Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 323: Yin Yang Knights vs. Shizi Dogs (7)

Kun stood at the edge of the court, feeling like he was in line for a guillotine punishment.

Renren jogged back to the bench, giving Kun a nod of thanks as he rubbed his sore wrist.

"Thanks, bro," he said, patting his back. "Really need to rest my wrist."

Now, he couldn’t really back out!

He turned around for a moment and saw Lina and Kai giving him encouraging nods.

Kun had been in a slump since last week, ever since the game against the Feng Foxes. He knew he wasn’t the best player, but that game had been a harsh reminder of his limits. He’d made mistake after mistake, and the self-doubt had been gnawing at him ever since. Now, with his teammates looking at him with hope and expectation, the pressure felt immense.

Yuze, his best friend, stood beside him as Jinping prepared for the inbound pass.

Though Kun hadn’t voiced his insecurities, Yuze had always been perceptive. He never asked questions, just offered silent support, which Kun appreciated more than words could express.

However, Kun knew that Yuze felt something was wrong with him.

Yuze’s quiet smile helped ease the tightness in Kun’s chest.

As the third quarter resumed, the Shizi Dogs were down by nine points, with the score at 66-57. Kun took a deep breath and began with a simple play. He dribbled forward, searching for an opening, but nerves got the better of him. He saw Yutong speeding down the court and passed the ball to him. Yutong made a swift lay-up, adding two more points for the Knights.

The gap widened to 68-57, an 11-point lead.

"Oh wow!" Mark exclaimed. "The new player seems to need a new prescription for his glasses. He just passed the ball to their opponent!"

There were chuckles that erupted in the crowd. However, there were also some sneers of disappointment, wondering why Renren had been switched out.

Kun’s heart sank.

As expected, the more time he spent on the court, the more he realized that he became fearful of the sport he loved.

The ball came to him again, and this time, he found himself face-to-face with Max. Kun froze. For a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them. The other players and the noise of the crowd faded into the background. He panicked, quickly passing the ball to Yuze, who managed to score.

68-59.

"Thanks," Yuze muttered, patting Kun on the back.

As Max charged down the court, aiming for a shot, Kun found himself in the way. He stumbled awkwardly, almost tripping over his own feet, but somehow managed to get in Max’s mind. The shot missed, bouncing off the rim. Jinping grabbed the rebound and sprinted down the court, finishing with a clean shot.

The score shifted to 68-61.

The crowd buzzed with confusion and excitement.

"Max had missed an easy shot!" Mark said. "It seems like the star player is also showing some cracks."

Coach Guanyu frowned as he placed his elbows on top of his knees.

Even Max, himself, was perplexed.

"Strange," he muttered.

He stared at his hands before shaking them, trying to get rid of the strange feeling.

Kun was just as surprised as everyone else. He looked over at Lina and Kai, who exchanged knowing looks. Their theory seemed to be playing out. Kun, clumsy and unsure, was somehow throwing Max off his game.

"Holy crap," Lina muttered. "You’re so right. If you weren’t such a great player, I would suggest you be a strategist," she said to Kai.

Kai shook his head in amusement, a small smile playing on his lips. It was the prize for monitoring so many games while he was bound to his wheelchair.

Then, his gaze strayed to the court once more.

There was still one more theory he had to test out.

The game continued, and Max found himself facing Kun again. Kun, still feeling unsure, stumbled into position. Max shot, and once again, the ball didn’t go in. Andy quickly grabbed the rebound and nailed a three-pointer.

The gap narrowed to 68-64.

Miss Cherry squealed in her seat, celebrating among the young students.

The second-string team watched the gap with wide eyes.

"It’s not impossible to win!" Shang exclaimed, his hands clasped in front of his chest.

Max’s frustration was visible now. He was used to players challenging him with skill, not stumbling into his path.

As the game continued, the Shizi Dogs managed to hold their ground, keeping the score close. Then, something unexpected happened. Max, in a moment of frustration, fouled Kun.

"What is he doing?" Coach Guanyu asked out of frustration.

"What is this?" Mark exclaimed, not believing his eyes. "Max Zhou, one of the calmest players in the league, had fouled a player intently? This is new, everyone!"

His teammates, too, turned to him with curious expressions. However, Max shook his head and signaled that he was okay.

The whistle blew, and Kun found himself standing at the free-throw line, the crowd silent with anticipation.

Kun’s hands were shaking. He took a deep breath and aimed, but the first shot missed. The second shot bounced off the rim. Kun felt a wave of disappointment wash over him.

Lina pursed her lips. "That would have been our chance to tie the score."

Kai nodded but didn’t mind too much. He knew that Kun was doing his best.

"It’s alright," Kai said. "We still have the penalty shot."

Andy grabbed the ball and made a quick shot, scoring the penalty points. The score was now 68-66.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

Three minutes left in the quarter, and the game was tighter than ever. The Shizi Dogs were holding up remarkably well.

Coach Ben and Coach Yixing turned to each other with wide eyes.

"What’s this?" Ben asked. "Were we wrong?"

Chunlei smirked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"You weren’t," Chunlei said. "We just underestimated him again."

Coach Yixing frowned. "Who? Kai?"

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Chunlei nodded, causing the two coaches to sigh.

"I swear—that kid is going to be the death of me. Every time, I am reminded that I came so close to recruiting him," Coach Ben muttered.

"Sometimes, I feel bad that I wasn’t able to get him to transfer. However, it also brings me joy that he didn’t go to your team."

Coach Ben clicked his tongue.

"I believe he already knows," Chunlei concluded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I just can’t believe that he came up with a strategy right away."

"Strategy?" Yiming asked with a small frown.

"That guy," Chunlei said, pointing at Kun.

"Kun?" Zedong asked in confusion. "He hasn’t done anything remarkable since he entered the game."

"Exactly," Chunlei whispered.

Meanwhile, the gap stayed at two points with one minute left in the third quarter.

Coach Guanyu was planning to use the last two time-outs for the last quarter, already anticipating that it was going to be the most difficult one.

However, he had no choice.

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He signaled to the professional scorer’s table.

"Time-out!"