Coach Maeda glanced at the scoreboard, a faint sheen of sweat tracing her temples.
Should I call a timeout? The thought pressed quietly at the back of her mind.
Only three minutes left. The clock's digits blinked steadily.
She drew in a slow breath and folded her arms across her chest. I'll just let it play out for now.
Her eyes narrowed toward the court as the squeak of sneakers echoed through the gym.
Haruko's voice cut through the sharp squeak of sneakers from near the free-throw line.
"Inbound the ball to me!"
The sound carried cleanly across the court, firm and unwavering amid the steady rhythm of movement.
Kazue reacted without hesitation. The ball left her fingertips with a soft smack as it met Haruko's palms.
Haruko lowered her stance and began to dribble up the court. The ball bounced in steady rhythm against the polished floor while her eyes moved quickly, scanning the positions ahead.
As Haruko neared the three-point line, Tatsuki closed the distance, a faint smirk touching her lips.
You're the one holding them together… how about I teach you a lesson.
Haruko's eyes flicked toward Kotone. Kotone gave a small nod in return, her stance firm.
"Screen on your left," Chizuru's voice cut in, low and even.
Tatsuki stepped forward—but her shoulder collided hard with Kotone's solid frame. The impact sent her stumbling back, landing on the floor with a sharp thud.
Before Haruko could advance, Chizuru moved swiftly, switching places with Tatsuki and planting herself squarely in Haruko's path. The space between them drew tight, charged with focus.
Haruko's breath caught for a moment, her body tensing. Instinct took over.
She switched the ball between her legs in one smooth motion, the sound of the bounce snapping sharply against the floor. Her body cut hard to the right.
Chizuru turned to follow, shoes squealing against the wood, but her balance slipped a half-second behind the move.
She's quick… The thought ran through Chizuru's mind as she twisted her hips, her breath tightening. Strands of her hair whipped to the side with the motion, brushing against her cheek as she pushed to close the gap.
Haruko drove hard into the paint, each step echoing across the court. As she neared the basket, she planted her foot and faked sharply to the right. The defender shifted with her, caught by the motion.
In one smooth turn, Haruko pivoted and cut left, her body flowing into a clean euro step. Her left foot landed solid on the wood, her right pushing off with force.
The ball left her fingertips in a controlled release, brushed the backboard, and slipped cleanly through the net.
That hurt. Tatsuki winced as she pushed herself up from the floor, brushing dust from her palms.
Kotone glanced over her shoulder, a teasing grin spreading across her face. "Watch where you're going. You might get hurt, kay?"
Her tone was light as she jogged back on defense, ponytail swaying behind her.
Tatsuki's jaw tightened. She'll pay for that, she thought, fingers curling into a fist.
"That was amazing, Haruko!" Sayaka's voice echoed softly across the court, her eyes shining as she looked toward her captain.
At the sideline, Coach Yamaoka stood still with the whistle near her lips. That was a euro step… she did it so cleanly just now. Where did that girl learn something like that?
On the next possession, Tatsuki set a firm screen against Suzume, her shoes scraping lightly on the floor.
Chizuru slipped behind it with steady rhythm and rose into her shot. The ball lifted high into the air, spinning as it reached its peak, then dropped cleanly through the net.
Hachioji's benched players murmured, stirred by her precision.
As the last seconds of the quarter slipped away, Suzume moved past her defender with a quick step, the sound of the dribble sharp and steady.
Her stance tightened, shoulders squared. The ball left her hands in a clean release and traced a smooth line through the air. It swished through the net just as Coach Yamaoka's whistle pierced the noise.
The referee's voice followed, calm and clear. "Basket counts."
The scoreboard light blinked once. Hachioji 11–Misono 16.
"That's the end of the first quarter."
Players began moving toward their benches, breaths heavy, the air thick with the warmth of effort.
"That Chizuru girl is something else," Sayaka murmured, wiping the sweat from her brow before lifting her bottle for a quick drink.
"Yes, she's already scored fourteen points for her team, and most of them were from three-pointers," Suzume replied, her voice steady as she rested the towel around her neck. "If we want to win, we have to stop her first."
