Chapter Fifty: You Try One Too?
"Tweet!"
The whistle sounded. Third quarter ended.
"Momentum reversed." Maki folded his arms. This game entertained him thoroughly.
"Uozumi has four fouls. Ryonan's interior defense is half-collapsed. In the final quarter, Hanagata will become Shoyo's primary offensive option."
"Really didn't expect Hanagata-senpai to have such a beautiful three-pointer." Jin Soichiro said.
Jin had originally played center in middle school. After Kainan's coach discovered his shooting talent, through daily massive shooting practice he'd grown into the current elite shooter, now serving as Kainan's shooting guard.
"Yeah, Shoyo hid this move too deeply." Maki sighed. "If we face Shoyo in the top four, we'll also need to guard against this."
"Should I follow him out?" Takasago asked.
Following out would make Kainan's already weak interior even worse. But ignoring him, if Hanagata caught fire, the game might get killed by his three-pointers.
"No need. I'll switch onto him when that happens." Jin said gently.
Besides six-foot-three center Takasago, Kainan's tallest was six-foot-two Jin.
"Alright."
During their conversation, Kainan had subtly revealed their view of this game's victor.
"Shoyo truly deserves being Kanagawa's team second only to champion Kainan. At the third quarter's final moments, they buried a major hidden danger for Ryonan." The announcer analyzed from his seat. "Though Ryonan enters the final period with a slight lead advantage, core center Uozumi Jun carries four personal fouls!"
"This foul count hangs over Ryonan's head like the Sword of Damocles."
"Correct! This means in the game-deciding final quarter, Uozumi's every defensive play must walk on thin ice." The commentator immediately continued. "Shoyo absolutely won't pass up this opportunity."
"We'll very likely see Shoyo continuously attack the interior in the fourth quarter, aiming to draw Uozumi's fifth foul and completely breach Ryonan's paint defense!"
Shoyo's rest area.
"Everyone performed well in the third quarter!" Fujima clapped his hands forcefully. "Just hold on one more quarter and we'll grab the top-four ticket!"
"The opportunity is right before us. Fourth quarter we attack the interior with full force, led by Hanagata's offense. Hasegawa, Nagano—be ready to receive and cut anytime."
"Victory belongs to—"
"SHOYO!" The players roared loudly.
Hanagata adjusted his glasses, the eyes behind the lenses calm yet sharp: "Center isn't a position you can handle with physicality alone."
"Tweet!"
The final quarter began. Ryonan's Uozumi didn't take the court. Replacing him was backup center Sugahira Junji. Simultaneously, to strengthen defense, Fukuda was also subbed out with Ikegami taking the power forward spot.
"We must withstand Shoyo's offense, hold out until the final three minutes. When Uozumi enters, we'll take the game in one push!"
"YES!!!"
Both teams took the court. Shoyo's ball.
After Fujima advanced past halfcourt, he unhesitatingly lobbed to low-post Hanagata.
Facing substitute Sugahira, Hanagata used his height and technical advantages—a smooth reverse spin into a jumper, easily hitting for two points.
Ryonan 72 - Shoyo 73
Less than twenty seconds into the final quarter, Shoyo reversed the score.
Offensive transition. Ryonan's offense.
Yagami dribbled across halfcourt, discovering the interior tightly guarded.
Sendoh stepped up to receive. The two executed a hand-off pass. After Sendoh drew the defense, he quickly passed back to cutting Yagami.
Facing Hanagata lunging forward and Fujima behind him, Yagami pulled up for a mid-range jumper—good.
Ryonan 74 - Shoyo 73
Shoyo's offense.
Fujima employed the same trick, again feeding Hanagata.
This time, Ikegami decisively abandoned fronting Takano, stepping up to help double-team.
Hanagata calmly passed out. Takano hit an open jumper from near the free throw line.
"Ordinary double-teams are completely useless against Hanagata! His low-post facilitating ability is excellent!"
"Shoyo controls the game's initiative!"
Ryonan 74 - Shoyo 75
After Ryonan's baseline inbound, Yagami pushed quickly.
"What's he trying?"
Hanagata and Takano had just established position when they saw Yagami charging straight to the basket at undiminished speed.
"Stop him!" Fujima shouted loudly to teammates.
He and Sendoh followed behind, tightly marking opponents' positions, preventing receiving opportunities.
The instant Yagami entered the free throw line, Hanagata and Takano inexplicably recalled being beaten. Both jumped simultaneously forming a high wall.
"Too bad. Still not tall enough."
Yagami rose with one step, his wrist gently flicking upward. The basketball traced an extremely high arc.
"That arc on a floater?!"
The basketball rose high, clearing both defenders and dropping through the rim without even touching the net.
"Huh? Did it go in?"
"Should—should have gone in."
Ryonan 76 - Shoyo 75
When the electronic scoreboard changed, delayed cheers filled with shock finally erupted from the stands.
"You two don't seem worried at all?" Rather than rushing to receive the baseline inbound, Fujima asked Sendoh.
"After all, from the start I felt beating you guys wouldn't be this simple," Sendoh smiled. "The current situation can only be called within expectations."
"Then what about this first-year of yours? I'm guessing Coach Taoka's instructions were playing steady until the final minutes when Uozumi re-enters?"
"Seems like it." Sendoh scratched his head. "But Sorato—he doesn't seem accustomed to placing victory on others' shoulders."
"Heh, then he's quite interesting."
"Fujima!"
Shoyo passed out just before the five-second violation. Fujima caught the ball, facing Yagami directly.
"Shall we play a bit? First-year."
"Sure." Yagami's response was concise.
Kanagawa's two ace guards—Maki and Fujima. He'd long wanted to test their caliber.
Fujima executed several rapid between-the-legs dribbles into behind-the-back switches, movements gorgeous and fluid, but Yagami's footwork remained solid, never losing position.
Seeing difficulty breaking through, Fujima suddenly gathered for a pull-up.
"I can block it!" Yagami instantly judged.
His opponent's jump was hasty, not fully escaping defense. With his height and wingspan, he completely had a chance to swat it.
However—
"Swoosh!"
The basketball had already flown from Fujima's fingertips, speed shockingly fast! Yagami's arm hadn't fully extended before the ball cleared his airspace.
Such quick release?! He shot before reaching his jump's apex? And—
"You're left-handed?"
"Oh?" Fujima looked at Yagami with surprise. "You really do have an exceptional pair of eyes."
"Swish!"
The basketball swished cleanly through.
Ryonan 76 - Shoyo 78
Offensive transition. Ryonan's offense.
Yagami dribbled across halfcourt. Fujima had already prepared his defensive stance.
"You shoot one too?" Fujima taunted slightly. "Fair warning—scoring on me isn't easy."
Before his words finished.
Yagami rose skyward without warning—no dribble adjustment, no fake preparation. A step and a half beyond the three-point line, he launched a straight pull-up jumper!
"???"
Isn't this too absurd?
This completely illogical choice shocked Fujima.
But he hadn't lied. Fujima's defense relied on reaction speed and vertical quickness. He exploded forward almost instantly, leaping with his right arm extending at full strength, attempting the block.
Just as both bodies were about to reach the same height.
"What is—?"
Yagami's upper body leaned backward. His entire shooting form elegantly unfurled mid-air, his ball-holding right hand rising accordingly. In an instant, the shooting space between him and Fujima opened an unbelievable distance!
"Fadeaway jumper?! Three-pointer?"
"Swish!"
The basketball fell through the net.
Ryonan 79 - Shoyo 78
"Looks pretty easy to me," Yagami said with a smile. "You try one too?"
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