Chapter 120: Securing a Spot Among the Top Eight (Part One)

With the conclusion of the opening ceremony, the National Games had officially commenced in full swing. Some of the more tightly scheduled events had already begun even before the ceremony took place.

The dazzling cultural performances and the creatively arranged opening ceremony, part of a bold new reform that opened the Games to the global Chinese diaspora, captured widespread attention. Not only did major media outlets around the world cover the event, but even small neighboring countries streamed the Games live in their entirety. Within the sphere of influence of Chinese culture, some nations deeply touched by its heritage expressed hopes that the next National Games might allow them to participate as well.

As the spotlight turned to various popular events, spectators eagerly flocked to their favored venues.

To attract more on-site audiences, the organizers set ticket prices remarkably low, offering various affordable package deals accessible even to ordinary working-class families.

Compared to previous editions of the National Games, Jinghai City demonstrated exceptional savvy. Rather than seeking profit from ticket sales, they employed numerous strategies to draw people out from their homes, hotels, and tourist spots to partake in the grand celebration.

For every match, the organizers drew several lucky spectators who not only enjoyed VIP treatment at the next game but also received autographed photos of their favorite players. Those who attended three consecutive matches of a particular event were entered into an additional draw, granting them the rare chance to dine and take photos with their chosen star.

Though these modest incentives were not costly, they proved highly effective. The athletes enthusiastically cooperated, knowing that being selected by fans signaled their popularity, and the media relished covering such human-interest stories.

Amidst this lively atmosphere, the youth men’s basketball team’s matches went somewhat unnoticed. After the first round of the group stage, except for the surprising upset caused by Wang Lei’s Frontier Youth Team, the other games saw the expected victories by stronger teams.

The Frontier Youth Team’s defeat of the Eastern Guangdong Youth Team stirred some chatter among fans and supporters in those regions, but otherwise, it attracted little attention. Unexpectedly, however, entertainment media began to focus on Wang Lei, reportedly because he was a strong contender for this year’s Republic Golden Melody Awards for best lyricist and composer.

When fans sought Wang Lei’s autograph and photos, the players of the Frontier Youth Team looked on with envy, as none of them had ever enjoyed such attention. Hawol sometimes fretted over whether to sign his name in Chinese characters or in Uyghur script. After being teased for writing his name in Chinese, he began fantasizing about which style of Uyghur script he should use in the future.

After a three-day break, the Frontier Youth Team faced their second group match. A victory here would guarantee them a spot in the quarterfinals, an alluring prospect for the players, as reaching the final eight would significantly raise their profile.

Their opponent for this round was the Central Henan Youth Team. Although Central Henan has long been a powerhouse in sports, their basketball performance in recent years has been disappointing. While the youth team had enjoyed glory in past competitions, a talent gap had emerged lately. Despite being a populous province, Central Henan struggled to produce standout players, largely due to poor grassroots management and training.

During the qualifying stage, the Central Henan Youth Team, once highly favored, suffered multiple unexpected losses and even internal conflicts. They managed to advance from the Central Division in third place only owing to their opponents’ underperformance and a late-game surge by their own team.

However, before the National Games began, Central Henan recruited four young players of Central Henan origin who played professionally in top leagues outside the province. This bolstered media confidence, with many believing they had the strength to claim the championship.

Yet, after the first group match, the media and Central Henan’s sports management center found themselves in an embarrassing position. Their starting lineup, composed of five professional players, was decisively defeated by the second-ranked European Chinese Overseas Team’s amateurs, suffering a humiliating thirty-point loss that turned Central Henan’s youth team into a laughingstock.

Facing such an opponent, Wang Lei and his team showed no arrogance. Rumor had it that Central Henan’s sports authority had issued a strict order: if the team failed to defeat the Frontier Youth Team, the entire management would be disbanded immediately.

Compared to the previous match against Eastern Guangdong, this game attracted a much larger crowd. Although the game was scheduled for 2 p.m., during working hours, many tourists came to watch, many drawn specifically because Wang Lei was coaching one of the teams, hoping to get his autograph or a photo.

The lively atmosphere before the game quickly vanished once the whistle blew. Central Henan’s Youth Team fought desperately, their resolve surpassing that of Wang Lei’s team in intensity. The players wore grave expressions, as if facing an enemy on the battlefield.

Yet, upon seeing Central Henan’s starting lineup, Wang Lei felt little worry. On paper, their strength was impressive: five young players, all professionals in the Republic’s top league, who had joined elite teams at eighteen or nineteen years old, a testament to their skill. But what made Wang Lei chuckle was the sheer folly of Central Henan’s coaching staff. While it made sense to start five professionals, they neglected team balance. Their lineup included a center and forwards but no point guard; all five stood over two meters tall. Though imposing in stature and reputation, this approach revealed the amateurishness of Central Henan’s coaches and the chaos in their management.

The tip-off began, and Central Henan launched their offense. Yet before crossing half court, they lost possession. The Frontier Youth Team immediately applied relentless full-court pressure. When a Central Henan player tried to dribble past Turgon’s tight defense, he was effortlessly stripped of the ball.