8 Chapter 8__: The Semi-finals! (1)
'I can feel it!' he thought, throwing the ball from outside the three-point line. The ball rotated in the air for a split second before going through the hoop with a swishing sound.
*Swish*
Lifting his hands and requesting Mitobe to keep passing him the ball, Shinji continued his training with a smile as a thought passed through his mind. 'I'm approaching the high-school level threshold with three-pointers.'
After migrating to this body, Shinji Koganei discovered three new things about himself. First of all, his static talent has improved. If he estimated it right, he could grow to 198 Cm in the future, the optimal height for a shooting guard. Second, no matter how hard he trains, he wakes up refreshed the next day as if he didn't do any strenuous activity. Finally, he could feel where his technical level stands.
Those are the 'skills' he gained from transmigration to this body.
His three-point shooting, mid-range, ability to drive to the basket and finish at the basket, and passing have peaked at the junior high school level. However, his three-point shooting was approaching that bottleneck and might reach the high school level before the end of the Winter Cup tournament.
*Swish*
Another ball went through the hoop, and the feeling of a lock being opened inside of him intensified.
As Shinji continued shooting and making the shots, the muscles in his arms started burning, begging him to stop. However, the feeling of the lock being opened continued to intensify, prompting the man to continue training through the pain.
The shots continued entering the hoop, stunning Mitobe, his siblings, and Akane. However, they didn't disturb Shinji as he concentrated on breaking the lock. Of course, they didn't know about the locks. However, they didn't want to disturb Shinji while he was so focused on his training.
*Pah!*
Catching the ball passed by Akane, Shinji held the ball close to his chest and underneath the chin with his shooting hand a little more toward the back and slightly under the ball before jumping, extending his elbows and flicking his wrist and fingers, sending the ball toward the basket.
Feeling the perfect release and the burst of energy that spread through his body as he released the ball, a smile appeared on Shinji's face.
'I broke it!' He internally yelled, signaling his friend and sister to stop passing him the ball. Sitting on the ground, his hands drooping due to soreness, the smile on Shinji's face grew wider as he thought of his future.
'After the three-pointer, I should focus on my ability to drive to the basket and finish. I don't want to work on another shooting ability right after the three-pointer.' He thought, making a whole program in his mind.
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(Friday, the 28th of November 2014)
After a good training session, Kimura gathered his players, ready to brief them on their next game.
Although we say training sessions, the players only practice the fundamentals of basketball, like dribbling, passing, and shooting. No complicated tactics or plays will be practiced as it's not time for them to do that yet. However, simple pick-and-roll tactics and isolation play for Shinji, Hideki, and Mitobe will be worked on.
The pick-and-roll is an offensive maneuver in which a player interposes between a teammate with the ball and a defender, then cuts quickly toward the basket for a pass from the same teammate. The ball holder could also attack the basket using the screen set by his teammate.
It is one of the most used and effective tactics in basketball. Even professionals use it a lot. So, the sooner it is understood, the better it is for the teens.
*Sound of someone whistling!*
After blowing his whistle, Kimura sat on his chair and waited for his players to gather around him. A few seconds later, they stood before him, waiting for him to start. Seeing that, Kimura nodded and spoke.
"You're already familiar with Seki Junior High School and Makoto Hanamiya. We played against them for three years, so I don't need to present them to you." Started Kimura, sitting in front of the players. Their semi-final game will be tomorrow, so he wanted to review the opponent and establish a game plan.
Looking around to ensure that the players were paying attention, he continued. "Although they are dirty and would try to lower your enthusiasm by constantly fouling, talking a lot of crap, and hurting you, I want you guys to stay calm and focus on the game. It will mean they successfully get under your skin and hold an advantage against you If you engage with them." He said, pointing at Shinji and continuing.
"Especially you, Koganei. As our current best player, you will have it the worst as Hanamiya will directly guard you." Hearing the coach's words, Shinji smiled and nodded his head. He had already prepared himself to go all-out and burst Hanamiya's bottom.
Noticing Shinji's confidence, Kimura smiled, also confident that his player could kill anybody on the court. However, he still advised him. "Don't be too confident in yourself. Hanamiya is an elite defender and managed to lock Eiji Sawakita, the best scorer in the country, up for most of their game. So, you have to pay attention to him." He finished, waiting for an answer from Shinji.
"I know, coach!" Responded the latter, a confident smile on his face. Kimura smiled and continued giving instructions to the other players. He was determined to win that game and reach the finals.
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Later that day, at the Koganei Household.
"Is your game tomorrow?" Asked Tsuji Koganei as the family sat at the dining table. Although he looked indifferent to his son's games, he watched all the footage the cameraman following his son took.
At first, he was surprised by how much his son had improved. However, he was proud as he had one thought while watching the games.
