Chapter Thirty-Five: No-Fly Zone?
The second quarter officially began as both teams returned to the court.
Yosen continued with their first quarter starting lineup, while Ryonan made significant adjustments.
Yagami Sorato would handle the ball and organize the offense. Uekusa Tomoyuki and Ikegami Ryoji came out, replaced by Aida Hikoichi and Fukuda Kicchou.
"Hmm?" Okamura Kenichi couldn't help grinning after seeing Ryonan's lineup, muttering: "Why'd they sub in a little kid? Are they giving up already?"
"Hey now, don't underestimate opponents based on height alone." Point guard Fukui Kensuke calmly reminded him. "That kind of thinking is exactly why people think you big guys are arrogant."
Though he said this, Fukui genuinely couldn't see anything noteworthy about this newly subbed-in undersized number 12.
Yosen's objective was crystal clear: maintain the momentum from their late first quarter comeback and finish the game decisively before halftime!
Ryonan's offensive possession.
Yagami Sorato steadily dribbled across halfcourt.
Though he'd switched to the point guard position, Himuro Tatsuya remained glued to him, considering him his primary defensive assignment.
Ryonan's players quickly set up in a "four-out, one-in" offensive formation—Uozumi Jun alone in the paint battling Murasakibara Atsushi for position, while the other four spread evenly around the perimeter, constantly cutting and moving to stretch Yosen's defense.
The basketball moved quickly yet patiently between Yagami Sorato, Sendoh Akira, and Fukuda Kicchou. The tempo remained unhurried, seemingly just burning clock with no shooting opportunity materializing.
"Why not just shoot?" Himuro didn't rush to pressure. His defensive strategy was clear—simply contest when Yagami shot. "Are you starting to worry... you'll miss?"
He continued applying pressure: "Makes sense, though. After all, you can't grab any rebounds under the basket."
The instant his words finished, Yagami faked a pass. The basketball hit the floor, threading precisely into the paint!
At that exact moment, Fukuda Kicchou, lurking on the wing, explosively accelerated on a backdoor cut, slashing straight into the belly of the paint!
"Just as I thought," Himuro showed no surprise. "Too naive. The paint is Atsushi's absolute domain!"
Under the basket, Murasakibara used agility completely inconsistent with his massive frame to slide one step laterally, instantly blocking Fukuda's driving lane. Okamura Kenichi, trailing Fukuda, switched seamlessly to cut off Uozumi Jun's follow-up position.
During the first quarter, Coach Taoka had asked Fukuda whether he felt confident breaking through Murasakibara's defense.
"Probably... can't do it..." That had been his answer, though internally he'd felt somewhat defiant.
Not until this moment of directly facing Murasakibara did Fukuda truly experience that suffocating pressure.
He finally understood why Sendoh and Yagami had abandoned attempts to attack the paint in the first quarter—with such terrifying height and strength while also possessing this mobility, defeating him one-on-one in the paint was simply impossible!
So—
The instant Murasakibara's weight shifted completely toward him, Fukuda didn't hesitate, quickly kicking the ball out! He wasn't skilled at passing ordinarily. That seemingly meaningless perimeter ball movement earlier had been careful groundwork laid for precisely this moment!
The second the basketball left Fukuda's hands, Yagami suddenly exploded, shaking Himuro by half a step and cutting into the paint!
Himuro reacted instantly, immediately pressing with his body, cutting off the right side and forcibly slowing Yagami's penetration.
Yagami caught the pass in the paint without any adjustment, immediately launching himself skyward! However, just as he jumped, Murasakibara's massive figure somehow covered him again, blocking his shooting space!
"Swoosh!"
The basketball transferred again. Sendoh Akira drove from the left!
The paint instantly descended into chaos!
Fukui Kensuke tried reaching for the steal, Liu Wei pressured from the high post, forming a trap!
"We already knew you'd all crash inside! Don't be so naive!!!" Fukui shouted. If Ryonan's second quarter still relied on that ethereal outside shooting touch, they'd truly be hopeless.
"Oh?" Sendoh, surrounded, chuckled lightly. His wrist flicked, lofting the ball behind him. "But you reacting exactly like this is completely following our 'conductor's' script."
Aida Hikoichi received the pass beyond the three-point line.
Wide open! No defender!
"This is... the opportunity the entire team created for me..." Aida, whose legs had trembled slightly before entering, found his heart becoming incredibly calm once immersed in the game. He took a deep breath. The surrounding noise seemed to suddenly hit mute.
"There's no way I can miss an opportunity like this." Jump, lift, flick the wrist—Aida's motion flowed seamlessly, carrying absolute determination.
"The tactic Sorato designed with me as the finisher."
"Only making it—that's the only option!"
