"Right now, what lies before you… is the beginning of a legendary story."
Snoopy's voice grew steadier and calmer. Every pair of eyes on the bench was already locked onto him—he no longer needed fiery volume to command attention. "Everyone deserves a youth worth being remembered by time. I hope that fifty years from today, when you speak about this night, your blood will still boil with excitement!"
"Follow me, let's go win this."
Tweet! The whistle blew.
Snoopy stepped onto the court, followed by Russell Westbrook, Luc Mbah a Moute, George Brunner, and Brian Wright.
Their expressions were completely different now. Determination burned in their eyes. They were eager to ignite their fiery youth.
Snoopy didn't roar, didn't scream, didn't pound on anyone's chest or deliver a death-before-defeat speech.
With calm words alone, he lit a flame inside every heart.
"Snoopy is incredible!" Earl Johnson exclaimed with genuine admiration on the broadcast. "That's the best speech I've ever heard. When Kevin Love left for the sake of business interests and the team was plunged into a winter of despair, Snoopy personally reignited the fire of youth. Win or lose, I will tip my hat to him, he is the true leader of the Bruins."
Kenny Smith quietly wiped away tears. "Snoopy's words made me regret that I never truly enjoyed my college years. To this day, I can't even recall any glorious stories from that time. Back then, I was only eager to prove myself and rush into the NBA to earn a big contract."
Charles Barkley said calmly, "After tonight, Snoopy will become a new basketball icon. If they win, his story will become the greatest promotional material the NCAA has ever had."
Everyone watching on TNT knew what had just happened on UCLA's bench.
But the fans in the arena didn't, nor did other networks.
So some Los Angeles fans, unable to watch their team get slaughtered any longer, began leaving early.
An NBC commentator even said, "UCLA now has only a 1% chance of winning. Kevin Love's injury devastates them. They no longer have a big who can score in the paint."
A sadness hung over the Memorial Coliseum.
"You're finally on the court."
Darrell Arthur saw Snoopy approaching and actually smiled. "Honestly, I admire your defensive work against Joey Dorsey and Derrick Rose. But you should know, your tricks don't work on me."
"Three minutes left in the half, you're down by 13. We plan to extend our lead to 20 before halftime and turn the second half into garbage time. Then we'll be on the bench early, enjoying victory champagne."
Arthur spoke openly. "Next time we meet, I hope you enter the game earlier. A star like me doesn't play during garbage time, you know."
He wasn't arrogant or overbearing, not like he'd seemed in his interview footage.
His tone carried pity. In his eyes, Snoopy was nothing more than a catfish thrown onto a chopping block.
Westbrook brought the ball across halfcourt. Snoopy, who hadn't replied, didn't cut deep into the paint. Instead, he turned toward the free-throw line and set a screen for Westbrook. Using it, Westbrook slashed to the rim, Arthur and Jackson collapsed to defend.
Westbrook kicked the ball out.
Snoopy caught it. Mario Chalmers moved in to pressure but with a flick of Snoopy's wrist, the ball zipped into the paint like a bullet.
Chalmers hadn't even figured out if Snoopy had shot it or passed it.
BOOM!
Brian Wright hung on the rim with authority.
A baseline alley-oop slam.
As he hammered it down, Arthur and Jackson had both been pulled to the right by Westbrook's drive.
Snoopy seized the fleeting moment and delivered the perfect pass to launch Wright into the air.
The long-suppressed arena erupted with explosive volume.
Brian Wright raised his right fist: "This is only the beginning!"
He roared.
UCLA's morale skyrocketed.
For the Bruins, that dunk signified the start of the legendary story Snoopy promised. Everyone wanted a glorious chapter of their own.
When play resumed, UCLA's defensive intensity spiked.
Kansas's Brandon Rush could only take a three from outside… Clank!
Arthur and Jackson crashed for the rebound, but Snoopy stood between them, arms out, holding them off. His powerful box-out denied the two stretch forwards any ground, they could only watch Westbrook grab the rebound with ease.
With the ball, Westbrook didn't speed up into a reckless fast break.
When Snoopy was on the floor, he got used to following Snoopy's lead, responding, adapting.
He knew Snoopy was selfless and he had unconditional faith in Snoopy's IQ.
Across halfcourt, Mbah a Moute set a screen at the left elbow for Westbrook. As Westbrook drove into the lane, Snoopy bulldozed a path for him.
BOOM!
A tomahawk slam ripped through the rim!
The arena thundered again.
Two straight dunks, Kansas's lead was back to single digits.
Kansas head coach Bill Self immediately became alert.
Snoopy's rebounding and box-out dominance made him realize that fielding two stretch forwards was now a liability in the paint. His eyes drifted toward the bench toward his two seven-foot white big men: Cole Aldrich and Sasha Kaun.
"If UCLA cuts the lead further, we sub."
Bill Self muttered, then shouted onto the court, "Pick and roll! Pick and roll!"
As soon as he said it, Arthur moved to the high post.
In the VIP section, NBA scouts and GMs straightened up, some even stood.
This possession was huge.
If Snoopy could defend Arthur's high-post jumper, his NBA draft rating would rise again.
But if he sagged back into the paint, expectations for him would have to be lowered.
What Snoopy did next shocked everyone.
He didn't retreat into the paint.
He didn't chase Arthur to the top of the arc.
He stood at the left elbow, two steps away from Arthur.
"What is he doing? From that spot, he can't stop a guard's drive or contest a big's jumper."
Bill Walton voiced what everyone was thinking.
On the court, Robinson noticed it too. He abandoned the pick, walked away to drag Brunner with him, then passed back to Arthur.
Arthur caught it, Snoopy still two steps away.
Without hesitation, Arthur rose for the jumper, but just as he left the ground, Snoopy sprang forward like a lynx that had been coiled and waiting.
One step and he was already beside Arthur. Arthur reached his release point.
Whoosh!
A shadow flashed across his vision.
A large hand descended from above.
Smack!
The ball soared away with a sharp hiss of wind, Arthur's bald head felt a sudden chill.
Skrrt!
As Arthur came down, the shadow landed too.
Arthur lowered his head. Snoopy lifted his.
Their eyes met.
"I'm sorry to inform you, Kansas no longer has garbage time."
Snoopy's tone was calm.
BOOM!
Westbrook finished a lethal fast break dunk at the other end!
The lead was cut to 7.
1 minute and 25 seconds remained in the half.