"Beep, beep! Hakusui Hall Junior High had called a timeout!" After Ken Kaneki made the and-one free throw, the referee's whistle sounded again.
"Ah, Hakusui Hall's been forced to call a timeout," Shoichi Imagawa remarked in front of the TV. "Ken Kaneki really is Ken Kaneki. It's already the third round, and he hasn't let up at all."
"Huh? What nonsense are you talking about?" Makoto Hanamiya said disdainfully. "For Ken Kaneki, winning is a must. This doesn't count as going all out—it's just the momentum that comes with being strong."
"You sure got more talkative after getting beaten up," Shoichi Imagawa said, rubbing his forehead helplessly. "If I'd known, I would've beaten you up ages ago."
"Hmph. You don't know what you're talking about." Makoto Hanamiya snorted, then fixed his eyes on the game on the screen and fell silent.
"Takeyoshi, do you need me to help cover for you?" Taisuke Ōtsubo asked kindly.
"No, thank you, Ōtsubo-senpai. I'll do my best to hold him off." Takeyoshi Negami shook his head in frustration, then reminded him, "You should watch out for that purple-haired guy too. He's no pushover."
"Takeyoshi." Yukio Kasamatsu patted him on the shoulder. "Don't try to take him head-on. He's the undefeated lion of Teiko. Facing his claws directly isn't wise. You still have teammates."
"Yes." Takeyoshi Negami lowered his head, feeling ashamed.
"All right, quiet down." Hakusui Hall's coach, Hiroki Imura, tapped the clipboard in his hand. "When we get back on the court, Yukio will be the starting point of our offense. Ryō, your job is to keep moving and look for openings to shoot. Takeyoshi and Taisuke, be ready to set screens for Yukio and Ryō. Seishi, keep an eye on what's happening on the court, and look for chances to attack the