Bang...
A dull sound echoed across the court.
Kawata Mikio and Akagi Takenori's hands slapped the basketball at the same time with great force.
On the surface, it seemed that Kawata Mikio and Akagi Takenori were evenly matched, neither gaining the upper hand.
However, the next moment, everyone witnessed a shocking sight.
Kawata Mikio's hand was barely resisted, like a heavy hammer, forcefully pressing Akagi Takenori's hand down.
Boom...
A dull sound rang out. Though it was not loud, it seemed like a thunderclap in Shohoku's ears, crashing down with incredible force.
"Akagi actually lost this badly?" Kogure Kiminobu's eyes widened, his face filled with shock, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Ayako covered her mouth, her eyes wide open in disbelief, mumbling, "How strong must their power be? Captain Akagi couldn't even put up a fight."
Miyagi Ryota's expression turned serious, his gaze fixed on Kawata Mikio. He said in a low voice, "This guy isn't just tall."
On the court.
Kawata Mikio successfully secured possession of the ball.
The ball landed in Kawato Mikio's hands.
Rukawa Kaede quickly reacted, trying to intercept, but Kawato Mikio moved faster, swiftly passing the ball to Kawata Masashi.
Fukatsu Kazunari and Sawakita Eiji worked in perfect synchronization. They didn't participate in the team's offense but instead stuck to Kunisaku Aoi like two pieces of chewing gum, tightly restricting him to a small area, not letting him disturb the team's offensive rhythm.
Kawata Masashi caught the ball and without hesitation, threw the basketball high toward Shohoku's restricted area.
At that moment, a massive figure, like a beast, swiftly entered Shohoku's restricted area—it was Kawata Mikio.
Kawata Mikio looked up at the basketball coming his way, preparing to jump and catch it.
Sakuragi Hanamichi, seeing this, panicked and immediately rushed forward, trying to shove Kawata Mikio aside to take possession of the ball.
However, when his body collided with Kawata Mikio's, a massive force surged at him, knocking him back several steps as if he had been hit by a wave.
"Damn it! This guy..." Sakuragi Hanamichi cursed angrily in his mind.
At this moment, the basketball was already flying above Shohoku's restricted area.
Kawata Mikio stomped the ground and jumped, his movements seemed clumsy but were actually surprisingly agile.
Sakuragi Hanamichi, without thinking, jumped to grab the ball.
But in his urgency, he ended up colliding directly with Kawata Mikio.
As a result, his body slammed into the back of Kawata Mikio in midair.
Kawata Mikio, with his impressive mass, was barely affected, while Sakuragi Hanamichi was like hitting a solid wall, bouncing off and falling backward to the ground.
Meanwhile, Kawata Mikio securely grabbed the basketball, quickly turned, and dunked it forcefully into Shohoku's basket.
Clang...
The ball hit the rim with a loud, ear-piercing sound.
Thud...
The sound of Sakuragi Hanamichi falling to the ground almost coincided with the dunk.
Toot...
The referee's whistle sharply sounded, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Who committed the foul?
Everyone felt confused.
The referee quickly walked over, pointed at the fallen Sakuragi Hanamichi, and loudly announced, "Shohoku's number 10, charging foul, basket counts, one free throw."
Sakuragi Hanamichi, his face full of shame and anger, got up from the floor, gritted his teeth, and glared at Kawata Mikio, cursing, "That damn fat gorilla."
The Shohoku players all turned their gazes toward Kawata Mikio, their eyes filled with surprise and wariness.
This guy was not only ridiculously tall, but his size was beyond imagination, and...
They all subconsciously looked at the basket that was still swaying, buzzing with the impact of the dunk.
This guy's strength was not to be underestimated.
Next was the free throw.
Swish...
The crisp sound of the ball brushing the net echoed.
Kawata Mikio calmly sank the free throw.
Shohoku 53 vs. Sannoh Kogyo 52.
This scene made the Shohoku players furrow their brows.
This big guy even had good aim with his shots.
Akagi Takenori's expression turned serious, and with a determined gaze, he said to Sakuragi Hanamichi, "Sakuragi... his mass is heavier than yours. Don't try to compete with him in physical strength. Look at his size, he's certainly slower. Use your speed and agility to find a way to limit him."
"Hah? Don't just blame me!" Sakuragi Hanamichi raised an eyebrow, looking at Akagi Takenori, muttering defiantly, "Big gorilla, it seems you didn't have it easy either!"
Akagi Takenori's face darkened, and he snorted. "Do you know who you're talking to?"
The two's eyes locked, their expressions filled with unwavering determination.
The match continued.
Shohoku's possession.
Akagi Takenori and Sakuragi Hanamichi quickly moved into action, each focusing on Kawata Masashi and Kawata Mikio, ready to defend.
Mitsui Hisashi brought the ball swiftly to Sannoh's half-court.
He briefly glanced at Kunisaku Aoi, who was being double-teamed by Fukatsu Kazunari and Sawakita Eiji, realizing there was no opening. He then looked toward Rukawa Kaede, who was waving for the ball.
