Doha, Qatar.
It was a five-star hotel.
In a conference room on the hotel's fifth floor,
more than twenty members of Japan's team—the head coach, assistant coaches, team leader, and players—were gathered for a meeting.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy.
Every player wore the same grave expression, as if the enemy were at the gates and they were facing a formidable threat.
Their opponent, China Team, was currently ranked only twelfth in the world.
That was lower than Japan's ranking.
But this twelfth-ranked team had beaten the top-ranked United States, second-ranked Australia, and third-ranked Argentina in the group stage.
That alone was enough to show China Team's strength.
And they shouldn't forget that China Team had Wang Yi.
These days, there was a saying in the basketball world:
Wang Yi meant miracles.
In other words, as long as Wang Yi was on the court, nothing was impossible.
That was why the entire Japan Team felt as if they were facing an enemy at the gates.
At that moment, Japan's head coach, Tanaka Mitsunobu, said to Watanabe Yuta and Hachimura: "Whether we can beat China Team this time depends on you two on offense."
Both men felt their hearts tighten.
Were they supposed to take on Wang Yi offensively? That was ridiculous.
Tanaka Mitsunobu studied their expressions and asked sternly, "What's wrong? Don't you have confidence? If you don't, then sit down and let someone who does take your place!"
Watanabe Yuta and Hachimura immediately sat up straight and shouted, "We do!"
But despite their words, anyone could see they were uneasy. In truth, no player in the world could confidently say he could outscore Wang Yi.
Tanaka Mitsunobu then addressed the rest of the players. "As for everyone else, your job is defense!"
"Defense at any cost!"
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