Basketball Camp (7)

The following day, Koganei woke up at 4:30 in the morning, feeling excitement. He knew that today was going to be another intense training session at the basketball camp, and he wanted to make the most of it. He quickly took a refreshing shower, washing away the sleepiness from his eyes, and changed into one of the training outfits he had brought with him.

He glanced at the uniform he was given for being a reserve member of the U16 national basketball team but decided against wearing it during his training sessions. He didn't want to act like he had already been chosen to represent the country by wearing it outside of the unified training sessions. So, he opted for his outfit, wanting to assert his dedication and commitment to the game.

As he prepared to leave his room, Koganei remembered that Sendou had asked him to wake him up for their joint training session. Understanding the importance of accountability and supporting each other, Koganei lightly tapped Sendou's arm, hoping to wake him up gently. However, instead of rousing from sleep, Sendou only buried himself further into the warm blanket, seeking comfort and refusing to awaken.

This sight triggered a tick mark to appear on Koganei's forehead. He swiftly pulled the blanket away from Sendou and tapped him on the forehead with exasperation apparent on his face. Still, Sendou stubbornly clung to his slumber, snuggling further away from Koganei and curling up to shield himself from the morning chill. Koganei couldn't help but feel a hint of irritation as he thought about Sendou's lax sleeping habits.

A few more minutes passed, and finally, Koganei managed to coax Sendou out of bed. As they made their way out of the hotel, Koganei playfully scolded Sendou about his difficulty in waking up. "If you can't wake up in the morning, why did you ask me to do it?" he questioned, a mix of frustration and amusement evident in his voice. Sendou, remorseful yet unashamed, responded with a sheepish grin, acknowledging his reliance on Koganei's assistance. Koganei let out a sigh, thinking about whether this is how much he troubles his sister back at home. Despite only knowing Sendou for a couple of days, Koganei couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility and protective instinct toward him. In a way, he felt like a big brother, even without having experienced the role before.

As they walked towards the gym, Koganei couldn't help but initiate a conversation about their recent experiences. "After playing with Fukatsu yesterday and watching the film of your game with the assistant coaches, did you learn anything?" he inquired, curious about Sendou's takeaways. Sendou, taking a moment to gather his thoughts, nodded and began to articulate his newfound insights.

"Definitely," Sendou started, his voice filled with contemplation. "I never realized how much easier basketball could be when playing with a skilled point guard. All I had to do was position myself correctly, and the ball would find its way to me." He paused, a smile forming on his face as he continued, reflecting on the impact of their previous practice. "Fukatsu almost made me want to take up the role myself. He made passing and scoring seem effortless." Sendou chuckled softly at the audacity of the idea, shaking his head in disbelief. Despite his Junior High Coach's attempts to mold him into a point guard, Sendou had never fully embraced the notion. However, playing alongside a talented point guard had opened his eyes to the possibilities and advantages of the position.

Usually, the point guards he is used to seeing have a sole role, and that's passing the ball to the best player on the team and getting out of the way. At least, that's how the point guard in his Junior High team used to play. Although he played against people like Hideki Mori and Seijuro Akashi, the two of them being point guards who can both score and organize at an exceptional level, he has never played with one. So, he never understood how much easier and more fun the game of basketball could be with those types of players playing with you.

Koganei listened intently, nodding in understanding as Sendou shared his thoughts. He recognized the significance of Sendou's realization and admired his willingness to reconsider his basketball aspirations. The experience sparked a change of heart within Sendou, prompting him to contemplate new possibilities for his role on the court.

Their conversation continued as they made their way to the gym, with Koganei providing encouragement and support for Sendou's newfound perspective. Having been a point guard himself in his previous life, Koganei offered a lot of advice to Sendou, telling him the pros and cons of being an actual point guard. 

As Koganei and Sendou entered the gym, they were met with the sight of Shinomiya Tono and Kazunari Fukatsu already present, their punctuality a characteristic that Koganei greatly admired. In his mind, being timely was a reflection of personal discipline and responsibility, traits that aligned with his values. It was one of the reasons why he considered them to be possible friends even though they had only known each other for less than 2 days. 

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After exchanging greetings, Shinomiya glanced at Koganei, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Why did you bring a camera with you? Are you planning on including this in your videos?" he inquired, hoping for a positive response.

Koganei sighed, his gaze fixed on the camera that was already recording. "Originally, I intended to film Sendou and show him how much of a brat he is," he began, glaring at Sendou with lingering resentment for forcing him to go through all that trouble just to wake him up. "But then I thought, why not film our entire training session? It would serve as a reminder for other camp members to practice harder when this footage airs on the channel," he explained, earning nods of approval from the rest of the group.

Each individual invited to this camp was insanely competitive, constantly seeking to outdo their peers. Witnessing those they considered equals train with intensity drove them to never rest on their laurels, even waking up at the crack of dawn to improve their skills.

