On the seventh day of the arrival of the national youth team in China, the World Youth Championships officially opened. www.biquge.info At 9 o'clock in the morning local time, the Chinese national youth team ushered in their first game - against the host United States.

There was a sixteen-hour time difference between Beijing and New York, and it was late at night in China on the other side of the world, at one o'clock the next morning. Since the upcoming day will be a weekend, or perhaps there are still expectations for Geng Xiangzhi's national youth team, there are still many Chinese fans waiting in front of the TV late at night.

At this moment, the players of the University of California, Los Angeles, without exception, are waiting in front of the TV, because their captain Li Chang Gung will represent the United States in this game.

Selena, who had always gone to bed before eleven o'clock, was also quietly turning on the small TV on the desk in her bedroom. I haven't seen him for more than a month, how is he doing now?

At Li Changgeng's house, Chen Ang and Yu Mengjiao leaned shoulder to shoulder, holding hands and nervously waiting for their nephew to appear on the TV.

In a courtyard house in Beijing, Zhao Yu is sitting in front of the TV with a teacup.

……

How many of these people waiting in front of the TV to wait for the game think that the Chinese team has a chance to win this game? It's very small! The outcome of the game is almost anyone's mind, and fans are focused on what the U.S. team will perform in this game.

For this national youth team, most people have only one request for them - just don't insult Chinese basketball, even if you lose, you can lose better.

On the screen of the television, the American team entered.

World Junior Championships: China vs USA.

The Chinese national youth team entered.

Li Changgeng stood in the center of the court and looked up at the stadium and exclaimed: "This stadium is really big!" ”

"Stupid!" Sima Shenji pressed down his head and said in a low voice, "Stupid, it's live TV now, how many viewers are watching in front of the TV." Don't embarrass us, okay? ”

"Is it really big?" Li Changgeng said aggrievedly.

After arriving at us, they spent two days adjusting to the time difference, and then training and adjusting in full lockdown, and it was the first time that the national youth team left their home in Los Angeles for today's competition.

The game was held at the Los Angeles City Coliseum. Although it is not the largest arena in Los Angeles, such a stadium and such a stage are indeed a little bigger. The entire arena is centered on the basketball court in the middle and radiates out on all sides. The upper, middle and lower floors are large enough to accommodate 20,000 spectators. Compared to the stadium in China, which can only accommodate a few thousand spectators, this stadium is too big.

The U.S. basketball league at all levels during the World Youth Championship has not yet started a new season. Watching the World Junior Championships has also become the only option for Americans who love basketball. And because this game is a match of the host American team, the attendance rate is surprisingly high. The stadium, which can accommodate 20,000 spectators, is already full at the moment. The auditorium of a basketball stadium in the United States is always close to the court, and the audience is two meters away from the court. The blackened spectators, tens of thousands of eyes focused on themselves, and the noise in the hall make anyone nervous for the first time on such a stage.

Li Changgeng was very nervous now, his expression was uneasy, and his movements were stiff.

Even Sima Shenji and Li Zheng, who have been playing in the domestic league for two years, are not so relaxed and calm at the moment when they set foot on such a court for the first time!

In addition to them, the other members of the national youth team have experience in the World Youth Championships, so they are naturally not as nervous as them.

There was a sudden burst of cheers in the arena, and most of the spectators in the audience stood up and applauded - the American team entered.

A group of tall men dressed in U.S. National Youth Team jerseys appeared inside the stadium. Wearing headsets, chewing gum, and waving their hands above their heads to greet the crowd in the stadium – this is the U.S. National Youth Team!

Li Changgeng is full of excitement at the moment, and he has seen their predecessor China Dream Team on TV many times in the World Championships and Olympic Games, and these players in front of him are so similar to them. By the way, they are also Team USA, although not every one of them is a world-class superstar like their predecessors, but at the World Junior Championship level, they are the dream team.

Play against the Dream Team! Whether it was a childhood dream or a wish in his previous life, Li Changgeng couldn't tell the difference. However, the tension just now was replaced by excitement and excitement in an instant. Challenging the U.S. team and challenging Chinese basketball, what an exciting thing!

