Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 644: China vs. USA (6)

"Kai is coming back."

"Is he alright now?"

Shang smirked, watching as Kai made his way back to the court. His hands gripped his knees for a moment before straightening up.

"He doesn't look ready," Caishen murmured.

Shang clicked his tongue, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Ah, it's clear that you weren't here last year."

"What do you mean?" Caishen asked.

"It's normal for players to have slumps. Kai rarely had one, but every time he did, he stepped back. And the moment he comes onto the court once more, he's going to devour."

Mingze nodded in agreement. "The other team needs to watch out for him now."

Caishen pursed his lips and focused his gaze on Kai.

The fire in his eyes was unmistakable. The noise of the crowd had dulled in his mind.

Fundamentals.

That was what Jonathan Samson had always emphasized.

Flashiness didn't matter if the basics could shine even brighter.

Kai glanced at the timer and the score.

Three minutes into the second quarter.

23-41.

Nearly a fifty percent deficit.

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It wasn't impossible.

The game resumed, and Kai found himself with the ball right away. He dribbled steadily, but he could feel the opposing team's eyes on him.

He scanned the court quietly.

No rushing this time. No panic, too. He wanted to play with the mindset of a beginner—that he had nothing to lose. They already had the silver medal. Now, they were aiming for the skies.

He dribbled to the left side. The crowd was quiet as they anticipated what he would do next. Romeo was shadowing him. Kai ignored it. His eyes stayed on the court ahead, reading the defensive formation.

Then, with a slight bounce, he cut toward the paint, slipping past Romeo's outstretched hand. Romeo's eyes widened because he had moved so fast and easily.

Meanwhile, Lima tried to block him once more.

Two long strides and a high leap brought Kai right to the hoop. He extended his arm and laid the ball gently against the glass.

It rolled off the backboard and swished through the net.

25-41.

"It's Kai's first score of the night!" Gina exclaimed. "And it looked like such an easy shot. It feels like he hasn't struggled at all during the first quarter."

The crowd cheered, too. Still not louder than during the opening. However, their voices held a little hope. It wasn't exactly an impressive shot, too. It was just…basic.

However, Steven frowned as he grabbed the ball to inbound it, looking slightly perplexed.

"What was that?" he muttered.

Julian was able to hear him and shrugged.

"Just an easy shot, captain," he smirked, his gaze still lingering on Kai. "We'll shut him down next time."

But Steven's frown deepened.

That was the problem. It was an easy shot—one they could have easily blocked.

Kai had walked into the paint so casually, which made the move look so simple that none of them even thought of challenging him. It was a glaring oversight, and Steven silently vowed not to let it happen again.

The U.S. team brought the ball up quickly. Liam Garcia, their three-point specialist, positioned himself behind the arc, ready to launch. The ball zipped to him, and he caught it cleanly, raising it above his head in one smooth motion.

However, Dong wanted to prove himself on the court.

With perfect timing, Dong leaped, his arm outstretched. His palm met the ball mid-air, sending it flying out of bounds.

The crowd roared.

"Massive block by Dong!" David shouted. "He has been timid with his defense all night long. I hope there's a change in momentum here."

Dong pumped his fist as his teammates rushed to him, patting his back. On the sidelines, Coach Xu Wei nodded approvingly.

The U.S. inbounded the ball again. Julian was holding it now, staring directly at Kai, who stood a few feet away.

"You think one lay-up makes you a player?" Julian sneered. "Is that your little system helping you?"

He was one to talk.

Julian dribbled the ball between his legs with effortless speed. It was obvious he was putting on a show.

Kai didn't respond. He kept his stance low, his eyes trained on Julian's movements.

Julian attacked, crossing the ball over multiple times before driving toward the basket. His moves were flashy, appearing like he exaggerated them to draw attention from Kai and the audience.

Julian spun, faked left, and pivoted back to his right, pulling up for a mid-range jumper.

Kai stayed with him the entire time, his feet moving in sync with Julian's. At the last second, Kai's hand shot up, contesting the shot. The ball hit the rim and bounced out.

Kai heard Julian's breath get caught in the back of his throat, and he had the urge to laugh. However, he didn't have the luxury to do that when the ball was moving again.

Dong grabbed the rebound and immediately passed it out to Marcus, who pushed the tempo. Marcus scanned the court, finding Kai trailing on the left wing.

"Here!" Kai called in a low voice.

Marcus delivered a crisp pass, and Kai caught it in stride. Julian was closing in, but Kai stopped abruptly, planting his feet behind the three-point line.

Julian froze for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden stop.

Kai rose for the shot. His form was immaculate, his elbow tucked in, his wrist snapping at the apex of his jump.

The ball sailed through the air, spinning perfectly.

Swish.

28-41.

The crowd cheered again, louder this time.

"Three-pointer by Guo Kai!" Gina shouted. "There are a lot of doubters in the audience, and Kai is starting to silence them."

Julian stood there, stunned. His smirk had vanished, replaced by a look of disbelief.

Kai jogged back on defense.

"Yeah, there's no reason to be afraid," Kai muttered, grounding himself.

Jonathan Samson may be a better player than him, but Julian Barker was not.

Even if they had the same system.