Nationals Semi-Finals

Now Hanabira got into the Semi-Finals, and why don't we look at the teams we listed earlier.

Shoei, Kiyoshi Teppei's team, got eliminated in the round robin with a 1-1 score but lost in the points system.

Seika Middle School, Reo Mibuchi's, team also got eliminated 0-2, they matched up against a team that has good perimeter defense.

Higashitani Middle School, Hayama Kotaro's team. got eliminated in the Top 16, they got matched with a school that outscored them. 

Nishiyama Middle School, Eikichi Nebuya's team, got eliminated in the round-robin too, and also was 1-1 and lost in the point system. 

Minamikaze steamrolled their opposition, literally, they got away with light injuries against their opponent's aces and are now in the Semi-Finals. Officials couldn't find a way how they got away with it as even in their cameras everything looked like it was unintentional, so some players only got fouls instead.

And lastly, Teiko, steamrolled their opposition, metaphorically. With their balanced defense and offense, they are now also in the Semi Finals.

And unfortunately, Hanabira gets to play against, Minamikaze Middle School. Their ace players Shoichi Imayoshi and Makoto Hanamiya, in their part, carried the team's offense either with each other or integrating with the team. Defensively they are above average with Imayoshi being a master psychologist in the making, making sure his opponents get pressured with his wits, and Makoto always lure his opponents in a trap that can hurt them, like a dirty, moving (illegal) and strong screen.

Now Hanabira got their basic matchups and strategy covered but are still nervous, it was a combination of being Top Four, facing Hanamiya Makoto and Imayoshi and Minamikaze's evolving dirty playstyle.

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Now as the players assembled in the court, everybody shook each other's hand and as Hideki and Makoto shook hands, Hanabira felt something ominous with him. So Hideki has to be extra careful when handling Makoto.

The game starts and Kobayashi wins the tip in, Hideki wants this game to be finished quickly and as he got the ball he quickly ran to the basket and this made the 3 Minamikaze players crowd onto him, but Hideki knew that they would most likely disturb his shot, so as he jumped for a layup he looked at where Tanaka would be and saw that Imayoshi was stuck in between Benjie and Tanaka, Imayoshi thought that Hideki would pass the ball to Tanaka as he sees Hideki looked at Tanaka's direction but Hideki did a no-look pass to Benjie who sinked in a md-range jumper.

Now Hanabira got a 2-0 lead but the dreadful feeling is still oozing out of Hanamiya, so Hideki is still playing with utmost caution against Hanamiya. 

The game was progressing as how everybody, including Hanamiya Makoto himself, Hanabira is containing Minamikaze's offense, but in a weird sense of fate's stroke, Hanabira's shot aren't going in, so the game's score is crawling. On defense Hanabira was able to contain Makoto and Shoichi, but as the game progressed they found ways to break Hanabira's defense. But on offense, Hanamiya and Shoicihi shut down Suzuki (PG) and Tanaka (SG), so Hideki has to double his effort on producing.

One back-to-back scenario was that Hanamiya passed the ball to an open center and was able to cut to the lane, but Hideki blocked his shot and as Benjie got the rebound Hideki got the ball from him quickly and was able to lay it in coast-to-coast. 

Another one was that as Suzuki got the ball, he tried passing it to Tanaka but Shoichi got in between the passing lane and Makoto was able to shoot a mid-range shot. 

After a buzzer beater mid-range again from Benjie. The first quarter ended with 14 to 16 with Minamikaze in the lead.

At the quarter break, coach Yoshida, told the team there is no adjustments needed and they only need to ramp up their defense. As coach Yoshida and coach Suzuki talked while in the first quarter, the starters should be able to get past their shooting slump and outscore Minamikaze. 

Rare coaching fumble, if you're from the future, as they have Teiko as opponents next game, if they win. And the hidden message was, if they don't outscore Minamikaze, the starters, who are the best suited team to match against Teiko, will be tired on the second game. So both coaches are sitting on a hot thin wire.