Sima Shenji next to him looked at Li Changgeng's sudden excitement, and sighed helplessly, this is not the first time he has encountered this kind of scene, facing a strong opponent, this kid has never known to be afraid, and he will even be even more excited. It's a strange guy, a person who usually looks quite gentle, but when he comes to basketball on the court, he seems to be a different person. But today's game, hehe, I'm afraid this guy won't be able to do it.

Before the game, the two teams warmed up.

Just as Sima Shen thought, on the court, Li Changgeng's body, which had just been stiff when he touched the basketball, suddenly returned to its usual flexibility, and even exceeded. Outside the three-point line, "Boom Boom ......" fired long-range shots again and again, and the basketball fell into the basket steadily!

A hundred steps through Yang is not in vain!

"Oh ......" The stadium suddenly erupted into bursts of enthusiastic cheers, which shocked the Chinese national youth team on this side of the court to stop one by one, and looked back to see that the players of the Chinese national youth team on the other side of the court were performing their slam dunk skills one by one.

"Boom, boom......, boom" The basket groaned, and the players of the American team smashed the ball into the basket with various juggling movements, dunking with both hands, a large windmill with one arm, and hitting a 360-degree turn and dunk...... The crowd's applause rose wave after wave, and every time they completed a dunk, the dunk player turned around with his hands raised in front of the surrounding audience, looking like the stars participating in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest when they completed the action.

"What the hell are these guys doing?" On the side of the court, Li Changgeng asked Sima Shenji and Song Liuming on the left and right, "Do they know what a warm-up is?" ”

"Stupid!" Sima Shenji said with a gloomy face, "People don't take us seriously at all. ”

"Is that so?"

The basketball in Song Liuming's hand slammed into the ground and bounced, and the urn said, "That's not it!" ”

Li Zheng grabbed the basketball that Song Liu Ming threw out and was bouncing on the ground, his face was as calm as ever, and he said lightly: "In their opinion, this is a game with no suspense. No matter how much stamina they squander at the moment, it won't affect their ability to win the game! ”

The tone of his speech was not angry, but in the ears of Li Changgeng, Sima Shenji, and Song Liu Ming, it aroused the anger in their hearts more and more. "Damn!" The three of them clenched their fists tightly.

The only four of them in the national youth team are participating in the World Series for the first time, although it is conceivable that the gap between the strength of the opponent in front of them and the opponent in front of them is completely enraged by the arrogance of the opponent at the moment. A look of resoluteness flashed across their faces at the same time, and the initial crampedness was now completely gone.

Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers, Li Changgeng was the most disapprehensive of these loving guys in front of him, and greeted Li Zheng who was holding the ball: "Pass!" ”

"Smack!" Li Zheng shook his wrist, and the basketball was accurately stuffed into his hand.

The dribble started, but Li Changgeng went in the direction of the American team, and the quick-eyed Sima Shenji grabbed him and scolded: "What are you going to do?" ”

"Go over and say hi to them!"

"Stupid!" Sima Shenji hit him on the head with a violent shudder, "Do you want to make an accident?" This is for domestic televising! ”

Li Changgeng kicked his foot hard and stared at the side of the court fiercely.

The slight commotion on the side of the Chinese youth team has attracted the attention of many audiences, and there are already many strange eyes of the audience focused here.

"Smack!" The basketball crotch walked by, turned around, accelerated, and flew off the free throw line, "Boom! The basketball slammed into the basket, and a small figure hung on the basket and swayed.

The spectators in the arena who were watching this side were stunned, and then there was a burst of enthusiastic cheers.

Jumping off the free throw line, although the Chinese have seen it many times, but with Li Changgeng's height to do it so smoothly and briskly, it is the first time in the memory of the audience.

Putting down his hand, Li Changgeng fell gently. Turning around, looking at the other side, "You're not the only ones who can dunk, bunch of!" The words were spoken in English, and his voice was very low, but he still caught Geng Xiangzhi on the sidelines. Geng Xiangzhi was stunned for a moment, and then smiled dumbly.

On the side of the American team, the point guard Chris Hayes, who is 185 centimeters tall, is similar to Li Changgeng, and the players of the American team suddenly focused their eyes on them, shrugged their shoulders, and spread their hands to signal that they couldn't do it. In fact, he couldn't even do a slam dunk.

