Chapter 15: Promising Preliminaries.

The hum of excitement permeated the Takamatsu City Gymnasium as the Yumei High basketball team made their entrance. Even though it wasn't an overly grand place, the aura of competition and anticipation hung heavily in the air. The wooden floor of the gym echoed under the flurry of activity: teams from various schools warming up, last-minute instructions from coaches, and the faint buzz of spectators filling the stands.

"The energy is different here," Daichi remarked quietly as he scanned the gymnasium.

Kazuki, ever the optimist, replied, "Different but good. We'll make our mark."

They started their warm-up exercises, their collective focus a clear indication of their dedication and determination. Meanwhile, Coach Saito motioned for Haruki and Hiroshi, both visibly brimming with energy and enthusiasm.

"Today's game is more than just winning. It's about giving the rest of the team a chance to step up and shine," Coach Saito said, meeting their eyes. "I want you two to hold back a little. Let's see how our training pays off."

Although slightly surprised, both Haruki and Hiroshi understood the wisdom behind Coach Saito's words and nodded in agreement.

On the other side of the court, the players of Kanagawa High were warming up. Among them was Kenta Yamada, their point guard. His swift movements, nimble feet, and the way he held the ball indicated his skill and agility.

"Kenta Yamada, their point guard," Ayumi said, her gaze following Kenta's movements. "He's fast and nimble, definitely someone we should keep an eye on."

The team nodded, each one mentally preparing for the impending game. They knew the stakes were high, but they were ready. After all, this was why they had trained so hard.

As the Yumei High team finished their warm-up, Ayumi gathered them around her, holding a clipboard with notes about the opposing team, Kanagawa High.

"Okay, everyone," she began, her voice steady, "apart from Kenta Yamada, we have a few more players to watch out for."

She turned the clipboard towards the team. "Kaito Ito, their shooting guard. Then there's their centre, Hayate Matsuda. For small forward, we have Sota Nakamura. Lastly, for power forward, they have Daisuke Tanaka."

As Ayumi rattled off the information, the Yumei High players were mentally visualizing their matchups and how they would counter them.

Ryota Suzuki was jumping up and down, trying to pump himself up. "Let's show them what Yumei High is made of!"

Coach Saito, who had been talking to Haruki and Hiroshi, rejoined the team. "Alright, team, remember, the goal is to get everyone involved and play as a unit. You have trained for this; trust your training and trust each other."

Ayumi passed out water bottles as the team huddled together.

"On three, Yumei High!" Tetsuya Nakazawa shouted.

"One, two, three, YUMEI HIGH!" The team's voices echoed in unison.

The gymnasium, with its simple architecture, bleachers on either side and banners from various schools, was filled with the fervour of competition. The atmosphere was nothing short of electric.

As they made their way to the court, the team could see the crowd. There were parents, classmates, and other supporters. It wasn't a massive crowd, but for the players, it was significant. Their hearts were racing; this was the moment they had been working towards.

And so, with a renewed sense of purpose, a culmination of training, and an unyielding resolve, the Yumei High basketball team took their positions on the court for the first game of the Interhigh Championship Preliminaries.

The whistle blows, and the game is set in motion. Daichi, Tetsuya, and Ryota take their positions on the court, while Haruki and Hiroshi replace Jun and Kazuki in the starting lineup. As the Yumei High team moves into formation, one can clearly see the nervousness in Daichi, Tetsuya, and Ryota's body language. Their movements are a tad stiff, and their eyes dart around the court.

The game starts with Kanagawa High's Kenta Yamada darting past Haruki and making an acrobatic layup. The crowd erupts as Kanagawa draws first blood. Daichi gets the inbound pass and quickly hands it off to Haruki, who calmly brings the ball up the court.

Seeing an opening, Haruki passes the ball to Tetsuya, who fumbles it initially but regains control. He then passes it to Daichi in the post. Daichi hesitates, then makes a powerful move and scores.

Kenta, once again, with the ball, makes a flashy crossover, but Haruki keeps pace with him. Forced to pass, Kenta sends the ball to his teammate, who attempts a three-pointer but misses. Ryota grabs the rebound, his eyes flicking up the court.

Ryota, gaining confidence, dribbles down the court and throws a pass to Tetsuya, who is cutting to the basket. Tetsuya, now more settled, catches the pass and lays it in. The Yumei bench is on their feet, clapping and cheering.

Kanagawa High doesn't let up, though. Kenta hits a deep three-pointer on the next possession, keeping the score close.

Midway through the quarter, Daichi sets a solid screen for Haruki, who uses it to find an open Ryota on the perimeter. Ryota catches the pass, and with a defender rushing at him, he coolly drains a three-pointer. His nerves are now replaced with focus.

Kanagawa retaliates with a quick inside basket. Daichi, defending the paint, tries to block the shot but is a fraction of a second late.

As the quarter progresses, Daichi starts to find his rhythm. He receives a pass from Haruki and makes a strong move to the basket, scoring through contact and earning a free throw. On the next possession, Tetsuya intercepts a pass and races down the court for a fast break.

