"Regarding Seirin's loss to Kaijo, does it really mean Kaijo is just that much stronger—like a 70–30 split? Well… I don't think so…"
Bobo paused for a moment, then turned to the camera and continued, "Actually, a lot of people don't really know Seirin. They only see them as the dark horse team that defeated Rakuzan, the heavy favorite last year. But very few know that just three years ago, Seirin High didn't even have a basketball team."
"For a brand-new team like Seirin, we shouldn't raise our expectations just because they've had some great performances. Kaijo has always been a championship-caliber team. Losing to them is nothing to be ashamed of."
"In terms of pure strength, Seirin isn't actually weaker than Kaijo. What they lack is the tradition and mentality that powerhouse schools naturally carry. Personally, I really like Seirin's potential. In the future, they'll definitely become one of those top-tier programs! Let's wait and see."
…
Seirin's crushing defeat to Kaijo created some waves, but with the semifinals about to begin, it quickly became just a side note.
Now, the final four of the Winter Cup had been decided: Rakuzan, Tōō, Shūtoku, and Kaijo.
The first semifinal matchup: Shūtoku vs. Kaijo!
"We've never actually played Shūtoku before, right?"
Inside Kaijo's team bus, Kota yawned and asked Kise, who was sitting beside him.
Kise thought about it, then nodded.
"You're right. We're not in the same bracket, and their side is brutal. If your luck's bad, you might not even make it out of the qualifiers."
The infamous North District wasn't a joke. In their very first Interhigh tournament, Shūtoku got knocked out in the qualifiers by Seirin. Midorima, fresh out of the Generation of Miracles, wasn't yet used to carrying a team solo, and got taken down by the newly formed "Light and Shadow" duo.
As for the Winter Cup, Shūtoku cleared the round robin but then ran into Rakuzan in the quarterfinals and got eliminated before they could even face Kaijo.
Which meant that aside from a few practice games, Kaijo had never faced this "Miracle team" that relied heavily on the three-point shot.
"No big deal. I've watched their game footage so many times I lost count. Thinking about it now won't change anything. I'll grab some sleep—wake me up when we get there."
Kota rubbed his nose, pulled a raccoon-print sleep mask out of his pocket (a gift from Araki, who heard he wasn't sleeping well lately), and leaned back in his seat. Within moments, soft snores escaped—Kota was out cold.
Kise rested his chin on his hand and watched Kota's sleeping face. Don't get the wrong idea—he's not into him. He just felt a little sad thinking about how, in the future, Kota might switch nationality, and they could end up as rivals on the international stage, fighting for different sides.
On the bus, Kota wasn't the only one asleep. Plenty of Kaijo players were already in dreamland, snores echoing around.
As regulars at Interhigh—and the reigning back-to-back champions—pre-game nerves weren't exactly in Kaijo's vocabulary.
Meanwhile, Shūtoku had already arrived at the arena early.
Swish!
The sound of a clean shot through the net.
Midorima adjusted his glasses after his shooting motion, his sharp, calm eyes gleaming behind the thick lenses.
"Oh my, the game hasn't even started and Shin-chan's already in the zone" Takao said, making a lookout pose as he watched from the sideline.
"Kaijo, huh… they're terrifying. Let's just hope we don't get blown out by halftime like Seirin did."
His words sounded pessimistic, but Takao's face was full of fighting spirit.
Shūtoku, one of the three kings of the North District, wasn't known for choking in big moments.
With time still left before tipoff, only a handful of people sat scattered in the stands.
But even from a distance, Takao could tell—they were Kaijo fans. Their replica jerseys gave them away.
As another "Miracle" team and a championship contender, Shūtoku was popular—but even among powerhouses, there were tiers of fanbases.
Takao narrowed his eyes at the Kaijo supporters, tucking the ball under his arm and bouncing it lightly.
"Alright. Guess it's time I warmed up too."
…
"Hello everyone, and welcome to Basketball Talk, brought to you exclusively by the Akashi Corporation!"
