Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 459: Shizi Dogs vs. Yin Yang Knights (4)

The tension increased further as the second quarter pushed forward.

The Shizi Dogs, despite having the edge during the first half, were now struggling to keep the game under the control.

Coach Guanyu, observing from the sidelines, shook his head with a small smile.

"I knew it," he muttered under his breath, his eyes fixed on the court. "You may have good teammates now, Yuze, but they’re not perfect."

Yuze felt his father’s gaze, causing his jaw to tighten. Even though he couldn’t read his mind, he already had a hunch what his dad was thinking about from the look of his face.

Despite the improvements they’d made over the season, the Shizi Dogs weren’t without their flaws. It was clear now more than ever. Even though they had come so far, this wasn’t going to be easy.

With a sigh, Yuze signalled to Lina and Coach Muchen for a substitution. Coach nodded and called in a quick swap, sending one of their backup guards into the game while Jinping took a seat on the bench.

Jinping sighed as he downed his water. "Sorry," he muttered. "I can’t play without fouling that guy."

Lina pursed her lips and nodded. She wanted to say it was okay; but it truly wasn’t. They couldn’t afford to make mistakes in the semi-finals.

Despite the calm demeanor Yuze tried to project, Kai could see that something was bothering him.

Kai took a deep breath, focusing back to the court. Max stood in front of him, his gaze observing each and every one of Kai’s movement.

Kai knew Max well enough.

They had faced each other before, and though Max was undoubtedly skilled, there was something about today that felt different. No—Kai had surpassed him. And he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

Jimmy, who had been watching the game with narrowed eyes, found himself growing more tense with every play. His sunglasses, which he had kept on to shield himself from having to care too much, were now resting on the bench beside him.

He leaned forward, squinting at the court as he watched Kai pull off yet another precise move, weaving past Max and sinking a mid-range jumper.

A chill ran down Jimmy’s spine. He couldn’t explain it, but there was something almost eerie about how Kai was playing today.

The way he moved, the way he controlled the ball—it was chilling. Jimmy turned to the person beside him, who had noticed him watching with uncharacteristic intensity.

"I thought you didn’t want to watch the game," Kimmy teased.

Jimmy scowled, crossing his arms defensively. "Shut up. I never said that."

"You sure about that?" his sister smirked.

"They’re not going to win," Jimmy said, sounding more confident. "I don’t agree with you."

"What do you mean?"

Jimmy leaned back in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he watched the players on the court. "Desperation doesn’t take you anywhere. Teamwork does. And it’s obvious that the Yin Yang Knights are better. Why? Experience.

They’ve got two years of experience in the Nationals. This isn’t new to them."

Jimmy’s words struck a chord. He wasn’t wrong. The Yin Yang Knights had been here before, and their confidence reflected that. This wasn’t their first time under this kind of pressure. They knew how to handle it. The Shizi Dogs, on the other hand, were still relatively new to this level of competition.

And for this game? It showed.

Down on the court, the Shizi Dogs’ players were starting to feel the heaviness of the situation. Kun, who had subbed in for Andy, looked nervous. His hands fumbled slightly as he handled the ball, his usual sharp passes now just a little too shaky. Renren, usually the calm and collected point guard, was making small errors—hesitations that weren’t typical of him.

And Jet, who had just entered the game, was struggling to find his rhythm.

The result? Mistakes. Costly ones.

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The Yin Yang Knights, seeing the cracks in the Dogs’ defense, pounced on every opportunity. Fabin, with his methodical play, led the charge, slicing through the defense with quick passes to Yutong and Shin. Before the Dogs could catch their breath, the Knights had closed the gap. What was once a solid lead for the Dogs had now turned into a tied game.

By the second half of the second quarter, the score was locked at 40-40.

Kai shook his head in frustration as he watched the scoreboard. It felt like the momentum was slipping away from them, and he hated that feeling. They had been ahead.

Kai glanced over at Yuze, who was breathing heavily with a masked pained expression. Yuze still looked calm, though. Too calm. Kai found himself wondering what was going through his captain’s mind. There was something about Yuze’s expression that made him curious.

For a brief moment, Yuze’s eyes shifted toward the Yin Yang Knights, and Kai followed his gaze. Yuze was looking at someone—his father. Coach Guanyu sat there, his arms crossed and his face unreadable.

Kai felt a strange pang in his chest. This wasn’t his game to win. Not entirely. As much as he wanted to take control and to carry the team on his back, there was something deeper at play here for Yuze.

Kai could sense it. Read latest chapters at novelbuddy

Yuze was fighting for more than just a spot in the finals.

Yuze met Kai’s eyes for a brief second, offering a small nod. It was a silent message—a reassurance, maybe. But Kai could feel it. For Yuze, this game wasn’t just about basketball. It was about proving something.

To his father.

To himself.

To everyone.

Kai clenched his fists, feeling empathetic to their team captain. Yuze was going to give this game everything he had. No matter the outcome, he was going to leave it all on the court.

But as the second quarter wore on, the Shizi Dogs were starting to feel the pressure. The Knights weren’t giving them any room to breathe.

The Dogs’ inexperience was beginning to show, and the mistakes were piling up.