Volume One: I Came, I Saw, I Conquered!

Volume One: I Came, I Saw, I Conquered! Chapter Twenty-Eight: You're the Bulldogs' Core

Coach Stevens continued, "Hey, what are you doing? This isn't the way back to my apartment!"

Of course, if the players followed his game plan and it didn't work, he would never blame them.

"Ronan, I know you've been working hard and preparing for a chance to coach an NBA team. We all know that in the NBA, superstars are everything. The NBA's format guarantees that superstars will always have time to find their rhythm. The best-of-seven playoff series means the stronger team is bound to advance. Almost no team can win on luck alone."

Curry quietly practiced his threes. Unlike yesterday, when he kept missing, today he couldn't miss. He kept moving farther out, shooting from right behind the three-point line and then from two full steps beyond it, and his accuracy remained incredible.

Of course, if the players followed his game plan and it didn't work, he would never blame them.

"Ronan, I know you've been working hard and preparing for a chance to coach an NBA team. We all know that in the NBA, superstars are everything. The NBA's format guarantees that superstars will always have time to find their rhythm. The best-of-seven playoff series means the stronger team is bound to advance. Almost no team can win on luck alone."

The two of them bickered as they walked farther away, their voices fading into the night breeze.

Of course, if the players followed his game plan and it didn't work, he would never blame them.

"But the NCAA is different! You've never experienced March Madness; I have. There, a single game decides everything, and anything can happen. Plenty of weaker teams have beaten established powerhouses with an unconventional game plan or a red-hot performance. That's why the NCAA has always been coach-centered. Tactics are everything in the NCAA!"

"Of course, losing is perfectly normal. There's no such thing as an invincible team. But I can't tolerate losing because of stupid mistakes. Coach Stevens and I are already designing new plays that will get everyone involved in the offense. I hope you'll all practice hard and avoid mistakes, or I won't go easy on you."

"Thank me for what? I'm criticizing you." Stevens's stern expression softened. He knew Zhang Yu had taken his words to heart.

"Of course, I'm working on new plays for when Stephen is off his game or gets shut down."

"I noticed Stephen stayed after yesterday to practice shots from the spots where he missed. And the mood at practice today feels off. I know you're all still thinking about yesterday's game."

Curry quietly practiced his threes. Unlike yesterday, when he kept missing, today he couldn't miss. He kept moving farther out, shooting from right behind the three-point line and then from two full steps beyond it, and his accuracy remained incredible.

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"Even Jordan had off nights. Why should you be any different? Losing to Purdue University wasn't your fault. It was mine," Zhang Yu said.

"You've focused too much on Stephen. Don't you think he's taking too many shots? We're not some weak team. At the very least, the Bulldogs are a powerhouse in the Horizon League! AJ and Drew both made the Horizon League All-Conference Team last season, but they've barely even been involved in these past few games. Does that make sense? Anyone can see Stephen's enormous potential, but he's a talented young player, not a superstar. A sound game plan matters more to the team. Ronan, you're the Bulldogs' core!" Stevens continued.

Zhang Yu looked at Curry, whose face was full of guilt, and shook his head with a wry smile. "Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Of course, losing is perfectly normal. There's no such thing as an invincible team. But I can't tolerate losing because of stupid mistakes. Coach Stevens and I are already designing new plays that will get everyone involved in the offense. I hope you'll all practice hard and avoid mistakes, or I won't go easy on you."

"'Opening a meeting' to decide who's to blame? Everyone's trying to take responsibility. Don't worry, when you have a bad game someday, plenty of people will hold a meeting about you on their own."

"I noticed Stephen stayed after yesterday to practice shots from the spots where he missed. And the mood at practice today feels off. I know you're all still thinking about yesterday's game."

He finished speaking. After a long pause, Zhang Yu finally said softly, "Thanks for helping me see things clearly. Ever since Stephen joined the team, I've lost my way a little. I thought he could solve everything, and forgot that he was only a freshman and that the NCAA was different."

Zhang Yu drew a deep breath and spoke sincerely.

"You've focused too much on Stephen. Don't you think he's taking too many shots? We're not some weak team. At the very least, the Bulldogs are a powerhouse in the Horizon League! AJ and Drew both made the Horizon League All-Conference Team last season, but they've barely even been involved in these past few games. Does that make sense? Anyone can see Stephen's enormous potential, but he's a talented young player, not a superstar. A sound game plan matters more to the team. Ronan, you're the Bulldogs' core!"

Zhang Yu walked over to Curry and watched him closely. He noticed that Curry had taken a lot of extra shots from several specific spots—the same places where he'd missed threes yesterday.

Zhang Yu said nothing and slowly walked away.

"Brad, thanks."

Zhang Yu straightened up, unfazed, and continued talking. "It's so late. Why are we going to the office?"

"Brad, thanks."