"Today, we've got a treat for all the fans. Since many couldn't make it to the arena for various reasons, we've arranged a live broadcast of both semifinals!"
"And joining us for commentary is the famous basketball blogger—Mr. Bobo!"
Applause followed as Bobo waved at the cameras. Unlike internet personalities who thrived on clickbait, to get on TV you needed someone like Bobo, who had a reputation for fair takes and solid credibility.
"So, Mr. Bobo, who do you favor in this first matchup between Shūtoku and Kaijo?"
Host Shasha smoothly guided the conversation to avoid dead air.
"Hmm…"
Bobo looked momentarily stumped. After all, neutrality was his brand—asking him to pick a side was like asking him to commit a crime. But he quickly recovered, putting on a straight face for the camera.
"Kaijo's strength has already been proven in back-to-back. They're an elite team. Their consecutive championships are proof of that!"
"However, this year's Shūtoku isn't easy to dismiss either. Whether it's topping their group in the round robin or pulling off highlight performances in the main bracket, they've shown they can compete with anyone. Kaijo won't have it easy!"
"And according to the stats, among all teams in this year's Interhigh, these two are ranked top two in three-point percentage! I have a feeling today's going to be a shootout. Hahaha, lucky us, huh?"
Popo even raised his eyebrows at the camera with a playful grin.
Shasha twitched her lips slightly—Bobo had dodged her question completely. Still, his words filled the air, kept the audience engaged, and set the mood.
"Kaijo's entering now, switch the feed."
The producers gave the cue.
Shasha jumped in smoothly: "And here come the players from Kaijo!"
The camera cut to Kaijo's entrance.
This year, the mood was noticeably different — less solemn, more playful.
Their benchwarmers jogged out first, some making goofy faces at the cameras.
Bobo chuckled. "Kaijo's players look confident today. Perhaps it's the change in leadership. When Kasamatsu was captain, Kaijo's entrances were always serious and disciplined."
Leadership shaped culture, and Kaijo was living proof.
With Kota's more mischievous personality replacing Kasamatsu's stern approach, Kaijo's aura had shifted.
The camera panned in on three figures: Kaijo's first-year duo and their reliable senpai, Hayakawa!
Shy Yuki and stoic Takumi walked out stiff and formal, while Yuki's nervous expression gave away his inexperience under the spotlight.
Then there was Hayakawa, who flexed like a bodybuilder and puffed out steam from his nostrils like a human locomotive. Bizarre, but the Kaijo fans loved it.
" Hayakawa! Hayakawa!!"
Hearing the cheers, Hayakawa's eyes lit up as another puff of steam burst out.
Takeuchi followed, shiny slicked-back hair and polished chin as always. Fans still cheered—after all, he was the architect behind Kaijo's dynasty.
And finally, the stars.
"The best always enters last, right?"
Kota unzipped his jacket, revealing his Kaijo jersey. He raised his arms dramatically as he stepped out, with Kise strolling behind him, hands behind his head, flashing a relaxed smile.
The arena erupted. Someone in the crowd started chanting "Kaijo Twins!" and soon the entire gym was roaring the nickname.
Online viewers spammed the same phrase across the live chat.
Bobo seized the moment: "Since joining last year, the 'Kaijo Twins' have averaged a combined 66.5 points per game. And when they're both on the floor? Their win rate is one hundred percent!"
The chat exploded.
Meanwhile, Kota and Kise, greeting fans and whispering to each other, clearly didn't hear any of this trivia.
"Hey Kota, did you see coach's outfit today? Guy's pushing midlife but still trying to dress like he's twenty."
"Shh, keep it down! If he hears, we'll be running suicides all week. But yeah, you're right… pfft—haha!"
They smiled innocently at the crowd, lips barely moving as they roasted their coach.
Takeuchi, oblivious, kept adjusting his pose for the cameras.
Beep beep beep!
