Minami panted heavily and suggested, "We can't let them score that easily anymore. Number 5's performance seems average—let's leave him open for now."
Kishimoto glanced at Kogure and nodded. "That's all we can do. Yazakigyouhei, be ready to help on defense later. I can't hold him alone."
"I understand."
After suffering several consecutive setbacks, Toyotama's players huddled to discuss their defense. Their offense had improved somewhat in the second half, but the score gap barely changed.
They still couldn't break through Shohoku's paint. Relying solely on outside shooting was too dependent on their shooting rhythm, and under Shohoku's pressure, most of their shot selections were forced and off-balance.
Shohoku, in contrast, attacked with both inside and outside options, giving their offense depth and unpredictability. Each player possessed strong individual skills, and their fast, long-pass counterattacks were nearly impossible to predict.
At the top of the arc, Nango stood like a steady rivet anchoring the team's rhythm, while the rest of Shohoku's players constantly probed the defense, cutting toward the restricted area in search of openings.
The Toyotama defenders grew anxious, fearful that their mark would suddenly vanish from their sight.
Itakura crouched low, eyes locked tightly on Miyagi.
Miyagi, wearing a mischievous grin, teased, "Why are you staring at me like that? I'm not interested in you, you know."
The moment he finished, he burst into motion.
Itakura lunged to follow—only to realize it was a feint. As he tried to recover, Miyagi truly exploded into a cut toward the paint.
At the same time, Nango gestured subtly with his hands.
Yazakigyouhei, realizing the danger, abandoned Kogure to help. But before he could even take two steps—
"Damn it! A fake!" he shouted, watching helplessly as Nango whipped the ball to the now wide-open Kogure.
"Senpai, shoot!" Nango urged, worried Kogure might hesitate again.
"Huh? O-Okay…"
Kogure raised the ball, glasses flashing under the lights. He jumped lightly and released the shot.
The ball spun gently through the air—
"Swish!"
Nothing but net.
It was Kogure's first field goal of the game—and his first basket in the National Tournament.
"It went in?" Kogure blinked in disbelief, then broke into a wide grin. "I made it!"
"Good job, Glasses-bro!" Sakuragi cheered, immediately hugging him in excitement.
From across the court, Mitsui cupped his hands and shouted, "Nice shot, Kogure!"
"Kogure-senpai! Keep it up!"
"Senpai! That was amazing!"
"Glasses-bro! Go for it!"
Shohoku's bench erupted with cheers, and even the crowd joined in, proof of how beloved Kogure was.
"Senpai, it's all up to you now," Nango teased with a grin.
Kogure smiled, confidence swelling in his chest. I can do this! I'm not dragging the team down. I can help them too!
Toyotama quickly tried to exploit Kogure again on the defensive end, and Itakura managed to sink a mid-range jumper over him.
But this time, Kogure didn't waver. He ran back down the court, eyes sharp and focused, moving actively along the perimeter.
Then, in an instant—
Sakuragi cut sharply from the wing, leaving Kishimoto behind.
Nango spotted it immediately and sent a crisp pass his way. Sakuragi caught it, ready to score, forcing Minami and Yazakigyouhei to collapse toward him.
But instead of attacking, Sakuragi chuckled and tossed the ball back out to the perimeter.
"Go, Glasses-bro!" he shouted dramatically.
Kogure was moved. He knew Sakuragi had deliberately given him that chance.
He steadied himself, rose for the shot—
"Swish!"
Another perfect basket.
"Heh, even Sakuragi's feeding Kogure now," Nango muttered under his breath. "What's Toyotama even doing out there…"
But just as he grumbled, the rhythm of the game shifted completely. Seeing even "the weak one" sinking shot after shot broke Toyotama's spirit. Their fighting will crumbled as Shohoku's lead widened steadily.
"Beep!"
The referee's whistle signaled the end. He wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed in relief. "Phew… at least no fights this time."
"Yay! We did it!"
"One step closer to the national title!"
"Awesome! Long live Shohoku!"
Shohoku's bench players stormed the court, celebrating wildly.
On the opposite side, Toyotama's substitutes stood motionless, their eyes filled with disappointment.
With ten minutes remaining, Toyotama had already switched to their bench lineup—not because Coach Kinpei had ordered it, but because Minami and the others had decided to yield.
Shohoku followed suit, giving their own bench players some playing time.
Coach Kinpei remained seated, silent and motionless—as if locked in a contest of patience with Coach Anzai.
Eventually, he stood, dusted off his pants, and said quietly, "Let's go. Time to head back to the hotel."
The starting players didn't move.
He turned to leave alone—but stopped when he heard soft sobbing behind him.
"Waaah…"
Minami bent over, gripping his shorts tightly, tears streaming down his face and splashing on the floor.
Kishimoto soon followed, silently crying beside him. Itakura could only sigh heavily.
The top three scorers in Osaka hadn't even broken twenty points. Their hopes—to prove themselves on the national stage—had vanished with the final buzzer.
"Ah… they're still just kids after all," Coach Kinpei thought with a sigh, his earlier frustration melting into quiet forgiveness.
In the stands, Eri beamed with satisfaction. The stronger Shohoku and Nango performed, the more her decision to support them felt justified.
She turned to the girl beside her and smiled. "Little silly one! It's all thanks to you."
"Huh?" Kano blinked, tilting her head with a clueless yet adorable expression.
Back on the court, Akagi raised his hands, signaling the team to quiet down. His voice was calm, steady.
"Alright, that's enough. Let's go watch the other matches."
"Yes, sir!"
The players lined up neatly behind him.
At the front, Coach Anzai suddenly felt a gaze upon him. Turning slightly, he met eyes with a familiar figure in the stands.
"…Kitano?" he murmured.
From afar, Coach Kitano smiled faintly. "Anzai…"
Sakuragi noticed. "Old man, what's wrong?"
Anzai blinked, then smiled. "Nothing. Akagi, take the team ahead. I have something to attend to."
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