"Crazy June"

Chapter 30: "Crazy June"

After the game, the two teams went through the post-game handshake ritual.

When Sun Hao shook hands with Gasol, he tried to reach up and pat the latter's head, but finding he couldn't, he patted his arm instead, just like at the opening tip.

Gasol had contributed 13 points and 5 rebounds in this game, making him Barcelona's best performer.

Gasol let out a bitter smile.

No matter how well he played, losing the game meant no one could be happy.

"See you in the playoffs."

Gasol said next.

La Liga's schedule meant the two teams only faced each other twice a season.

After those two games, the only way to meet again was in the playoffs.

But with Real Madrid and Barcelona both being powerhouses, running into each other again would mean at least the semifinals.

Gasol's words weren't just a statement; they were a challenge.

Sun Hao smiled and nodded.

Don't say—Gasol seemed soft, but sometimes he was pretty tough.

Sun Hao broke the record, and the next day, reports about him flooded Spain's media.

The most authoritative Spanish Sports Newspaper used a photo of Sun Hao releasing that super-long three-pointer as the game's accompanying image.

What was even more interesting than the photo was the headline.

"The Napoleon of China Breaks ACB League's Scoring Record for Players Under 18, Real Madrid Sweeps Barcelona for the Season."

In the headline, Sun Hao earned his first nickname in Spain, a very interesting one.

Among Madrid's many attractions, there was one that was a must-visit.

It was also the first spot Fernandez took Sun Hao to see: Puerta del Sol.

This was Madrid's iconic landmark and a historical witness to Spain's major events.

When Napoleon conquered Europe, he fought a bloody battle here against the Spanish, ultimately kicking off Spain's War of Independence.

So Napoleon had a big reputation in Spain.

The media used this nickname partly because of their usual sensationalist antics, and partly because of Sun Hao's height.

Napoleon was famously short, and his height was just about the same as Sun Hao's now.

So the nickname fit perfectly.

And compared to Sun Hao's name, such a nickname was obviously easier to spread.

Later on, the nickname quickly made its way back to China.

After the previous Misunderstanding Incident, accompanied by the nickname "Napoleon of China," Sun Hao's fame took a step up domestically.

And this time, the newspapers didn't need to ride on football's coattails anymore.

Scoring 17 points in Spain's top-tier league and breaking the scoring record for players under 18—that news alone was substantial enough.

Sun Hao delivered his career-defining performance and successfully earned the trust of head coach Laso.

After this, Laso confidently implemented the Dual Point Guard Tactic.

And using Real Madrid for the Dual Point Guard Tactic had another benefit: it allowed Lopez to re-enter the team's rotation.

In terms of individual ability, whether it was talent or immediate contribution, Lopez deserved a rotation spot.

Sun Hao got more playing time, his three-point attempts increased during games, and this had some impact on his playing style.

The most obvious part was the rapid improvement in his "Long-Range Sharpshooter" proficiency.

Shots taken in games are affected by physical stamina, mental pressure, and various other factors, so their contribution to improving shooting is definitely greater than training alone.

At the same time, Sun Hao began to expand his arsenal.

The boost in Basketball IQ affected not only his on-court performance but also his off-court approach.

Getting a head start on practicing super-long three-pointers had paid off, and he placed even more importance on this aspect now.

Of course, the arsenal wasn't just thrown together randomly.

If you only know how to fire a pistol, even if someone hands you a missile, you won't be able to launch it.

This time, Sun Hao focused his extra practice on driving, with the emphasis on the first step of the drive.

His current abilities and playing style leaned toward being a shooter, but what he needed to become was far more than just a shooter.

In other words, he couldn't completely lose his offensive capability just because he caught the ball without a shooting opportunity.

So he had to develop his off-the-dribble offense, and the first step was the key to driving.

Many NBA players excel at driving because of their first step—Rose and Tracy McGrady are prime examples.

Sun Hao couldn't train to that level yet, but he had to have it.

As a guard, he was now short in height and had a low center of gravity, which was relatively easier to train.

Time flew, and before he knew it, Sun Hao had spent the remaining half of the season with Real Madrid.

