On the offensive end, Link faced the opponent's small forward who switched onto him. This five-star forward stood at 198cm and was heavily built. Although Link couldn't achieve a 1v1 point-to-point explosion, through pick-and-rolls and hand-offs with Bosh, and by combining on-ball and off-ball play, he left the opponent exhausted on the defensive end.
Link executed a hand-off play, first cutting toward the basket. Seeing the opponent chasing him, he suddenly flared out to the 45-degree angle beyond the Three-Point Shot line. Bosh timed the pass perfectly. "Swish!" The Three-Point Shot hit nothing but net, the Nets rippling with a splash.
34 to 28, the Dream Chasing Warriors Team led by 6 points.
Equipped with [Off-Ball Movement], Link paired it with his slick positioning. For high schoolers with less-than-stellar defensive awareness, it was pure torture.
The [Catch and Shoot] badge, meanwhile, was able to boost Link's Three-Point Shot percentage after receiving the ball.
At this point, 14 minutes and 21 seconds had passed in the first half. Both teams entered rotation time, and the star players from both sides headed to the bench to rest.
"Oh my god!"
"Link, this LeBron is way too strong. He feels like a charging little tank!"
Back on the bench, Matt Babcock felt as if his body had been hollowed out. He kept complaining to his teammates about James's terrifying power. Furthermore, he was indirectly marveling at how freakish Link's physique was; in the opening minutes, facing James's tank-like charges, Link not only showed no fear but even wanted to continue defending him solo.
On the other hand...
The commentator on the ESPN2 Channel commented after Link and LeBron James went to the bench: "While Link is also very strong, don't forget that he is a senior in the Class of '01, while LeBron is only a sophomore in the Class of '03. Born on December 31, 1984, he hasn't even turned 17 yet."
"Man, even though they are two grades apart, you seem to have forgotten that Link was also born in 1984, he's just older by several months," his partner chimed in.
This revelation shocked the American fans watching the game in front of their televisions.
Link was also born in 1984?
Holy crap!
It's true!
January 31, 1984.
Exactly 11 months older than James, but currently only 17 years and 46 days old.
For the remainder of the first half, the Miracle Boy, who had a stronger bench, not only tied the score but even entered the second half with a 3-point lead.
42 to 45!
...
...
The second half began.
The Dream Chasing Warriors still used Matt Babcock as a "defensive trap." James used his tank-like charge to bump past the defense. As Link rushed over to help defend, James suddenly kicked the ball out to the small forward in the corner, but at that exact moment, Link turned back to recover his position almost simultaneously.
The five-star small forward caught the ball and, despite having a small window of space, didn't choose to shoot immediately. In the next instant, Link appeared right in front of him.
Seeing his teammate hesitate to shoot, James could only spread his hands helplessly.
"LeBron's little sidekick, you're actually rated as a five-star player? Heh heh, did you send fruit baskets to those media outlets?" As the little Shakespeare of the East, Link used trash talk to provoke his opponent.
Link's mocking face, combined with his sarcastic tone, was something few adults could handle, let alone a hot-blooded teenager. Under his provocation, the opponent chose to drive with the ball.
Link applied the Death Coil, constantly increasing the physical intensity and forcing him toward the baseline. For a player with mediocre ball-handling, going to the baseline is like walking a tightrope. Once he noticed the opponent's Center of gravity waver, Link suddenly reached in for a Steal with a "whoosh!"
Although he didn't gain possession directly, he forced the opponent into a turnover.
...
...
Link ran a hand-off play with Bosh at the top of the arc, but this time it was a fake hand-off. Simply put, he made a Passing motion but didn't actually give the ball to Bosh. When the defensive attention focused on Bosh, Link lowered his Center of gravity and accelerated toward the basket.
The opponent's Center and small forward hadn't reacted yet, but LeBron James was the first to realize. He burst out from the wing, accelerating fiercely to chase down Link.
"So fast!" was the audience's first reaction.
He was so fast that his teammates on the court didn't even have time to warn him. Chris Bosh had just opened his mouth: "Link... behind..."
Before the words were out, Link pushed off the ground to jump, and James jumped right with him.
LeBron James, whose Explosiveness and Jumping Height were several tiers above Link's, looked poised to deliver a pinned-to-the-backboard block. The Dream Chasing coach on the bench, Chris Grant, subconsciously closed his eyes.
But in the next instant, a gasp rang out from the scene.
In mid-air, Link rotated his body sideways, his back arching slightly into a C-shape for power, and his wrist flipped to find the angle off the glass. With a slight flick of his wrist, Link completed a beautiful reverse layup, perfectly evading James's block and leaving him hitting nothing but air.