'The Koganei family also has an athlete!'
Hearing his father's question, Shinji smiled. "Yes, the game is tomorrow. I hope you can come and watch it." He answered, looking rather proud. He set a goal for himself and managed to reach it, filling him with pride.
Although he wanted to win the Winter Cup, he knew that beating the current Teiko would be almost impossible. So, he vowed to reach the finals and do his best there. It's okay to be confident, but blind confidence in yourself will only hurt you.
'As long as we beat Seki, we will reach the finals.' He thought, preparing himself for a challenging game. Hearing her son's request, Haruno smiled.
"Of course, we will come. We were waiting for you to say that." She hurriedly answered before getting up and hugging her son. She also looked very proud that her son was at the center of a semi-final act. Not every household in the country can brag about that.
Even though it's only Junior high school level basketball, anybody who could reach this stage would play well in high school unless they get hurt beforehand. So, having a somehow successful athlete in your household gives you bragging rights.
Although sports were looked down upon in the past, it is currently the number 1 entertainment for regular people, alongside movies and idol activities. Basketball, in particular, has become popular in Japan, equaling football and getting infinitely closer to baseball in the populace's eyes.
As long as they find a famous individual player to reach the NBA and make a name there, it could successfully tie baseball in terms of popularity. However, that may not happen now.
"Alright, you are doing too much, Mom!" Complained Shinji, getting out of the hug. However, the smile on his face could not recede. He liked the hug a lot.
Tsuji smiled, seeing their interaction before suddenly speaking. "We already finished this week's video. Do you want us to post it on YouTube, or do you want to do it by yourself?" He asked, looking at Shinji.
"You should take care of things like that. Whether it's YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter, you guys should manage it for me. I only want to play basketball." Answered Shinji before suddenly adding. "Or, we can let Akane take care of it. She's studying to become a lawyer and become my future agent. So, this could be a great training opportunity for her." Finished Shinji, concentrating back on his food.
"Are you sure you want to go pro?" Asked his father, trying to see whether his son was serious about that idea.
"I wouldn't be training this hard otherwise. I hope you can support that decision." Answered Shinji, looking solemn. However, it quickly got wiped out of his face when Akane slapped the back of his head.
"What kind of stupid question is that? Of course, we will support you." She said, sliding back on her chair to avoid Shinji's retaliation. "Also, I'll manage your social media for you. I'll turn you into a star before you become a pro." She said, clenching her fist.
"I trust you with that." Said Shinji, getting up to hug his sister before lightly slapping her across the face and running toward his room.
"Shinji!" She yelled, running after him as their parents laughed at them.
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(Saturday, the 29th of November.)
It was the game day...well, game night, as the match would be held at night. However, 5000+ people around the Tokyo area moved to come to watch the game. It's the semi-finals of the Winter Cup. Although it's on the middle-school level, seeing prospects and future great players go against each other is exciting to basketball enthusiasts.
Members of the Koganei household came early, with Tsuji Koganei directing the filming crew to get the best spots to film the game. Although this game will also be shown live on the local stations, those stations do not pay attention to the junior high school circle. That's why the crew could find those good spots.
After placing the filming crew and giving them instructions on operations for when the players enter, Tsuji ran back to his place next to his family.
"Is everything ready?" Asked Haruno as soon as her husband sat next to her. She's the one responsible for editing the videos. So, she would be upset if the crew didn't film her son well. In her mind, he's the star on the field.
"Yes, we managed to find good spots. Thankfully J-sports TV doesn't put much emphasis on this level of competition. We might struggle at the high school level, though." Said Tsuji, thinking of counter-measures for the future. However, Haruno ignored him and looked at Akane.
"Akane will make the channel grow before that happens. They wouldn't want to offend a future star player. Am I right, Akane?" Answered Haruno, throwing all the pressure on her daughter's shoulders.
"Don't worry, Mom." Responded Akane, a confident smile on her face. "I'll clear that one problem off your shoulders. You can trust me on that one." She assured, clenching her fist to show her determination.
Tsuji and Haruno smiled before looking at each other, proud of their two offspring. Both of them found goals and are working hard to achieve them. Plus, those goals intertwined, making the two of them connected forever.
"Of course, we know you're going to achieve it. Don't forget that we can help you if you run into a wall." Responded Haruno, a smile on her face. Just as Akane was about to answer, loud cheering sounds from 5000+ people were heard throughout the stadium, making the household's members look toward the basketball court.
The players were entering the court, and the appearance of Shinji Koganei, the most famous person among the 30 individuals participating in the semi-finals, created a sea of cheers.
"With this type of popularity, I would have sinned if I failed to turn him into a star." Murmured Akane as she looked at Shinji running toward the court, sisterly love, admiration, and determination in her eyes.
