A piercing whistle suddenly cut through the entire court as the referee blew the signal to start the game.
The referee then flicked his wrist and tossed the basketball high into the air between the two teams at center court. Spinning beneath the lights, the ball rose as though time itself had slowed in that instant.
Almost simultaneously, two heavy thuds exploded against the floor. Akagi and Sun Zhongkuan exerted themselves at the same time, making the hardwood seem to tremble beneath their feet as they shot toward the ball like arrows loosed from a bow.
The match between Kanagawa and Aichi had officially begun.
A crisp slap of palm against basketball rang out over the gymnasium, and possession fell into Aichi's hands without surprise.
Akagi lost the tip-off to Mori Zhongkuan.
Though the Kanagawa fans in attendance let out disappointed sighs, those who understood the two players' abilities were not surprised. Sun Zhongkuan was a true physical freak. For Akagi to completely overpower him in terms of athleticism would have taken considerable effort, especially when he had yet to understand his opponent's rhythm at the very start of the game.
From the tip-off alone, Akagi had already raised his guard to its highest level.
After landing, Akagi did not immediately retreat on defense. Instead, he stood where he was, brow tightly furrowed, his eyes fixed on Morishige Hiroshi. His heart pounded violently. In that jump ball, he had gained no advantage whatsoever. If anything, he had been completely overwhelmed.
At the moment the basketball reached its apex, he had clearly felt that there was a palm's width between his hand and Morishige Hiroshi's.
That gap might have seemed small, but it was the height Akagi had reached only by giving everything he had, even drawing on the limits of