&quot "Tactical Poet" on the list of unselected: Deconstructing the irreplaceable nature of Li Yuezhou

When the U19 National Youth League final warm-up match list was announced, Zhejiang Chouzhou defender Li Yuezhou's name unexpectedly disappeared between the pages. This "Big Heart Player" who averaged 23.7 points and 6.2 assists per game in the Naigao League and hit a perfect finals countdown, is now standing in the shadow of the spotlight. But if we strip away a simple roster view of victory or defeat, we will find that this 18-year-old has a unique basketball gene that can penetrate data reports - the technical traits that flash behind the failure to choose are precisely the most scarce tactical spirituality in the Chinese basketball youth training system.

1. The "chess control player"

Li Yuezhou's core competitiveness comes from his game reading ability beyond his age. In the key game between the U18 National League against Guangdong, the dribbling rhythm changes he showed when facing the pressing of the whole game were amazing: he used the "dribble behind the ball" three times in a row in the third quarter to tear open the double-team, and then used a wonderful pass to find the weak-side bottom corner shooter. This ability to transform personal breakthroughs into team attacks is exactly the core requirement of modern basketball for the core of ball holding. His average assists and turnover ratio reached 3.2:1, ranking among the top three players in the country among the same age group, thanks to his unique "delay decision-making" technique - he does not rush to take action when breaking through to the paint area, but mobilizes defense through false actions to complete the pass when the weak side opportunity appears. This "passing first reading" point guard instinct should have special value in the national youth system that emphasizes rapid conversion.

2. The offensive artist in the cracks

is different from the violent impact of traditional American defenders, Li Yuezhou's breakthrough is more like a precise surgical operation. He is good at using "difficult rhythm" to create space: he suddenly slows down and changes direction under his crotch during high-speed dribbling, and instantly starts to accelerate when the defender's center of gravity shifts. This European step variant of "slow hits fast" allows him to always find a layup angle when facing a strong inside line. In the exchange match against the Korean youth team last year, he faced a defender who was 10 cm taller than himself, shook the space with three consecutive dribbling rhythm changes, and finally hit the board with a high throw. This ability to maintain physical control in the confrontation is the most needed attacking skill in the FIBA ​​arena. What is more noteworthy is his ability to handle key balls. In the past three years of junior games, his key ball shooting percentage in the last two minutes was as high as 58%, far exceeding the average level of players in the same position.

3. The possibility of being folded by the tactical system

The direct reason for the failure to be elected this time is the tactical trade-offs brought about by overlapping positions. National Youth coach Qu Shaobin chose Duan Ruiqi, who is 193cm tall and has 3D attributes, essentially to adapt to the "frontier" trend in the international arena. But this choice also temporarily obscured Li Yuezhou's unique value: when the team needs to break the tight joint defense, his mid-range shot after pick-and-roll (47% hit rate) and weak-side breakthrough and pass-through ability could have become the "scalpel" that tear the defense line; when the positional battle is deadlocked, he creates the ability to play more locally through rhythm changes, which is the weapon that many teams dream of breaking the deadlock. Data shows that when Li Yuezhou is on the court, the team's offensive efficiency is increased by 12.3 points per 100 rounds. This "system bonus" ability is particularly precious at the youth team level.

4. Undefined growth trajectory

This time the election may become an important turning point in Li Yuezhou's basketball career. What he needs to face is the new requirements of modern basketball for point guards: while maintaining the original technical advantages, improve technical stability under the intensity of the confrontation - In the CBDL League this season, his three-point shooting percentage dropped to 32% when facing the senior team's defense, which exposed the room for improvement in shooting speed and anti-interference ability. But from another perspective, this "misplaced competition" has opened up a new dimension of growth for him: strengthening his back-to-body singles skills like Doncic, learning Paul Gasol-like high and low position support, and transforming his tactical reading ability into a more comprehensive stadium influence. Zhejiang Chouzhou youth training system has always been good at cultivating technical guards. Wu Qian's growth path may provide him with reference - In the furnace of the professional league, those technical characteristics that were once considered "not strong enough" will eventually find adaptation space in a more mature tactical system.