The tension inside the stadium was electric as the players from both teams stepped back onto the court. The roar of the crowd faded into background noise for Yang Yan, who narrowed his eyes and glanced at the young prodigy wearing number 30—Stephen Curry.
A legend in the making? A nightmare on the court? Yang Yan smirked internally. Then let me be the one to kill you while you're still young.
The game resumed, and with the first possession back in play, Ohio State was on the offensive. Davidson College maintained a suffocating defense inside the paint, clogging up any potential driving lanes. Yang Yan moved into position, ready for the ball, but Conley made a different decision. Opting to take a three-pointer himself, he launched from beyond the arc.
A bold move—after all, outside shooting was expected of any point guard—but Conley's shot clanked off the rim. Fortunately, Oden muscled his way through a crowd of defenders, securing the offensive rebound and putting it back up for two points. The sheer dominance of his one-against-three rebound pumped fresh energy into Ohio State.
But Davidson wasn't backing down. On the very next possession, Stephen Curry sprinted through screens, received the ball mid-stride, and made a graceful floater in the lane. He made it look effortless. It was clear Curry wasn't just a three-point sniper—he had a full arsenal.
Dragon Kingdom Live Chatroom:
[Brothers, this game's actually exciting!]
[Not bad at all! It's turning into a real battle.]
[What's up with this Davidson College team? They're playing like beasts!]
[Mainly that number 30. His layups and threes are insane.]
[It's not the whole team—it's that one ruthless guy.]
[I thought Yang Yan would crush the competition, but now they're trailing!]
[Damn, is Yang Yan going to choke in his debut?]
[I have a bad feeling... Is the legend going to fall already?]
[Poor guy finally gets his chance and runs into a monster like Curry.]
[I still believe in Yang Yan! He hasn't even used his drives yet!]
[Drives? With all that defense in the paint? He's just gonna run into a wall.]
[Yang Yan's smarter than that. He won't waste energy attacking a trap.]
[It's rough. They've clearly strategized to contain him.]
[Half his skillset is sealed off. That's brutal.]
[If only Ohio State had a decent shooter to spread the floor...]
[With no outside threat, Davidson will just keep collapsing inside.]
After watching nearly half the game, fans in the live chat began to notice a trend—Yang Yan wasn't shining as brightly as expected. Number 30, Curry, had stolen the spotlight. Doubts began to creep in.
They remembered Yang Yan's strength—explosive drives, thunderous dunks, slick layups. But with Davidson collapsing under the rim every play, he had no room to do any of that.
Was Yang Yan really about to crumble in his first NCAA appearance?
Not if he had anything to say about it.
Back on the court, Ohio State regained possession. This time, post-timeout, Conley again held the ball at the top. He hadn't passed to Yang Yan much, trying instead to create from the outside.
Yang Yan's earlier reminder echoed in Conley's head—outside threats relieve pressure inside. But despite his efforts, Conley found his success limited.
Yang Yan didn't complain. He understood that a point guard directed the offense, and he hadn't shown any three-point skill before today. Expecting trust after a few words was unrealistic.
Davidson's defenders, meanwhile, were treating Yang Yan like a non-threat from distance—standing two meters off him at the perimeter. It was essentially giving him a wide-open look.
Time to gamble, Conley thought.
As he crossed midcourt, he glanced at Yang Yan's position. Confident in his decision, Conley snapped a pass—a perfect 45-degree angle dart, the ball arriving just at Yang Yan's hip. It was exactly the kind of pass Yang Yan had described earlier, ideal for shooting.
Most fans—and even players—misunderstood the art of the assist. It wasn't just about getting the ball to a scorer. The angle, force, and timing of the pass varied depending on the shot or move that followed. Conley, a master distributor, knew that better than anyone.
Yang Yan caught the ball smoothly.
The pass was so crisp, so perfectly timed, that Yang Yan needed almost no adjustment. Instinct took over.
He rose up.
Release.
Arc.
Swish.
The net snapped like a whip. Three points.
A grin tugged at the corners of Yang Yan's mouth.
Another weapon added to the arsenal.
Conley, meanwhile, looked stunned. That shot—it wasn't lucky. It was clean, calculated, confident. Yang Yan had clearly been hiding his shooting ability all along.
Was he secretly practicing this whole time?
Of course he was.
This guy... Conley thought, squinting at Yang Yan. He's not just smart—he's strategic.
Thanks to that three-pointer, Ohio State tied the game.
Davidson College, unwilling to lose their edge, responded with a tactical set beyond the arc. A couple of pick-and-rolls later, Curry found space.
He pulled up.
Another smooth release. Another clean shot. Swish.
Three more for Davidson.
After the basket, Curry glanced directly at Yang Yan. His expression said it all: Can you keep up?
Yang Yan chuckled softly. That baby-faced assassin was starting to get on his nerves—but in the best way.
Challenge accepted.
The battle was just getting started.