Breaking the Record Alone Isn't Enough

Breaking the Record Alone Isn't Enough

After the timeout, both teams returned to the court.

To avoid having the record broken, Japan had started running down the clock.

They dribbled the ball slowly over half court, in no hurry to attack.

They passed it around at a leisurely pace, only once they were sure there was no danger.

Seeing this, Coach Du Feng waved his arms wildly on the sideline and shouted to his players:

"Pressure them! Get up there and pressure them!"

"What are you all standing around for? Get out there and pressure them, damn it!"

The players did as he said and rushed to pressure Japan.

Under the pressure, Japan made another mistake, dribbling the ball right onto a foot.

The ball quickly rolled out of bounds.

China inbounded the ball. The moment Wang Yi got it, Japan fouled him again.

Wang Yi stepped to the free-throw line and made the first shot.

As he prepared to take the second, Japan's two big men were already getting into position to box him out.

But before shooting, Wang Yi quietly said to Shen Zijie, "Stay where you are. The ball will bounce your way."

Shen Zijie froze.

He moved a little farther away from Wang Yi and looked at him.

You sure?

Wang Yi nodded.

Shen Zijie thought that sounded absurd.

Was Wang Yi saying he could decide where the ball would bounce?

Who could shoot with that kind of precision?

Could he really choose exactly which direction it bounced, and how far?

Even so, Shen Zijie decided to trust Wang Yi.

So when Wang Yi took the free throw, he didn't fight hard for position.

He simply waited where he was for the ball.

Japan's Watanabe Yuta and Hachimura, meanwhile, boxed Wang Yi out, preventing him from