Shoyo's Determination

Even Hainan would have found it difficult to suppress Shoyo to this extent.

When they had faced Shoyo before, Hainan had won, but only after fighting until the final few minutes of the second half and expending considerable effort. It was nothing like this, where Shoyo seemed to be pinned down from start to finish, completely unable to fight back.

No, it was not that they were unable to fight back at all. Shoyo had clearly been attacking proactively the entire time, while Ryonan only seemed to be retaliating passively. Yet somehow, Shoyo simply could not score.

Maki Shinichi's brows had long since furrowed deeply.

He had a sturdy build and a mature, steady air about him. He did not look like someone particularly skilled at thinking, but in truth, his mind was clearer than anyone else's on the team, sharper even than that of many coaches.

He could naturally sense what Fujima Kenji had noticed was wrong, and he saw it even more clearly. His gaze was fixed firmly on Chi Tong on the court, while waves churned in his heart.

On the surface, Chi Tong did not seem to be doing anything special. He was neither stealing the ball frantically nor launching flashy attacks. But upon closer inspection, one would find that he was controlling the rhythm every moment.

On the surface, Chi Tong was merely adjusting Ryonan's defense according to Shoyo's tactics. Yet Ryonan blocked Shoyo's attacks with precision every time, then immediately counterattacked along the weak points in Shoyo's tactics. This was far more than simply countering move for move.

"That guy..." Maki Shinichi muttered as he stared at Chi Tong, his eyes filled with gravity.

The Shohoku players stared at the glaring numbers on the scoreboard, so shocked that their mouths hung open. It felt