As the Olympic Gas gradually approached their conclusion, the team events throughout the Olympics were also coming to their final battles.
On August 7th, the won’s basketball bronze dal match took place first, with Team USA defeating Cuba 88:74 to claim a lackluster bronze dal.
This ti, Team USA was clearly lacking strength, as they even ended the first half in a tie with the Cuba Team, and only pushed to win in the second half.
Just like the n’s basketball team of the 1988 Olympics, the Team USA won’s basketball also faced a setback, and for the next Olympics, they should field a stronger lineup.
On the night of the 7th, the Chinese Won’s Basketball Team competed against the CIS for the gold dal in the finals, with the entire Chinese n’s Basketball Team coming to the site to cheer for the won’s team.
Both n’s and won’s basketball teams making it to the Olympic Finals was unprecedented in the history of Chinese ball sports, and the China Team received unprecedented attention.
Unlike the absolute core of the n’s basketball team, the Chinese Won’s Basketball Team represented the highest level in history, with each player contributing the maximum effort.
Center Zheng Hai Xia, tall and sturdy, yet possessing extrely delicate touch, alongside Gan Guoyang, beca the pillar of China basketball’s interior line.
On the periter of the won’s team was Cong Xuedi, standing only 166 cm tall, yet having excellent organization and offensive skills. In the match against Cuba, Cong Xuedi made 5 out of 8 three-point attempts, scoring 20 points, grabbing 2 assists, and making 3 steals, becoming the key player for China Team advancing to the finals.
Apart from the one inside and one outside, the tall and short duo of core players, China Team also had the exceptionally fast-breaking Li Xin, as well as Liu Qing, Li Dongi, Zhan Shuping, Wang Fang, and many other strong players. The team displayed a tough style and tenacious play, and could be considered the golden generation of the Chinese Won’s Basketball Team.
However, compared to the opponent CIS, forrly the Soviet Won’s Basketball Team, there was still a gap in strength between China Team and them.
The finals were scheduled for six o’clock in the evening. Around four o’clock, before the match, Gan Guoyang specially went to the locker room to cheer for the Chinese Won’s Basketball Team.
He held Zheng Hai Xia’s large hand and said: "I am passing my touch and energy on to you. During the ga, don’t be afraid; just play! Whatever happens, don’t back down. You know, the chance at the Olympics, missing one might an a lifeti, so you must seize it."
There was a gap in strength against CIS, but not as insurmountable as the gap between n’s basketball and the Dream Team.
The won’s team also received considerable help from Gan Guoyang; in training and injury recovery, Gan Guoyang used Trail Blazers resources to support the won’s team.
For Zheng Hai Xia, her physique was both an advantage and a disadvantage, as her massive body was a heavy burden for her.
She also had to participate in high-intensity competitive gas. She was not like Gan Guoyang with a strong body, so her knees were already bound with thick bandages.
Her legs were also deford, making it almost impossible for her to jump during gas; she was completely reliant on touch and technique to play.
Gan Guoyang’s words inspired Zheng Hai Xia, but also caused so trouble for China Won’s Basketball Team’s coach Li Yaguang.
Li Yaguang was only 34 years old this year, a very young coach, but his military-style managent was very, very strict, even more so than Jiang Xingquan.
Moreover, his attitude toward the core center in the team was entirely different from Jiang Xingquan’s. When he first took over the won’s team, Li Yaguang specifically targeted the team’s absolute core, Zheng Hai Xia.
He told Zheng Hai Xia, we must play team basketball, not make you the absolute core; you must beco part of the tactics instead of every ball going to your hand.
Zheng Hai Xia was certainly not convinced. She joined the national team as early as 1983 and helped the Chinese Won’s Basketball Team win the bronze dal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. One could say her achievents were outstanding, and her strength was extraordinary.
Li Yaguang, a young coach, ca in wanting to strip her of the team leader halo, which Zheng Hai Xia certainly would not tolerate. The two had conflicts, and Li Yaguang directly removed Zheng Hai Xia from the won’s national team.
Later, with the diation of Zheng Hai Xia’s ntor, forr national team coach Yang Boyong, Zheng Hai Xia returned to the won’s national team, followed Li Yaguang’s instructions, and integrated into the team to beco part of team basketball.
Facts proved that Li Yaguang’s reforms were effective. In the Barcelona Olympics matches, Zheng Hai Xia’s personal statistics significantly dropped, averaging only ten points or so per ga, but the won’s team fought all the way into the finals.
Especially in the battle against Cuba, China Team prepared well, avoiding solely relying on the inside and instead using the flexibility and speed of the outside, allowing Cong Xuedi and Li Xin, these two quick knives, to dismantle the Cuba Team, leaving everyone surprised.
Now advancing to the finals, the match would start in just two hours, and suddenly soone appeared, telling Zheng Hai Xia to play more?
If this person was ordinary, Li Yaguang might smile and ignore it, or simply kick them out—what would you do here shaking the troops’ morale?
But this person was Gan Guoyang, the supre idol of China basketball, who had scored 51 points in the previous ga, leading the team into the n’s basketball finals, watched by the won’s team, making everyone overwhelmingly excited.
Li Yaguang understood what it ant for the n’s team to reach the finals, sothing the won’s team could not compare with.
Li Yaguang was not much older than Gan Guoyang. When he was still competing in the national team, Gan Guoyang had already won an NBA championship, becoming an immortal legend.
This Olympic tournant had already seen the basketball court referred to as "Ah Gan and the Dream Team’s Olympics," with his astonishing strength unmatched by anyone.
Now, this idol-level person ca out encouraging Zheng Hai Xia to beco the hero of the finals, which conflicted with Li Yaguang’s pre-match preparation.
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