The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 80 - 19: Sense of Security

In the final minutes, the Bulldogs Team gave Dayton University a chance to narrow the score, just like in the 1967 NCAA championship game.

In the ’80s, with no three-pointer, slow offensive rhythm, and long offensive times, a 15-point deficit was difficult to overcome.

At the moment the game ended, Dayton University’s NCAA journey for the year ended as well.

For the seniors on the team, their college basketball careers might also have come to an end (unless they were invited to play in the NIT after the NCAA).

The Bulldog players rushed onto the court, hugging each other and cheering, happy as a bunch of kids over two hundred pounds each.

Meanwhile, some Dayton players crouched on the ground, others sat with their heads drooping on the sidelines, most covering their eyes as tears kept streaming down.

This is the nature of the single-elimination NCAA tournament, win and advance, lose and go home, and for some, a loss meant never returning to that court again.

With Dayton’s strength this year, if they hadn’t encountered the Bulldogs, or rather hadn’t encountered Gan Guoyang, they could have gone further.

Encountering a superstar center, being defeated by a superstar center, seemed to become their fate.

Coach Donohue gracefully shook hands with Beelman after the game, congratulating them on advancing to the next round.

Beelman struggled to contain his excitement, because advancing to the next round meant they had broken into the Sweet 16!

Theoretically, the Gonzaga Bulldogs had already accomplished their national tournament goal.

While celebrating in the locker room, Dan FitzGerald excitedly babbled, "We can buy tickets back to Spokane now! There are little boats waiting for us on the Spokane River! We’re going to have a parade! We want flowers! We are the kings of Spokane!"

Steve DeLong reminded him that reaching the Sweet 16 was no grounds for a river celebration, only a championship would suffice.

Everyone was excited; the locker room door crowded with reporters and fans looking to get in touch with Gan Guoyang.

Security measures at the courts in the ’70s and ’80s weren’t as strict, and it was common for fans and reporters to come and go from the backcourt.

Reporters didn’t need to apply in advance to interview a player, go through rigorous security checks, and then queue up.

As long as there was an opportunity to catch someone near the locker room, exchange a few pleasantries, and if the player was agreeable, they could sit down somewhere or stand against a wall and start a conversation.

Since the last media open practice conducted by Dan Fitz, the Bulldogs had been more open to reporters, accepting interviews in an orderly fashion, and maintaining a good relationship with the media.

Fitz was looking at the bigger picture; with Gan, they were currently the hot pick, but Gan Guoyang would one day move to a higher stage, which might happen very soon.

How to make good use of Gan’s influence to enhance Gonzaga University’s reputation and word-of-mouth among the media and fans, which would benefit future school recruitment, were considerations for Fitz.

However, Fitz still took great care to protect Gan Guoyang; if he did not want to give interviews or felt harassed, Fitz would definitely send the reporters away and refuse all media activities.

Gan Guoyang was in a good mood that day, chatted with several reporters, and was about to leave when he heard someone shouting, "Ah Gan, Ah Gan!"

Gan Guoyang looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man wearing frog-eye glasses, a checked shirt, and bell-bottom pants squeezing toward the locker room. It was his Shui Zhong Team teammate "Big Bear" Wu Zhixiong.

"Big Bear! I remember you’re studying in Los Angeles, how did you end up in Salt Lake City?" Gan Guoyang pulled Wu Zhixiong into the locker room.

"Ah, of course, I came to watch your game on everyone’s behalf." Wu Zhixiong looked a lot thinner than he had two years before.

"Stop teasing me, what really brings you here? Are you on assignment?" Gan Guoyang saw the notebook in Wu Zhixiong’s hand and guessed the guy was definitely there for an interview.

Wu Zhixiong smiled and said, "You can’t hide anything from you, boss. Yes, I’m here to interview you."

Wu Zhixiong explained briefly that he was now working as a special correspondent for a newspaper in Los Angeles, covering and reporting on the NCAA.

The newspaper valued his identity as Gan Guoyang’s former teammate and sent him to Salt Lake City to see if he could dig up some news.

He hadn’t had the chance yesterday, but he finally squeezed in after today’s game.