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

The NCAA had always given its head coaches the most authority on the team. They decided the offensive and defensive schemes and picked the starting lineup, usually on their own. At most, they might discuss things with the coaching staff. Whether they accepted an assistant coach's advice was entirely up to them.

"Brad! You're getting back at me!"

"I noticed Stephen stayed after yesterday to practice shots from the spots where he missed. And the mood at practice today feels off. I know you're all still thinking about yesterday's game."

He finished speaking. After a long pause, Zhang Yu finally said softly, "Thanks for helping me see things clearly. Ever since Stephen joined the team, I've lost my way a little. I thought he could solve everything, and forgot that he was only a freshman and that the NCAA was different."

Zhang Yu drew a deep breath and spoke sincerely.

"You've focused too much on Stephen. Don't you think he's taking too many shots? We're not some weak team. At the very least, the Bulldogs are a powerhouse in the Horizon League! AJ and Drew both made the Horizon League All-Conference Team last season, but they've barely even been involved in these past few games. Does that make sense? Anyone can see Stephen's enormous potential, but he's a talented young player, not a superstar. A sound game plan matters more to the team. Ronan, you're the Bulldogs' core!"

Zhang Yu straightened up, unfazed, and continued talking. "It's so late. Why are we going to the office?"

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

The NCAA had always given its head coaches the most authority on the team. They decided the offensive and defensive schemes and picked the starting lineup, usually on their own. At most, they might discuss things with the coaching staff. Whether they accepted an assistant coach's advice was entirely up to them.

"Thanks for helping me see things clearly. Ever since Stephen joined the team, I've lost my way a little. I thought he could solve everything, and forgot that he was only a freshman and that the NCAA was different." Zhang Yu drew a deep breath and spoke sincerely.

"Coach, I couldn't hit my shots yesterday. I let everyone down, and that's why we lost. I'm sorry," Curry apologized.

"Brad, thanks."

In the NCAA, the head coach had always been the most influential person on the team. He called the offensive and defensive plays and chose the starting lineup, usually on his own. At most, he might consult the coaching staff, and whether to take an assistant coach's advice was entirely up to him.

"Are we holding a meeting?" Curry asked, confused.

"Of course, I'm working on new plays for when Stephen is off his game or gets shut down."

"Then let's go." Stevens smiled and pulled Zhang Yu in the other direction.

"Hey, what are you doing? This isn't the way back to my apartment!"

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

But his brow was furrowed, and he wasn't smiling at all.

Even so, Zhang Yu's direct admission of fault completely upended their expectations. The room fell silent.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"I know. This is the way to the office."

"Then let's go." Stevens smiled and pulled Zhang Yu in the other direction.

"Hey, what are you doing? This isn't the way back to my apartment!"

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

But his brow was furrowed, and he wasn't smiling at all.

Even so, Zhang Yu's direct admission of fault completely upended their expectations. The room fell silent.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

Zhang Yu straightened up, unfazed, and continued talking. "No, I'm buzzing with ideas right now. I've got a lot I want to discuss with you."

"Thanks for helping me see things clearly. Ever since Stephen joined the team, I've lost my way a little. I thought he could solve everything, and forgot that he was only a freshman and that the NCAA was different." Zhang Yu drew a deep breath and spoke sincerely.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

Zhang Yu straightened up, unfazed, and continued talking. "You've focused too much on Stephen. Don't you think he's taking too many shots? We're not some weak team. At the very least, the Bulldogs are a powerhouse in the Horizon League! AJ and Drew both made the Horizon League All-Conference Team last season, but they've barely even been involved in these past few games. Does that make sense? Anyone can see Stephen's enormous potential, but he's a talented young player, not a superstar. A sound game plan matters more to the team. Ronan, you're the Bulldogs' core!"

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said, "Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing. But his brow was furrowed, and he wasn't smiling at all.

Even so, Zhang Yu's direct admission of fault completely upended their expectations. The room fell silent.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"Then let's go." Stevens smiled and pulled Zhang Yu in the other direction.

"Hey, what are you doing? This isn't the way back to my apartment!"

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

A day later, Zhang Yu and Stevens both showed up at practice with dark circles under their eyes.

A day later, Zhang Yu and Stevens both showed up at practice with dark circles under their eyes.

"Ronan, I know you've been working hard and preparing for a chance to coach an NBA team. We all know that in the NBA, superstars are everything. The NBA's format guarantees that superstars will always have time to find their rhythm. The best-of-seven playoff series means the stronger team is bound to advance. Almost no team can win on luck alone."

Zhang Yu said nothing and slowly walked away.

Zhang Yu said nothing and slowly walked away.

The previous day's crushing loss still hung over the team. The atmosphere was heavy, and even Julian Becko, usually the first to crack a joke, stayed quiet. Practice went on under a thick cloud of gloom.

Stevens continued, "In the NCAA, a head coach has always been the most influential person on the team. He calls the offensive and defensive plays and picks the starting lineup, usually on his own. At most, he might consult the coaching staff. Whether he takes an assistant coach's advice is entirely up to him."

