Chapter 58: The Ultimate Lineup!

"This is Zhao Zhensi," the Gorilla Coach said as he approached, introducing the newcomer to everyone. "His hook shot is formidable."

All eyes on the basketball team turned toward him.

He stood at one eighty-three centimeters, just a bit shorter than Luo Si, sporting a crew cut, a calm face with honest, gentle features. His build seemed neither thin nor stout.

Zhu Bo immediately stepped forward and said, "I knew you’d transfer to our school. With your passion for basketball, seeing Lin Nan at the top of the rankings, knowing we have a shot at the championship with you, there’s no reason you wouldn’t join us."

At those words, Zhao Zhensi offered a sincere smile.

In Zhu Bo's mind, Zhao Zhensi and Lin Nan shared an equal love for basketball, far surpassing their teammates, himself included.

But Lin Nan was talent plus hard work, while Zhao Zhensi was pure, unadulterated effort.

The two of them were something like the Ronaldo and Messi of the football world.

Without further ado, the coach decided to let Zhao Zhensi demonstrate his specialty for those on the basketball team who hadn’t yet seen it.

The senior players had already faced him in matches, so the performance was mainly for Lin Nan and the underclassmen.

Luo Si tossed him the basketball, and Zhao Zhensi, catching it, walked toward the basket.

He stopped about two steps in front of the free-throw line and began his display.

First, a series of left-handed hook shots. The distance was so close that Zhao Zhensi could control both the power and trajectory with uncanny precision.

So everyone watched the ball repeatedly fly from his hand, ricochet off the back of the rim, rebound straight back to him, and be sent flying again.

It was practically a juggling act; Wang Jinsong, watching from the side, was left utterly dumbfounded.

Even Zhu Bo and the rest of the seniors, who had seen it last year, were deeply astonished.

After a year, his hook shot had become this magical?

Only Lin Nan, while amazed, was not unprepared to accept it, for he understood well the principle that practice makes perfect.

If even a drop of oil could be flicked through a tiny coin hole without touching the sides, how much more could a basketball pass through a hoop?

Nevertheless, Lin Nan held deep admiration for Zhao Zhensi, knowing how much effort it must have taken to hone his hook shot to such a degree.

Indeed, Zhao Zhensi had fallen in love with the hook shot the moment he first picked up a basketball in his first year of middle school.

He started with a windmill-like hook shot, standing under the basket, swinging the ball from left to right in an arc, and then releasing it, watching as it spun off the backboard and dropped through the net. Zhao Zhensi thought the trajectory was incredibly cool.

Once he’d mastered that move, he wondered if there might be other ways to hook the ball.

Then he learned about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the man whose twenty-year basketball career saw his skyhook blocked only five times.

Zhao Zhensi realized basketball could be played in ways he’d never imagined, and his resolve to perfect the hook shot only grew stronger.

But soon he discovered that he wasn’t particularly tall, his arms weren’t especially long, and his jumping ability was average.

When he tried Jabbar’s hook shot on the court, he found that players with explosive leaping skills could still block him.

Moreover, he preferred the windmill-style hook shot.

So Zhao Zhensi resolved to practice his own unique hook shot relentlessly.

He started close to the basket—

Spinning half a windmill’s arc, then “hooking” the ball in, practicing with both hands.

He wasn’t left-handed, but to get his left hand up to speed, he used it for everything he could except writing homework, and doubled the practice time for his left-handed hook shots.

Fortunately, his family’s backyard had a vacant basketball court, and every day after school, Zhao Zhensi would practice until he was drenched in sweat.

Day by day, he kept at it for three years. As he grew older, his body and strength increased.

Zhao Zhensi’s repertoire of hook shots grew ever more varied.

He could hook the ball from anywhere inside the three-point line, though his accuracy varied by position. He could fake a drive, then, on the final step of a three-step move, release a hook shot.

By the time he entered high school, no one at his school could defend against his hook shot.

It was simply unstoppable.

Next, Zhao Zhensi demonstrated all his hook shot variations for the basketball team, leaving Wang Jinsong’s jaw dropping wider and wider.

Lin Nan’s eyes shone brighter and brighter.

Victory seemed assured! Zhu Bo felt a surge of confidence—two scoring machines on the court, and for the first time, he believed Qingshui First High could truly challenge for the league championship.

Without hesitation, Zhao Zhensi also joined Lin Nan’s “special training squad.”

He knew well that this training would comprehensively improve his physical abilities, raising the ceiling for his hook shot even higher.

When he learned about Lin Nan’s miraculous herbal ointment, Zhao Zhensi’s first words were, “At last, I can train without holding back.”

