On December 20th, Lower Merion played its final division league game before winter vacation.
Unlike the long summer break, American high school students typically begin winter vacation around Christmas, which usually lasts 3 to 5 weeks.
Lower Merion opted for the full five weeks.
According to the schedule, Lower Merion still had nine division games remaining. After the game on the 20th, the remaining eight would be completed in February.
After that, the top four teams from each division advance to the regional league, where eight teams are ultimately selected for the state championship.
Starting with a 15-game winning streak, Lower Merion shocked all of Pennsylvania this season. Many experts now consider them the top contender for the championship.
As temperatures continue to drop in Philadelphia, Su Feng and Kobe have abandoned their plan of waking up for 4 a.m. training sessions.
After all, not even the iron-willed Su Feng and Kobe can endure Philadelphia's winter air.
"Ah, I don't think there's any suspense left this season about who the best point guard in Pennsylvania is," Swartz muttered before the game, staring at his increasingly bloated stat sheet.
In fact, Swartz wasn't the only one swelling with confidence lately at Lower Merion.
Guys like Stewart, Russman, and others had even been cycling through multiple girlfriends…
What can we say? The essence of humanity is expansion.
Didn't you see how Yao Ming retired and Zhao Riyue turned into a 400-jin woman, or how AC Milan opened the champagne at halftime of a Champions League final while leading 3-0?
Of course, confidence and growth aren't inherently bad—without self-belief, what separates a person from a lazy, bloated fish?
Still, overinflation has its consequences. That much is certain.
On the 20th, Lower Merion faced off against Archbishop Carroll High School.
In Su Feng's memory, this was the team Kobe defeated in the state finals during his senior year.
So, for this game, Su Feng firmly abandoned the notion of "too little meat on that grasshopper to bother."
…
Ran goose...
The rim at the Lower Merion basketball stadium felt cursed in this game!
Bang—clang!
Whether it was Kobe or Su Feng, both got stuck in the strange loop of "wide open but still missing."
And to make matters worse, the Lower Merion Huskies were a mess this game.
The so-called "hot hand" had clearly gone cold across the entire squad.
Lower Merion, who clanked shots like it was a winter symphony, ended up delivering a tragic concert to their student body right before break.
For the first three quarters, the top seed, Lower Merion, was outplayed by Archbishop Carroll High School.
In the crucial fourth quarter, Kobe and Su Feng were forced to step up and take charge.
Su Feng finally regained his touch and drained a clutch three-pointer with 1:17 left on the clock, tying the game at 45.
But just seconds later, Michael Carter—the lead guard for Carroll—answered back with a tough, off-balance three-pointer.
48–45!
Lower Merion pushed forward. Playing it safe, Kobe used his height to score inside.
Down by one, Lower Merion just needed a strong defensive stand to stay alive.
On defense, Su Feng and Kobe jumped and hustled relentlessly. The other three Huskies gave it their all, inspired by Su Feng's "eagle eye" and Kobe's "death glare."
Michael Carter's final jumper didn't go in—his magic ran out. The shot bounced off the rim, and Russman secured the rebound, quickly passing to Swartz.
Sixteen seconds left on the clock—plenty of time for a final play.
Since players were allowed to improvise, Coach Gregg didn't call a timeout.
To avoid a game-winner, Carroll took a bold risk on defense: four players focused entirely on Kobe and Su Feng, leaving just Center Nelson to guard the paint.
And then... it happened.
Swartz—feeling like the "prettiest boy in Pennsylvania today"—seemed possessed by the spirit of Nick Young and JR Smith.
As he dribbled past half-court to the top of the arc, he realized... no one was guarding him.
Isn't this the perfect chance to become a legend?
Even a benchwarmer has dreams.
With his new girlfriend Lena watching from the sidelines and his 42% three-point percentage flashing in his mind, Swartz decided this was fate.
Don't hesitate, Swartz.
And so, he launched it.
Su Feng, mid-run, froze. Kobe, about to call for the ball, froze too.
CLAAANG!
The shot bricked. Nelson grabbed the rebound and handed it to Michael Carter, who calmly dribbled into the frontcourt and ran out the clock.
The fourth quarter expired.
Lower Merion, after fifteen straight wins... had finally fallen.