The previous day's crushing loss still hung over the team. The atmosphere was heavy, and even Julian Becko, usually the first to crack a joke, stayed quiet. Practice went on under a thick cloud of gloom.

Curry quietly practiced his threes. Unlike yesterday, when he kept missing, today he couldn't miss. He kept moving farther out, shooting from right behind the three-point line and then from two full steps beyond it, and his accuracy remained incredible.

Zhang Yu said nothing and slowly walked away.

Zhang Yu walked over to Curry and watched him closely. He noticed that Curry had taken a lot of extra shots from several specific spots—the same places where he'd missed threes yesterday.

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

A day of subdued practice came to an end. Zhang Yu gathered the team and spoke slowly:

In the NCAA, the head coach had always been the most influential person on the team. He called the offensive and defensive plays and chose the starting lineup, usually on his own. At most, he might consult the coaching staff. Whether he took an assistant coach's advice was entirely up to him.

"Hey, what are you doing? This isn't the way back to my apartment!"

Zhang Yu said nothing and slowly walked away.

Zhang Yu walked over to Curry and watched him closely. He noticed that Curry had taken a lot of extra shots from several specific spots—the same places where he'd missed threes yesterday.

"Of course, losing is perfectly normal. There's no such thing as an invincible team. But I can't tolerate losing because of stupid mistakes. Coach Stevens and I are already designing new plays that will get everyone involved in the offense. I hope you'll all practice hard and avoid mistakes, or I won't go easy on you."

Curry quietly practiced his threes. Unlike yesterday, when he kept missing, today he couldn't miss. He kept moving farther out, shooting from right behind the three-point line and then from two full steps beyond it, and his accuracy remained incredible.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

Zhang Yu straightened up, unfazed, and continued talking. "No, I'm buzzing with ideas right now. I've got a lot I want to discuss with you."

"Thanks for helping me see things clearly. Ever since Stephen joined the team, I've lost my way a little. I thought he could solve everything, and forgot that he was only a freshman and that the NCAA was different." Zhang Yu drew a deep breath and spoke sincerely.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

Zhang Yu straightened up, unfazed, and continued talking. "You've focused too much on Stephen. Don't you think he's taking too many shots? We're not some weak team. At the very least, the Bulldogs are a powerhouse in the Horizon League! AJ and Drew both made the Horizon League All-Conference Team last season, but they've barely even been involved in these past few games. Does that make sense? Anyone can see Stephen's enormous potential, but he's a talented young player, not a superstar. A sound game plan matters more to the team. Ronan, you're the Bulldogs' core!"

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said, "Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

But his brow was furrowed, and he wasn't smiling at all.

Even so, Zhang Yu's direct admission of fault completely upended their expectations. The room fell silent.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Someday, you'll understand." Zhang Yu thought of the famous online pile-on from his previous life and couldn't help laughing.

"Of course, losing is perfectly normal. There's no such thing as an invincible team. But I can't tolerate losing because of stupid mistakes. Coach Stevens and I are already designing new plays that will get everyone involved in the offense. I hope you'll all practice hard and avoid mistakes, or I won't go easy on you."

The previous day's crushing loss still hung over the team. The atmosphere was heavy, and even Julian Becko, usually the first to crack a joke, stayed quiet. Practice went on under a thick cloud of gloom.

"Brad, thanks."

Zhang Yu looked at Curry, whose face was full of guilt, and shook his head with a wry smile. "Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Brad! You're getting back at me!"

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

A day of subdued practice came to an end. Zhang Yu gathered the team and spoke slowly:

Stevens continued, "In the NCAA, a head coach has always been the most influential person on the team. He calls the offensive and defensive plays and picks the starting lineup, usually on his own. At most, he might consult the coaching staff. Whether he takes an assistant coach's advice is entirely up to him."

"Are we holding a meeting?" Curry asked, confused.

"Of course, I'm working on new plays for when Stephen is off his game or gets shut down."

"Then let's go." Stevens smiled and pulled Zhang Yu in the other direction.

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

The players stared up at Zhang Yu in surprise. Curry hurriedly said:

"Hey, what are you doing? This isn't the way back to my apartment!"

Zhang Yu said nothing and slowly walked away.

"Everyone has off days, Stephen. You're no exception. But I didn't account for that. I put all my eggs in your basket, made no tactical adjustments, and just hoped your shot would come back. This loss is entirely my fault. I owe everyone an apology."

"Of course, losing is perfectly normal. There's no such thing as an invincible team. But I can't tolerate losing because of stupid mistakes. Coach Stevens and I are already designing new plays that will get everyone involved in the offense. I hope you'll all practice hard and avoid mistakes, or I won't go easy on you."

The previous day's crushing loss still hung over the team. The atmosphere was heavy, and even Julian Becko, usually the first to crack a joke, stayed quiet. Practice went on under a thick cloud of gloom.

"Hey, what are you doing? This isn't the way back to my apartment!"