"Is this step really that difficult?"
Yukio Kasamatsu asked as a bystander.
Looking down at the court from above, Seirin was just that one step away from completing a 3-man siege front and back.
At that time, even Yuuto would have to give up the ball.
"Yeah, very, very difficult." Kise shook his head. "Little Yuuto's game always gives people an illusion: as long as I advance even a step, I can 'approach' him."
"But when you take a step further, he silently takes a step forward too. Even today, I don't know if I have crossed that step."
This was a feeling of extreme despair.
Kise recalled the match last year.
He felt the same as the current Seirin players.
Feeling only one step away from Yuuto, but that one step—after a year, he didn't know if he could cross it.
"Hyuga!"
"Ah, paying them back a ball immediately."
Junpei Hyuga and Izuki Shun crossed half-court together.
Although not a critical moment ("clutch time"), Hyuga had already flipped his switch.
Dual Personality Shooter (Barrier Jumper switch).
Seirin's offensive.
Izuki Shun came to the top of the arc and called for a pick-and-roll as usual.
Positional warfare meant playing pick-and-roll to deal with Seiho's abnormal individual defense through screens—this was their strategy for this game.
Ryuhei Kasuga was simply annoyed to death by such screens.
But they played a 2-1-2 zone defense; everyone had their own defensive area and wouldn't leave easily.
Although Iwamura and Tsugawa were Seiho's interior and perimeter defensive gates.
But they knew clearly that Seiho's defensive core was actually Yuuto.
When he completed a certain degree of correction and his help defense ability was displayed...
That would be when the power of Seiho's formation was unleashed.
Now.
He could only deal with Seirin's double screen alone.
"Don't look down on people, Seirin!"
Kasuga roared. After being hung up by Mitobe, he immediately started to turn, hands moving quickly with his body's center of gravity to chase Izuki Shun.
"This guy!" Izuki Shun was really shocked.
The defensive tenacity of these Seiho players, and the mobility brought by the Namba Run, were truly incredibly tricky.
But they still had Kuroko.
Seeing Kasuga about to catch up, he shifted his viewpoint in his brain and found Kuroko's position.
Whoosh~
He threw the ball forcefully toward Tomoki Tsugawa's direction with both hands.
The latter let out an "Eh?" of confusion, failing to notice Junpei Hyuga behind him had already started running.
When Tsugawa foolishly waited for the basketball to fly over and reached out to catch it, the basketball suddenly "jumped" in front of him, leaping over his head.
He froze immediately. "This..."
Junpei Hyuga caught the ball; open three-pointer, hand raised, blade dropped.
Swish!
Ball in!
"Didn't! You! Just! Say! You wouldn't let anyone score more than 10 points? First-year?!"
Hyuga hit the three-pointer, staring viciously at Tsugawa.
Also a Dual Personality Shooter talent, but when Hyuga activated it, he was much more violent than usual, completely different from Yuuto.
And Yuuto.
He had shifted his viewpoint in his mind long ago, watching the entire process of Seirin's attack.
At this moment, he was analyzing Seirin's entire offense.
Setting aside the choice of Junpei Hyuga, Kuroko had two other choices just now.
Cutting Kagami, rolling Izuki.
3 choices. What Yuuto needed to do now was use elimination to make the correct judgment.
Recalling Kuroko's playing habits, the ability values corresponding to Izuki and Kagami...
[Weakness]
[Correction]
Yuuto exhaled, calling his unwilling teammates back to the game.
2:7!
Falling behind in the score wasn't fatal; they had plenty of time to rewrite it.
What made Seiho unwilling was that their proud defense line was torn open so easily.
"These guys, each one is a monster."
People qualified to go with Yuuto to overturn Teiko certainly wouldn't be simple.
But Kuroko's method was truly impossible to defend against.
Again, monsters are only surrounded by monsters, even if just a small monster.
Seiho's offensive possession.
Seirin still focused on marking Yuuto; Izuki Shun's gaze was constantly looking in Yuuto's direction.
Terrible!
Being looked down upon by Yuuto in the basketball club before was one thing, but what do you, an Izuki Shun, count as?
Ryuhei Kasuga suddenly lowered his center of gravity, a fake pass into a drive, running quickly past Izuki Shun's side.
Before Yuuto came, he was Seiho's number one scorer!
Izuki Shun reacted; his Eagle Eye clearly captured Kasuga's action, but his Eagle Spear hadn't been developed yet.
Having the heart to chase, Seiho's eerie steps and stronger mobility made him unable to catch up.
Seeing this, Kagami wanted to return to defense, but noticed Yuuto's body happened to move a bit...
This move directly made Kagami stop. Kasuga subsequently killed into the basket and scored with his signature low layup.
4:7!
"We are Seiho! Remember that, Seirin!"
A bunch of people all ran to stare at a first-year; what did they take them for?
In the north stands, Seiho fans cooperated with a roar.
The sound tore through the air, drilling into Seirin's eardrums pervasively, making them understand that leaving other Seiho players alone would also lead to a dead end.
Kagami just looked aggrievedly at Yuuto, who shook once and then stopped moving.
Completely played!
Transition of possession.
Izuki Shun planned to do the same.
Their individual ability wasn't enough to tear open Seiho's formidable defense alone.
Calling for screens became the most effective means to disintegrate enemy defense.
Kasuga stubbornly bypassed the screen to continue chasing. Izuki Shun found Kuroko's position and smashed the ball out with both hands.
At the same time.
Kagami and Hyuga moved simultaneously, running toward positions most advantageous to them.
They believed.
Kuroko's pass could pass through layers of defense to arrive in front of them.
In fact.
Kuroko indeed found it, appearing on the flight path of the basketball, abruptly striking to change direction.
Still Junpei Hyuga; his condition was hot now.
But Izuki Shun suddenly froze for a moment, seeing a finger swinging out in his vision.
Looking up, it was Yuuto's finger.
His face was calm, terrifyingly composed.
The moment he passed the ball, the finger had already pointed out.
And that position.
Was exactly the best open spot his captain Junpei Hyuga found.
"Could it be..."
He immediately shifted his viewpoint in his brain. He saw that flat-top Tsugawa following closely behind Hyuga like a vengeful ghost.
Screech~
Sneakers rubbed against the floor making a piercing sound. Hyuga stopped to catch the ball, and Tsugawa's hellish smile appeared impressively in front of him.
"Oh, your off-ball movement is really amazing; almost got shaken off with a slight distraction."
"But how did Yuuto predict it? Really want to know; must ask properly after the game ends."
"Eh? Are you not going to shoot?"
Tsugawa muttered to himself like a neurotic.
At this moment, Junpei Hyuga's expression had become very ugly.
You're stuck to my face, how the hell am I supposed to shoot?
...
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