The second quarter starts and the game progressed not on the way Hanabira wants to go. For the first 5 minutes the starters were still unable to gain score so it was now in Hideki's hands to score the ball, which was successful as the Minamikaze big men couldn't contain nor detain him, so as the quarter progressed, the others found their groove back. Hideki now passes the ball to the others after being guarded by up to 3 Minamikaze players. 

As Hideki was the focal point of Hanabira's offense, their scoring output got up and now got the lead before half time, the score was at 41 to 40 with Hanabira in the lead. 

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At the halftime break, Coach Yoshida told the players "I like the defensive intensity. More importantly how we revived it after Hideki's offensive efforts." Coach Suzuki on the other hand said "From now let's give Hideki the ball and let him cook on offense" the players nodded while Hideki nod once later. The coaches and players thought he was just resting as he is carrying the team on his shoulders this time as they are against one of the upcoming prodigies Makoto Hanamiya. 

But for Hideki himself? The foreboding feeling was still there, and it's more prominent as the game is as close as it gets. 

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The third quarter starts and Hanabira gets first possession so Suzuki passed the ball to Hideki at the top of the key for him to cook, Hideki signalled the players to give him space in the left wing and let him score in isolation. As soon as he had enough clearance, Hideki dribbled the ball then did a quick left right left dribble, as soon his defender was stunned by the combo, Hideki past right through him and the opposing center got in his way and wants to block him, which was the theme all match long, have help defenders against Hideki, but Hideki wasn't a prodigy too if he let this stopped him so as Hideki got into the air, he passed the ball behind the opposing Center and Kobayashi dunked the ball.

This isolation play from Hideki was done until the quarter ended, so he can let Suzuki and Tanaka rest a little while, because it's only him and Kobayashi or Benjie involved in the offense every possession, which resulted in high percentage shots.

On defense, Hideki or Benjie swaps with Tanaka so they can contain either Shoichi or more importantly Makoto, which was gaining favorable advantage as it was either Tanaka, Hideki or Benjie, so it was a little hard to solve, which pissed Makoto off.

On the last minute of the third quarter, Hanabira is leading the game by 6 points, the game's momentum was on their side, but it was small. 

On the side, Makoto had a great idea, a very sinister idea. In their next possession, Makoto was guarded by Benjie so Makoto tried to cross Benjie, who did not bite on the crossover, but on the next crossover, he past through Benjie in a blur and as Benjie scrambled to get in front of Makoto, he was successful and got in front but his scrambling was the thing that undid him and he was slightly outbalanced, Makoto capitalized on this, he euro-stepped and shoved Benjie slightly (not getting a foul) and Benjie fell backwards, Makoto jumped for a lay up that looked like a scoop shot, and his feet landed "awkwardly" on Benjie's knees and twisted as Makoto also fell onto Benjie.

Everybody gasped in shocked and the air in their lungs got sucked all of them rushed to Benjie to help him. They saw Benjie holding his knee as it was hurting, more than the others currently know. Now Hideki's foreboding feeling receded and glared at Makoto Hanamiya and promised to bring vengeance after he helped Benjie off the floor, he told the coaches "Coach, I'll help bring Benjie to the back, please sub me out for a moment for me to collect my cool. Please" the last word was mixed with a growl like a wild animal. Coach Yoshida permitted this.

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As Hideki left the court with Benjie, the game resumed in order for them not to go beyond the intended schedule. Hideki was calmly breathing in and out, telling Benjie "Yo I got this, he'll pay for this bro" Benjie was in so much pain and couldn't respond to Hideki and was brought out of the arena. 

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After Benjie was brought out of the arena, Hideki returned to the games with the score tied, and well things didn't go the way Makoto thought it would go, instead of a team grieving, he saw vengeance incarnate in Hideki who began to dismantle them in both defense and offense.

At defense, whenever Makoto goes inside for a drive, Hideki steals or blocks the ball. In offense, Hideki was able to pick Minamikaze apart. It got out of hand real quick after the first minute. Shoichi and Makoto couldn't even carry their team to an even fight.

The game ended with 90 to 70, in Hanabira's favor. This was the first game historians will dub the first clash of prodigies. 

Hideki's stats against Minamikaze

24 Points

14 Rebounds

18 Assists

10 Blocks

12 Steals