Evenly Matched? (1)

Ryonan vs. Jinjiuwu, 95—The game officially began.

Ryonan's starting lineup: Center Yu Zhu, No. 5, third-year; small forward Sento, No. 7, second-year; power forward Shishang Liang'er, No. 6, second-year; shooting guard Yueye Hongming, No. 8, second-year; point guard Uekusa Zhizhi, No. 9, second-year. Jinjiuwu's starting lineup: Center Koichiro Nansho, No. 15, first-year; small forward He Quanlong, No. 5, third-year; power forward Muto Tadashi, No. 8, third-year; shooting guard Jin Soichiro, No. 4, third-year and team captain; point guard Natsuki Hiroshi, No. 7, third-year.

Two dull thuds rang out as Yu Zhu and Koichiro Nansho sprang up together like arrows loosed from a bow. Their long arms stretched sharply through the air toward the basketball at the peak of its ascent. Their palms touched the ball almost simultaneously, their immense strength colliding against it and sending it soaring upward again, hanging in the air for a brief instant.

At the sight, everyone on Ryonan's bench widened their eyes. Xiangtian Yanyi could not help crying out, "He can actually match Senior Yu Zhu!"

Taoka Moichi's brow twitched slightly, and his eyes narrowed.

He had not expected Koichiro Nansho, despite being nearly ten centimeters shorter than Uozumi, to hold his own in the tip-off.

That alone showed that Koichiro Nansho's jumping ability and explosiveness were far superior to what the information had indicated.

Only Chi Tong remained calmly seated on the bench, without the slightest hint of surprise on his face.

He had already carefully observed Koichiro Nansho's physical condition. The other player's muscle definition and coordination had long suggested exceptional athletic ability, so it was no surprise that he could stalemate Yu Zhu in the tip-off.

On the court, when the basketball fell for the second time, a Jinjiuwu player got to it first.

Jinjiuwu's point guard was Hakushi Natsuki. He quickly