As they continued discussing their rationale behind filming the session, Koganei, eager to capture more impactful moments, interrupted their conversation. "I have a question for all of you," he declared, piquing everyone's curiosity. With all eyes on him, he proceeded. "Is there a player who didn't make it to this camp that you believe deserved to be here?"

Shinomiya pondered the question for a moment before a bright smile spread across his face, capturing the attention of his companions. "I have one in mind," he announced, prompting the others to lean in with anticipation.

With their curiosity piqued, Shinomiya began sharing his thoughts. "I'm from Tokyo, just like you guys," he stated, motioning to Koganei and Sendou, who nodded in acknowledgment. Though Shinomiya's team had never faced theirs as he never made it to the quarterfinals (his teammates are bad, and, most of the time, he's winning games on his own), they recognized his remarkable talent just like Kenji Natsume's (he also never made it to the quarterfinals as his teammates were dragging him down).

"There's this guy named Eiji Sawakita," Shinomiya began but was abruptly interrupted by an unmistakable 'nostalgic?' expression that materialized on Sendou's face. Before he could continue, Sendou interjected, "That guy is a force to be reckoned with," he proclaimed, his voice laced with a mix of admiration and rivalry. The mention of Sawakita's name had undoubtedly struck a chord with Sendou, intriguing the others even further.

Curiosity piqued, Koganei leaned forward, his camera capturing the genuine interest on his face. "Tell us more about that Eiji Sawakita. Why do you think he should have made it to this camp?" he inquired, eager to dive deeper into Shinomiya's perspective.

With a thoughtful expression, Sendou began to recall his encounters with Sawakita during intense matches. "When I played against Sawakita, his sheer scoring prowess was evident as he put up 40-point performances against us two times," he began, his voice carrying a tone of respect. "He possesses incredible speed and agility on the court, making it extremely challenging for opponents to keep up with him, even I can't possibly keep up with him for an entire game. Although he doesn't pass the ball, I think it's because his teammates could barely dribble the ball whenever it's handed to them..."

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A few minutes later, the gym doors swung open once again, revealing Teppei Kiyoshi and Kenji Natsume, both of whom had a reputation for being dedicated, hardworking, and punctual people. Koganei smiled, having noticed that each of them had arrived on time as well. However, what surprised him were the unexpected additions of Hisashi Mitsui, Kiyoshi's roommate, and Shinichi Maki, Kenji's roommate. These basketball enthusiasts had decided to accompany their roommates to the gym, unwilling to be left behind as already good players were making extra efforts to improve.

With the arrival of Mitsui and Maki, the gym quickly became animated and boisterous. Laughter and friendly banter filled the air as the group engaged in light warm-up exercises, orienting themselves with the space and getting their bodies ready for the training ahead. They focused on honing their fundamental skills, performing dribbling drills, shooting practice, and passing exercises for the guards.

As the warm-up drew to a close, Koganei and Sendou teamed up, playing the others in 2v2 drills, putting their skills to the test in simulated game scenarios. The intensity rose as the players pushed each other to their limits, displaying their strengths and learning to adapt their strategies based on their partners' playing styles. The competitive atmosphere fueled their determination, prompting them to analyze each other's moves, evaluate their performance, and make quick adjustments for better results.

The apparition of a person like Mitsui, who talked a lot of crap while playing basketball, boosted everybody's motivation to humble the talented player.

An hour later, they concluded the early morning training session, drenched in sweat but wearing satisfied expressions. The group made their way back to the hotel together, appreciating the friendship and bond they had developed over this training session. They had even promised to gather in the afternoon to study the plays and how to better utilize them together. 

Satisfied by the early morning workout, they each returned to their rooms. After a much-needed rest and a nourishing breakfast, the players reconvened with the rest of the camp members for the day's training schedule. The training sessions were designed to challenge and develop various aspects of their game. However, what the coaches wanted to develop the most was their understanding of basketball. Physical talent can only help you when playing against average humans. However, once you reach the professional leagues where everybody is a human specimen, the one who understands the game better will always stand on top.

Although they engaged in intensive conditioning drills, the players were mainly pushed to improve their skill set and to understand the intricacies of the game of basketball better. In Mitsuyoshi Anzai's words: "I don't need you if you can't understand how to perform a simple pick-and-roll play." 

Throughout the following days, Koganei continued to embrace the opportunity to learn from his peers and coaches. He absorbed every bit of knowledge and advice, continuously striving to improve his game as he often found himself watching footage of the game they played on the first day and trying to target the weaknesses he found there. Aside from that, he focused on refining his shooting techniques, perfecting their defensive stances, and enhancing his overall basketball IQ, which was already quite developed.

By the time the camp reached its fifth day, Koganei couldn't help but reflect on how much he had grown as a player. his dedication and hard work were paying off, evident in his improved performance and newfound confidence on the court. Even more convincing was the fact that both his ball-handling and Shooting skills have improved by a star. (Ball-handling is at 3 stars now. Being defended by actually great defenders every day improved that skill. His overall shooting skill has reached 2 stars as having trained with Mitsui, his lacking three-point shooting skill has improved to 2 stars. However, it will be much harder to improve.)