The stadium's cameras faithfully recorded what had just happened in the stadium and transmitted it back to the other side of the world in an instant through radio waves. The fans waiting in front of the TV all lit up: what a good Chang Geng, maybe Geng Xiangzhi does have a reason to recruit him into the national youth team.

Seeing Li Changgeng's figure on TV, Selena Yurong smiled faintly in the dark.

At this time, Mozart, Hayes, Harris, Leonard, Hong Cod, Amu and others who participated in the U17 training camp were also in front of the TV.

They are all looking forward to seeing Li Changgeng's equally wonderful performance in the next official match.

Who knows, this slam dunk just now was Li Changgeng's only performance in this game.

The warm-up is over, and the game is about to officially begin.

Geng Xiangzhi announced the list of players on the field.

"The players on the court are Song Liu Ming in the middle, Li Zhenhua in the second center, Sima Shenji in small forward, Li Zheng in point guard, and Yu Chenglong in scoring guard."

There is no Li Changgeng in the lineup.

The team members couldn't help but be a little stunned, anyone with a discerning eye can see that Li Changgeng is the main force in these days' training. Coach: What does this mean?

The person concerned, Li Changgeng, is not particularly unusual, and it is natural that all the coaches on the game have the final say. And he never considered himself a regular player.

U.S. lineup: Point guard: Chris Hayes, scoring guard Francesco Garcia, small forward Kenyan Wallace, interior Amre Smith, Al Howard.

The race is about to begin.

On the side of the court, outside the camera's attention, Geng Xiangzhi beckoned Li Changgeng to sit down beside him.

On the court, players from both sides stand in positions and are ready to start. Li Changgeng realized at this time that his teammates, who usually looked tall and burly, were standing with their opponents, and their figures looked a little thin.

"Flute!" The referee blows the whistle and jumps the ball!

The players on both sides jumped the ball were Song Liu Ming and Al Howard.

The two of them touched the basketball at the same time, the basketball was squeezed out, and Sima Shenji of the youth team grabbed the ball.

The attack of the youth team, the American team returned to defense quickly, and there was no chance to attack quickly. Li Zheng calmly controlled the ball, the youth team quickly ran to respond, the basketball quickly passed out from Li Zheng's hand and then passed the ball quickly, the players actively dismantled and covered each other, and the youth team actively looked for offensive opportunities.

The U.S. team adopts a man-to-man defense, constantly pressing the young players with the ball, trying to press the ball player to the sideline or near the baseline.

The game was fierce, and the young players on the field, Li Changgeng who was watching the game off the field and other substitutes soon saw the opponent in front of him what was different from the opponent he had encountered in the past. The opponent's defense is very urgent, and the help and cover of each other are very fast. Li Zheng, who is the best at breaking through in the youth team, has failed to achieve any results several times because of the players who quickly assisted in the defense.

Although the opponent's defense is tight, the youth team is not incompetent, basketball is not football, and no matter how good the defense is, it cannot completely contain the opponent's attack. Passing, dismantling...... The offensive routines that the youth team has practiced many times have played vividly at this moment. The basketball passed to Sima Shenji's hand, and he raised his hand to shoot the basket, "Huh! "Answering the call to the net. Sima Shenji's hands were very hot today, and he hit several shots.

The offense and defense were transposed, and it was the turn of the American team to attack. Li Changgeng on the sidelines stared closely at the game on the field.

The regional joint defense adopted by the youth team. When the U.S. team attacked, all five players kept moving fast, actively and quickly cutting, directing, blocking, and covering, and getting shooting opportunities again and again. The five players on the court of the U.S. team seem to be excellent shooters, "...... the basketball" to the basket of the youth team again and again.

The youth team fought bravely under the leadership of Song Liuming, Sima Shenji and Li Zheng, and at the end of the first quarter, the two sides were tied at 23:25. During this period, Geng Xiangzhi made several substitutions and pauses to challenge tactics, all of which had immediate results. The Chinese audience in the stadium and the Chinese fans waiting in front of the TV also got a first glimpse of the profound art of Geng Xiangzhi, the head coach's on-the-spot command.

It's just that many people wonder that Li Changgeng didn't play at all in the entire first quarter.

