The Best Point Guard-Chapter 35: It’s Actually This Simple

During the full-team practice, Su Xi was assigned to the reserve squad.

Anthony and McNamara were both surprised, but Su Xi remained calm.

This left Coach Jim Boham feeling a bit frustrated. He had made this arrangement hoping Su Xi would complain or show some dissatisfaction. Then, Boham could naturally step in to "placate" him, telling him not to get ahead of himself and fantasize about the NBA.

Hit them with the stick, then offer the carrot.

It was how experienced coaches manipulated their players.

But Su Xi was completely obedient, without the slightest complaint.

This put Jim Boham on the back foot. He worried Su Xi’s "silence" meant his mind was already made up.

So, after the practice ended, he casually walked over to Su Xi. "How does it feel to be on the bench?" he asked.

Su Xi said, "I follow the coach’s arrangements."

There wasn’t a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone.

He didn’t fight or vie for a spot. To him, it didn’t matter whether he was a starter or a substitute. What was important was facing off against talented players who could accelerate his talent fusion.

Jim Boham felt a growing unease; he really couldn’t figure Su Xi out. In the past, renowned NCAA coaches like him would handle insubordinate, non-essential players by first icing them out, letting them stew in their own fear before "educating" them. The goal was to make them completely subservient.

But Su Xi wasn’t falling for it.

Jim was afraid that if he pushed too hard, their relationship would sour. Even if Su Xi couldn’t make it to the NBA, he could still transfer. There were plenty of transfer students in the NCAA. With Su Xi’s current ability, if he wanted to transfer, a ton of schools would be willing to take him.

"Jack, you’re still young. There are a lot of things you can’t grasp just yet. You need to steady yourself for now. I’m going to have you on the bench for a while. Sometimes, you can learn more about tactical thinking from the bench," Jim Boham said gently.

"Okay," Su Xi agreed.

As calm and uncomplaining as ever.

Jim Boham was at a loss.

He even felt like a child in front of Su Xi, scrambling around and putting on a show.

The kid was completely unfazed.

...

The game began, and Su Xi was not in the starting lineup.

This displeased many of the fans in attendance who had come specifically to see Little Sheep Su Xi, and some boos rang out in Madison Square Garden Arena.

Josh Peis was added to the starting lineup, and McNamara moved back to point guard.

The matchups were clear from the tip-off: McNamara was checked by Auburn University’s Steve Levin, Daniels was pitted against Josh Peis, Cameron Anthony went up against their small forward Derek Board, Hakeem was defended by Kilingsworth, and Craig was matched with Brand Robinson.

Su Xi sat on the bench, patiently and intently observing the players’ movements on both sides. He was carefully studying the overall flow of the game.

He saw McNamara being isolated by Levin’s towering frame. Levin was not only tall but also agile, with outstanding body coordination, which was why he could play point guard at his height.

Levin’s other talents were average, but he had excellent court vision. Even with McNamara defending him, he could easily pass the ball to Daniels or other players.

Daniels was Auburn University’s number one scorer, and he ate Josh Peis for lunch.

Josh Peis was just a shooter; his defense was mediocre at best.

Cameron Anthony’s one-on-one skills were formidable, and he could easily clear out the defense on the wing. Tonight, although his defender, Derek, was only six-foot-five, he was tough. He played with exceptional tenacity, fighting back again and again, posing a growing threat to Anthony.

Because Anthony was getting more and more drawn into isolation plays, he had no one to pass to, and no one was helping him draw the defense’s attention.

The team’s number two scorer, Hakeem, was shut down by Kilingsworth. This former high school prodigy’s NBA prospects might have been fading, but in the NCAA, he was practically a fusion of Ben Wallace and Rashid Wallace. His strength was immense, and he even had an outside shot—though his release was as slow as a catapult.

Syracuse University was visibly on the back foot.

They could only rely on Cameron Anthony to carry them. With Su Xi off the court, their previously fluid backcourt transitions had vanished.

Seven minutes into the first half, Syracuse University could no longer maintain the deadlock, and Auburn University seized the opportunity to pull ahead.

In fact, Anthony had already gestured to Jim Boham in the fifth minute. He wanted to ask Jim what the hell he was doing. Why wasn’t Jack on the court?

Jim was conflicted. On one hand, he believed he could control the situation without Su Xi. After all, Auburn University was only a 10-seed, while Syracuse University was a 3-seed.

He kept shuffling his players on and off the court.

But he still couldn’t stop Auburn University’s offensive onslaught.

He deliberately avoided calling Su Xi’s name but repeatedly walked past him. He hoped Su Xi would lose his composure and ask to be put in, at which point he could teach him a lesson and then quickly sub him in. However, Su Xi was perfectly calm. He showed no intention of asking to play.

He even smiled at Coach Jim and nodded.

There was even a look of gratitude in his eyes.

This made it impossible for Coach Jim to figure out what Su Xi was thinking.

Actually, Su Xi’s thoughts were very simple. He genuinely believed that Jim was keeping him on the bench to help him develop his court awareness and his grasp of tactics.

Coach Jim had been so good to him before that the thought of being "suppressed" never even crossed his mind.

Moreover, he interpreted Coach Jim’s constant player rotations and deliberate "strolls" past him as a live coaching session.