Rukawa Kaede had defenders near him.
At this moment, Rukawa Kaede was the only one open, presenting a perfect opportunity for a shot.
Mitsui Hisashi didn't hesitate for a second. He positioned himself right at the three-point line, raised his hand, and prepared to take the shot.
Kawata Mikio, seeing Mitsui Hisashi's move, immediately stepped forward and charged at him.
Sakuragi Hanamichi, seeing this, gritted his teeth and did everything he could to block Kawata Mikio.
However, the moment his body made contact with Kawata Mikio, it felt like being hit by a speeding truck. He staggered back several steps before falling straight to the ground.
"That fat gorilla..." Sakuragi Hanamichi fumed with rage, helplessly watching as Kawata Mikio charged toward Mitsui Hisashi.
Thud...
Thud...
Thud...
Accompanied by the heavy sound of footsteps, a tall, massive figure moved swiftly and positioned itself in front of Mitsui Hisashi.
Mitsui Hisashi, seeing the large figure suddenly appear before him, his pupils dilated in shock. 'How? Didn't Sakuragi block him?'
He glanced toward Sakuragi Hanamichi, who was sitting on the ground, gritting his teeth and glaring in this direction.
In that instant, Mitsui Hisashi seemed to understand what had happened.
But by now, his shooting motion could not be stopped.
Whoosh...
The basketball flew out of his hand, speeding toward the basket.
But in the next second...
Slap...
A strong hand ruthlessly slapped the ball he had just shot.
The basketball grazed Mitsui Hisashi's cheek, flying past him and landing behind him on the ground.
Boom...
Kawata Mikio landed a powerful block on Mitsui Hisashi's shot.
"Damn..." Mitsui Hisashi glared at Kawata Mikio, his mind in turmoil. 'This guy is so slow, but his speed is way faster than I thought.'
Kawata Mikio, with his usual innocent expression, spoke up, "You guys must think I'm slow, huh?"
"Huh?" Mitsui Hisashi raised an eyebrow, feeling like he was being mocked.
But seeing Kawata Mikio's natural, innocent look, Mitsui Hisashi couldn't help but question his own judgment.
Sannoh Kogyo's bench.
Domoto Goro silently thought, 'Sannoh's players won't leave a clear weakness for the opponents to exploit.'
Ichinokura Satoshi sneered, "If you think Kawata's slow, you're making a big mistake."
Matsui Shinichi added, "Shohoku's carelessness will cost them."
The basketball went out of bounds. According to the rules, it was now Shohoku's turn to inbound the ball.
Mitsui Hisashi regained possession. This time, he wasn't as reckless as last time.
Akagi Takenori, under the defense of Kawata Masashi, raised his hand, signaling for the ball.
Mitsui Hisashi, seeing this, didn't hesitate and threw the ball toward him.
Akagi Takenori caught the basketball steadily.
At this moment, he was facing away from Kawata Masashi.
His plan was simple: push Kawata Masashi away, then turn around and slam dunk.
The next second.
Akagi Takenori's eyes were sharp, his gaze locked on his target. His muscles tensed, like a volcano ready to erupt.
He focused all his strength and suddenly shoved backward.
Kawata Masashi, caught off guard by the sudden impact, was pushed back a step.
He was slightly surprised and showed a flicker of shock but quickly regained his balance, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and prepared to block Akagi Takenori.
However, at this moment, Akagi Takenori had already spun around, gripping the ball tightly, knees bent, ready to leap for the dunk.
But just at this critical moment, Sakuragi Hanamichi, trying to gain a better position, charged with all his might and collided with Kawata Mikio.
Kawata Mikio's massive body was pushed back by Sakuragi Hanamichi's force, stumbling backward, nearly falling to the ground.
Toot...
The referee decisively blew the whistle, pointing at Sakuragi Hanamichi, and loudly declared, "Shohoku's number 10, charging foul."
Akagi Takenori, who had been preparing to jump and dunk, heard the referee's decision and immediately scowled, veins popping on his forehead, angrily thinking, 'That damn guy.'
Mitsui Hisashi: "What the heck is that guy doing?"
Rukawa Kaede: "What an idiot."
Shohoku's bench.
Ayako looked at the notes in her hand, her face filled with worry. She anxiously said, "This is bad! Sakuragi already has three fouls."
Miyagi Ryota also couldn't help but curse Sakuragi Hanamichi in his heart, grumbling, "What the hell is he thinking?"
Kogure Kiminobu looked worried and helpless, saying, "Sakuragi's starting to be passive. What are we going to do now?"
"Don't panic," Shimizu Kanon quickly reassured, smiling confidently. "Sakuragi's foul was expected. As long as he's careful from here on, it'll be fine. The other guy, number 15, isn't too bright. As long as Sakuragi loosens up his defense, he won't get another foul."
"But if he loosens his defense, won't there be a problem?" Ayako asked, still worried. "That big guy seems pretty tough to deal with."
Shimizu Kanon smiled confidently, "Don't worry, everything is going as planned."