The second quarter begins.

The youth team took the lead in speeding up the pace of the game after getting Geng Xiangzhi's instructions, Li Zheng broke through quickly, Sima Shenji frequently made balls for his teammates, and Song Liu Ming was the strongest player in the youth team, with a height of two meters and one five, and a weight of one hundred and thirty kilograms like another Bartel in China. He is also the only player in the youth team to outperform his opponents physically. According to Geng Xiangzhi's tactical arrangement in advance, as long as there is a gap, Li Zheng's pass will be passed to him as soon as possible.

The U.S. team has never had a shortage of excellent big men, and Song Liuming, who debuted on the international stage for the first time, once again let the audience witness this sentence. "Boom, boom, boom ......" again and again, powerful slam dunks raged unscrupulously in the basket. Compared with the predecessors of the American team, Song Liuming's physique is stronger, his style is more tough, and under Geng Xiangzhi's tutelage, he seems to have made a further breakthrough in how to use his talent. The Chinese audience in front of the TV was so addicted to it, and even when he hit someone twice and fouled the opponent far away, there was still no shortage of Chinese fans cheering in front of the TV.

Song Liuming is also a player recruited by Geng Xiangzhi, and he has never had the opportunity to show his face in the national youth team in the previous era when the two towers ruled the national youth team. At the club, due to the strong interior players in the team, he did not get many opportunities to play due to his lack of qualifications. When Geng Xiangzhi gave up the sluggish "Twin Towers" and called him to join the team, the media's comment was: This is another manifestation of Geng Xiangzhi's dizziness.

At this moment, Song Liuming's performance undoubtedly hit back at the media's suspicion of him at the beginning. Although his technique is a little rough, he already has the rudiments of a good center forward. And with his physicality, he clearly has a lot of potential to tap into. The eyes of the veteran fans of the TV set were also delighted that China would have another outstanding center player. The scouts of the various teams who watched the game also secretly wrote down Song Liuming's name.

With his back to the basket to catch the ball, Song Liuming decisively turned around and shot, "Huh! "Basketball is in the hoop again!

"Flute!" The U.S. called a timeout. The tactics of the youth team on the field are already very obvious, with Song Liuming on the inside as the tactical core and a strong inside. Although the center of the American team on the field is not bad, it is obviously inferior in strength, and has been singled out by Song Liuming several times. At this time, it is natural to adjust the tactics.

After the timeout, the game resumed. The U.S. team adjusted their tactics and replaced a tall interior player with a defender, apparently targeting Song Liuming. For the U.S. team, which has excellent attacking power, such a substitution will not affect their attacking power. Some of them are scorers.

The U.S. team's defense obviously worked, and when Song Liuming took the ball, the bag of the opponent's two players on the inside gave him no chance. The double bag also effectively blocked Song Liuming's passing route.

"Smack!" The ball was still passed out, and it was Li Zhenhua who ran in time to catch the ball, and the position of receiving the ball was the half-volley area near the penalty area, which was the empty space where no one defended, Li Zhenhua raised his hand to shoot, "Hmph!" "Basketball goes to the basket.

Li Zhenhua is a very good second center, and shooting in this position is what he is best at.

The so-called two centers are generally players who are close to the rebounds and take attacking and grabbing rebounds as their main tasks. It has a similar connotation to a power forward, but compared to a power forward in the general sense, a second center is usually a scorer. Liu Yudong, the god of war of the second team of the Shanghai Sharks team, and Gong Xiaobin of the Shandong team, are the most outstanding representatives of this position.

The U.S. team has always attached great importance to the second center, and how can Geng Xiangzhi's national youth team be an exception?

The U.S. team adjusted its tactics, and the Chinese youth team immediately went toe-for-tat, and Geng Xiangzhi's on-the-spot command amazed the Chinese fans waiting in front of the TV. But there are still some people who are dissatisfied with him - those who are expecting Li Changgeng to play. Until now, Geng Xiangzhi had no intention of letting Li Changgeng play.

At the scene of the game, Li Changgeng, who was watching the game from the sidelines, looked calm, maybe a little eager, clenched his fists to shout for his teammates on the field, and handed towels to his teammates who were replaced on the field, he didn't feel that Geng Xiangzhi didn't let him play at all. On the playing field, the coach represents this absolute authority, and this recognition has been deeply imprinted in his heart in his previous life.