Hearing this, Wang Jinsong and the others winced. Clearly, Zhao Zhensi was just as much a fanatic as Lin Nan—only such fanatics could reach such heights.

At night, when the others saw Zhao Zhensi performing Lin Nan’s training routines without complaint, they finally understood the depth of his love for basketball.

They could clearly see his flushed face—this was his first time enduring such high-intensity training.

When training was finished for the night, everyone returned to their dorms.

But Zhu Bo quietly slipped back out to the court for extra practice.

Soon enough, Luo Si and Jiu Wu also returned, and on seeing the captain on the court, the three exchanged knowing smiles.

They knew they were the team’s starters, and so they had to work harder than anyone else to be worthy of their roles.

Beneath the rolling stars, the three grasped a profound truth: diligence can make up for lack of talent.

Under the cold moonlight, they practiced until the dormitory doors were about to close before finally leaving the court.

After several days of intense training, Qingshui First High welcomed their second opponent in the points tournament—Dongxiang High.

Before the game, Gorilla Coach had already investigated the opposing team’s basketball strength and outlined each player’s technical style.

After analyzing, the conclusion was clear: the difference in strength was significant.

Of course, Qingshui First High was the stronger side.

So, they decided to stick with a single-core strategy, centering the team around Lin Nan.

First, this would allow Lin Nan to maintain or even improve his ranking on the points leaderboard.

Second, it would keep Zhao Zhensi, their scoring ace, under wraps until they faced a truly powerful opponent who would be caught off guard.

Since Lin Nan’s famous dunk had made him a household name, his popularity now rivaled even Wang Shiying, who topped the rankings—and in some ways, even surpassed him.

So the “Teacher’s Voice” website paid close attention to every game Lin Nan played.

Even though Dongxiang High had little reputation, the venue was packed with spectators—almost all there for Lin Nan.

When Qingshui First High’s team arrived, Wang Jinsong said enviously, “Lin Nan, you’re practically a little celebrity now.”

Lin Nan just smiled and said nothing.

Once the game began, Lin Nan certainly didn’t disappoint his fans, scoring with effortless grace throughout the match.

After notching forty points in just three quarters, Gorilla Coach finally subbed him out, giving others a chance to shine.

Even without Lin Nan, Qingshui First High’s strength outclassed Dongxiang High.

Zhu Bo, Luo Si, and the rest went on the attack relentlessly, as if venting all the frustration they’d bottled up playing alongside Lin Nan.

Thus, Dongxiang High suffered a crushing defeat.

It seemed Qingshui First High’s luck in the draw was exceptional.

In the following six games, they faced only weaker teams, and Lin Nan led the squad to resounding victories each time.

His cumulative score climbed ever higher, reaching second place and closing in on Wang Shiying.

At last, in the final match of the second round, Qingshui First High faced Lingnan High once more.

The game was held at the same Lingnan City Sports Arena as before.

Tickets for the match had already doubled in price since last time, and everyone was eagerly awaiting the outcome.

Would Lingnan High secure their eighth straight victory and advance?

Or would Qingshui First High avenge their previous defeat?

Yet aside from Lin Nan and his teammates, no one—not even those from Lingnan High—seemed to notice the addition of Zhao Zhensi to Qingshui’s roster.

The bus once again stopped at the now-familiar arena. The difference this time: Qingshui First High had added Zhao Zhensi, and lost a few members who had left the team.

The same corridor, the same locker room, the same entrance to the court.

When Lin Nan stepped out of the tunnel, the crowd erupted with thunderous cheers, as if welcoming a superstar.

He felt the honor in those voices; this time, he would not leave in defeat.

Seeing the fighting spirit in every teammate’s eyes, even the usually quiet Zhao Zhensi spoke up: “This time, let’s win together.”

Everyone responded to his words with trusting smiles.

Over these past weeks, they had come to know Zhao Zhensi as a quiet soul.

But beneath that calm exterior burned a heart passionate for basketball.

The game’s host commentator was once again Lu Ming.

When he learned of the matchup, Lu Ming insisted on commentating once more.

Perhaps, seeking to atone for his earlier bias, this time Lu Ming decided to forget that he was a Lingnan High alumnus.

For, in his love of basketball, he had come to admire Lin Nan, the high school player.

Elegant style, solid fundamentals, exceptional stamina, explosive athleticism, never giving up on a game.

That was Lu Ming’s assessment of Lin Nan.

As the teams took the court, Lu Ming’s eyes lingered on Qingshui First High—he sensed there was something different about them this time.

Looking over at Lingnan High, he saw Luo Zhan, who had been shaken by Lin Nan’s moves in their last game, now fully recovered and performing impressively in recent matches.

And yet, Lu Ming had a strange premonition—today, Luo Zhan might be in for another blow.