Chapter Five: Does What You Just Said Still Stand?
A fast break transition three-pointer!
Yagami Sorato's decision caught everyone completely off guard.
With only Kasamatsu Yukio chasing him back on defense, any normal player would have chosen the safer play—a layup or dunk.
After all, a missed shot basically meant surrendering possession.
"This kid..." Coach Taoka rose from his seat, then sat back down.
Putting it charitably, Yagami was supremely confident in his shooting ability. Less charitably—he was showboating!
Still, a make is a make!
After a moment of stunned silence, the sideline crowd erupted in cheers.
The second half of the second quarter had little to do with Yagami. With his tank empty, he honestly settled into the role of a spot-up shooter while Sendoh Akira naturally took over organizing Ryonan's offense.
Kaijo's players gradually found their rhythm. Just as Ryonan tried extending their lead, Kasamatsu stepped up with a clutch three-pointer to halt their momentum.
TWEET!
"End of the first half! Fifteen-minute break."
Ryonan 60 - 48 Kaijo
The gap stood at twelve points. From tip-off to halftime, Ryonan had controlled the game's tempo.
"Jin-senpai, why did we have to come watch this Kaijo versus Ryonan practice game anyway?"
On Ryonan's campus, two figures walked toward the gymnasium where the game was underway.
"We're not really here to scout Generation of Miracles intel, are we?" Kiyota Nobunaga, a first-year from Kanagawa's powerhouse Kainan High School, complained. "That guy from Tokyo can't be as good as the hype. He even said he wants to challenge Maki-senpai—I bet he's not even on my level."
"Coach Takeuchi's confidence must have good reason," Jin Soichiro said gently. "Besides, they've been crushing opponents by big margins in their recent practice games."
"That rookie Kise Ryota is definitely strong. I'm curious to see how he matches up against Sendoh."
"Jin-senpai is way too humble! You're Kainan's sharpshooter!" Kiyota said dismissively. "With you as the prefecture tournament's scoring champion and me as Kanagawa's top rookie in attendance, Kaijo and Ryonan should feel pretty honored!"
"Nobunaga, try not to be so loud at another school," Jin said helplessly.
"Ha ha ha, I get it, I get it," Kiyota laughed. "I'm just stating facts."
By the time they entered the gymnasium, the game had reached the final minute of the third quarter.
"See, Jin-senpai? Told you Kaijo's nothing to worry about." Kiyota glanced at the scoreboard with a smirk. "It's almost the end of the third quarter and Kaijo's still trailing."
"Can't even beat Ryonan, yet they want to challenge us at Kainan?"
"That's not right, Nobunaga." Jin stared at the court with confusion. "The atmosphere doesn't match a Ryonan lead at all."
In the second half, Coach Taoka kept Yagami benched, substituting in second-year Uekusa Tomoyuki instead.
The first half of the third quarter saw both teams trading baskets evenly. But in the second half, Kise Ryota seemed to evolve mid-game—his movements grew sharper and more explosive. Sendoh alone could no longer contain him.
SWISH!
Sendoh's shot dropped.
Ryonan 78 - 74 Kaijo
Kaijo inbound.
Kise pushed past half court. The other Kaijo players' positioning had drastically changed from the first half—they clustered on the left side of the court, leaving nearly half the floor open on the right.
"No screens at all? Just giving him an iso?" Jin's brow furrowed slightly.
The rest of Kaijo pulled Ryonan's defenders away, eliminating any help defense opportunities. Once Kise beat Sendoh, Uozumi would have to step out from the paint to contest, or the shot would be wide open.
But doing so would tear apart Ryonan's defensive scheme, giving Kaijo at least one or two open players.
"That's full ace treatment—complete trust. And they're giving it to a first-year."
Kise arrived at the top of the three-point arc, paying zero attention to his teammates' spacing. He didn't even glance at Kasamatsu.
His eyes saw only the basket, only the bucket!
Sendoh stood in front of Kise, expression cautious.
"I'm not passing," Kise said with a grin. "You can't stop me alone. Call that guy back—how long has he been resting anyway?"
Sendoh just shrugged noncommittally.
"Hmph."
Kise bent low, hands working the ball back and forth. The basketball stayed less than eight inches off the floor, the rhythm blindingly fast.
"Incredible ball-handling!" Kiyota, for all his bravado, watched the game intently.
Kise's core showed no telegraphing movement—only his hands' motion created mounting tension in the air.
Next second.
Kise exploded laterally to Sendoh's left, the movement massive and sudden.
"What a first step! He's getting past!" Kiyota exclaimed in surprise. Imagining himself in Sendoh's position, he realized he wouldn't even react in time!
Sendoh's feet danced with quick choppy steps, allowing lightning-fast defensive recovery.
"He stayed with him!"
BANG!
The ball pounded the floor and darted toward Sendoh's right. Kise stopped on a dime, then executed an exaggerated crossover!
"It was actually going right?!" Even Jin looked surprised.
Sendoh seemed to anticipate it—his raised foot immediately planted and exploded rightward.
"Great defense!"
After all that back-and-forth, Sendoh was still perfectly positioned in front of Kise.
"It's over."
BANG!
The ball returned to Kise's right hand. He leaned forward, pulled the ball to his side, then used Sendoh's body as a pivot point for a spin move—
A crossover into a spin move?!
"How is that even possible?" Kiyota stared in horror. Most players would get themselves dizzy attempting a sequence like that, let alone create a scoring opportunity.
Sendoh got completely turned around. Kise's speed didn't decrease one bit as he charged toward the paint.
Uozumi decisively abandoned Kobori and planted himself in Kise's path.
"The paint's open!"
At this point, Kise only needed to dump it off to Kobori on the left side of the restricted area for an easy bucket. But he didn't. Kise rose to challenge Uozumi directly.
"Too naive!"
Uozumi elevated, easily getting higher than Kise, his hand swinging down for the swat.
"You're the naive one."
Kise's eyes showed no emotion whatsoever. Just as Uozumi was about to block the ball, he yanked it back, then scooped it out from under Uozumi's arm.
A circus layup!
SWISH!
Bucket!
Ryonan 78 - 76 Kaijo
"That's just absurd..." Yagami muttered under his breath.
Sendoh's defense had been excellent, yet it remained helpless against this unreasonable attacking style.
Explosive first step, massive crossover, spin move, finished with an acrobatic layup.
As a high school freshman, Kise Ryota already possessed elite national-level offensive ability. That was why Kaijo treated him as their absolute ace from day one.
"He's a fellow first-year. What do you think of him?" Coach Taoka asked from beside him.
"He's strong," Yagami answered honestly.
And this was supposedly the weakest of the Generation of Miracles. Basketball really was fascinating!
"Still, I prefer your style of play on the court," Coach Taoka smiled. "On that last possession, I think a pass would've been the better choice."
"Many talented players focus too much on individual ability during their development. But if that's all they've got, Ryonan won't lose."
On the court, Uekusa brought the ball up. As he passed to Sendoh, Kise suddenly stripped the ball.
Ryonan scrambled back on defense but couldn't keep pace.
BOOM!
Kise finished the coast-to-coast drive with a thunderous dunk!
Ryonan 78 - 78 Kaijo
Game tied!
"Coach Taoka, does what you just said still stand?" Yagami asked quietly.
"Yes, yes!"
Coach Taoka wiped at nonexistent sweat on his forehead. "Ryonan won't lose."
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