One Year Left to Play-Chapter 73 - 23: Clocking Out at Halftime?
After the first half of the 20-minute game, Team B narrowly kept their lead at 9 points, entering halftime with a 44-35 lead.
When halftime arrived, Coach Seus informed Zhang Hao that he might not play in the second half.
It wasn’t because of any issues or targeting, but because Zhang Hao had already brilliantly showcased his strengths. He made 5 out of 7 mid-range shots in the first half, had a beautiful fast-break dunk, and an effective layup in a set play, showcasing his shooting ability and off-ball skills.
A performance of 14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal was outstanding.
Team B was able to seize the initiative quickly at the start because of his strong mid-range shot, which allowed for a real tactical play. Otherwise, they’d have to rely on individual ability like Team A, which couldn’t achieve such a huge opening lead. In high school games, individual ability is indeed crucial, but when the players from both teams don’t differ significantly in personal skills, the team that can execute plays showcases a completely different level of team strength.
Therefore, in the eyes of Seus, an NBA retired star, Zhang Hao’s performance was good enough, and others should have a chance to shine.
Zhang Hao didn’t object to this, because it was the truth, and he couldn’t achieve more than that.
When he’s on the court, he only has one task to focus on, and that’s shooting!
Seus made this decision based on Team B’s clear lead.
If they won, even if Zhang Hao didn’t play in the second half, his opening performance would still be seen as the key to Team B’s victory today.
But going into the second half, Marbury and Kobe, who returned to the court, launched a counterattack frenzy!
Zhang Hao sat out to rest, but Bibi and Garnett didn’t. They played with Corey Benjamin, Rodney Buford, and Calvin Booth.
Zhang Hao had already greatly showcased his strengths, particularly his invincible high school-level mid-range shots, but Bibi and Garnett’s abilities hadn’t been fully displayed, so they needed to keep playing.
Moreover, Zhang Hao’s brilliance was dazzling; he wasn’t all-round, but his most outstanding point was indeed too prominent.
Without Zhang Hao’s mid-range shots, which were far better than others, Team B’s overall offensive ability weakened sharply. When Kobe and Marbury returned to the court with renewed determination, learning from Tim Berners how to handle the ball calmly, making good use of their individual skills, and drawing experience from failure, Team A genuinely suppressed Team B at the beginning of the second half!
This exposed Garnett’s problem: when the team was performing well, he could use his excellent abilities on both ends to make the team better.
However, when things weren’t going well, Garnett couldn’t turn the situation around, nor could he provide the team with a stabilizing force, which is his characteristic.
Kobe, who suffered humiliation in the first half, calmed down at the start of the second half and attacked furiously, paired with Marbury’s penetration and distribution strategy, over 9 minutes, Team A went on a 22-14 run, finally forcing Team B to call a timeout!
Seus watched Kobe on the opposing side, absolutely incredulous!
That move—it was as if he saw the rookie Michael Jordan from ten years ago!
To describe it in Zhang Hao’s words: one word—spiritual!
Zhang Hao watched Kobe’s performance, truly intimidated! It was a powerful display of what it means to be unstoppable in the high school stage!
Although Kobe previously attempted to emulate Bibi’s playstyle clumsily, after Tim Berners showed the correct way to approach the game, Kobe swiftly exhibited it even more strongly because his skills far exceeded Tim Berners. His 193cm height alone was something Tim Berners couldn’t match.
Within just over 7 minutes, Kobe scored 9 points and made 2 assists, raising his personal score to 16 points, surpassing Zhang Hao’s previous game-high of 14 points!
Zhang Hao distinctly felt Kobe’s spirituality. If Garnett was limited by his teammates’ skills, limited by the degree of team play, limited by... several aspects wherein his overall ability could only reach 60-70%, then Kobe certainly fully or even over-fulfilled his ability!
What it means to have the ability to raise the ceiling, Zhang Hao clearly sensed it from Kobe!
Bibi discovered himself falling behind against Kobe, who was nearly two years younger!
Though knowing that guy’s prowess, having experienced it in practice, Team B didn’t expect Bibi to completely fall behind.
This was hard to accept.
For a moment, Team B turned their gaze onto Zhang Hao.
They had done their best, trying everything, like utilizing Raheem’s cut-in impact, but faced the pesky guy named O’Neal on the other side. Although he’s called Jermaine O’Neal, without the three-second defensive restriction, Little O’Neal’s rim protection in the paint was extraordinary! His 16-year-old physique was astonishingly robust!
Kobe, Odom, Little O’Neal—these three 16-year-old high schoolers left a deep impression on colleges and NBA scouts alike.
Among them was Lakers’ general manager Jerry West, who secretly came to watch the game wearing shoes and a hat.
After the Lakers were eliminated in the second round, Jerry West’s work focused on future plans. At that time, team star Eddie Jones told him about a Philly local talent named Kobe Bryant, saying he was as excellent as Anfernee Hardaway.
