Chapter 53: Rout and Defeat (Part One)

"Hey, Turgun, stop fidgeting."
Even though this was just a warm-up match, the pre-game entrance ceremony was conducted with utmost formality. The players lined up and entered the court in order, and the coaching staff only appeared on the sidelines after the players had taken their positions.

At the very end of the line, Hawur Pulat couldn’t help feeling irritated by Turgun Maimait’s constant movement in front of him. Hawur had performed quite well during this period. Though his skills were raw, his focus during practice was exemplary—except for those moments when Turgun’s sister, Azigul, came out to clean and he would get distracted.

This young Uyghur man, who usually appeared so bold and tenacious, was actually about to make his official debut in a match for the first time. He was a freshman at Borderland University, not a special athletic recruit but someone who had earned his place through academics, making him the only “high-level” intellectual in his family’s hundred-year legacy. In truth, Hawur had been brought in by Xue Yongjiang, who was worried there wouldn’t be enough players. When Xue Yongjiang went to Borderland University to recruit, most students declined. It was only through a friend that Hawur heard about the provincial youth team’s selection, and as a basketball enthusiast, he wouldn’t miss such a chance.

After joining the team, there had been some minor quarrels with coaches and teammates, and Hawur’s hot-blooded nature nearly drove him to quit. But in the end, he decided to stay. In his mind, this was to prove himself to those who looked down on him—certainly not because of Azigul, or so he told himself. Still, he took exceptional care of Turgun, Azigul’s younger brother, far more than he did for his own siblings.

“Hawur, I’m not moving. It’s your hand that’s shaking,” Turgun replied.

Turgun could clearly feel Hawur’s hand trembling on his shoulder.

For some reason, Turgun was different from the rest of his teammates. Unlike these fringe players from various university teams, cobbled together for numbers, he wasn’t nervous before the match. Quite the opposite—he felt a surge of excitement and wished the game would start already.

He had always watched others play from the sidelines, and in his mind, he had imagined countless times how outstanding he would be on court. Because of illness, he’d rarely had a chance to show himself in front of others. Now, on the verge of stepping onto a new stage, all he felt was thrill and anticipation.

As head coach, Wang Lei greeted the coach and players from the University of Finance and Economics with polite restraint. Both sides kept their composure; no one was foolish enough to pick fights or make a scene.

The University of Finance and Economics team were no fools—otherwise, they wouldn’t have made it this far. Since their opponents were the provincial youth team, officially recognized, and Wang Lei had some fame online, there was no need to make enemies out of them. They would play the game seriously, but off the court they’d keep things civil—no sense in burning bridges.

When the referee from Borderland University tossed the ball high at center court, the formal warm-up match officially began.

The starting lineup sent out by Wang Lei puzzled the University of Finance and Economics. Their side was clearly at a height disadvantage.

The tallest player on the provincial youth team was Cai Aihong, just over two meters, while the University of Finance and Economics boasted a center and captain, Ailken Batuer, standing at 2.08 meters. Their entire forward and guard line was over 1.9 meters, except for point guard Jiang Jianxiong, who was 1.83 meters—a height that would be considered tall among average people.

On the provincial youth team, only Cai Aihong and Hawur topped 1.9 meters; the rest barely exceeded 1.8 meters.

In an era where inside play dominates the game, the provincial youth team's lineup looked like a makeshift patchwork.

Cai Aihong had decent stamina but lacked explosiveness, and at the tip-off, he was easily outjumped by Ailken, the University of Finance and Economics’ captain.

The University of Finance and Economics advanced methodically, while the provincial youth team scrambled back on defense, with Cai Aihong and Hawur nearly colliding as they retreated.

The University of Finance and Economics players moved in silence, executing the coach’s pre-arranged half-court offense, while the provincial youth team shouted and jostled for positions—a stark contrast obvious even to a fool.

Ailken set up inside, and to his surprise, the defender on him wasn’t the tallest opponent but a sturdy, shorter player. Faced with such an obviously amateur defense, Ailken easily backed down his opponent after receiving a pass from point guard Jiang Jianxiong, nudged him aside, and smoothly scored with a half-turn hook shot.

Ailken’s fundamentals were solid—a standard center’s performance.

The University of Finance and Economics scored with ease, while the provincial youth team turned into a laughingstock: all five players dashed recklessly toward the frontcourt, forgetting to inbound the ball from their own baseline.

The comical scene made the audience burst out laughing, and even the Borderland University referee couldn’t help looking helpless—this was truly amateur hour.

Cai Aihong felt his face growing redder than the pomegranates of Kashgar; he half-expected the blood vessels in his cheeks to burst from embarrassment. It was mortifying.

Wang Zhaohui quickly returned to their half to inbound the ball, trying his best to fulfill his role as captain, loudly declaring as he threw it in, “My fault, my fault—I forgot.”

Once Turgun received the inbound and pushed the ball up the court, the University of Finance and Economics had already set up a textbook 2-3 zone defense.

Turgun didn’t have time to think. He only remembered the coach’s instruction: each possession should not take more than fifteen seconds. So, as soon as he crossed half-court, he ignored his teammates’ calls for the ball and launched a shot from behind the three-point line.

Though usually confident in his shot, Turgun felt strangely unsettled this time. The defense might have been a zone, but the opposing point guard, who was about his height, closed out on him with impressive speed. Turgun’s vision briefly darkened, and he unconsciously put too much force behind his shot.

The ball clanged off the back of the rim and bounced high. Cai Aihong tried to maneuver around his former teammate to grab the rebound, but the University of Finance and Economics’ interior players held their positions tightly, leaving no gaps. Ailken collected the rebound with ease.

This single possession laid bare the vast gulf between the two teams; some spectators even considered leaving, finding no joy in such lopsided competition.