Hainan's impatience soon turned into a string of mistakes, each giving Shohoku another chance to counterattack and widen the gap.
Shohoku wasted none of those opportunities, scoring either on fast-break layups or adding another two points with accurate midrange shots. The gap on the scoreboard kept snowballing.
Soon, under Sannoh's relentless barrage, Hainan's players finally began to show signs of fatigue.
A sharp whistle cut across the court as the clock for the first half officially hit zero. Sannoh's and Hainan's players finally stopped running and headed back to their respective benches.
The fierce contest had paused, but the atmosphere in the arena did not relax with it. Everyone's eyes instinctively turned toward the electronic scoreboard hanging above the court. The numbers made quite a few people suck in a breath and silently marvel.
Sannoh Industrial High School, 38; Hainan, 28. A full ten-point gap. No one had expected a score that had remained so close early in the first half to be forced so far apart by Sannoh in the final few minutes.
The sudden widening of the gap sent an inexplicable chill through the spectators.
The strength Sannoh displayed inspired not only apprehension, but a deep sense of awe.
The Ryonan players sat in the stands. When they saw the numbers on the scoreboard, their breath caught in unison, disbelief written all over their faces.
After all, Sannoh's opponent was Hainan, a powerhouse that consistently ranked among the nation's top four and could easily dominate an ordinary national-level team.
But Sannoh?
Even with their reputation as the strongest team in the country, opening up a ten-point lead in just a few minutes still exceeded everyone's expectations. It was enough to leave them stunned.
What did opening up a ten-point gap in so little time mean?
It meant that