blogombal Chapter 63, Section 3: The Storm! Lin Hao Scores 20 Points in a Single Quarter
Chapter 63, Section 3: The Storm! Lin Hao Scores 20 Points in a Single Quarter
When the whistle blew to restart the game, the boos from the Harbin Convention and Exhibition Center Gymnasium had not yet completely subsided.
The air was thick with the smell of sweat, blood, and an almost explosive tension. On the Lebanese bench, Hadib was wiping away sweat with a towel, a sinister smug glint in his eyes. He knew the referees were on his side, which meant he could indiscriminately dismantle any Chinese player who dared to drive into the paint.
China has possession of the ball.
Wang Zhizhi served from the baseline, steadily passing the ball to Lin Hao.
Lin Hao dribbled the ball past midfield. The Lebanese team immediately changed their formation, sending out two players—Fahd and Rashid—to clamp down on Lin Hao like two iron clamps. Their actions were extremely dirty; Fahd's hand gripped Lin Hao's neck like an iron hook, while Rashid used his body to firmly press against Lin Hao's waist, trying to push him out of bounds.
The referee held his whistle in his mouth, his eyes cold, like a soulless statue.
"Is this the style of play you wanted?" Lin Hao sneered inwardly.
He didn't pass the ball, nor did he force a breakthrough. He lowered his center of gravity, his back muscles tensed, and he held off Rashid's pressure like a rock. Then, he thrust his right foot forward with a swift crossover dribble, attempting to squeeze through the gap between the two.
"Bang!"
Fahad grabbed Lin Hao and pulled him with such force that it almost tore Lin Hao's jersey. Lin Hao staggered but managed to regain his balance. The referee, however, ignored it.
"Fine, you won't brag anymore, huh?" Lin Hao's eyes turned completely cold, like an icy blade.
He stopped trying to pass the ball and stopped seeking cooperation. Since the referee was going to play dirty, he would retaliate in the most primitive and violent way.
Lin Hao suddenly started the engine and accelerated forcefully!
This time, he didn't dodge Fahd's pull, but instead used the opponent's pull to crash into the heart of the Lebanese team's defense like a cannonball!
Seeing this, Rashid quickly came over to help defend, spreading his arms to try and draw an offensive foul.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Hao soared into the air!
Instead of dodging, he pulled the ball back, forcibly hanging in mid-air to avoid Rashid's block. At the same time, his left elbow, like a drawn sword, slammed into Rashid's chest!
"Bang!"
A muffled thud.
Rashid screamed as he was thrown backward and crashed heavily to the floor, clutching his chest and gasping for breath for a long time.
Lin Hao, using this reaction force, gently flicked the basketball with one hand—
"Whoosh!"
Goal!
The referee finally blew his whistle, but he pointed at Lin Hao.
"Beep! Offensive foul! Goal disallowed!"
The entire audience erupted in uproar!
"Fuck you, you cheating referee!" Battier tore his towel in half on the sidelines.
Lin Hao stood still, without roaring or protesting. He simply walked silently to the referee, pointed his finger at the referee's chest, and then at his own eyes.
Those eyes were cold and lifeless, devoid of any human emotion.
The referee felt uneasy under their gaze and instinctively took a half-step back.
In the next defensive possession, Lebanon attacked. Haddib dribbled the ball and went one-on-one, directly matched up against Lin Hao. Haddib faked a shot, but Lin Hao didn't budge. Frustrated, Haddib rammed the ball into Lin Hao.
Instead of retreating, Lin Hao advanced, using his chest to withstand Hadib's impact!
"Bang!"
The two collided heavily. Haddib, as a forward, was actually knocked back three steps by Lin Hao, a defender, and almost fell on his backside.
"Beep!" The referee blew his whistle, and Haddib was found guilty of traveling.
"Now that's what you call confrontation," Lin Hao said coldly to Hadib, then turned and quickly got off.
At this moment, Lin Hao completely dominated the game. He was no longer the commander who relied on skill and awareness; he had become a bloodthirsty beast.
There are 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
Using Wang Zhizhi's high screen, Lin Hao was instantly surrounded by three Lebanese players! It was a doomed situation, but Lin Hao only had eyes for the basket.
He darted through the gaps between the three like an eel. Rashid's large hand loomed down, about to swat the ball away.
Lin Hao flicked his wrist, and instead of the ball flying towards the basket, he hooked it backward!
A no-look pass went through the legs of three players and was precisely threaded onto Wang Zhizhi, who was making a run down the court.
Wang Zhizhi receives the ball and slams it down with both hands!
"Clang!"
56 to 56 draw!
The entire venue erupted at that moment! A sea of red surged wildly as Zhao Dabao and his students played the suona with deafening force.
"Lin Hao! Lin Hao! Lin Hao!"
