Chapter 11 - VS Kaijo II - Kaijo's Strength

"Good job, Furihata-kun!" Riko praised him on the bench. "The tempo is still a bit too high, but the flow is completely ours now. Nice job stealing the ball from Kise, by the way."

"Yeah, that was a good one! Even Kagami-kun couldn't do that." Koganei added. Kagami clicked his tongue in annoyance, but he couldn't say anything as it is indeed true. He couldn't even stop Kise for once during the game.

"So, does that mean you find a way to stop Kise now?" Hyuga asked with a serious tone, gaining the attention of the others. All of them stare at Furihata with expectant looks. Unfortunately, Furihata shook his head.

"No. As much as I wanted to say I found the way, what I did was just a mere trick. I took the advantage of his big ego as I know he would copy every fancy movement from our team just to provoke us. My trick would only work one or two more times. When he found out about it, and I say when, not if, it is up to Red once again if he could stop Kise or not."

The atmosphere turned grim as the players realized that they are still in trouble. But it soon changed what Riko says.

"Don't worry about it. Just hold them down and try to overturn the score if you can. I have an idea about how to stop Kise."

"Really?!" Some were surprised by the statement. But not Kagami. He has a doubtful face that whatever Riko thinks would work. However, he didn't voice his opinion.

"It is just a rough idea, but I think it is worth trying. But it involved Kuroko-kun, so please hold them down until Kuroko-kun can use his ability again."

All players on the bench turned around to Kuroko who is noticeable right now due to his limitation. Furihata could guess what is Riko's idea, and to say it frankly, that was a good one.

"Just as I say, don't worry about him. Try to strengthen our paint area as Kise would probably attack from there. Hold them down and wait for Kuroko-kun, and we will have the chance."

"Hai, Coach!"

Meanwhile, on the Kaijo's bench, Takeuchi Genta is not amused at Kise's antic. He sighed as he has to bear with Kise's rant about Seirin's new point guard.

"I don't know what happened, but he had the gut to call me Kakashi! I am a blonde, if anything, I should be Naruto. But nooo! It has to be Kakashi!"

Several players snickered as they think Kakashi is the best way to describe Kise's ability. They wouldn't dare to say it out loud though, as Kise would destroy them on the court.

"Kise, stop it!" Kasamatsu spoke, gaining the attention of the team. But to his irk, Kise is still whining about it.

"But Senpaaaaaiii…"

"Kise!" The blonde pouted. But his playful expression suddenly vanished right after he saw his coach. Gone was the laid-back coach, and now changed into the serious one that reminds everyone that he is one of the best basketball coaches in Japan.

"What the hell is this score.." Takeuchi Genta whispered. Kaijo's senior players flinched at that, knowing that they would see their coach's infamous temper.

"What the hell is this score?!" Now he said louder with a very harsh tone, causing his players to straighten their backs.

"I said it earlier, I want you to crush them completely until they don't have the spirit to play again, and now I find you lead only four points against this team that is just formed last year?!" He panted and breathed heavily as he finished his rant. As he saw his words sink into his players, he continued his speech.

"All of you are sloppy, not taking it seriously. Kasamatsu! What the hell are you doing? You are being targeted by their rookie, and you let them do whatever you want! Focus! Don't let them fool you anymore!"

"Hai, Sensei!"

"Hayakawa, Moriyama, I haven't seen any rebound, dunk, or three-point shooting from both of you! Do you want to be on the bench?"

"No, Sensei!"

"Then, do your fucking job!"

"Hai, Sensei!"

"Kobori! I didn't even see you on the court! Set a screen, draw their center from the paint area, grab a rebound, just do anything! Be more active! You are a fucking center, goddammit!"

"Hai, Sensei!"

"And Kise, stop playing around! If you want to play against Seirin #10, do it somewhere else!"

"But Senseeeeiii…" The blonde whined, resulting in a harsh glare from his coach.

"I don't fucking care if you are this so-called the Generation of Miracles or even Michael Jordan, but if you wear the Kaijo jersey, I am your head coach. That means you will listen to me when I say, STOP PLAYING AROUND!"

"HAI, SENSEI!"

"Good. Let it be known that I will not hesitate to put you on the bench if I find your performance is not up to my standard. Understand?"

"HAI, SENSEI!"

"Good! Now, go! Crush them!"

When the players went back to the court, Kise lets out a relieved sigh.

"That was scary.." The others couldn't help but nod, still frightened by their coach.

" But that was also your fault." Kasamatsu suddenly spoke. "If Genta-sensei is on his temper period, you don't argue with him and do whatever he said. It is your fault to be a smartass."

Kise pouted at his senpai. But the answer he got is a slap on his back.

"Ouch! What the hell, Senpai!" When he turned around, he could see his senpai staring at him sternly.

"Just like Sensei said, stop playing around!"

