The Winning Margin Grows Clearer

The first half of the semifinals between Miuradai and the Ryonan Basketball Team was nearly over.

If, during the first eight minutes, the Ryonan Basketball Team had relied on sheer resilience and fighting spirit to stubbornly keep the score close and prevent Miuradai from extending its lead, then from the eighth minute of the first half onward, Miuradai launched another fierce surge under Wu Yufei's direction, breaking the deadlock once more.

At 8:45 in the first half, Miuradai brought the ball into the frontcourt. Wu Yufei first used an Iverson-Style Breakthrough to shake off Kazama Yuto with ease, then drove straight into the Ryonan Basketball Team's paint. After drawing two interior defenders into a double-team, he decisively fired a quick bounce pass to Uehara Jun, who had cut under the basket from the other side. Uehara rose easily and calmly scored.

At 9:10, under Miuradai's resolute defense, the Ryonan Basketball Team remained unable to break through.

With the possession clock about to expire, Kazama Yuto could no longer worry about anything else. He forced his way into the paint against Wu Yufei's defense, spun, stepped back, and decisively rose for a forced shot.

Wu Yufei could actually have blocked that shot, but on second thought, what he needed now was not a block. It was a rebound.

Thus, driven by selfish motives, Wu Yufei chose not to block it and instead allowed his opponent to get the shot off.

He was confident that Kazama Yuto's awkward attempt had no guaranteed chance of going in.

Duang!!

The next instant, Wu Yufei's gamble proved correct. The basketball struck the rim and bounced away.

"Rebound, mine!!"

Wu Yufei spun and charged into the paint, shouting as he had Uehara Jun and Ohno Kazuki box out for him, then easily collected the defensive rebound.