They had all gathered here today for one reason: the afternoon final between Kanagawa and Akita Prefecture.
After all, whether in terms of roster strength, the prestige of the event, or the buzz surrounding it, the much-anticipated final was bound to be more gripping and draw more attention than the third-place match.
As the final buzzer sounded, the rather uneventful battle for third place came to an end.
In the end, Love Line defeated Big Axe with more consistent play and claimed third place in this Autumn National Sports Festival.
The smoke from the third-place match had barely cleared when the atmosphere inside Tokyo Gymnasium grew even hotter. The highly anticipated Autumn National Sports Festival final was about to begin.
Time quietly passed, and before long, afternoon arrived. Sunlight streamed through the dome of the arena, falling over Tokyo Gymnasium, where the ultimate showdown was about to unfold, casting a dazzling glow over the final clash. In Kanagawa's locker room, the players were making their final preparations before the game.
Though they were about to step onto the court for the final, against the renowned Sannoh Industrial High School, the entire Kanagawa squad was remarkably calm. There was none of the expected tension, nor any unease at facing a top-tier powerhouse. Everyone wore composed expressions, their eyes filled with the certainty of victory.
Sento leaned against the lockers and said softly, with a touch of emotion in his voice, "I didn't expect us to face them again so soon."
Their clash at the last National Tournament was still vivid in their minds. Now they were meeting again, and on the stage of the final no less. It was hard not to feel a little wistful.
"Yeah."
Chi Tong nodded at Sento's words. Her tone was calm, and there was no