"Hai~"

-------------------------------------------------------

The game started once again with the ball in Kaijo's possession. Kasamatsu dribbled the ball, but now he has a wary expression around Furihata.

'Tch. The defense didn't have a hole, and it is far too tight. If I drive, that would be a charge. He is good.'

But when he saw the positioning of Seirin's defense, he couldn't help but frown.

'They put their players in the center to stop Kise. They underestimate us. Let's show them why they are still a baby and we are the national team.'

He makes eye contact with the center, Kouji Kobori, signaling him for a play. The center moves quickly to set a screen and create a space under the rim. Seeing as Kobori is ready, Kasamatsu drives forward to escape from Kobori.

However, much to his surprise, Furihata managed to escape the screen and still followed him around.

'He is really good! But don't think it would end just like that!' Kasamatsu gritted his teeth before he passed the ball to the back where Kobori is still waiting after his screen.

The center didn't give Mitobe a chance as he sends the ball immediately to the corner area where Moriyama is already waiting for the ball. The shooting guard also did the same, didn't even dribble the ball as he shoot the ball immediately right after he catches the pass.

The ball moves very fast that not any Seirin players could follow the movement.

Moriyama's shooting form is weird and the release is far quicker than Hyuga, so Seirin's shooting guard could not react quickly enough.

"SHIT!"

The ball went in smoothly, a beautiful three-points for Kaijo.

"YEAAAH!!"

"Nice shoot, Moriyama!"

"Good one, Senpai! I will introduce you to one girl from my class!"

"Stop playing around, you fool!"

Then Kasamatsu turned around to see Seirin's players before he spoke,

"Just remember, we could go through the semifinal of the national tournament last year even without Kise. Don't underestimate us."

Leaving Seirin players with wry smiles on their faces.

The game resumed once again with the ball in Seirin's possession. Despite Furihata and Kagami's efforts to carry Seirin's offense, the other couldn't keep up with Kaijo's fast pace.

Koganei is outclassed by Hayakawa, and even though Mitobe could score several times against Kobori, Kaijo's center showed that he has better physical ability. As for Hyuga, he managed to score two 3-point shots, but he couldn't stop the unorthodox shoot from Moriyama even once. Moriyama scored eight points already from two three-point shoots and a layup.

What throw Seirin into the edge is the fact that they widened the gap even without Kise and Kasamatsu actively participating in their offense.

Kasamatsu realized that Furihata is locking him down and he couldn't do a lot about it, so he decided to move the ball faster each time he received a pass. As for Kise, he didn't do anything, just pressuring Kagami so the red hair couldn't help the others.

While it looks like it is Kaijo's strategy to save their energy, it was also a statement that even without their ace and their captain, they are still the better team. But what happened next is definitely not something that any Seirin players could expect.

"Twenty seconds left!"

"Defense!"

"Senpai, don't let him fool you anymore!"

The clock is moving slowly to the end of the first quarter, with the ball in Moriyama's hand. Kaijo's shooting guard make eye contact with his captain before they nodded to each other.

"You think that just because you stopped Kise once means you can stop him again, huh?" Kasamatsu spoke to Furihata who is guarding him. "He will show you how naïve you are, rookie."

Then suddenly, Furihata saw from the corner of his eyes Kobori moves to set a screen for Kise. It forced Seirin to switch the guard. Now, Mitobe is guarding Kise.

"Crap!"

Without hesitation, Moriyama sends the ball to Kasamatsu, who once again didn't wait for too long before he passes it again to Kise's position.

Furihata runs quickly following the ball, but not for the defense. No, he knows the end result of this play, so he just pretends to follow the ball to give a message to Kagami,

"Red, run!"

At first, Kagami didn't understand what Furihata wants. But it changed when he saw Kise receive the ball in the familiar situation, with Kise's back facing the board as Mitobe is guarding him. It is the same position as Furihata's first play, and Kagami knows that Mitobe couldn't stop Kise.

So, he did as Furihata said, run.

Kise catches the ball and without hesitation, he turned around and did a step-back before he launched a three-point shot, just like what Furihata did earlier.

Mitobe couldn't handle Kise's agility and could only see the ball went in smoothly to the rim.

*Splash!*

"Nice, Kise!"

"Good one!"

"You make them pay!"

But the game is still running. With three seconds left on the clock, Furihata catches the ball quickly and sends a powerful full-court pass to Kagami.

"GO!"

"WHAT!"

Kaijo's players are definitely caught off guard. They couldn't believe that Seirin would do a quick counter like this.

Kagami who is already running then jumped and catches the ball in the air, before he slammed it down to the rim.

*BAAAMMM!!*

Right after the ball went in, everyone on the court could hear the buzzer, indicating the end of the first quarter.

"YEAAAAHH!!"

Kagami roared before he turned around and high-fived Furihata excitedly, followed by the other Seirin players as they celebrated the buzzer-beater.

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