One Guard

The process of the NCAA tournament is very fast. Due to the fact that one game determines the outcome, it didn't take long. Of the 64 teams participating in the tournament, only the last 16 were left.

After the Sweet 16 was born, the March Madness Championship has officially entered the second stage. The second stage of the game usually has a higher degree of attention. Of course, the players who performed well in the championship will also become the center of discussion with the team.

During this period of time, the NBA draft prediction rankings will also be updated quite frequently. This ranking changes almost every day. The managers of each NBA team will also roughly evaluate the value of the rookies based on this predicted pick.

As the No. 1 player in the draft predictions, Wall is naturally well known by fans across the United States. This guy is regarded by pundits as the next Derrick Rose, and even if it's not good, he can become a higher Lowry. From entering college to the present, Wall has never fallen out of the top three in the forecast list. It can also be seen from this that how optimistic this guy is.

In addition to Wall, Evan Turner, who averaged 20 points per game this season, ranked second in the predicted pick.

Although Turner, who is 21 and a half years old, does not seem to have more potential to be tapped, but as an immediate force, he is still very capable of attracting the attention of NBA teams. Although this guy doesn't have many chances to counterattack Wall, he won't fall out of the top three at worst.

In addition to Wall and Turner, there is another guy who has attracted the attention of fans this year, and that is the number one of the Bulldogs, the yellow lightning, Yiyang.

As one of the best players in this year's March Madness tournament, Yiyang has been ranked 17th among the predicted picks by ESPN. As for the 17th position, Yiyang has firmly suppressed Bledsoe of Kentucky and Bradley of Texas.

As a Chinese who "suddenly" appeared in front of everyone, Yiyang was ranked 17th, which is already surprising enough. Because before this season, Yiyang's resume was almost blank. No one knows whether the defender's performance was a flash in the pan or whether he has real strength.

Although the draft is a gamble for NBA teams, there are too many uncertain factors for Ke Yiyang's bargaining chip. It is also because of this that Yiyang was predicted to be selected at the 17th pick. Otherwise, this guy is likely to jump into the top ten!

However, Yiyang himself is not very interested in ESPN's predicted pick. Although the NBA is Yiyang's ultimate goal, the March Madness tournament is the top priority.

Yiyang now only wants to continue to win with the team. As for the rest, let's wait for the Bulldogs to win the championship.

Stevens and I are very fortunate that Yiyang and Hayward have such a mentality, because after the game enters the second stage, things like easily eliminating Murray State University will definitely not happen again.

Every game after that is a test for the Bulldogs. Every time they want to move forward, they must pay enough effort. Only when Yiyang, Hayward and others put their heart and soul into the March Madness tournament can the Bulldogs go further.

While Stevens was thinking, on the training ground, Yiyang made another good pass for Hayward. Hayward shot a three-pointer directly, but he failed to make a shot without much interference.

"My fault, my fault." Hayward raised his hand at Yiyang and smiled embarrassedly. Yiyang didn't say anything, just patted his palm to encourage his talented teammates.

In the second attack, Yiyang directly launched a long pass from the backcourt. Hayward, who was running at the front, received the basketball one step inside the three-point line and shot directly.

Yiyang and Hayward's way of switching offense is the most commonly used and most efficient fast break tactic for the Bulldogs in the game. However, this time, the basketball still knocked out of the box.

Hayward didn't smile, and this time he couldn't laugh.

Yiyang looked at Stevens who was standing on the sidelines, and it was obvious that he had already discovered the problem. In the past two days, Hayward's touch has been really bad!

Even on the practice field, Hayward will miss a lot of opportunities. You know, the defensive strength of the second stage of the March Madness Championship is not comparable to the Bulldogs' in-team training. When faced with the focus of the opponent's real guns and live ammunition, Hayward's hit rate can't be worse?

Stevens shook his head slightly at Yiyang, signaling him to continue feeding the ball to Hayward. There is nothing Stevens can do about things like players feeling bad. Even Jordan at his peak had his downfalls. What's more, Hayward is just a college student.

But as the team's number one scoring point, it was still in this state the day before the game, which is indeed worrying.

You know, the matchup against Hayward tomorrow is the chillingly efficient No. 4 Syracuse.

Wesley Johnson, who has exploded this season beyond anyone's expectations. The lanky guy had mediocre first two seasons at Iowa State and was suspended for a year by NCAA rules after transferring to Syracuse. But no one thought that he would usher in such achievements now-averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.

