The instant the basketball passed through the hoop, he still remembered to turn and shoot an intimidating look at Sakuragi Hanamichi, who was trying to help on defense.
The pressure radiating from him made Sakuragi Hanamichi hesitate for half a beat.
After activating Wildness, Maki Shinichi's ability rose an entire level. Both his strength and his speed became even harder to stop.
And that was exactly what happened. With his Wildness awakened, Maki Shinichi drove with greater force, while his court vision became broader and his passes more precise.
He repeatedly attacked off the dribble, single-handedly drawing two or even three Shohoku defenders.
The moment Shohoku's defense collapsed inward, a flick of his wrist sent the ball deftly to Jin Soichiro waiting on the perimeter or Muto Tadashi cutting in from the wing.
Jin Soichiro had completely regained his shooting touch. Whenever he received a pass from Maki Shinichi, he launched a three without hesitation. The ball swished through the net again and again, his accuracy as precise as a calibrated machine.
Takasago Kazuma also seized his chances. While Akagi was occupied elsewhere, he used nimble off-ball movement to find openings for layups, scoring several crucial baskets.
Shohoku, meanwhile, had its offensive rhythm completely disrupted. Kiyota Nobunaga stuck relentlessly to Rukawa. No matter how Rukawa changed direction on his drives, Kiyota Nobunaga clung to him like glue, giving him no chance to find his rhythm with the ball.
Mitsui Hisashi's hot shooting also began to cool. Hainan's targeted defense severely limited his attempts, and even the occasional shot he managed missed. The team's offensive efficiency dropped noticeably.
The numbers on the scoreboard began changing rapidly. Hainan kept clawing its way back, steadily closing the gap with Shohoku.
27-35, 32-37, 38-40. With five minutes remaining in the first half, Hainan had