bdsm-fiction Chapter 55 Warm-up Match Debut! Defeat New Zealand
Chapter 55 Warm-up Match Debut! Defeat New Zealand
On the evening of June 15, at the Harbin Convention and Exhibition Center Gymnasium.
The city of Harbin did not quiet down as dusk fell; instead, it became even more bustling with the surging crowd inside the stadium. All twelve thousand seats were filled, and even the aisles and steps were packed with enthusiastic fans. Looking around, the entire stadium transformed into a sea of red, with the five-star red flag and banners reading "Go Lin Hao!" forming waves.
This was the Chinese men's basketball team's first warm-up game before heading to the Asian Championships, against a tough opponent from Oceania—New Zealand. But for everyone present, the real focus tonight was only one thing: Lin Hao's national team debut.
The air inside the players' tunnel was somewhat thick.
The Chinese men's basketball team's locker room had just experienced a passionate pep talk and was now in a calm before the storm. Lin Hao sat in front of a locker in the corner, not wearing headphones to listen to rock music like his teammates, nor fixing his hair in front of a mirror. He held a can of yellow peaches in his hand, the metal spoon gently tapping against the can's side, making a crisp sound.
"Don't be nervous, Haozi." Yao Ming walked over, his huge figure almost blocking the overhead lights. He reached out and patted Lin Hao's shoulder with a strong pat. "It's just a warm-up game. Just play like you would in the CBA. Don't put on any pressure."
Lin Hao looked up, smiled, and a confident smile spread across his face: "I'm not nervous, Yao Ming. I'm just... a little impatient."
He looked down at the bright red battle robe he was wearing, the five-star red flag embroidered on his chest shining brightly under the light.
"Back in the national team, I always carried the inside game alone, and we always lacked someone on the outside who could make the decisive play," Yao Ming sighed, a hint of relief in his eyes. "Now it's all right, I have a helper. From now on, we'll share this burden."
"Don't worry." Lin Hao stretched out his fist and slammed it against Yao Ming's huge hand. "From now on, with you in the paint and me on the perimeter, no one will be able to score easily against us."
"Um!"
At 7:15 p.m., the players from both sides entered the field.
When the visiting team, New Zealand, was introduced, the sparse applause seemed somewhat perfunctory. But when the DJ drawled out, "China team—number 7, Lin Hao!", the previously noisy stadium erupted instantly.
"Lin Hao! Lin Hao! Lin Hao!"
The deafening shouts nearly lifted the roof off. Lin Hao took a deep breath, strode out of the passage, and waved vigorously at the stands. At that moment, all the spotlights shone on him, as if he were the center of this sea of red.
The ceremony of playing the national anthem begins.
Lin Hao stood on the outermost edge of the first row, his right hand pressed tightly against his chest, his eyes fixed on the slowly rising five-star red flag. The stirring melody echoed in his ears, and he sang along loudly, his heart pounding.
At this moment, he is not an NBA number one draft pick, nor a playoff scoring champion; he is simply a Chinese athlete.
After the ceremony, the players from both sides shook hands.
New Zealand's star point guard, Kirk Penney, walked up to Lin Hao. The known tough shooter didn't rush to shake hands, but instead gave him a once-over, his tone carrying that characteristic Oceania roughness: "Hey, big star. I've seen your dunks in NBA highlights, they're pretty flashy. But I suggest you put those tricks away; here, fancy moves don't last past the first round."
Lin Hao stopped, turned around, and looked at him calmly, without even changing his expression: "Whether it's just for show or not, you'll know once you're on stage."
Without saying another word, he turned and walked towards the halfway point.
Penny watched Lin Hao's retreating figure, snorted coldly, and said to her teammates beside her, "Later, we'll let him taste what real competition is like."
"beep!"
The referee's whistle pierced the air, and the match officially began.
At the jump ball spot, Yao Ming and New Zealand center Max leaped simultaneously. Without a doubt, Yao Ming, with his superior height, powerfully flicked the ball towards the Chinese team's backcourt.
Lin Hao received the ball but didn't rush to advance. He dribbled the ball slowly across half-court. His composed demeanor sent a chill down the spines of the New Zealand team, who had initially intended to intimidate him.
Penny stuck to Lin Hao like a leech, pressing her entire arm firmly against his side, her every movement accompanied by subtle pulling. The referee ignored it; this was New Zealand's usual tactic—using physical confrontation to disrupt your rhythm.
Lin Hao didn't complain, nor did he lose his balance due to the contact. He dribbled at an extremely fast pace, while his eyes scanned the entire court. Suddenly, he flicked his wrist, and a bounce pass, like a precision-guided missile, flew through the gap between two defenders, accurately finding Zhu Fangyu cutting out at the right 45-degree angle.
"Whoosh!"
Zhu Fangyu caught the ball and shot it. The basketball drew a high arc in the air and went in cleanly!
3 is better than 0!
The entire venue erupted in cheers.
