The Way of the Center

Westbrook made a throw.

Anjie turned around and made a jump shot at close range.

Westbrook wiped Anjie with speed and scored an easy layup.

An Jie easily completed a hook when facing a much shorter opponent.

Anjie and Westbrook dominated the entire game. The zone defense has lost its threat to Westbrook at this moment, and without Love UCLA's penalty area defense is better than nothing for Anjie. You score a goal, I return one. The scouts were all overwhelmed by the performance of these two boys, and they wrote praises in the scout reports without hesitation.

Although An Jie played well, the situation of the Cyclone team has not changed at all. Ricard has now successfully restricted three of the UCLA Big Four, but the only remaining one has brought the Cyclones the most trouble. At the beginning, Ricard thought that Love would be the biggest threat to the Cyclones. Now it seems that he really underestimated the power of this point guard. This guy with the best physique always has a heart to be a champion, he never makes any excuses for himself, and he does his best every time he plays.

Westbrook broke through again and again and directly collided with An Jie, and Asakin looked worried, he knew best the pain when facing An Jie. But Westbrook didn't feel the slightest discomfort, even though he was knocked to the ground by Anjie forcefully several times.

"Great player, just his desire to win, this guy is definitely worth watching. Most experts predict that Westbrook will be drafted after Kevin Love, and I think this conclusion is about to stand now I can't keep my feet."

Mike Taylor was full of frustration. When facing D.J. Augustin, he still had an advantage in one or two rounds, but facing Westbrook, he was completely defeated, and the gap was huge. If the mentality is affected, then the performance will also be fluctuated. Afterwards, he was intercepted by Westbrook twice in the offense, which is the best proof.

With only six minutes left in the game, the Cyclones are still down by ten after fighting for so long. However, this point difference does not reflect the real situation on the court. Although UCLA has the advantage, they are also playing very hard.

Ricard saw Anjie being silent again on the bench, he knew that this guy was exhausted. If it weren't for Anjie's defense and offense at all costs, the Cyclone team would have surrendered by now.

"We continue to defend the zone defense." There is no way, at least the zone defense can limit the other three. If other defenses are used, then the current Cyclone team can't afford the four King Kong's attacks in turn.

"An Jie, you will rest below later, and I will send you to play at the last moment."

"No, coach, please let me continue playing." Unexpectedly, An Jie said this sentence, which surprised Ricard.

"But you haven't rested since the second half!" Why didn't Ricard want Anjie to play? But in order to exert his strength at the last moment, he had to take the risk to let An Jie rest. The NCAA's 20-minute first and second halves really brought a great test to the coach's employment strategy.

"It's okay, the game is only a few minutes away, and I can persevere." An Jie threw away the towel on his head and took a few deep breaths.

Ricard knew that it would be very dangerous to let Anjie go. Without the core of offense and defense, the Cyclones are likely to be crushed by UCLA in one fell swoop. When the time comes to send An Jie to play again, I am afraid that there is no way to recover. But he still prefers to follow the routine, and he didn't expect that he didn't even have a point of exertion at the last moment.

Seeing that Ricard was still hesitating, An Jie spoke again. "Don't worry, coach, our devil's physical training before was not just for show. My physical strength is completely fine."

It's not that An Jie doesn't trust his teammates, but the facts are in front of everyone's eyes. Facing the mighty UCLA, the only one who can fight against the opposing players is Anjie.

Ricard finally nodded, and if Anjie is not allowed to go all out now, then he will not have a second chance to go all out this season.

"Continue to attack the inside and cause damage!" Ben Holland saw that Anjie was about to play, and at the last moment of the timeout, he gave Westbrook unlimited firing rights.

Back from the timeout, Kevin Love stood on the field again. However, Love no longer paid any attention to An Jie when he was defending. Ben Howland sent other people to entangle An Jie.

"Is this giving up defense?" Ricard didn't know which move Ben Holland made.

Ben Holland just analyzed it off the court for a long time. When Kevin Love was off the court to rest, they were no different from giving up defense, but the result? They are still ten points ahead!

attack! UCLA's biggest advantage right now is offense! Let the Asian score as much as he wants in the penalty area, anyway, UCLA can always fight back in the next attack. One Westbrook can do it, so adding another Love, wouldn't the offensive firepower be stronger. Ben Holland brought Love up for offense. If Love gets fouled out because of defending Anjie, they will also lose a strong attack point on the offensive end.

"Love received the ball from the corner and shot a three-pointer! The man defending that area was Cruz. The height gap was too big, and Love was not disturbed at all. A three-pointer was hit! Kevin Love made a strong comeback!"

