Even knowing it was impossible to make up eight points in ten seconds, Owen charged forward relentlessly. Until the final moment, a player must never give up—that’s the dedication to the NCAA finals.
Even with a sure victory, DK didn’t relax their defense.
Just as Owen was committed to every second of the game, so were all the DK players.
Reese and Nie Chuan chased after Owen, whose run captivated the entire audience. For him, losing the game was acceptable, but losing CBU’s glory and dignity was not.
The crowd stood up, and CBU’s students shouted Owen’s name.
The previously dejected CBU players followed closely, ready to support Owen in the final seconds.
Owen passed to Wright, with Ewin rushing to intercept. Wright displayed top-notch point guard skills, but Ewin stuck to him tightly.
Wright faked and passed to power forward Thomas.
Thomas dribbled and jumped, aiming for a powerful layup, but DK’s Carlo leaped fearlessly, swatting the ball away.
With four seconds left, CBU didn’t give up. Kristen caught the deflected ball and passed it to Owen. With two seconds remaining, Owen jumped with all his might, carrying the team’s year-long effort. Heishan jumped, but mistimed it.
On the other side, Nie Chuan leaped to match Owen’s height, astonishing the audience.
Owen twisted, pulling the ball back and switching to his left hand for a layup, but Reese arrived first, his hand poised to shatter every shooting star in the night sky.
“Bang—” Reese blocked Owen’s layup completely.
The final whistle blew, and the stadium fell silent.
Owen closed his eyes, tilting his face up, exhaling forcefully.
He seemed to be feeling the lights of the championship stage.
In this battle for supreme glory, CBU stepped away, just a step from victory.
The last ten seconds were so thrilling and spectacular that the commentators forgot to speak.
Robert stood up, clapping vigorously, “Well done, CBU! UDK! This is the kind of game the NCAA wants to see! Relentless determination and resolve, even to the last moment!”
Engel and Espenson also stood, applauding.
Then, the entire audience rose, applauding both teams for the match.
“Owen Whishaw impressed me,” Sethston said.
“Huh? I thought you’d say UDK impressed you! They’re the winners!” Ben tilted his head.
“A great player needs not only strong abilities but also an indomitable spirit for the team. Owen Whishaw achieved that. He’s like a spark, igniting his teammates’ hearts. Even though CBU lost, they’ll be stronger next year and a formidable opponent,” Sethston replied.
Ben nodded.
“Yeah… Owen in those last ten seconds was like a blaze in everyone’s eyes.”
Carlo and Ewin were ecstatic, hugging each other.
Even the usually stoic Heishan closed his eyes, crossing himself in gratitude.
Nie Chuan looked down at his fingers, finding it all surreal.
Basketball, to him, was like a child’s doodle—maybe better than most, but he never imagined becoming a world-renowned artist like Van Gogh or Monet.
Now, he realized basketball was no longer a doodle; it was a dream, an irreplaceable part of his life.
The international students went wild, even those uninterested in basketball, who only watched online, felt immense pride seeing fellow countryman Nie Chuan reach an NCAA final, rivaling the NBA.
Wright and his team graciously shook hands with DK’s players.
“I shouldn’t have underestimated you, Ewin. Your ball-handling is getting impressive. I’m worried that next year, besides your three-point skills, you’ll handle the ball like Connor or Nie Chuan, and no one will stop you.”
Ewin laughed, “Thanks for pointing out my path to improvement. I’ll work hard to break through your defense more easily next year.”
Heishan and CBU’s center exchanged rebounding tips.
Carlo and Thomas, two of the league’s top power forwards, embraced.
“Hey, Carlo, since DK beat CBU, make sure you win it all. Losing to the champions is fine, but losing to lesser teams would insult us.”
“Leave it to us. Whether it’s UFR or AZU in the finals, we’ll give them a show!”
In the center of the court, Reese and Owen exchanged glances.
Owen, who had been looking up, slowly lowered his head, smiling, “Hey, thanks.”
“Thanks for what?”
“Thanks for going all out to block my shot.”
Nie Chuan looked at Owen, puzzled.
“No need to thank me. You’d do the same,” Reese replied.
Owen extended his fist, and Reese bumped it.
At that moment, Nie Chuan understood Owen’s meaning. In those final ten seconds, he didn’t want Reese’s sympathy. Instead, DK’s full-force defense on a shot that didn’t affect the outcome was a recognition and great respect for CBU as opponents.
Owen approached Nie Chuan, brushing his fingers over Nie Chuan’s bangs.
Nie Chuan instinctively leaned back, and Owen laughed, “Hey, kid, you’ve grown taller.”
Nie Chuan beamed, “Haha! Really? I thought so too!”
“Guess you won’t grow much next year,” Owen teased.
Nie Chuan shrugged, “No worries, as long as I can jump higher and block your shots!”
Owen playfully pressed Nie Chuan’s head, almost knocking him over.
“Looks like DK is our opponent in the finals,” Ben mused, “I really like Nie Chuan! I love watching his dribbling and jumping. I wonder what it’s like to see him on the court?”
In the front row, Larvin and his teammates stood. Larvin raised an eyebrow at Ben.
“Seems like Sethston spoiled you! Who said DK’s finals opponent is you?”
“Oh, UFR is here too! The game was so exciting, I forgot about you!” Ben said sheepishly.
“Let’s go,” Sethston turned towards the exit.
Ben quickly followed, continuing their discussion about the game.
“Sethston, who do you think is the scariest player on DK?”
“Scariest? If you underestimate them, anyone can be scary,” Sethston replied. “Why don’t you analyze each of their main players?”
“Reese is a given, on your level, a decathlete. I used to think he was just an offensive player, but today, watching him guard Owen Whishaw one-on-one, I realized he’s a patient hunter, excelling in both offense and defense.”
“Yeah, what about Ewin?”
“Ewin compared to last year… a world of difference. Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to him last year. His shooting was precise but mechanical. Without point guard Connor’s coordination, he was nothing to me. But today against CBU, I saw his ball-handling rival top point guards. His fakes are smooth, and he’s more proactive in off-the-ball movement. He doesn’t just wait for opportunities; he creates them! Plus, his shooting speed is much faster than last year.”
“As a fellow shooting guard, you rate Ewin highly. What about power forward Carlo?”
“Carlo has all the skills a power forward should have, scoring and defending under the basket. His and Heishan’s defense makes it hard for even top players to score in DK’s zone, giving Reese space and time to focus on scoring. Compared to most power forwards, Carlo is agile. Since last year, I’ve noticed, besides Connor and Reese, Carlo is DK’s best ball-handler. So, we need to watch out for him.”
“And Heishan?”
“Heishan, that big guy, honestly scares me. Our center, Boulder, is two centimeters taller, but I don’t think Heishan loses in jumping or explosiveness. His positioning and low-post skills are strong. Though he didn’t score much this game, his presence pressured Owen and Kristen’s layups.”
“Indeed, not to be underestimated. Now, tell me about your favorite, Nie Chuan.”
“I like Nie Chuan, so I know his strengths well. But what about you, Sethston? What’s your take on Nie Chuan?”
“Me? Sometimes, I think he’s scarier than Reese Reddington,” Sethston’s eyes narrowed.
“Huh? Why?”
“His growth is like a rocket. He eagerly absorbs every opponent’s strengths, constantly making mistakes and correcting them. In today’s game, his speed, ball-handling, timing, and pressure handling are completely different from when I first saw him.”
