The game between Seiyo and Meizawa continued in a tense rhythm.
After the opening exchanges, each side had scored once, and the match fell into a cycle of offense and defense.
Whenever Meizawa scored, Seiyo answered immediately.
Meizawa relied heavily on Sawakita Eiji, who repeatedly went one-on-one against Sendo, scoring with force and precision. Sendo tried to block him, but each time, Sawakita found a small opening, exploiting it with masterful skill.
Yet Seiyo's offense was equally unsettling for Meizawa.
Akashi's passes were silent but perfect, landing effortlessly in Sendo's hands. The duo's coordination left the Meizawa players chasing shadows, constantly a step behind. Even Sawakita, who guarded Sendo, began to frown in frustration.
By halftime, the scoreboard read:
Seiyo 48 — 48 Meizawa
Both sides had matched each other basket for basket, a stalemate forged by skill and strategy.
Sawakita's gaze lingered on Akashi as he walked off the court.
This kid… his passing alone is enough to throw us into chaos. And his ball-handling… as if the basketball is glued to his hands.
Sawakita remembered Sendo's warning.
"We lost to you last year, but this year it won't be easy."
A smirk tugged at Sawakita's lips. Looks like I'll have to give everything now.
Meizawa's coach, meanwhile, made a tactical adjustment, simple yet deadly: double-team Akashi and Sendo.
For Seiyo, this was catastrophic. Aside from Akashi and Sendo, the other three players—Kirihara, Kobayashi, and Yamamoto—were clearly outmatched. One Meizawa player could handle them easily.
Akashi had feared this scenario.
Beep… The second half began.
As expected, the Meizawa players immediately pressed, closing in on Akashi and Sendo.
"They've gone straight for the double-team," Akashi muttered under his breath.
It had been predictable. Seiyo's weaknesses were obvious, practically painted in neon for the opponent. If he were Meizawa's coach, he would have done the same.
The extra defenders immediately compressed Akashi and Sendo's operational space. Although Akashi's expression remained calm, a subtle pressure built in his chest.
Passing lanes to Sendo were cut off entirely. Akashi's options narrowed to the other three teammates.
He scanned forward, noting a possible route. Without turning his head, he flicked his arm. The ball vanished from his hands, appearing instead in Yamamoto Ryu's.
Yamamoto reacted instantly, dashing toward Meizawa's basket.
But at the three-point line, a huge hand swatted the ball away.
Slam.
The sound echoed sharply, reverberating in Yamamoto's chest. He froze in shock.
Before him stood the one Meizawa player who had not participated in the double-team.
How… is this possible?
He had thought the double-team was just theatrics. One Meizawa player versus three of them? That should have been manageable.
But reality hit like a hammer. The ball bounced to the approaching Meizawa point guard, who immediately passed it to Sawakita Eiji.
Sawakita didn't hesitate. Dodging past Sendo, aided by a teammate forming a blocking wall, he penetrated the Seiyo defense effortlessly. Only Kobayashi Koichi remained under the basket.
Sawakita glided past him, launched into the restricted area, and swish—the ball dropped cleanly through the hoop.
Seiyo 48 — 50 Meizawa
Akashi and Sendo exchanged a tense glance.
Their worst fear had arrived.
Possession returned to Seiyo. Akashi advanced, immediately double-teamed once more. He scanned the court, plotting passes, and skillfully sent the ball to Kirihara Hayato.
Kirihara accelerated toward the basket, but a figure closing from behind moved even faster. Glancing over his shoulder, he nearly lost control—the ball slipped from his hands.
Out of bounds.
Akashi's chest tightened with unease. Something felt… foreign.
Possession returned to Meizawa. Sawakita Eiji exploited the confusion, breezing past Seiyo's defense for another clean score.
The cycle repeated.
Akashi passed; Kirihara, Kobayashi, or Yamamoto tried to drive; each attempt was blocked, intercepted, or deflected. No progress was made.
Even Sendo felt the weight of Seiyo's faltering teamwork. Only he knew the frustration Akashi suppressed beneath his calm exterior.
If they had just moved together… if only they had passed once…
It was infuriating.
At that moment, deep within Akashi's mind, a familiar voice emerged.
"So, this is the result of trusting them? Foolish. Look at the score! Look at how time slips away! Relying on others is weakness—let me take over, and this game will be ours!"
Akashi's pupils constricted as he glimpsed the scoreboard:
Seiyo 48 — 60 Meizawa
A twelve-point gap. Not huge, but critical—the second half was already halfway gone.
If a solution wasn't found soon, defeat was inevitable.
Akashi's calm mask faltered slightly as he sensed the brewing storm. The finals were no longer just a test of skill—they were a test of will, and the first true crisis of the tournament had finally revealed itself.