Chapter 829: Chapter 829
Lin Chen sat on the coach's bench, toying with his cellphone, engrossed in playing a game.
Jiang Qian, no longer able to bear it, asked: "Coach, the game is about to start, what about the tactics and the players' assignments?"
Lin Chen lifted his head and smiled faintly: "Facing such a rubbish team, do we even need to strategize? You all can just play however you want."
"What? Just play however we want?" A few girls suddenly felt an urge to give Lin Chen a good beating. The opposing team had been the dominant force in Zhonghai city for ten consecutive years, and yet Lin Chen was telling them to play however they wanted – this was far too irresponsible.
Jiang Qian said to the girls: "The coach said, against such a rubbish team, we can play however we want."
This girl, as if afraid no one could hear her, raised her voice very loud.
The head coach of the Zhongbang women's basketball team was giving tactical instructions when he heard Jiang Qian's words and couldn't help but frown.
Lin Chen continued playing his game of crushing ice blocks, when a middle-aged man with a grim face stood opposite him.
"You Zhonghai women's basketball team sure talk big, to dare call us rubbish."
Lin Chen lifted his head, glanced at the man, and asked: "May I know who you are?"
"Zhongbang women's basketball team's head coach, Xiao Zhanshan," the man replied coldly.
"Hello, sorry, I misspoke just now. You're not rubbish, you're just not worth mentioning," Lin Chen said with a faint smile.
"You, fine, just you wait and see which of us isn't worth mentioning," Xiao Zhanshan snorted with anger and stormed back to the coach's bench.
Watching her scheme succeed, Jiang Qian wore a triumphant look on her face.
At this point, Lin Chen also stood up with a serious demeanor, finally ready to command the game.
Jiang Qian was secretly delighted that her provocation worked, but Lin Chen said indifferently: "Jiang Qian, lead a few substitutes onto the court, and don't use any Formation."
"What? Facing such opponents, not only playing with substitutes but also not allowing the use of Formation, Coach Lin, aren't you taking it too easy?"
With the sound of the whistle, the game officially began.
At the start of the game, the Zhongbang women's basketball team displayed their strong capabilities.
In both offense and defense, their performance was extremely fierce, especially their physical condition was outstanding.
The Zhonghai women's basketball team players often got knocked down after a collision.
Under the powerful offensive of the opponents, the Zhonghai women's basketball team struggled in the opening minutes, finishing the first quarter 11 to 23, trailing by as many as 12 points.
On the coach's bench, Xiao Zhanshan's face showed a grim smile: "How about that, now you know who's the garbage."
"Pfft, Wang Ying always hyped up the Zhonghai women's basketball team like they were gods, but now it seems they truly don't have much strength!" Li Yanran said disdainfully.
"Exactly, with that level of skill and they still claim to be a threat to us, what a joke," Wang Hong also shook her head, showing a disappointed expression.
At this moment, Li Ling'er, who was wearing glasses, said somewhat seriously: "This isn't the true strength of the Zhonghai women's basketball team. Only one of their main players participated, and it's clear they are conserving their energy. And have you noticed what their coach is doing?"
At that moment, the gaze of the two girls beside her fell on Lin Chen, and they were immediately stunned.
"Oh my God, this guy is actually playing a game, is he really a coach?" Li Yanran exclaimed.
"Now I know why this team is so unreliable, because they have an unreliable coach," Wang Hong said, frowning.
"I don't think even with their main players, they would be much stronger," Li Yanran revealed a look of contempt.
At half-time, the Zhonghai women's basketball team was trailing by 30 points.
Jiang Qian's face showed an anxious expression, for this was the finals—there would be no chances left if they lost.
It was then that Lin Chen's mouth curled into a faint smile: "Alright, now you can counterattack."
Finally, Lin Chen sent all five main players onto the court, marking the first time these starters played together in an official game.
Seeing Zhonghai's substitution, Li Ling'er's eyes lit up: "The Zhonghai women's basketball team is getting serious."
The second half had just started, and the score was quickly narrowing, soon turning into 45 to 58.
In just a few minutes, Zhonghai's women's basketball team had rapidly closed the gap, while the previously sharp-offense Zhongbang women's basketball team hadn't scored a single point.
At this moment, the situation on the court changed drastically, with the Zhongbang team suddenly finding themselves on the defensive.
On the coaches' bench, the previously confident coach of the Zhongbang team was suddenly dumbstruck.
And on the court, Jiang Qian was utterly shocked.
"Since when has the Zhongbang women's basketball team become so weak!" Jiang Qian lamented inwardly.
Having just clashed with the opponents, Jiang Qian felt the Zhongbang women's basketball team was extremely strong, seemingly unbeatable.
Yet, within minutes, Jiang Qian even felt like she was playing against a bunch of elementary school students, just like Lin Chen had said, the opposition was truly unable to withstand a single blow in front of the Zhonghai team.
The basketball court was already drowned by the shouts, especially when the players from the Zhonghai team scored, the cheers were like wolves howling.
The game finally ended, with the final score frozen at 128 to 68. This score was only achieved after Lin Chen brought on several substitutes towards the end. With the five main players on the court, the Zhongbang team hadn't scored at all.
Li Ling'er looked at the score on the court, her lips curving into a playful smile: "This really was an interesting game."
"What do you think? Still saying the Zhonghai women's basketball team is weak?" Li Ling'er laughed.
"Hmph, I see they're just so-so. They'd still be powerless against us," Li Yaner said dismissively.
Wang Hong also nodded: "These main players are pretty good, but they pose no threat to us."
Li Ling'er suddenly laughed, her gaze falling on Lin Chen: "This coach is quite something, being able to make the team play like two different teams before and after the half-time. This kind of control is astonishing; no wonder my elder and second sisters wanted us to watch the game."
"This coach was just playing games in the first half, and was dozing off with his eyes half-closed in the second half, okay? I didn't see him directing the game at all," Li Yanran said curiously.
Li Ling'er shook her head: "He was indeed playing games in the first half, but he was definitely directing the game during the second half."
"Directing the game? I didn't notice that," Wang Hong also expressed confusion.
"Didn't you notice his lips? They were moving the whole time, which means he was using his Inner Strength to transmit his voice to every player. What's most terrifying about this team is not the players, but the head coach."
In the midst of the half-time break, suddenly a female reporter came over with a microphone.
"Coach Lin, I'm a reporter for Huaxia TV's sports program, and I'd like to interview you," said the female reporter with a beaming smile.
Lin Chen looked at the female reporter and smiled faintly: "Aren't you mistaken? I'm not the head coach!"
"What? You're not the head coach?" The female reporter was stunned.
Lin Chen nodded seriously: "Yeah, I'm actually the team doctor. I believe the head coach should be that person over there."
As he spoke, Lin Chen casually pointed into the crowd.
The female reporter turned to look, only to find that Lin Chen had already disappeared.