Chapter 138: The Healer Coach

Turgun dribbled the ball into the frontcourt. The Capital Youth Team’s defense against him was nothing short of suffocating; not only did they deploy their starting point guard—a specialist known for his defensive prowess—but they also kept players constantly buzzing around Turgun, aiming to shrink his operating space as much as possible.

The defender assigned to Turgun pressed him the moment he crossed the midcourt line. Having studied the game tapes of the Frontier Youth Team’s quarterfinal match, the Capital players were well aware of how absurdly deep the white-haired kid’s shooting range was. Lacking the stamina for a full-court press, they opted for a half-court trap to neutralize his range.

However, the Turgun of today was no longer the player who relied solely on dribbling speed and simple crossovers. After countless matches and the tutelage of Wang Lei, Turgun had gained a new understanding of his craft. He understood his strengths and weaknesses and knew exactly how to maximize his potential.

It is often said that true wisdom lies in self-knowledge. Many interpret this as merely knowing one’s own limits, but in truth, the implication goes deeper: only when one has a measure of oneself can one properly measure others. While competitive sports are built on the spirit of challenging those stronger than oneself, a mature professional athlete must understand how to leverage their current attributes to make the greatest possible impact.

Though Turgun could not yet be called a top-tier professional, he had already laid the foundation to become a star.

The Capital Youth defenders were in a constant state of agonizing indecision, trapped in a dilemma: should they guard against the white-haired kid’s jumper, or should they prepare for his drive? In the past, the choice had been easy—they simply guarded the shot and cut off the inside lane. But the Turgun of now possessed a repertoire of complex fakes that left his defenders completely unable to anticipate his next move.

Bolstered by Turgun’s gravity and the stellar performance of Cai Aihong, the Frontier Youth Team held a seven-point lead by the end of the first quarter.

As the second quarter began, the Capital Youth Team rotated their lineup. Desperate to close the gap, Liu Sicheng dared not bench Tao Zheyong, who had rested for less than two minutes. Relying on Tao’s dominance in the paint, the Capital team managed to tie the score early in the second quarter.

It was only midway through the period that Wang Lei nonchalantly subbed in his starters, including Turgun and Cai Aihong.

The moment the Frontier starters stepped onto the floor, the defensive pressure on the Capital Youth Team intensified. Turgun drained consecutive three-pointers, helping Frontier extend their lead once more. Tao Zheyong fought back, converting an "and-one" to keep his team within striking distance. The two sides traded blows, and while the game appeared evenly matched on the surface, a keen observer could see that the Capital Youth Team was merely struggling to hold on.

"What a shot! We see the Capital Youth Team’s interior anchor, Tao Zheyong, playing with incredible spirit. That last two-pointer has narrowed the deficit to three. With less than two minutes left in the half, Tao has already racked up 16 points and 6 rebounds. Oh, and he has four assists as well. It is fair to say that the Capital Youth Team is only staying in this game thanks to Tao’s brilliant performance."

Wu You’s commentary was still rough around the edges—he was, after all, a newcomer, and being granted a solo commentary gig, especially for a live broadcast, was a rare opportunity.

Wang Lei was satisfied with the flow of the game. The team was playing at their own pace; if they continued, the Capital Youth Team would likely collapse by the end of the third quarter, leaving them to face a major stamina deficit in the fourth.

Outside observers often studied Wang Lei’s team, generally dismissing them as an perimeter-heavy squad that lived and died by the jump shot, with mediocre defense. In reality, these assessments were incredibly superficial. To date, Wang Lei felt that only Coach Ratamandis of the European Youth Team truly understood the source of Frontier’s strength: their exceptional stamina.

Only with superior conditioning could a team execute such varied tactical rotations. Even if their defense wasn't elite, the players' constant, proactive movement was the bedrock upon which the Frontier Youth Team had built their success. Though Ratamandis had identified this and attempted to counter it, it was his misfortune to face Wang Lei, who had humiliated him with the "shameless" Hack-a-Shaq strategy.

Now, facing the Capital Youth Team again, Wang Lei knew that despite having lost once before, Liu Sicheng had not learned the necessary lessons. He had shuffled his lineup and tactics, seemingly well-prepared, but Wang Lei knew he had failed to grasp the core essence of the Frontier team.

As the halftime whistle blew, Cai Aihong unexpectedly sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer—an illogical shot from the backcourt that stretched Frontier’s lead back to seven points.

During the halftime break, it was time for Wang Lei’s "nursing" session. The term had been coined by assistant coach Xu Hui, who had abandoned his well-paying position as head coach of Shahezi University to seek higher ambitions and learn from Wang Lei.

To Xu Hui, the harmonious discussions Wang Lei held with his players during breaks seemed somewhat unorthodox. He had never seen a head coach so indifferent to the hierarchy of his position. Most youth coaches rarely gave players a voice, subconsciously viewing them as impulsive and lacking judgment. But Wang Lei was different; he valued the players' input, often ignoring the suggestions of his own assistants, Xu Hui and Xue Yongjiang, in favor of listening to his team.

Xu Hui joked that Wang Lei was more of a wet nurse, "feeding" the players the moment they came off the court.

The Frontier Youth locker room was always the liveliest place during halftime. Even when trailing, the players actively voiced their opinions and shared their understanding of the game. It was precisely this atmosphere of open exchange that had allowed the Frontier Youth players to grow so rapidly in less than a year.