"Beep!!"
The referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the highly anticipated match, and tossed the ball high into the air. The captains of both teams leaped into the air, their eyes locked on the ball, each determined to secure the first possession.
"I've got this one!!"
Bang!
A loud slap echoed as the ball was struck.
Akagi, Shohoku's powerhouse center with national-level strength, soared above the court and tipped the ball over the towering Yuzumi. Though Yuzumi stood over two meters tall, Akagi still managed to outjump him—albeit by a narrow margin.
Yasuda caught the tip and immediately drove the ball toward Ryonan's half.
"Ooooh! Shohoku gets the first ball!!"
The Shohoku bench erupted in cheers, with the newer team members clapping and shouting excitedly. But the more experienced players didn't share the same enthusiasm. They sat in silence, brows furrowed, their expressions serious.
"What's wrong? We got the ball! Why do you all look so grim?"
Sakuragi, always animated, jumped from the bench in confusion. He glanced at Kakuta, who stood beside him with a concerned look.
"The jump ball was almost even… That's not like Captain Akagi," Kakuta replied, brows knit in worry. "Last year, he would've taken that jump ball without contest. But just now, it was way too close."
"You mean... this year's 'Fish' is different from before?"
On the court, Yuzumi landed with a thunderous thud and let out a roar that reverberated across the stadium. His fierce presence momentarily froze the Shohoku players in place.
"Let's go——! Shohoku!!"
Without losing momentum, Yuzumi spun around and charged toward Yasuda, who was still handling the ball. His sheer size and force caused Yasuda to panic, disrupting his dribbling rhythm.
Pop!
The ball was snatched away in an instant by a clean-shaven Ryonan player.
"…So fast!!" Yasuda gasped and immediately gave chase.
"Nice steal, Uekusa-senpai!!"
Cheers erupted from the Ryonan bench as their supporters celebrated the turnover.
"Damn it! Why won't Coach let me play? Isn't now a critical moment?"
Sakuragi was pacing restlessly and even patted Coach Anzai's chin in frustration. But the wise old coach remained calm, his signature smile never fading.
On the opposite side, Coach Taoka of Ryonan had his arms crossed, eyes carefully analyzing Shohoku's current formation.
"Hmm... Shohoku's guard lineup is definitely a weak link," he muttered. "Even if Kaede Rukawa is playing, he's still just a freshman. And for some reason, Oliver isn't playing either... Looks like Akagi is once again carrying the team alone."
Taoka smirked inwardly and glanced over at Coach Anzai.
"Heh… Sorry, Coach Anzai. But this year too, the victory will be ours. Shohoku will fall to us once again, and with their help, we'll step into the national competition!!"
"OH OH—!!"
The crowd roared.
On the court, Uekusa quickly passed the ball to Sendoh. As he received it, Kaede Rukawa instantly stepped forward and blocked his path.
Sendoh vs Rukawa.
It was like the air itself had become electric, filled with the tension of a looming showdown.
"..."
Rukawa spread his arms wide, his sharp eyes never leaving Sendoh. He was silently telling him: You won't get past me.
But could he really stop Sendoh?
Sendoh raised an eyebrow slightly. Without even glancing to the side, he casually tossed the ball to his right. A Ryonan teammate was already positioned there and caught it effortlessly. In one smooth motion, he rose into the air and took the shot.
Swish!
Perfect shot. The ball glided cleanly through the net. Ryonan scored the first points of the game!
"Sendoh! Sendoh! Sendoh!!"
The stadium exploded with cheers and chants.
"Beautiful assist, Sendoh-senpai!!"
From the Ryonan bench, Hikoichi and the others shouted excitedly.
"Ahhh! Sendoh-san!!"
In the stands, Yayoi shrieked in delight. She even snatched Nakamura's camera and began taking rapid shots of her idol.
"What the heck? It's just one goal. Why is everyone going crazy over it?"
Mito, seated nearby, looked puzzled. He didn't know much about basketball, but even he understood that scoring was normal in a game. There was no reason to make such a big deal out of one shot.
"Yeah, and every time Ryonan's No. 7 touches the ball, people get worked up. What's the deal?" Takamiya, Ohkusu, and Noma added, equally confused.
Chika, sitting calmly beside them, gave a small sigh.
"…Because that's Akira Sendoh from Ryonan High School."
"You know him?" Mito turned to her, surprised.
"Anyone who follows basketball in Kanagawa knows Sendoh. His skills are top-notch, and his individual ability is off the charts. He's considered one of the best players in the entire prefecture," Chika explained.
Haruko nodded in agreement. "Not only that. Last year, we faced Ryonan twice—and both times, we were completely crushed."
"In one of those games, Sendoh scored 41 points by himself. And he was only a freshman then! Now he's even stronger."
"Even my overly critical brother praised him after the match. That alone says a lot about how amazing he is!"
Back on the court, it was Shohoku's ball again.
Shiozaki passed it inside to Akagi, who took position under the basket and attempted a layup.
"Let's go, Akagi!! You won't score that easily!!"
But Akagi was in a tough position. Yuzumi was glued to him, his massive frame and intense energy making it hard for Akagi to get a clean shot.
"Kogure!"
Seeing his teammate open near the free-throw line, Akagi quickly passed the ball out.
"Nice pass!"
Kogure caught the ball and immediately jumped to shoot.
"Uoooooohhhh!!"
Just as he released the shot, a giant figure soared up in front of him.
Yuzumi.
Like a looming mountain, Yuzumi blocked every possible angle.
"What!?"
Kogure's eyes widened, but it was too late.
Bang!!
A clean block! The ball slammed into the court and bounced high into the air.
"I told you!! I won't let you score!!"
"Nice block!!"
Ryonan's bench erupted in cheers again.
"Wait! The ball's still live!"
Hikoichi yelled quickly. But Rukawa was already ahead of him, leaping forward and grabbing the bouncing ball.
Without hesitation, he jumped and shot in one fluid motion.
Bang!
Yuzumi hadn't dropped his guard at all. He lunged diagonally to his right and blocked Rukawa's shot again.
"Amazing!! He's defending everything!!"
Hikoichi stared in disbelief.
"There's still a chance!"
Determined not to waste the opportunity, Yasuda dashed forward, picked up the ball, and hurled it towards Akagi, who had remained inside the paint.
"Nice pass!"
Akagi caught the ball firmly, squared up, and jumped to shoot again.
"Akagi!!!"
But Yuzumi wasn't done.
Running back at full speed, he timed his jump perfectly and met Akagi in the air.
Bang!!!
Another thunderous block!
"What!?"
The entire gymnasium froze for a moment.
Even Oliver, who had been quietly watching from the Shohoku bench, furrowed his brows.
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