Green seemed to realize he'd done something stupid.
Though he and Yuuto were the same height, their mobility wasn't even in the same league.
He could handle physical bruisers like Thomas Robinson from Kansas, but he couldn't guard someone with Yuuto's combination of speed and skill.
After scoring, Yuuto glanced at him without saying a word—but his expression conveyed ample mockery and sarcasm.
It was almost magical.
On Green's dark face, you could actually see a hint of red?
But players who'd clawed their way up from the depths all had one thing in common: they didn't break easily.
Back on offense, Green used screens to clear paths for teammates.
Yuuto naturally wasn't going to get hung up on screens easily, but Green's moving screens were absolutely maddening.
Freshman Gary Harris accelerated into the lane for a layup.
No good—the ref had already blown his whistle.
From the moment Green's moving screen started, Yuuto had smartly exaggerated the contact, flopping dramatically to draw the official's attention.
Green protested loudly, acting as if he were completely innocent.
But under slow-motion replay, his illegal screen was crystal clear.
"This is a battle between a villain and an actor," Jerry West mused, finding the matchup entertaining.
Both college players were smart basketball minds.
And he appreciated players who used their heads.
As a white player in the pre-Jordan era, Jerry West had been regarded as the greatest shooting guard in NBA history.
And he'd succeeded by playing with his brain.
Intelligence helped him find paths to victory.
The lead official's call was emphatic, though he suspected Yuuto had embellished the contact.
Nobody gets knocked flying like that from a simple screen—it was definitely exaggerated.
But he had to admit, Yuuto's theatrical performance had made him notice Green's dirty play.
Bruins ball.
Yuuto brought it up. This time Green didn't aggressively shout "I got him!"—instead, he lurked in the weak side, ready to help at any moment.
The result?
Yuuto used his elite burst to blow past Appling with a single step, then immediately stepped back beyond the arc and drained a pull-up three.
That attack-and-retreat sequence created over three feet of space. The limited Appling could only offer a token close-out as the ball swished through.
"Yu is still Yu. He couldn't possibly have poor shooting in consecutive games."
Yuuto's adjustment ability had always been a focal point of scout discussions.
He'd struggled shooting in the previous game, but it had only taken him about ten minutes to find his rhythm.
And tonight, his shot had been on from the start.
"His three-point range is deep—NBA distance."
Magic Johnson, Michigan State's legendary alumnus, was in attendance to support his alma mater.
He noticed that while Yuuto's shot selection might look unreasonable to Steve and others, it was actually understandable. A careful observer would notice Yuuto was shooting from NBA three-point range.
He was probably training with the NBA line during practice.
"He already looks ready to be an NBA player—even an NBA star."
Magic could see it. So could the other NBA executives.
After all, you couldn't expect every team's GM to be as foolish as the Smiling Assassin.
"You were absolutely right about exposing me. The number one pick is my destiny. As for you, you'd better not stray too far from the G League."
Green couldn't help but be enraged. While trying to figure out how to deal with Yuuto, those words floated into his ears, making him even more furious—yet completely helpless.
At the end of the day, the ball did the talking.
This scene essentially defined the first half.
Green's pre-game trash talk had won him nothing but embarrassment—a slap in the face.
Gary Harris bricked a three-pointer.
He was indeed the most talented player on the Spartans, but averaging fewer than 13 points proved he couldn't carry a team's offensive load.
On the other end, the Bruins pushed in transition.
Yuuto uncorked a Magic Johnson-caliber pass from midcourt that carved through the Spartans' defense.
He'd been dribbling up court when suddenly he slammed the ball hard into the floor. The basketball bounced with incredible speed and precision, finding Norman Powell in full stride for an easy finish.
The Bruins went on a 16-8 run.
That's when Green stepped up.
Though he'd been humiliated in his one-on-one matchups with Yuuto, when his team needed him, he took the ball and drew multiple defenders before kicking it out to Appling.
Appling buried a mid-range pull-up jumper.
They truly had no elite talent, but every one of them was willing to compete, unafraid of facing superior opponents.
They hadn't made it this far on luck alone.
Back on defense.
Green had already pushed aside any unnecessary thoughts. He desperately wanted to shut down Yuuto.
But after several encounters, he'd realized he simply wasn't on the same level.
The Spartans started playing more pragmatic basketball, sticking to their pre-game game plan.
Yuuto ran off the ball, using a backdoor cut to get open on the perimeter.
Appling immediately closed out, clinging to him like a human spider, doing everything possible to stay attached.
These guys knew their place perfectly. The spotlight didn't belong to them, but they still dreamed of making the league and getting paid.
If they could just get one guaranteed contract, all their hard work would be worth it.
For a moment, it looked like Appling had succeeded—a solid defensive possession.
But when Yuuto exploded into his shot, Appling could only watch helplessly, his feet seemingly nailed to the floor.
His mind had caught up, but his body couldn't react in time—that was the raw talent gap.
Yuuto buried a long two-pointer from just inside the arc.
The Spartans had no choice but to call timeout.
Yuuto's consecutive makes had rendered many of their adjustments useless.
Given that the Bruins had four players in double figures last game, Michigan State hadn't prioritized double-teaming Yuuto tonight.
But the evidence was clear: against a superstar freshman like Yuuto, you had to throw aggressive help defense at him.
If the others beat you, so be it!
...
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