Takeshi vs Shoyo

"Hmph, I really didn't expect Kainan to lose, but it doesn't matter. This time, it's Shoyo's turn to rise. Come on, Hanagata, defeat Takeshi and show everyone who the strongest player in this class is," Tokiomi Tosaka, the coach of Shoyo Junior High School, said to his beloved disciple with great confidence.

Kainan High School had been the undisputed king of Kanagawa for fourteen years, but Kainan Middle School was a different story. Despite winning last year's championship with Sasaki Hikaru's individual skills, this year, Kainan faltered with the graduation of Sasaki and Miyamoto. Tokiomi considered them a soft target. This year and in the future, it was Shoyo's era.

You might be wondering about his confidence. Just take a look at Shoyo's lineup: ace center Toru Hanagata, standing at 1.91cm, and excelling at shooting. Power forwards Takano and junior Nagano, both towering at 1.84cm. According to Tokiomi, they didn't even need Hanagata to step in to deal with Kainan.

Furthermore, they had already played a practice match with Yokota, and not even Yokota's ace, Murasame, could match their Hanagata. Through this experience, Tokiomi Tosaka seemed to glimpse a future where Shoyo Junior High School would break Kainan's monopoly. Additionally, coach Kotomine Kirei, of Shoyo High School, was getting older and was expected to resign and return to his hometown for recovery within the next two years.

Tokiomi Tosaka's plan seemed well laid out. If he could secure the junior high school championship with his disciples, including Hanagata and the others, he could move on to coaching at the high school level. His journey to a better life started with defeating Takeishi Middle School.

Tokiomi Tosaka might come across as a bit arrogant, but it must be acknowledged that he possessed two key skills. When facing Takeshi and the renowned Mitsui Hisashi, he devised a tactic to fortify the restricted area. Tokiomi taught his beloved disciples firsthand, "Shooting alone won't win the game. We need to leverage our height, defend the paint to prevent them from driving in, and score step by step. Victory for us involves playing our strengths."

"Dip!"

As the referee blew the whistle, the game began. Tokuo and Hanagata jumped for the ball. Everyone from Takeishi retreated as a team. As expected, Hanagata passed the ball to Ito. When Tokuo landed, he noticed that everyone had already positioned themselves. His heart was filled with pride, and he had no choice but to retreat.

Shoyo gained possession, and Ito took control of the ball beyond the midfield. Seeing that Takeishi's players were solid in their defense, he passed the ball to Toru Hanagata, their ace with the highest shooting accuracy, to take a shot.

Hanagata Toru faced off against Tokuo Horita and leaped for a mid-range shot, paying little heed to the defense. Even though Tokuo tried to contest the shot by raising his hands, the basketball still gracefully arched and dropped into the basket. The mid-range shot was good, and Shoyo Middle School took the lead, 2-0.

Hanagata Toru and Ito exchanged high-fives, with Ito complimenting, "your shooting feels on point today." Ito praised, and Hanagata Toru raised a corner of his mouth, running toward his half of the court.

Takeishi Junior High School, with Takashima in control of the ball, faced Ito's interference and defense. Takashima dribbled with his right hand and passed the ball directly to Mitsui. Mitsui extended his left hand high and raised his index finger, "Stay calm, everyone, play steadily, and score first." After spending considerable time together, Mitsui's leadership had deeply influenced the team. Seeing Mitsui motivating everyone, the players' spirits soared, and they started running. However, Shoyo's players remained steadfast, securing the interior to thwart any breakthrough.

Mitsui furrowed his brow when he saw this situation. But the current Mitsui, who had returned from high school, was undoubtedly better at three-pointers compared to his junior high days, with various mid-range shots. He began to show signs of passing the ball to Takashima, diverting the defensive players' attention, then suddenly accelerating, relying on his speed to bypass the defenders and make a break on the left.

"He's so fast. I've never faced a player this quick before." The players guarding Mitsui were taken aback.

