Chapter 52: The Halo of an Idol

Yu Manman’s tactical choice was, in essence, the classic 2-1-2 zone defense.

PS: The 2-1-2 zone defense features a balanced distribution of players, minimal movement distances, easy mutual coordination, strong control of the paint, and advantages in rebounding and launching fast breaks.

The second quarter began.

As expected, Feiling Aviation College’s offensive focus remained inside the three-point line.

Meng Lang, Zhu Di, Sun Peng, Xu Gaofeng, and Zhou Xiaoshan each took their assigned positions per Yu Manman’s instructions, arms outstretched and waving persistently in front of the opposing players.

Thanks to Yu Manman’s intensive training over the past two weeks, the players of Tiancheng University of Technology had all significantly improved their physical condition. The arm-waving exercise, practiced thousands of times daily, now proved its worth on the court.

The opposing number 7, harried and unsettled, lobbed the ball high to number 4.

Their number 4 was the tallest and burliest on their team. Naturally, he was marked by Meng Lang, Tiancheng’s own tallest and strongest. According to Yu Manman’s strategy, Zhou Xiaoshan and Xu Gaofeng also converged on him.

Number 4, boxed in and unable to shoot, passed the ball to number 11 on the left. Instantly, Xu Gaofeng and Zhu Di, positioned nearby, closed in as well.

So it went: wherever the ball landed, at least two Tiancheng players swarmed the opponent.

With the shot clock running down, the attacker had no choice but to fire off a rushed shot. The ball clanged off the rim and missed. Meng Lang grabbed the rebound and quickly passed it to point guard Zhou Xiaoshan.

Zhou Xiaoshan drove the ball forward, orchestrating the attack—power forward Sun Peng was first down the court, receiving the pass and scoring with an easy layup.

The zone defense’s strengths: defenders maintain relatively fixed positions, responsibilities are clear, facilitating defensive rebounding and fast break opportunities.

Of course, no defensive scheme is flawless. The weakness of zone defense lies in the fixed areas of responsibility—every type of zone has vulnerable spots, easily exploited by opponents with a numbers advantage in those locales.

Feiling’s players weren’t fools. Seeing Tiancheng’s zone, they looked to attack its weak spots whenever possible.

Unfortunately for them, Tiancheng’s players were faster. Each time Feiling’s offense targeted a soft spot, at least two Tiancheng defenders closed in immediately. With their path blocked and few good options, Feiling started attempting shots from beyond the arc. Yet, as Yu Manman had predicted, they were not adept at three-pointers.

Thus, Feiling’s scoring opportunities dwindled, while Tiancheng’s fast breaks netted point after point.

By the end of the second quarter, Tiancheng University of Technology led by a wide margin, 46 to 30.

Zone defense requires constant attention to the ball’s movement and quick footwork, which rapidly drains a player’s stamina. As the starting five walked off the court, varying degrees of fatigue were evident.

Yu Manman watched the sweat-soaked Zhou Xiaoshan and Xu Gaofeng, thinking, These two have far less endurance than the other three starters—clearly, their conditioning needs more work. For the third quarter, it’d be best to substitute them.

As the third quarter approached, the crowd once again erupted in the same thunderous chant that had rung out during the pre-game warm-up—“Geng Haoshi… Geng Haoshi… Geng Haoshi…”

Evidently, Geng Haoshi’s “Red Fan Club” of female admirers could no longer sit still. With half the game gone, they still had not seen their “good man” take the court.

Geng Haoshi glanced across the stands at Lin Ling, who responded with a shrug and open palms, indicating she had nothing to do with it—the chant was entirely spontaneous.

Amidst the resounding cheers, Yu Manman found herself plagued by the same pre-game confusion: Could this guy really be so irresistible? Did I transmigrate to another world or something?

“Ahem… Xiao Er, since the fans are so passionate, you’ll play in the third quarter,” Yu Manman said, turning to backup point guard Chen Yu. “You’re on as well.”

“Zhou Xiaoshan, Xu Gaofeng, you two rest on the sidelines for now.”

Soon after, the third quarter began.

As soon as Geng Haoshi stepped onto the court, the crowd’s cheers grew even louder.

The game resumed, Feiling organized their offense, and Tiancheng maintained their 2-1-2 zone. Geng Haoshi and Chen Yu filled in for Zhou Xiaoshan and Xu Gaofeng on defense.

At just 170 centimeters, Geng Haoshi was at a clear disadvantage against opponents over 185. However, with fresh legs, he made up for it by leaping and waving his arms energetically on defense. The scene was admittedly a little comical and awkward, but Geng Haoshi’s relentless hopping and flailing actually proved effective.

On the sidelines, Yu Manman pressed a hand to her forehead. Ah, Xiao Er’s height really is a glaring weakness!

Under Tiancheng’s tight defense, Feiling’s players still found no good scoring opportunities, and Tiancheng’s fast breaks steadily widened the lead.

Whenever the opportunity arose, Geng Haoshi tried shooting himself—but not once did the ball go in.

Again, Yu Manman pressed her forehead in exasperation: Xiao Er’s shooting… there’s really no one worse!

Despite his repeated misses, every one of Geng Haoshi’s shots sent his “Red Fan Club” in the stands into a frenzy of cheers.

This only demoralized the opposing players further. They couldn’t help but think: How can someone who hasn’t scored a single basket still have so many girls cheering for him?!

Once more, Geng Haoshi took a shot after receiving the ball… the resounding clang echoed as it bounced off the rim, yet the chorus of “Geng Haoshi” from the stands remained undiminished.

Geng Haoshi noticed the opposing players looking at him with a mixture of confusion, envy, jealousy, and irritation. With a sigh, he muttered, “What can I do? I was just born handsome—comes with the idol aura.” (PS: His old habit of being a show-off had returned.) As he spoke, he traced a circle above his head with his right index finger.

The opposing players stared in stunned silence for a few seconds, then blurted out in unison, “How can someone be so shameless?!”

Geng Haoshi paid them no mind, chalking it up to sour grapes—simple jealousy and resentment.

At the end of the third quarter, Tiancheng University of Technology maintained a commanding lead, 62 to 41.

“Sigh,” Geng Haoshi breathed, shaking his head…