Learning to play games, a 40-year-old woman achieves a remarkable turnaround.

Chapter 27 Winning the Semifinals by a Narrow Margin

After winning the first game, Yuan Baoya and her teammates were immersed in the joy of victory.

That evening, Yuan Baoya returned home, feeling physically tired but exceptionally excited.

She shared the exciting moments of the game with her family. Her father listened with great interest and occasionally offered her some tips on basketball tactics. Yuan Baoya listened attentively, thinking that she could try them out in the next game.

For the next three days, I checked in at the government office. After the basic attributes I obtained were added, they were updated to:

Game attributes: Intelligence 19, Stamina 11, Strength 11, Luck 15, Agility 14.

Real-world attributes: Intelligence 9, Stamina 5, Strength 5, Luck 7, Agility 8.

System Notes: For most people, a basic attribute score of 10 is considered A+. For every 3 points gained in each attribute in the game, the corresponding attribute in real life will increase by 1 point.

The second and third preliminary rounds of the basketball tournament went smoothly, with Yuan Baoya and her teammates advancing through the rounds and securing their tickets to the semifinals.

Yuan Baoya is small in stature but fast, has good ball control and accurate shooting, and has been mentioned many times in the reports on the game.

At school, Yuan Baoya suddenly became a minor celebrity, with classmates crowding around to congratulate her and ask her about all sorts of details about the competition.

Yuan Baoya answered all the questions patiently, and her humility and friendliness made her even more popular with her classmates.

However, seeing Yuan Baoya's success on the basketball court, Yuan Xiaogu felt uneasy.

So, she found another opportunity to call Yuan Baoya to her office.

"Yuan Baoya, don't get carried away by a few victories. You need to know that your main task is still studying. If playing basketball causes your grades to drop, I won't let you off easily," Aunt Yuan said sternly.

Yuan Baoya sighed helplessly and said, "Auntie, I know studying is important, and I won't neglect my studies. I've been working hard to study in my spare time between training and competitions."

"Hmph, you'd better keep your word." Aunt Yuan was actually using this opportunity to suppress Yuan Baoya.

After leaving the office, Yuan Baoya secretly vowed to herself that she would achieve good results in both her studies and basketball, so that her aunt would be impressed.

Over the next few days, Yuan Baoya continued her basketball training while also making the most of her time to study.

In basketball training, the physical education teacher devised new tactics based on the characteristics of the next opponent.

Yuan Baoya diligently practiced the new tactics, and during training breaks, she and her teammates had many interesting interactions.

Once, Li Yueyue, the team's tall center, looked at Yuan Baoya's petite frame and joked, "Baoya, with your small frame, you might get knocked over while running around on the court."

Yuan Baoya retorted defiantly, "Sister Yueyue, don't underestimate me. I'm very agile. I can squeeze under your tall arms and score." Her teammates around her burst into laughter.

On another occasion, while practicing passing accuracy, Yuan Baoya's pass accidentally hit her teammate Zhang Mengmeng on the head.

Yuan Baoya quickly ran over and said apologetically, "Mengmeng, I'm sorry, my hand is all out of control."

Zhang Mengmeng rubbed her head and said with a smile, "Bao Ya, are you trying to play a joke on me to wake me up? It's okay, you keep practicing, my head is still hard."

In preparation for the semifinals, Yuan Baoya and her teammates gathered for an in-depth team discussion.

Everyone sat around in a corner of the basketball court, their expressions unusually serious and focused.

Team captain Li Yueyue spoke first: "Sisters, this opponent is very strong, we can't let our guard down. I've noticed that their interior defense is very tight, but there are sometimes gaps on the perimeter."

Yuan Baoya continued, "Sister Yueyue is right. I noticed this problem when I watched their game before. So I think we can play more outside combinations. Mengmeng and I can try to create opportunities outside the three-point line, then attract their defense, and then pass the ball to Sister Yueyue or other teammates inside. This combination of inside and outside might break their defense."

Zhang Mengmeng nodded: "I agree with Bao Ya's idea, but we must pay attention to accuracy and speed when passing the ball, and not give them a chance to steal it. In addition, we cannot relax our defense. Their shooting guard is very strong. I think Bao Ya and I can double-team her when defending, and try to limit her performance."

Lin Xiao, the team's small forward, also shared his opinion: "I think we can run more fast breaks and take advantage of our speed. Bao Ya is the fastest, and she can quickly launch a fast break after grabbing a rebound or making a steal. Mengmeng and I will follow up on both sides to support her, which can catch the opponent off guard."

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions and suggestions, creating a lively yet harmonious atmosphere.

The physical education teacher listened quietly, occasionally showing a satisfied smile. Finally, he summarized: "Everyone has made some good points. We will combine these tactics and apply them to the game. But we must remember that teamwork is the key. No matter what happens, we must believe in each other and work together."

Soon, the day of the semi-finals arrived.

Yuan Baoya and her teammates arrived at the competition venue full of confidence.

This time, their opponent is a very strong team with several players who have outstanding individual skills.

After the match started, both sides played very cautiously.

Yuan Baoya's team launched the first attack. As usual, Yuan Baoya dribbled the ball skillfully, looking for open positions for her teammates.

But her opponent's defense was very tight, and she found it difficult to find an opportunity to break through.

So she changed her strategy and started passing the ball frequently with her teammates, trying to disrupt the opponent's defensive rhythm.

During a defensive play, Yuan Baoya successfully intercepted the ball from the opponent and then quickly launched a fast break.

She sprinted toward the basket at lightning speed, and despite the opponent's obstruction, she skillfully passed the ball to her teammate who was following up. Her teammate scored easily, giving the team the first point of the game.

At this moment, her teammates ran over to give Yuan Baoya a high-five in celebration. Li Yueyue even picked Yuan Baoya up and spun her around, excitedly saying, "Baoya, well done!"

At the end of the first half, the score was tied.

During halftime, the PE teacher encouraged everyone to stay calm and have confidence in their abilities.

The teammates sat together, discussing tactics for the second half.

Yuan Baoya listened attentively to everyone's ideas, and then offered her own: "I think we can run more pick-and-roll plays in the second half, which will create better offensive opportunities." Her teammates nodded in agreement.

In the second half, the opponents intensified their offense, with their shooting guard hitting several three-pointers in a row, widening the score gap.

Yuan Baoya's team is in trouble, but they have not given up.

Yuan Baoya became more proactive in her attacks, constantly breaking through the opponent's defense and creating opportunities for her teammates.

In a crucial moment, Yuan Baoya received a pass from her teammate and decisively took a shot from beyond the three-point line.

Everyone held their breath as the ball flew through the air.

The ball arced through the air and swished through the net, Yuan Baoya's three-pointer narrowing the score gap to one point.

After scoring, Yuan Baoya hugged her teammates. Zhang Mengmeng excitedly said, "Yuan Bao, this goal was crucial! You're our savior!"

With the game entering its final minutes, both sides gave it their all.

Yuan Baoya's team adopted a full-court press tactic in an attempt to force their opponents into making mistakes.

During a defensive play, Yuan Baoya successfully disrupted the opponent's shot, grabbed the rebound, and quickly passed it to her teammate.

A teammate dribbled past an opponent, made a layup, and scored, putting the team ahead.

Finally, thanks to the tenacious defense of Yuan Baoya and her teammates, the team successfully maintained their lead and won the semi-final by a narrow margin.

Her teammates cheered excitedly again, and Yuan Baoya's face showed a relieved smile.