"Tweet! Ryonan Team requests a timeout."
The Ryonan Team players walked off the court, panting. They were exhausted, but their expressions were happy.
Once they let loose, this way of playing basketball felt comfortable to them.
The only one with a grave expression was Jun Uozumi. He sat silently on the bench with a dark look on his face.
And Jun Uozumi was the very reason Coach Taoka had called this timeout.
Walking over to Jun Uozumi, Coach Taoka spoke to him quietly.
"Uozumi, I know you're afraid of fouling out and causing Ryonan Team to lose.
But there are only fifteen minutes left in the game now. You don't have much time left.
This could be your last dance. Don't leave yourself with regrets, all right?"
Coach Taoka gently patted Jun Uozumi's shoulder and said no more.
As a team's coach, he should not give up before the very last moment.
But looking at the scoreboard, where the gap had already widened to twenty-five points, Coach Taoka let his emotions take over for once.
No one knew better than Coach Taoka how hard Jun Uozumi had worked over the past few years as the team's captain. He did not want Jun Uozumi to look back on this game years later with a heart full of regret.
The timeout ended, and both teams returned to the court. Having already scored on three isolation plays in the second half, Takenori Akagi confidently called for the ball in the post again.
Muscling Jun Uozumi aside, Takenori Akagi turned to attempt a Gorilla Dunk.
But the instant Takenori Akagi jumped, Jun Uozumi slammed his hand against the basketball.
Smack! Jun Uozumi swatted the ball away.
After completing the block, Jun Uozumi, who had been silent for so long, seemed to come back to