Japan Team fielded its Main Force Lineup against China Team's full bench. Not only did they fail to close the gap, they let it grow even wider. In the end, China Team beat Japan Team 140–70, winning by a full 70 points.
And they did it with Wang Yi and the other starters clocking out after just three quarters.
Japan Team had truly lost everything they had in that game.
Never mind the grilling they'd face from reporters after the game.
The public backlash waiting for them once they returned home would be immense. The entire Japanese Basketball Association might even be restructured.
After the game, when Hachimura embraced Wang Yi in a show of respect, bitterness filled his face.
"You've thrown us into the fire."
Wang Yi patted Hachimura on the head.
"It wasn't me. It was that old grandpa."
He pointed to Little Grandpa Liu in the stands.
Hachimura glanced over at Little Grandpa Liu, his heart filled with regret.
Agreeing to let his players take on that old man in a one-on-one had been one of the stupidest decisions of his life.
If he hadn't agreed, at worst people online would've stirred things up by saying Japan Team was scared. But it never would've left his players so demoralized that they lost today's game so badly.
But it was too late for regrets now.
He was even wondering whether he should skip going back to Japan and fly straight to Toronto instead, to begin training for the new season.
But then he thought better of it. Not going home at a time like this wouldn't look right.
And if he flew straight to Canada, people would call him a deserter.
So he decided to go home and stay for a few days. Let them criticize him if