Swartz: [insert emoji pack of Luffy realizing he's made of rubber and can't be electrocuted]
Final score: 48–47.
The players from Archbishop Carroll, after toppling the mighty Huskies, looked like they just got an early Christmas present.
Oh my gosh—we actually beat this mini-bull squad!
All of Lower Merion turned to stone.
Swartz, for the first time, felt the full weight of his decision.
And so, the rule remains: if you inflate too much... you'll pop yourself.
…
After the game, Coach Gregg first consoled the team. Once the crowd cleared out, he briefly laid out the training schedule for after winter break.
In Gregg's view, starting the season with a 15–1 record was already the best run of his high school coaching career.
High school isn't like the NBA—these are still kids, and winning or losing is pretty normal.
After all, competition at the youth level is naturally unpredictable.
And today, Su Feng played more seriously than in any previous game. Though his offense wasn't great, he was all in on the defensive end.
But still…
It was rare to see the entire team go ice-cold.
Even so, Lower Merion still had a shot at the win near the end.
Too bad Swartz took matters into his own hands.
Su Feng had already predicted the fallout for the poor guy.
As expected, from the final buzzer to the locker room, Kobe's eyes never left Swartz…
If the universe could give him a do-over, Swartz swore he'd pass to Su Feng or Kobe this time.
Right now, Swartz just wanted to disappear.
And the other benchwarmers? Not a single one dared puff up their chest anymore.
They all tucked in their tails—worried Kobe's gaze would lock onto them next.
"Alright, Kobe, let it go. Don't take it out on Robbie," Su Feng said.
He knew if he didn't calm Kobe down, Swartz might develop a basketball-sized trauma.
Sure, Su Feng also thought Swartz deserved a scolding, but maybe this unexpected loss wasn't such a bad thing.
After all, it didn't affect Lower Merion's standing.
Better to lose now than during the most critical game later on.
At least now, Su Feng didn't have to worry about how to rein in his teammates' swelling egos.
But the moment Su Feng said that, Kobe's "death glare" instantly transferred to him.
The coaches and other players were stunned!
Because everyone knew—trying to calm Kobe down at a time like this... might as well be asking for trouble.
"Robbie, go home and think things through," Su Feng said, ignoring Kobe. "Make sure to submit a reflection report after the break."
Hearing this, Swartz suddenly felt like he must've saved the world in his past life.
Otherwise, how could the basketball gods send down an angel like Su Feng to save him?
Tearing up with gratitude, Swartz bowed in thanks as the rest of the team slipped away before Kobe noticed them.
To them, Su Feng was a modern-day martyr—Jing Ke in ancient times, now reborn in basketball form.
The wind is cold, the river is near... brave soul, farewell.
"Ahem. You gonna keep staring at me like that?" Su Feng finally said to Kobe.
But Kobe didn't flinch. He stood upright, eyes locked on Su Feng.
If he had a forked tongue, Su Feng swore he would've been bitten by a Mamba right then and there.
That glare… truly lived up to its name.
If not for his steel heart, Su Feng's willpower would've already crumbled.
"By the way," he added casually, "if I come to your house on Christmas Eve, should I show off my cooking skills?"
Su Feng knew Kobe too well—he had to snap him out of his hyper-logical Virgo mindset and into a more relaxed Leo mode.
Otherwise, Kobe's obsessive streak would've had Su Feng under that stare for 58 hours straight.
"Huh?" Kobe blinked, and in that instant, two little Kobes appeared on his shoulders.
The devil Kobe poked him with a fork: Keep staring!
The angel Kobe flapped his wings: Quick, ask what he's gonna cook!
After the inner wrestling match, Kobe finally softened. "Su, why'd you just let Robbie go like that?"
Su Feng smiled. "Because I don't think losing a game at this point is a bad thing."
Kobe: "?????"
Su Feng shrugged. "Haven't you noticed? Everyone's been talking about our win streak lately. Some of them even think they're NBA-ready."
Kobe nodded.
Su Feng patted his shoulder. "Exactly. You know how much I hate losing too—I was furious Swartz didn't pass at the end!"
"But think about it—why did we even end up in a close game?"