In that half-season, he successfully secured a starting spot on the team.

Over the entire season, he averaged 5.6 points per game, with a field goal percentage of 51% and a three-point percentage of 42%.

Looking only at the second half of the season, his average points per game rose to 7.3, ranking fourth on the team.

Such performance could already be described as quite outstanding for a young player only 17 years old.

He also helped Real Madrid finish first in the La Liga regular season.

Starting in the La Liga playoffs as a 17-year-old for Real Madrid, Sun Hao set a record of no small significance.

Of course, what made him even happier was that before the season ended, his Long-Range Sharpshooter successfully leveled up to Silver!

Long-Range Sharpshooter (Silver): Effectively improves long-range shooting percentage.

Three-pointers were Sun Hao's main offensive weapon at this point, and the boost from this badge was no less helpful than the Basketball IQ he had before!

This also filled him with anticipation for his first La Liga playoff journey.

At that time, the EuroLeague had not yet been established, national basketball leagues were in conflict with the European Basketball Association, and the European Basketball League had also been suspended.

The La Liga playoffs were Real Madrid's most important event of the year.

After achieving the best record in the regular season, winning the championship was their only goal.

Here, it's necessary to mention La Liga's unique playoff format.

It was neither like the NBA, which plays series after series until the final champion is decided, nor like the NCAA, which uses a single-elimination format for March Madness.

Its format was a hybrid between the two.

La Liga had only 17 teams, and only the top eight made the playoffs.

In the first round, the eight playoff teams used a best-of-five series format to determine the final four.

Once the Semifinals were reached, it switched to a single-elimination format for the semifinals and finals, just like the NCAA.

There was no absolute good or bad in formats, but the highlight of this design was excitement.

The first round used a series format to select the four better teams.

The Semifinals using single-elimination added more unpredictability to the championship, naturally making it more thrilling.

Facts proved that this model was quite popular in Europe.

Every year, when the La Liga playoffs reached the Semifinals stage, it sparked a basketball craze across the country.

In the first round of the playoffs, Real Madrid's opponent was the eighth-seeded Radar Team.

Facing an opponent clearly weaker than themselves, Real Madrid didn't give them much of a chance.

After four games, aside from one loss on the road due to poor overall shooting, they won all the rest.

The 3-1 scoreline reflected the gap in strength between the two teams.

Sun Hao performed even better in the first round than in the regular season.

He averaged 2 three-pointers per game and contributed 9.5 points, making him the team's second-leading scorer behind Gabajosa.

Such performance was already impressive enough.

After the first round ended, the La Liga Semifinals lineup was set: Real Madrid, Manresa, Barcelona, and Alicante.

Following the rule of first versus fourth, Real Madrid's Semifinals opponent was Alicante, who had narrowly eliminated Zaragoza 3-2 in the first round to advance.

There was a gap in the two teams' season performances, and under normal circumstances, Real Madrid would defeat Alicante and then face the winner between Barcelona and Manresa in the finals.

But it was in this game that Sun Hao relived the countless "March Madness" moments he had experienced in his previous life in the NCAA.

The so-called single-elimination meant one game decided everything.

Besides being thrilling, this type of game had another characteristic: it was prone to upsets.

In a single game, factors like shooting touch and form could be magnified infinitely.

NCAA's March Madness was beloved by fans precisely because of its reputation for upsets.

In fact, even in the NBA, no team won every game in the regular season, and upsets happened from time to time.

Because there were too many uncertainties in a single game.

Real Madrid encountered such a situation in their match against Alicante.

Real Madrid's touch and form were both mediocre, while Alicante, led by the young Jose Calderon, played brilliantly.

This substitute guard, only one year older than Sun Hao, showed the potential of a top-tier point guard.

In terms of controlling the game's pace and organizing the team's tactical offense, Calderon completely suppressed Prigioni.

Combined with Alicante's excellent shooting, Real Madrid couldn't turn the game around until the very end.

The final score on the court was 58 to 66.

Although Sun Hao still scored a team-second-high 11 points, he ultimately fell victim to a scripted defeat and couldn't help the team complete a comeback.

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