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Chapter 72: Wildcats vs Tar Heels 3
🕑 Added 2025-04-25 15:26:04 +0000 UTCAs head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Roy Williams wasn’t just some guy coasting on the school’s recruiting advantage. A lot of people thought he was just lucky to have talent fall into his lap—but honestly, that take was way off.
You could see his coaching chops right from the game's first timeout.
After Hansbrough finished a strong layup, North Carolina switched it up on defense. Suddenly, they were running a tricky 1-4 zone with a man-to-man mix.
Danny Green just checked in and immediately got to work on defense.
Now, Danny wasn’t just some random wing. In the NCAA, he already had a solid defensive reputation. Once he hit the NBA, Pop turned him into the prototypical 3&D guy.
Even though Danny wasn’t exactly an offensive threat, his defense held up.
North Carolina’s game plan was pretty straightforward. They didn’t change their defense—they disguised it. Stick a freak athlete on Curry, while the rest of the squad holds the zone.
The truth is, offense always has the upper hand in basketball. You’re never gonna completely shut a team down. So Roy made a call—focus the defense on slowing down the Wildcats’ engine: Stephen Curry.
Let the Baby-Faced Assassin chuck shots. If he gets hot, fine—but don’t give him rhythm.
Then, Roy slowed the game down even more. Told his guys to give up offensive rebounds just to get back on D faster.
He even used a double on Lin Yi to shut down his drives.
Funny thing—Roy felt weird telling his players to stop a seven-foot center from driving to the hoop like a guard. It was like telling someone to watch out for Chris Paul dunking in traffic.
The Wildcats' next play fizzled. Their shooting guard, Rand, bricked a mid-range jumper, and North Carolina came flying down the court. After some slick ball movement, Wayne Ellington splashed a three from deep.
Game tied.
14-14.
The crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium exploded.
Tar Heels gonna win!
Tar Heels gonna win!
Curry looked over at Coach McKillop, thinking maybe they should call a timeout, but Lin Yi tapped him on the head.
“Steph, I got this. Let me run point.”
Curry blinked and then raised a brow.
He looked at Lin Yi, then at Coach McKillop, who gave him a slight nod. Steph grinned. “Alright, I’m running off-ball then.”
On the sidelines, LeBron James—rocking sunglasses big enough to block UV rays from space—tilted them down with a smirk. “Let’s see what this kid does.”
In college hoops, there’s no defensive three seconds. The entire point of defense is about crowding space. UNC had decided: let the role players shoot. Just don’t let Lin Yi or Curry run the show.
At the top of the arc, Lin Yi stood with the ball. Ed Davis stepped up to guard him. Hansbrough was camped in the paint. Ty Lawson was lurking outside, ready to collapse inside if needed, while Danny Green trailed Curry like a shadow.
So what now?
Lin Yi dropped into a stance.
Right joystick ↙ ↓ ↙ ↓ ↙ ↓ — Speed burst — Left joystick → Right joystick ↑
Kobe Bryant stood up from the crowd. That was his signature combo—quick, smooth, deadly. “Oho?” Kobe’s eyes lit up.
Defenders have a trick—they ignore your head and focus on the ball. Keep your weight balanced and stay grounded.
But…
Lin Yi’s handles were on another level. He was breaking ankles in slow motion.
Ed Davis’s eyes started spinning.
Out of nowhere, Lin Yi accelerated. Ed got caught reaching.
Hansbrough was waiting under the basket like a predator. If Lin tried to finish, Hansbrough was gonna body him.
Except... Lin Yi pulled up just before the paint. Right at the free-throw line.
He hung in the air—legs coiled, form flawless, release smooth like butter.
Clang...
The ball hit the rim, circled once...
Swish.
Even the rim looked stunned. Like, “Wait, that should have bricked.”
That’s just how the universe works—no one gets it all.
In the stands, Michael Jordan raised an eyebrow. He stood slowly, impressed.
"The old heads might’ve left the league," MJ muttered, "but the spirit’s still here."
Then the TV camera cut to him, and Barkley couldn’t resist.
“That’s a man wearin’ Kobe’s sneakers!” Barkley cracked. “And pulls a jumper straight outta the man's bag!”
Everyone in Lucas Oil was still dazed by that jumper when the Wildcats got another stop.
Ty Lawson tried to zip through the defense for a crafty layup.
Smack!
Lin Yi was right there, skying high and swatting whilst shaking his index finger towards Lawson, saying, " Not today."
“Let’s go!” Steph yelled, charging at Lin Yi for their signature handshake.
As the game kept rolling, it was clear—the Wildcats had found a rhythm. Lin Yi wasn’t forcing anything. He was picking his spots. Mid-range? Money.
Sitting courtside, Yao Ming was feeling some kinda way. A good kinda way.
At the top of the key, when most bigs would hesitate, Lin Yi just let it fly.
North Carolina’s defense wasn’t bad. Their rotations were sharp. But Lin Yi was just different.
Meanwhile, Roy Williams signaled another timeout.
Back on the floor, Tyler Hansbrough threw a perfect pass. Ed Davis cut strong and got a shot off over Lin Yi.
Nice play.
But Ed still felt something. Like a shadow breathing down his neck.
When the Wildcats came back up, Steph was briefly off-ball. Lin Yi took over again. He faked left, spun right, rose...
Ed tried to block it.
He missed by a mile.
Lin’s form was textbook, but Ed’s pressure finally made an impact—clank!
Hansbrough was already boxing out when—
Woosh!
Steph came flying, snatched the rebound, and zipped a pass back to Lin at the free-throw line.
BOOM!
One-step dunk.
Lin Yi threw it down hard.
“Let’s goooo, Steph!” Lin shouted, flashing a thumbs-up.
Steph gave a smug little smile. Of course.
Kenny Smith whistled. “Man, these Wildcats don’t quit.”
But Barkley was already thinking long-term. “Yeah, but this ain’t sustainable. If Carolina keeps scoring, how long can they hang?”
