immediately drew the defensive attention of both Sun Yue and Washington—one guarding the sweet spot, the other positioned behind the basket. Gu Yu, however, came to an abrupt stop two steps inside the three-point line at the right 45-degree angle. “Whoosh!” Jeter’s pass arrived in an instant. Gu Yu’s catching position was so unexpected that it completely threw the Bucks’ entire defense into disarray. “Block him! Aaaaaah—!!!” Skiles leaped up in a rage, his tie nearly snapping. If the rules hadn’t prohibited it, he would have charged forward and kicked Gu Yu to the ground. The Bucks players snapped out of their daze as well; Larry Sanders even let go of Cousins, taking a giant stride forward with one hand raised high in an attempt to block the shot. Unfortunately, it was already too late. “Whoosh…!” By the time the ball left his hands, the basket in front of Gu Yu had already been completely blocked by Sanders’ massive hand. But at his feet, the green ring—which had moved there at his command—kept flickering with a faint glow. After taking the shot, Gu Yu landed, didn’t even glance at the rim, and turned to walk away. As the basketball flew through the air, skimming just above the tips of Sanders’ fingers, the latter even futilely reached out with his other hand and swung it forcefully, desperately trying to alter the ball’s trajectory mid-air. Cousins, Whiteside, Jeter, Kasbi, Sun Yue, Washington, Skiles, Yu Chenyi, the reporters, the fans, and Tyreke Evans—who had returned to the players’ tunnel at some point and was now staring at the scene on the court in utter shock… Everyone’s gaze was fixed on that orange basketball; their eyes followed its path, and deep down, they prayed incessantly. Some hoped it would go in, some hoped it wouldn’t, and some even hoped it would explode on the spot, with a demon leaping out to turn around and swallow that cocky, slick-haired guy in one gulp. But fate had already been sealed. “Only 13 points left.” Gu Yu said softly. “…Swish!”