Only then did he realize he had underestimated number 8.
Ichinokura Satoshi was not only absurdly strong on defense—his drives were just as sharp.
Damn it!
Fukuda Kicchou gritted his teeth and spun around to recover, but he was already too late.
The instant Ichinokura Satoshi drove past him, he did not hesitate. With a light flick of his wrist, the basketball shot out like a cannonball toward Sawakita Eiji, who had already cut into the open space beneath Ryonan's basket.
The moment Sawakita Eiji caught the ball, he sprang into the air. Facing Uozumi's block, he forcefully completed a double-clutch in midair and slammed the ball through the hoop.
The thunderous dunk rang out, and the electronic scoreboard immediately changed.
Ryonan 20—Sannoh Industrial High School 22. The Ryonan players on the bench were stunned by the sight. So this was Sannoh!
Even a player who specialized in defense possessed strength in other areas that ordinary players could not compare with.
Yueye Hongming cried out.
"Yeah, we seem to have overlooked that. He may be just an ordinary player on their team, but in terms of ability, he's still among the best in the nation!"
Only now did Ikegami Ryoji come to that realization.
Uekusa Tomoyuki said worriedly, "This doesn't feel good. It looks like Yanyi has been completely shut down by number 8."
After Ryonan inbounded from the baseline on their next possession, the ball passed several times between Chi Tong, Sendoh, and Uekusa Tomoyuki as they tried to find a gap in Sannoh's defense.
Chi Tong's gaze swept over the court before finally settling on Xiangtian Yanyi.
Even knowing that Ichinokura Satoshi had been shadowing Xiangtian Yanyi the entire time, that position was still the most flexible hub in Ryonan's tactical system.
The basketball traced a blue arc