Chapter 41

Ichigo's dunk echoed throughout the entire gymnasium. As he landed, he noticed Takao eagerly waiting, reaching out for a high-five. They clapped their hands together with excitement painted on their faces, clearly hyped up after that play.

With Ichigo's successful dunk, possession returned to the senpais. This time, Yuya didn't attempt a one-on-one against Takao. The senpais showcased their team chemistry by passing the ball around. It started with a pass to Otsubo in the post, who then found Yuya cutting to the basket. Yuya received the ball back from Otsubo for a give-and-go play.

But the play didn't end there. As Midorima rotated to help defend against Yuya, he quickly passed the ball to Kimura Shinsuke, who was previously being guarded by Midorima. With Midorima focused on defense, Kimura found himself open under the basket, allowing Yuya to pass him the ball for an easy layup.

The game continued in this manner, with Midorima and Ichigo displaying their dominance, leaving the senpais unable to stop them. Particularly, Ichigo proved himself not only as a skilled one-on-one player but also as a willing passer. Though he may not have possessed the same level of passing skills as Takao, he was still quite capable.

If Ichigo faced a double team, he had the ability to either evade it or find an open teammate. This made it challenging for the defense to guard him, as they couldn't rely solely on one-on-one coverage. Instead, they had to take a gamble and hope that whoever he passed the ball to would miss their shot.

However, if the ball ended up in Midorima's hands, it was almost an automatic score, regardless of how closely he was defended. The only ways to stop him were either by blocking his shot or by preventing him from having his lucky item for the day. Both scenarios were nearly impossible.

With Midorima's height and high-arching shot, it was difficult for the defense to block him. Furthermore, as a devout fan of Oha Asa, it was inconceivable for Midorima to forget his lucky item. The chances of that happening were lower than the chances of him being blocked in a game.

While they struggled to stop Ichigo and Midorima's offense, it was equally challenging for Ichigo and his team to defend against the senpais. During this quarter, the senpais showcased their experience and chemistry by maneuvering around Ichigo and Midorima's interior defense. They either utilized Otsubo for a post-up play or had Yuya and Kiyoshi drive in for layups or passes under the basket to Otsubo or Kimura.

Although Ichigo and Midorima understood the senpais' strategy, the senpais demonstrated impeccable timing in evading their defense. This game highlighted the significant role experience plays, especially in high-intensity matchups like this one, where the senpais exploited Ichigo and Midorima's lack of experience.

Midorima's limited defensive experience stemmed from playing for Teiko Junior High, where intense games were scarce, especially with the talented Generation of Miracles. While he fine-tuned his offensive skills, his defensive abilities were clearly lacking. It became even more challenging for him to learn defense with Murasakibara guarding the basket and shouldering most of the defensive responsibilities. Midorima's only intense game memory was the championship game between Teiko and Meiko in middle school, where his contribution didn't stand out.

On the other hand, Ichigo had the advantage of learning from Akira Sendoh's experience. However, Sendoh wasn't particularly known for his defensive prowess. Although he could be an excellent defender when motivated, it was challenging to get him to that point. Sendoh only gave his all when facing opponents he considered worthy.

Additionally, while Ichigo benefited from Hanamichi Sakuragi's defensive experience, it was limited considering Sakuragi had only been playing basketball for a few months. Although Sakuragi showed potential as a defender, his lack of experience was evident.

Moreover, even though Ichigo was a transmigrator, he didn't have a sports background in his previous life. While he occasionally played basketball for fun, he never had the opportunity to participate in formal games, so his defensive experience was limited.

As the second quarter concluded, the score was 35-40, with the senpais still in the lead. However, Ichigo's team gradually closed the gap, thanks to Midorima's sharpshooting from beyond the arc.

They have very little time to rest before the start of the third quarter. They use this time to cool down their bodies and rehydrate with water. After a few minutes, the acting referee blows his whistle, signaling the resumption of the game.