After the reverse layup went in, Link helped his team retake a 1-point lead.
53 to 52!
"Whoa, this kid has some good vision!" Shaquille O'Neal praised.
"Yeah, I thought this guy was being reckless, but it turns out everything was under his control," Kevin Garnett said, sitting nearby.
After obtaining the reverse layup package of the Human Reverse Layup Highlight—Talen Horton-Tucker—Link seemed to have become obsessed with this damn feeling.
Soon after, during a fast break, Link faced James's pursuit again and completed another reverse layup. 61 to 56, the Dream Chasing Warriors led by 5 points.
Seven minutes had passed in the second half.
The Miracle Boy team led by James found their half-court offense very stagnant, but in transition, they were truly unstoppable. However, the Dream Chasing Warriors had Link, an excellent floor general. The team's half-court shooting percentage was quite good, which reduced the opponent's transition opportunities.
...
...
Link used a high-post pick-and-roll to assist a rolling Bosh for a layup, stretching the lead to 10 points, 71 to 61.
This play also heavily damaged the Miracle Boy's morale.
Seeing this, James's eyes became resolute.
James's drives became more decisive. With a burst of Explosiveness, he brushed past Matt Babcock's defense, evaded Link's help, and performed a double-clutch fold in mid-air. With a "boom!" he completed a monster dunk while also drawing a foul on Bosh's rotation.
Through this dominant dunk and the subsequent and-one, he reignited the Miracle Boy's morale.
At this moment, Link felt the time was right.
There were 8 minutes left in the game.
As long as they stabilized the lead—or better yet, continued to pull away—there was no way the opponent could make a comeback.
[Player Takeover Activated!]
[Moment of Dominance: Sharpshooter!]
Link ran another pick-and-roll. This time the screen was set higher up. The opponent's small forward tried to fight through the screen but was momentarily caught by Bosh's pick. Seemingly knowing Link was going to shoot a Three-Point Shot, he straightened his body to contest the shot.
However, Link didn't choose to shoot then. Instead, he followed up with a between-the-legs crossover to the other side. Having gained a wide-open space, Link pulled up for a Three-Point Shot.
The Three-Point Shot hit nothing but net!
74 to 64!
This Three-Point Shot extinguished much of the momentum the Miracle Boy had just built up.
Immediately after, Link switched defensive assignments with Matt Babcock on the next possession.
James charged forward. Link didn't meet him head-on but trailed him closely. Forced to slow down, James eventually drew a foul from Josh Smith on the help defense, but this time he only made 1 of 2 free throws.
"Josh, wait for him to jump before you jump to help."
"Chris, watch the rim!"
Link instructed.
Josh Smith and Bosh nodded seriously, like obedient elementary school students.
Over the next several defensive possessions, although James still managed to score by driving to the basket, he was only 1-for-4.
On the other hand, Link...
...continued with pick-and-rolls or hand-offs with Bosh.
The essence of a hand-off is to "hide" the ball so the opponent can't immediately tell who has it. This time was the same. After a real hand-off, Link suddenly cut to the basket. The opponent followed foolishly, only to realize with shock a second later that the ball wasn't in Link's hands.
"Oh no!" James scrambled to rotate and close out on Bosh.
Having gained an open look, Bosh didn't take it himself but instead kicked the ball back to the red-hot Link.
Link, who had flared out to the Three-Point Shot line, caught Bosh's pass and prepared to shoot. Suddenly, three people lunged at him.
The opponent's Center, small forward, and LeBron James!!!
However, after receiving the ball, Link moved in one fluid motion, launching an "in-your-face" jumper right at them.
"Swish!" As the shot went in...
The score was updated to 83 to 66!
In the past 2 minutes, Link had gone 3-for-4 from the Three-Point Shot line.
Tweet!
Simultaneously, the referee's whistle blew.
It turned out the opponent's Center hadn't controlled his body and had crashed right into Link.
And-one!
A 4-point play!
Stepping to the free-throw line, Link took a deep breath and sank it steadily.
84 to 66!
At that moment, the camera happened to cut to LeBron James. He looked as if he'd been struck by lightning, his emotions overflowing with collapse.
6 minutes left in the game...
An 18-point deficit.
Although the opposing coach called a timeout to make final adjustments...
James suddenly found his outside shot in the final 2 minutes of the game, but it was too late. It was like the milk arriving after the baby had starved to death.
Game over!
95 to 88!
The Dream Chasing Warriors ultimately defeated the Miracle Boy with a 7-point lead, securing the victory.
Meanwhile, in the stands, the head coach of Duke University stared at Link, who was celebrating with his teammates. After ten seconds, he suddenly spoke...