In just the first attack, Ben Howland proved how correct his decision was. Maverick playing zone defense? The effect is just like that.

Man to man or continue zone defense? Ricard also had to do a multiple-choice question.

With man-to-man defense, Love will be much less of a threat, but Westbrook will run rampant in the Cyclones halfcourt. Using the zone defense, neither of them can limit them, but they can exclude Collison and Mbah a Moute from the offensive system. Dilemma, Ricard, as a college coach, finally met an opponent today. That fellow Ben Holland has already made Ricard general.

In the end, Rickard chose to continue the zone defense. If the UCLA Four King Kong are all opened, then the decline will not stop anyway.

Love bullied the little man on the outside, and Westbrook tried to climb over the tower of Anjie again and again. He obviously found that An Jie's take-off height was much lower than before, and his lateral movement speed was also relatively slowed down. He knew that this Chinese man's physical fitness was close to exhaustion.

13 points, 15 points, 18 points. UCLA expanded the score one step further, and Anjie's offensive efficiency was also reduced due to overdrawing of physical strength.

Wu Hua looked at the tired figures of his compatriots and didn't know what to write. An Jie has tried his best, but the Cyclones still can't get up.

With 26 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots, Anjie's statistics have completely crushed Kevin Love so far. But these are meaningless, because he can't lead the team to victory. If it was Michael Beasley's statist, he wouldn't care about the team's win or loss if his stats were like this. But the Cyclones are a real team.

A miraculous counterattack? didn't show up. An Jie's miraculous lore? failed to continue. UCLA has seized the Achilles heel of the Cyclones, Westbrook has also taken the first step to become a superstar, and Kevin Love saved his face in just six minutes.

This is reality, this is cruel competitive sports, and this is a March Madness that determines the outcome. Andre lost, Ricard lost, the Cyclones...lost.

When the referee blew the whistle to end the game, An Jie was still staring blankly at the score on the big screen. 65 to 82, the huge red number bloody sentenced the Cyclones to death.

Beside An Jie, there were all UCLA players in white jerseys celebrating wildly. Everyone in the Cyclones wearing red jerseys is out of tune with this sea of ​​joy. An Jie couldn't believe that his first NCAA season ended like this.

The sweet round of 16 is full of bitterness. It stands to reason that the Cyclone team has overfulfilled the task. Not only did they enter March Madness, but they have also successfully reached the present. But who can be happy?

Morris just stared at the screen silently, and the reporter on the TV had already called Westbrook to start an interview. But he was just like the Cyclones players on the field, he was reluctant to leave the field.

The Cyclones had a glimmer of hope for March Madness when they lost to Kansas. And now, everything is over, the Cyclones' 07-08 season is completely over.

"We...we don't know what to say now. The Cyclones have been one of the most successful teams this season, only to meet the giants in a row, so that they finally get crushed. Now the rest of the NCAA team can Rest assured, because the air defense siren will not sound again." The ESPN commentator also had to feel sorry for the elimination of such an excellent team.

Perhaps for Asakin and others, they still have a chance to avenge their shame next season. But for Anjie, where he will play next season is still unknown. Maybe this is his last game in the Cyclones?

An Jie didn't sit slumped on the ground, nor did he wash his face with tears. He just stood with his hips akimbo, watching the UCLA players celebrating their victory from afar.

"So happy." An Jie was full of envy.

Becoming the core of the team in March Madness, An Jie has already become the No. 1 player in China in the NCAA arena without knowing it. However, he is now willing to use all the honors in exchange for a victory for the Cyclones.

In the face of failure, Wu Hua could already imagine the overwhelming suspicion of An Jie in China. He decided to maintain Anjie's image in his column, no matter who dared to issue a challenge, he would respond with the sharpest words. Because his heart has long been conquered by that compatriot. Now Wu Hua is not only Anjie's follower reporter, but also one of Anjie's many fans.

Only in Andersen's story can there be a perfect ending. While the world of competitive sports is rich in winners, there are even more outstanding losers.

The Cyclones and Anjie obviously did not get the favor of God, they stopped in the round of 16. Anjie and the others were only one step away from tying with the best result in team history, but at that step they stumbled.

"Let's go boys, you are no different from winners, you never give up." Ricard's first NCAA season was undoubtedly a success, but he still felt heartbroken about the result of being out. But he is the head coach of the team and the leader of this group of young people. He cannot show his weak side in front of these young people.

An Jie was the last to change his clothes and closed the door of the locker room. At the same time, he closed the whirlwind team's once unstoppable dark horse road.

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