Coach Guanyu’s sharp eyes remained fixed on Max even as the players rose from the bench, ready to start the second half.
His mind lingered on what Max had said. How had he known about Yuze? It wasn’t like Guanyu had gone out of his way to hide their connection, but he had never explicitly announced it either. In this world, it was better to let people assume rather than confirm things that could cause complications.
However, Guanyu wondered if it was really that bad to let others know that Yuze was his son.
At that time, it was…
He didn’t want to put any more pressure on his son—not when he was already pushing him to his limits.
The other boys on the team looked at Max with curiosity. Most of them wanted to question what he meant by Yuze being Guanyu’s son, and Max appeared like he knew a lot more than he let on. His smirk didn’t help too!
"Got it, coach," Max said confidently before he could fully step on the court. "Don’t worry about it."
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Guanyu narrowed his eyes slightly, but he didn’t press the matter.
The buzzer signaled the end of halftime, and the players took their positions on the court. Guanyu crossed his arms, watching intently as the game resumed. His team had been performing well so far, and he was confident they would continue to dominate.
Despite the small gap, this was one of the games he was sure they would win. Their path to the finals had been relatively easy so far; they hadn’t faced any of the truly elite teams yet. In contrast, the Shizi Dogs had already fought tooth and nail through tough opponents, including two other top-tier teams.
David and Gina provided a running commentary for the crowd. "We’re back in the third quarter, and things are looking tight for the Shizi Dogs," David said. "They’ve faced some serious opposition already, and they’re up against another powerhouse in the Knights. It’s going to take everything they have to turn this around."
Gina chimed in. "You’re right, David. The Knights have been impressive all tournament, but the Dogs are no strangers to adversity. Let’s see if they can push through."
On the court, Andy and Jinping were still struggling among the sea of experienced players.
Both of them had their own complexes to deal with—Andy with his inconsistent shooting and Jinping trying to avoid fouling out after racking up three fouls already.
Jinping cautiously dribbled the ball, his eyes scanning the court for an opening. He was trying to stay calm, but every time he got near the basket, Fabin’s presence—despite being smaller than his—made him second-guess every move.
Guanyu watched the play unfold with a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"It’s only a matter of time," he muttered under his breath. He could see it—the cracks in the Shizi Dogs’ resolve.
Andy, determined to break his shooting slump, positioned himself beyond the three-point line. He received the pass from Kai, squared up, and launched a three-pointer.
The ball sailed through the air, but once again, it clanged off the rim.
Yutong snatched the rebound with ease. He barely had time to settle before Yuze was on him, pressing hard, refusing to let him get a clean pass off. Yutong’s frustration showed, but he managed to find a window to pass the ball forward to Fabin.
Fabin, however, was cautious and clearly aware of Jinping’s presence. He didn’t rush but instead played with patience as he passed back to Max, who was positioned near the three-point line.
From the VIP section, Jimmy shook his head. "They’re done for," he said confidently.
The others in the VIP area were also silent. As much as Calvin, Zheng, and Fang supported the Knights, they couldn’t help but root for the Dogs.
"Max needs to join us here," Calvin said. "It can’t only be the two of us who were beaten by Kai."
Fang nodded in agreement, not saying anything.
Meanwhile, Zheng sighed and shook his head. "I shouldn’t have lumped myself up with you losers."
Jinping, nerves tightening with every second, saw his opportunity and tried to make a move. He cut inside the paint, determined to push through. But as soon as he got close, Fabin stepped up. The fear crept in, and Jinping hesitated. His hands fumbled, and the ball slipped from his grasp.
In an instant, it was in Max’s hands. With a single smooth motion, Max stepped back and launched a three-pointer from close range. The ball sailed through the air, arcing high before dropping cleanly through the net.
"Max with the three!" Gina called out. "The Knights are pulling ahead, and the Shizi Dogs are running out of options."
The scoreboard updated—Knights: 51, Dogs: 49.
"It’s too late," Jimmy continued from his spot, arms crossed over his chest. His eyes held a certain satisfaction as he looked down at the court.
Kimmy frowned. "It’s only the third quarter," she argued. "There’s still plenty of time for the Dogs to come back."
Jimmy smirked. "The game’s as good as done, Kimmy. Look at them."
Kimmy narrowed her eyes, not entirely convinced. "Why do you say that? I think you’re saying that out of your pure disdain for Kai.
"No, I’m not," he spat.
Then, he leaned forward, listing his reasons with certainty. "First, Andy still can’t shoot. He’s rattled, and he knows it. He’s missed too many times, and it’s getting in his head."
"Second, Jinping’s afraid. You can see it in his eyes. Fabin’s in his head, too. He’s not going to make any smart moves for the rest of the game."
Kimmy glanced at Jinping, watching as he tried to shake off his earlier mistake.
"Maybe, but Kai’s still on the court. He’s the best player out there."
Jimmy shrugged. "Sure, Kai’s good—I mean, he’s not bad," he quickly corrected himself, making Kimmy shake her head.
"But he’s got someone he’s on par with. Max can keep up with him, and that means Kai can’t fully dominate since he’s got his hands full already."
Kimmy pressed her lips together, not wanting to admit Jimmy had a point.
"And lastly," Jimmy said, holding up four fingers, "Yuze can’t hold his team together. He’s their leader, but even he can’t push them to a win like this."
Kimmy looked over at Yuze, who was gritting his teeth as he fought through.
"I think he’s injured," Kimmy said.
"Bingo," Jimmy exclaimed. "I can’t believe no one is talking about it."
"So," Jimmy concluded, leaning back with a satisfied smile, "looks like we’ll be seeing the Knights in the finals."