Lebanon's mentality collapsed. Hadib started blindly attacking one-on-one on offense, even forcing a fadeaway jump shot against Wang Zhizhi's defense.
Lin Hao had anticipated this, and extended his long arm—
"Snapped!"
A clean and decisive steal!
Lin Hao dribbled the ball up the court, leaving him the only player on the court. Fahad frantically chased back, attempting to foul Lin Hao beyond the three-point line.
Lin Hao didn't slow down; while running at high speed, he suddenly pulled up for a jump shot!
Fahd flew up, trying to block the shot, but only managed to touch Lin Hao's fingers.
"Whoosh!"
Three point hit!
59 is better than 56!
"Go in!" the commentator shouted frantically. "He's unstoppable!"
Haddib went completely berserk. In the next offensive possession, he charged towards the basket like a bull. Yao Ming (who had returned to the court) came to help defend, and Haddib actually used his knee to strike Yao Ming in the lower back!
"Beep!" The referee finally blew the horn, but it was just a regular foul.
Yao Ming clutched his waist in pain, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
Lin Hao rushed over to help Yao Ming up. Looking at Haddib's arrogant face, Lin Hao's killing intent reached its peak.
"Yao Ming, you rest." Lin Hao substituted Yao Ming and stayed on the court himself.
There are 3 minutes left in the third quarter.
Lebanon attacks, Fahd has the ball. Lin Hao presses him relentlessly, sticking to him like glue. In a panic, Fahd passes the ball, and Lin Hao appears like a ghost in the passing lane.
"Snapped!"
Another steal!
Lin Hao launched a fast break with the ball, but this time he neither passed the ball nor shot.
He saw Rasheed coming over to help defend. That's the guy who just kneed Yao Ming and elbowed Zhu Fangyu.
Lin Hao rushed to the free throw line, and Rashid spread his arms wide, like a wall.
"Go to hell."
Lin Hao took a deep breath, pushed off the ground, leaped into the air, and stretched his abdomen!
He didn't dodge Rashid's block; instead, facing Rashid's defense, he grabbed the ball with one hand and slammed it towards the basket with all his might!
Rashid instinctively closed his eyes and raised his arms to cover the area.
"Clang!!!"
A loud bang, as if the entire basketball hoop was shaking!
Lin Hao completed this brutal dunk over Rashid!
The basketball was slammed into the hoop, and Lin Hao's chest slammed heavily into Rashid's wristband, producing a dull thud that made your teeth ache.
Goal! Penalty kick-off!
The entire stadium was dead silent for three seconds, then erupted into cheers loud enough to lift the roof off!
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Rashid lay on the ground like a tattered sack, his eyes vacant and his lips twitching, clearly traumatized by the shoveling.
Lin Hao landed without even glancing at Rashid on the ground. He walked to the technical table, faced the camera lens, and clenched his fist.
That was the roar of a king.
The whistle blew to end the third quarter.
China leads Lebanon 74-57, a 17-point advantage.
林昊单节狂砍20分5助攻3抢断，投篮9投8中，三分球3投3中，罚球4罚4中！
He single-handedly tore apart the Lebanese team's defense in the bloodiest and most violent way, and also tore apart the referee's biased whistle.
Back in the locker room, Lin Hao took off his jersey, revealing his muscular upper body. There was a purplish-blue bruise on his chest, a mark left from the dunk he had just received.
"Haozi, you're fucking ruthless." Zhu Fangyu gasped as she looked at the wound.
"This is called reciprocity." Lin Hao grabbed a can of yellow peaches, tore it open, and gulped down the cool syrup.
His eyes burned with an inextinguishable flame of war.
"Next section, no matter if it's South Korea or anyone else, if they dare to block my way, I'll smash them all."
At this point, the Chinese team entered the fourth quarter with a huge lead of 17 points, but Lin Hao knew that as long as the referees were still there, the game would never be safe.
The whistle that blew at the start of the fourth quarter was like a pardon, giving the Lebanese team, like trapped beasts, a last glimmer of hope.
The referee still had that deadpan expression, staring coldly at the Chinese team's half of the field.
Lin Hao stood near the center circle, spinning the ball in his hand, sweat dripping from his chin onto the floor with a "plop" sound.
His chest still ached slightly; it was the mark left from his dunk over Rasheed in the third quarter, a reminder not to be soft-hearted.
"beep!"
China is on the attack.
Liu Wei passed the ball to Lin Hao. The Lebanese team swarmed in like madmen, and Fahad even ignored the ball, grabbing Lin Hao's arm with his hand, his nails digging deep into Lin Hao's flesh.
"Beep!" The referee whistle sounded.
Lin Hao thought a foul had been called, but the referee pointed to—
"White team (China) gets a second dribble! Change of possession!"
"Are you fucking blind?!" Lin Hao finally exploded, yelling at the referee and spitting in his face. "When did I dribble twice? He pulled me just now, didn't you see that?"
