Chapter 7: Regional Semifinals (Part I)

As the NCAA tournament reached the regional semifinals, public interest surged to new heights.

In the Midwest region, the University of Kentucky steamrolled their competition, winning their first-round game by 42 points and their second-round game by 24. These massive margins left many media members and analysts stunned. Even more absurdly, Kentucky scored 110 points in the first round and another 84 in the second. Such explosive offense, rivaling NBA scores, led reporters to rave that the Kentucky Wildcats were displaying a brutal, dominant force.

Another team drawing significant attention in the Midwest was Wake Forest. Virtually every NBA team had practically thrown their checkbooks at Tim Duncan, with scouts at every game practically begging him to join their ranks. However, compared to Kentucky, Wake Forest’s path had not been easy; they barely edged out the Texas Longhorns 65-62 in the second round. Fans of individual heroics were eagerly anticipating a Midwest regional final featuring Kentucky’s Antoine Walker against Wake Forest’s Tim Duncan. Though one was a small forward and the other a power forward, nobody cared about the positional details—they were stars, and fans just wanted to see them clash.

In the Southeast regional semifinal, the top-seeded University of Connecticut faced off against the fifth-seeded University of Mississippi. The Mississippi State Bulldogs were this year’s dark horse; their regular-season record was unremarkable, but they had turned heads since entering the tournament. Their center, Erick Dampier, was seeing his draft stock soar. Standing 6'11" and weighing 265 pounds, he had displayed exceptional rebounding and shot-blocking skills throughout the tournament. It was an era for big men, and despite Li You’s internal jokes about this future "best center in the West," his prowess in the NCAA was certainly not to be underestimated.

Head coach Jim Calhoun claimed there was no pressure, but since the team arrived in Lexington, Kentucky, he had been obsessively reviewing game tapes daily. Ray Allen, usually a man of few words, had also begun putting in extra work. As a talented prospect, he had spent his high school years hoping for an invitation from Kentucky, only to be ignored. He was eventually recruited to Connecticut by Calhoun. The perfect script for him would be to exact revenge on Kentucky in the championship game, dominate them, and take home the title. Driven by this motivation, Ray Allen didn't need any prodding from the coaching staff; he was self-motivating to adjust his form.

Without the internet or instant news, it was only after arriving in Lexington that Li You learned the New Mexico Lobos had been eliminated by Georgetown. He had nearly accepted their invitation to attend the college closest to his home, and he felt a sense of relief; there was no shame in "riding the coattails" of great players—no wonder "brotherhood basketball" would become so popular in the future.

After the tactical practice session on the afternoon of the 21st, the players were free to roam until their 10:00 PM curfew. Li You, however, didn't have the funds to go out and paint the town, so he chose to stay in the gym for extra training. He was currently adapting to "Allen Iverson’s Superior Ball Handling," his first time experiencing elite-level talent. Moves that were previously impossible for him now felt effortless.

Ray Allen watched as Li You dribbled with both hands while wearing gloves, completely unaffected, and for a moment, he looked on with envy. Sometimes, raw talent allowed one to do whatever they pleased. Allen had been working on his own handles, but the results were not ideal. "With your physical gifts, you don't need fancy dribbling, or even too many crossovers. Just don't lose the ball on your drives, and that’s enough!" Li You advised as he gathered the ball. Allen shook his head, repeating the mantra of Coach Calhoun: "It’s not just about scoring; I need to do more, just like Michael Jordan!" Li You helplessly tossed the ball back; in this day and age, everyone wanted to emulate Jordan.

By the regional semifinals, television networks began broadcasting the games. On the night of the 22nd at 9:40 PM, the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Connecticut Huskies officially tipped off. It was the third game of the day, and CBS commentator Jim Nantz spent the opening minutes "jinxing" the top-seeded UConn. The veteran sportscaster would praise even a missed shot from Ray Allen, exclaiming, "What a beautiful shooting form!"

Eight minutes and one second into the game, Coach Calhoun furrowed his brow; his inside game was stagnant, and his perimeter shooting had gone cold. On this possession, Mississippi State fed Erick Dampier in the low post on the left. Dampier caught the ball, put it on the floor with his right hand, and powered his way toward the basket. He bulldozed through Travis Knight’s defense for a strong layup. The ball rattled out, but Dampier grabbed his own rebound and muscled it back in. The Rupp Arena erupted in cheers. Since this was Kentucky’s home court, Ray Allen looked frustrated; perhaps too eager to perform, he had only managed 4 points so far. With the score at 18-9 and the lead threatening to reach double digits, Coach Calhoun was forced to call a timeout.

Erick Dampier was ecstatic, head held high, pumping his fist toward the Mississippi State fans as the arena roared once more. Commentator Billy Packer was disappointed, noting that Ray Allen’s performance was currently inferior to that of his counterpart, Darryl Wilson. The small, black guard from Mississippi State had hit four three-pointers early on, perfectly showcasing his game: "Perhaps Mississippi State will continue to play the role of the dark horse tonight; right now, they are clearly the better team."

With his star player struggling, Calhoun made the tough call to pull the steady but unspectacular Doron Sheffer. He couldn't change the interior, as both big men were needed, and Kirk King had to stay on the wing to maintain size. The only adjustment was at the point. As Li You stepped onto the court in his white jersey after the timeout, the UConn fans cheered loudly.

Mississippi State head coach Richard Williams frowned. Through extensive film study, they had noted Li You’s unique style. On his first possession, Darryl Wilson didn't pressure him like other small guards, instead keeping a step of space. This allowed Li You to dribble comfortably. He brought the ball across half-court with his left hand, approaching the left wing, and suddenly executed a rapid behind-the-back dribble. After switching to his right hand, he dropped his center of gravity to feint an acceleration. Seeing his defender slide, Li You immediately crossed over and accelerated into a drive with his left.

Darryl Wilson was only 6'1", relatively short but quick on his feet. He adjusted his stance and stayed glued to Li You’s hip. Upon reaching the three-point line, Li You suddenly pulled up from his drive, pounded the ball hard into the floor, and initiated contact. After the collision, he executed a step-back, returned to the perimeter, created a sliver of space, and rose up. Ignoring the lunging contest from Wilson, he released a jumper from the left wing.

Swish! A net-ripping three.

"My goodness! The release is so quick! That’s UConn sophomore Clay Lee!"

"Since the start of the tournament, Lee has become the primary scoring threat off the UConn bench!"

Jim Nantz exclaimed, followed by a quick introduction of Li You. The roar of the UConn fans made Coach Richard Williams look grim. As he watched Li You jogging back with a smile, he cursed under his breath: "What a hellish way to play!"