Under his leadership, Syracuse University has played triumphant songs all the way from an unranked team that no one was optimistic about at the beginning of the season, reaching the highest position in the United States. Johnson was named the Big East Player of the Year and made the All-American First Team. In the NBA mock draft list, his ranking has also risen accordingly. In the major prediction lists, he basically ranks in the top 5 positions. This position is beyond the reach of Hayward.

The most frightening thing is that Johnson is a very efficient player. At the small forward position, his 50.2% shooting percentage and 41.5% three-point shooting percentage have far exceeded his opponents in the same position.

In contrast, Hayward's frequent misses on the training ground.

"Okay, stop, rest!" After Hayward wasted the opportunity to almost open for the third time in a row, Stevens really couldn't stand it anymore. He blew the whistle on his chest, and the players on the training ground also stopped.

"Gordon! Come here!" Stevens beckoned to Hayward, who walked up to the coach dejectedly.

"I...I don't know what's going on, coach. I think I've done my best, but the damn basketball, it just doesn't go in!" Hayward has also realized his problem, Before Stevens could say anything, the kid spit on the coach.

"I know Gordon, I know. Take it easy, take it easy, okay? Last year, we were knocked out in 8-of-16. I know you've got baggage in your heart, and I know you're desperate to lead the team to win. But the more you pay attention to this, the more tense your body will be. When your muscles are tense, the shot will become extremely stiff. Never mind Syracuse University and Wesley Johnson, you are the No. 1 small forward in the NCAA , understand!?” As a successful young marshal, Stevens knew that he had to be more than just proficient in tactics. The psychological counseling of student players is also a very important link. After all, these rising stars are just young children.

Hayward nodded silently and ran back to the basketball court. Over there, Yiyang also took the initiative to pat Hayward on the shoulder on a rare occasion. The "bad boy" knew that if Hayward couldn't score, the entire Bulldogs offense would be mired in the mud.

Although Stevens comforted Hayward, he sincerely hoped that Hayward could recover his touch. But at this moment, the young marshal had no choice but to come up with a backup plan. If Hayward is still not working tomorrow, the Bulldogs can't sit still.

The young coach's eyes fell on Yiyang, who was comforting Hayward. This season, Stevens made Yiyang the team's first scoring point more than once during the rotation time. It is precisely because of this that the Bulldogs were able to quickly widen the point difference in multiple games.

But in the next game, if Hayward is still inaccurate, then Stevens will have to consider completely correcting Yiyang.

The scoring leader in the rotation time and the offensive core of the whole game are not the same concept, just like if you let the best sixth man serve as the team's first scoring point, he may not be able to find his status. Stevens doesn't know that Yiyang can't take on this important task, but this backup plan is a choice that the young marshal has no choice.

"Okay, now let's run some new things! Come here, let me tell you how to practice next!" Thinking of this, Stevens clapped his hands, gathered the players, and rearranged offensive tactics.

That backup plan has already begun to be implemented.

"This time, also, you pass the ball quickly after half court. Gordon, you have the ball in the left corner, but don't attack. This time, Matt, I need you to do an off-ball pick and roll for the same. Also, Quickly passed the pick-and-roll to the bottom corner, and then Gordon gave the ball to Yiyang. After Yiyang held the ball, Willie stepped forward to pick-and-roll, and then also used it as the end point, breaking through to score points!" Stevens said, While writing and drawing on the tactical board.

"As an end point?" Yiyang looked at the tactical board and then at Stevens. He used to be a playmaker, a passer. Only during the rotation time will he become the end point in the chaos. But now, Stevens actually let him serve as the finisher when Hayward is on the court.

Yiyang knew that this young coach was making two-handed preparations for tomorrow's game!

"That's right, as an end point! Well, let's go and try it! We have no time to delay!"

The training ground became lively again, and the sound of basketball shoes rubbing against the hardwood floor became the main theme here.

Yiyang, who was the scoring core for the first time in tactics, was obviously not used to it. Usually he makes the ball for others, but now it is others who make the ball for him.

Stevens was a little worried. It was not easy for a person to suddenly adapt to a new exclusive role. But when Hayward is not in good condition and Mark is embarrassed to reuse in the championship, Stevens can only put his treasure on Yiyang.

Over there, Syracuse 4 was already ready to defeat the opponent. In Indianapolis, however, the Bulldogs were in a great crisis.

The Sweet 16 matchup of the March Madness tournament was bittersweet for the Bulldogs.