Georgetown University is best known for its success in politics. It boasts more alumni in government than any other prestigious university in the United States.
Its second greatest claim to fame is basketball.
Players like Ewing, Moning, Mutombo, and Iverson carried Georgetown's iron-willed basketball to its zenith.
In recent years, Georgetown has been relatively quiet, failing to achieve any thrilling results. This is mainly because they've stubbornly adhered to John Thompson's team-building strategy: they disapprove of star players leaving for the NBA draft after just one or two years. As a result, they've fallen a step behind in recruiting the nation's top high school prospects.
The team's current star is Michael Sweetney. As a sophomore, he led Georgetown to the Sweet Sixteen before they were eliminated by the third-seeded University of Maryland. Sweetney was named a Second-Team All-American. However, he's currently injured and won't be able to return until the second half of the season. (In real life, this guy was picked ninth by the Knicks in the 2003 draft. New York pinned its hopes on the skills he learned at Georgetown, wishing he would carry on the legacy of toughness from fellow alumnus Patrick Ewing. But he failed to live up to the Knicks' expectations; he was too short, too fat, and too slow.)
The Georgetown Shock Team's core perimeter player is junior Michael Rod.
Rod is a guard, but he embodies the Georgetown style. He has a powerful physique, and by NCAA Alliance standards, he can physically dominate most of his matchups at the shooting guard position.
Therefore, the Georgetown Shock Team's fans affectionately call him Horror Rod.
Su Xi received a 'special welcome' inside Georgetown University's basketball arena.
In 2002, the internet wasn't yet a global phenomenon. But in the United States, especially on the campus of a prestigious school like Georgetown, anything interesting that happened on the BBS forums would quickly go viral, even among people who didn't care about basketball.
Many people who had no interest in basketball whatsoever came to the arena for one reason: to gawk at the smug guard from Syracuse University.
"Wow! He looks even more handsome than in his pictures... If he wasn't such a colossal ego, I might even go out with him."
A blonde college student who'd snagged front-row seats couldn't help but whisper to her best friend. She had a full figure, and her chest bounced as she spoke with exaggerated flair.
Her friend was also marveling at Su Xi's good looks. Su Xi used to be gaunt, but he had put on some weight, giving him an even more transcendent air. His already handsome face now looked exceptionally dashing and refined. It was a look that appealed to all, transcending Eastern and Western standards, captivating men and women alike.
But when Su Xi was officially introduced by the arena announcer, the entire crowd erupted in derisive laughter. The Georgetown fans, mocking Su Xi, started chanting in mocking tones, "Lil-Goat!!" The chant echoed through the arena.
They were mocking Su Xi.
But Su Xi's expression remained calm, his composure unshaken. None of this could get to him. After all, he was thinking: 'My goal is to conquer the NBA. You can save your little boos.'
Watching Su Xi's placid expression, Coach Jim Boham couldn't help but nod. 'What great composure,' he thought. 'This is someone I can entrust with a heavy responsibility.'
The game officially began.
Su Xi was the starting point guard, McNamara the shooting guard, Carmeron Anthony at small forward, Hakim Warrick at the four spot, and Craig Fos was the center.
For Georgetown, the starting point guard was Tinsley, a 5'10" Black point guard. The shooting guard was Rod, with Dominique at small forward, Daniels at power forward, and Elam at center.
Fos won the tip-off against Elam. Cameron grabbed the ball and passed it to Su Xi.
Su Xi took a shallow breath.
This was his first official NCAA start at point guard.
Standing at the top of the three-point arc, his mind and eyes simultaneously 'read' the play, searching for where the designed routes and the on-court reality would converge.
Handling the ball for the first time, Su Xi was a little hesitant.
He missed a golden opportunity. McNamara had gotten open on the wing, but Su Xi didn't get the pass to him in time.
Just then, Tinsley rushed him... Seeing that Su Xi didn't look particularly strong despite his height advantage, the shorter Black player made a risky gamble. He lunged forward, swiping at the ball. He had always idolized his fellow Georgetown alumnus, Iverson.
He knew this game was a huge opportunity. The arena was sure to be packed with scouts here to watch Carmeron Anthony's NCAA debut. If he could put on a good enough show, he could impress them and get his name into their databases.
So he played aggressively. But he had badly miscalculated.
Just as he lunged, Su Xi turned sideways... THWACK!
Tinsley, weighing less than 150 pounds, slammed into Su Xi's body. It was like hitting a solid rock. He immediately felt a powerful force push him backward... THUD!
Caught completely off guard, Tinsley lost his balance and tumbled to the floor in a heap. It was a pathetic sight.
The crowd was dumbfounded.
Even the head referee had never seen anything like it.
TWEET!
He called an offensive foul on Su Xi.
Huh?
Su Xi shot the referee a surprised look. The ref, clearly uncertain himself, avoided eye contact.
But courtside, many pairs of sharp eyes were scrutinizing the game. Their vision was incisive, like human scanners.
These were the legendary NBA scouts. Some worked exclusively for specific teams, while others were freelancers, providing paid data and analysis to any team or draft website willing to pay.
Terry was one such freelance scout. He was here to bargain-hunt, known for his unique eye for talent. Many team managers loved to buy his firsthand reports, especially those who were keen on finding hidden gems in the second round of the draft.
Lately, he'd been in close contact with Isaiah Thomas, who had great faith in his data. Terry's crowning achievement was providing Isaiah Thomas with data analysis on Tracy McGrady, which helped vault the then-high-schooler into a lottery pick.
This, in turn, earned Isaiah Thomas a reputation for having a keen eye for talent.
The media praised his eye for the draft as being "a hundred times better" than that of his old rival, Michael Jordan.
Terry's sharp eyes saw the truth of that last play. He was surprised; he hadn't expected Su Xi's physical strength to be so formidable. As a man who had seen it all, he knew Su Xi's physique was special. People who looked lean but packed a lot of power often had explosive potential and could easily be developed into true powerhouses.
'What was that about the Georgetown fans sarcastically calling him 'Lil-Goat' earlier?'
Terry had come to scout McNamara and Hakim Warrick. He was never interested in top-tier players like Carmeron Anthony, knowing his peers would have already dissected their games completely. As a freelance scout, his job was to unearth unknown talents and sell that information.
Now, his attention was shifting to Su Xi.
Su Xi, of course, had no idea a pair of sharp eyes was now fixed on him.
He stood at the top of the arc, completely focused.