The air on the court seemed to grow still. Hakata Commercial High School's point guard stood beyond the three-point line with the ball, his hawklike gaze sweeping across Shohoku's defensive formation before finally settling on Miyagi Ryota in front of him.
Miyagi Ryota bent his knees slightly and spread his arms in a defensive stance, his eyes fixed on the basketball in his opponent's hands like a cheetah poised to spring.
At under 170 centimeters tall, he looked especially small among the generally towering basketball players, but his unflinching determination still made him impossible to underestimate.
He knew his speed and ability to steal the ball were his greatest weapons, yet he could not help feeling a flicker of anxiety when his opponent deliberately targeted the height difference.
Hakata Commercial High School's point guard seemed to see through Gongcheng Liangtian's thoughts, and a knowing smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
Rather than challenge Miyagi Ryota's speed, he suddenly raised his hand and flicked his wrist. The basketball traced a high arc off his fingertips, sailing over Gongcheng Liangtian's head like a meteor toward Shohoku's basket.
The pass's height and angle were devilishly precise, placing it just beyond the limit of Miyagi Ryota's leap and rendering his defense useless.
Gongcheng Liangtian instinctively jumped, stretching his arm as far as he could. His fingertips could almost feel the rush of air as the basketball passed, but an insurmountable gap still separated them. All he could do was watch the ball sail overhead. After hanging briefly in the air, he landed heavily, an overwhelming sense of helplessness rising inside him.
At that moment, his lack of height was magnified beyond measure, making all his efforts seem futile.
Under Shohoku's basket, Hakata Commercial High School's center had already established position. His massive