The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!
The high school competition can no longer accommodate this duo!
After Jack, DeRozan, and Harden finished dinner, they took a stroll by the river to help digest.
Although Da Luo and Zhang San had invited him for dinner, Er Ha swore to himself after paying for his share that he would definitely settle the score in this game!
(A handsome picture of Harden with a middle part hairstyle)
Looking at Harden’s fierce demeanor, DeRozan said he got it, he got it.
DeRozan really envied Harden’s optimistic and cheerful personality.
This little buddy either lived worry-free or dashed forward with all his might once he had a goal, fearing nothing.
*Zhang Yang wasn’t worried about Harden being mad either; a meal was enough to placate him, and it was even a shared-cost scenario.*
He reviewed today’s game.
For the previous six games, he hadn’t helped adjust the strategy in this way; he only directed teammates’ positioning based on his or DeRozan’s scoring needs within the tactics.
Those games, while some were quite tough, hadn’t reached the point where tactical targeting was needed.
He and DeRozan could solve problems with their personal abilities and still improve their skills.
Today, facing Lynwood High School, a team described as ‘talent as abundant as Tatum and Miller,’ he realized without strategic planning, they really couldn’t win.
After making on-the-spot tactical adjustments, he found the opposing coach was nearly incapable of making effective counter adjustments.
From the fact that the opponent could integrate Harden Jefferson, alongside other super-talented role players, into such a beautiful team play, it suggested that the coach’s ability to develop tactics was competent, at least in using Harden’s talent.
This meant the other side lacked the ability to adjust on the spot…
It seemed Thomas also didn’t make on-the-spot strategic adjustments much, mostly adjusting after a quarter or half-game, and those weren’t micro-adjustments either.
*Previously, he hadn’t noticed this.
Thinking back, maybe high school coaches generally lacked the ability to micro-adjust tactics and command on the spot.*
*However, the coach’s on-the-spot command ability also indeed didn’t play a major role on the high school court.*
*Suddenly calling a timeout to arrange a new play, players were unlikely to execute it well unless they had someone like Jack Zhang who could direct teammates’ positioning correctly on the court.*
*Player development ability > crafting suitable tactics ability > …
> on-the-spot command ability, if high school coaches were …*
*No wonder Farmar and James could lead a group of mediocre teammates to frequently achieve winning streaks of over ten games after adapting to high school competitions in their sophomore years.*
Farmar led his team to a 15-game winning streak in the second half of his sophomore year, seizing a spot in the District 3 Championship.
James’s side was even more dramatic; in his sophomore year, the 2000-2001 season, he led his team to a 26-1 record and won the championship as the sole core.
*When star players had sufficient personal ability and could make tactical adjustments, they generally dominated the high school top leagues.*
*Forget players who had both; even players with just the skill level of Farmar and James were rare, and those with such exceptional tactical minds were even scarcer.*
Farmar was shockingly strong in high school, known as the best point guard in the United States.
James was more exaggerated; judging by his tank style of play averaging 20+ points per game in the NBA since 18, he might have had NBA-level physical fitness at fifteen or sixteen.
*Zhang Yang felt that he and DeRozan, compared to the two at the same age, still had a gap.*
*Having a group of ‘mediocre’ teammates was not that easy.*
Take their Compton High School, for example; the three seniors, Monroe, and Kanter, were considered quite burdensome, but they were already the best players in the 11th and 12th grades aside from the five starters.
If these five could be swapped with CIF top-level average players, their team’s strength would immediately rise by half a level.
But he was in the same team as DeRozan!
Zhang Yang stopped walking and said, “DeMar.”
DeRozan also stopped, asking, “What’s up?”
Zhang Yang said, “This season, let’s take the championship and dominate high school!”
DeRozan was taken aback for a moment but soon regained a calm expression, responding, “Okay.”
Harden said, “Hey hey hey!
Even if we lost today, we’re still second in District Three.
Wanting to grab the championship, you have to ask us first if we agree!”
DeRozan said, “You can’t beat the two of us.”
Harden clutched his chest and stepped back: “You’re bullies, Jack, I was obviously first here!”
Zhang Yang was speechless, thinking this drama queen.
DeRozan said, “How about transferring back?
We can dominate high school together?”
Harden said, “No way!
I want to defeat you guys!
From today on, we are enemies…”
Zhang Yang said, “James, want some dessert after dinner?”
“Come with me, the strawberry cake at that place over there is really delicious!”
As Thomas expected, the battle for the top spot of District Three attracted quite a bit of media coverage, and with information spreading online, teams in the division closely watching Lynwood High School quickly found out that three days later, on Sunday, Lynwood High School, second in the division, was unexpectedly defeated by Long Beach Middle School, ranked eighth.
*Thomas felt bad for Harden, backstabbed by his two brothers, but he thought this was also good training for Harden.
After all, the lineup at Lynwood High School was too good.
Harden’s style in the first six games was simple and relaxed; he could use his brain to lead the team to defeat opponents, with little opportunity for personal ability development.
Now, finally, he had the conditions.*
*If you had to say, Harden should probably thank his two brothers.*
*While he couldn’t bring Harden in, Thomas still hoped Harden could fully develop his talents.*
Thomas’s time focusing on Harden didn’t last long, as the two geniuses over on his side were stirring things up again!