But the corners of Chi Tong's mouth soon lifted a little again.
He was still somewhat interested in how much of Sannoh's strength Hainan could draw out.
Sannoh had clearly held back against Jinbao University and had not shown its full strength.
As a veteran final-four team, Hainan was weaker than Sannoh overall, but Maki Shinichi's individual ability might still cause Sannoh some trouble.
If Maki Shinichi could break through Sannoh's defense and get Hainan's offense going, he might force Sannoh to take the game seriously and reveal more of its strength.
As the minutes and seconds ticked away, the game on the court gradually approached its end.
The numbers on the electronic timer kept counting down, while the gap on the scoreboard had long since grown hopeless. Hainan had already broken the hundred-point mark, while Puan Commercial High School was still hovering around fifty. There was no longer any doubt that Hainan would win. The players from Puan Commercial High School had lost all trace of their initial fighting spirit. By midway through the second half, Hainan had completely worn away what little will to resist they had left. Their movements grew sluggish, their positioning fell apart, and even their attempts to reach out and intercept the ball looked feeble.
By then, both teams had sent in their substitutes. The move undoubtedly signaled Puan Commercial High School's surrender. They had accepted that the game would end in a crushing defeat.
Once the substitutes took the court, both sides played reasonably well. Hainan's reserves wanted to make the most of their rare chance to play, putting extra care into every pass and shot.
Although Puan Commercial High School's substitutes also wanted to salvage some pride, the enormous deficit left them with little motivation to focus on the game. Their faces