Swish!
Midorima sank another three; this was the second three-pointer he hit in this match.
In front of him was an unwilling Taiga Kagami.
Shutoku's screen clusters made him lose his way; he couldn't catch up to Midorima no matter what.
Possessing unparalleled jumping ability, he had no place to use it.
"But he can do it!" Kagami's gaze involuntarily shifted to Yuuto again.
This King of Seiho displayed amazing off-ball pursuit ability against Shutoku.
Even Shutoku's continuous off-ball screen tactics couldn't stop him.
At that time, Yuuto was like a ghost; his ghostly footwork pierced through all tactics meticulously prepared by Nakatani.
And Yuuto?
His pupils lost focus again. His brain performed analysis and quickly issued instructions to his body, taking his ability a step further.
When he came back to his senses and noticed Kagami's gaze, he just smiled and said, "If your brain can't keep up, then try trusting your intuition."
Intuition!
Refers to Wildness?
Taiga Kagami suddenly saw the light.
Yes, since he didn't have Yuuto's basketball IQ and couldn't see through opponent tactics and positioning, he might as well imitate Aomine and leave it to his body's instincts to solve.
He had entered a cognitive error, always wanting to imitate Yuuto, thereby ignoring his own advantages.
This change was very effective.
In the next round, Taiga Kagami utilized the beast's instinct to bypass Shinsuke Kimura's screen in advance.
Although he still failed to stop Midorima from scoring in the end, the threat his pursuit brought to Midorima visibly increased.
"Very good, keep it up." Yuuto walked up and patted Kagami's shoulder.
This was what he wanted.
Let Kagami pressure Midorima, completing the correction for both Kagami and Midorima at once.
Yuuto could clearly feel his off-ball pursuit ability improving rapidly.
Including the other eight people on the court, and the tactics chosen by the two teams—all were deeply engraved in his mind and muscles.
"Amazing." Riko Aida saw clearly from the sideline.
Not just player ability, but also that invisible basketball IQ.
Just a few simple sentences enlightened Kagami.
And...
BOOM!
Kagami received Yuuto's pass and completed an alley-oop dunk.
"What was that?"
Midorima recalled the direct matchup just now. Yuuto, who was dribbling calmly, suddenly flicked his five fingers, and the basketball appeared near the rim like crossing space.
That wasn't a conventional pass; no wrist movement was seen. Everything seemed so weird.
It felt like Yuuto was dribbling and dribbling, and the ball flew into someone else's hands by itself.
Catching people off guard.
"Perfectly utilized Kagami's jumping ability, and... his understanding of Kagami is no less than mine." This was what Riko Aida saw.
She began to understand Momoi's words just now.
Yuuto would utilize all available conditions. In this process, the players playing around him would become better.
Kagami, Kuroko—both played in a state surpassing their original level for this match.
They looked so composed; scoring seemed so easy.
"Why do I feel the current Seirin is even harder to play than Seiho?" Kazunari Takao couldn't help but complain.
Why did a fish-belly team give them such great pressure?
Just because Yuuto joined?
Midorima remained silent upon hearing this.
The current Seirin was very, very strong.
Taiga Kagami possessing Generation of Miracles level potential, and the Phantom Sixth Man Kuroko Tetsuya.
Last year, Yuuto led a team with similar configuration to cut down the super Teiko.
It could be called the second coming of Hozumi Academy.
No.
It should be stronger than last year's Hozumi Academy.
Seirin's current inside line had one of the Five Uncrowned Kings, Teppei Kiyoshi, one of the best centers in the country.
Since the start of the match, his captain hadn't gained any advantage in the matchup against Teppei Kiyoshi.
Such a team would naturally be hard to play.
While speaking.
Yuuto coordinated with Kuroko again.
The two performed a simple pick-and-roll, letting Kuroko switch onto Midorima.
"Letting Kuroko match up against Midorima?"
"This is simply courting death."
This was the first thought in most people's minds, but they denied it immediately.
This wasn't courting death; Kuroko possessed the ability to pass people.
Midorima already realized something, but Yuuto violently intruded into his vision at this moment, making a gesture of catching and shooting.
The huge threat he carried made Midorima involuntarily shift his attention.
...
Then.
Kuroko seized the opportunity to sweep past Midorima's side.
Vanishing Drive!
"Kuroko!" When Midorima came back to his senses, Kuroko had disappeared from his sight.
He gritted his teeth secretly. Knowing he shouldn't, he just couldn't control himself.
"I see you. Don't think about passing, Little Lion of Okushirazome." Kazunari Takao immediately rotated into position.
His eyes could clearly discover Kuroko's existence.
"Shutoku's lineup actually has someone who can see Kuroko." Riko Aida habitually bit her thumb.
Undoubtedly.
The aces of their team were Kagami and Kuroko. If Kuroko was locked down, she couldn't predict the consequences, but it would definitely be troublesome.
But soon her expression became wonderful again.
She saw Yuuto outside the three-point line start again.
After a simple charge-up, he pierced straight into Shutoku's paint like a thunderbolt.
Almost simultaneously.
Kuroko's bounce pass arrived. A coordination like a 2-on-2 in soccer easily hit the ball into King Shutoku's danger zone.
Yuuto attracted the opponent's defense, then dished the ball. Teppei Kiyoshi scored a layup.
Fluid coordination. Midorima watched with his mouth agape.
So Kuroko could play like this too?
Such a thought involuntarily rose in his mind.
"Fortunately, Kuroko-kun didn't run to Seiho with Yu. Otherwise, I can't imagine the possibility of them losing." Momoi tapped her lips with a pen.
Yeah.
If Kuroko's partner were Yuuto, one wouldn't know how to lose.
Riko Aida expressed that her horizons were broadened.
Clearly the first time coordinating, yet Yuuto seemed to have played with Seirin for a long time. Within minutes on the court, he completely controlled the entire team.
Except for Izuki Shun, Kagami, Kuroko, and Teppei were all connected together.
How that Hozumi Academy managed to defeat Teiko last year was now visible from a glimpse.
Yuuto truly shone like the sun; as long as he stood on the court, he could always attract all gazes.
"Moreover, the match rhythm is too perfect. Didn't blindly use Kuroko's Misdirection, but used it occasionally. While maintaining the threat, it also prolonged the duration of Kuroko's Misdirection."
How can there be such a perfect player?
Riko Aida was envious, and her chest hurt, because her own ace was an idiot who only knew how to receive the ball!
...
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