In the third quarter, the game continues in a similar fashion to the last quarter, but this time the seniors change their defensive strategy. They realize that Midorima and his outside shooting are the biggest threats to them. Although Ichigo consistently scores in one-on-one situations, it is Midorima who has been closing the gap between the teams.

With this in mind, the seniors focus their defense on Midorima. They don't allow him to get open and make it difficult for the ball to be passed to him. Even if he does receive the ball, they double team him, forcing him to pass or causing a turnover. This strategy is effective because Midorima is not known for his ball-handling skills.

While they are successful in containing Midorima, it comes at the cost of Ichigo's offensive performance. However, they don't mind because their priority is to remain ahead in terms of score. While they can't completely stop Ichigo from scoring, the same applies to them.

Despite the seniors efficiently passing the ball, Ichigo's team is unable to stop their offense. Ichigo and Midorima are aware of their tactics as they have already read their plays. The issue lies with Ichigo's teammates who are struggling to guard the seniors. Only Ichigo, Midorima, and Takao are able to successfully follow and guard the seniors. The rest of the team seems almost nonexistent, almost as if they are playing 3 vs. 5.

This is one of the reasons why Ichigo's team is unable to gain the lead. Ichigo doesn't even trust his teammates to take open shots. The seniors take advantage of this by allowing the other players to shoot. Although some of their shots are successful, they also miss frequently, making it difficult for Ichigo to take the lead.

While Ichigo could activate his Zone and dominate the game, that's not what he wants. They are still teammates at the end of the day, so he wants to assess the skills and abilities of his future teammates. Even if he were to win the game in this manner, it wouldn't matter much as it is still just a practice game.

The third quarter comes to an end, with the score at 62-75 in favor of the senpais, who have extended their lead by 13 points. Ichigo takes a break on the sidelines and observes his teammates, who are visibly exhausted and struggling to catch their breath. The only other player on their team, besides him, who still has the stamina and energy to continue is Midorima. Even Takao, though gasping for air, may push himself to play in the last quarter.

Regarding his two remaining teammates, they had more possession of the ball because the upperclassmen were focusing on defending Midorima and Ichigo. This meant that they had to put in extra effort during the third quarter.

Out of all the players on the team during that quarter, these two were the most active. Although Ichigo feels that their contribution to the team is limited, he appreciates their dedication to the game, even if they can't match the intensity of the senpais.

"Great job out there, senpais," Ichigo praises his teammates, offering them a pat on the back. Upon hearing Ichigo's words of appreciation, they are initially surprised but soon filled with happiness. Knowing that Ichigo approves of their efforts makes them feel grateful towards him.

Deep down, they understand that they may not possess the same level of skill as their opponents in this game. However, they give their best and contribute in any way they can. Ichigo's recognition of their hard work goes beyond their expectations. They had anticipated him to be disappointed, if not angry, with their performance. Yet, instead, Ichigo commends them for a job well done.

"Thank you, Ichigo. Your words meant a lot to us," they said to Ichigo, their face filled with appreciation.

"Don't mention it, senpais." Ichigo replied.

"Ichigo, I hate to burst your bubble, but it's going to be tough for us to continue the game, let alone win it, given our current condition," Takao suddenly said to Ichigo, pointing at the visibly exhausted players around them. Upon realizing that Takao was referring to them, the two senpais felt embarrassed, knowing how difficult it would be to keep playing.

Noticing the seniors' spirits faltering, Ichigo quickly responded, "Don't worry, senpais. In the end, winning or losing doesn't really matter. What's important is that we give it our all in this final quarter." He tried to motivate them. Although Ichigo's words provided some consolation and lifted their spirits, it was still hard for them to accept that they might lose the game because of their own performance.

Unlike the others, Ichigo didn't hold the same expectations. He understood that he couldn't rely on his teammates to make significant contributions. All he hoped for was that they would be able to at least slow down the senpais.