In the end, unable to put his mind at ease, Coach Taoka still made the prearranged tactical hand signals to the players on the court.
He decided to go all in, sending multiple players to surround and intercept Liu Chuanfeng, hoping to use an overwhelming numerical advantage to completely halt this unstoppable scoring machine and cut off Shohoku's offensive lifeline.
But the facts proved that all those efforts were futile.
Even when faced with the tight double-team or even triple-team defense of Ryonan's players, Liu Chuanfeng still moved as nimbly as the wind.
He could always use his explosive first step to instantly shake off the first wave of defenders, then make a sharp change of direction through a gap in the encirclement. Either he would leap high before the defenders could close in and sink a precise jumper, or, after drawing all the defensive attention, he would swiftly pass the ball to an open teammate, creating an easy scoring opportunity. Even if Ryonan's defense occasionally disrupted his rhythm, Shohoku's offense remained firmly centered around Liu Chuanfeng.
Nearly every crucial basket when the score was tight, every fatal blow that broke a deadlock, came from his hands.
On the electronic scoreboard by the court, the numbers for both sides changed rapidly with Liu Chuanfeng's consecutive baskets. Ryonan's once-commanding lead was being gradually eaten away and narrowed by Shohoku.
Those steadily shrinking numbers were like hammers pounding again and again against the hearts of Ryonan's players and coaches.
Shohoku's scoring momentum grew fiercer and fiercer, soaring like a rocket shooting into the sky. The red numbers kept chasing upward, and they were even beginning to show signs of overtaking.
In the stands, Hainan's players sat in a spot with an excellent view, their eyes fixed tightly on the court below. Seeing