"Great shot! Beautiful!" the commentator shouted excitedly. "Lin Hao's vision is amazing! He managed to deliver such a perfect pass even when double-teamed!"
Humiliated, Penny's face darkened as he dribbled the ball up the court. He decided to teach this arrogant rookie a lesson himself. He executed a series of crossover dribbles, sudden stops and changes of direction, attempting to use the rhythm to shake off Lin Hao.
However, no matter how he changed direction, Lin Hao stuck to him like a shadow. Even when Penny nudged Lin Hao's ribs with her elbow, Lin Hao only frowned slightly and didn't take a single step back.
"I can't get past him! I just can't get past him!" Penny was getting anxious and had no choice but to pass the ball to Max in the paint.
Max backed down Battier and attempted a hook shot. Battier didn't back down, leaping high to block the shot, firmly swatting the ball out of bounds!
"Defense! Defense!" The shouts from the stands were deafening.
New Zealand takes a throw-in, and Penny receives the ball, once again facing Lin Hao. This time, as soon as he starts moving, Lin Hao anticipates his passing route, swings his long arm, and intercepts the ball!
Steal!
Without pausing for a moment, Lin Hao shot out like a cannonball the instant he grabbed the ball.
Quick attack! Two against one!
Another New Zealand guard, attempting to draw a foul, stepped aside to block Lin Hao's path. Lin Hao's eyes sharpened; without slowing down, he took off from two steps away from the basket!
Take off! Hang in the air!
He held the ball with one hand, his arm muscles bulging, and completed a breathtaking tomahawk dunk in mid-air!
"Clang!"
With a loud thud, the basketball was slammed into the hoop!
5 is better than 0!
The entire stadium went absolutely wild at that moment! Fans waved national flags and roared Lin Hao's name at the top of their lungs. It was an outpouring of emotion, a release of the pent-up frustration of the Chinese men's basketball team's long-standing weakness on the perimeter.
Penny stood there, watching the figure who had slammed the ball over his head, his face extremely grim.
The rest of the game fell entirely under Lin Hao's control. Unlike traditional point guards who are obsessed with scoring, he was more like a commander who controlled the overall situation. He knew when to pass the ball to Yao Ming in the paint, when to pass it to Li Nan in the corner, and when to finish the game himself.
At the end of the first quarter, the Chinese team led 28-15.
When Lin Hao went to the bench for a rest, his stats showed: 8 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals. He didn't have a single turnover.
In the second quarter, the New Zealand team launched a fierce counterattack, pressing the entire court and trying to wear down Lin Hao with high-intensity physical contact.
But this played right into Lin Hao's hands. When the opponent thought he would pass the ball, he turned on his personal scoring mode instead. Pull-up three-pointers after screens, folding layups after drives... 13 points in a single quarter, instantly widening the gap to over 20 points.
Halftime score: 56-36.
During the halftime performance, Zhang Qingying appeared in the center of the court in a red dress. As the music began, she sang the Asian Championships theme song, "Charge." Then, at the climax of the chorus, Lin Hao walked onto the stage carrying his iconic suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument).
"Beep—beep beep—"
The powerful, penetrating sound of the suona instantly drowned out the noise of the entire venue. The sound wasn't like a musical instrument; it was more like a battle horn. Zhang Qingying's clear, ethereal voice intertwined with Lin Hao's soaring, passionate suona, igniting the passion in every Chinese person.
"For the glory of our motherland, we fight side by side!"
The entire audience stood up and sang along, their voices rising in waves.
In the second half, New Zealand attempted a comeback, narrowing the gap to 10 points at one point. But whenever the situation was critical, Lin Hao always stepped up. A crucial steal and a composed three-pointer extinguished the opponent's hopes once again.
The final whistle blew, 98-83.
林昊全场出战28分钟，12投7中，狂砍28分10助攻3抢断。
After the match, the New Zealand coach approached Lin Hao and shook his hand sincerely: "Lin, I apologize to you. Before the match, I thought you were just a flashy star. Now I take back what I said. You are the most terrifying defender I have ever seen. With you on the team, China will be a nightmare for Asia."
In the locker room, Lin Hao was splashed with mineral water by his teammates.
"Haozi, that dunk was so satisfying!" Zhu Fangyu laughed and punched him.
Lin Hao wiped the water from his face, picked up his phone, and saw it was filled with congratulatory text messages from relatives and friends back home. But he didn't reply; instead, he opened the game recording.
"Don't just laugh," Lin Hao pointed at the screen. "The defensive rotation in the third quarter was a fraction of a second too slow, and the pass to Yao Ming could have been a little more subtle."
Zhang Qingying walked over with a cup of warm milk, looking at the focused Lin Hao with tender eyes: "You won by such a large margin, do you still want to watch the replay?"
"This is nothing." Lin Hao took the milk, took a sip, and gazed resolutely at the dark night sky outside the window. "New Zealand is just the appetizer. The real battle is yet to come."