Chapter 29: New Challenge?

  Last week's recommended click was ranked 14th, this week's goal is top ten, please support, thank you O(∩_∩)O

  "Wow, I didn't think we'd actually meet in March Madness like we agreed," said Jim Calhoun, the head coach of UConn.

  Last October, he led the Blue Devils to visit the ACC league at Cameron Indoor Stadium, playing one game each against the four major powers of the ACC league, with a record of 2 wins and 2 losses. They lost to North Carolina and Georgia Tech, narrowly beat Duke, and won big over Wake Forest. This team, which was once considered the weakest in the ACC, has now made it to the Final Four and will face Duke again. Not only that, but also within 40 minutes, Coach K felt that his team had no chance of winning at all, which is really embarrassing. Wake Forest has grown too fast. In the past, Duke's tight press always made Wake Forest busy, and Duke's inside line could hold down Duncan alone, but now none of these can be done. Wake Forest can now use a small lineup to counterattack with full-court pressure.

  "Jim, actually I should thank you"

  "Thanks for what?" Jim Cahoon asked somewhat puzzled.

  "Yes, Jim, if there was no Kanda, there would be no victory for us today. It was unfortunate that we met Kanda in our first game, but it was also fortunate. Since then, my players have grown faster and become braver, so we can keep winning." Zhuang Fei looked around at the Vicksburg players hugging the Kanda players on the field and continued: "Jim, you see, my players have finally broken free from the shackles that bound them. They will be even stronger in the future."

  Jim Cahoon was taken aback at first, then shook his head with a wry smile, never thinking that Kang Da Cheng would become the touchstone for Viksen's growth.

  "Zhuang, congratulations to you and your team, you guys are great, you will be this year's NCAA champion, and you are also the best head coach of this year's NCAA. However, Zhuang, this doesn't mean that you will always be the best in the future. We, Kangda, will rise again, we won't always be just supporting actors. You should be careful from now on, Vicksburg is going to be our benchmark for growth.

  Today's game was a loss for Kangda, 77-98, lost by 21 points. Vicksburg perfectly avenged their previous defeat. The old coach was convinced and satisfied with the result. Vicksburg used three-pointers to suppress Kangda's three-pointers, used inside lines to suppress inside lines, and used tight defense to suppress tight defense. This was a completely crushing victory.

  Jim Carhon had no complaints, indeed it was just a matter of not being as strong. There's nothing that can be done about it. However, for Carhon, this big loss is also an opportunity to learn from Vicksburg, and rise again like them."

  "I'm looking forward to your challenge, Jim." From challenger to being challenged, Zhuang Fei was filled with pride and also filled with confidence.

  .........

  .........

  With the team back in Windsor, the Spitfires became heroes of the city. They didn't win the final championship yet as the last game was held on April 5th and there's still a week to go but even so, the buses carrying the players were having trouble inching their way through the crowded streets.

  When the team bus safely entered Wicksen Forest University, Zhuang Fei finally let out a sigh of relief. After returning to Wicksen Forest University, Zhuang Fei immediately gave the players a 2-day break. Now the Wicksen Forest players were like a spring under great pressure, they needed to relax, otherwise there might be problems, especially after defeating their "number one enemy" Kangda, which made them very excited, so taking a two-day break could also calm them down.

  The next day after Zhuang Fei returned to Windsor Castle, another NCAA semifinal result was produced. Stephon Marbury led Georgia Tech to an 80-77 victory over Syracuse University in a thrilling game. First, Georgia Tech led for the first 35 minutes, then Syracuse University used Marbury's brain fever to complete the reversal in the last moment. In the end, the protagonist was still Marbury, who completed two steals and scored 8 points alone in the last minute to lock down the victory. Marbury himself scored 41 points in this game.

  "It's really bad news," Zhuang Fei said with a bitter smile. According to what he knew, Marbury was definitely going to participate in the NBA draft this year. So, Marbury's grievance task was that as long as Marbury's team lost in the semifinals, Zhuang Fei's task would be completed. However, heaven did not follow human wishes, and in the end, Marbury actually led his team into the finals.

  This is the first time in NCAA history that an ACC team has completed a championship sweep, after Duke and North Carolina alternated as champions for several years. The third and fourth place teams in the NCAA also made it to the finals, and did better than North Carolina and Duke, at least Duke and North Carolina have never swept the championships before. This year, four ACC teams participated in the final tournament, with Duke University being eliminated in the first round with the worst record, and North Carolina making it to the quarterfinals where they lost to Syracuse University. The ACC has once again stunned the nation.

  However, Zhuang Fei was not as excited as the media in North Carolina, and Ma Bu's resentment made this task considered more difficult than Coach K's prayer. But this task is not as easy as it seems at his level.

  A player with an ability value of 70 or higher and a player with an ability value of 85 or higher are two completely different concepts. Marbury is indeed a player with an ability value of 85 or higher. After this task was activated, Zhang Fei could no longer inquire about Marbury's current ability value, but he knew his ability value when Marbury graduated from high school, so according to estimates, Marbury should now be around 85.

  "After all attributes increase by 10, will he become Jordan?" Zhuang Fei sighed inwardly, wondering if that nuclear weapon was needed. Zhuang Fei fell into deep thought.

  Nuclear weapons are that high-level special item, Coach K's prayer, if he uses that thing, let alone one Maori, even two more won't scare him.

  "There is a gentleman at the villa who wants to see you."

  Just as Zhuang Fei fell into deep thought, the team's assistant coach Mark Allen walked in. Although it was a holiday, coaches like Zhuang Fei still had to go to work as usual.

  "Please come in." Who wants to see me? thought Zhang Fei, his mind racing. He couldn't recall anyone from Windsor City he knew, except for people from Victoria University.

  ..........

  ..........

  "What? You want me to go to Toronto Raptors as head coach?" Zhuang Fei shouted.

  A man claiming to be the boss of the Toronto Raptors, Bitoffo, spoke at length before extending an invitation to Zhuang Fei, inviting him to become the head coach of the Toronto Raptors next season, replacing the underperforming Malone.

  Entering the NBA? This is Zhuang Fei's biggest dream since his rebirth, and it's as a head coach that he wants to enter the NBA. Now the opportunity is right in front of him. How could this not surprise Zhuang Fei?

  Unlike other NCAA head coaches in the US, few of whom have gone to the NBA, they think the NCAA is much better. The NCAA isn't a commercial league, schools rarely let head coaches go, and their power and freedom are greater, plus their salaries are higher than those in the NBA. Only fools or madmen would leave the NBA. But clearly, Zhu Fangyi isn't that kind of person, with completely different values - to him, the NBA is basketball's highest temple.

  Zhuang Fei paced back and forth in his office, his mind was tangled. If all of his team members were mature juniors like Duncan, he would have agreed to the invitation without hesitation. However, most of his main players were freshmen, Zhuang Fei really couldn't put them down. They were still in their growth stage, and it was the most critical stage of growth. How could Zhuang Fei just leave? Recently, Carter and Szebiak had told Zhuang Fei that they didn't want to enter the draft as freshmen, they wanted to follow Zhuang Fei for two more years. But if Zhuang Fei left now, how would they feel?

  But now that the opportunity is in front of him, should he really refuse it? Zhuang Fei was perplexed. After about ten or so minutes, Zhuang Fei stopped and let out a sigh.

  "Mr. Bitoufu, can you give me a month to think about it?"

  Jian Biting nodded, and Zhuang Fei also let out a sigh of relief.

  ;