On the field, after the U.S. team adjusted its tactics, Song Liuming's chances of scoring suddenly decreased a lot, but the attack of the Chinese youth team was still sharp. Song Liuming relied on his huge body to stand in the position on the inside, and after receiving the ball, he could divide the ball from all sides. The other four players on the pitch were absolutely good goalscorers. Sima Shenji, in particular, is a major scorer who can shoot and score from any position. The individual strength of the players of the youth team may not be as good as that of their opponents, but the foundation of their shots is absolutely solid. When the opportunity comes out, it won't be difficult for them to get the basketball into the hoop.

Li Zheng's offensive passing organization, Song Liuming's inside ball-splitting, dismantling, and the youth team with these two people as the core is showing strong attacking power. Sima Shenji and Li Zhenhua can always comfortably send the basketball into the basket.

Throughout the second quarter, the youth team continued to maintain this level of equal play with their opponents.

At this time, the most excited are the Chinese fans watching the game in front of the TV. To be able to draw with the United States, even if it is only for a short quarter, is enough to satisfy them. Geng Xiangzhi's youth team has a clear difference from any previous Chinese national team: the offensive means are varied, and the five players on the court really form an organic whole, no longer relying on one or two excellent interior players to fight to the death with the opponent. Moreover, the style of this young team is more tenacious, and in the face of a strong opponent like China, no player has shown a cowardly mood. The eyes of the fans are bright, and they are satisfied that the youth team can have such a performance; The fans are always the fairest, and the doubts and dissatisfaction with Geng Xiangzhi before the game have slowly disappeared in this game.

Now there is only one last question left, when will Li Changgeng, who Geng Xiangzhi summoned in an exceptional way, play, and what kind of performance will he perform?

But so far, Geng Xiangzhi has no intention of letting him play.

Relying on the excellent performance of Li Zheng and Song Liuming, the Chinese youth team and the opponent once again drew the game, 51:53, the first half ended.

Fifty points at half-time was the first time in the history of the U.S. team playing against the world's top teams.

The second half began.

In the first half, it was a draw with a "world third-rate team" like the United States team, which was absolutely unacceptable to the American team, and at the beginning of the second half, the players of the American team seemed to wake up all of a sudden, and the stormy attack swept the half of the Chinese youth team at the beginning of the second half. Breaking through the ball, breaking off the screen, and subtle coordination, the players of the U.S. team used their performances to show others that they are not just playing with their individual skills.

Point guard Chris Hayes was the master of the entire U.S. team's offense, and as soon as he returned to the court in the second half, he immediately showed his unmatched strength as a point guard at this position. The U.S. team has never lacked players with superior individual strength, and in fact, every player on the field is not inferior to the young team players in their respective positions. And once you put the strength of these players together, it is absolutely terrifying for all opponents. Chris Hayes has undoubtedly done just that. He was fast and agile. Li Zheng, who was defending him, couldn't stop his breakthrough at all. Break through and disrupt the defense of the youth team; Once a teammate is available, his pass is never late; He can shoot from beyond the three-point line himself, and he performs impeccable qualities necessary for a good point guard.

After Li Zheng was broken by him several times on the court, Sima Shenji consciously assisted Li Zheng to wrap him, but Chris Hayes was always able to pass the basketball out of the two-person bag. The other four guys on the U.S. team aren't stupid, and it's not easy for four to three, four scoring masters to put a basketball in the basket?

And the U.S. team was led by him, and this offensive rhythm suddenly accelerated. The five Chinese players on the field all have very strong attacking strength, and the fast-paced game makes it difficult for the youth team to find the center of gravity defensively.

It's not just their offensive rhythm that the U.S. team has changed, but their defense has also been a 2-3 mixed defense. The 2-3 combination is a defensive system that combines zone defense and man-to-man defense, and is a tactic that combines the best of both defences. When Lee was holding the ball, Chris Hayes and another defender of the U.S. team wrapped him up and blocked Lee Jeong's pass to Song Liu Ming on the inside. When the ball was passed to Song Liuming or Li Zhenhua and Sima Shenji on the inside, the double bag of the American team on the inside made them unable to find an opportunity to attack. The ball was passed to the perimeter, and the U.S. team, which resumed marking defense, did not allow the shooters on the perimeter of the youth team to have an easy chance to score.

