Chapter 10: Making Money While Standing!

Southeast Regional Final—Contrary to many expectations, the University of Connecticut displayed the prowess befitting a number one seed, utterly dominating their opponents in the first half.

At 29:43, by halftime, the lead had already ballooned to fourteen points.

In the slow-paced NCAA games, clawing back such a deficit is no simple feat.

Most crucially, Connecticut excelled both inside and out, with every player on the court contributing to the scoreboard, while Cincinnati collectively faltered, rendering the contest nearly decided.

Li You played 8 minutes and 42 seconds in the first half, shooting a perfect 4-for-4, tallying 8 points, 1 rebound, and 4 assists.

With an advantage in the paint, the team pushed more aggressively toward the basket. Coach Calhoun was extremely pleased; throughout the half, the opponent failed to execute a single effective fast break.

During halftime, Cincinnati fans who had flown into Lexington appeared crestfallen. Witnessing the game live only magnified the opposing team’s talent—they were utterly overwhelmed.

“It looks like this year’s Final Four will have new faces. The University of Connecticut really lives up to their top seed status. They might just have a shot at the championship!”

Jim Nantz began predicting doom for Cincinnati once again—the seasoned sports journalist always favored teams brimming with talent. In his eyes, Cincinnati was already out...

Billy Parker merely smiled. He had long placed his faith in the University of Kentucky, a team that had been steamrolling opponents throughout the tournament.

“Winning the championship is no easy task, but in a single-elimination game, anything can happen. That’s the charm of the NCAA.”

...

As the second half commenced, Cincinnati refused to surrender. They pushed to narrow the gap and tried to accelerate their offensive tempo.

However, consecutive misses from beyond the arc allowed the methodical Connecticut squad to easily score in return.

Big man Knight completely dominated the paint this game. With steady two-point plays, less than five minutes into the half, the lead stretched to twenty points.

In Rupp Arena, Connecticut fans jumped and cheered loudly, already celebrating their team’s historic breakthrough into the Final Four.

Coach Calhoun remained cautious, opting not to expand his rotation despite the large lead.

Li You’s playing time increased as well, but upon entering the game, he focused more on orchestrating the offense, slowing down the pace and feeding the ball inside.

One side grew anxious and sped up, while the other slowed further. Time flew by, and many Cincinnati fans in attendance covered their faces in tears.

As the final buzzer buzzed, everyone from Connecticut rushed to center court, embracing one another and joining the fans in joyous celebration.

Sixty to seventy-seven—the Southeast Regional Final ended with Connecticut’s decisive victory over Cincinnati, securing a place among the final four!

Danny Fortson wept in sorrow. As Cincinnati’s core player, he shot 5-for-17, scoring only twelve points.

---

Most of his points came in the second half; the early deficit was largely due to his struggles in the first half.

The arena echoed with the exuberant cheers of Connecticut supporters.

Li You smiled and embraced Coach Calhoun, who had been at the helm of Connecticut’s program for ten years and was now moved to tears.

“We’re going to win the championship! The Final Four is just the beginning!”

Patting the kind-hearted coach’s shoulder, Li You understood his emotions.

Connecticut had long struggled to recruit prodigious talent, with their best past performance being a quarterfinal appearance. Coach Calhoun, who had tirelessly toiled for years, finally tasted the fruits of his labor.

“Thanks to your performance, Li, you’re destined to become a star!”

Composing himself, Calhoun firmly patted Li You’s shoulder. This group of players was personally recruited and nurtured by him; he sincerely hoped everyone would succeed.

...

On March 24th, all Final Four teams for the NCAA tournament were set:

In the East Region, Massachusetts crushed Georgetown 86 to 62, advancing as the top seed.

Marcus Camby of Massachusetts played 28 minutes, shooting 9-for-19, scoring 22 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, with 1 assist, 1 steal, and 3 blocks.

The highly anticipated Allen Iverson played 36 minutes but struggled, shooting 6-for-21 for 23 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 5 turnovers, with a field goal percentage under 30%.

Despite the underwhelming stats, most media praised Iverson’s relentless effort on the court.

In the Midwest Regional Final, Kentucky routed Wake Forest 83 to 63—a 20-point victory.

Tim Duncan, heavily expected to shine, played 39 minutes, shooting 2-for-7 for 14 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 4 blocks, but with 5 turnovers.

Another star, Antoine Walker, faltered, shooting 3-for-11 and finishing with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.

The anticipated star showdown never materialized. Instead, Kentucky’s guard Tony Delk stole the spotlight:

He shot 9-for-13 overall, hitting 5 of 7 from three-point range, efficiently scoring 25 points and upstaging the other two stars.

In the West Regional Final, Syracuse pulled off an upset, edging their opponent 60 to 57, marking the third time in school history they reached the Final Four.

Combined with Connecticut’s dominant win in the Southeast, the Final Four featured two fresh faces this year!

Massachusetts and Connecticut both achieved their best-ever results. The Final Four would convene in Rutherford, New Jersey.

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The national semifinals and finals would be held at Continental Airlines Arena.

Connecticut’s semifinal opponent would be Syracuse. With the 30th still days away, Coach Calhoun granted the team a day off.

Due to NCAA regulations, players could not accept gifts in any form. Thus, even Ray Allen, poised to become a millionaire, carried only modest cash.

Agent Mark Bartelstein accompanied Allen throughout, staying in Lexington for these days.

Seeing Connecticut reach the Final Four brought him great joy.

In the Regional Final, Li You was 6-for-7, 1-for-2 from three, and 2-for-2 at the line, scoring 15 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and committing only 1 turnover.

This performance surpassed many of the draft’s marquee prospects, much to Bartelstein’s satisfaction.

Even against weaker competition, such a showing attested to Li You’s true ability.

However, recent military drills across the ocean left the agent with an uneasy premonition.

At lunchtime on the 24th, Bartelstein specially met with Li You. Watching the young man voraciously eating meat, he pointedly said:

“Li, have you been following the news these past couple of days? You know, now that you’ve reached the Final Four, it’s not just sports media you’ll face—you might encounter some societal issues as well...”

Before he could finish, Li You raised an eyebrow and immediately responded:

“The Taiwan issue? Nobody’s going to ask me for my opinion on that. I’m just a college basketball player—why would anyone expect me to comment on such matters?”

Surprised that Li You was aware of the situation, Bartelstein smiled and reminded him:

“Better to be prepared, Li. You should understand your position!”

Li You resumed eating, head down, replying without looking up:

“Taiwan belongs to China. There is only one China in the world. That’s a matter of principle!”

Noticing Bartelstein’s resigned expression, Li You silently thought:

“Even ABCs who’ve returned to China don’t count as real people. I’m going to stand my ground and make my money!”