"Trust your teammates!"
Sakuragi stared blankly at Oliver, who stood in front of him with a calm expression. Oliver simply smiled and turned his attention back to the court. Sakuragi sat down again, a bit disappointed but slightly reassured.
Ryonan was undeniably strong and had been dominating the game so far, completely suppressing Shohoku's offense.
Up until now, Shohoku hadn't scored a single point.
But that didn't mean they were out of the game.
Basketball isn't a one-man show. From the players on the court and the substitutes waiting on the bench, to the coach's tactical decisions and even the manager's support—every part of the team works together to create opportunities. It's a game built on trust and synergy.
Coach Anzai had already laid out the strategies. They just needed to trust him and wait for the right moment to strike.
Most importantly, they had to believe in the teammates fighting on the court. They weren't fools—they would find a way to turn the tide.
And...
Oliver's eyes followed the movements of Kaede Rukawa and Akagi Takenori on the court. Based on his understanding of those two, Ryonan's aggressive playstyle would only fire them up more.
He was right.
Akagi and Rukawa exchanged a glance. No words were needed—the intensity in their eyes and the way they clenched their fists said everything.
"It's okay! Don't panic. Just stay calm and get that first basket!" Kogure raised his finger to comfort everyone. As the team's vice-captain, it was his job to lift their spirits.
"Yasuda!"
"!?"
Yasuda received the pass, but as he looked ahead, he was overwhelmed by the towering presence of Yuzumi and the agile Sendoh. The pressure was crushing.
"...Ruka!"
His field of vision was narrowing rapidly. Feeling suffocated, Yasuda hastily flung the ball toward Rukawa.
Bang!
"Ah!?"
The hesitant pass was neither fast nor accurate—it was intercepted easily by the Ryonan defense.
"Get back on defense!!"
The Shohoku players turned and sprinted toward their own basket as the Ryonan guard, a shaved-headed speedster, dashed past half-court and lobbed the ball in mid-air to the soaring Sendoh.
"He's going for an alley-oop!!" Ayako screamed in alarm.
Oliver's eyes narrowed. He recognized this play—just last night, he and Sendoh had pulled off a similar move during practice. There was no question about Sendoh's capabilities.
He must not be allowed to finish this dunk!
Swoosh!!
As the crowd held its breath, a figure burst into the air in front of Sendoh.
It was Kaede Rukawa!
"Oh?"
Still in the air, Sendoh raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"..."
Rukawa gave him a cold stare, snatched the ball mid-air, and stormed down the court in a lightning-quick counterattack. None of the Ryonan defenders could catch up.
"Whoa... what incredible speed!!"
Ryonan's bench and players were stunned.
"That's Kaede Rukawa, the super rookie everyone's talking about... I have to write this down!" Hikoichi eagerly jotted notes into his notebook.
In the stands, the Rukawa fan club—who had been downcast due to the score—suddenly erupted with renewed energy, chanting "Rukawa! Rukawa!" with infectious enthusiasm.
Haruko's face flushed with excitement as she watched Rukawa skillfully weave through the defense, heading straight for the basket.
But Sendoh wasn't done yet. With his astounding speed, he had caught up again despite the gap and was now right behind Rukawa.
"You're not scoring that easily!"
As Rukawa jumped for a layup, Sendoh leaped too, arms outstretched to block every possible path.
"..."
Expressionless, Rukawa kept his eyes on the rim—but at the last second, he flicked the ball to the left.
Thud!
Akagi caught it cleanly.
"!!"
Sendoh's eyes widened. This was the same move he'd pulled on Rukawa earlier in the game. Now, it was being used against him.
"What an interesting guy..."
He couldn't help but chuckle.
"Bang!!"
Akagi leapt and slammed the ball into the basket with tremendous force.
Shohoku had finally scored!!
"Woooooahhhh!! Gorilla dunk!!" Sakuragi shouted with excitement.
The rest of the team clenched their fists and cheered, only to quickly shut their mouths as Akagi's intimidating glare swept over them.
"Finally! Shohoku's monster has awakened! Let's go, Shohoku!!" Mito and his group from the stands erupted in support.
"That's Shohoku's captain, Akagi Takenori... What a commanding presence..." Hikoichi muttered, stunned by Akagi's dominance on the court. "No wonder Uozumi wants to defeat him so badly."
"Alright!! From here on out, it's our counterattack!" Akagi shouted, pumping his fist. The fire in the eyes of Shohoku's players ignited once more.
The game resumed.
"Yo!"
Ryonan inbounded the ball to their shaved-head guard, but Yasuda immediately stuck close to him, arms wide, forcing him to rethink his approach.
"This guy... He's moving so much smoother than before..."
His face no longer showed the unease it had earlier. Akagi's dunk had bolstered his confidence.
On Ryonan's bench, Coach Taoka frowned.
The momentum had shifted. That single basket—executed by Akagi and Rukawa—had revitalized Shohoku. Even the previously weaker defenders were stepping up their game now.
Coach Taoka's eyes landed on Kaede Rukawa, who was defending tightly on the perimeter.
"If we still see Shohoku as just Akagi's team, we're going to pay for it... huh!?"
Just then, Ikegami—cornered by Rukawa's tight defense—panicked as the shot clock ticked down and flung up a rushed layup.
"Idiot Ikegami! You can't force that!!" Coach Taoka barked from the sidelines.
Akagi had already read the play and was ready under the basket.
Bang!
As expected, the shot missed. Akagi leapt and grabbed the rebound with authority.
"Yasuda!!"
Akagi hurled a powerful long pass straight to the far end of the court, where Yasuda had already started running.
Thud!
With no defender close enough to challenge him, Yasuda didn't hesitate. He took three steps and laid it in.
Swish!
Two baskets in a row!
"Well done, Yasuda!!" Sakuragi jumped up, shouting in delight.
"Another one! Nice work!" Ayako and the others cheered loudly.
"I... I scored?" Yasuda blinked in disbelief. Akagi jogged over and gave him a hard slap on the back.
"Great shot! Go get another one!"
"Y-Yes!!"
The sting of Akagi's slap helped shake off the last of his nerves. Yasuda took a deep breath, and determination surged in his eyes.
"Hahahaha! This is getting interesting!"
Sendoh laughed, his gaze fixed on the reenergized Shohoku players.
"Looks like I'll have to get serious now…"
Beep!
The game resumed once more, and Ryonan inbounded to Sendoh.
"Sendoh—! Sendoh—! Sendoh—!"
The crowd roared in anticipation.
Sendoh dribbled casually, then suddenly accelerated—zooming past Rukawa in an instant.
"What!?"
Rukawa's eyes widened in shock. He didn't expect Sendoh's sudden burst of speed.
He pivoted to chase, but his path was cut off by a perfectly timed pick-and-roll.
"Damn…"
Rukawa cursed under his breath. He couldn't catch up in time.
"Stop him! Don't let him score!!"
Yasuda and Shiozaki jumped into Sendoh's path, forming a double-team. But Sendoh merely smiled, spun around them, and kept moving.
"Out of my way!"
"You're not getting past me!"
Akagi stepped up to defend—but Yuzumi's towering frame blocked Akagi's movement just enough to delay him.
Sendoh surged forward and took three confident strides.
Layup—scored!
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