Coach, You Should Have Put Me In Sooner

"Defence!" "Defence!" "Defence!"...

On April 19, 2003, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was hosting the NCAA championship game. The matchup featured Syracuse University, which had reached the NCAA final for the first time under the leadership of freshman Carmelo Anthony, and the traditional powerhouse University of Kansas, led by Hinrich and Collison.

Amidst the roars of over 60,000 spectators, Carmelo Anthony was firing on all cylinders. Whether driving inside, shooting from the perimeter, or assisting his teammates, he quickly helped Syracuse build a double-digit lead over the University of Kansas, forcing the Jayhawks to call a timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, the effect was immediate; the University of Kansas stabilized the situation on the floor, preventing Syracuse from extending the lead any further.

At halftime, the score stood at 53:42, with the University of Kansas trailing Syracuse by 11 points.

As a traditional powerhouse, the University of Kansas certainly didn't give up. Encouraged by their head coach, they launched a furious comeback in the second half, and the point gap began to shrink bit by bit.

Just then, Carmelo Anthony stepped up. He caught the ball on the perimeter, set up in a triple-threat position, and immediately rose up for a pull-up three-pointer. The defender was left helpless, only able to watch as Carmelo Anthony released the shot.

"Swish." The ball hit nothing but net.

The three-pointer was good.

Immediately after, Collison's pass on the offensive end was intercepted. Carmelo Anthony sprinted down the court, leading the pack, caught a pass from a teammate, and finished with a layup.

Scoring five consecutive points, he halted the University of Kansas's comeback momentum.

"Ahhh!" Carmelo Anthony raised his right hand and pounded his chest hard, roaring excitedly toward the stands. In just a little while, he would lead Syracuse University to the first NCAA championship in school history.

"Timeout!" The University of Kansas was forced to call another timeout.

Head coach Roy Williams looked at the high-spirited freshman Carmelo Anthony on the court with a sense of helplessness. Before the final began, he knew very well that to beat Syracuse, they had to limit Carmelo Anthony. Yet, even after deploying heavy defensive pressure, he still couldn't contain Carmelo Anthony's performance.

Watching his players walk back to the bench, head coach Roy Williams immediately adjusted his emotions, looked at his team, and shouted, "The game isn't over yet! We are the traditional powerhouse, the University of Kansas..."

He rattled off a string of motivational words, saliva spraying into the air, his voice reaching the ears of every University of Kansas player. In an instant, almost every player was filled with fighting spirit; the game was not over yet.

The brief timeout ended, and both sides returned to the court.

With their fighting spirit restored, the University of Kansas executed every defensive play and every offensive possession well, narrowing the gap bit by bit. With one minute left in the game, the University of Kansas had cut the deficit to 3 points.

"Beep." A defensive foul by the University of Kansas sent Carmelo Anthony to the free-throw line.

"Clang!" Carmelo Anthony missed the free throw.

The NCAA uses a 1-and-1 free-throw rule; if the first shot is made, the player gets a second, but if it is missed, the ball is live for a rebound.

The University of Kansas secured the rebound and organized a three-point play. The ball eventually reached Langford at the 45-degree angle on the left. Langford caught the ball, jumped, hung in the air, and released.

Under the gaze of over 60,000 pairs of eyes, the ball flew toward the rim.

"Clang!" The three-pointer missed.

"Rebound!" head coach Roy Williams roared from the sidelines.

Perhaps hearing the roar of head coach Roy Williams, Graves grabbed a crucial offensive rebound. As he landed and prepared for a putback, Syracuse players decisively fouled him, sending Graves to the free-throw line.

Graves made one of two free throws, helping the team narrow the gap to 2 points.

Possession returned to Syracuse. Because time did not allow for a defensive stop, the University of Kansas had to adopt a quick-foul strategy, sending Syracuse players to the free-throw line.

"Swish!" "Clang!" They made one of two, and the lead returned to three points.

At this critical moment, head coach Roy Williams did not call a timeout, choosing instead to trust his players.

Collison quickly dribbled the ball across half-court and then passed it to Hinrich, who had run out off a screen. Hinrich caught the ball and launched a three-pointer in the face of the closing defender.

"Clang!" The three-pointer missed again, and the University of Kansas squandered another chance to tie the game.

The University of Kansas fans at the arena and in front of their televisions looked desperate. They were going to lose...

Head coach Roy Williams covered his forehead with both hands. Why was it so hard to make a single three-pointer...

Hakim Warrick of Syracuse jumped high above the crowd and snatched this precious rebound. The moment his feet touched the ground, University of Kansas players swarmed him, fouling Hakim Warrick and sending him to the free-throw line.

"Clang!" Hakim Warrick failed to make the free throw.

The University of Kansas grabbed the rebound with 8.7 seconds left in the game, keeping their final hope alive.

"Timeout." Head coach Roy Williams used his last timeout. At this very moment, he had a bold idea in his mind.

Head coach Roy Williams turned his head to look at the handsome young man with delicate features and fair skin sitting at the very end of the bench: "Goodwin, get ready to go in!"

As soon as head coach Roy Williams finished speaking, the entire University of Kansas bench went silent. No way, the coach couldn't be serious, right? Goodwin hadn't played a single second tonight, and at such a crucial juncture...

The player called by name, Goodwin, curled the corners of his mouth slightly. His deep blue eyes looked at head coach Roy Williams and he said, "Coach, you should have put me in earlier."

Hearing Goodwin's words, head coach Roy Williams was stunned for a moment. Two seconds later, he regained his composure, his mouth curling upward as he looked at Goodwin and asked, "Goodwin, do you have the confidence to turn this score around?"

The implication of head coach Roy Williams's words was that the upcoming three-point play would be designed for this player named Goodwin.

Goodwin flashed a brilliant smile and replied confidently, "Of course!"

"Roy..." The assistant coach hadn't even finished his sentence when head coach Roy Williams interrupted, "I believe in Goodwin, just as I believe in every one of you. We are in unprecedented trouble, and we must work together to sweep it away!"

Head coach Roy Williams scanned the key players as he spoke.

The key players nodded. In the end, they supported head coach Roy Williams's arrangement, pinning their final hope on Goodwin!