Miuradai's Malice (2)

What happened next was something no one had expected.

The piercing whistle sounded again. The basketball struck high off the backboard, then bounced straight out of bounds.

Koshino lay on the ground, both hands clamped tightly over the right side of his waist. His brows were knitted tight, and beads of cold sweat seeped across his forehead.

Just moments ago, he had risen for a jump shot, his body suspended in the air in a smooth, extended posture, the ball about to leave his hand.

At that completely defenseless instant, Gao Jinghong of Miuradai suddenly charged in from behind and to the side. It looked as though he was trying to stop Koshino from shooting, but he deliberately raised his elbow, aimed at Koshino's waist, and slammed hard into Koshino of Ryonan.

Everyone rushed to Koshino's side and helped him up.

Shi Shangliang'er asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"

Koshino gritted his teeth and reluctantly shook his head. "I'm fine, but that bastard definitely did it on purpose!"

Anger rose on Ikegami Ryoji's face as he pointed at Gao Jinghong and shouted, "Referee, that was a flagrant foul!"

Gao Jinghong raised both hands, his face full of innocent-looking bewilderment. "I didn't do anything. I just wanted to block the shot, but my foot slipped, so..." Although he said that, a flash of smugness crossed his eyes, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Uekusa was so furious his face turned green. Pointing at Gao Jinghong's nose, he snapped, "Stop making excuses! You clearly crashed into him on purpose!"

Yet the referee only called an ordinary defensive foul on Gao Jinghong. There was no technical foul, no ejection, not even a stern warning!

Damn it!

The Ryonan players clenched their fists, their faces livid and their eyes blazing with fury.