"Because we're not strong enough yet. We all dream of the NBA. So let's look long-term and treat this loss as a lesson."
"Don't get cocky. Stay humble. Pride before the fall, right? And how many games have been lost just because a team underestimated the opponent?"
"But if we don't taste that bitterness ourselves, we'll never really understand it."
"That's why we need to work even harder. Once we're truly strong, games like this won't be a problem anymore."
Kobe nodded silently, taking in every word.
In his heart, he knew Su Feng's will to win was just as fierce as his own—maybe even fiercer sometimes. And that, Kobe respected.
"I get it… but it still sucks," he muttered.
"In China, we say: if something upsets you, eat a good meal. If one meal doesn't help—have two," Su Feng grinned, seeing Kobe was coming around.
Kobe's eyes lit up. "Yeah! What else do you cook?"
Su Feng smirked. "You'll see."
Before they knew it, Su Feng had pulled Kobe out of his funk—and naturally, the two of them didn't sit still for long.
With that loss still stinging, Su Feng used it as the perfect excuse to challenge Kobe to another round of one-on-one.
…
Just as Su Feng had managed to defuse a crisis within his team, over in Chicago...
BJ Armstrong finished his day's training and picked up the phone right on schedule.
"BJ, I'm back from San Francisco." A deep, rumbling voice came through the receiver.
"I know, Michael. I saw the news. They said you met up with Latrell Sprewell while visiting a friend in San Francisco." Armstrong chuckled.
Thinking about it, Armstrong couldn't help but find Jordan as childish as ever.
Yes, that's right—on the other end of the line was none other than his former teammate, the "Old Rogue" himself: Michael Jordan.
"Haha, by the way, BJ, do you know Anfernee Hardaway?" Jordan asked with curiosity.
"Of course. He's the Magic's ace. Quick first step, tough to defend. I've faced him a few times—no walk in the park," Armstrong replied.
"Then who's harder to guard, him or me?" Jordan prodded.
"Come on, Michael. There's no one harder to guard than you—he's just a sophomore," Armstrong laughed.
"Right... okay, what do you think of Jason Kidd?" Jordan continued after a pause.
Facing another round of "Michael and his 100,000 questions," Armstrong replied with a hint of amusement: "Jason's a great point guard—tall, fast, and strong."
Jordan went quiet on the other end, clearly pondering Armstrong's answer. After a long pause, he asked, "BJ, how's your form these days?"
"Man, you gotta be more specific. If you mean the whole team, all I can say is the same thing I told you last time," Armstrong replied.
"What about the young guys? How's Phil treating them lately?" Jordan asked after thinking for a moment.
"They're still adjusting. You know how it is—we've worked magic for so long, the pressure's getting to them," Armstrong said.
"Alright, that's enough for now. I'll call you again soon." Jordan wrapped up.
"Sure, talk later." After hanging up, Armstrong sat there, lost in thought.
Lately, he and Jordan had been talking more and more.
Since Jordan's retirement, Armstrong—one of the teammates closest to him—had become something of a go-to connection. One reason Jordan enjoyed talking to Armstrong? He never brought up baseball.
In fact, Phil Jackson often asked Armstrong for updates on Jordan's mindset post-retirement.
Sometimes, Armstrong was baffled.
Why can't those two just talk to each other directly?
The next morning, before Bulls training...
Phil Jackson pulled Armstrong aside.
"So, Michael called you again yesterday?" Phil asked with a grandfatherly grin—like a gentler Colonel Sanders.
"He asked about the young guys—Anfernee, Jason, and the rest." Armstrong answered honestly.
Armstrong never brought up non-basketball topics with Jordan, which is exactly why MJ trusted him so much.
Phil paused for a moment. "What was his tone like?"
Armstrong replied thoughtfully, "Honestly… he's sounding younger. Just like we were…"
"When we won that first championship?" Phil gave his shoulder a knowing pat.
"BJ, you've got that gut feeling too, don't you?" Phil suddenly looked serious.
Armstrong nodded. "Yeah, Coach. I do."
"He wants to come back," Phil said softly as he walked away.
Yes, he wants to come back.
Even though the Bulls were off to a middling start this season, Armstrong couldn't shake the feeling that this year would be anything but ordinary...