Possession changed hands.
Tazawa dribbled upcourt again, frustration simmering inside him.
Ryota Miyagi stuck to him like a phantom once more, constantly harassing him at close range and applying physical pressure.
Tazawa tried to accelerate past him, but Miyagi's speed and agility kept him right alongside. After several collisions, Tazawa was the one knocked slightly off balance, and dribbling became difficult again.
"Give me the ball!" Dai Moroboshi demanded from the wing, his voice carrying unquestionable authority.
He had already noticed that Miyagi's relentless pressure was throwing Tazawa off mentally.
As though granted a reprieve, Tazawa immediately passed him the ball.
Moroboshi caught it, with Kaede Rukawa still guarding him.
Rukawa's eyes were even more focused and cold than in the first quarter, like two blocks of ice that had remained frozen for millennia.
He had learned his lesson. He lowered his center of gravity and spread his arms, sealing off almost every angle Moroboshi could drive through. He left only a sliver of space for a shot, but at that distance, Rukawa was confident his vertical leap and reach would be enough to contest it.
Moroboshi held the ball a step beyond the three-point line. Facing Rukawa's airtight defense, he did not rush to attack.
Bending forward slightly, Moroboshi deftly alternated his dribble between his hands, the basketball bouncing around his body as though alive.
His sharp gaze scanned Rukawa's defensive stance while also tracking his teammates' movements.
Suddenly, Moroboshi's dribbling rhythm changed!
His repeated between-the-legs crossovers abruptly accelerated.
The basketball darted between his legs at high speed, producing a rapid series of slaps.
Moroboshi's shoulders shook rapidly along with it, selling convincing fakes toward both sides.
Rukawa concentrated intensely, moving his feet quickly as he fought to close off every possible driving lane. His center of gravity kept