Out of team and school camaraderie, Gan Guoyang accepted the interview, answered a few questions, and then allowed another reporter in to take a few photos of the two of them.

Big Bear had completed his task and said to Gan Guoyang, "Hey boss, do you know who our next opponent is?"

"Yes, I do, Duke. What about it, do you have any intel?"

"Not exactly intel, just a private chat between us. From what I’ve gathered, Duke isn’t such good news; they play dirty. When you head to Los Angeles next time, be very, very careful!"

Gan Guoyang was aware of Duke; their coach, Coach K, would later become a household name in the American coaching circles. However, in 1984, he was still a rising star, a young Coach K.

"Hey, make it clear, what do you mean by ’they play dirty’?"

"From the court to off the court, from players to fans, they’re all bad! But as for specifics, I’m only repeating what I’ve heard. I’m just reminding you. Once you’re in Los Angeles, people from the school will come to see you compete. You’ve got to push on!"

The concern from his old classmate gave Gan Guoyang a warm feeling inside, and at the same time, he took Big Bear’s words to heart. Gan Guoyang was always a person who was relaxed on the outside but very meticulous on the inside.

Some games appeared to be won easily, and indeed, they were often just that—easy.

But for some games, especially the important ones, Gan Guoyang would start to pay attention to everything related to the competition well in advance.

The reminder he received from Wu Zhixiong today made him feel that the battle with Duke would not be that simple.

Without any red-eye flights, the Bulldogs Team stayed another night in Salt Lake City on the 17th, too excited to sleep.

After calling his girlfriend, Stockton ran to Gan Guoyang’s room, insisting on sleeping together because he couldn’t sleep and wanted to chat. He was content just sleeping on the floor.

Since his away game travel started in August, Gan Guoyang had the privilege of staying in a single room, which Stockton now disrupted.

Eventually, Stockton muttered a few words in his sleep and drifted off while lying on the floor.

He was extremely tired that night, drained physically and under immense mental pressure.

Only when Gan Guoyang was by his side did he feel safe and was able to fall asleep quickly.

Gan Guoyang sat up in bed, turned on the light, and finished the letter to Wang Fuxi before turning off the light to sleep.

Early on the 18th, the Bulldog Team took a flight out of Salt Lake City and headed back to Spokane.

By the 21st, they took another plane to Los Angeles, getting ready for the next round of competition.

Gan Guoyang and UCLA truly had a connection—their Western Conference Sweet Sixteen game was set to take place at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.

The game scheduled for the 23rd afternoon would start with Georgetown against the University of Las Vegas, followed by the evening game between Gonzaga and Duke.

The players’ accommodation was arranged at the Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria Hotel, a five-star hotel in Los Angeles, which was a significant upgrade from the rundown motels they stayed at during away travels.

On the night of the 22nd, the day before the game, Beelman ordered everyone to rest early; after dinner, they were to stay in their rooms and not to go out.

The Bulldog players obediently returned to their rooms in small groups after dinner.

But Stockton and McPhie were waylaid by a man and a woman claiming to be reporters from Los Angeles who lavished praise on Stockton and McPhie and invited them to sit down for an interview.

Stockton and McPhie felt too embarrassed to decline and, seeing it was still early, they sat down and started chatting with the two reporters—of course, the female reporter’s beautiful looks and alluring figure presumably played a role.

Upstairs, Gan Guoyang, wanting to find Stockton, knocked on his door but got no answer. Knowing they hadn’t returned and were still in an interview, he went down to find them and saw the four chatting in the coffee shop.

The female reporter had ordered four cocktails, about ready to offer them to Stockton and McPhie.

Gan Guoyang stepped forward and asked Stockton and McPhie to leave and go back to rest immediately.

Then, he grabbed the male "reporter" by the collar and yanked him out of his seat, saying, "I know you’re not any reporter; I can tell at a glance. If you try any tricks, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Releasing his grip, the so-called "male reporter" immediately collapsed in the seat, while the female reporter, pale with fright, rushed to pay the bill and left the café.

Stockton and McPhie were confused, but Gan Guoyang explained, "I’ve dealt with plenty of reporters since high school, and I can instantaneously tell by their demeanor and aura. These two are obviously students trying to fool you. Don’t fall for it. Go back and rest, rookies."