Kotone smacked Suzume lightly on the back. "Look at you, staying all calm after that buzzer beater you scored."
Suzume rubbed the spot where she was hit. "Can you not do that."
Kotone puffed her cheeks and adjusted her ponytail, her eyes narrowing in mock irritation. "Don't hog all the fun. You should pass the ball to me more. I'm getting bored of just setting screens."
"You're right about that, Suzume. Stopping Chizuru is the key to winning this game."
Coach Maeda spoke after a brief word with Yamaoka, her arms folding across her chest as she approached the bench. Her gaze swept over the players, calm but firm.
"We'll double-team her for the rest of the game."
"That won't be necessary, Coach. I can guard her alone."
Haruko wiped her arms with a towel, her voice even. When she looked up, her eyes met Maeda's without hesitation.
Maeda's brows drew together slightly. "Are you sure about this, Haruko?"
"Yes. I have found a flaw in how they play. It is true Chizuru is an excellent player, but guarding her is not as difficult as it looks."
Haruko rose from her seat, her voice steady. She turned toward Sayaka.
"Also, Sayaka, when I tell you to run, please just run. We will catch up to them."
"Yes, you got it, Haruko!" Sayaka answered with a small smile, her voice bright as she bounced lightly on her toes.
Yamaoka blew the whistle, and the second quarter began.
Chizuru received the ball and dribbled up the court with casual confidence. The soles of her shoes slapped lightly against the hardwood with every quick step.
Haruko was waiting, positioned squarely in front of her with knees bent and arms low.
She seemed like their best player.
Chizuru's lips curled into a confident smirk as she steadied her stance. The sound of sneakers squeaked faintly against the court as she went for a behind-the-back move, her focus sharp.
But before her hand could return to the ball, Haruko's body shifted—swift, precise.
A sharp slap echoed. The ball popped free and rolled away behind Chizuru, bouncing once before slowing near the sideline.
No way—how did she…?
Chizuru froze, her breath catching as disbelief flashed across her face.
Haruko's voice cut through the noise, sharp and urgent. "Sayaka, run!"
Her shoes scraped against the floor as she scooped up the loose ball in one motion, the thud of it meeting her palms quick and sure, then sent it flying down the court.
Sayaka pushed off hard, her sneakers screeching against the floor as she shot forward. She caught the pass cleanly, her body flowing with the motion, and lifted the ball to the glass. A soft thump, then a light drop through the net.
"Nice one, Sayaka!" Kazue's voice carried over the sudden wave of cheers, bright and full of energy.
Tatsuki exhaled through her nose, arms crossed, her eyes narrowing at Haruko. Her tone came out low and tight. "That was just a fluke. There's... No way these losers can stop her."
When Chizuru came at her again, Haruko moved in step, her shoes sliding with sharp, controlled rhythm. Their feet mirrored each other's motion, bodies shifting in perfect balance. Each time Chizuru twisted for space, Haruko was already there—breathing steady, a faint tremor in her shoulders from the effort.
I can't get past her… she's so intense.
"Chizuru, pass!" a teammate called out, voice edged with urgency.
Chizuru's fingers tightened around the ball as she turned to throw, but before the motion completed, a sudden pressure hit her arm. The ball snapped free—Haruko had taken it clean.
"Sayaka!" Haruko's voice rang out, quick and clear.
"I'm on it, Haruko!" Sayaka answered without hesitation, her tone bright and focused.
She caught the pass mid-stride, body flowing into the movement, and drove straight to the rim for the finish.
"Nice one," Haruko said, her voice light with satisfaction as their palms met in a crisp high-five. A small smile lingered on her face, breath still quick from the play.
"Chizuru, change your offense a little. Don't play only by yourself. Their defense already adjusts to you, so try to share the ball more."
Yamaoka's whistle rested against her chin as she spoke, her tone calm but firm. Even while standing at center court, her eyes followed the movement closely, her posture showing quiet authority.
Chizuru followed the instruction on the next play, her movements more composed this time. She drew the defense in, then passed the ball out to Tatsuki, who slipped through the open lane and laid it in cleanly, the ball touching the glass before dropping through.
