Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

"They are unstoppable!" David exclaimed as the fourth quarter continued.

Gina rubbed her eyes, in disbelief at what was happening. "I didn't think I would get to see the day when our team would be triumphing over those who have been playing in the Global Games for years!"

Truly, the Chinese team had done the impossible. They moved like they had participated in the Global Games more times than the French team did.

Kai had become the epicenter, his determination driving the team to heights they hadn't thought possible. His energy seemed to have been passed onto his teammates.

"Here!" Max exclaimed, passing to Zheng, who sunk a two-pointer.

Zheng raised his hand to give Max a high-five. The two were happy, but they weren't complacent. Not when the game still wasn't over.

Meanwhile, France was struggling really badly.

The once-dominant team, known for its flawless execution and unbreakable strategy, was now fumbling under the pressure. Passes went astray, shots fell short, and their defense was riddled with gaps.

Their coach's voice had become hoarse from all the instructions he had yelled. However, it seemed like his players couldn't hear him. In fact, they could. They just didn't know how to execute his instructions in their given situation.

That was the problem.

They knew what to do, yet they couldn't do it.

At first, they thought they could handle Kai. He was just a single player! However, it seemed like Kai's unstoppable drive infected his teammates, lifting them to his level.

Marcus sprinted with speed that shouldn't be possible for his age, intercepting passes like a shadow. Max and Zheng nailed it with the shots, even scoring more than when they had an individual challenge. Caleb bullied his way through defenders, creating space for crucial plays.

Coach Xu Wei stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, a smile creeping onto his face. For the first time in his career, he didn't feel the need to shout directions or adjust the play.

"This is truly unbelievable," David's voice cracked in the commentator's booth. "China—this team that never even placed on the podium, much yet step foot in the Global Games—are making one of the world's top teams crumble!"

In locker rooms across the arena, other teams from China gathered around screens, their post-game rituals forgotten. Some had their arms folded, their brows furrowed in disbelief. Others sat slack-jawed, unable to look away.

Fernando Ching, who had just been eliminated from the tournament and had received a standing ovation from the audience for the legendary years he had played, walked back to the locker room with a smile.

His coach, who had been monitoring their country's basketball teams since the games began, nudged his shoulder.

"Hey, look at this," the coach excitedly said. "That kid you worked with in the opening ceremonies is really good. I didn't expect much from him, but now, I believe he's the best player in the entire team!"

With that, he shoved his phone in front of Fernando. The two of them stopped walking for a moment to let the scene play.

Kai was on the screen, pulling off a perfect crossover against two defenders.

Fernando laughed out, drawing the attention of some other shooters. "I knew the kid had it in him," he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "It was only a matter of time."

"Let's head to the locker room quickly," he added. "I want to see how this ends."

Meanwhile, the women's basketball team arrived at the arena, their game having just concluded. As they entered, they thought they would steal the audience's attention. They had just secured a spot in the semi-finals, after all. So, it was inevitable!

However, they were met with an odd sight instead. The audience wasn't paying attention to them at all.

"What's going on?" one of the players asked, frowning.

They followed the crowd's gaze to the massive scoreboard overhead. The numbers told a story that left them frozen in place.

112-95

"No way," one of them whispered.

Ziyi furrowed her brows, her face draining color. "How?"

But before anyone could answer, the stadium erupted into cheers once more.

The ball was in Kai's hands, and the clock was winding down. The Shizi Dogs had a comfortable lead, but Kai wasn't done. He dribbled with power, his eyes scanning the court. His defender tightened his stance, determined not to give an inch.

Kai's movements were unpredictable. He feinted left, causing his defender to shift, then crossed over to his right. The defender scrambled to keep up, but Kai stopped abruptly, pulling back behind the half-court line.

The crowd gasped.

"He's not going to—" David began, but his voice trailed off.

Kai took the shot.

The ball soared high, spinning as it cut through the air. The arena fell silent, the collective breath of thousands held in anticipation.

The French defender stood frozen, his hands half-raised in disbelief. He hadn't even tried to block it.

The ball hit the backboard with a sharp crack before dropping cleanly through the net.

The sound ignited the crowd. Fans screamed, some jumping out of their seats, others clutching their heads in amazement.

"He did it!" Gina shouted, her voice inaudible over the chaos. "He just hit a half-court shot in the Global Games! This is—this is unreal!"

Kai stood where he had shot, his chest heaving. He didn't celebrate. He didn't even smirk. He simply turned and jogged back to his side of the court, his focus unbroken.

The French team was done. They knew it, the audience knew it, and even their coach knew it.

Even those who swore they weren't interested in watching the men's basketball team on their journey knew it.

Ziyi pursed her lips, her eyes straying toward Kai. "Nothing is impossible, huh?"

The final seconds ticked away, and the buzzer sounded.

Final score: China 115, France 95.

A fifteen-point gap.

Kai smirked as he looked up at the scoreboard.

"Just how I like it," I muttered.

It was the same gap as when Kai had first entered the game.