The pre-game handshake ceremony began.
Kota cracked his neck and looked at Takao, who extended his hand.
"Wait—you're Shūtoku's captain this year?"
Takao: "???"
"Whoa, no offense, sorry! Just… with your personality, I didn't expect you to be captain."
Realizing he'd misunderstood, Kota quickly waved it off with a grin. As fellow elite point guards in Tokyo, he and Takao got along pretty well.
"…Yeah…"
Takao sighed. Kota had hit a sore spot. He knew he wasn't suited for captaincy—but what choice did he have? Look around: a bunch of underclassmen, a team full of oddballs, and one tsundere horoscope-obsessed sharpshooter…
"Man, why is everyone on this team so weird?!"
He groaned as he shook Kota's hand, squeezing harder than he meant to.
"Let's have a good game!"
The teams bowed to each other. Kise and Midorima locked eyes like thunderbolts.
Then it was time for the tip-off!
Kaijo sent Hayakawa as their jumper, while Shūtoku put in their freshman center, Taisuke.
The referee stepped in with the ball.
Kise brushed his bangs aside, his aura sharpening. He hadn't fully mastered "the trigger" and couldn't freely enter the Zone, but his "Perfect Copy" was still deadly.
Midorima pushed his glasses up, his lenses flashing under the lights.
Kota whistled casually with his hands on his hips, drawing laughs from the stands.
Tweet! The ball went up.
"Hoaaaahhh!!"
Hayakawa's shout had become instinct, but this time, he didn't win the jump.
Taisuke's athleticism matched him in the air, and his strength gave him the edge. The ball tipped toward Shūtoku.
"Sumimasen!"
"Don't mind it."
Kota fell back into defensive position, eyes lowering as he watched Takao bring the ball up.
Even without playing him before, Takao's nickname— "the second-best point guard in the Generation of Miracles era" — was enough for Kota to take him seriously.
After all, aside from Akashi, Kota couldn't stand the idea of any other PG being ranked above him.
"Let's take it slow. First bucket's ours…"
Takao raised his hand, scanning the weak side. His teammates cut hard, pulling Kaijo's defense with them.
"Don't bite!"
Kota barked, immediately pulling Kaijo's PF back into position. His eyes stayed glued to Takao, lips curling in a sly smile.
"Come on, really? You're the "Hawk's Eye" and you think I'll fall for such obvious misdirection?"
Takao realized it too—this Kaijo wasn't going down easy.
He glanced at Midorima, clicking his tongue. If they leaned on Midorima from the start, the game wouldn't even make it to the fourth quarter.
By then, Shūtoku would be helpless lambs, waiting to be slaughtered.
"Miyaji!"
Takao called a play.
A pick-and-roll. Takao tried to penetrate—but Kota instantly slipped around the screen.
Miyaji's screen was textbook, but against Kota's basketball IQ, it crumbled instantly.
Kota reached in for a swipe—missed the ball—but stayed calm, tugging at his shorts and flashing Takao a huge grin.
Talent Activated:
Big Man Bully Playbook
Death Bind (Harassment version)
Pants-Up Defense
Target the Weakest Link.
Suddenly, Kota's defense cranked up two notches. To the crowd it looked the same, but Takao felt the pressure bearing down.
Forced to retreat, Takao's mind raced.
"This guy's defense… is insane?!"
"Midorima!"
Midorima tried to cut free, but Kise stepped in.
"Shin-chan! We haven't talked in ages and already you're ignoring me? That hurts, y'know."
Having spent too much time around Kota, Kise had picked up some of his trolling habits. With Kise sticking to Midorima and Kota hounding Takao, Shūtoku's offense ground to a halt.
Beeeep!
24-second violation.
Kaijo's ball.
Even the referee looked a little surprised—he couldn't remember the last time a game opened with a shot clock violation.
Takao stood frozen, bitter expression on his face, as the ref handed the ball to Kaijo.
Shūtoku was already at a disadvantage.