SSD 26. Qinghuo vs Shuanglan: The Counterattack

The third quarter ended with the scoreboard frozen at 66 to 68. Not only had Qinghuo caught up, they had even pulled ahead by two points.

In that quarter alone, Qinghuo had clawed back a full 30 points. Of those, He Jiang had scored 16 by himself, including several three-pointers.

For the team, it was finally a chance to vent their frustration.

But for Xu Fanming, that last dunk from He Jiang felt like a blow to the head. He couldn’t shake the gloomy weight pressing down on his chest.

His feelings were complicated. There was a sense of relief, but even more a sense of unwillingness.

In his mind, He Jiang had always been the opponent he wanted to surpass. But ever since He Jiang had truly entered his life, and even agreed to that one-on-one match, Xu Fanming had begun to realize that his own performance was slipping more and more.

He had once been so full of confidence, so bright and bold, but in these past few games, he had been completely overshadowed. He couldn’t get into his rhythm, and no matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to bring out his full strength. The frustration kept piling up.

When Xu Fanming got nervous, he was easily swept away by his emotions. Once he lost his touch, his ability to think went with it, and all that remained was instinct. But the court wasn’t a place where instinct alone could win. It was where calm, strategic thinking mattered the most.

And now, the game had reached its most crucial turning point.

How could they turn a height disadvantage into an advantage?

“Fight from the low ground.”

During the halftime break, He Jiang looked at his teammates and suddenly spoke.

Fang Ruihan was puzzled. It was the first time he had heard the phrase, and he repeated it. “What does that mean?”

“If the high ground is their strength,” He Jiang said with a small smile, “then we make the most of the low ground. Big guys have an advantage when attacking, but they’re always half a step slower, aren’t they?”

Zhu Xuyao blinked. He was starting to catch on. “You mean…”

He Jiang turned his head and glanced at Fang Ruihan. Fang Ruihan immediately understood. He stepped forward, looked at the four teammates in front of him who were still visibly tense, and smiled as he said, “I get it. There’s one quarter left. What matters most now is breaking through Shuanglan’s defense and building on our lead.”

He looked toward He Jiang and Wen Qin, then added seriously, “Which means our guards and forwards need to work together, with precise breakthroughs and steady shooting.”

Xu Fanming stared at the floor thoughtfully, murmuring to himself, “Sharp breakthroughs… steady shooting…”

It was fair to say that He Jiang’s performance in the third quarter had done a great deal to restore the confidence of the entire Qinghuo team. In the first two quarters, they had all seen Shuanglan’s forwards as nearly unstoppable. The twin brothers’ coordination was impeccable, and their rebounding skills were top-notch. Facing opponents with such height and technique, it was hard not to feel overwhelmed.

But He Jiang had just shown everyone that those brothers weren’t invincible.

Even against the formidable Gao Nan, he had been able to charge in and steal the ball cleanly.

So the question now was—

Could the rest of them do it too?

Zhu Xuyao looked at He Jiang, then turned his gaze toward Gao Nan and Gao Dong on the opposite side of the court. A slow, amused smile curved his lips.

“Now that I’ve gotten used to them, those twins don’t seem so tall anymore.”

His words lifted the mood. The players around him relaxed, some even growing eager to get back in the game.

He Jiang stepped forward. He lifted his head and spoke with a calm voice, though a powerful determination flickered in his eyes.

“I’ve thought of a tactic we can try.”

As soon as he said it, the team perked up.

“That might actually work,” Zhu Xuyao said, visibly excited. “We should try it.”

No matter what happened, there was still one final quarter left. Their first match was nearing its conclusion.

Fang Ruihan was satisfied with how the team responded. He patted Xu Fanming’s shoulder, hooked an arm around Zhu Xuyao’s neck, and said with a smile, “Let’s go. Time to get back on the court.”

The fourth quarter began with Qinghuo taking possession. Zhu Xuyao dribbled past half court as Gao Nan came up to defend him. When Zhu Xuyao looked up, he noticed that Gao Nan’s expression had soured, as if something had gone wrong.

He quickly scanned the court. He Jiang was being guarded by Gao Dong. Fang Ruihan and Xu Fanming were positioned on either side of the paint, both closely marked. Wen Qin stood near the sideline in the least noticeable position on the court. Close to him was a Shuanglan defender in blue, stationed just two steps from He Jiang’s position. It was a clear sign they were planning to help Gao Dong with a double team if needed.

It was obvious that Qinghuo had begun to put real pressure on Shuanglan. Otherwise, Shuanglan would not have resorted to such tight, suffocating defense. Each player was locked onto an opponent, leaving no visible gaps.

But no defense is truly airtight.

The moment Wen Qin glanced his way, Zhu Xuyao lowered his stance and bounced the ball hard between Gao Nan’s legs. It was a move he had learned from He Jiang and had found surprisingly effective. The ball skidded across the floor behind Gao Nan, bounced once, and was caught by Wen Qin, who had already broken into a sprint.

The defender who had just been guarding Wen Qin rushed in to help, but Wen Qin reacted quickly and passed the ball to Xu Fanming near the key.

As soon as Xu Fanming touched the ball, adrenaline surged through him, making his fingers tremble. The opposing defender lunged forward, arms raised high in an attempt to block the shot. Xu Fanming grew even more anxious. The moment the ball reached his hands, he rushed the shot. He fixed his gaze on the hoop, bent his knees slightly, and released—

Too rushed. Did he even aim properly?

No, something was wrong.

