Nango didn't want any more accidents in the game, so he suggested to Sakuragi,
"The guy guarding you is thin and weak. There's no need to shoot—just back him down directly. I'll keep feeding you the ball later."
Sakuragi's face lit up. This meant he'd be the offensive core for the next plays.
He grinned confidently. "No problem! That guy's no match for me. That was just an accident earlier, Nango, don't worry!"
Nango nodded and moved toward Seiji, who was handling the ball.
The Tsurumi Brothers stood side by side, with Seiji dribbling. Noticing Nango closing in to apply pressure, Seiji immediately passed to his younger brother, Keiji.
As they advanced the ball this way, Nango had no choice but to stay glued to Seiji, denying him any openings. Keiji, on the other hand, was left for the others to deal with.
Seiji wasn't stubborn about facing Nango head-on. Seeing no chance to score, he constantly ran around the court, setting screens for his teammates and pulling Nango along. His awareness showed he was a smart, team-oriented player.
With the Tsurumi Brothers organizing their offense, Mike became increasingly active off the ball. He moved back and forth across the court, constantly searching for open lanes.
This was frustrating for Rukawa, who hated defending off-ball players.
"Damn it," he muttered internally, "this guy's like an eel!"
Just as he was grumbling, Mike suddenly made a sharp back-cut toward the baseline, seemingly ready to drive again.
This time, Akagi was prepared. He boxed out Nadaka Hikaru behind him while keeping an eye on Mike's movement, ready to intercept.
But instead of passing to Mike, Keiji made a quick bounce pass to Nadaka Hikaru behind Akagi.
"Beautiful!" Ebina, watching from the bench, couldn't help but exclaim. Even he knew he couldn't have made a pass like that.
Nadaka Hikaru leapt up as soon as he caught the ball. "Great pass, Keiji!"
"No way you're dunking! Get down!" Sakuragi roared, launching himself skyward—his jump height surpassing Nadaka Hikaru's, who was seven centimeters taller.
Sakuragi's sudden help defense startled Nadaka Hikaru, but the latter reacted quickly. In midair, he whipped the ball toward Katsumi Ichiro, who caught it and released a quick mid-range jumper.
Swish! The ball went clean through the net, narrowing the gap to ten points.
Nadaka Hikaru wrapped his arms around Katsumi, ruffling his hair vigorously.
"Well done, Katsumi!"
"Let go! Don't touch my hair!" Katsumi struggled to break free, immediately fixing his hairstyle once he was released.
Their teammates exchanged glances, then chuckled knowingly.
Even though Tsurumi Seiji and Mike hadn't touched the ball in that possession, their presence stabilized Ryokufu's offense. The team's rhythm and morale gradually improved. The Tsurumi Brothers were truly their hidden ace.
"Well done! Keep erasing the deficit! Turn it around and win!"
Eri's excitement returned. Her lineup adjustment seemed to be paying off, and she was pleased.
Coach Ofune was also satisfied, though less optimistic. He believed Shohoku still hadn't shown their full strength.
"They really did get Ryokufu going…"
Nango's earlier prediction came true. Still, he didn't plan to crush them immediately. This was a rare opportunity to test and practice.
Ryokufu's current lineup—Tsurumi Brothers, Katsumi Ichiro, and Mike Okita—was a small-ball setup with one big and four small. They were flexible, fast, and unpredictable, putting Shohoku's defensive chemistry to the test.
Additionally, Mike's off-ball movement was proving a real challenge for Rukawa. For Nango, this was valuable experience for his teammates.
So instead of shutting them down outright, he decided to fight them head-on.
Nango dribbled up to organize the offense. He signaled for everyone to spread out, then passed the ball to Sakuragi.
Katsumi, who was naturally a perimeter player, lacked the strength to handle Sakuragi inside. Because of his aversion to contact, Sakuragi easily received the ball deep in the paint.
As soon as Sakuragi got it, he powered his way backward. Katsumi couldn't withstand his raw strength and stumbled backward. Sensing an opening, Sakuragi spun and banked the shot cleanly—just like in practice. Two easy points.
"Well done! Keep playing like that!" Nango clapped, encouraging him.
Sakuragi placed his hands on his hips and laughed proudly.
"Nango, just keep passing to me! I'll make every single one!"
"Tch. That red-haired guy's all brute force…" Katsumi muttered, rubbing his sore chest.
"Katsumi, don't let him get the ball so deep," Nadaka Hikaru advised. "Otherwise, I can't help you."
Before Katsumi could reply, Mike spoke up.
"I'll guard Sakuragi. Katsumi, take Rukawa. If that guy drives in, I'll help from the weak side."
Nadaka and Katsumi exchanged glances, then nodded. The earlier tension between them had disappeared.
As the saying goes—when things are going well, everyone's brothers; when they're not, everyone's a noob.
Ryokufu attacked again. This time, Keiji passed to Nadaka Hikaru, wanting to see how he fared against Akagi one-on-one.
Nadaka, a second-year, stood 195 cm and weighed 88 kg. Physically, he was one of the few players in the prefecture who could even compare to Akagi.
Akagi lowered his stance—one hand raised high, the other extended horizontally, covering both the shot and the drive. Combined with his stern face, his very presence was intimidating.
Nadaka decided to test his strength. He backed in hard after a few dribbles.
Solid as a rock! he thought, stunned. Even at seventy percent effort, he couldn't move Akagi an inch.
He didn't know Akagi had been training extra recently, preparing for possible matchups against stronger foreign players. He was in top form—physically and mentally.
The benefits of training weren't just in strength but in confidence. Those who trained hard often carried a certain aura—like they could punch through walls if they had to.
Akagi wasn't that extreme, but at this moment, he felt unstoppable. Even Uozumi couldn't push him back.
Realizing brute force wouldn't work, Nadaka turned to face the rim and tried driving through. The two collided shoulder-to-chest, and Nadaka forced a shot.
It was borderline a foul, but Akagi didn't flinch. He absorbed the contact and swatted the ball away in one clean motion.
What kind of monster is this guy?! Nadaka thought, wide-eyed. He even blocked that?
He had been the centerpiece of his team since his first year, dominating both ends of the court. Even if he couldn't take his previous school far in tournaments, he was always their ace. That was why he transferred to Ryokufu—a school full of strong players.
Yet, against this monster named Akagi, he couldn't even last a single possession.
For the first time in a long while, Nadaka Hikaru felt completely powerless.
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