Chapter 91: A Brilliant Match

At that moment, Lin Ruofu’s murderous expression was enough to frighten Koefu rigid. He did not know how strong Lin Ruofu actually was, and worried that he might get blown apart, so he hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Haha, bro, it’s just a friendly game.”

“Too late.”

Lin Ruofu turned his back and drove in, intent on a forceful layup.

Ming Han came over to set a screen when Koefu stayed glued to him, allowing Lin Ruofu to shake free of his defender completely.

Lin Ruofu gave Ming Han a grateful glance and went up for the layup.

But the small forward from First High had quick eyes and quick hands; just as Lin Ruofu believed he had it, the man slapped the ball away. It struck Lin Ruofu’s foot and went out of bounds.

“Bro, your ball protection needs work!” the other side mocked.

Watching Lin Ruofu’s sequence of moves, Ming Han could roughly gauge his level. Well, not much to speak of.

When he shook free of Koefu just now, he could have ended it immediately with a pull-up jumper. But he did not; instead, he charged mindlessly into a packed lane. That meant this guy usually only played pickup ball and had never really taken part in school-level games.

Then why had they been chosen for this event? Ming Han asked the guy beside him, “Classmate, why did you come to this match?”

The guy was a little embarrassed. “Our grade head said the top three boys in the final exams should come out and broaden their horizons.”

Broaden their horizons? Ming Han was momentarily speechless. That dear grade head of yours, this is a basketball game, what the hell does studying have to do with it? Could you at least show some respect to such a serious competition?

Only then did Ming Han realize: this was no basketball tournament at all. This was clearly an exchange match for academic elites! Fortunately, he also counted as an elite student, haha...

“An accident, an accident...” Lin Ruofu was somewhat unable to keep up appearances.

Yuhang merely shrugged, signaling that everything was still under control.

On the next possession, Koefu handled the ball, crossed behind his back, feinted past his defender, and when Ming Han came over to help, Koefu remained calm. As he raised his hand as if to lay it in, he suddenly switched hands behind his back, fooled Ming Han’s defensive balance, and finished with a soft hook shot.

That move was none other than Koefu’s signature technique: the behind-the-back switch layup.

Many in the stands cheered, for the sequence was truly beautiful to watch.

Ming Han could not help applauding as well. The kid was a little on the thin side, but his style was outrageously flashy.

They trailed 0-4.

Fang Ping did not understand basketball, but seeing the score, she could not help growing anxious. “Come on!”

Ming Han flashed her a handsome OK sign.

Lin Ruofu inbounded the ball to Ming Han. Ming Han brought it across half court himself.

Lin Ruofu panicked. “Big center, what are you doing? Don’t get stripped.”

Yuhang gave him a cold look. “Let him run one.”

Lin Ruofu was somewhat displeased, but could not argue back, so he could only mutter to himself nearby, “This kid is still too arrogant and impetuous. He’s going to suffer for it.”

The First High players had not expected the other side to have a center bring the ball up. Could they be giving up early?

First High’s big center stepped out beyond the three-point line and stared at Ming Han. “Bro, your tactic is pretty special.”

He was teasing, and every word dripped with mockery.

Ming Han did not respond. Instead, he suddenly accelerated and drove to the right. When the defender stuck tightly to him, Ming Han used a behind-the-back change of direction, completely throwing off the man’s balance and sending him crashing to the floor.

Ming Han drove straight in and hit a lean-back jumper from just beyond the free-throw line.

Not as many fancy moves as Koefu, but it was still dazzling and handsome.

“So he’s a real player after all,” Koefu said bitterly.

Lin Ruofu had been waiting for Ming Han to make a mistake so he could sneer a few words and tell him that if he was going to play center, he should just rebound properly and hold down the paint, not go chasing after novelty. But after seeing that sequence, Lin Ruofu felt that his ball-handling was already approaching the level of the top point guards in his grade.

Thinking back on his earlier bluster, he could not help blushing. He had been showing off a little too much.

Watching the thunderous applause from below, Fang Ping was very pleased. That was exactly the effect she wanted: a sudden eruption after a long silence.

After Ming Han scored, he did not show much excitement. At least in his and Yuhang’s eyes, this was not a contest between equals.

Ming Han patted Lin Ruofu on the shoulder. “Bro, defense! We’re still waiting for our captain to make a move.”

Seeing the sincerity in Ming Han’s eyes, Lin Ruofu was moved. “All right. Today, we are definitely winning this game.”

On the next possession, they finally used a double-team on Koefu. Koefu was under great pressure and only managed to pass the ball out to a teammate when the shot clock was nearly gone. The teammate hurried a shot and clanged it off the rim.

Yuhang brought the ball up, while First High’s point guard watched him tensely.

First High had also settled on its own defensive plan. From their current performance, Ming Han seemed to be the strongest. So they chose to trap Ming Han and leave Yuhang in single coverage.

Ming Han watched with interest as Yuhang faced the opposing point guard, thinking that they were probably about to witness the most terrifying ball-handling among their peers.

Yuhang remained calm and composed, dribbling between his legs and crossing over slowly before suddenly accelerating to the left. The defender stayed glued to him, and Yuhang pulled the ball back. The defender lost his balance but still lunged desperately at him. Yuhang then made another behind-the-back change of direction and drove right again; his opponent could no longer keep up.

Yuhang drove in, raised the ball high, took a Euro step, and floated it gently in off the glass.

That was even more terrifying than Ming Han. It was simply as if he could do anything he pleased.

Koefu’s expression improved. He was famous at First High, playing basketball better than his grades, and studying better than his basketball. That was why he had been able to take part in this official event. The school had high hopes for him; in the future, he was meant to be praised on the honor board.

But he had never imagined that the two players across from him were both far above him in skill. If they got serious, his team would not have the slightest chance.

Fortunately, after Ming Han and Yuhang scored on successive possessions in the first half of the opening quarter, they began to let their teammates play. After all, it was a friendly match—wasn’t it more fun if everyone got involved?

Thanks to that stretch, Koefu and his teammates gradually closed the gap.

The spectators were highly engaged, because the game was truly stylish, even if the shooting percentage was not very high.

“Koefu really is a natural streetball player. He doesn’t so much play basketball as play at basketball,” Yuhang remarked.

Sure enough, on one possession Koefu matched up against Ming Han, which only increased his desire to go one-on-one.

He looked at Ming Han, dribbling crossovers in his hands, searching for a way through.

Ming Han lowered his body, blocking the routes Koefu might use to drive.

Suddenly Koefu changed direction and drove left, then rose into a jumper from the free-throw line area.

Koefu stood around one hundred seventy centimeters tall. Ming Han leaped straight up and slapped the ball away.

The basketball flew past half court, and Yuhang immediately ran it down and took it coast to coast for a layup.

First High’s small forward chased after Yuhang, hoping for a chase-down block.

When Yuhang reached the rim, the defender was right there with him.

Yuhang passed behind his back, and Ming Han received the ball for the layup.

It turned out Ming Han had been sprinting alongside Yuhang from the very beginning.

“Bro, I’m returning one to you.”