Under the basket, Yu Zhu had long been waiting in full readiness. His tall body stood before the hoop like an iron tower, arms slightly spread as he tried to completely seal off Liu Chuanfeng's path to the basket.
Facing this wall of bronze and iron, Liu Chuanfeng's eyes suddenly sharpened. Like a starving wolf that had caught the scent of blood, he radiated chilling aggression and bared his fangs without hesitation.
The rhythm of the basketball striking the floor suddenly quickened, each bounce seeming to pound against the hearts of everyone from Shohoku.
Liu Chuanfeng dribbled faster and faster. The ball seemed glued to his palms as his hands alternated, and his dazzling consecutive crossovers kept shifting Yu Zhu's defensive center of gravity until a tiny opening soon appeared.
Now!
With a flick of his wrist, Liu Chuanfeng sent the ball skimming along the floor in a tricky arc, slipping past Yu Zhu's side. Borrowing that momentum, he twisted around Yu Zhu, explosively pushed off the floor, and leaped. His body stretched into a smooth arc in midair as his right hand steadily guided the ball toward the hoop.
The ball brushed through the net with a crisp sound. Shohoku scored another 2 points, and the scoreboard at the sidelines instantly updated: Ryonan 44, Shohoku 43.
Only one minute remained before the end of the first half.
Chi Tong stood on the court with the same calm, unfathomable expression. His gaze casually swept over the scoreboard, and his face showed not the slightest reaction, as if the ever-changing numbers had nothing to do with him.
Zhou Shen remained as steady as ever, utterly unshakable.
Though Ryonan's players watched the gap gradually shrink, a trace of unwillingness flashed through their eyes. Yet not one of them showed any anxiety or