The sound of the iron striking was grating to Greece, but for the players and fans of Dragon Country, it was undoubtedly a wonderful sound.
Just as Spanoulis's jump shot clanged off the rim, the fans' cheers made him crack. Before Tang Long even grabbed the rebound, the guy followed up with a rough foul!
Tang Long winced in pain and instinctively retaliated. As players from both sides began to converge, the referees quickly blew their whistles.
Spanoulis was called for a foul, and Tang Long was assessed a technical.
After Tang Long sank both free throws, Spanoulis's mindset shifted. He hesitated for a long time at the free-throw line before taking a rushed shot.
Of course, he missed.
With only fifteen seconds left, Greece was down by six points.
Spanoulis wanted to push the ball up quickly for a fast break, but he wasted five seconds just getting past half-court, with Sun Yue sticking to him like glue!
Finally, with fifteen seconds elapsed, the buzzer sounded to end the game. Spanoulis, in a fit of frustration, hurled the basketball hard towards the basket!
Despite the rollercoaster-like thrill of this match, with leads changing hands multiple times, the Dragon Country team lived up to expectations and secured the final victory!
"Tang Long, take him down!"
"Teach him how to behave. Coming to Dragon Country and daring to act so arrogant, take him!"
"Go, go destroy the Greek team, teach Skirseinis what humility is!"
The roaring enthusiasm of the spectators completely stunned the Greek players. Head coach Giannakis, with a dark expression, couldn't ignore his own players.
Regardless of who won or lost this duel, if Skirseinis got injured during the fight, Greece would have no hope in the subsequent knockout stage, as they wouldn't be able to compete against other teams.
"Spanoulis, you and the rest of the team take Skirseinis back to the locker room first."
"I won't. I promised to duel with Tang. How can I go back to the locker room? That's desertion, it's a disgrace!"
Skirseinis stubbornly argued with the head coach.
Losing the game to Dragon Country had already infuriated him.
At this moment, only his fists could salvage the humiliation of losing to Dragon Country. How could he be a deserter?
"That's an order!" Giannakis's face hardened as he issued the command.
"No, I must teach him a lesson!"
Skirseinis was losing his temper.
Since Greece was delaying their exit, the Dragon Country players certainly wouldn't leave either.
Yonas stood by the sidelines without speaking, while Captain Guo shot Tang Long a stern look and went to confer with the referees.
The duel was one thing, but the referees' attitude was crucial.
If the referees ruled it as a brawl on the court, Tang Long would certainly be suspended.
At such a critical juncture in Dragon Country's basketball history, for Tang Long to exchange punches with Skirseinis would be foolish beyond belief.
Thus, a peculiar scene unfolded on the court.
The game was over, but not a single fan left. The broadcast cameras continued to roll, and viewership ratings soared.
Domestic viewership exceeded 800 million, and overseas numbers surpassed 1 billion!
...
"Producer, should we cut back to the broadcast?"
After all, the game was over. Further coverage was unnecessary and could have negative repercussions.
The producer remained silent, his expression shifting between hope and concern.
With soaring ratings, there was a chance to surpass the viewership of the Spring Festival Gala. This was the most glorious moment of the producer's career.
If they truly surpassed the Spring Festival Gala's viewership, his position within the station would skyrocket.
"Let's wait and see a bit longer..."
After a moment of silence, the producer made his decision.
"Still waiting?" the director and editor blinked in surprise.
If they waited any longer, the fight would actually break out.
"Captain Guo is talking to the referees right now. As an authoritative media outlet, we must report the truth of what's happening on the court!"
"Have the on-site cameras adjust. Focus on the Greek players, and on Captain Guo negotiating with the referees. It would be best if we could broadcast the live audio too!"
The director and editor were dumbfounded.
What did he mean?
Broadcast live audio?
Technically, it wasn't an issue, but it seemed highly inappropriate.
As they were speaking, Captain Guo finished his discussion with the referees and returned to the Dragon Country bench.
Tang Long and the players stared intently at Captain Guo's eyes, their breathing slowing considerably.
Captain Guo glanced at everyone and shook his head, "The referees disagree. If the two of you truly want to duel, besides being banned from international competitions, you'll also be banned from playing in the league."
"I'll go talk to the referees!"
Tang Long stood up, ready to approach the referees.
"Get back here!" Captain Guo grabbed Tang Long, "Why are you so impatient? I haven't finished speaking yet."
"What do you mean?"
Tang Long was utterly confused.
Captain Guo glared at Tang Long fiercely and said with annoyance, "The referees will absolutely not allow duels to happen on a basketball court. However, if you are both boxing enthusiasts and wish to spar, it has nothing to do with basketball, and FIBA won't interfere."
Tang Long furrowed his brow, becoming more and more bewildered.
"Are you stupid? He's saying you can move to a boxing ring to duel."
Captain Guo added, "But it has to wait until after the group stage is completely over."
Tang Long finally understood. The group stage ended today, meaning it would be tomorrow.
That was acceptable!
While it wouldn't have the same impact as a live on-court confrontation, being able to reasonably and legally take down Skirseinis was considered a successful negotiation.
"What's going on? Why aren't they fighting? What are they all dawdling about?"
"Yeah, is someone chickening out?"
"Could it be Tang Long who's chickening out?"
The enthusiastic fans, after waiting for a long time without any movement from either side, became impatient. They were all eager to witness the spectacle!
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
At this point, the referees took over the microphone.
After conferring with the Greek head coach, the referees announced that private duels between players were not permitted, and severe suspensions would be imposed on both sides if they proceeded!
"What, they're not fighting?"
"Isn't this just messing with us?"
"Refund! Give us our money back, damn it!"
The fans, doused with a bucket of cold water, began shouting for refunds.
The referees, however, paid no attention. After announcing that duels were forbidden, they left the court with their assistants and staff.
Simultaneously, Tang Long walked over and picked up the microphone. "I know everyone is a bit disappointed, and honestly, I am too. But I have some good news for you. While referees don't allow basketball players to fight on court, both Skirseinis and I are boxing enthusiasts. After the group stage concludes, Skirseinis and I will have a friendly spar in the boxing ring!"
The crowd instantly fell silent.
The spectators were stunned for a moment before they finally reacted.
Tang Long continued, "Don't worry, everyone. The boxing gym will definitely be open tomorrow for free viewing. You can bring your friends and family to cheer us on!"
...
"Quick, cut back to the broadcast!"
The producer urged the director, "We can't keep broadcasting this scene!"