Fueled by that fierce, unyielding pride within him, Snoopy seemed to transform into someone entirely new.
On the court, he played with a sharper edge, more aggressive, more relentless.
And that ferocity was tormenting Joey Dorsey.
He could feel the difference, Snoopy's movements were sharper, quicker. In the past, when Dorsey boxed him out, the kid had felt heavy, immovable, like a solid stone wall. But now? Now he was like a giant windmill, spinning with unstoppable energy.
Smack!
Snoopy exploded upward again, tipping the offensive rebound out to the perimeter. Kevin Love caught the loose ball, rose, and fired.
Swish!
With just three minutes left on the clock, he nailed the midrange jumper to tie the game.
Beep!
Calipari immediately called timeout , his second of the half.
He had to face the truth: Joey Dorsey had completely lost the battle against that kid. Since Snoopy had checked in, he'd grabbed four offensive rebounds, while Dorsey had none.
"Snoopy's defense has changed everything," Kenny Smith said from the broadcast booth. "Dorsey's getting destroyed. He can't even use his strength to hold Snoopy off , the kid just keeps leaping and knocking the ball loose."
"It's not that he's not using his strength," Ernie Johnson countered. "It's that his static strength can't contain Snoopy's dynamic power. You can't muscle down that kind of explosive athleticism."
"They say Dorsey's projected to go early in the second round," Charles Barkley suddenly chimed in. "If that's true, then I'd give Snoopy a late first-round contract , hell, even the 16th or 17th pick might be worth the gamble."
"No, no, no," Ernie shook his head immediately. "Snoopy beating Dorsey doesn't mean he deserves a higher draft slot. Dorsey's size and power are still more valuable in the NBA. Snoopy's athleticism might look elite here, but in the pros? He'll be facing superhuman athletes every night. And he's undersized for an interior player , that's a serious handicap."
The three of them debated Snoopy's draft stock all through the timeout.
Beep!
The whistle blew , play resumed.
Neither side made substitutions, but both coaches had adjusted tactics.
Ben Holland wanted more perimeter shooting from UCLA, while Calipari urged Derrick Rose to attack the paint.
Swish!
Rose used a screen at the top of the arc, darting inside like a blur. Snoopy had anticipated it and circled around Dorsey , but he was still half a step too slow. Rose twisted midair, using a graceful reverse motion to flip the ball into the hoop.
That was the seventh time Rose had driven at Snoopy , and Snoopy had only managed to stop him once.
Unacceptable.
"Hah!"
Snoopy clenched his fists and let out a low growl, furious at his own helplessness.
The ball was inbounded to Westbrook , the game continued.
As soon as Westbrook crossed half court, he too refused to be outshone by Derrick Rose. Using Kevin Love's screen, he burst through the defense like lightning, charging full-speed into the paint. One quick step , two , and then he rocketed upward, ball gripped in both hands, aiming to obliterate the rim.
If Rose's drives were all agility and finesse, Westbrook's were pure violence , the kind that screamed: "Life or death, I don't care , come stop me if you dare!"
But just as he reached his apex, Robert Dozier lunged in from the side , a ferocious block attempt.
Westbrook had a split second to pass.
He didn't.
Instead, he twisted midair, contorting his body into an acrobatic layup attempt. The crowd gasped at his athleticism , it was breathtaking.
But the ball came up short.
Bang!
It clanged off the front rim, rebounding hard.
Dorsey leapt to secure the rebound, but behind him, Snoopy exploded again.
Fueled by pent-up rage and raw power, he rose higher, faster, stronger, half an arm above Dorsey, snatched the ball from the air, and hammered it through the hoop with devastating force.
BOOM!!
The entire basket groaned, bending under the violence of the dunk.
The impact threw Dorsey off balance; his legs buckled, and he stumbled forward. After two desperate steps, his feet slipped, he crashed to the floor, limbs flailing.
The crowd burst into laughter at his clumsy fall.
Snoopy, meanwhile, landed smoothly. He turned to the sideline, cold eyes fixed on the fallen Dorsey.
"Too bad," he said flatly. "You're no longer worthy of being my opponent."
Then he spread his arms wide.
The entire Staples Center thundered with his name,
"SNOOPY! SNOOPY! SNOOPY!!"
Miley Cyrus was screaming herself hoarse in the front row.
"YES!! That's how you do it, Snoopy!! Slam him! Make him pay!" she shouted, her voice cracking. Her excitement had gone past the point of control. She had waited all game for this, for Snoopy to crush Dorsey, to teach him a lesson for his arrogance earlier. And now, seeing that vengeance unfold, it thrilled her to the core.
Amid the roaring cheers, Dorsey was pulled up by Roberts.
His expression was crushed, drained of all confidence.
He'd been so loud, so arrogant at the start of the game , and now he looked utterly broken.
In his mind, he couldn't help recalling last year's regional finals, the game where he'd been used as a stepping stone for Greg Oden, the No. 1 overall pick.
So now I'm Snoopy's stepping stone too?
The thought hollowed him out completely.
Calipari stood on the sideline, already debating whether to pull him.
Meanwhile, Snoopy's gaze locked onto Derrick Rose.
Now, he had only one thought, to block that man.
When he'd thrown down that last dunk, he had felt something inside him, his heart, long bound tight by self-control, had pulsed violently, sending a surge of energy through his body. His legs, his calves, every muscle below his knees felt alive, powerful, ready to explode.
He sprinted forward, faster than before, though the full force hadn't yet been unleashed.
Then suddenly, Westbrook, still near half court, blitzed toward Derrick Rose like a flash of lightning.
He was going for the steal!
Rose reacted instantly, trying to evade, but he'd underestimated Westbrook's sheer speed and strength,
Smack!
The ball was slapped loose, ricocheting hard toward the sideline.
Snoopy saw it, and didn't hesitate for even a fraction of a second.
He dove headfirst, arms outstretched, body flying through the air like a bullet.
There was no thought of safety, no fear of injury, only one instinct:
If he could save that ball, UCLA would seize the advantage!