The referee coldly pulled out a finger and pointed it at Lin Hao's face.
Technical foul (T).
The entire arena erupted in uproar. Water bottles, tissues, and even shoes were thrown at the referee's stand like raindrops.
"Corrupt referee! Get off the court!"
"FIBA corruption!"
Lin Hao was held tightly by Yao Ming and Liu Wei. Lin Hao's eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged lion, and a low roar came from his throat.
"Let me go! I'm going to break his legs today!"
"Haozi! Calm down!" Yao Ming roared, "Don't fall for their trick! They just want to eject you!"
Fahad took the technical foul free throw. Standing at the free throw line, he actually made a "shut up" gesture at Lin Hao.
"Bang!" The ball went in.
But that wasn't the end of it. The Lebanese team capitalized on this possession; Haddib forced a shot under the basket, but Yao Ming leaped high and swatted the ball away!
"Great hat!" The crowd cheered.
However, the referee's whistle darted out like a venomous snake.
"Beep! White team commits blocking foul! This is also a T (technical foul)!"
"What?!" Yao Ming couldn't believe his ears. "That was a clean block! That was an offensive foul!"
The referee didn't offer any explanation, simply pointing downwards to indicate that Yao Ming had accumulated two technical fouls—an ejection (DQ)!
"No!!!" The fans in the stadium roared in despair.
Yao Ming, the pillar of the Chinese team's inside game, was ejected from the game due to biased refereeing.
With tears in his eyes, Yao Ming passed by Lin Hao and said only one sentence: "Haozi, the inside game is yours now. Avenge me."
Lin Hao stood rooted to the spot, his body trembling violently with extreme rage. He watched Yao Ming's departing figure, the arrogant smiles of the Lebanese team, and the referee's repulsive face.
The killing intent surged to a boiling point.
With 7 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, China led 74-60.
The Lebanese team launched a frenzied "slashing" tactic, or rather, a "killing" tactic. Whenever Lin Hao got the ball, they would tackle, pull, and knee him.
But Lin Hao stopped yelling and complaining.
He became a silent death.
Lebanon attacks, Haddib has the ball. Lin Hao is marking him the entire time, like a stubborn stain stuck to the bone. Haddib tries to use his speed to get past him, but Lin Hao doesn't retreat but advances, using his chest to withstand Haddib's impact!
"Bang!"
Haddib was knocked back three steps, and the ball slipped from his grasp!
Lin Hao steals the ball, doesn't dribble, and immediately launches a counterattack!
Lin Hao was the only one left running on the field. Hadib caught up from behind, leaping up like a mad dog and kneeing Lin Hao in the lower back!
This is a career-ruining move!
Lin Hao had anticipated this. He forcefully twisted his waist in mid-air, causing Haddib's knee to strike his gluteal muscles, dissipating most of the force. Simultaneously, he tossed the ball towards the basket with one hand—
"Whoosh!"
Goal! Additional penalty!
"Beep!" The referee finally couldn't stand it anymore and gave Haddib a regular foul.
Lin Hao stood at the free-throw line, and the entire arena fell silent.
He took a deep breath, and images flashed through his mind: Yao Ming being ejected, Zhu Fangyu being knocked away, and Du Feng being ejected.
"This shot is for Yao Ming."
"Swish!" The first free throw went in.
"This goal is for Yi Jianlian."
"Swish!" The second free throw went in.
76:60.
The point difference has returned to 16 points.
The next few minutes were Lebanon's death countdown, and also Lin Hao's personal execution show.
He no longer passes the ball, no longer organizes play. Whenever the ball gets his hands on him, it's a one-on-one game, a physical contest, and he puts the ball in the basket in the most brutal way possible.
With three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Lin Hao drove to the basket. Rashid attempted to help defend, and the two collided in mid-air.
Lin Hao twisted his ankle badly when he landed, but he stubbornly stood on one leg and didn't fall. He gritted his teeth and scored.
"Beep!" Foul.
A penalty kick, and it's in!
The big screen displayed Lin Hao's stats: 20 points in the quarter, 31 points in total, 7 assists, and 5 steals.
With one minute remaining in the fourth quarter, the Lebanese team gave up the fight. Their eyes were filled with fear, and they dared not touch Lin Hao again.
The final whistle blew.
102 is better than 82!
China won by 20 points and advanced to the finals!
Lin Hao neither celebrated nor cheered. He simply walked silently to the West Asian referee, staring intently into his eyes until the referee lowered his head guiltily and hurriedly ran into the players' tunnel.
Then, Lin Hao walked to the center of the field and bowed deeply to the fans in the stands.
Sweat dripped from his hair, a mixture of blood and tears.
See you in the finals.
His voice wasn't loud, but it resounded through the sky.