Sudden Three-Point Battle (1)

Nanyun Kentaro nodded, steadying his emotions.

Possession changed, and Ichibon High School began its offense.

Feng Jianche calmly brought the ball over half court, his pace unhurried as the basketball bounced steadily between his palm and the floor with a deep, rhythmic thump.

He bent his knees slightly and lowered his center of gravity, his hawk-like eyes sweeping across the court as he continuously tracked his teammates' movements and the gaps in the defense.

Just past midcourt, small forward Aoi Tsubasa quietly made his move.

He first feinted toward the baseline, then suddenly changed direction, dipping his right shoulder and driving off his left foot as he cut diagonally toward Ryonan's right corner like an arrow loosed from a bow.

His route was extremely deceptive, his shoes giving off faint squeaks against the floor.

The moment Sento noticed the opponent's movement, his eyes sharpened.

He did not rush forward recklessly. Instead, he quickly slid two steps sideways and turned his body to deny Aoi Tsubasa a passing lane.

His right arm spread naturally while his left hand hovered to deter the pass. He adjusted his distance with nimble footwork, like a moving barrier that stayed in step with Aoi Tsubasa.

On the other side, Gongze Xiumin found himself in the same predicament, tightly guarded by Ikegami Ryoji, who clung to him like a shadow and nearly left him unable to breathe.

He tried several times to probe for space with his shoulder, but Ikegami Ryoji did not budge. His knees stayed slightly bent, his arms always stretched across his body, sealing off every possible passing lane.

Fengjian Che watched from the top of the key, his brows unconsciously knitting together.

Just as he was about to shift to the wing for support, Uekusa Tomoyuki suddenly cut diagonally out from the