The basketball sailed straight through the hoop without the slightest deviation, barely stirring the net. Nothing but net.
With that crisp display of teamwork, Hainan scored on the counterattack once again.
No sooner had Hainan's three-pointer dropped through than Sannoh answered, immediately setting up its offense.
Rather than pushing the pace as he had before, Sannoh's point guard slowly dribbled around beyond the three-point line.
The basketball spun lightly beneath his fingertips, but his eyes swept over Hainan's defensive positions like a searchlight.
From Maki Shinichi's position to Takasago Kazuma's movements inside, he missed nothing, not even his teammates' cuts, patiently searching for the slightest crack in the defense.
The cheers from the sidelines had yet to die down when his eyes suddenly lit up.
He spotted a fleeting opening on the perimeter as Hainan's interior defenders shifted to help. Without a moment's hesitation, he flicked his wrist, sending the basketball straight through a gap in the crowd toward Sannoh's center in the paint.
Sannoh's center was already waiting in the paint. He caught the incoming ball securely and, before he had even planted himself fully, spun hard against the onrushing Takasago Kazuma. Dipping his shoulder, he powered through Takasago Kazuma's resistance, then raised the ball overhead with both arms to keep it out of reach of a block.
Then he drove both feet hard into the floor and rose like an iron tower, gripping the basketball firmly as he slammed it toward the hoop.
A deafening crash echoed through the arena as the ball was hammered through. The rim shook violently several times before settling, and Sannoh added another two points.
Despite Sannoh's commanding dunk, Hainan's players showed no sign of panic. They continued playing steadily at their own pace.
Hainan readjusted its defensive positioning and quickly shifted into