The game took a turn for the worse, and the U.S. team quickly played a 10-0 climax to open the score between the two sides.

Geng Xiangzhi called a timeout. At this time, it is natural to adjust tactics.

Regarding the situation on the field, Geng Xiangzhi saw it clearly.

It's clear that the engine of the U.S. team's offense is Chris Hayes, who is incredibly fast and sharp on his breaks, and defenders must be able to keep up with him.

The U.S. team's defense is a 2-3 mixed defense, which combines the advantages of joint defense and man-marking to maintain strong pressure on the opposing ball handlers, but the triangle position will leave a lot of space in the baseline. There are usually three ways to deal with this kind of defense: place a good three-point shooter in their team, have an interior player who is good at passing the ball in their team, and add a player who is good at passing, so that the basketball can quickly pass to the opponent's baseline open area.

Combining the elements of offense and defense, Li Changgeng is obviously the most suitable candidate - his speed is the fastest in the national youth team, and he can only defend Chris Hayes; He's good at three-pointers and he's the best passer, and he's the best guy to crack the opposition's mixed defense.

However, after Geng Xiangzhi's eyes wandered around the lineup of the opposite American team, and then thought about the two opponents he was about to meet in the future, he finally gave up this tempting idea.

After the timeout, the game resumed.

Geng Xiangzhi replaced center Li Zhenhua and replaced scoring guard Deng Yu. Deng Yu is an excellent three-point shooter, and he is not slow. When defending, he defended Chris Hayes, and Lee Zheng assisted.

The offense of the youth team, Sima Shenji on the inside assisted in passing, and after adding Deng Yu, a three-point shooter on the outside, there were three shooters on the periphery of the youth team. The attack power of the outside line has increased, and the defensive area of the American team has expanded, which also gives the inside Song Liu Ming and Sima Shenji opportunities.

Geng Xiangzhi's tactical adjustment was quite successful, and after the substitution, the youth team began to score, and the breakthrough of Chris Hayes was initially contained. Overall, the tactical adjustments had an immediate effect.

No matter how clever the tactics are, they still have to rely on the players to execute them. There is a clear difference between the players of the youth team and their opponents in terms of personal strength. The shooting percentage is a little lower than that of the U.S. team, the rebounding percentage is a few fewer than the U.S. team, and the U.S. team has a few more turnovers...... Taken together, the situation gradually turned in favor of the American team.

At the end of the third quarter, the youth team was already behind by more than a dozen points. In the fourth quarter, the lead continued to expand after the physical superiority of the American players was demonstrated. The score was separated by more than thirty points in the final five minutes, and the game went into garbage time.

At 80:107, the youth team lost the first game.

Li Changgeng didn't get a chance to play in the whole game.

There is a clear gap in the quality of the two sides, and it is understandable to lose the game. For the vast majority of Chinese fans, the performance of the youth team has far exceeded their imagination. The final result was the best meeting between the two teams in the past decade.

Song Liuming, Sima Shenji, and Li Zheng all played well in the game, and the voices questioning Geng Xiangzhi's coaching ability before the game also dropped a lot after the game. Although the situation of advancing to the quarterfinals is still very serious, after this game, some people began to quietly calculate the possibility of the United States team qualifying.

A losing game gave the fans hope, and it was already a very good result for Geng Xiangzhi and the national youth team. After all, no one expected the youth team to win this game.

But there are still people who are deeply disappointed in this game!

Selena, Mozart, Lee Chang Gung's Los Angeles California friends, Hong Cod, Nong Guang, Lee Cheung Gung's opponents in the league, everyone who was expecting to see him play was disappointed.

After Geng Xiangzhi made the first substitution to adjust his tactics in the second half, Zhao Yu in front of the TV sighed deeply, he knew that he would not see Li Changgeng on the field in this game.

Li Changgeng naturally has many reasons not to play, and Zhao Yu, who is also a professional coach, naturally knows Geng Xiangzhi's considerations.