Beyond the three-point line, Mitsui made an abrupt stop for a jump shot. Before Shoyo players could recover their positions, the basketball was already in flight. Mitsui, without watching the ball, raised his right hand high, forming a fist, leading his teammates back to their half of the court.

The basketball formed an arc and dropped through the net, creating a splash. The three-pointer was successful, and Takeishi Middle School took the lead, 3-2.

"Captain, Mitsui Hisashi's speed is too fast; I can't guard him at all," the supporting player opposite Mitsui lamented with a grimace.

"Well, he certainly deserves his reputation. I will defend him with you later," Hanagata replied with a solemn expression. In a basketball game, a person's skill can be observed with just one play. With just three points, Mitsui had already caught Hanagata's attention.

Although their strategy was to place the opponent on the opposite side and rely on tall players to guard the penalty area, facing a master like Hisashi Mitsui, a single individual might break through if he shoots, so Hanagata planned to contain Mitsui's arrows.

"Containing Mitsui Hisashi is crucial; otherwise, this game will be challenging," Ito, also a sensible player, remarked. He dribbled the ball past half-court and found Hanagata following the team's usual approach.

Facing Hanagata, Tokuo stuck closely to him. However, Hanagata, known for his exceptional skills, turned over and made a jump shot, adding two more points to his side's score.

In Takeishi's possession, Mitsui once again positioned himself outside the three-point line. Surprisingly, this time, Hanagata stepped out of the penalty area to defend Mitsui. Faced with the tall Hanagata, Mitsui hesitated to take a direct shot, and Hanagata's agility kept up with Mitsui's moves. But Mitsui was not the only one with these skills.

Mitsui swiftly passed the ball to Katsumi, who was already extremely excited. Upon receiving the ball, Katsumi cleverly deceived Takano with a fake move, attempting to score. However, perhaps due to his excitement, Katsumi put too much force into the shot, and he realized it was a bad shot as soon as the ball left his hands.

"Rebound!" Katsumi shouted loudly. Tokuo and Ikegami tried to squeeze in, but at that moment, Shoyo Middle School had occupied all the inside positions, leaving them helpless as Nagano secured the rebound. "Tsk!" Katsumi cursed silently and hurriedly retreated, while Mitsui narrowed his eyes. Was this Shoyo's tactics? If it was what he suspected, Takeishi was in trouble. This tactic should have been used by Shoyo during his senior year in high school!

"Everyone, hang on," Ito controlled the ball. "The game has just begun. Let's not get too anxious. Remember our strengths."

"Ito, over here," Takano blocked Katsumi and reached out for the ball. Katsumi had missed his previous shot, but Takano couldn't back down, so he asked Ito to pass him the ball directly. Hanagata also approved of this approach. After all, when he had first seen the lineup, Katsumi was only a second-year junior high school student and still an unknown newcomer. His height and physique weren't as impressive as Takano's.

"Takano-senpai is really strong," Ito passed the ball to Takano. However, as the ball was still in the air, a figure quickly moved and intercepted it. It was Katsumi. Faced with Takano and others' contempt, Katsumi skillfully disrupted Takano's balance, then accelerated suddenly, successfully stealing the basketball.

After the steal, Katsumi energetically passed the ball to the frontcourt, shouting, "Senpai!" Mitsui followed his call and dashed ahead to receive the ball. He caught it, abruptly stopped, jumped, shook his hands, and made a picturesque shot.

With a score of 6:4, Takeishi Middle School took the lead again, and Mitsui's sudden three-pointer ignited the crowd.

"No. 4 from Takeishi is so strong! He made a pull-up jumper right from outside the three-point line. He's so confident. Since when did it become so easy to make three-pointers?" remarked a middle-aged man who usually didn't pay much attention to the game.

"That player is Hisashi Mitsui. They say Kainan and Shoyo is competing to recruit him. He's the strongest junior high school player in Kanagawa this year. His reputation is well-deserved," a high school scout looking for potential recruits for the upcoming year added.

"No. 4 is so handsome! I wish I could be his girlfriend," exclaimed a young girl who had come to watch the game.