An entire team had concealed its strength, and done so flawlessly. From the opening tip until nearly the end of the first half, they had given nothing away, only to erupt together in the final five minutes.
That level of restraint and coordination was inconceivable. Even across the entire National Tournament, there had never been a precedent.
Could it have been a coincidence, then?
Could every player on the team have suddenly surpassed his usual limits at the same time?
Domoto Goro cursed inwardly. Sure, it wasn't impossible-like hell it wasn't!
In all his years of coaching, he had seen players catch fire during a game and exceed their limits when cornered, but never an entire team erupt at once.
This was no coincidence. It was utterly absurd, and he refused to buy that nonsense.
Had they been hiding their strength, or was something else going on?
Domoto Goro's mind was a mess, countless questions circling endlessly, but he no longer had time to dwell on them.
Whatever had caused Kanagawa's entire team to erupt, he had to act immediately. He could not let the situation deteriorate any further.
Taking a deep breath, Domoto Goro suppressed his agitation and confusion, his gaze instantly firming.
He raised his head and signaled to the referee for a timeout without hesitation.
A sharp, urgent whistle suddenly rang through the gym, interrupting Kanagawa's relentless offensive rhythm.
Akita Prefecture called a timeout!
Mu Shen, who had been preparing to launch another attack on the court, instinctively stopped moving. Sento Zhang raised an eyebrow and looked toward Akita Prefecture's bench, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eyes.
Chi Tong stood where he was, his expression as calm as ever, though a brief flash of understanding crossed his mismatched eyes.
To the Akita Prefecture players, the