Xu Fanming’s pupils contracted sharply, and his face turned pale.

He had released the shot too quickly, right into the defender’s block. At the height of the jump, the defender’s palm collided directly with the ball mid-air.

It felt like he had just handed his first death over to the enemy on a silver platter.

His face drained of color, swallowed by a tide of self-blame and frustration. Why couldn’t he have waited just half a second more?

Where was your head, Xu Fanming?

The ball bounced off course and fell. The court fell silent, until Fang Ruihan suddenly shouted, “Rebound!”

Another figure rose into the air. Zhu Xuyao leapt up, snatched the falling ball, and forcefully slammed it into the hoop.

“66 to 70.” A perfect follow-up. They averted disaster, and Qinghuo gained another two points.

When the ball finally hit the ground, it was picked up by Gao Dong. The Qinghuo players started to fall back on defense. Xu Fanming ran with the others, but his chest was tight with frustration. He shut his eyes for a moment, unable to shake the pressure building inside him

This time, Gao Dong didn’t hesitate. He dribbled swiftly down the court and, the moment he encountered a defender, immediately lobbed the ball toward Gao Nan.

Gao Nan was just outside the three-point line. Without a hint of hesitation, he launched the shot.

The ball traced a high arc, but before it got far, Fang Ruihan leapt up and swatted it away, denying Shuanglan even the slightest chance to turn the tables.

The score was dangerously close.

Both Qinghuo and Shuanglan were locked in a dead grip, neither willing to yield even an inch.

This match had gone from a slow start, to a deadlock, to a reversal, and now it had reached a fever pitch. The pace was accelerating, and the game was opening up. Every second ratcheted up the tension, keeping the spectators on the edge of their seats, blood surging with excitement.

There was no doubt this was a spectacular opener.

But who would claim the first win of the season?

Wen Qin caught the ball. He gritted his teeth and dribbled across half court behind the cover of his teammates. When a defender closed in, he came to a sudden stop.

Fang Ruihan was locked down by Gao Dong. Zhu Xuyao was blocked by Gao Nan. Both stood at the wings outside the three-point arc. Inside the paint stood Xu Fanming and He Jiang. Though both were closely guarded, they stood closest to the hoop, the most favorable position to score.

Wen Qin’s mind raced. Suddenly, he remembered what He Jiang and the captain had said.

“The guards and forwards need to work together.”

He looked up at Fang Ruihan, and right then, their eyes met.

Wen Qin trembled. In those steady eyes, he saw a clear message. I’m ready.

He no longer hesitated. Twisting his body to shield the ball, he passed it cleanly to Fang Ruihan. As the captain caught the ball, the gears of battle roared to life.

Gao Nan and Gao Dong’s attention was momentarily locked on Fang Ruihan. Just then, Zhu Xuyao suddenly broke past Gao Nan’s defense and charged into the key. At almost the same moment, Fang Ruihan shifted his weight and whipped the ball hard past Gao Dong’s right side. As Fang Ruihan hit the floor, Zhu Xuyao caught the flying pass.

Everyone held their breath.

Two consecutive passes, was it a feint? Gao Dong panicked. He shouted toward his teammate in the paint, “Help defense!”

Zhu Xuyao was already inside the key. If they didn’t get over to defend now, he’d go straight for the layup. With Qinghuo already four points ahead, if the gap widened further, it would be nearly impossible to catch up in the final minutes of the game.

Everyone knew how much this shot meant.

The defender marking He Jiang was closest to Zhu Xuyao. Flustered and a bit frantic, he rushed toward him, desperate to block what might be the most critical shot of the match.

But at that moment, Zhu Xuyao suddenly passed the ball again, this time to He Jiang, who had been silent on the edge of the paint.

The defender froze. Gao Dong and Gao Nan froze too. While everyone stood stunned, He Jiang caught the ball cleanly. With no one left in his way, he took one dribble, picked up speed, and went up for an easy layup.

The scoreboard ticked over: 66 to 72.

The entire gym erupted.

What a brilliant play.

This was the strategy He Jiang had shared with them during the halftime break.

Rely on speed, on seamless transitions and dizzying passes, to disrupt Shuanglan’s defense and open up a scoring opportunity. Strike where they least expect it.

He Jiang glanced at the clock. Eight minutes remained.

The outcome was becoming clear.

Looking at Shuanglan’s deflated state, He Jiang suddenly remembered something. He turned, scanning the court for a certain figure. He had seen everything that happened just now. Honestly, he was a little worried.

Xu Fanming had been underperforming throughout the match. That early block he suffered nearly crushed his momentum, and the suppression that followed only made it worse. Eventually, he made a bad judgment call and missed a perfect scoring opportunity. That block might as well have ground the little raptor’s pride into the dirt. He Jiang figured that once this game ended, Xu Fanming would probably go sulk in a corner again.

And sure enough, Xu Fanming wasn’t feeling great.

He’d tried to block a shot, only to be knocked aside by Gao Nan. Then He Jiang returned the favor with a block on Gao Dong. He’d tried to shoot but got stopped, and Fang Ruihan followed up by slapping the opponent’s ball away.

The team had clawed their way back, but Xu Fanming still felt utterly useless.

He didn’t want his teammates cleaning up after him all the time.

He wanted to do something for the team too. A shot, an assist, anything.

“Hey.”

Xu Fanming turned and met He Jiang’s focused, gentle gaze.

He Jiang said quietly, “The last ball, I’ll pass it to you.”

Let you be the one to put the perfect period on this game.