The play resumes with North Carolina's offensive turn.
As the chains that once restrained him gradually loosened, Qin Yue further showcased another advantage on the defensive end:
Defensive range.
On the court, Felton, who also used a teammate's screen to try and win back a point for his team, immediately stopped dead after being disrupted by Qin Yue, just after passing Chris Paul.
Such a terrifying defensive range!
Obviously, there's still some distance between him and me, but I have no choice but to pick up the ball to maintain possession.
Damn it, Rashad, get over here to receive the ball! If you don't come soon, I'll be out of passing options!
On the court, Felton, forced to stop his dribble under Qin Yue's pressure, felt an unprecedented amount of stress.
Actually, in that last disruption, there were still some shortcomings for Qin Yue.
Because he hasn't completely broken free from his chains yet, it's impossible for him to rush right in front of Felton at the first moment like the Garnett, Duncan, and Davis in his memory.
But this could still be considered a successful defense.
Additionally, in this defensive possession, after Qin Yue helped relieve some defensive pressure, Ellis, nicknamed "The Beast," also demonstrated his value by successfully defending May in the paint.
In fact, in the earlier River Valley Cup, if it weren't for Ellis stubbornly trying to break through Qin Yue's guarded paint with his not-so-excellent offense, he wouldn't have been so unfortunate.
This guy, with his 115-kilogram weight and 215-centimeter wingspan, is able to secure a starting center position for the Devil's Deacon Team in his freshman year primarily because of his defense.
Successfully defended that possession, ball possession now with Devil's Deacon Team.
As Chris Paul gradually regained his focus, he orchestrated a perfect offensive play with Qin Yue's cooperation.
After a screen and roll, Qin Yue, left open, got a chance for an uncontested shot at a 45-degree angle on the right side.
But at the moment he was about to shoot, noticing Evans, who looked strikingly like Terrence Gibson, running towards him, Qin Yue wisely held back and, after a handoff with Evans, set an absolute open shot for Wake Forest's best three-point shooter.
This possession fully demonstrated Qin Yue's ability to read the game.
Evans, in an open spot, did not waste this excellent opportunity.
Swish—!
On the court, after the three-pointer swished through the net, Evans looked up at Qin Yue and said, "Buddy, your screen is as solid as the Great Wall!"
Hearing this, Qin Yue smiled, "Have you been to the Great Wall?"
Evans shook his head, "I haven't, but right now, you're our Great Wall!"
From the stands, tonight's performance by Qin Yue appeared to the Devil's Deacon Team fans as a gift from God.
Although in the end, after 40 minutes of intense battle in both halves, the Tar Heels took the victory with a score of 90 to 81.
For playing 19 minutes, hitting 4 of 7 shots, including 1 of 1 on three-pointers, and making 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal, Qin Yue's impressive debut left the Devil's Deacon Team fans feeling:
So what if we lost the game?
You know what, besides Paul, we now have another potential star to look forward to!
In this game, after Qin Yue stabilized the situation when he came off the bench, Coach Prose still strictly controlled his playing time in the second half.
After all, things must be taken one step at a time.
Additionally, after the game, the local media in Winston-Salem also interviewed Qin Yue.
"Qin, first of all, congratulations on finally making your college debut.
We all know that during your freshman year, due to giving up on yourself, your weight once reached an astonishing 400 pounds.
At that time, many people thought you had already given up basketball and were preparing to switch to sumo wrestling.
But tonight, you've proven us all wrong. Can you tell us why this is, and what have you done to achieve all this?"
"You know, I was inexperienced back then and liked to avoid problems by running away.
This led to me feeling very depressed and disheartened, even to the point of giving up on myself and questioning my life. But after some time, I figured it out.
Basketball is my life's passion; I can't live without it, and I couldn't accept never being able to play it again. Once I understood that, I was determined to regain my former self.
Honestly, achieving all this was incredibly challenging, but fortunately, my teammates and coaches gave me tremendous help during this period.
Moving forward, I will not forget my original intent and will continue to forge ahead to live up to their expectations."
"What short-term and long-term goals have you set for yourself looking ahead?"
"I wasted too much time in the past, so now I just want to cherish the present. I hope that in the upcoming season, my teammates and I can work hard to make it to March Madness and strive to go further.
Of course, I also hope I can make it to the NBA one day and continue pursuing my basketball dreams."
"What are your thoughts on Chris Paul, who just joined the team this year?"
"You know, Chris and I were teammates in high school, so I understand what kind of person he is. This guy is incredibly strong, and I believe I can develop great chemistry with him in future games."
Having answered all of the local media's questions in one breath, Qin Yue, who chose to take all the blame for "someone," hadn't yet come down from the nervous but slightly excited state he was in during the game.
At this moment, Qin Yue couldn't wait to participate in the next match.
"Indeed, I was born to play basketball."
Silently clenching his fist, Qin Yue thought to himself.
...
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