Chapter 9: The Final Opponent—How Weak!

On April 1st, the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) kicked off Game 1 of the finals. The Seaweed team’s opponents were the Cats-Birds, coached by the renowned CBA strategist Flip Saunders. The finals followed a best-of-five format with a 2-2-1 schedule, and the Cats-Birds held home-court advantage. Although it was the height of March Madness, the CBA held little influence, and Tang Bei remained largely unnoticed by the media.

However, after a few strong performances, Tang Bei had caught the eye of many NBA scouts. The sidelines were now filled with scouts, and the media presence had grown. Still, the media’s primary focus remained on the NCAA, which had reached the intense Elite Eight stage.

That evening, at Wilson Arena in La Crosse, Wisconsin, about five or six hundred fans purchased tickets for the game. At 7:30 PM, the starting lineups were announced.

Seaweed: Tang Bei, Bill Younger, David Myers, Philip Doron, Tom Morris.
Cats-Birds: Brian Rahilly, Derrick Gervin, Jalen Jackson, Mark Davis, David Rivers.

On-site commentator Jalen Jeros remarked, "Only Tom Morris of the Seaweed team has brief NBA experience, whereas the Cats-Birds have four players who have played in the league: Brian Rahilly, David Rivers, Jalen Jackson, and Derrick Gervin. Mark Davis, the only starter without NBA experience, made the All-CBA First Team this season and leads the Cats-Birds with 24.7 points per game. In terms of talent, I favor the Cats-Birds."

Co-commentator Pavier Hanks added, "The Cats-Birds have home-court advantage, and Flip Saunders is the superior coach, having led them to a CBA championship in '89. I also favor the Cats-Birds."

Jalen Jeros countered, "That was the situation before Tang arrived. With him, the balance of power could shift entirely because his dominance in the paint is simply unparalleled compared to other centers in the CBA."

Pavier Hanks nodded in agreement. "Indeed, he is the wild card." He then picked up a stat sheet and read, "Standing at 6 feet 12 inches—that is 213 centimeters—with a wingspan of 7 feet 6.55 inches (230 centimeters), a weight of 298 pounds, and a max bench press of 500 pounds, he is a true behemoth."

Jalen Jeros added, "Meanwhile, his opponent, the Cats-Birds' starting center Brian Rahilly, is only 6 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 230 pounds, and benches just 300 pounds. He is going to be completely steamrolled."

Pavier Hanks looked toward the stands. "The media and fans are focused on the NCAA, but that doesn't mean the NBA isn't watching."

Jalen Jeros nodded. "Many scouts are here tonight, along with the general managers of the Nuggets and the Rockets. They are all here for Tang."

In the stands, Eric Fleisher sat alongside Nuggets GM Bernie Bickerstaff and Rockets GM Steve Patterson. The fact that these GMs had come of their own volition showed that Tang Bei’s draft stock was rising rapidly.

As the starters took the floor, the visiting Seaweed team was introduced first. Tang Bei, the primary catalyst for their run to the finals, was the last to emerge. The shutters of a dozen cameras clicked rapidly in his direction.

In the player tunnel, Cats-Birds scoring leader Mark Davis asked, "Do you think this kid can actually stick in the NBA?"

Jalen Jackson, who had played for the Spurs two years prior, looked on with envy. "Hard to say, but he definitely won't go undrafted. His static physical traits are incredible, his mobility is solid, and he has a good chance at the first round."

"The first round?" David Rivers couldn't help but offer a bitter smile; he, too, had been a first-round pick. In 1988, he was selected 25th overall by the Lakers but was waived after his rookie season and traded to the Clippers. He had only lasted a little over a season in the league—far below the average career length.

"You guys have to help me," said Brian Rahilly, the Cats-Birds' starting center, looking distressed. He had been a fourth-round pick of the 76ers in '87 but was quickly cut. Facing Tang Bei, he had already decided to avoid physical contact at all costs; he knew he couldn't survive a direct collision.

"Brian, the only one who can help you is Derrick," David Rivers replied.

Derrick Gervin’s expression stiffened. As a 6'8", 200-pound small forward, being asked to play power forward and help guard that monster felt like a death sentence. He had been a fourth-round pick for the 76ers in '85 and struggled to stay in the league with the Nets. He had zero confidence in stopping someone with Tang Bei’s gifts.

At 8:00 PM, the game began. Tang Bei and Brian Rahilly stood at the center circle for the tip-off. Standing face-to-face, Rahilly looked half the size of Tang—shorter and thinner, as if they belonged to entirely different sports.

"Whack!" Tang Bei, standing a full head taller, easily tapped the ball away. Seaweed went on the attack. As Tang entered the paint, Rahilly chose to front him, avoiding direct contact, which allowed Tang to establish deep position. He nudged Rahilly aside with one hand and signaled for the ball with the other.

In the CBA, defensive rules prohibited zone defenses and early double-teaming of players without the ball, so Rahilly was left on an island. Tom Morris faked a drive at the arc, shook off David Rivers, and lofted a high pass into the paint, far out of reach for the fronting Rahilly.

"Bang!" The next moment, Tang Bei was hanging from the rim, having completed an alley-oop.

*He’s so weak!* Tang thought to himself. This opponent felt like the easiest one yet; the teams from the previous rounds had been stronger, heavier, and more physical. He worried that if the competition was too soft, scouts might deem his statistics inflated.

"A giant against a bean sprout—this is a dimension-crushing mismatch. Tang playing in the CBA is just bullying," said Cats-Birds coach Flip Saunders, unbuttoning his suit jacket and placing his hands on his hips, both furious and helpless. He had tried to scheme for double-teams, but it was useless; Tang’s talent was simply too overwhelming in the low post.

The Cats-Birds didn't have a single heavy-duty center; they were all light, technical players around 220 pounds who lacked height, wingspan, and athleticism. They couldn't stop him from getting to the rim. With quality centers in short supply even in the NBA, let alone the CBA, Saunders had to admit that the Seaweed team had hit the jackpot.