In the arena of sports competition, victory and defeat are often the most direct outcomes. However, in the Christmas night showdown between Guangdong and Zhejiang men's basketball teams, despite Guangdong's loss, they still reaped a wealth of hope and pleasant surprises. This match was like a journey filled with challenges and opportunities, where Guangdong found a glimmer of hope for the future amidst their defeat.
The Emergence of a New Foreign Talent: Les' Impressive Debut
In the world of CBA foreign players, Guangdong's newly signed small forward, Les, can be considered a "dark horse." It is reported that Les' value is less than $50,000, placing him at the bottom salary level in the entire CBA league. Prior to this, he had been playing in the Taiwan league without any CBA regular season experience. This led to Guangdong announcing his signing with a tone suggesting he was just a "temporary worker," seemingly always on the verge of being cut.
However, it was such an underappreciated foreign player who brought unexpected joy during the Christmas night game. When the outcome of the match was no longer in doubt, Coach Du Feng waved Les onto the court. In just four minutes of playing time, Les only took one shot and missed, but his defensive performance was eye-catching. He was like an tireless guardian, actively fighting for rebounds and successfully grabbing 1 rebound, as well as quickly completing 1 steal like lightning. Although the statistics may seem ordinary, considering he sat on the bench for a full 44 minutes before entering the game and could still quickly get into the game, showing excellent defensive awareness and ability, this was particularly remarkable.
What's more noteworthy is that Les' performance in dribbling and organizing was significantly better than that of Arms. On the court, when dribbling, it was as if the ball merged with his hands, with skilled and smooth movements, able to cleverly break through the opponent's defense and create excellent offensive opportunities for his teammates. His passing vision was very broad, like a general in command, accurately delivering the ball to his teammates, making the team's offense smoother and more orderly. For a foreign player earning less than $50,000 a month, such a performance was undoubtedly a successful "trial." Les' outstanding play added a new bright color to Guangdong's perimeter, and also made fans look forward to his future.
Huang Rongqi's Battle with Injury: The Indomitable "Desperate Warrior"
Since joining Guangdong, Huang Rongqi has won the affection of fans with his tenacious fighting spirit. Every run and every fight on the court seemed to ignite his own little universe.
In this fierce battle against Zhejiang, Huang Rongqi even more fully demonstrated his "desperate warrior" character. He ran tirelessly on the court, giving his all in every round, as if basketball was his life and he would use all his strength to defend it. However, an accident quietly arrived during the intense confrontation. In a scramble, Huang Rongqi's knee collided with the same spot twice, and in that instant, pain appeared on his face, but his eyes were still filled with determination.
He tried to relieve the pain by moving his knee and return to the court, and that determined look seemed to tell everyone, "I can still fight!" But unfortunately, the pain was unbearable, and he could only limp back to the bench. At that moment, the hearts of the fans were raised to their throats, and everyone worried about his injury.
However, after just a few minutes of rest, Huang Rongqi returned to the court like a fearless warrior. As soon as he stepped on the court, he immediately threw himself into the game, as if the pain had never happened. He actively participated in defense, each move carrying a firm belief, successfully disrupting the opponent's offense; on the offensive end, he was also unafraid, bravely breaking through the defense and contributing his power to the team. His indomitable spirit not only inspired his teammates but also moved the audience at the scene. Huang Rongqi proved with his actions that he is an indispensable member of Guangdong's guard line, and his health is crucial to the team, while his fighting spirit has become a valuable asset to the team.
Du Feng's Attitude Shift: From Criticism to Reflection
In previous games, Coach Du Feng's practice of criticizing young players after a loss often sparked controversy among fans. However, after the loss on Christmas night, Coach Du Feng showed a completely different attitude.
At the post-game press conference, Du Feng did not point the finger at the young players as usual, but calmly analyzed the reasons for the team's loss from a tactical perspective. He looked serious, with a hint of regret in his eyes, and said in a calm and forceful voice, "In this game, we did not perform well on both ends of the attack and defense at critical moments, which is something we need to deeply reflect upon." There was no trace of evasion in his words, but rather a willingness to take responsibility, demonstrating the demeanor of a mature coach.
In the past, Coach Du Feng always harbored resentment over the mistakes of young players and expected them to grow rapidly through harsh criticism. However, this approach sometimes had the opposite effect, not only putting immense pressure on the young players but also causing fans to question his coaching methods. But this time, it seems that Coach Du Feng finally realized that the growth of young players requires more encouragement and guidance, rather than constant criticism and blame.
He began to seriously reflect on his coaching methods and consider how to better stimulate the potential of young players. He understood that as the head coach of the team, he should not only focus on the outcome of the game but also pay attention to the growth and mentality of the players. This change in attitude, like a ray of light, illuminated the path forward for Guangdong. It is believed that under the leadership of Coach Du Feng, Guangdong will be more united and forge ahead in future games.
Guangdong's Future: Full of Hope and Challenges
Despite losing this game, Guangdong found a new direction and motivation in defeat. The outstanding performance of the new foreign player Les provided more possibilities for the team in choosing foreign players; Huang Rongqi's tenacious spirit will inspire the whole team to fight more tenaciously in future games; and the change in attitude of Coach Du Feng created a more positive and healthy atmosphere for the team.
For Guangdong, the road ahead is still full of challenges. They need to constantly adjust tactics, blend the lineup, and give full play to the advantages of each player in the upcoming games. Young players must grow rapidly under the new coaching philosophy of Coach Du Feng and take on the responsibility of leading the team; veterans must leverage their experience to lead young players forward.
But no matter how rugged the road ahead may be, Guangdong has a firm belief and an indomitable spirit. They are like a group of warriors chasing dreams, never stopping on the road of basketball. It is believed that in the near future, Guangdong will surely rise again, once again showing the style of a king's teacher, bringing more surprises and glory to the fans. Let us all look forward to Guangdong's wonderful performance in the future!