Back on offense, Suzume bent her knees slightly and slipped a quick pass into Kotone waiting in the paint. Kotone turned, her movement steady and sure, and used her height to finish cleanly at the rim.
Without delay, Misono retrieved the ball and inbounded it. Chizuru caught it on the move, her steps light and fast as she drove through the defense. She slipped the ball to a teammate cutting in, and the layup dropped in smoothly.
Haruko steadied herself just beyond the arc, eyes fixed on the basket. With a quick lift of her arm and a clean flick of her wrist, the ball arced high and slipped through the net with a crisp snap.
The game's rhythm quickened, the air filled with the sound of shoes scraping and short breaths.
Chizuru pushed forward again, but Haruko stepped in sharply, cutting off her path. Her hand darted out, and the ball was gone—snatched clean.
She sent it ahead to Kazue, who dashed in from the side and finished with a firm layup off the glass.
On the next play, Chizuru stepped forward beyond the line, raised her arms, and released a smooth three-pointer. The ball traced a clean arc and slipped through the net with a sharp swish.
Hachioji answered right away. Sayaka sprinted down the lane, her footsteps quick and light, and finished another fast break layup.
Misono struck back with a short jump shot in the paint, the ball bouncing once against the rim before dropping through.
Kazue stayed composed. She planted her feet, set a solid screen for Haruko, then cut sharply toward the basket. Haruko's pass met her stride perfectly, and Kazue laid it in clean.
Haruko drew in a short breath, her tone calm as she spoke. "We must stop them this time if we want to win."
Kazue wiped the sweat from her brow, her voice bright with energy. "You heard the captain. Let's go!"
From the bench, the first-years began their chant—"Defense! Defense!"—their voices mixing with the sharp rhythm of sneakers that filled the gym.
As Chizuru caught the inbound pass, she slowed her steps and scanned the floor, eyes shifting between her teammates and the defenders closing in.
To be honest, I didn't expect them to be this good… not from the data I gathered last year. They're stronger than before. I have to widen the lead.
Her focus tightened. The moment she crossed the line, she rose for a three. But Haruko burst forward, her hand stretching high—just enough to brush the ball at its peak.
Chizuru's balance faltered, her jaw tightening. "No… she broke my rhythm! Rebound!"
"Rebound, Kotone!" Haruko's voice cut sharply through the noise.
Kotone let out a small sigh, her brows knitting. "Alright, alright, Haruko… no need to shout like that," she murmured, voice low as she pulled down the rebound and held the ball close against her chest.
Without wasting a moment, she pushed the pass out to Haruko, who was already in motion—her steps quick and sure as she sprinted down the court in a blur of movement.
Chizuru sprinted back, her breaths short and uneven, eyes fixed on Haruko's movements.
Haruko felt the pressure behind her, her pace steady as she switched hands, crossed the ball between her legs, then stepped back in one smooth motion.
She lifted into her shot—the arc tight and clean. The ball slipped through the net with a sharp swish.
"Nice one, Haruko!" Sayaka beamed, raising her hand for a high-five.
Kazue gave a short nod, a faint smile forming. "Captain, that was really good. You're something else."
Could it be… this girl is stronger than me?
It really seems that way.
On the next possession, Haruko's hand darted out again, clean and fast, stealing the ball from Chizuru's grip.
She turned sharply and sent it ahead to Kazue, who finished the layup without hesitation.
Misono tried to strike back with a quick drive, but Kotone stepped in, body firm and steady.
The sound of her palm meeting the ball cracked through the gym as she blocked it off the glass, then gathered it cleanly.
She pushed the ball forward to Sayaka, who raced ahead and scored once more.
Though their opponents answered with a layup of their own, Hachioji didn't lose rhythm.
Suzume caught the ball on the wing and rose for a jumper—the shot snapped through the net with a crisp thwap.
Time moved fast.
On their final possession of the quarter, Haruko faced her defender, eyes calm. She took one step in, stopped, and lifted for a short two.
The ball dropped through just as the whistle echoed to end the third quarter.