"Ahh!!"
The basketball traced a perfect arc, swishing cleanly through the net. The crisp sound instantly ignited Ryonan's bench!
Three-pointer, good!
Ryonan 29 - Yosen 30
"Beautiful shot, Hikoichi!"
"You bastard! Pretty clutch when it matters!" Uozumi rubbed Aida's head roughly.
Ryonan quickly retreated on defense.
"Now the real game begins." Yagami spoke calmly at the front of his teammates. "Maintaining our outside threat is the final preparation for attacking the paint!"
"Yeah!"
Yosen's offense.
"What are they doing now?" Confused voices came from Yosen's bench.
The person defending Murasakibara under Ryonan's basket had somehow become Fukuda Kicchou, while Uozumi Jun defended Okamura Kenichi on the right side.
Logically speaking, Fukuda's six-foot-two height wasn't particularly short, but facing six-foot-ten Murasakibara, he posed absolutely no threat whatsoever.
"Are they trying to tire Murasakibara out?" Araki Masako was extremely perceptive.
Okamura had struggled offensively when guarded by Uozumi in the first quarter. Liu Wei faced Sendoh, Himuro faced Yagami—offense wasn't easy for either. Since they'd likely need Murasakibara for rebounds eventually anyway, might as well let him post up from the start.
As for Fukuda Kicchou, could he actually tire Murasakibara?
On court, Murasakibara attacked the basket with obvious displeasure. Fukuda retreated repeatedly without resistance.
"Boom!"
Murasakibara barely left his feet, dunking the ball one-handed.
Ryonan 29 - Yosen 32
"Like an ant." Murasakibara looked down coldly at Fukuda. "Watching you try so hard is honestly annoying."
"First-year, you should use honorifics with me."
"Huh?"
"I'm a second-year." Fukuda said seriously.
"Brain's not normal..." Murasakibara muttered while retreating on defense.
Aside from Murasakibara, Yosen's players retreated swiftly, giving Yagami no opportunity for a long outlet pass.
However, Ryonan didn't seem rushed to push the pace either.
Yagami dribbled across halfcourt unhurriedly, controlling the tempo with extreme stability.
Having lost his man last possession, Fukui didn't dare show any carelessness this time. He dutifully shadowed Aida, determined to completely lock down "Ryonan's last hope."
So after receiving a subtle signal from Yagami, Aida activated off-ball movement mode, directly taking Fukui on a lengthy jog around the court.
"I—!" Fukui felt the urge to curse but had to grit his teeth and chase.
After deploying Aida, Yagami's gaze shifted to Himuro before him. His body lowered slightly, his dribbling rhythm suddenly changing.
"Himuro-senpai," his voice was calm yet carried obvious provocation, "now it's our turn to have some fun."
Before the words finished, Yagami exploded!
After using consecutive crossovers to create subtle space, he suddenly accelerated into the paint!
Himuro was half a step slow but maintained tight defense, pursuing relentlessly.
Reaching mid-range, Yagami pulled up without hesitation!
Simultaneously, Murasakibara, who'd been anchoring the paint, suddenly charged out, his massive figure looming overhead!
Himuro contested from behind, forming a pincer with Murasakibara from above and below!
However, Yagami didn't release the shot. His wrist dropped, threading the ball precisely to Sendoh cutting left!
Sendoh caught it in stride, easily shaking the hastily rotating Liu Wei and attacking the basket!
Liu Wei chased desperately, trying to use his height advantage for a chase-down block from behind.
Meanwhile Murasakibara, having lunged out, recovered to the basket in one step and jumped vertically with both hands raised, completely sealing Sendoh's layup angle!
Facing two "walls" front and back, Sendoh remained composed. He pulled the ball back mid-air for a reverse layup, avoiding the frontal contest and attempting to float it over the defense—
"Sendoh!"
"Go in—!"
Amid everyone's anticipation, the basketball narrowly cleared Murasakibara's fingertips.
Only the touch was slightly off. The ball hit the back rim and bounced up!
"Damn, still because that guy's blockout was too high!" Ikegami shouted frustratedly from the sideline.
"Rebound!"
The instant Murasakibara heard the call, he immediately spun to box out, preparing to secure this guaranteed board.
"Atsushi! Watch behind you!"
The moment he heard Himuro's shout, Murasakibara hadn't yet realized what was happening. The next second, a large hand grabbed the ball above his head.
Yagami Sorato snatched the ball one-handed at his apex, and over Murasakibara's massive body, hammered it through the rim!
"BANG!!!"
Ryonan 31 - Yosen 32
"Yo, kid, looks like people can still fly here after all!"
Yagami hung on the rim one-handed, speaking down from above, his eyes filled with excitement...
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