CBS's broadcast quality has always been praised. Their camerawork is top-notch, capable of producing shots that feel like cinematic long takes.
While the viewers at home lack the immersive experience of the stadium crowd, they get a more detailed perspective. They could see every angle of Su Xi's "murder" of Flores.
Moreover, Flores's earlier provocations had also been captured on camera.
As a result, the television audience was, in a way, even more emotionally invested than the live crowd. The broadcast gave the events a dramatic, story-like feel.
Su Xi had completed the prince's revenge.
He had the handsome face of a prince, while Flores looked like the villain.
As Su Xi walked toward the bench, CBS pulled back with a long shot, making him look every bit the protagonist.
What made it even more dramatic was... as the camera slowly zoomed in on Su Xi reaching the sideline, a girl from the second row leaped up, slipped past Kobe, and threw her arms around Su Xi. She planted a kiss on his cheek and screamed, "Jack! You're so hot!"
Su Xi possessed a face and physique brimming with charisma; just by standing there, he could make some girls' minds run wild.
This was a side effect of his lightning refinement.
Su Xi pushed the girl away. The television cameras recorded him calmly telling her, "I'm not a man you can have. Don't delude yourself."
He walked to the bench, clean and decisive.
The camera seemed to freeze in place.
'This... This is way too cool.'
To be fair, the girl was very pretty, albeit a bit of a fangirl.
Any other player might have just gone with the flow. After all... what basketball player doesn't have a little off-court drama?
But Su Xi's rejection was so blunt.
He gave off an ascetic, unattainable vibe.
This only made the female viewers at home swoon even more.
Because women can be counter-logical creatures. They become more obsessed with what they can't have, and the more someone pushes people away, the more they flock to him. They all believed they wouldn't be part of the denominator of women Su Xi rejected; they all believed they were the one and only numerator.
While the viewers at home were all buzzing about the little sideline episode with Su Xi, no one on the court had really noticed.
Jim Boham praised Su Xi's actions and no longer objected to him staying in the game.
Josh Peis even went out of his way to save a seat for Su Xi, meticulously folding a towel for him to wipe his sweat.
Josh Peis was a stark contrast to his previous arrogant demeanor. He was just a normal guy who knew which way the wind was blowing.
After Jim Boham reiterated the established strategy, the game resumed.
Back on the court.
Flores had been calmed down by his head coach on the sideline and seemed to be in a much better state.
His expression looked composed.
He brought the ball past half-court, and Su Xi immediately swarmed him again.
Flores's weaknesses began to show. His ball-handling ability deteriorated under the high-intensity pressure, and his offensive game became unstable.
On this possession, he barely managed to break free from Su Xi's monstrous defensive orbit, but his shot didn't even touch the rim. It was a complete airball that sailed out of bounds.
It was like his girlfriend asking him, "Are you in yet?"
And him replying, "It's over."
A question mark was placed over Flores's NBA career. Or rather, it was over before it even began.
With his actions, Su Xi proved to the watching NBA scouts that even if this guy was dominant in the NCAA, in the hyper-athletic NBA, he'd be nothing more than a piece of cheese covered in flies.
Su Xi brought the ball past half-court, but he didn't show off his ball-handling skills again.
Because Su Xi knew very well... his flexibility, agility, coordination, speed, and so on hadn't yet reached the point where he could execute techniques at will.
It would be easy for it to backfire.
He used his strength to clear a path.
Flores was stronger than the guards he had faced before, but it wasn't enough to stop Su Xi's advance.
Su Xi quickly developed chemistry with Anthony. He first assisted McNamara for a shot on the perimeter.
Once McNamara started hitting shots, Anthony had plenty of space. He isolated on the wing and absolutely punished Jason Carter.
Anthony proved with his actions why he was the number one talent in the NCAA.
Su Xi quietly played a supporting role.
While also making Flores invisible on the defensive end.
Flores couldn't break through Su Xi's smothering defense. He kept clanking shots, and even when using screens for a pick-and-roll, his shooting percentage plummeted.
He had originally planned to use this game to skyrocket to fame, to make a name for himself by stepping on Su Xi.
But now... he had become fuel for Su Xi's continued "arrogance."
The NCAA plays two 20-minute halves.
At the end of the first half, the game had lost all suspense.
The score was 46-27.
Manhattan College, from a lower-tier conference, was two or three levels below Syracuse University in overall strength. Their only real threat, Flores, was completely controlled by Su Xi. All that was left was to wait for the clock to run out and pack their bags for home.
The second half was even more bland. After scoring his 10th point of the game, Su Xi returned to the bench and didn't play again.
His final stats for the game were 10 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals.
Under his defense, after scoring 6 points at the start of the game, Flores didn't score a single point for the rest of the match and committed 5 turnovers.
Although Carmeron Anthony had a brilliant game with 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists...
...anyone who watched the game would remember Su Xi more vividly.
That's why Su Xi was CBS's first post-game interview.
"This was an expected victory. If Manhattan College had beaten us, that would be news. Us beating them is just how it should be. So, I don't feel happy or excited. It's like eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. It's that simple." Su Xi's answer to the CBS reporter's first question immediately grabbed the audience's attention.
People had seen plenty of boastful winners after a game, but they had never seen someone so sincere, yet every word he spoke reeked of arrogance.
Then, the reporter asked about Flores. "We saw at the beginning of the game that Flores played exceptionally well. He even taunted you on the bench. In a pre-game interview, he said he wanted to punish you, that he felt offended by what you said on national television. What are your thoughts on your matchup with him?"
"I don't think I offended him. He's not a genius," Su Xi said very seriously. "He's just an ordinary player. There was nothing about him that excited me. I couldn't learn anything from him either."
"So, if he felt offended by my words, I can only say he's got an overinflated sense of self."
Su Xi was dead serious.
Then he faced the camera and made another appeal: "I hope real geniuses will challenge me. Players at Flores's level should just step aside."
Su Xi's words made Barry scream in the broadcast booth. He clutched his head and yelled, "That is absolutely the best trash talk I have ever heard! My God, how can this Chinese kid always say such soul-crushing things with a straight face? If I were Flores, I'd definitely be going home to cry to my mommy tonight!"
"Your opponent in the next round will likely be Oklahoma. You'll be facing either the explosive and incredibly fast Victor Williams, or the tough-as-nails Tony Allen. Are you afraid?" The reporter's last question was about Syracuse's next opponent. "They will definitely come at you with a vengeance."
Su Xi smiled and said with great anticipation, "I hope they're as strong as possible!"
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