On the bench, Ayumi is keeping track of the plays and stats, while Coach Saito yells out instructions and encouragement.

Kanagawa High starts to rally behind Kenta's leadership. He feeds the ball to Kaito, who drains a three-pointer. The score is close, with both teams matching each other point for point.

With two minutes left in the quarter, Ryota makes a crucial play. He uses a screen set by Hiroshi to shake off his defender and makes a driving layup.

As the final seconds of the first quarter tick down, Haruki gets the ball at the top of the key. Instead of going for the shot, he sees Daichi cutting to the basket and delivers a perfect bounce pass. Daichi goes up strong and scores as the buzzer sounds.

The Yumei High players rush back to their bench, high-fiving and brimming with adrenaline. Coach Saito has a stern yet proud look on his face.

"The first quarter is always about shaking off the jitters," he says to the team. "You've done that. Now, let's focus and execute our game plan. Don't let Yamada dictate the pace."

As the players take sips of water and listen to Coach Saito, Ayumi chimes in, "Remember the defensive strategies we discussed."

The buzzer sounds again, and the second quarter is underway. Yumei High comes out in a Box-and-One defence, with Haruki shadowing Kenta Yamada closely, while the other four players are set up in a box formation.

Kenta, being quick to notice the defensive setup, decides to adjust his game. He starts by pulling Haruki out to the perimeter, looking to create space for his teammates inside. He drives to the basket, drawing two defenders, and then kicks the ball out to his teammate Sato, who is open on the wing. Sato takes the shot, but it rattles out.

Daichi secures the rebound and outlets the ball to Tetsuya, who pushes the pace up the court. He passes to Ryota on the wing, who pump-fakes and drives baseline. He finds Daichi in the paint, who goes up strong for a layup and scores.

Kanagawa High brings the ball up again. Kenta, still being marked by Haruki, decides to use his speed to get around screens and tire Haruki out. Kenta runs Haruki off two screens and receives the ball on the wing. With Haruki trailing, Kenta launches a quick three-pointer. Swish!

The game is becoming intense as both teams fight for every possession. Yumei High continues to use their Box-and-One defence with Haruki on Kenta. This time, Kenta drives into the lane and dishes the ball to Daisuke, who is cutting from the baseline. Daisuke goes up for a reverse layup and scores.

On the next Yumei High possession, Haruki brings the ball up and initiates the offence. He passes to Ryota on the wing, who feeds Daichi in the post. Daichi backs down his defender and makes a quick spin move for a hook shot. But it rattles out. Only for Hiroshi to get the rebound and put back the ball, scoring his first points.

As the quarter progresses, Yumei High continues to focus on team play. Tetsuya drives into the paint and dishes it out to Ryota at the three-point line. Ryota doesn't have a clear shot, so he passes to Haruki, who is cutting toward the basket. Haruki goes up for a layup but, at the last second, passes to Daichi, who slams it home with a dunk.

Kanagawa High comes down the court, with Kenta still being the focal point of their offence. This time, he uses a pick-and-roll to perfection. As Haruki gets caught on the screen, Kenta drives hard into the paint and lobs a pass to Hayate, who finishes with an alley-oop.

The second quarter comes to a close, with both teams giving their all. Yumei High has shown great teamwork and execution, while Kanagawa High, led by Kenta's adaptability, has proven to be a formidable opponent. The game is competitive, and the outcome is still up in the air.

The locker room atmosphere is a mix of tension and excitement as the players of Yumei High catch their breaths and towel off sweat. With a slight lead in their hands, their faces are alight with a sense of accomplishment but also focused - they know they've only completed half the battle.

In the midst of the players catching their breath, Coach Saito steps in, a grin on his face. "Good job, everyone. You all did well, especially in implementing our defensive strategies." He glances particularly at Tetsuya, Daichi, and Ryota, who have been instrumental in the first half.

Ayumi, clutching a clipboard, nods her agreement. "You've thrown Kenta off his rhythm," she says, pointing at Haruki. "That's really helping to keep their scoring down."

As the players nod and sip from their water bottles, Jun and Kazuki look on. Though they've been cheering from the sidelines, they are yet to step onto the court.

Coach Saito turns to the two of them, his gaze serious. "You two," he says, "Get ready. You're starting the second half."

Jun and Kazuki exchange looks of surprise, then firm nods. "Yes, Coach," they say in unison. The rest of the team sends them encouraging nods and a few claps on the back.

Across the room, Tetsuya smiles at Ryota. "Let's keep this up, yeah?" He says, raising a hand for a high-five.

Ryota grins and slaps his hand against Tetsuya's, their determination tangible in the charged air of the locker room.

The halftime break seems to fly by, and before they know it, they're huddled up once again, Coach Saito's final words echoing in their ears, "Remember, we are not just individuals on the court, we are Yumei High, and we play as a team."

And with that, the team rises, making their way back to the court, their faces set in determination, ready for the second half of the game.