Way of Exerting Force

Cahoon's words weren't just pleasantries. Players returning from injury definitely need time to recover and adjust. After all, Walker's injury wasn't major, but it wasn't minor either. He couldn't possibly regain his feel for the game after resting for a month.

After playing Pittsburgh, UConn had a few days to rest before heading on the road to face West Virginia University.

West Virginia University was also a prestigious school. Its most famous player in history was "Logo" Jerry West. Last season, they were the regular season champions of the Big East Conference and entered the Tournament as the second seed in the East, making it all the way to the Final Four.

This season, their strength had declined due to the departure of key players, but they were still ranked fifth in the Big East Conference and were fighting to secure a top seed in the tournament.

This was a clash of titans. From the opening tip-off, the two teams went head-to-head, exchanging blows like sparks flying. Smith was even T'd up and ejected for his involvement.

With over eight minutes gone in the game, the score was tied at 9-9.

Cahoon substituted Walker in for Napier at this point, hoping he could break the deadlock.

UConn immediately ran their classic play: a pick-and-roll between Tang Tian and Walker at the high post.

The opponent, wary of Tang Tian's three-point shooting, didn't dare double-team Walker. Walker isolated the opposing forward, then drove with a change of direction.

This was usually Walker's specialty, but his change of direction was noticeably smaller this time. As a result, his shot, taken without fully shaking his defender, was almost blocked and then rimmed out.

The opponent grabbed the rebound and immediately pushed the ball upcourt, hitting a transition three-pointer that ignited the crowd.

"Kemba..." Ollie said, hesitating.

Cahoon remained silent.

Walker's condition was clearly off, but he couldn't pinpoint the reason.

In fact, after the previous game, he had spoken with Walker privately, asking if his injury had fully healed.

Walker had replied that the injury was no longer affecting him.

The game continued on the court. Walker's drive to the basket on the right side missed again, failing to convert two consecutive opportunities.

Seeing Walker's poor performance, the home crowd's jeers grew louder.

Ultimately, UConn lost the game on the road 61-71, snapping their four-game winning streak.

Walker played 20 minutes, shooting 2-for-10 from the field for only 4 points and 3 assists, his performance not much different from the previous game.

After the game, Cahoon avoided all questions related to Walker.

After the day's games concluded, the players showered and rested in the locker room.

Tang Tian, after showering, couldn't find Walker. He asked around, but no one knew where he was.

He thought for a moment and then headed to the visiting team's practice facility, grabbing a bottle of water on his way out.

If Walker wasn't in the locker room at this hour, knowing his personality, he was probably staying late to practice after a bad performance.

Tang Tian arrived at the practice facility and, as expected, found Walker drenched in sweat, practicing.

"Kemba," Tang Tian called out as he entered.

Seeing Tang Tian, Walker wiped the sweat from his brow, forcing a smile.

"Take a break. You just recovered from your injury, and you just played a game. It's easy to re-injure yourself," Tang Tian said.

Walker nodded and walked to the sideline to sit down.

Judging by his gait, his ankle seemed to be fine.

Tang Tian handed Walker the water.

"Thanks," Walker said, taking it and drinking a few sips.

"Are you worried about your ankle?" Tang Tian suddenly asked.

"What?" Walker looked at Tang Tian in surprise, his expression indicating that Tang Tian had guessed correctly.

"You're afraid of re-injuring your ankle and holding back," Tang Tian repeated.

Lamb's poor performance last time was a mental issue. Walker clearly wasn't facing that. As a junior, he had experienced plenty and, based on his performance since the injury, his mental fortitude was immense.

It wasn't a matter of skill either. If his ankle injury was fully healed, Walker's skill level would definitely place him in the top ten among NCAA point guards.

If it wasn't a mental issue or a lingering injury, then his poor performance must be due to some hesitation.

The only thing that could make him hesitate was his recently injured ankle.

Tang Tian had coached so many players in his previous life and understood these things quite well.

"Yeah," Walker admitted with a wry smile, unconsciously touching his ankle.

A month of injury wasn't a long time, but it was the most significant injury he had sustained in the NCAA.

For a player like him who relied on driving to the basket, an ankle injury was no different from other injuries. If he re-injured it, even if it wasn't as severe as before, he wouldn't be able to play in the Tournament.

Without him, UConn wouldn't go far, and his year of hard work would be in vain.

Walker didn't say these things, but Tang Tian could feel them. Having spent a lot of time together, he understood Walker well. He was not tall, but he was mentally strong and his drive was no less than any other player in this class.

"I have a suggestion. I don't know if you want to hear it?" Tang Tian suddenly said.

"What suggestion?" Walker asked curiously.

"You need to adjust your way of exerting force," Tang Tian continued.

"Way of exerting force?"

"Yes, you're a breakthrough-type player. It's impossible to completely change your offensive style overnight, and with the tournament less than half a month away, there isn't enough time. However, you can try adjusting the way you exert force, shifting from your ankles to your thighs and hips," Tang Tian said.

For players who focus on breakthroughs, unless they are as durable as Iverson, ankle injuries are inevitable. The most classic example is Stephen Curry. During his rookie contract, his various directional changes and breakthroughs nearly ended his career. He suffered over a dozen ankle injuries, big and small. It was only after he changed his way of exerting force and his offensive style that he survived and had the chance to become a superstar.

Of course, the NCAA isn't the NBA, and Walker doesn't have as much time as Curry to change his offensive style. Therefore, changing the way he exerts force is the most feasible solution.

Walker was very curious. This was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.

This was completely normal. The NCAA is not a professional league, and many aspects lack the professionalism of the NBA. What Tang Tian was saying was similar to his stamina training methods, which he had learned as a coach in his previous life.

Tang Tian then explained the specific methods and techniques to Walker. After listening, Walker looked enlightened, and the worry lines on his brow seemed to have faded significantly.

He couldn't share his concerns with his teammates or the coaching staff because no one else could solve them. But what Tang Tian said was different. Tang Tian had given him a way to resolve his worries, and it was an effective one.

"This will require a transition period because you still need to play. I suggest you can start by focusing on breakthroughs from the left side. This way, during the transition, even when you exert force, it will be your left ankle more than your injured right ankle," Tang Tian added.

Congratulations to "Too Lazy to Name" for becoming the second helmsman of this book.