novelODS Chapter 34: Scoring 50+ points in the semifinals, overpowering Rose!
Chapter 34: Scoring 50+ points in the semifinals, overpowering Rose!
"Stop him, don't let him break through!" Ben Holland yelled from the sidelines.
Westbrook stared intently at Rose, repeatedly using his body to fight back.
Rose first took a step back, then quickly changed direction to the left and took a step past Westbrook.
Rose drove to the middle of the free-throw line and the three-second zone. Just as he was about to shoot, Zeng Zhen suddenly rushed out from the right and seized the opportunity to steal the ball.
UCLA's fast break came like a rocket, with Zeng Zhen striding forward with his long legs.
Zeng Zhen dribbled while observing the surroundings, but when he reached the right side three-point line at a 45-degree angle, he chose to stop and transition to shoot a three-pointer.
"Whoosh!"
The basketball swished through the net!
91:97.
Zeng Zhen made his tenth three-pointer of the night, scoring his 48th point.
Zeng Zhen spread his arms wide and celebrated, shaking his head.
"Click click click!!"
Zeng Zhen was enjoying the feeling of having the cameras and cheers focused on him.
Zeng Zhen had a chance to pass the ball to Love who was following up, but he didn't pass and chose to shoot himself.
He wants to continue pounding down the defense.
"OMG! He got the ball from Derrick and hit a fast break three-pointer!" McBreen exclaimed excitedly. "He really dominated the matchup."
Now, Memphis University fans feel a sense of dread whenever they see number 10 take a shot.
Zeng Zhen's shots are unpredictable; he inflicts damage on them almost every time he gets the ball.
It's as if Zeng Zhen was originally an NBA All-Star player, not just a college player.
"Russell, don't let him get past you so easily!" Ben Holland shouted, clapping his hands.
Westbrook nodded seriously. He knew very well that his task now was to defend Rose. If Zeng Zhen hadn't come to help in time, Rose would have almost scored.
Rose dribbled the ball up the court, and time was ticking away; Rose had no time to control the clock.
Rose faked a drive to the left, and in the instant he fooled Westbrook, he slapped the ball to the right, accelerated, and sprinted past him.
Rose took a step forward and drove to the basket, but Zeng Zhen and Love double-teamed him. Rose then passed the ball to Roberts in the corner.
Roberts received the ball, faked a shot, and then took a step back and launched a three-pointer.
"Swish"
94:97.
Roberts demonstrated his scoring prowess.
Zeng Zhen received the ball in the backcourt and steadily controlled the pace to advance.
With the time limit now under one minute, every round of attack is crucial.
Zeng Zhen dribbled the ball to the top of the arc. Instead of setting a screen, he directly signaled for the entire court to spread out; he was going to go one-on-one with Rose!
Rose, panting heavily, followed Zeng Zhen to the right three-point line. Sweat dripped from his forehead. Rose knew he had to defend this possession, or the team would be in dire straits.
Zeng Zhen's eyes were sharp; he was about to demonstrate the difference in ability between himself and Ross.
All the fans stood up to watch the game, their hearts pounding in their chests.
Rose cautiously lowered his center of gravity, giving Zeng Zhen just a tiny bit of dribbling space. Rose didn't dare get too close, afraid of being blown past in one step. He had already witnessed Zeng Zhen's explosive power several times tonight.
Zeng Zhen suddenly dribbled to the side, took a step and gathered the ball a meter or more outside the three-point line, without the slightest hesitation!
"Fuck!! What is he going to do?" The scouts on the sidelines were shocked by Zeng Zhen's offensive choice.
Ross's pupils dilated, and he rushed forward, but he was still a little too slow.
Zeng Zhen's sidestep shot was extremely fast, and the basketball left his hand quickly.
Zeng Zhen's sense of rhythm was superb; he watched quietly as the basketball traced a perfect arc!
All eyes are on them!!
"Whoosh!"
The basketball pierced the net!
94:100.
With a 6-point lead, Zeng Zhen's personal score reached 51 points, and there were only 27 seconds left on the clock.
"Pause!!!" Kalipari cried out in despair.
"OMG!! Zeng Zhen, he hit a super long-range three-pointer over Derrick!!"
"God did not favor Memphis tonight."
"They all exist, but they're gone. The University of Memphis is gone."
On the court, Zeng Zhen stood at the logo position and gave a gentlemanly bow towards Rose and the Memphis University bench!
The Memphis University fans were speechless after witnessing this scene.
That celebration move was really flashy!
This guy is too arrogant.
[Insane! God, he got 50+!!]
Why does he look like he was the number 1 draft pick?!
No wonder this guy said he was going to crush all his opponents!
This guy is so arrogant! He's really too arrogant.
I really want to punch him, but I can't beat him. Sigh!
The University of Memphis fans were in a very low mood, and their cheerleaders didn't even dare to look at the score.
Everyone at UCLA rushed over and patted Zeng Zhen on the head, butt, or back in celebration.
"Zeng, well done!"
"Good job, you beat him to a pulp."
"That's amazing."
Zeng Zhen's decisive goal against Rose in the final one-on-one match brought a sigh of relief to the entire team, bringing them one step closer to the national finals.
After a short while, the pause was lifted.
Rose dribbled on the perimeter and attempted a drive, but Westbrook contained him this time, preventing him from easily penetrating the paint. Rose managed a step-back three-pointer.
This wasn't Ross's long-term plan, but he had no choice but to do it at the moment.
"box!!"
The basketball bounced heavily off the back rim.
The crisp sound of the basketball hitting the rim told him that they had no hope.
Dorsey yelled as he tried to grab the rebound from Love, who was now undoubtedly the king of the boards.
Love positioned himself perfectly and secured the rebound. Dorsey tried to steal the ball but committed a foul.
Love steps up to the free-throw line...
"Beep!!!"
The referee blew the final whistle.
The entire stadium lit up with a shower of confetti.
The final score was 96-103, with UCLA defeating Memphis University to advance to the finals!
UCLA staff and players rushed onto the court, surrounding Zeng Zhen, Westbrook, Love, Collison, Mbah a Moute, and others. Ben Holland high-fived and hugged the assistant coaches!
"Let's congratulate UCLA, they will be playing against the University of Kansas in the finals!!"
On the court, Zeng Zhen waved goodbye to the University of Memphis bench. Tonight's game was a complete release of his inner emotions.
For a team where not winning the championship meant failure, reaching the final has significantly reduced their pressure.
"UCLA changed their tactical system after arriving in March Madness, successfully validating the coaching philosophy of Ben Holland, who was once the dominant figure," ESPN's McBreen expressed his admiration for UCLA.
"I think we need to pay more attention to Zeng Zhen. This freshman has broken records again, scoring a super high score of 51 points in the semi-finals."
........
《体育画报》——「这是属于曾振的疯狂三月，这个大一新生轰下51分8助攻4篮板4抢断3封盖的超全能数据力压1号秀德里克罗斯！」
Miami Sentinel – "Zeng Zhen scores 51 points vs. Derrick Rose 30 points, Zeng Zhen defeats Derrick Rose to advance to the NBA Finals!!"
Immediately after the match ended, major newspapers published their reports, all featuring headlines about the duel between Zeng Zhen and Ross.